Skyler flipped through the pages on the chart. Shallow gash
across the upper right torso to the lower left, smaller cut on the
left arm (part of the body slash, really), a few minor scratches
presumably from getting knocked to the ground. Stitches had been
required, but the prognosis was good--if he was reading this right,
he wouldn't have to be confined to bed for more than a day or two.
He set the board on the nightstand and turned his gaze to the
ceiling, thinking.
[Saionji's gone. For a while, at least. And I never did really
find out what was bugging him. And the Student Council's power is
way out of the leagues I'm used to. I could see being able to kick
him off the Council, but actually expelling him from the school?
[Just hope someone can tell me more about what was going on up
there. Falling castles, who *did* coldcock Saionji, and what was up
with Anthy being in that coffin?]
It was a pretty disturbing image. "o/~Scatter red roses all
over my coffin, to muffle the sound of the dirt as it falls...~\o"
"Shitsurei shimasu!"
Skyler blinked. [Nanami?]
She was standing in the doorway, smiling brilliantly, with a big
bouquet of yellow roses cradled in her arms. Touga tossed off a wave
from behind her, a smaller arrangement of red roses dangling from one
hand.
"Apologies for bursting in like this," Touga said, smiling as he
glanced to Nanami, "I happened to mention your predicament to my
little sister, and she of course insisted we make a courtesy visit."
"Well, of course, Oniisama! You owe it to him. After all, you
said if he hadn't been there you might have been the one getting
hurt."
"True. Or more likely Tenjou-kun."
"Big loss," Nanami muttered sotto voce. She bustled around the
room peeking into cabinets. "Vases, vases, where are the vases?"
"Not a clue. Thanks for coming!" Skyler turned his head
towards Touga. "How's Himemiya-san doing?"
"Fully recovered, I hear. She and Tenjou-kun were in class as
usual today, though Tenjou-kun apparently wasn't very energetic. She
might be a bit concerned about your health."
"Honestly." Nanami frowned, pulling back from the last cabinet.
"What kind of clinic doesn't have at least one vase?" She sighed
and snapped her fingers. "Tsuwabuki?"
The door creaked open again, revealing young Tsuwabuki, with his
head bowed and two lacquered black vases in his hands. "Your vases,
ma'am."
Touga handed off his bouquet to Nanami and pulled up a chair
near the bedside. "At some point, I'd like to hear your side of just
what happened," he commented quietly. "I've heard what Kyouichi and
Tenjou-kun had to say, but I think you might have noticed things they
didn't." He looked over at Nanami and Tsuwabuki, fussing over where
to put the flowers. "When we've got more privacy, of course."
"I'd be interested in asking a few questions too..."
Touga nodded. "Understandable."
Skyler thought for a moment. "Oh, by the way, hello,
Tsuwabuki-san, was it? I don't think we've been introduced. I'm
Skyler Sands, pleased to meet you."
"Ah!" Tsuwabuki stopped what he was doing and turned to bow
slightly to Skyler. "Tsuwabuki Mitsuru, elementary school fourth
year, `A' class. A pleasure to meet you." He rubbed the back of his
head. "Though I guess it's not really the first time I've seen
you--I was helping Yuuko-san and the others with the photographs that
day."
"I think I saw you at the kangaroo incident too, right?"
"Ah, yes." Tsuwabuki looked down, face flushed. "It was a
little...."
"Oh, Tsuwabuki, don't be so modest!" Nanami smiled brightly,
slapping him on the back. "It was your finest hour, right?"
She pulled up another chair by the bed. "so, Sands-sempai, how
are you feeling? Does it still hurt?" She poked curiously at his
bandages.
"Ouch. Yes. But other than that, I'm feeling fine. How's
school going for you?"
"Oh, nothing special. It's always so dull." Poke.
"Though the Student Council has been busy," Touga added.
"Having to expel our vice-president has gotten us talking,
certainly."
"Hmf. I still wish I knew exactly what it was he did. He was
conceited, yes, but honestly, Oniisama, expelling your own best
friend!" Poke.
"Now, Nanami, there were...delicate circumstances. And even we
have rules we must follow."
"I hope he's able to get some help, poor fellow didn't so much
jump as get pushed. Not that I'm at all happy about what Saionji-san
did." Skyler winced again. Nanami's poking was starting to get
annoying.
"Even so, it was his own choice in the end. I'm trying to find
a way to aid his return without causing an uproar, but...in the end,
he made his own bed."
"However that was," Nanami mumbled. Poke.
"Nanami-san, it doesn't get better any faster even if you poke
it." Skyler tried not to sound too angry.
"Oh?" Poke.
"It's true. And despite my pretense of stoicism, that really,
really hurts. So please stop."
Nanami slumped backwards into her chair, arms crossed in a huff.
"Well, I'm bored! We've said `hi' and dropped off the flowers, so
why are we sticking around?"
"Hm." Touga stroked his chin, then smiled. "Actually, Nanami,
if you're bored, I do have an errand you can run."
Nanami's eyes lit up. "Really?"
He nodded. "I need to pick up a few things for the party
tomorrow I've got waiting at the bakery. If you could go and fetch
them for me...."
"Hai, Oniisama!" She jumped to her feet. "C'mon, Tsuwabuki."
She made it to the door before turning and bowing to Skyler. "Get
well soon, Sempai."
Touga watched her leave, then reached into his pocket and pulled
out his cell phone, touching the speed dial buttons.
"Yes, Kiryuu here. I'd like to know what you have in stock
freshly baked that's appropriate for a birthday party...Yes...yes,
that will do nicely. Have it wrapped and charged to the Kiryuu
account. My sister will be by shortly to pick it up. Thank you."
He closed the phone and grinned to Skyler. "My apaologies for
all that."
"No problem...patience will doubtless come to her in time. You
don't mind if I ask a question or two first?"
"Not at all." Touga tugged his chair a little closer, and
leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "What did you have
in mind?"
"So, exactly when did you arrive on the scene?" asked Skyler.
Touga's face turned solemn. "I believe you were just starting
to restrain Kyouichi from doing something foolish. I saw what he was
doing, but I couldn't reach you in time." He bowed his head. "At
least seeing me was enough to shock him out of doing anything more to
you or Tenjou-kun."
"Okay, that kind of eliminates you as a witness for any of the
events that didn't make sense. How did I get down from the Arena
without bleeding to death? It takes forever on those stairs."
"Primarily thanks to Tenjou-kun's quick reactions. She was the
one who thought to bind your wounds as best we could. Though I doubt
Kyouichi will forgive her for what it did to his jacket." Touga
half-smiled for a moment. "I don't think your wounds were as bad as
they looked, either, though you'd have to ask the doctors."
"The chart makes out that I'm well off. Oh, would you mind
putting it back at the foot of the bed? Thanks.
"So, where to start...there was a call to the dorm...."
Touga listened to the story, nodding gravely. At the end, he
leaned back, one hand stroking his chin.
"My part is far less impressive, I fear. I had gone to the
Council's chambers for a breath of fresh air, and to think a few
things over. I happened to notice the gates to the Arena were open,
which was surprising and quite disturbing. I went to investigate,
and arrived just in time to see...." He shrugged. "If it helps any,
I think Kyouichi was almost as shocked as you about what he did. He
was running on adrenaline and reflex by the end, and when I shocked
him back to his senses he more or less collapsed."
[Can you see the gates from the Student Council room? I don't
remember that.]
Touga shook his head. "To tell the truth, the rest of what
happened is almost more understandable. I've never seen the likes of
it before, but then, you can't have believed an arena and castle
floating above the clouds were entirely natural, can you? But
Kyouichi...he's always been rather rash, but this goes beyond it
all."
"He seemed to have seen the image of the girl in a coffin filled
with roses before. Would you know where?"
"Hmm." The red-headed youth thought about it for a moment.
"The roses could have been from anything around here, of course, but
the coffin? I don't--" He hesitated. "Wait. I think.... There
was a time when we were children...I don't recall it well, but...."
He stood and began pacing. "There was a storm brewing, and we were
biking home. We passed a funeral...but I think a girl had run away.
We went to look for her, and found her...in a coffin?" He hesitated
again. "I believe...Kyouichi tried to drag her out, but she wouldn't
let herself be removed by force...." He shook his head. "There's
more, but I can't recall. It was so many years ago."
"Hmm. That sounds about right. But the main question is still,
who set this up? And how did they get off the Arena without being
seen? I suppose Himemiya-san might, just possibly, have been able to
do it alone, but thwacking Saionji-san doesn't seem her style. She
seems more the poison type. And it would require a lot more
deviousness on her part than is likely...."
"True. Of course, she'd do it if Tenjou-kun told her to, but--"
Touga shook his head again. "It seems unlikely. What disturbs me
more is why Kyouichi was there at all. All the motivations I can
think of, I find hard to credit."
"Well, we know he has a thing for `his Anthy', right? Somehow
he was tipped that she was going to be at the Arena; probably by the
same person who called Higashi-kan. That would explain the
bushwhacking. Whoever set this all up wanted him and Tenjou-san to
arrive together. And when he arrived to early, Saionji-san was given
a love tap to slow him down." Skyler paused. "Whoever it was either
didn't realize he'd drown if they left him there, or thought the
water would revive him when it flooded the sluices."
Touga nodded. "Perhaps--" He hesitated, and frowned for a
moment. "Sands-kun...can I trust you to keep a confidence? I have
certain...speculations, but I would rather not have them spread too
far...even to the rest of the Student Council. Or Tenjou-kun and
Himemiya-san."
"I can keep a secret, yes." [Top Secret clearance, after all,
once upon a time....]
Touga moved his chair closer to the bed, leaning in slightly.
"Before he left, I talked to Kyouichi briefly. And while he wasn't
in a talkative mood, he implied very strongly that he had been there
on no less than the orders of the Ends of the World."
Skyler blinked. "As in...?"
Touga nodded again. "The same. Further, he seemed to feel he'd
been promised, or perhaps destined, some reward. I later looked
through what he had left behind in his room, but I didn't find a
letter--not that that means much."
"Yes, he did say something about being promised...probably by
the Ends of the World. though I suspect it was conditional on him
being the Victor of the Duel when the big moment came. And that was
not, it would seem, the big moment."
Touga continued nodding. "What this means, though, is
troubling. I've long accepted that we are all pawns in this, in a
way. None of us fully knows what is going on, and the Ends of the
World seems to guide our actions in many ways. But now, either it is
manipulating us in new and disturbing ways...or someone else is doing
so in its name."
"Or it could be Saionji-san made the whole thing up?"
"No." Touga shook his head. "I've known him long enough...this
isn't his style. And someone made that phone call you mentioned."
"Offhand, I'd go with the `new and disturbing ways' hypothesis.
>From what little I've seen, the Ends of the World enjoys playing with
our heads."
"Yes...but I'm worried. There are...other indications. Nothing
I'd feel comfortable revealing; nothing concrete, but...." Touga
frowned. "To put it bluntly, I feel someone is playing favorites."
"Playing favorites?"
"Either the Ends of the World has a final winner in mind
already, or someone is using the name to improve their own chances.
Either way, it's at the expense of the rest of us. Kyouichi was
lured into a trap, and as a result there's one less challenger in
this duel game of ours." He shook his head. "To duel fairly for a
prize is one thing, and even oddities such as the Sword of Dios or
Tenjou-kun's mysterious advantages are at least clearly
apparent...but I'm not fond of having the rules changed while I'm not
looking."
"Time to get the Ends of the World to have them written down, I
think. Makes it easier to check." Skyler adjusted his pillow.
"Which, I suspect, it has no intentions of doing. It's rather
harder to guarantee a winner that way."
"I take it you're under the impression someone's doing their
best to rig this whole duel game thing?"
"It's becoming too clear a possibility to ignore. Kyouichi has
been completely eliminated, partially because of hidden manipulations
he knew nothing about. Any one of us could be next, aside from
whoever is the favored child." Touga scowled, brushing an extra lock
of hair from his eyes, and let his hand land heavily on the end
table. "The worst thing about this is, though, that I can't even
find a hint as to who might be the conspirator. Despite the small
group of suspects, all of them know me far too well to let anything
slip."
[And you're at the top of my list,] thought Skyler. [Though I
could be wrong.]
Aloud, "In which case other angles of investigation might prove
more fruitful. I'll certainly apply some thought to the matter."
Touga smiled. "I was hoping you'd say that. Frankly, you're in
the best position to investigate of anyone I could possibly trust
with it. You're new here, and so haven't formed many bonds that
might blind you. You may very well be less caught up in whatever web
is being spun here. And you'll suspect everyone--even me, I expect."
"I'd be a very poor detective if I didn't."
"True." Touga chuckled. "I'd be disappointed if you didn't
suspect me. Frankly, to any outside observer, no doubt I'd be one of
the top three candidates."
"Who are the other two, then?"
"Isn't it obvious? The current Victor of the Duel, with
mysterious powers and a mysterious past, and," he raised an eyebrow,
"the new foreign exchange student with an even more mysterious past,
who just chances to be assigned to her dorm and to entwine himself in
the lives of some of the other Duelists." He laughed. "Suspicious,
wouldn't you say?"
"Yes, I would say. Chance seems to have nothing to do with it."
"Exactly. Now, I know I'm innocent, but you of course have no
way of knowing that. And you doubtless know you're innocent, but I
don't know for certain. And of course, neither of us can know for
sure about Tenjou-kun...or anyone else. This way, you have an excuse
to keep an eye on me, I have an excuse to keep an eye on you, and we
both have a better chance of taking notice of anything strange going
on."
"There is one other question I need for background. How did
Saionji-san get to be Victor of the Duel?"
"Drawing lots, for the most part. A while back, we...were told
about the Arena, and the basic outline of the duels. When the four
of us gathered for the first time, we randomly chose who would duel
first, and Kyouichi and Miki were picked. Kyouichi won." Touga
shrugged. "He had a few challenges, but we were rather hesitant in
those days, not entirely certain of what we were fighting for. And
then Tenjou-kun came along, fighting with all her heart, and,
well...."
"Ah. That explains a lot."
"Really?" Touga thought a moment. "Yes, I suppose it does, at
that."
He glanced at a clock on the wall and rose. "It's getting late.
I have things I need to do, and you need your rest. We ought to
continue this conversation later." He produced a card from inside
his jacket, holding it between his index and middle fingers. "As you
may have guessed, I'm holding a party tomorrow evening, and you're
welcome to attend if you feel well enough."
"Thank you. I'll look forward to that." [It's been a long time
since I been to a non-workplace party.]
Touga paused in the doorway. "Think about what we've discussed,
and let me know if there's any way I can assist you. I may have ways
of helping you get closer to the rest of us....there is a vacancy on
the Student Council, after all." He closed the door behind him.
Skyler didn't quite know how to take that piece of news....
With the visitors gone, silence came over the infirmary again.
[Thank you, Lord, for preserving my life and keeping me in one
piece. Look after Saionji, who surely needs light in his dark hour.]
Skyler's gaze fell upon the card on his end table. "Might as
well see what this is."
The Ohtori rose symbol was unsurprisingly prominent, and inside
the envelope was a square similar in form and calligraphy to the one
he'd gotten in his welcome packet. It read:
"There will be a Duel in two days' time."
and was signed by "Sekai no Hate," the "Ends of the World."
"Great. Another Duel. Why tell me though? Laid up like this,
I'm hardly likely to be a participant." He thought it over for a few
minutes. "Maybe it's just a standard letter sent to all the
Duelists--sort of a `you have been warned' thing. Or maybe it's a
subtle hint to get in gear. Or maybe, the Ends of the Earth just
have a weird sense of humor."
"Bad news?"
Skyler shrugged as Juri stepped into the room. "Food for
thought, at least. Did you get one of these?" He set the card back
on his table.
Juri nodded. "We all did...except, perhaps, Tenjou. I wonder
which of us it implies." She set a thin notebook on the table next
to the card.
"The mystery Duelist, perhaps? I know I'm not in shape for it."
"Likely. Our president certainly hasn't made any preparations.
Miki-kun and I both volunteered to take the duty if needed, but he
seems to want events to take a natural course."
"I suppose we'll see soon enough. Anything interesting in class
today?"
"Is there ever?" Juri cupped the blossom of a rose for a
moment. "I see you haven't been lacking for visitors."
"No, not since I woke up anyway. Could I trouble you to bring
my homework? My key should still be in my jacket pocket, or Anthy
can let you in, and I left the books on my desk."
"Mm." It sounded like a vague assent, at least. "Is that all?"
"Have you ever seen the image of a girl in a coffin filled with
roses before?"
Juri quirked an eyebrow. "You have a knack for odd
conversational gambits, it seems."
"I'm not very good at normal small talk."
"Of course." She released the rose she was holding. "It's
unfamiliar to me, in any case."
"Okay...just a thought, comparing memories...."
"Oh? Whose memories, then?"
"Saionji-san's, I think. That mind-reading trick kicked in
again. I suspect it's something about the Arena."
"Mm." Juri walked over to Skyler's end table, examining the
cards lying on its surface. "Have you spread much word of that yet,
I wonder?"
"You're the only one I've told. No one else has had a need to
know."
"Conveniently keeping you from looking the fool, of course."
Juri's expression was hidden as she looked down and away, studying
the cards curiously.
"That's on a need to know basis too."
"Naturally." There seemed to be a slight tinge of disapproval
in her voice. Perhaps it was just his imagination.
"I do really appreciate your dropping by."
"Of course. It's always rather interesting to see what you'll
come up with next."
"I live to amuse. Who, I'm not sure."
"Yes. I've noticed that."
Skyler chuckled, then groaned. "Oww..."
"I'll be leaving then. You doubtless need your rest." Juri
moved to the door.
"See you!"
It was late the next afternoon before the doctor got around to
examining Skyler. He was as curt as ever, and finished quickly.
"Keep your arm in the sling, and don't do anything foolish for a
few days. You're healing quickly enough that it shouldn't be a
problem. You're free to go."
Skyler redressed, wincing a bit as he guided his arm through the
sleeve of a 4-H t-shirt. He decided not to put his uniform jacket on
all the way, leaving it open with one sleeve empty. He noted there
didn't seem to be any sign of the damage a sword would have done.
Odd.
The campus was nearly deserted, so Skyler didn't meet anyone he
knew on the way to the storage cubicles. He left his bag and books
there for the morning's classes, then set off for the party.
Kiryuu Manor wasn't hard to find, given Touga's directions
thoughtfully printed in the invitation. The place was old grey
stone, not as brilliant as the buildings on-campus, but with a
certain dignity of its own, and certainly qualifying as at least a
small mansion. Light streamed in golden parallelograms from the
windows, and the sounds of classical music drifted on the wind from
within.
Inside, Skyler found the party in full swing. A few students he
recognized and many, many more he did not were talking by the banquet
tables, socializing around the house, or even dancing their best
attempts at a waltz. (Some, naturally, were less painful to watch
than others.) The girls were wearing a variety of fancy and probably
expensive dresses, while most of the boys had stuck to their school
uniforms.
Touga was seated at one end of the ballroom. A small stack of
presents was piled near his feet, and Miki and Juri were flanking
him, obviously discussing something with him in whispers.
Skyler walked up and waited for a break in the conversation.
"...about the other Duelist," Juri was saying. "The Duel is
scheduled for tomorrow night."
"Please," Touga said jovially, "I'm sure this will work out
somehow. Besides, it's my birthday. Can't we go one evening without
bringing up the Ends of the World?" He nodded and rose as Skyler
approached.
"Sands-kun! So glad you could make it."
"Glad to be here. Happy Birthday!" Skyler handed Touga the
card he'd made the previous night from notebook paper.
"Thank you." Touga looked briefly at it. "Sunflowers.
Different."
"Mr. President," Miki essayed. "I really think we ought to be
thinking about--"
"Mikki," Touga chided, "there'll be time enough for that later.
For the moment, we have a rare chance to relax and enjoy ourselves.
Shouldn't we enjoy it before throwing ourselves over the edge of
tomorrow's problems?"
["Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof," or something
like that,] thought Skyler. He briefly greeted Juri and Miki.
"Sempai." Miki nodded. "I'm glad you could make it. Are you
feeling okay?"
"Better. Just a flesh wound, really."
"Good that it's healing so quickly," Juri said. "With things as
they are, you may need that arm soon."
"You think so?" Skyler frowned. "I hope just for routine
tasks."
"Perhaps. You never know when you'll need your strength."
Another figure shouldered her way through the crowd, coming to
an awkward halt before the group. "Um, sorry to butt in..."
Utena looked a bit awkward, with a bouquet of white roses
cradled in her arms. Anthy, following with a large white box tied in
red ribbon, looked much more at ease, as per the usual state of
affairs.
"Tenjou-kun! I'm glad you decided to come after all," Touga
said, smiling as he rose to greet her.
"Don't get me wrong." Utena seemed very interested in the
pattern of the wallpaper off to one side. "The flowers are just a
get-well gift for Sands-sempai, that's all. It's not like I even
wanted to be here or anything."
Skyler was slightly surprised when Touga started to laugh, and a
bit more as he dropped back into his chair as the laughter didn't
stop.
"What?" Utena glared at Touga, irate.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." He finally got the laughter under
control. It's just that it's so like you to offer a little
disclaimer like that. Really, there's no need to be embarrassed
about showing up here. You're always welcome."
"Whatever," Utena muttered, her face slightly flushed.
Skyler stepped forward a bit. "How are you today, Utena-san,
Himemiya-san?"
"Good evening, Sands-sempai." Anthy, at least, was her normal
self.
"Uh, yeah. Hi." Utena had clearly been thrown off her stride.
She thrust the flowers towards him. "Um, here. Thanks for..you
know, saving my life and everything. And Anthy's. And...well,
thanks."
"You're welcome." Skyler fit the bouquet into the crook of his
left arm. At least it was doing *some* good tonight. "I'm sure you
could have done it yourself, but your hands were full."
"Ah, yeah. Yeah, I guess so." She looked away awkwardly,
studying the view through the patio doors.
Nanami was looking rather elegant in a stylish dress of yellow
and black, but her stare was stony and cold. She walked up to Utena,
roughly grabbing the flowers out of Skyler's arms.
"Hey!" Skyler was ignored.
"Nanami?" Utena hadn't expected this. "What the heck?"
"Oh, there's no need to act so innocent. I think we can all see
exactly what you're trying to do here, hmm?" In the background,
Keiko, Aiko and Yuuko nodded in unison.
"Get her social obligations out of the way as quickly as
possible so she can get back to enjoying herself?" ventured Skyler.
"Begging your pardon if that's not true, Utena-san."
"My, Sempai, you're so naive, aren't you," Nanami said with a
thin smile. "But really, why would she come all the way out here to
simply deliver something to you? She does live next door to you,
after all. Or she could have visited you in the hospital, like
Oniisama and I did. And I seem to recall the rumor that she feels so
out of place at this sort of soiree." Keiko, Aiko and Yuuko nodded
again.
"What the heck are you getting at, Nanami?" Utena asked,
obviously irritated.
"Why, isn't it obvious? Sands-sempai is just an excuse for you.
You came here for the sole purpose of impressing on my brother what
a `kind' and `thoughtful' person you are." Nanami was openly
sneering. "As if he'd ever fall for such a simplistic trick."
Skyler blinked. Had no one ever spanked this child? [Even if
she's correct, which I really doubt, you don't *say* that sort of
thing in public.]
Aloud, "Well, if he can see through it so easily, then no harm
done, right?"
"That's not the point! The point is she's trying to play
everyone for fools, and everyone else is letting her get away with
it!"
Miki tried to step in placatingly. "Ah, Nanami-san, I really
don't think this is the time--"
"What the heck are you talking about?" Utena barked. "Get it in
your head, I'm not chasing your brother! I never wanted to come to
this stupid party in the first place!"
"Oh, no? Then why did you go to so much trouble?" Nanami
pointed an accusing finger at the box in Anthy's arms.
"That wasn't my idea! Himemiya brought it, not me!"
"Oh, I'm so certain. She's so fond of acting independent and
spontaneous, isn't she? She wouldn't be doing this at someone else's
request, hmm?" Nanami glared at Anthy for a moment. Anthy looked
back, slightly worried...or was that just confusion? Nanami tensed--
*SLAP*
The box tumbled to the floor, dented slightly from the force of
the blow. Anthy stepped back, a look of surprise on her face, as
Nanami locked eyes with her for a moment.
"Nanami!" Touga said, frowning. "That was too much. Apologize
right now!"
"I will not! Oniisama, can't you see--"
[*mew*]
It was quiet. So quiet Skyler couldn't be sure whether he'd
really heard it, or whether it had been something inside his head.
But something, certainly, had frozen Nanami in her tracks, her
face trembling with an unwholesome mix of rage and horror. Her body
quivered with tense energy, unable to unleash it, but unable to hold
it for long.
[Omigod, she's going to blow if something isn't done fast!]
Fortunately, the band provided an idea.
"They're starting a waltz. Nanami-san, will you dance with me?"
Skyler tried to sound calm and imply a "don't say no" attitude,
while taking Nanami's hand with his good one. [Not too much
pressure, but enough not to let her escape....]
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Do You Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Calendar - Get organized for the holidays!
http://calendar.yahoo.com/