This fanfiction was created by JillM; original posting: September 13, 2001, updated August 16, 2002
Notes: Fixing some errors, like names and grammer et al. Ah, also checking my new timeline. Ayame was 19 in the OVA1 one year after the end of the TKB, so she was 18 then. According to the Character data book she joined in 1914, so she was 15 years old. I think. I'm still correcting things after so long. But anyways, please enjoy!
Tokyo, 1914
Life was certainly a new experience for those living in the constant-changing capital, Tokyo. It was a place to be - or so they said. As for fifteen year Fujieda Ayame, she was to discover new precious circumstances in a city she already held dear to her heart.
'This is the place.' Ayame thought, stopping in front of a traditional Japanese mansion in Ginza. In the chilly night air, she went up to the gate and searched for someone to come get her.
"A-Ano!" she called out to a young man who was pacing in the outer entrance. He was in such deep thought that he ignored her at first. But, the sound of her voice soon woke him from his musings and he walked over to her. Ayame couldn't help but feel a bit nervous. "Um... Excuse me, but I was told to come here, so could you show me inside...?"
"Hmmmm..." he uttered, giving her a thorough examination. "As I thought," he sighed, shaking his head, once he had finished his thought process, "They just keep getting younger...that pervert..."
"Eh?" Ayame gasped, feeling flustered as he took her by the arm and started to lead her back to the street, "Wait a minute! I was asked to come here by Lieutenant general Yoneda! You can even ask him...!"
"I don't care what he says! You're much too young to and innocent!" He dug in his pocket to find his wallet and hand her an appropriate sum. "Be a smart girl and think about your future. Now get out of here."
Ayame's face instantly drained of all color. "A-Are you suggesting that I...?!" It was something that she had never considered in her life. Though not sheltered, she had lived a sensible life up until now, raising herself and younger sister who had been sent away to school recently.
The young man was getting impatient. His long fair hair fell into his ice-cold eyes as he fretfully tried to signal a taxi to ready her escape. "Dammit! I can't believe a society can be so damned as to let their daughters run wild like this!"
"You have it all wrong! Apologize, for you have rudely mistaken the nature of my visit!"
He momentarily stopped his waving about to squint down at her face. "What is the nature of your visit, Miss??"
"A-Actually, even I don't know the answer. I was simply asked to come and find out the details upon my arrival," she uttered, hoping he would find some compassion in this approach. But that was unlikely.
"Is there no such thing as virtue nowadays!?" he hollered into the night sky, "That nasty guy, Yoneda! I've enough of his perverted behavior!"
"Hold on!!" Ayame cried, feeling very indignant, "I agree that Yoneda-chuujou can be a pervert sometimes and I do not support his behavior! But he is a friend of my family and I won't allow anyone to bring any insult towards him!!"
The two glared into each other's faces, a tense moment passing through them as had a chilly breeze. Her long ponytail blowing in the wind, and her bangs in her fiery eyes, Ayame had the first chance to look at her opposition up close - deep blue, like a clear sky in Tokyo. Reaching behind those eyes, she had a strange feeling and slowly the strain seemed to leave her face - for reasons she didn't know.
Just then, a great interruption happened.
"YO!!" a drunken man exclaimed, loud enough for the people across the street heard him. Wobbling over, he threw an empty bottle aside and put his arm around Ayame. "Yahoo! My date is finally here! *hic!"
"Chuujou!!" Ayame cried, greatly embarrassed as she helplessly looked back and forth at his intoxicated demeanor and the smug look on the tall stranger before her, "Please get a hold of yourself and tell me why you had asked me to come here today!!"
Yoneda looked absolutely smitten, as he leaned his head onto her shoulder. "Yaaaa, you've really grown up into such a lady, Ayame-chan! Curves and everything! I'm so glad!!"
"CHUUJOU!!"
"Shirei," the young man said gravely, "There are politicians and important military officers present, and here you are dead-drunk and inviting tramps to this prestige event. I am ashamed to know you. Be assured that before the night is through, I will ask for my leave of transfer!"
"Hey, don't be such a prude!! A kid your age needs to relax and have fun sometimes! It's no wonder you don't have a girlfriend!!" the lieutenant general chuckled. He suddenly lost his footing, and Ayame had to completely support him from falling to the ground. "Ohtototo!! Guess my legs have gone to sleep!!"
"Shirei..." the young man sighed, going to take hold of his other arm and taking the brunt of the weight.
He was surprisingly stronger than Ayame imagined, because he took the alcohol soaked Yoneda from her and carried him the rest of the way. "Ano..."
Over his shoulder, he turned towards her. "I suppose it would be just as wrong to leave a young lady out here like this. Please come inside for a warm drink."
"H-Hai!" Ayame gasped, nodding and chasing after them. But as she was to soon find out, her life would never be the same from the moment she stepped through the door.
* * * * * * * * *
Preview of the next episode - "The offer"
(Ayame's letter)
Kaede-chan, the contents of the letter just told me the time and place; it said nothing about the expectations. An uneasy feeling fills my chest as details were discussed. Should I accept this mission? All reason forbids me to uptake such a dangerous task... but because 'he' is here, I think I shall give it a try...
