a friendly visit with a friend (P,NK,IO, Kari)

Kari sat behind Miya as they rode the giant lizard to her families inn. It was a interesting creature, one she never imagined actually could exist. Miya called it a komoto dragon, though it did not resemble the dragons in the stories her mother would tell her when she was a child. It moved frightening fast for its size but it did not feel like a creature built for riding. Due to this, she was force to hold on to Miya, wrapping her arms around his stomach to avoid falling off and laying her head on his back. He was so warm, warmer than the dragon itself, which reminded her of their time training in the lake. If only the ride was as tranquil and smooth verse feeling like a constant earthquake under their feet with a mild pain in her chest.

Matching Miya's theme of wearing casual clothes, Kari had on her plum jacket with a purple plain shirt underneath. She also had a plum skirt and purple compression shorts. The only sign of being affiliated with the Hoshi was the star on the shoulder of her jacket. Her red hair was tied up into two pigtails that hung from the bottom side of her head. Lastly, she did her best to keep her collar up but she left it mostly unzipped so that her face could be seen.

Besides the initial round of questioning about the giant lizard, the ride was mostly quiet. That was until Miya opened up questions about her family and the norms. Kari pondered this for a moment. In reality, his presence would not hinder her visit. In fact, it could possibility benefit the girl because he could distract her mother, which would give her a chance to see her father. However, a new problem started to bubble up.
"Well..."
She starts to speak with the answer generated prior to her realization unknowingly. Her mind managed to shut off her mouth before she could continue the old thought. Then she drifted off back into her head. How would her mother react to Kari bringing home a friend? She never had done it before nor has she shown the ability to get alone with people. The woman might be happy, celebrate, or even tease her to the point of getting behind in her work. Once she was behind, the woman would find a way to make Kari help her. No matter what Kari did, she knew she would fall to her mother's mind games.
"Mother will find a way to ruin any plans I make," Kari's dreary voice returned to being soft now that the lizard stopped, "You are our guest though. You will be safe."
Kari let out a sigh as her mind continued to work out what would happen when they got there. The two picked up their stuff after hopping off the lizard.
"Thank you for your services Tatsu-san" Kari gave a respectful bow to the lizard hoping it understood her gesture. As the lizard disappeared, she returned to thinking about what to do. She took the lead, guiding Miya on the road with her head down.

She walked these roads most of her life so she could navigate them blindfolded. She dealt with her mother's tricks and games all of her life. None of this was new or different. So why was she so focused? Her mind split unsure if she should continue working on her flawed plan or look into the reason for making it. What made this different, why was her heart thumping against her chest with ever step closer to the inn. She was not afraid of her mother. She was not afraid to go home. She was not afraid of possibility dying in a fight she could not win. So why was her heart so angry?

Unless Miya asked her another question, they would walk quietly until they arrived at the entrance.
"This is it. The Tsukami Inn," Kari said without lifting her head in her dreary voice.
She pointed the large wooden sign with the phrase, "The Heaven in Haven" seemingly floating in the air. Clouds were painted under the saying the sense that the words were riding the clouds. This was not a magic trick as much as a wire trick with the wires themselves being too small to see from afar. Behind them were a set of wooden stairs followed by a wooden pathway that was shaded by a temple theme roof. This blocked out the sun brightening the area around the path and giving the place a palace like feel with stone pillars guiding visitors to the front doors.
"Ple...Please follow my in.. instructions." Kari said in a softer voice before making her way to the wooden path, "You I need you to ring the bell using this pattern and then open the door. They seem heavy but they should easily slide open. Please do you best not to move them quickly. Think of it like... a ceremony I think. Then you must walk in. Don't retreat. It is..."
Kari's voice wavered before losing the softness that started her request, "It is custom. Tradition my father hold's dear."

The Jingle Miyamoto rang was a special pattern that was suppose to signal Kari's return. Normally when a customer rings the bell or opens the door triggers a greeting from the front staff on the floor. This greeting consisted of a loud overly friendly, as Kari's father puts it, welcome that fills the room with energy and gives customers a sense of excitement. It was meant to treat the customer as a king or queen returning home from a long journey. However, Kari hated the greeting finding it too loud and obnoxious. It reminded her of a jack in the box, which was why her father gave her own special pattern. Upon hearing this, the staff would still greet Kari but it would be in a less bothersome way.

"Welcome home Tsukami-sama, we have been expecting...?"

The staff in the front lobby spoke gently though desync upon realizing the person walking in was a strange boy. Kari, standing behind the boy was even more confused. She did not tell anyone she was coming. She looked around Miya and saw that the staff consisted two bellhops, Grammy Riri, and a maid behind the counter. Since the maid was behind the counter, that meant her mother was not doing her job. If her mother was not doing her job, that meant.

Kari started to turn around but a high pitch squeal grabbed her by the waist and lifted her into the air. The woman was a foot taller than Kari and had bright red hair. This hair however was dull compared to the exuberant smile on her face. Kari struggled for a minute trying to break the woman's hold, but as the woman's pale cheek melted into Kari's, the girl knew she was captured. Then the woman gleefully laughed before starting her speech.

"My baby came home all by herself without anyone telling her too. All so she could see her mother. I am so proud to be a parent, to have raised such a grateful daughter who loves her mother so much. I have the best daughter in the world... though it would be better if she learned the earth element instead of the shitty water one... But I am still so proud."

Smothered could not even start to describe how Kari was feeling despite her stoic face. However, he did like being praised so she endured the suffering of having all the ability to move any direction. So Kari was forced to let her arms and feet dangle as her mother held on to her like an oversize doll. Still, she managed to taken in enough of a breath to talk.
"Hi mom... oof," Kari felt her breath squeezed out from her mother's love.

Then Kari's mother started to spin around while holding tight to Kari with the grace of 4 year old ballerina who managed to avoid falling only by the will of God. This was until she noticed the boy standing in the doorway. She froze leaving Kari dizzy and sick to her stomach. "Mom... staaaa."
Everything became a blur as her mother rushed over to the boy attempting to grab his arm and pull him into the back room. If she succeeded, Miya would be pulled through the front lobby, through an empty hallway and into a private break room.

The front lobby, the room Miya would first see as he opened the sliding door was a giant room opened up to the second floor. The walls were of a lovely brown with warm lights shining down from a chandelier that seem to float in the air. The check in/out counter had a tan-ish brown wooden finish with clouds carved into the wood. Lock boxes with golden keys stacked up like a grid behind the maid who was managing the check in/out process. The floor had dark blue tiles with a red carpet guiding customers to the counter and then to the hallways leading to the rooms. A spiral staircase would bring people to the second floor. The railing on the staircase matched the counter but had cloud carving on the stairs and dark purple carpet trimmed with yellow. At the top of the staircase were suits of samurai armor giving the appearing of guards welcoming guest. The walls were evenly spaced out with paintings and sketches, all with a similar style as if they were drawn by the same person. They all consist of different scenery like deserts, forests, plains, and even villages. None of them actually resembled a real place but all looked real enough to exist.

As Miya was dragged into the hallway, he would see portraits of Kari's mother, Kari's father, and Kari at different ages. The ones of her mother and father were draw in the same style as the paintings but the ones of Kari were draw by a different artist. It was slight but any ninja should be able to noticed small things like that. The floor was still carpet, over tiles but there were few rooms viable at the end of the hallway looked to be a kitchen area but several feet before that was a break room.

The break room as a dinner table, cabinets with plates, cups, seasonings, and snacks. There was a fridge with drinks inside. The counters were made of the same wood as the front desk. In addition, there was a bookcase filled with books ranging from kid stories to epic tales of great ninja. It was here that Kari's Mother would plant the boy down at the end of the table away from the door. She would sit down with Kari in her lap like a teddy bear on the end closest to the door to prevent him from leaving. Then she put the huge grin on her face and closed her eyes. Her expression was that of an excited cat who just caught their prey and was going to play with their food.

"First, thank you for bringing my daughter home. As her mother, I am truly grateful. However," Kari's mother started petting Kari's hair as if she was a cat while Kari just stared blankly at the table unsure what to do about it, "I never heard about my daughter having a boyfriend. I hate secrets that I'm not a part of don't you know. So I hope you haven't been taking advantaged of my little hard working red dumpling."

"Mom... Miya.... I mean... Terumi-sempai was..." Kari was silenced by a tight hug.

"Shh, let this Miya boy talk. I am interested to hear him."

"Hora hora," Kari's mother could not help but giggle, "Interesting answer."
Her eyes relaxed a little since though her tone remained as playful as ever, "My baby does not know what boyfriend means... I bet she said something like 'Your a boy and your my friend.'"
Kari's mother perfectly matched Kari's speech pattern though it seemed even more natural on her mother. The woman also made an emotionless face though hers was void of that glitter of light that showed someone was alive, a truly broken person. However her face would quickly bounce back to becoming the brightest thing in the room. The boy's answer was interesting and acceptable enough. She could not pretend to be mad at him any longer. For whatever reason he got Kari to comeback home. This called for a celebration.  

She released Kari and dashed to the boy at a speed of 100 in order to give him a big hug and pick up him. Given he did not stop it, she would softly headbutt him in the head.
"Oh you have a good head on your shoulders and your cute too," then she moved to his ear, "How about you become her real boyfriend. After all, it is not everyday Kari brings home a boy.... I think... you... are... the... first... one."

Suddenly Kari felt her heart beat increase. It was not much, but it was off. She had to do something, she had to make it stop.
"Mom," Kari raised her voice though still keeping her same dreary tone, "I'm telling Dad you're slacking off again if you dont leave Miya... i mean Terumi-sempai alone."
"Wait baby, we don't have to go there. Your daddy is so uh... busy. Yeah. He doesn't have time to scold me. Please," She release Miya and took the most innocence post she could make. "Oh how about I make you some cookies. Those pretzel ones with the peanut butter."
Seeing that Kari did not stop staring at her. The woman inched her way to the door and winked at Miya before disappearing into the kitchen. After she was gone, Kari signed and turned to Miya. Her eyes focusing on him, studying his reaction taken in every change in his face eye brown to chin.
After a moment she just walked over to him and then dropped to the floor onto her hands and knees, "Miyamoto Terumi-sempai, I beg you for your forgiveness for the way my mother has treat you. I never seen her so riled up. It is not good customer service. Also I failed to protect you from her behavior. In fact, I set you up. I predicted her excitement to see me would be higher then usual so I had you enter the Inn before me in homes that she would be confused. I... I am sorry."

Her voice quivered as her arms trembled. Her father warned about apologizes. It showed weakness, and made you lower than anybody. It was punishment, not something to be praised for. it was uncomfortable and it took away a part of yourself. However you should give your all should the time come to give one. You should give your all as if your life was one the battle. Despite all of this, Kari did not feel anything from this. It was just another action, one that carried meaning that she could not comprehend. She knew she had to do it. She knew it was suppose to feel bad. She knew it was something she was suppose to regret. Yet she felt none of it. Her heartbeat was normal, her eyes felt fine. She could say anything she wanted or need to if the thought was in her head. To her this was no apologize. To her she was only adding more disgrace to her family name without even righting what was wrong.

Kari allowed Miya to help her to her feet. Why was he laughing? What humor technique did she unlock? She stared at him unsure what she should do. It was such a nice smile. She wanted to draw it but it was not the right thing to do. It was not the priority thought. What was important was getting through this hurdle that her mom through in front of her.

Miya's response did not make sense. Sure she did not try to kill him, however, she did show poor customer service. Also, she said confusing stuff. It was... different. She was different in a way that Kari never saw before. His next comment made even less sense. He tripped up on the words boy friend, after saying her apologizing made him seem abusive. It just did not make sense at all. At best, she would ask him later. For now, she would just relax and listen to the rest of his comment.

"Father believes in mother. She said's he is the only one who accepts her. I don't understand it either. I just know it works. I think the cookies are for you, she does not bake me cookies."
Kari took a deep breath before walking to the door.
"I am heading to my room... Mother probably moved things around."

Approved