*I own no rights to the works I have gleaned inspiration from within this story*

Animal (Double) Crossing (part 1)

Back and forth, and back and forth and…back and forth. What, I wonder could that girl be waiting for, and why, in God's name, does she wear such a blaring bright pink workers' uniform? This thought plagued many a passerby as Kyoko Mogami paced, with the welcome banner tucked under her arm, while she waited for the plane to land. She could hear the automated voice warning people from picking up or taking unidentified luggage, and then, over the speakers came the announcement she had been waiting for, "Now arriving: the 10:20 A.M flight from Rio to Tokyo." He's back! Oh, I hadn't imagined it would be so hard not to see him and ask for advice. I need to be sure I don't inconvenience Mr. Tsuruga by bombarding him with questions about my job offers…oh there he is! With a hurried movement Kyoko unfurled the banner, nearly dropped it, and then held it high above her head. Ren smiled at her frantic antics and walked toward her. "3…w…o…H… 3…w…o…)…1…3…M…?"

Kyoko looks at Mr. Tsuruga as if he has finally cracked. "What?"

Ren covers his mouth and tries to stifle a laugh as he points to the banner that is now being held in front of her stomach because she lowered her arms in her confusion over the nonsense he was spouting. "The banner's upside down."

Yashiro chuckled as Kyoko screamed, flipped it right-side up, and held it, once again, high above her head. "I am so sorry Mr. Tsuruga, I just was so excited that you were coming back to Tokyo today that, well… and I guess I wasn't thinking about how the banner was held."

She was excited to see him? Maybe Ren's absence made Kyoko's heart grow fonder? Will she admit to her feelings and Ren will have to confess too? Oh I don't know if I could just be the Best Man, I wonder if they'll let me officiate. No, no, I am sure the president would want to officiate the wedding. Ooh, would they name me godfather of their children; I bet their kids would look like perfect little clones of them. Look at how Kyoko smiles back at him. Wait, what now, did someone just scream?

"Ahhhh! What is it? What is it?"

Ren stares wide eyed at the screaming teen sitting next to him in the company car, "She's a monkey, Ms. Mogami, calm down. She's just a monkey."

Kyoko looks on the verge of breaking down into sobs, "Well she's pulling my hair! Ow, ow, oooww!"

Why is there a monkey in the car? Wait is that the monkey? Yashiro watched as Ren coaxed the simian off of Kyoko's shoulders and head, and placed her on his lap.

"Yashiro can attest to this, so if you ever doubt the truth of this just ask him. When we arrived in Rio, I was told I was going to meet my co-star at the hotel and when I got there I was attacked by Coco," at the name Ren gestured to the monkey curled against his stomach like a content kitty-cat, "She was ferocious."

Kyoko looked at Yashiro and he nodded, "I was furious with the hotel because I thought Ren was being attacked by a wild animal they allowed into the lobby." Kyoko looked back at Coco feeling slightly amazed that the angel now cooing in her sleep was the same creature that had wrapped her little fingers into Kyoko's hair and pulled with all her might.

"Then the trainer ran up and removed the screaming simian from my scratched and bruised person."

Yashiro snorted derisively, "That trainer was lucky you were not too scratched and bruised."

Ren sighed, "Yashiro, it has all been settled for quite some time now and I know you and that trainer, what was her name? Ah, yes, Andrea. Weren't you two on quite friendly terms by the time we left?" Yashiro coughed and sputtered "So, back to the story at hand. When everything had calmed down, the director's assistant informed us that the co-star I was to meet, was well, Coco. I discovered that if I gave her an apple slice when I walked on set everyday that she would treat me like a king and when it came time for me to leave, she kept trying to hide in my luggage. I guess she succeeded. I'll have the agency send her back to her trainer in Rio."

Coco woke up just as they turned into the UP for Ren's apartment and began grooming his hair and making cooing noises. When she saw that Kyoko was going to be following them up to the apartment, she screeched and hugged her arms around Ren's neck.

Kyoko smiled with her lips closed, fearing that if she bared her teeth Coco would go berserk, and said quietly to Yashiro, "She is clingier to Mr. Tsuruga than Maria."

Yashiro snapped his fingers as if finally realizing something, "That is who she reminded me of." Yashiro and Kyoko share a muffled laugh as Ren unlocks the door but the laughter is drowned out by a booming wave of Mariachi band music and a man shaking maracas while wearing a bull fighter's costume danced a salsa up to them and sings "Welcome Home".

If you see anything that just doesn't flow right to you, please let me know. I want all of you to enjoy this story. ^_^