Chase the Sun

Disclaimer: I do not own SkipBeat or the story that this title makes allusion to. In the interest of creating a more western feel, some of the names of the main characters have been slightly altered.

Chapter 1 – Kyoko, Plain and Boring

Clickety-clack, clickety-clack; the song of the train on the west-bound tracks droned on-and-on, endlessly, inescapably. For the first two-hundred miles Kyoko had thrilled at the song and all that it represented to her. Now, with mile after endless mile of track behind her, all she wanted to do was to get as far away from railroads as possible… at least she hoped so. Once again she grumbled inwardly at her lack of any clear idea of geography. Where exactly was St. Louis in relation to the railroads? Was it anything like the populous, organized, modern city she had always known as home?

Kyoko had been an outstanding student during her eight years of schooling, but Boston society's views on the education of females prevented her from learning everything she needed and wanted to know; which was everything. Kyoko Mogami's mind hungered and thirsted for knowledge, but her teachers and her foster parents had expected her to be content with "feminine pursuits." That was the reason that her foster mother had pulled her out of the mixed school and put her into Lady Champeau's Finishing School for Girls of Breeding… well… that and the fact that Kyoko had always managed to get better grades than her foster brother, Shotaro.

Her hand slipped into her reticule and immediately found her most precious treasure, the letter from Sho. Kyoko had been hurt and a little heartbroken when her foster brother had pulled her aside one evening to borrow money and to inform her of his determination to run away and "go west and make a name" for himself. Up until then she had always entertained the fantasy that someday they would marry and that she would work with him to build and grow the Fuwa hotel into the most successful and well-respected hotel in New England. In her heart she knew that it would probably never happen.

From the first time that Kyoko had met the Fuwas, when she had just turned six, she had known that the blond haired boy with the angelic face was wilder than the storms that sometimes pounded the rocky shores along the New England shore. He was animated and adventurous, full of ideas and schemes; none of which involved taking over the family business. For some reason Kyoko and Sho had hit it off right away; perhaps because she never fawned over him like all of the other prissy little society girls who lived in the area. Whatever the reason, they went everywhere together and often returned to the hotel scraped, dirty, and glowing with the secret knowledge of childhood escapades that their parents would never know about.

Of course, in Kyoko's case, her mother would have probably not even cared. Her mother, Saena, had always been rushed and brusque with everyone except for the current filthy rich man whom she was pursuing. Saena was beautiful in the way that an ice-sculpture is beautiful; hard and without warmth. She was on the prowl and she saw her daughter as a liability, so she basically abandoned the girl to her own resources for much of the week. Yumako Fuwa, Sho's mother and co-owner of the hotel with her husband, liked the little black-haired girl and so she often took pity on the girl and invited her in for meals. Then one day, after a particularly exciting row out into Boston harbor that had almost resulted in the pair being swept out to sea, Saena simply disappeared. Kyoko returned to her hotel room to find that all of her mother's possessions were gone and only Kyoko's few meager belongings remained.

The Fuwas were incensed, since Saena had fled without paying her rather hefty bill. Kyoko was devastated because she had lost the only mother she had ever known and she had no money and no place to live. For a week Sho hid her in one of the unused maid's rooms, but Yumako ran her hotel like a well-oiled machine and she knew from the first day that the little girl was still there. Her initial anger, and that of her husband, almost prompted them to send the child to an orphanage. But Yumako hid a kind soul beneath her stern, businesslike exterior and she knew that Kyoko was not at fault. If anything Kyoko was the biggest victim. Several times Yumako had seen the bruises on the little girl's face from Saena's fits of temper. She pitied the girl. Still, it wouldn't do to simply adopt the girl and allow her to slip into an easy life. She would one day be as beautiful as her mother, which might spell trouble. Kyoko needed to learn the value of hard work, lest she follow in her mother's footsteps.

That resolved, Yumako and her husband Tomajii moved Kyoko the closest maid's room and made her an unofficial part of the family. Kyoko had a strong sense of responsibility and duty, even from such a young age. She was deeply conscious of her own abandonment, but even more so of the fact that her mother had left with money owing. She resolved immediately to do everything within her meager power to pay off her mother's debt and the debt she was incurring by being a burden on the Fuwas. In her tender young mind there was also the innocent dream of someday becoming Shotaro's bride.

Unfortunately, Kyoko's inclusion in the family and her determination to buckle down and work off her debt altered the little girl in the eyes of Shotaro. When the cute little girl had been his partner-in-crime throughout the streets of Boston, she had been fun. Now that she was learning the trade of hospitality at Yumako's feet, she began to seem boring. It didn't help that Yumako took measures to keep Kyoko humble by forbidding makeup and dressing the girl in bland, unappealing clothing. As Sho grew and began to notice girls, his plainly, boring, and hardworking childhood companion became an embarrassment. Still, for reasons even he did not understand, he kept Kyoko close whenever he wasn't surrounded by his rich friends and adoring society girls.

As the two children grew older, their paths and their outlook on life diverged. Kyoko was sent to school by the Fuwas. She was brilliant in all of her subjects and eventually learned three other languages. Then, as she began to reach her teens, she was moved to finishing school. Kyoko hated the change, though she kept silent. Her penmanship was beautiful. Her drawing and painting was good. But these things weren't what made her stand out and singled her out for the bullies. Sadly, four things worked against her: She was close to Sho Fuwa. She was plain and boring. She was without estate or family. She was better at just about everything than the other girls.

It was the last characteristic which made her an object of hatred to the other girls. It was bad enough that a poor girl was allowed at the finishing school. It was bad enough that she spoke freely and comfortably with the most handsome and exciting young boy in Boston. This might have been excused if she was awkward and clumsy. Instead Kyoko was the best at serving tea, had the best posture, the best deportment, and conducted herself with ease among all of the most noteworthy people who came to visit the school. The teachers themselves would trot her out to be noticed whenever there was such a visit in the hopes of making the best impression… and this made the girls hate her.

Kyoko could hardly be blamed for these characteristics. After all, Yumako Fuwa was the epitome of grace and class and she had been training Kyoko since she was seven. The training hadn't been easy. At times Yumako was almost brutal in her techniques. Sometime Kyoko had even cried herself to sleep at night after long days when she felt that she couldn't possibly ever please the older woman. Yet, in the end Kyoko did succeed. The result was a young lady who was as polished and sophisticated as any who ever walked the marbled mansions of Boston high-society.

The other result was that Sho usually ignored her, including his lack of empathy or concern when Kyoko was bullied by the same girls in her school who fought and scratched to be the one to catch his attention. Still, Kyoko somehow held on to her childish ideal of marriage to Sho… until the day that he pulled her aside and announced his intentions to run west. His father had become increasingly adamant about training his son to take over, and Sho wanted none of it. As the rancor between father and son grew, Sho's determination grew as well. Despite his hefty allowance his favorite purchases were penny, nickel, and dime novels about great adventures in the unsettle territories. He devoured the books and was determined that someday he would make a name for himself in the Wild West.

Kyoko had given Sho every penny that she had saved up on the night that he fled. It had been nearly every penny that she had earned in eight years of working at the Fuwa Grande Hotel. It was to have been her dowry. When Sho left, her dreams went with him. She had thought that he was gone forever despite his promise that he would send for her once he made his fortune. For a year there had been only silence and guilt. Sho never wrote and Kyoko had to remain silent concerning his whereabouts and her part in his disappearance. It broke her heart to see Mrs. Fuwa cry and Mr. Fuwa becoming angrier and angrier. But Kyoko believed that she loved Sho and she also believe that he would eventually make a name for himself and make his parents proud… she didn't really believe that he would ever send for her.

And then the letter came:

Dear Kyoko,

I have begun to make a name for myself her in St. Louis, Missouri Territory. It is an amazingly exciting town with many opportunities for two ambitious young people. I want to fulfill my promise to you. Please come to St. Louis as soon as you can with as much money as you can get your hands on. Everything happens fast here, so you must hurry so that we can make the most of our chances.

The railroad reached St. Louis just this last year, so getting here shouldn't be too hard for you. Save every penny you can on your trip. Unfortunately I don't have any money to send you, so you will have to make it here on your own. Come in early spring if you can.

Sho Fuwa.

The Kyoko had received the letter in October. From that day on she had worked harder in the hotel and she had also taken on odd jobs when she wasn't at the hotel. In the end she had saved enough to pay her fare and to build up thirty more dollars besides… which seemed to be a vast fortune for her. When March came, she wrote a letter to the Fuwas telling them that she was going to join their son and that she would write as soon as they were settled and successful. With shame and regret, she snuck out and caught the first train headed west toward Ohio and eventually St. Louis.

It bothered Kyoko that Sho hadn't mentioned marriage, but assuredly that was only an oversight on his part… that had to be it… right?

oOoOOoOo

Ren Tsuruga guided his bay horse, Jesse, along the wide dirt track that was the newest road in the ever-growing city of St. Louis. He whistled softly to himself in amazement at the magnitude of change that the city had undergone in only two years since he had last ridden west. At the time the city had been growing, but he hadn't imagined that it would have consumed seven additional miles of territory.

"Then again," he said to nobody in particular, "The railroad is here now, the west is opening, and they do call this town 'The Gateway to the West!'" He chuckled as Jesse twitched his ears up to listen to his master. "Well, Lory is probably in hog-heaven right about now. He certainly spent enough blood, sweat, and tears boosting this place to any easterner who would listen.

It was not remarkable that Ren didn't classify himself as an "easterner" anymore, despite the fact that his father and mother were among the most notable families in that region. He had been in the west, pushing the borders and riding the vast area for the last five years. This was home now and he was a new man… despite the demons of his past which still haunted his sleep and occasionally his waking hours. He shook off any thought of that now, though, because he was here to meet with Lory Takarada and to find out what new adventure waited him in the mind of St. Louis' most eccentric individual.

His course was leading him further into town now, and as he rode the buildings changed from log, to slab, and then to red brick. Things are changing. If I had been away any longer I wouldn't recognize this city at all. He rode on, sitting tall in his saddle, his hat tipped back, oblivious to the admiring and often flirtatious looks from the many women who were beginning to appear in town. At six-foot five he towered over most men. His genetic heritage had made his lean and well-made, just as five years working the trails had tanned and hardened him into a man that few could match and even fewer would dare to challenge. Added to all of this was a face that was sculpted by the gods, highlighted by blond hair and sky-blue eyes.

The bay stallion was conscious of every eye watching. He naturally assumed that all of the attention was on him and he began to prance. Ren felt the change and was shaken out of his reverie. He reached down to pat Jesse's neck and said, "Whoah there, boy. All of these people around here got you spooked?" His voice was deep and it carried across the dirt road which only enticed the ladies more. Several of them swooned, but the tall man didn't pay them any mind.

Ren did see the ladies, but his mind was fixed elsewhere. He could hear the approaching whistle of the train announcing its approach and warning any stragglers to clear the tracks. Ren watched the huge black engine spewing steam and clanging as it passed by. He shook his head at the noise, so foreign to his ears after so long on the trail. Then he realized what that train's passing meant and he spurred Jesse to follow.

oOoOOoOo

"Would you look at that!" A female voice almost moaned in a husky voice. Kyoko looked up to see what was happening as two other young women brushed past her seat to look. They all began speaking all at once in excited whispers, as if anyone or anything could hear them through the thick glass of the train window. Kyoko glanced out the window to see what they were looking at. There, on a beautiful light brown horse with a black tail, mane, and hoofs was a tall, weathered and very handsome man. For just a moment Kyoko's breath caught, but then she quickly realized that this man was too tall to be Sho… and then she felt guilty when she couldn't resist the urge to look again.

Thus distracted, neither Kyoko nor the other ladies were prepared for the sudden braking of the train. Kyoko was sitting, so the sudden stop only jarred her forward, but several of the standing ladies fell over on top of each other in a sprawl. This caused general amusement to everyone in the car and Kyoko almost couldn't hear the conductor's loud "St. Louis, end of the line ladies and gentlemen!"

The tall, almost beautiful man was forgotten as Kyoko rushed to grab her valise, her reticule, and her hat. The crowd jostled by her, all politeness gone as each person struggled for a place in the line to exit the car. Frustrated and anxious, Kyoko considered shoving her way in, but she chose to sit and wait patiently instead.

oOoOOoOo

"REN!" A sweet, trilling voice sang out and a small, lacey figure rushed forward to hurl herself into the air. Ren was prepared for this and he easily snatched the little doll-like figure out of the air, wrapping the girl in a deep, affectionate hug.

"Hello, Maria. How was school back east?"

The pretty, reddish-blond girl made a face and said, "Horrible! Everyone's so proper and self-important that I could hardly stand it!"

"And I supposed that you behaved?" Ren asked with a knowing twinkle in his eyes.

Maria dimpled and gave the tall man her best innocent look, "Of course I did…" Ren raised a doubtful eyebrow which caused the girl to dissolve into giggles.

"It's a wonder the school's still standing," a very deep, rich voice proclaimed. Ren looked past Maria's impish face to regard the most unusual sight he had seen for quite some time. A tall, lean, mustachioed man stood on the platform, wearing the garb of a Spanish bullfighter, complete with lacy sleeves and cravat. His shoes had huge gold buckles. All of his buttons… and there were many… were also gold.

Ren smiled and reached out a free hand. "How are you, Boss?"

"I am well, Ku… I mean… Ren." The older man saw Ren flinch at that slip. Although that was Ren's only visible reaction, Lory Takarada could also sense the internal turmoil. He had made the slip intentionally. It had been five years since the young man in front of him changed his identity; far longer than Lory had intended and he was afraid that Rather than apologize, he took a different approach. "I'm glad to see that my messages caught up with you, Ren. I was afraid that it might take all winter to track you down."

Ren shifted Maria to his side so that he could move closer and speak more quietly to the older man, "And why would that be necessary? What is so important that you called me in at the beginning of my hunting and trapping season?" Maria gently extracted herself and Ren set her down so that she could go to check on her luggage. She knew of her grandfather's plan and she hoped that her favorite person would sign on.

Lory smiled, gesturing around him, "This is probably not the best place for this conversation. We'll speak this eveni…" Lory's words stopped as he realized that Ren was no longer paying attention. He followed the young man's gaze and was pleased to note that it was a young lady who had arrested his attention.

oOoOOoOo

Kyoko saw that the door was almost clear before she once-again gathered her few belongings and made her way to join the few remaining people. The conductor, a jovial man with a ready smile, nodded his head at her as she approached. "Ma'am, I sincerely hope that your time in St. Louis will be all that you hoped." He had taken a liking to the young, composed, upper-class lady. She had spoken to him several times during the journey and had always been polite and respectful, despite her obviously superior social status. He was worried, however, that the press and energy of this rapidly booming city would be too much for her.

Kyoko smiled and nodded. The conductor was the only person who had spoken to her throughout most of the trip and she was grateful. As the last person in front of her stepped down and out of the train, Kyoko followed and found herself in a mass of moving humanity as friend met friend and family met family. She scanned the crowd for any sign of Sho, and she didn't see him right away. She did, however, meet the sky-blue eyes of the tall man she had seen riding beside the train. There was something there… something oddly familiar… Kyoko was jostled by a large, brusque man wheeling a cask from the train. When she looked up again, the tall man was no longer visible.

"Well, well..." A sinister voice spoke behind Kyoko, sending a chill down her spine, "… what do we have here?" Kyoko turned and was confronted by a pock-marked, unshaven face with foul breath. The man, who was somewhere in his thirties, had a face somewhat like a rat and his teeth, those that were still in his mouth, pushed out his lips to enhance his rat-like image. Another man, taller and more gaunt but just as ugly, stepped around the first and began to work his way behind Kyoko.

"She's a little plain, Gus, but still she's kinda purdy," the second man breathed out, adding to the foulness of the air. He reached out to touch Kyoko's hair and Kyoko flinched away. She had learned how to deal with drunken men at the Fuwa's hotel, but this situation was beyond her experience. As she shrunk away from the second man, she was grabbed by the first, the man named "Gus."

"Why don't we just take you home with…" He never completed his sentence because a large fist sang through the air and impacted directly on his nose and close between his bloodshot eyes. Those eyes rolled back into his head and he crumpled where he stood. The second man made a yelping sound as he tried to dig for his gun, but as fast as lightening he was suddenly looking directly into the barrel of a large, Colt Navy revolver.

"I suggest that you pick up your friend and drag him off to wherever you both crawled out of," the assailant ordered with a frost in his voice that sent chills down the spines of the second man and just about everyone within twenty feet in every direction. The second man looked up into the very tall man's murderous gaze and nodded. Quickly before the terrifying tall stranger could change his mind, he reached down, grabbed his partner under the shoulders, and dragged the man away.

Kyoko watched with almost morbid fascination as the anger slid off of the tall man's face. In a moment he seemed almost… pleasant. But then he turned his gaze on Kyoko and his face became expressionless, "Ma'am, this is west. It is a hard, cold, cruel place. It is no place for a lady. Maybe in a few years, but for now I suggest that you get back on that train and begin your journey in the opposite direction."

Kyoko's immediate reaction was annoyance. She had just scrimped and saved and suffered to make it here to St. Louis. Who was he to tell her to go home? She picked up her bags and turned to tell him just that, but he had already lost interest in her and moved on.

Notes: First of all, please don't hate me for starting this story. There has been a lot going on in my life right now and my creativity has sunken into the abyss. When I read about this western challenge issued by AlitaBlake, I suddenly felt enthusiastic again. I am hoping that this new energy will also flow into my other stories that are waiting in strangled solitude. So please wish me luck and try not to be too cruel to me.

Leavesfallingup

The Challenge:

The Kyoko and Ren Travel To The Old West Challenge(for lack of a better name)
Ok, I guess it could be the anybody from Skip Beat travels to the Old West Challenge, but I only like Ren/Kyoko fics. hehe. Sorry.

The Rules:
1) It must take place in the old west (is there an old west in Japan? IDK. Any location, as long as it is Old and West. Just play with it.) and fit the bill of a typical western.
2) It must end KyokoXRen, but feel free to throw in whomever you please (The idea of Lory in the Old West intrigues me
3) There MUST be a gunfight. Doesn't matter who's in it, but there are ALWAYS gun fights in westerns.
4) In character would be nice, but OOC is understandable to a degree. However, basics should be kept. (Any scenes where Ren shoots Sho, perfectly acceptable)