The Trilogy Outtakes

PICK-UP LINES: TAKE 1

Summary: This chapter takes place in between NO STONE UNTURNED and BLACK WATER LILIES of "YES, ITS US!" and no previous chapters are required for this reading. Written with Lany's "Made In Hollywood" in the background. 

    Although it was Kirari and Sayaka's set time beginning with Fall, Ririka took the Bami chopper and landed on the Kaizen Tower's helipad with a list of strange orders from Kirari. As she neared her identical twin's office at the top floor, she heard Kirari talking with no one responding. She used her key card to open the door and found Kirari dressed in a doctor's white jacket complete with a stethoscope around her neck and she was talking in front of the bathroom mirror to the right side of her large, posh office. Kirari set down the medical book of terms she was trying to memorize then started to wink and point to herself as well as gyrate her hips and the scene reminded Ririka of the movie American Psycho except in this case, it was a woman and not a man--her own twin, at that. 

    "What the hell, 'Rari!" 

    Startled, Kirari straightened up with her hand on her chest, "Oh...hello, chickenshit. Didn't hear you come in. Do wish you'd press the buzzer. You never know if Sayaka is in the room and naked with me," Kirari winked. 

    "I'm here because you're driving our accountant and procurer crazy," Ririka threw the list of over-the-top orders that were in no way connected to any one of the businesses owned by Bami Enterprises or Momobami Twins Incorporated. Kirari moved to her huge office desk and picked up the list and started to chuckle. Ririka continued, "It wasn't easy getting here. You know how much I hate high places. I get motion sickness. So, you better have a good answer for me. What on earth are these purchases for?"

    "Oh...these are...uhm," Kirari blushed for a minute before it was gone and she was whispering, "For...roleplay purposes." 

    "ROLEPLAY?!" 

    "Quiet, Sayaka's at the penthouse and she'll hear if you have to be that loud." 

    "What kind of roleplaying are we talking about?" 

    "Well, Sayaka suggested that since we had never gone on a date before all of us got married, we should...do some roleplaying about being different characters and build up our romance from strangers to lovers." 

    Ririka snatched the list of Kirari's lavish budget sheets and combed through them and suddenly it all made sense. 

    "But--but," Ririka sputtered, "Can't you keep your roleplaying to modern scenarios? I mean...there's all sorts of weird things in here that are only spent on big budget Hollywood and Bollywood movies for period pieces, dammit." 

    "Anything for my lady. No. EVERYTHING for my lady." 

    "This doesn't look like Sayaka's idea. Sayaka is practical. You are over the top." 

    "Well...Yumeko does know me best when it comes to love. As she said of my love letter to Sayaka--The Tower of Doors," Kirari mimicked Yumeko's pitch and hand gestures, "How ridiculous! How endlessly lovable! And how incredibly romantic!" 

    "Da fuck! I'm going to have a word with Sayaka about this." 

    "Oh no! No, no, no, 'Ika. Don't you dare spoil the surprise! Sayaka has no idea about all of these." 

    "You lied to me! Sayaka never wanted to roleplay! She just wanted you to take her out on a date and its you that's come up with all these mind-bending theatrics!" 

     "Quiet, 'Ika! You win, Okay? You called my bluff! Now keep it down or you'll ruin the surprise. Sayaka normally goes along with all the things I like to do." 

     "I knew it! Uuuaaargh!" Ririka paced back and forth with fists clenched before she stopped to glare at Kirari, "I'm telling you, dork. You will fail and fail big, just as you did trying to build the Tower of Doors to attract her attention. You spent in the billions for it--but it was a simple card match that drew her to you. Sayaka values honesty. Being upfront. It's the gestures, simplicity, and sincerity. The simple acts and plainspeak appeal to her and in that order. Even when you say it plainly she has a tendency to overthink things. Do it, say it, mean it, then do it all over again to reassure her." 

    "You're such an expert on love, 'Ika. I wonder why you don't have Mary pounding on your doors right now and on her knees if you please." 

     "Shut up. And rethink these schemes and scenarios because we're not going through with these orders on your insane list. Terano is going to bust a nerve and end up in a coma if she gets wind of all these...roleplay...roleplay ruckus being spent on company dime," Ririka made a show of tearing up the list Kirari made and Kirari quickly picked up the pieces trying to fit them together like a jigsaw puzzle, "Are you listening?" 

    "I heard you, 'Ika. I will take it into consideration." 

    Ririka headed for the door then turned halfway, "Were you really going to have a robotic dragon made so that you can pretend to get kidnapped in an island and have Sayaka rescue you?" 

    "It's a T-Rex, 'Ika. And I'm the one who's supposed to rescue her. I was thinking of making the same environment as that Kong Island movie and we would wear the same outfits that the Flintstones wore--" Kirari didn't get a chance to finish her train of thought because Ririka slammed the door on her way out, exasperated. Kirari sighed and went back to the bathroom of her office, picked up the medical book she was memorizing, then looked at the mirror admiring her own reflection as she winked and pointed at herself, "No you. Yes you."