A New Chapter...

[Anjel]

Samuel tried to keep his cool as he made his way to the window. He refused to sit seeing as any sort of negative conversation could send him right outside the room. Again, he couldn’t feel any sympathy. “Since when does Harumi hate anyone? Take a pill Raidon, your life isn’t over.” He mumbled angrily. “You should be the one who’s happy, leave the stress to those who are actually going through something. For instance, you’re about to end a curse, and I have to give up someone I love so you can live a happy life. So get past it. There are more important things to be worried about.” He growled. Samuel shot an angry stare at the window and blinked, realizing the scowl that shot back at him. He sighed, hearing Aria’s voice laughing in his head.
Yuffie smiled thoughtfully. “Well, I know everyone’s favorite food, Cloud and his friends. That’s about a fourth of the people right?” she asked. Harumi nodded and continued for her. “And since most of my family are part dragon anything with fish is fine… then again some like meat too. Things like vegetables and fruit are mostly it though. Especially since they’re all living off of the forest and such…” she smiled. “So that leaves everyone Raidon’s bringing, but you’d have to ask him because we haven’t talked about it.”

[Animebella]

Raidon glanced over at Samuel feeling as well as hearing his anger in the matter. As to who was losing more he didn't know, but they seemed quite even. He sighed looking back to Tadashi who was deep in thought wondering where to even begin. Raidon looked to Samuel again, and frowned, "I'm sorry, all of this is just too much to handle at once. The so called perfect wedding just greww ten times more stressful is all." tadashi looked up, "Losing but gaining, I see not the problem in the matter. Raidon is not only gaining a lifetime bond, but the loss of a lifetime curse. On the downside you have to hide the curse, and convince Harumi to well.. yeah.." he looked to Samuel, "On your side your losing Harumi, but not really. Because your also going to have a place to stay if you wish, able to see her whenever you wish, you just won't be... well the top favorite anymore, but even that I don't know the truth in." He paused, "As far as I'm concerned you both will have a tough time adjusting, but life is tough, you get used to it."

Lillie was making note of everything Yuffie listed off with a notepad in hand. Once she had finished she nodded, "I've a list of Raidon's favorites, but I will have to see to all of that info." She said writting down a small reminder for herself, but before she could ask anymore the carriage had stopped once more and the driver was at the door. Opening it for the ladies, "We've arrived Lady Lilirara." He said bowing before moving out of the way for them. Lillie smiled as she tok leave and waited for the others.

[Anjel]

Samuel thought about it and sighed. He knew Tadashi was right, but he couldn’t help thinking about the what ifs that haunted his thoughts. “Yeah…” he mumbled, feeling himself calm down. He turned to Raidon and sighed. “Fine, we’re even…” he said softly. He could feel the anger melting away involuntarily. “And anyway I think it’ll probably be easier for you to just come out with it to her. If you don’t tell her she’s going to find out on her own and then you’ll be in trouble.” He said.
“Hurray, time for food!” Yuffie said, being the first out of the carriage. Harumi followed her to make sure she didn’t steal anything and waved to Lillie. “Right, well we can figure it out later. First lets go get the cake and decorations picked out okay?” she asked cheerfully.

[Animebella]

Tadashi smiled, seeing as the anger was disappearing into the air, they were friends again, the way it should be. He looked to Raidon as he was watching Samuel. "Good, it was foolish to get upset over the matter in the first place." He said feeling foolish himself, but he soon nodded, "I think your right, but i would hate to get her all upset before the wedding, she's much to worry about to get he even more stressed out about. Plus I don't think I will even be able to get near her with my mother on duty." Tadashi laughed, "Your right about that, she's a mother bear guarding her baby cub, no way to touch her now."

Lillie giggled watching the two and nodded, following after them. "We can square this away and then I'll take you two to a small resturant, one off my favorites around here. My treat." She smiled as they walked into the cake store and she made her way to the books for the cakes. They were greeted by a gentleman behind the counter who seemed eager to help them. "What can I help you fine ladies with this fine day?" He asked walking around to meet them.

[Anjel]

Samuel blinked at the symbolism. He smiled a bit, thinking about his own wife and the way she was. He nodded and uncrossed his arms. “Well, she’s going to want to know eventually. Besides, you know how she is. With Cloud guarding her all the time she probably doesn’t even know what your suppose to do after the wedding. He smiled grimly at the thought. “So go easy on her, I think she’ll be more embarrassed than stressed than you will at that point.” He said.
“Hey, we’re looking for pet chocobos!” Yuffie said jokingly. Harumi smacked her as she started laughing. “We’re looking for a cake for my wedding… well, I don’t know really, so I’ll let Lillie take over from here…” she said, shying away from everything. Yuffie smiled at her, watching as she became afraid to mess everything up. Though she really hadn’t done much she turned to Lillie for help.

[Animebella]

Tadashi looked over to Samuel who looked more like his usual self and smiled, sighing a bit in relief that the fight was disappearing. Raidon nodded, "Yeah, I assume Cloud has yet to explain anything on the matter. I would think he would wish to keep her under his wing forever. Smothering her." He sighed, "She needs to get out and see the world... get to know a few more people then just us." He smiled, "But i'm not too worried on the matter, I'll find a good time to let her know." he said frowning slightly at the rememberance of a bit earlier that day. Maybe she would refuse him... he was having doubts she was fully devoted to him now. he was spreading around the love and she seemed set on not telling him much more than what he already knew.

The man looked a bit confused but then grinned seeing as the two were good friends and only messing around, he looked over and his eyes widened, "Queen Lilirara, what a pleasure." Lillie smiled at him, "Your too kind really, i'm here for this young lady. We will need a cake.." She looked to Harumi, "Why not describe the colors you had in mind and we can work from there? This is your wedding hun, I don't want to get something you needed like." She smiled looking back to the man who was still in awe that the queen would show up around these areas, "It's been a while, I remember baking the cake for your wedding." He smiled, "How is the king?" He asked as they waited, Liliie smiled, "Oh scatterbrained as usual." She giggled as did he.

[Anjel]

Samuel laughed a bit, “No, Cloud didn’t explain things because Harumi asks too many questions. She wouldn’t go back to school so he had to home school her. When it got to that part of the course he started to explain, but she was too mature about it for him. She tried asking about it outside of class too so he just passed her, told her to stay away from guys, and to save herself for marriage.” He sighed. “Lucky you she’s so stubborn huh?”
Harumi took the three colors from her pocket and smiled. “I was looking for a winter themed cake… something with ice cream in it too…” she said cheerfully. Yuffie nodded and started seeing as she wasn’t sure what more to say. “And something with lots of layers… the people there eat like dragons.” Yuffie added slyly. Harumi smiled a bit at it and agreed.

[Animebella]

Raidon grinned, "Stubborn, perhaps. I just think she is for her own good. It'll take someone else to be able to help make her grow softer. not that I think she needs to be soft, shes stubborn making her a tough cookie." He smiled, then shrugged, "I love her just the way she is." Tadashi looked over at Samuel, "So she was even homeschooled? Or partially anyways." He smiled.

Lillie giggled hearing the comment, she knew the truth behind it and figured the man wouldn't. The man took the three colors and walked behind the counter to grab a pad of paper and a pencil. He started to sketch out a rough copy of what he found the cake to look like. He came out with a seven layer cake. Having notes on either side. He pointed to three layers, "These three will be icecream cake.." Pointing to a few other areas and explaining it all before he looked up at Harumi, then back down. "I figured we can uses the colors on..." H pointed to a few different places, "As for the top decor, what do you wish? The traditionaly man and woman?" he asked loooking back to Harumi and the queen.

[Anjel]

Samuel nodded cheerfully. “Harumi didn’t tell you-“ he paused realizing there was a reason why she hadn’t. An eerie smile crept over his face as he continued. “You know she use to be a karaoke singer too?? She was so cool… but she’d never tell you that. Too embarrassing for her… you wanna see pictures?” he asked cheerfully. He turned into a bear and dug through the hole in his back. “Here.” He said, handing them a small picture album. “There are pictures from her waitressing days too, and, her first time going shopping on her own. Her first… well, and last day of high school. And my favorite, the first time she beat someone up.” Samuel smiled to himself, looking though the pictures. “I’m still so proud…”
Yuffie shook her head and drew a new couple and smiled at Harumi’s incredibly red cheeks as she looked at the small man and woman. “You should totally have fun with the couple! Make it look like your karaoke outfit from H-Town! The whole black tube top and skirt thing was really-“ Her mouth dropped open as Harumi started scribbling over the picture she’d drawn. “The cake is good… just…” she glanced at Yuffie and sighed as her friend had read her mind again with the giant amused grin on her face. “Just the traditional people look a little strange… do you have any other ones?” she asked.

[Animebella]

Raidon and tadashi grinned as Samuel took out the album and showed the two as they flipped through the pages. "Awww she was so cute." Raidon grinned, as Tadashi looked over the first fight picture, "She looks so triumpant." He looked to Samuel, "Who taught her to fight like that?" He asked with a grin. Raidon looked over as well, wondering why she never told him about all of this stuff, what was there to be ashamed of? Was he that bad of a fiance? He frowned to himself before sighing a small sigh.

Lillie looked to the man as the two started to fiddle with the picture and she grinned, "Girls I have it." She said as she looked onto the picture and erased the scribbled out two. She then started drawing a cute couple, one looking much like Harumi with a less traditional dress, the other looking of her son, wings protruded from his back like a saint. She looked up to the man when she had finished, he nodded. "Your son always did have those wings, he was always so ashamed of them. Prince Raidon, some prince with angel wings." He smiled, "He was so ashamed, but never truely accepted himself." Lillie added after a second and they both nodded, somewhat in a daze, when the man nodded finally, "Yes, I can have that matter taken care of right away." He smiled and Lillie smiled back,"Wonderful, then..girls you think this will work out?" The "scene" if you will was much like that of the first time the two met, the "Raidon" held the"Harumi" in his arms after looking as if he had just tripped her.

[Anjel]

Samuel smiled and turned to the last few pages. He ignored a picture of Joseph and Aria, but stopped as a small picture fell out. He looked at it, blushed, and put it towards the front. “That’s just a picture of us while we were sleeping. Nothing cute.” He lied, turning to a picture of her when she got older. She waved to Cloud as it was her first time being home by herself. He sighed continuing through the pictures and paused at one. “Here, this is why she’s afraid of heights. She jumped out of this plane and her chute didn’t open up.” Samuel smiled a bit awkwardly seeing as he’d taken the chutes place in the picture as she fell. “She was in a coma for a few days, but after that she just had a concussion and some broken bones. Nothing a little ice cream couldn’t fix.” He said. He glanced over to Raidon and handed him the book. “She’s going to talk to you by the end of the day. Be sure to ask her about this when you’re both done crying.”
Yuffie screamed like a fan girl and snatched the picture. She smiled staring at it as Harumi blushed. She gave it back. “It’s perfect…” she said, touching the picture gently. Yuffie agreed and turned to Lillie. “But how’d you know…? Oh my, Raidon’s the guy to go tell his mother things! It’s perfect! You both talk too much!” Yuffie cried shaking her friend gently. She danced around the room with Potatoe watching her strangely. Harumi stared at the picture and bit her bottom lip, tearing up a bit. “Lillie… how did you…?” she paused, “Can I keep this…?” she asked shyly.

[Animebella]

Tadashi looked on as Raidon noticed the picture fall to the ground, it caught his attention, but couldn't look it over before Samuel had slipped it away. He smiled, "Crying ehh? You really think I would show any of that around Harumi?" He asked taking the book from Samuel. "I wouldn't, at least not while Cloud is around. He's weary of me already, I'm pretty sure he never liked me. This whole curse matter was just another reason to hate me. I'll be glad when it's all done and over with, good riddens with it. I'm not about to suffer as my father did, abusing mother with o means of stopping." He shrugged it off as a distant look took over and he closed his eyes to hide the matter. Tadashi looked to him and sighed, "You really do worry too much Raidon." He said resting a hand on his shoulder.

Lillie smiled as Yuffie started to parade around the place with the picture in hand but soon gave it back. Harumi was pleased and Lillie was much more so. "A mother's intuition if you will." She said looking back to Harumi, "He neededn't tell me anything, mind reading is one thing, but when it's his most treasured memory it seems that's all he ever thinks about." She shrugged lightly as she looked to the man to answer her question, he nodded slowly. "Allow me to take a copy and you may have this one." He looked to Lillie, "You still have that artistic flare in you, you always were best in the class." Lillie blushed and looked away, "Amasing you still remember." She squeaked before he disappeared into the back to make a copy, Lillie turned to Harumi again and smiled, wiping the tears from her cheeks with a light hand.

[Anjel]

Samuel smiled. “Cloud doesn’t hate you. He’s just seen a lot of bad things… he doesn’t want her to live the same dangerous life. I mean, he liked you before right…? Well, sort of. You didn’t really go to him to introduce yourself so when Harumi did…” he shrugged. “But there’s always a chance you can win his favor. Just think of something…” he said quietly. “That and be a little more dominant. This is your home right? Harumi’s your fiancé, and you have to go talk to him as a man... like you should have done in the first place. Seriously, I don’t get why people are so afraid of that guy.”
“Aww, he even thinks about you!” Yuffie said, even more excited. “Why won’t you tell him???” Yuffie asked, suddenly very scary. Harumi glanced at her and shrugged. “I just…” “You’re telling him! Bear and I have decided! Lillie, you have to let Harumi go tonight she needs to talk to her fiancé so there are no secrets when she gets married.” Yuffie said boldly. Harumi shook her head as if to calm everyone down. “It’s nothing serious, just…” she paused, stopping herself from thinking about it. “I did a few things when I was younger… ran away from home, fought a lot… I was just doing really bad things with really bad people and it’s why I have so many enemies now…” she said uneasily. “And Joseph, you might want to explain him too Miss first kiss.” Yuffie said mockingly. Harumi shook her head. “No… Raidon is still the first guy to kiss me… but Joseph…” she immediately stopped. “We didn’t have… we never… but I went through this whole drinking phase because of him and…” she stopped again feeling Yuffie’s hand on her shoulder. “I said you have to talk to Raidon about it, not tell the whole shop.” She said quietly enjoying the entire scene. She did like the extra attention and seeing Harumi so embarrassed was a plus. “Well, if we’re done here we should go get directions!” Harumi said, swiftly changing the subject. Her heart pounded a few hundred paces faster as she walked towards the exit.

[Animebella]

Raidon looked back at Samuel, "Really? assuming the things Harumi said about him, I suppose I was just cautious. I won't back down anymore though. Your completly right about everything. I didn't get to know him before Harumi introduced me.. that was a bad idea in the matter." He sighed, "Time to make things up to him." he said thinking it over, perhaps he needed to prove the matter that Harumi belonged to him now.. somehow.. without allowing him to see the matter of the curse still being around. He paused, it had been a while since that matter had occured.. he wondered why. Shrugging it off he looked to Tadashi then Samuel, "Have any ideas how I can prove myself worthy to have Harumi then? Perhaps.. some sort of gift that I need to get, shwing my strength from the abillity to retrieve it?" He was mainly asking Samuel, thinking he may know better of what Cloud was like. Tadashi stayed quiet.

Lillie looked back from the back room door towards the two with curious eyes. She smiled, "I'm not one to pry into anyone's life unwanted, but you should know your pretty muh part of the family, you cancome to me with anything. And on the matter of tonight I suppose I can allow you to go." She giggled, "I wasn't going to keep you hostage all night as well. But on wedding day your mine." She said with a evil grin. "I'm sure Raidon would want to know everything before hand anyways, it saves the rouble of secrets and such." She turned back towards the backroom asthe man was emerging with two papers. He handed the original to Lillie and kept the other. "I'll send you the information you need." She said not wanting to reveal anything to the two. Though she wrote a quick note on the page and grinned at him. He nodded, "Perfect, the arrangements shall be ready for then." he said with a smile as Lillie nodded and ushered the two out before anything else could be said. She looked to the carriage to tell the driver to go around the block a few times, "Alright girls, now, let's grab a bite to eat then." She said leading them to a small cafe down the block.

[Anjel]

Samuel thought it over and smiled. He really hadn’t thought of anything but Aria seemed to be helping him out again. “Well, you could start by meeting Aria who’s dragging him here in the first place. Harumi’s grandmother and true guardian since birth… next, Aria and Joseph come in a package; you keep me from Joseph and that’ll be pretty impressive too but…” he paused a moment before agreeing silently. “Standing up to him would be best. As soon as Aria tells him your curse is still there he will take Harumi. Be happy though, she can smell it from where she is now but she’s keeping it secret till she gets here. You might want to find your… courage, before he gets here.” He said. Samuel turned away considerately. “Or you can fight him yourself. Harumi, Aria, and Ketaro have… Aria quit in the middle of the battle and the other two were defeated miserably. No magic, one weapon, fight to K.O, no other rules.” Samuel sighed wondering how that would even turn out.
Harumi stayed silent still a bit embarrassed from the shop. “Awesome, I’m freakin’ hungry!” Yuffie said rather loudly. She smiled to herself and looked to Lillie who was just as cheerful. She then looked to Harumi and her smile faded. “I must warn you… Potatoe doesn’t like to see people sad…” she said eerily. Potatoe ran at her at full speed and picked her up before riding away with her and coming back, enjoying the panicked screaming he could hear. “Having fun yet?” Yuffie asked, laughing at her friend’s panicked, and then eventually very dizzy expression.