An afterparty for a funeral...what a stupid fucking idea.

Ayame was all ready to return home the moment that she had left the Tokugawa mansion this morning; arguably, from the moment she woke up. The last thing she wanted to do was stay here.

This room was, luckily, much larger than Ayame anticipated. The funeral had been huge, and the Mishima clan had organized it so they could have a suitable service big enough to fit the four families. With all of them intermingled into a dangerous haze, Ayame was just relieved there hadn't been any more incidents than Mirai Mishima's speech.

The smell of incense lingered in the air, creating a pleasant, perfumed scent of smoke to mask the tobacco that was clouding up the atmosphere. The walls were typical of a place of mourning; neutral, inoffensive cream colours decorated the walls, and the floor beneath their feet was also covered in rich, expensive-looking floorboards similarly to the funeral hall. This place was not for the poor, that much was evident, and the realization of such a thing as a mourner's hierarchy always left a bad taste in Ayame's mouth.

“I'm gonna grab a drink,” Teru announced to both Ayame and Chinami, as the three of them stood somewhat close to the door. “Want one?”

“Nah...I'm good,” Ayame replied with a sigh. “Chinami?”

“...I'm okay. I will wander around, if you don't mind.”

“Alright, then.”

As the twins and their driver broke away from one another, Ayame decided to follow suit and walk around the service.

The funeral had been a resounding success. For the most part, peace reigned over the families for today only, which made for a surprisingly relaxed atmosphere. Ayame lit up a cigarette as she walked, being sure to eye up everybody with a casual, disapproving glance.

She could see many different faces that she knew well. Owner, of course, was schmoozing with Akira and a few other higher ups in the Tokugawa clan; some Himekawa lieutenants were stationed around, chatting with one another and occasionally glancing over at the Tokugawa boss resentfully. The Oshiro from earlier who had been beaten up was also now back on her feet, standing with a prominent set of bruises; before Ayame herself came face-to-face with someone that she never in a million years would have thought would be speaking to her.

“Well, well. So this the famous Tokugawa, hm? What a pleasure it is to finally meet you.”

“Ah?”

An intimidating, bold appearance suddenly made herself known.

Oh my fucking god.

Ayame suddenly stood very straight as the woman before her smiled, and behind the figure lingered two unrecognizable Mishima clan members; as well as a third that she definitely recognized.

“...Mishima-san,” Ayame stated, and bowed her head. “It is a pleasure to meet you.”

Mirai Mishima. Ayame never thought she'd come face to face with this woman directly, and yet, here she was before her with a smirk on her face and a look to kill.

“Yeah,” a voice reluctantly spoke from behind Mirai's imposing presence. “It's a pleasure.”

The voice from behind Mirai was none other than the slightly bruised figure of Hazuki Mishima, whose skittish eyes avoided Ayame's gaze. Ayame fought back a smirk.

“I've heard many stories about you,” Mirai continued. Ayame looked at the woman before her with no small amount of surprise.

“You have?”

“Yes. You dismembered someone just the other day, did you not?”

Ayame blinked, and a cold chill rushed through her body. Mirai sneered through her smile.

“...I don't know what -”

“Oh, come now...” Mirai continued icily. “Surely, you don't take me for a fool. Do you?”

...That figures.

“...No,” Ayame replied honestly. “Of course not.”

Mirai nodded quietly to the others.

“Leave us.”

Hazuki's eyes widened as she looked on in disapproval and desperation at her older sister.

“But, nee-chan...! This – this is -”

Mirai turned around to face Hazuki, who quickly stood much more upright than she was before.

“Do I need to repeat myself, Hazuki?”

Hazuki paused as the icicles dripped off of Mirai's words.

“...I...I understand. Come on...!”

Beckoning to the other Mishima members with a hasty hand, Hazuki cast one more glance towards Ayame in disdain, and hurried away with the others as her sister had ordered. Ayame wondered just how many times Mirai had drilled it into them that she hated repetition more than anything if this was the reaction.

But with their departure, it meant that Ayame and Mirai now stood here alone.

“Ayame-san...”

“...Please, just call me Ayame.”

Mirai raised an eyebrow at the bold interjection. Ayame struggled to keep her composure under such a glare.

“Not one for honorifics? That's surprising. I love them, myself.”

Of course she does, Ayame thought, and kept the eyeroll from emerging onto her features.

“Ayame,” Mirai spoke once more, and folded her arms. “I want you to listen to me.”

“...I am, of course.”

“Good. Because I have a proposition for you.”

Raising her eyebrows, Ayame looked directly at the woman before her in curiosity.

“For me? Wh-”

“To join the Mishima clan, of course.”

Ayame's eyes pinged open wide. A broad, terrifying and beautiful smile crept across Mirai's features in response.

“To...to join you?” Ayame repeated back in disbelief. “What?”

“Yes. You see...” Mirai continued, and leant down a little. Ayame was taken aback by the wonderful scent of perfume that bounced off of the clear skin of Mirai's neck. “I think your talents are wasted over there in the hovel of the Tokugawa ranks.”

Ayame felt a pang of offence at such a statement.

“...With all due respect, Mishima-san, I disagree. The Tokugawa family works hard to maintain its ranks and status.”

“I'm not surprised you would. Honour is important, isn't it?”

Ayame remained silent. Mirai's powerful energy exuded confidence as she continued.

“Still, Ayame...” Mirai said. “I remain firm in my statement. I truly believe your talents are wasted there.”

“...But why? Why are you so interested in taking me into your clan?”

“Isn't it obvious?” Mirai continued. “If I've heard of you, then surely you must know how important you are. I don't give my time to just anyone, you know.”

Ayame remained silent.

“I am merely extending the olive branch, that's all. I understand just how important family can be...” Mirai said with a solemn tone to her, and placed her hand against her chest. “My mother.= was a brilliant woman. Had there been another way to ascend the ranks and stand at her side, I would have gladly done it. But alas, the Mishima clan does not operate under such conventional means.”

“I'm sorry for your loss.”

“Don't be...though I am glad to know that you have more manners than your mother.”

Mirai chuckled. Ayame remained silent.

“Hazuki told me of you last night. She was quite a nuisance to scrape up off of the floor, or so I'm told.”

Oh, fuck. Is she tricking me? Is she trying to get revenge for Hazuki's beatdown last night?

“...I am not here to exact revenge. If I was, you'd be dead already.”

Mirai's accuracy struck Ayame with a cold chill.

“...I see,” she replied bluntly; though even she knew better than to answer back to a woman of this calibre.

“Think about my offer. I would immediately make you second in command in Hazuki's stead.”

“Pardon me for asking, but...Hazuki is your sister, correct?”

“She is.”

“Then...why would you choose a stranger over her?”

“Because she is an idiot,” Mirai replied; so plainly that had Ayame not been anticipating a negative reply, she would have been utterly shocked at Mirai's contemptuous tone. “She lacks finesse and poise. She lacks everything it takes to make a good Mishima. I cannot stand her juvenile behaviour. She knows this, of course. I had hoped it would galvanize her to become...better. It has not.”

Holy shit. No wonder Hazuki had such a big complex showing through last night.

“But you, Ayame...”

“A-Ah!”

Mirai placed her thumb and her index finger beneath Ayame's chin; who was now looking up at the cold, white eyes of the woman before her. Ayame suppressed a shiver that wracked her entire body; a shiver of what, even she couldn't say.

“You show great potential,” Mirai finished.

“Is everything alright?”

A new, sudden voice entered the fray. Both Mirai and Ayame turned their heads slightly.

Akira Tokugawa and Owner were now standing besides her, with folded arms and contemptuous glares; looking upon both Ayame and Mirai with confused and furious expressions. Ayame could tell the fury was not directed at her; but instead, at the Mishima who was currently trying to snipe one of their best members – let alone Akira Tokugawa's daughter, who whilst not the best mother, was not prepared to allow a Mishima such a thing.

Mirai removed her hand from near Ayame's face, and placed it back on the hilt of the katana that hung at her side.

“Of course. Everything is fine, Tokugawa-san. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

“...Likewise,” Akira replied gruffly. Mirai looked her up and down with a disapproving gaze. “Mishima-san, this is Xiuying. She is my best in command.”

“The pleasure is mine,” Owner replied, bowing her head deeply.

“Hm,” Mirai replied dismissively, to which Owner was thoroughly irritated. Ayame couldn't help but curl her lips inwards to hide her smirk.

“So?” Akira asked. “To what do we owe the pleasure of you talking with Ayame?”

“Is she not a grown woman? I am sure you trust her enough to chat with those here today.”

Akira paused.

“...I trust Ayame with my life, Mishima-san. Forgive me, but I am sure you would not appreciate me displaying such affection for your younger sister.”

Mirai laughed, and the sound was mature, throaty, and pleasing to the ears.

“On the contrary,” Mirai replied with a damning smile. “You're more than welcome to her. Perhaps she would fit in better within the Tokugawa syndicate?”

Akira's eyes faltered with anger. Ayame shook her head.

“...We were just talking, Boss. Please don't trouble yourself over it.”

“I see. Well...your presence is requested over at our table, Ayame. Don't be long.”

Owner pecked Ayame on the cheek quickly as Akira turned away, and flashed Mirai another smile.

“It really was a pleasure to meet you, Mirai-san.”

“Mishima-san,” Mirai corrected with a fierce bluntness behind her words, and for the first time, Ayame actually saw Owner flinch.

“Pardon me...Mishima-san,” she corrected in a hurry, before walking off with a subtle haste in her step towards Akira. Mirai sneered at her back as she left.

“As I said...you are wasted on this group. Especially that snivelling commander that seems to live within Akira Tokugawa's presence. No woman worth her salt would be caught dead living in another's shadow in such a capacity. Wouldn't you say?”

Ayame remained quiet. To be talking this badly of Owner, she really must have disliked her. The longer she stood there, the more Ayame felt as though her tongue had been cut off.

“I -”

“Ayame,” Mirai interrupted; recognizing the intimidating air she was giving off to make someone like Ayame still her tongue. “I shall take my leave, but...think about my offer. I am serious. Defect to us, and we'll give you the highest kind of life you can handle.”

“If I joined your group,” Ayame asked after a brief silence, “would you spare my sister?”

Mirai paused.

“Hm? What do you mean? I have no intention of killing any of your members. Well, not yet, anyway.”

“But the Mishimas specialize in death. I'm no fool either, Mishima-san. My sister is the only one I would never want any harm to come to. Her and our driver, Chinami Saizuki. Um...if you please.”

Mirai raised an eyebrow, and smiled with a precise beauty.

“...They are that important to you?”

Ayame bowed her head.

“Yes, Mishima-san.”

Oh, shit. Maybe I shouldn't have said that. What if she uses it against me?

Mirai chuckled quietly under her breath, and nodded curtly.

“...Hm. I can certainly guarantee their protection if you choose to join us,” Mirai replied coolly. “And if they are useful, they are more than welcome to defect over to our side of things, too.”

Ayame's eyes widened a little as she looked back up.

“Really?”

“You would question me?”

Ayame felt that chill up her back return.

“No, of course not, Mishima-san. Thank you for the kind words.”

Mirai smiled with satisfaction over her authority, and eventually let out a soft sigh.

“I suppose I had better go, lest I incur the wrath of the Tokugawas...” she replied with a final statement; though something told Ayame she wasn't in the least bit bothered if she had. “I trust I shall hear from you soon? Even if it is a resounding no.”

Ayame nodded.

“Of course, Mishima-san.”

“Good. Well, then...enjoy the rest of the service.”

“Thank you.”

And with a final, dubiously placed smile, Mirai Mishima had turned and left.

Ayame felt her heart racing as she finally let out the breath that had been trapped in her lungs. It felt as though Mirai had been holding her head underwater; not without breathing apparatus, but not with the clear clarity that came with a breath of fresh air, either.

“Ayame-chan! Are you alright? Mirai-san is really something!”

Turning her head to another sound of a voice...

“Owner...” Ayame replied in surprise; and saw the pretty figure of the typically mischievous woman once again before her. “I'm surprised you returned.”

“Well, of course I did! I was worried about you,” Owner continued. “Not even a woman like Mirai-san could keep me away.”

More like you wanted to know all the juicy details, Ayame thought with a wry smile; though Owner's expression seemed to have genuine traces of concern amidst her typical smile.

“It's nothing for you to worry about, trust me,” Ayame firmly stated, and Owner pouted a little in response. “Where's Teru? Actually, didn't you run off to be with Boss?”

Owner raised an arm, and pointed over towards the far corner of the room. Ayame scouted the area with her eyes for a brief moment; before she saw two people in particular talking with one another in what looked like intimate personal space.

“Oh, come on...” Ayame mumbled, though it wasn't without a laugh of disbelief. “I knew she'd think Hazuki was cute, but that girl acts fast.”

“Teru-chan certainly does have some questionable tastes,” Owner replied; sidling up to Ayame as the two of them looked upon the other Tokugawa with mixtures of contempt and amusement. “I wonder what those two could be talking about?”

“I'm sure it's about whatever hotel room they're going to stay in tonight...” Ayame laughed, and slipped her hands into her pockets. “What a day this has been.”

“It must have been. I'm not used to you talking to me without a forked tongue.”

Ayame laughed dryly.

“Well if you stopped pissing me off, I'd do it more often.”

“Is that so?” Owner said; and her usual default sneer returned with an air of amusement all her own. “I'm afraid I just can't stop teasing you, Ayame-chan. It's the only thing I think about.”