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"Alright then." Sanzo reached into his pocket and retrieved the glasses case. He looked at Cyndir, then at Marcus, then to Renji, the smirk on his face broadening as the moment drew closer. He opened the case to reveal....

"Cat eyes...? You got me cat eyes...?" For some reason Sanzo really couldn't contain himself. He picked the glasses out of the case and started laughing histerically. "Oh my god...I-I....I gotta try these things on." He pulled his thick black frames off, putting them careleesly into his top pocket. He put the cat frames on his face and looked at Cyndir.

"Well Cyn-kun, how....how....do I....look?"

"Hai, expencive." Marcus said quietly as his gaze lefed from the floor. He watched the friendly enteraction between the three and smiled a little. Marrcus couldn't help but grin a little when Renji and then finnaly Sanzo looked at him. He hide his mouth behind the bears head. His laughted muffled but his smile peeking just over the top of the bear and in his eyes. He tought he reminder his aunt having a pair but he had only seen the lady once when he was 12.

"Well, you know if I have nothing else, I have taste, ne?" renji replied, as seriously as he could manage. Still, his lips twitched, trying to lapse into a bright smile. It felt good to be back on good terms with his friends again.

All that was left in limbo now was Jezz. thoughts of Jezz drove the attempted smile from his lips, his expression becoming slightly sour. What was he going to do about her? Obviously she wanted nothing more than to be friends. The question was, could renji leave things at that. He shook his head, dispersing the heavy thoughts. He smiled down at Marcus once more, not wanting the boy to feel excluded.

His eyebrows lifted at Ayumi's appearance. Another kid. Not just any kid, like a little kid. What the hell?

"What, is this turning into an elemetary school or something?"

Renji nodded, looking down at Marcus once more.

"Hai, they don't let anyone in under thirteen or older than nineteen." he shrugged. "I guess it's the whole teen thing, I dunno. It's just the rules, ne?" He looked to Ayumi once more, and had to agree with Marcus's assessment.

"So, how old are you anyway, kohai?" he asked her, curious.

Cyndir was as puzzled as the others for a moment. The girl was far too young to be here...But then Marcus didn't look old enough either. But he grinned at the girl, and at Marcus as well.

"Hai hai, we can show you the way to the cafeteria. You're a bit young to be in a place like this, aren't you?" he said, reaching out to ruffle the girl's hair. She reminded him of his little sister, Nikuri, affectionately nicknamed Niku, despite the fact that she hated it. Ayumi was a bit older than Niku, but had the same shy look about her.

"And Ren-kun, she already said..." Cyndir added, chuckling. "She's eleven. Or weren't you listening...?"

Cyndir shook his head at Renji, relieved that he was no longer fighting with his best friend.

Renji snorted in response to Cyndir's comment.

"I guess I wasn't. You know me, I go off in my own little world sometimes, ne." He shrugged, resting an elbow on Marcus' shoulder. "Eleven?" Renji emitted a low whistle. "That way too young to be here...why would you mother send you here? Hell, why would old lady Hitsuga even let you in? Crazy...."

He looked to Ayumi as she began to respond to Cyndir's gentle inquiry. But his eyes grew wide as the little girl began to go to pieces. Understandable...but awkward. He felt bad for the poor kid, but he didn't now how to react.

"Awww...It's all right, kohai. You don't have to get all upset. We all feel that way when we first get here, ne?"

Renji's dark brows rose in surprise as Marcus held out the bear to Ayumi. He knew how much the plushie meant to the kid, after all, he had just finished telling him how it rreminded him of the bear his mom had gotten him when he was a baby. So Renji knew it had to be hard to pass the toy off. He pat the smaller boy's shoulder comfortingly, giving him a smile. What a nice kid.

Ayumi opened her eyes as she felt Cyndir's hand wipe her face. She glanced over to Marcus's outstretched hand, holding the bear out towards her. She reached up and took the bear in her hand, pulling it closer she liked it. But in her heart she couldn't take his bear, he was probably just as scared as she was.

"Arigatoo Marku-san, but I cannot accept this gift. It's yours and it seems new." She handed the bear back to Marcus and bowed to him. "Thank you again...all of you. I didn't mean to break down like that. You guys must think I'm such a dweeb."

Sanzo placed a hand on Ayumi's shoulder, ironically almost covering Cyndir's in the process.

"It's okay Ayumi. From here on out I know you've got at least four friends here. If you ever need anything, just find one of us, we'll definitely help you out."

Sanzo looked at Renji seriously, as if implying he should be a bit nicer to this one, even if she was a kid. He knew Renji could be a bit harsh on people at times, his back told him that fact. But he really hoped Renji wouldn't be upset by befriending the young girl.

"First we need to get some food in your belly. If you're as hungry as I am, you'll love being in the caf. They got just about everything. You like tacos?"

"Um...not really...they always give me really bad...um...nevermind. I like rice though." Ayumi's mood lightened a bit as she answered Sanzo's question. She was relived to finally find some people to help her. For the first time today, she hadn't felt alone and abandoned. "Thank you all for being friendly to me. It really means alot."