-1Author's Note: Skip Beat does not belong to me. This is purely fan made.

I do apologize for leaving you hanging for so long. What with my wedding and apartment/job hunting and moving I've been a little distracted lately. I have also been procrastinating on this project. I'm not sure if the direction I'm taking the story will end up satisfying or not. It's merely an idea I was toying with and it wouldn't leave me alone so I had to write it. And recently I've been wanting to continue with it. So here goes.

Fate Chapter Four

Tributary

Mogami-san,

Please forgive my presumption in writing to you. I became acquainted with your friend Kuon Hizuri while traveling in America. He asked me to write to you on my return as he left something for you in my care. Enclosed is a round trip ticket to Tokyo and a Hotel reservation that he arranged for you. I will be in town for the next month, so please call or stop by LME entertainment company during normal business hours and leave your name with the receptionist when you arrive. Or if it would be more convenient, contact me with your traveling information and I will meet you at the train station. I would be honored to escort you around the city during your visit, since I understand that you have never toured Tokyo before. I look forward to meeting you, and please be assured that any friend of the Hizuri family is a friend of mine.

Sincerely Yours,

Tsuruga Ren

After rereading the note for the hundredth time, Mogami refolded it and clutched it in her hand. She took a deep breath to calm herself. Her emotions had been swinging back and forth between excitement and nervousness for days now. She had felt so small when she left the train station in Kyoto and waved good bye to Shotaro's mother until the train rounded a bend and the platform disappeared. It wasn't often that an eleven-year-old girl rode a train all by herself and Kyouko had certainly never done it before. Suddenly her attention was distracted by the view from her window. She could see so many people and so many buildings! and the buildings were taller and shinier than any she had ever seen before. They were nearing the station now and another stab of nervousness twisted through her stomach at the thought of it. She hoped Tsuruga Ren-san would be easy to find. She didn't want to have to go wandering through the station all alone to look for him.

Mentally Kyouko ran through the description Tsuruga-san had given her on the phone. Tall, dark brown hair, grey-brown eyes, wearing a black shirt, and a dark green jacket. Fuwa-san had insisted that he bring a sign with her name on it. Shotaro's mother had had a long conversation with him before giving her consent to the excursion. But, after speaking to Tsuruga-san, she couldn't stop singing his praises. "Such a polite, responsible young man. I'm sure he will take good care of Kyouko-chan while she's away. Now, Kyouko-chan make sure you write a nice Thank you note to Hizuri-san. It was very thoughtful of him to arrange this for you."

"I will!" Kyouko smiled and finally tucked the note she held into her bag. She couldn't resist peeking into the folder as well. She had already sent a short note to Kuon thanking him profusely for the invitation. She had then started another note in which she was planning to write a little bit every evening about her time in Tokyo. That way it would almost feel like Kuon was there, too. Kyouko sighed. Her only uneasiness in coming to Tokyo was that she still hadn't heard from her friend. She hoped nothing was wrong. Since Tsuruga-san was Kuon's friend, maybe he could tell her something. Or perhaps whatever Kuon had left in his care would give her some clue. Kyouko forced these concerns from her mind as the train slowed to a stop. This trip was a gift from Kuon and that made it special. She wasn't going to waste a minute of it. Right now her job was to find Tsuruga Ren.