2.1

Had it already been a day? It really felt like less, my long lunch with Seka still fresh in my mind. Still, that didn't change the fact that I was meeting with Lung. It wasn't at the Casino either but some vague place down the docks, and Seka was busy so I had to walk to the place. Okay, so I did take the bus, but I had to walk the rest of the way, and walking in the rain like this wasn't really all that fun. Not that I had expected it to rain; sunbeams had rained in place of water, fluffy clouds floating by in a sea of bright blue, but the sky had quickly darkened to this steel grey color, flailing about with its bucket of large, heavy rain.

Checking my watch on my wrist, I frowned, leaning back, rickety wood awning shielding me from the weather. Great. Just great. Good going Taylor. Why hadn't I brought my hoodie again? I think it was the news crew, what had they said? 'Today will be sunny with a five percent chance of rain, so get your beach clothes and shorts on-'

Blah. Yeah, right.

My shirt and jeans combo felt woefully inadequate when faced with the mighty wetness of the sky and its tantrum. The thought of armoring up struck me out of the blue, but while I was a little more accepting of the outfit I still didn't like it, and using it just to fight rain would be kind of petty. Still, it was tempting, and I found my hand straying to the zipper, but this place was too public. I hung my head with a sigh.

The docks really seem dreary whenever the weather turns sour, the bright colors of old china town fading in the rain. This is also true for downtown but it's certainly felt more here, the watery veil that was draped over Brockton was especially harsh on the great vibrant reds. The only splash of color was an ironically plain looking white van that chose this moment to stop by my impromptu cover. I figured there wouldn't be anything interesting to see there so I let my head fall back and pulled my hand where I could see it. Ten minutes till I had to show up to the meeting and I was what, seven blocks out? Maybe I should just run, I'm sure Kenta wouldn't mind me showing up sopping wet to a big important meeting.

"Excuse me," a male voice said. I didn't turn towards it though as I glared at the rain.

"Mmm?" I said in response, though I use that term lightly. It was more a mumble than anything else I had uttered, a lazy exhalation of air through some cracks in my lips.

"I was wondering if you might answer a few questions."

Well, might as well, this wouldn't take too long anyways, and then I'd be off like a bullet to reach Kenta through the rain-

Oh. Oh.

"You're a news man," I said, eyes wide, mouth parting. A news man. A news man. That was a huge understatement, and also bad wording. Ugh, what happened to my brain? My nerves were suddenly on fire and I looked around quickly but nope, no cameras, just the man and his notepad. I raised my hand somewhat awkwardly and waved. "Uh. Hi."

Jason Takaeda smiled brightly in response with his news anchor grin and a hand extended before him. I took it, somewhat hesitantly, trying not to stain his clothes with my rain slicked hands – they looked really expensive. Dry too, probably because of his umbrella, which also saved his impeccably combed hair.

"Yes, yes I am," he said, his shake at once friendly and firm, not quite setting me at ease but it came somewhat close. His gaze was warm and…something else. Some excitement, closely guarded, some enthusiasm of course, they characterized his castings, so no, this was quieter. If I had to name an emotion, well not an emotion but a state, I'd call it…deferential? He could just be polite.

"Um, the questions," I said, giving a quick look around. Nope, nothing exciting. Had I missed it somehow? "Nothing exciting really happened, so you might want someone else."

"No, I think I have the right person," he said with a wink. I blinked at that, pulling myself from the wall.

"Well, sorry then, I don't really have the time," I said apologetically, waving a hand at the rain. "I've actually got somewhere that I need to be pretty soon, and I figure I'll just run for it to avoid all the rain."

"We can share an umbrella, and we can talk while we walk," he said with a smile while hefting said object up in his hand. Hmm. That could work, and it would certainly be dryer, but to have my questions on national television, well, that would be nerve wracking. He might have sensed my discomfort because he held up a hand, taking the bud from his ear and the mike from his collar, eyes knowing and patient.

"Well okay," I said with a bit of a sigh, I mean it wouldn't hurt anything, would it? They were just a few questions. He moved over in his umbrella and kept close to his side. It was weird thinking this, but normally I would be taller. I stand around at 5'10" and he's what, 5'8"? But right now I'm two inches shorter, which really bugged me for some reason. While I'd never really liked my height, well, there were some advantages.

We began to walk down the rainy sidewalk, water dripping from concrete to pool beneath us on the street. My sneakers weren't up to the task of the puddles, and I shivered as droplets of water touched bare skin.

"I just want you to know that this will be anonymous, well mostly," Jason said, reaching into his pocket to take a look at his phone. "I know you're Kitsune."

I would have made a break for it then, but he held up his hand palm up, a reassuring gesture.

"Oh don't worry, I'm not about to expose you. Not more than you already have been, my uncle was at the hospital you see."

"Your uncle?" I asked, still eying the rain, suddenly looking much more welcoming; the meeting wasn't too far, now was it?

"My uncle," he said. "And no, he didn't take pictures. He gave some good descriptions though, he has a real way with words, though this was partly because you're such a beautiful woman.

"Ah, thanks," I said, without much enthusiasm. I didn't really know how to take that, I never get that response normally. His smile turned sheepish, but he didn't look away.

"Well anyways, I was wondering if you would be up for an interview. You would be strictly known as Kitsune, no videos, pictures, or mentions of your name and your background."

I took a moment to pause and look around before I answered. The streets were all empty and the stalls were all closed. To the weather, not for business, but that was basically the same. No one would overhear us, and well, he was asking. It might be good to get my identity out there as a hero after all, especially since I would be helping Kenta with some questionable things.

"Sure," I said, with a sigh at the end, hugging myself as we moved to ward away the damp and the cold. "But I'm warning you I won't be enthusiastic. Interviews and news stories are one of those things humans have that while I understand them I don't like the thought of being in them."

I mean other animals don't need interviews, why should we? Do we need to know every intricate detail of what goes in others lives? He merely smiled in response and gave a quick bow, his hand keeping hold of the umbrella above us as we continued to walk. I'm sure this was meant to be polite and everything but it just made me uncomfortable. I looked off to the side.

"Well first of all," Jason said, taking out a small notepad. "Is it true you have nine tails?"

"It is," I said. I thought that was fairly obvious.

"Did it take a century each to grow them all in?"

A broad figure of speech, but...

"It certainly feels that way," I said, rubbing my arms as we walked. He hummed, tapping his pen on his notepad, the little scritch-scratch blending with the pitter-patter of rain.

"What do you think of modern appliances such as the cellphone?"

"I'm not exactly fond of them, they're hard to use and annoying," I said in response. "Oh, I mean it's certainly useful, but it feels like it's trying to be everything at once. Isn't a clock or a watch good enough for telling time? How about a computer for internet? It's all moving so quickly…"

"I see," he said, humming, writing something on his pad. "How much further till we get there?"

"About two more blocks."

"Two more questions then. On a more personal note, I wonder if you'd mind telling the readers: do you prefer tofu or liver?"

Seka asked me that too. Is it an Asian thing? Some strange type of diet?

"It really depends on my mood. Am I looking for something healthier or something a little more fulfilling?"

"I see," he said, blinking quickly, before interjecting some humor in his voice. "I hope you won't be stealing mine."

I looked at him sideways, his eyes highlighted in humor by a passing neon sign.

"Only if you'd want me to," I said, a little playfully, he was obviously joking. It was so easy to relax around this man, but I guess that's why he does interviews. He'd have to be good at this after all.

I have no idea why he paused after I said that though, he had this strange expression on his face, maybe a bit of indigestion? He shook himself out of that fugue pretty quick and presented a large award winning smile.

"Well, to wrap this up, is it true you control time?"

"Control time?" I said, turning my head to his direction. His cheery smile remained, though his eyes looked more intense. "Is that a serious question?"

"It's a valid one," he said. "Seeing as you collapsed that time bubble-"

"That bubble wasn't time," I cut in, fumbling for the words. "How do I explain this to someone who hasn't experienced it...Time is a presence that presses down on everyone, settling forces and governing laws. I don't control time so much as slip through on life essence to separate me from the rest of the world. That bubble wasn't time, but the principle remained, it was trying to impose laws and rules on the area. I just denied it and removed it from the world. It would be more accurate to call it a stasis field instead."

"I see," he said, eyes a little wide, putting his notepad away. His hand paused at his pocket and he turned to me slowly, legs still moving in our rhythmic walk. "Would you be willing to show me your bauble?"

"Sure," I said, smiling. Finally someone not afraid of it. I manifested it before me, a glowing beacon in the rain, casting its blues and its greens over the drenched grey cement. "Go ahead, you can hold it."

He looked oddly shocked.

"That's a great deal of trust you have there. What if I took it?"

"Well you're the first person to ask to see it, so there's the novelty of that," I said before smiling, a faint widening of lips. "But don't worry, it wouldn't matter, you couldn't take it if you tried."

He nodded slowly at that, reverently taking the ball from my hand. It felt good to show that off for a bit, and he seemed really excited, holding it up to see the swirls. I looked forwards and stopped, tugging on his umbrella. He stopped as well after a moment, and I looked up at the building.

"Well, we're here."

"I see," he said, stopping. His hand reached forwards with my ball cupped in his grasp, and I took it back with a nod. He responded with a bow. Wow, what's with this guy? It's not like I'm all that important.

"I thank you for this honor," he said, straightening. "Now I'll leave you to your business." He eyed the building we were at, all gold dragons and red wood – pretty obviously Lung's, if not officially ABB.

"Don't worry, I have this well in hand," I said, tossing up my ball. Well, at least I hope that I did. He bowed again then left, and while this left me uncomfortable I felt pretty good. He didn't seem to think me as a villain, at all for that matter, and the interview had been polite, more on random stuff than anything else. This would paint me as a hero, and hopefully clear up a few misunderstandings. Like that liver tofu thing. I wonder what that's all about. Though he did seem to be getting more nervous the longer it went…maybe I didn't smile enough? I'd have to work on that some.

Still hugging myself just under my chest, I took a breath to compose myself while looking at my ball. I'd had some fun as myself, and my dad wasn't around. Other me would probably be better for this anyways. Studying it for a second, I closed my eyes, pushing everything in.

When my eyes opened they beheld the fanciful building, standing tall among its smaller companions. More like a mansion than a skyscraper, not as impressive as the casino but with the added option of being the public face of the ABB. Lung could be so obvious yet so clever at once. He wanted me to be seen entering so people would draw conclusions from there. The weather conspired against him, but no use taking chances.

My lips drew apart as I unveiled my tails in an instant, the raindrops stopped in the air as I made my way inside. Guards stood before me, obvious ABB thugs at that. One guard was in the middle of a yawn, his hand raised right before his mouth. I pushed the hand forwards, just a bit, leaning the other man forwards a bit more than he was. Draining both as I passed, I brushed open the doors and closed them with my tails, running my fingers along the nameless humans in my way, light drain, nothing too harmful since I had entered his abode. I reached the room, smiling as I entered, moving back with the world as the doors slammed shut. Twin yelps sounded from the front of the mansion and my smile grew wider if anything at that.

I took my seat across from Lung as he began to look up from a small stack of papers, sipping at the open cup of tea on his desk, folding my hands in my lap and inclined my head slightly, my lips coming back together in a closed mouth smile.

Manners are important in meetings like this; it's not every day that you deal with dragons.

xXx-xXx

A.N. Right, so fics either going to be on a hella long hiatus or dead after this. I'm talking over a year easy. Getting really distracted by my other works, so...yeah. Anywho, thanks for reading!