Phoenix: Reignited Edition

As the pair walked up to the glass double doors at the front of the bar, Izumi checked her watch. It read 6:45PM. Just about perfect, she thought with a satisfied grin. She deliberately lagged a few steps behind Ranko, walking languidly with a bright smile on her face.

Ranko paused as she slipped past the white A-frame sign reading Closed for Private Event, Please Come Back Tomorrow and reached for the door. "Wait, hold up. They're hosting that private party tonight; shouldn't we go through the back door?"

Izumi shook her head with a smile. "I think it'll be okay. They probably won't even notice us come in." 

Ranko shrugged, being careful of her fingernails as she reached out for the brass pipe handle of the door. It creaked open a bit into the mostly-empty bar room. The sound system wasn't playing, though. The hell? Who the heck wants a party with no mus…

"SURPRISE!"

Her eyes snapped up and scanned the room. There were only a handful of people present, but she recognized most of them - at least, all of the women. There were two men and a little boy she didn't know, presumably Ayako's husband and Izumi's boyfriend and son. A banner hung across the back wall, blaring out HAPPY BIRTHDAY in bright red kanji. Ranko turned to Izumi. "But you said…"

Izumi giggled with a slight shake of her head. "I said the bar was reserved for a private party for a super-important brat. I stand by my statement." She reached out with her purse dangling from her wrist, poking the smaller girl's nose gently. "Gotcha."

Izumi surreptitiously took Ranko's new purse and her shopping bags from her hands, freeing the redhead's arms to accept the incoming hugs from Hana, and then Yui, and finally Mei. Izumi disappeared upstairs for a moment to drop her sister's purchases on the bed and get them out of the way.

Rolling her eyes with a laugh, Ranko stepped deeper into the room. Her face was aflame as she looked around the room in shock. "Oh my gods, you guys! You didn't have to do all of this for me!"

Hana smiled, waving off her comment with the back of her hand. "Nonsense. Every girl deserves a party on her eighteenth birthday. I think it's the law or something. But, look at you! You're positively glowing, honey."

Ranko's eyes fell shyly to the floor. She felt almost lightheaded; whether it was elation or the blood rushing to her face, she didn't know, and she wasn't sure she cared. She felt like she could fly.

Yui handed Ranko a Collins glass full of soda, smirking knowingly at her. The bright smile on Ranko's face in the moment, compared to the despair it had worn just a few nights earlier when they'd had the bar to themselves, was night and day, and Yui was glad to see it. As she looked Ranko over, Yui gasped a little bit. "Did you get your ears pierced?" She brushed Ranko's hair to the side, examining her sister intently.

The silk of Yui's yellow sleeve brushing against Ranko's bare shoulder sent sparks running throughout the redhead's entire nervous system. Ranko smiled sheepishly, her cheeks turning the same color her still-burning punctured earlobes were. "It was Izumi's idea. Do you like?"

Yui nodded, an almost wolfish grin creeping across her face. "Hell yeah, I do!"

As Ranko squirmed under Yui's praise, Mei approached and flashed her sister a wide smile. "Omigosh, your nails are so cute! I freaking love that color!" She shook her head to the side, flipping both of her long electric blue pigtails over the shoulder of her black Ghostbusters tee shirt.

Ranko could do nothing but beam as the compliments rained down on her from every direction. Man, either I'm nailing this girl shit, or they're just trying to make me feel good. Izumi must really know what she's doing. She glimpsed her reflection in the mirrored back wall behind the service bar, finding it easy to smile. Hey, cutie. Look at you. Not too fuckin' bad for day one. She giggled to herself, shaking her head and biting her lip as she turned away from the vision in the white dress.

As she leaned over the bar counter and watched her older girls fawn over her youngest, Hana smiled with immense pride. She knew Ranko hadn't really been in a position to take care of herself for a while, and she could only imagine how wonderful it must feel for her to have had an opportunity to pamper herself a little bit after months of having it rough. Hana herself was more comfortable in worn tee shirts advertising bands from the seventies and liquor brands, jeans and her trademark black leather jacket; indeed, she didn't even own a dress, but she could not deny the glow radiating from her newest ward as she flowed through the bar.

Ayako waved to Ranko when their younger sisters had finally given the birthday girl some room to breathe. "Hey! Happy birthday! C'mere a minute, kiddo." 

Ranko approached, and Ayako gestured to the tallish man to her left, wearing an electric blue polo shirt and black slacks. "Ranko, this is my husband, Kage."

Ranko bowed respectfully. "It's my pleasure to meet you, Mr. Jirito." 

Kage returned the bow, but waved off her formality. "Kage is just fine. We're family, after all! It's good to meet you, too! Aya's been telling me all about how you've been settling in, although she's been getting it secondhand from Yui, mostly. Did you have a good time today?" 

Ranko blushed again, answering with a sheepish smile and a small nod.

Izumi, having returned from depositing Ranko's purchases in her room, approached, holding her son on her hip. "Hoshi, baby, this is Ranko." She smiled brightly. "She's mama's new little sister."

Hoshi waved to her excitedly. The child was probably six, seven years old, wearing a Spider-man tee shirt and a pair of blue denim jeans. His rail-straight black hair was styled in a bowl cut. "Hi, Auntie Ranko!"

The birthday girl's face caught fire again. Wait, hold up! I'm somebody's aunt? When the hell did that happen? She sputtered a bit, only just managing to swallow her mouthful of soda before she spat it out. After a few wet coughs, she had recovered enough to respond. "Well, hello, Hoshi. Your mama's told me so much about you. Thank you for being here tonight!"

Another man, on the shorter side, walked up behind Izumi, wrapping his arms around her and Hoshi. He was dressed in a black T-shirt, faded blue jeans and a green cap bearing the logo of a baseball team. "There's my secret agent. It seems your diversion was successful."

Izumi giggled. "Yeah. She had no idea. Ranko, meet my boyfriend, Kaito."

Ranko started to bow, but thought better of it after Kage's reaction. "Hi! It's a pleasure. Izumi can't stop talking about you."

He laughed mirthfully. "Oh boy, I must be in trouble, then." As he spoke, the sound system roared to life, beginning to emit Madonna's Cherish at somewhere near its maximum volume.

Izumi bounced Hoshi on her hip, her fingers laced behind his back. "Have you eaten yet, sugar?"

The little boy shook his head. "Gramma said we had to wait until you got here."

His mother nodded. "Well, we're here now, so let's go find us a cookie or something." She bent down and returned him to his feet. He reached up for her hand, and the pair walked toward the bar.

Hoshi smiled up at his mother. "Mama, Auntie Ranko is really pretty." His mother grinned back at Ranko, who couldn't decide whether she was humiliated or elated.

After a few more minutes of pleasantries, Ranko joined Izumi at the bar. The countertop was lined with a variety of foodstuffs - far more than they needed for the number of people present. Ranko recognized some of them as the dishes Hana had been preparing that morning. She smiled down at Izumi's son, giving him a little fingertip wave. "How are the cookies?"

He looked up at her with a smile, a bit of chocolate smeared across his face. His mouth still full, he nodded his endorsement emphatically. 

"Seems like a pretty good endorsement to me." Ranko giggled, reaching across Izumi's body to take two of the chocolate chip confections and place them on a small paper plate in front of her. She bit into one, giving an exaggerated expression of surprise to the child. "My goodness, you're right! That's got to be the best cookie ever!"

Izumi smiled over at her sister. "You're so good with kids." Over Ranko's shoulder, Yui shook her head at Izumi with wide eyes of warning and a grimace on her face, encouraging her to back off the subject of children. Instead, Izumi turned to her boyfriend, beginning to relate the events of the day to him. 

As Ranko stuffed half of a cookie in her mouth, Hana walked up behind, taking the bar stool next to her on her right. "Hey, sweetheart." 

Swiveling on her stool to face the proprietress, Ranko smiled, putting up her index finger in the one minute gesture and holding it until she finished chewing. "Hey, Hana! Thank you so much for today, and for putting this together. You really didn't have to, but it means a lot. More than you know. I've… never actually had a birthday party before."

The Phoenix clan's matriarch frowned, her brow furrowing at the thought. Nobody should grow up like that. That's just inexcusable. "Well, you have now, honey."

Ranko smiled softly, tucking her hair behind her ear. She winced and inhaled sharply through gritted teeth, having brushed her sore earlobe with her as-yet-unfamiliar long fingernails. "You all have made me feel so special since I've been here. I thought I was signing up for a waitressing job, and instead I've found… all of this. I can't believe how lucky I am to have met you all."

Hana beamed brightly. "You are special, Ranko. I'm sorry it's taken you so long to learn that about yourself. You deserve a life and a family, and support and love." The barkeep smiled widely, patting Ranko's hand. "Oh, that reminds me! Speaking of family, I have something for you." She pulled her hand back, digging around in the left pocket of her leather jacket. 

"Omigods, you didn't have to get me anything! You've already done so much!" Ranko exclaimed nervously. "I'll never be able to repay you as it is!"

Hana pulled her hand back out, hiding whatever was in it under her palm and sliding it across the bar. As Ranko watched with intent curiosity, Hana retracted her arm, revealing a brass key with a red rubber ring around its bow. "Here. This is for you. It opens the front door, the back door in the kitchen, and the emergency exit by the bathrooms."

The redhead frowned, nodding slowly. I suppose it makes sense. It's already been a week, and they've already done so much more for me than I had any right to ask… "I understand. I'll get my stuff after the party. What time do you want me to start coming in?"

"Get your…" Hana shook her head. "Honey, what are you talking about?"

Ranko picked up the key in her left hand, holding it up at shoulder level for emphasis. "I mean, I don't need a key to open up if I'm sleeping upstairs, so, I'm guessing this means you want me to find someplace else to stay. It's really okay, honest! You've done so much for me already, lettin' me crash up there all this week, but I knew it wasn't, like, gonna be permanent or nothin'."

Hana sputtered, shaking her head emphatically. "Oh, gods, Ranko, no! Baby, this is your home. I'm giving you a key because you live here, and you shouldn't need to ask somebody to let you in." She reached out for Ranko's left wrist, wrapping her fingers firmly around the raised ridge of her scar. "You're going to stay here as long as you want, and when - and if - you move out, you'll still be a part of this place forever. You're family, honey! You're one of us, just like Aya, Yui and the rest. The only reason it took this long for me to give you this is 'cause I had to find a minute to go to the hardware store and have one made for you."

The redhead rocked back on her stool, a dumbstruck expression falling over her face. Fuck, they're… serious about this? She thought back to Izumi's comments on the train. Family doesn't come with an expiration date. They really… She looked over the key in her hand as if it were a magic wand with the power to grant wishes. The Tendos never even gave me a key. I always had to just climb the wall to get in after dark. Is this really happening?! Did I just get fucking adopted?! She lowered her head, raising a trembling hand to her eye and brushing away the salty liquid pooling under it. I'm… not on my own anymore?  

Ranko blushed, biting her lip and nodding slowly in understanding. "Thank you… Mama Hana." The word felt strange coming out of her mouth, but she felt that Hana had earned it, not just for the way she had treated Ranko herself, but for the way the other girls had. She knew that none of them could have been so positive with her if Hana hadn't first taught them to be positive about themselves – as she was now doing for Ranko.

Hana reached out across the gap between their stools, pulling the teen into her arms and hugging her tight. "You're so, so welcome, Ranko. We love you."

Ranko blinked in shock, her face still buried in the shoulder of Hana's well-oiled leather jacket. Love? Me? 

The music faded, and there was a thumping over the speakers as Mei tapped the top of the karaoke microphone. "What do you think, everybody? Should we make the birthday girl sing for us?"

A chorus of cheers rose from the gathered Phoenix family, and Ranko flushed brightly, releasing Hana and turning on her stool to face the little triangular corner stage. "Really, Mei?"

The blue-haired girl nodded. "It's your birthday. If we can't applaud you today, when can we? Let's go. Get your butt up here, girl."

Ranko shook her head as she dismounted her stool and walked shyly toward the stage. She took the cylindrical microphone from Mei, giving her a playful bonk between her pigtails with it that reverberated through the speakers. Izumi slid behind the folding table near the Pac-Man machine, scrolling through the available songs on the karaoke machine. She smirked devilishly, selecting a fairly upbeat love song. She'd not heard Ranko sing, though she'd heard amazing things, and she wanted to challenge her a little.

Ranko snickered a bit when the track began to play, but when the lyrics began to light up on the monitor, she laid into the song without hesitation. Unlike her previous "concert" the night before, there was no trepidation on her part. I can do this. And besides, she thought with a smile that outshone the sun, apparently, everyone here is family.

Ayako clapped over her head in time with the music, swaying in her black pencil skirt and ivory blouse. Kage leaned into her, whispering in her ear without taking his eyes off the stage. "Holy shit, she's good."

The chorus swelled, and as Ranko began to sing it, a second voice came from the speakers. Mei, holding another dynamic microphone, began singing backup for her, following the lyrics lighting up in pink rather than white at the bottom of the karaoke monitor. Izumi whooped loudly, and Kaito held a laughing Hoshi on his lap, holding his wrists and directing him to clap along with the music. Yui flipped a switch under the bar, and the lights over the stage changed from white to a deep pink. Ranko didn't know they could do that – no performance she had seen on that stage thus far had warranted it. 

By the time the third chorus hit, Ranko actually found herself swaying her hips with the music as she sang. It wasn't quite a dance, but it felt like one to her. She ended the song with Mei singing as well, face to face with her with only their microphones' lengths separating them. When the song ended, the few people in the room cheered as if there were dozens. Ranko blushed and bowed. "Thank you, everybody!"

Izumi looked up at Mei with wide eyes, a slack jaw, and an excited hand gesture in the redhead's direction. 

"I told you," Mei exclaimed into her microphone. "Now do you believe me?!"

Izumi put an arm around Ranko's shoulder when she descended from the stage. "They told me you were good, but…" She held her hands to the side of her head, her fingers pursed together and then expanding, in the "my mind is blown" gesture.

Ranko flushed a bit. "You guys talk about me like I'm some pop idol or something. I'm just a waitress."

Izumi smirked. "Girl, you keep that up, we'll be dolling you up in some idol costumes sooner than you think. Don't worry 'bout a thing, sis. I'm nominating myself as your official stylist."

Ranko blushed deeply, imagining the popular girl groups that all wore harajuku-style maid outfits and mock school uniforms. She didn't think that would ever be her style. Then again, not twenty-four hours ago, she'd have called anyone crazy who suggested she'd get her nails done and her ears pierced, and yet, there she was. "Do you honestly think I'm that good, or are you just trying to make me feel good? 'Cause if you are, it's workin'..."

Yui walked up, taking a sip of her beer. "You're not as good as we thought. You're even better than that." 

Ranko smiled proudly to herself. Maybe - just maybe - there's something other than martial arts that I have a little bit of talent with.

There came another attention-seeking thump on the microphone, and everyone looked up as Hana entered the room from the back, carrying a white-frosted cake with eighteen lit candles. She started singing Happy Birthday, and the rest of the family joined in, Mei still crooning it through her karaoke microphone. As the song reached its conclusion, Hana set the cake on the round cherry eight-top table closest to the stage. Its border was lined in pink flowers made of buttercream frosting, and in the middle, "Happy birthday Ranko" was written with fuschia icing in a practiced hand.

"Make a wish!" Yui called out.

Ranko blushed. "Honestly, what more could I wish for? Thank you all." She closed her eyes, leaning down and blowing out the candles to the applause of the rest of the partygoers. She was glad to be rid of the fire in her proximity.

* * *

After several hours of revelry, food, and even another musical performance from the guest of honor, Ayako and Kage left for home. After saying their goodbyes, the rest of the haphazard family began cleaning up the bar. Hana had insisted that Ranko didn't need to help, but the birthday girl wanted to. It was the least she could do to show her gratitude. She picked up a container of leftover potstickers, carrying it through the saloon door to put it in the walk-in cooler. When she exited into the main kitchen, still shivering from the chill of the refrigerator, Yui was there waiting for her. 

"Hey, girl. I didn't want to do this in front of everybody, but I got you something." Yui reached out toward her younger sister and handed Ranko a small green bag with a bow on the front and some white tissue paper poking out of the top.

"Aww, Yui! You didn't have to do that. You've all done so much already!" Still, she took the bag from Yui's hand, pulling out a flat, white, square hinged box about ten centimeters on a side. "What's this?"

She gripped the sides of the box, opening it at the hinges in the back. The bottom of the box was lined in black velvet covering a wide, round peg in the center of the box. Around the peg sat a silver ring, maybe nine centimeters in diameter and six centimeters wide. The exterior was etched with an intricately-carved dragon, with a small blue gemstone set as its eye. It had a small hinge on one side, and a clasp opposite it by the dragon's tail. 

Ranko looked at it curiously, and Yui stepped closer. The elder girl took the bauble out of the box, popping open the clasp with her thumb. Gently, she took Ranko's left hand, placing the opened ring around her wrist and pressing it shut with a click. The bracelet was a perfect fit around her arm, such that it would not slide up and down on her wrist. Yui turned Ranko's arm over in her hand so that her palm faced upward, and Ranko immediately understood the true intent of the gift - her scar from the encounter with Mousse was now completely hidden, much as Yui's ever-present sleeves did for hers.

Ranko's eyes widened, and so did her smile. "Yui, it's…"

"Remember what I told you," Yui interrupted. "Our pasts will never go away, but we can choose not to let them mess with the present."

Ranko stepped forward, reaching up and giving Yui a tight hug around her neck. "It's beautiful, Yui. Thank you so much."

Yui squeezed back, sighing happily. "You're welcome, Ran-chan. Happy birthday, kiddo."