Sammy, Hoshin, Hiya, Ueki, and Noriko walked over to the Oriental Princess' restaurant called "Akumei."

"Welcome to Akumei," said a smiling waitress. "How many are in your party?"
Hiya counted for the group "Five."
The waitress checked her list. "I'm sorry, there are currently no tables available for five."
Hiya sighed, discouraged. " Well...how long is the wait?"
"About an hour and a half."

The jaws dropped. Sam sprang to the waitresses desk.

"But...but, we're hungry!" She dug in her purse. " I'm sure Mr. Abe Lincoln and...Jefferson would...and, wait! I have a few little Washington's too-"

"Haven't I seen this ploy on a movie before?" the waitress questioned crossly. "I'm sorry miss."

They exited the restaurant with empty stomachs. Just then Hoshin spotted a seven-person booth crowded with people just finishing coffee. She smirked and went back in to the restaurant.

"I'll only need one thing for my plan," she debated and then caught sight of it hanging out of a woman's pocketbook -- the room key.

Hiya, suddenly wondering where Hoshin had gone, glanced inside the restaurant to see her waving her arms frantically to the people in the booth. They pressed their faces to the glass.

"Are you in room 515?" Hoshin asked, using her skills to render perfect English.
"Yes," said the woman and man who were a couple at the table.
"Oh my God," said Hoshin, turning around, putting a hand to her mouth. " They've been looking for you -- the captain, I mean. Your room has caught on fire." She cupped a hand to the woman's ear. "They didn't want to announce it over the ship. They can put it out, but they need your help! You have to hurry!"

"Oh my goodness!" The woman gasped. She jumped up from the table and out the door in a hurry. The other members of the table followed in a confused rush.

Hoshin brushed her hands and smirked, then walked back up to the waitress.

"Now, I believe you have a table open for us."

They stepped inside and eagerly sat themselves down at the large booth.

"Nice work," Sam said to Hoshin, admiring the leather trimmed seats." How did you get those people to leave so fast?"
"It's amazing how excited people can get when I tell them cheese logs are in the main lobby." Hoshin smirked.
"But, there are no cheese logs in the main lobby," Sam replied, raising an eyebrow.
"Oh, there aren't?" said Hoshin, avoiding the question with a grin. "Pity."

Hiya grabbed an exquisitely decorated menu and browsed through it.

"Do you know what you're getting?" Ueki asked Hiya as he glanced up from his menu.
"I don't know. I'm really not that hungry this evening. I think I'll get Chicken Parmigiana, cannelloni al forno, chicken alfredo, ravioli di portobello, cheese ravioli, a few egg rolls, wonton soup, shrimp egg foo young, rice... and ooh a raspberry ice tea!" Noriko and Samisu exchanged glances.

"I think I am going to get macaroni and cheese." Stated Samisu, folding her menu into place. When the waitress took their orders, Hiya was disappointed to find that they were fresh out of raspberry ice tea, and would continue to be for the remainder of the voyage. Without another word, Hiya rose from her seat and stormed out of the restaurant.

"Man," said Noriko. "She's taking the news worse then I thought."
"I feel lousy," said Sam. "Maybe we can do something to cheer her up."
"Ahh! It is a grand idea," Noriko smiled. They all walked out of the restaurant, leaving Hoshin, still looking at her menu. "Okay guys, I think I'm going to get the mahi-mahi...Guys?" She lowered her menu. "Where'd everyone go?" Suddenly in through the door came the customers who had previously sat in the booth, dragging the captain behind them. "That's the one! Right there, in the booth. Get her!"

"Uh, oh," Hoshin said and ran out the backdoor, disgruntled customers following in her footsteps.


**Hiya entered the room and made her way toward the cerulean chair in the corner of the cabin. The presence of another person made her weary.

Yumi, who had been putting bandages on in the bathroom peered around the bathroom door frame. He noticed Hiya, looking forlorn in the corner and pranced on over toward her.

"What's wrong?" He asked placing a hand upon her shoulder.

"Nothing." She wiped away a few stray tears from her eye using the back of her hand. "I thought you were going to the bar."
"I felt kinda lowsy....You're not crying over nothing. Trust me, remember when we used to fight when we were little? Even after throwing rocks at you, you never cried."

"That's because I always won... You couldn't fight for shit." She laughed, then paused. "Besides, I'm not crying... I just poked myself in the eye."
Yumi glanced toward her, since her left eye was closed shut. "Oh."
"Where DID you learn to fight so well?" She asked curiously, changing the subject.
"I really can't. I guess I was pretty lucky, that's all."
"Pretty lucky? You missed every move he threw at you. Well, except for some big moves... Giant moves... The hardest punches the guy could throw..."
"...Yeah well, you distracted me."
"I distracted you? How?"
"You... You... Noriko was going to kiss you!" He practically yelled, throwing his.
"Are we jealous?" Hiya grinned.
"Well, no. Who'd be jealous over a blonde? But unwanted kissing and touching is a form of sexual harassment and that's not right for a guy to..."
"Oh and now we get into law and order. You were too jealous!" Hiya stood up smirking, ignoring the blonde comment.
"Okay that's not the only reason," Yumi admitted.
"It isn't?" Hiya calmed down and turned around to face him.
"No, I was maybe... a little, tiny, minuscule, bit jealous." He looked down, apparently embarrassed at having to tell her that.
"Really?" Hiya said as she edged her way closer and closer to him.
"Yes. That he was getting some and I wasn't..." He looked up and grinned.

"Die Yumi!" Hiya sneered and pounced forwards.
"Hehehe."


**Hoshin, now back in the room, having narrowly escaped the clutches of the angry mob, looked up at the ceiling hearing banging and yelling. "I wonder what that's all about." She said aloud, then downed her drink. They had ordered room service from the restaurant afterwards -- only then realizing how hungry they were. Ueki and Noriko had bought flowers for Hiya, hoping to make her feel better.

Everyone nodded. "Mm-hmm."

"Who knows, probably just some newlyweds or something." Sammy chomped on her shrimp and gave a look of disgust, increasing the others' laughter. "At least this crap is basically free," She thought to herself.

Hoshin looked at her lobster and cracked the shell. She began to chow down on it. "Yum!" She cried, licking some butter off of her fingers. Everyone laughed. "What? It's good!" Hoshin exclaimed.

That night Sammy, Hoshin, Ueki, Noriko, Kodaki, Jadoku, Yumi, and Murakami sat down to a game of cards in Kodaki's room.

"What'll it be gentlemen?" Kodaki asked as she shuffled her Sailor Moon playing cards.

"How about a game of strip poker?" Yumi and Ueki offered.

"Sounds good." The group agreed. Kodaki dealt the cards to everyone.

"I'm in," Hiya stated calmly as she entered the room.
"Hiya... I heard about the rasp--" Ueki was silenced by a hush.
"Yup. Now let's play." She smiled and grabbed the pile of cards Kodaki had quickly set out for her. The crowd quickly accepted and sorted their cards.

"Hiya, what was the deal with Kodaki's party?" Yumi inquired, as he shuffled and ordered his cards.

Kodaki, Hiya, and Sammy looked at each other and then Hiya spoke. "I uh...have this fear of water."

"That can't be true. You sail. You're a really good sailor!" Hoshin stated as she waited for Kodaki to give her two cards.

"I can sail, but I can't swim," Hiya tried to explain.
"Huh? You can too swim. You have before. Well, you can stay afloat, at least," Ueki interrupted.
"I just don't like being in the water. I like being on the water, in a boat, safe and sound, just not in the water." The tone of her voice made her frustration evident. It didn't help that she had a terrible hand.

"That's pretty strange Hiya," Yumi insulted.

Hiya grabbed an empty soda can and chucked it at him. "Quiet fiend!" she yelled.

"Are you guys playing or not?" Kodaki interrupted their feud.

"Yes, ma'am," Yumi replied sarcastically. Kodaki gave him a death glare before grabbing his card away.

"Pretty soon, I'm going to have to take off my overcoat aren't I?" Hoshin sighed.

And the game began.

Chapter 10
Tobei