La casa de japonés-español

"Hey, Dad?" Maria called through the silent house. There was something wrong, and she knew it. "Dad, where are you? You haven't done anything stupid, right? No razors?"

But in her mind, she knew he had razors, and she knew it when she saw the faint glow of red under the door to the bathroom.

Barzini knocked on her front door impatiently.

"Maria! You in there? Barzini here!"He called out, slightly smiling.

Maria still stares at the bathroom door, even though she can hear Barzini-chan yelling at her to open up.
"It's open!" she calls, not realising she has just told one of her best friends to come in.

Barzini heard her shout and opened the door, and walked into the house, joining Maria at her side.

"What's wrong?" Barzini asked, quite oblivious and opened the bathroom door, and he stood there shocked at what he saw.

Maria's father was dead. Dead.

He bent down to check his pulse, and there was none.

A state of panic gripped him and he started to attempt to revive the long dead man.

"Wake up!" He said to himself as his cool came back to him. He stepped out, closed the door and hugged Maria, but denied her entrance to the bathroom.

Maria sat, wide-eyed, when Barzini-chan suddenly came out of the bathroom, white-faced, and hugged her out of the blue.
"Barzini-chan?" she questioned. "Why're you here? What's happened?" She tried to get past him, but he denied her entrance. "Let me past!" she nearly screamed, losing her temper.

"no... No... SILENCE!" Barzini roared, quite unlike himself.

"Listen, go to the living room and sit down. I'll handle it from here. Alright?" Barzini took out his muggle cell-phone and dialed the police, but shielded the number from her view.

"Now go..." Barzini said, his voice icy and unlike his friendly self and he gestured at her to go. He continued to block the door, unsure of what would happen next.

Maria just stared at him, feeling herself completely lose it. She hesitated, and then punched Barzini as hard as she could, knocking him to the floor and feeling the crunch of bone, whether his jaw or her hand, she didn't care. From the fire in her arms, she thought it was her.
"I'm so sorry," she whispered. "But it's my dad. He's the only one I have left."

Even as Barzini fell to the floor, he quickly stood up and resumed blocking the door, and grabbed both of her arms, then pushed her aside.

"We'll find out in due time. Not now." He dialled the police and lowered his voice, and hung up shortly after.

Maria knew that it was all over now, and instead of hitting Barzini again, she fell to the floor, sobbing.

Barzini heard the police sirens coming, and he took Maria to the living room to wait.

"Okay, I will answer the questions, alright?" Barzini said kindly, and then asked her, "Do you want to stay with me during the Summer Break?"

Maria blinked at him, her eyes huge, like a young child's. "But I won't need to, right? Dad's here for me?"

"He has gone for a break. He won't be back anytime soon. Alright?" Barzini hugged her and smiled kindly.

Maria sighed. "But he's never done that without telling me..." she said, her voice transforming into a young girl's. "Daddy would never leave me alone..."

"Its different this time. He went to Heaven for holiday." Barzini said bluntly, knelt down and hugged her.

Maria choked "Now you tell me, you frigging baka."

Barzini looked at her warily and the world seemed to slow down even as time went on... And on...

"Barzini-chan...does this mean I'm sort of your sister now?"

He was stumped by her question.

Sister..?

"Uhm... I guess so... Until you find a husband, at least." He smiled and ruffled her hair.

Maria laughed. "I'll never find a husband, I shall stay at home and annoy you and Diane-chan for as long as you live!" she threatened jokingly. "But I won't anyway...nobody likes Japanese-Spanish..." she mused.

Barzini helped Maria up and walked towards the fireplace.

"The name of my house is the Manor of Laughter. Here is some floo powder..." He handed Maria a small tin can.

"Are you coming right after me? I can hardly appear in your house without invitation," Maria questioned. "I'll be right back, I'm just going to go pack some stuff up. There's not a lot, don't worry."

She rushed upstairs, almost tripping up in her haste and emotion.

"Yes... I will be coming after you. Alright?" Barzini said hastily, and as the girl came back, he threw the powder into the flame, and said something in old english, and pushed her into the fireplace, sending her spiraling into the Manor of Laughter. He then followed suit.

He fell out and dusted himself.

"Well that was quite some ride huh."

"I never liked Floo powder...your house is amazing!" Maria exclaimed, spinning around on her heel and almost crashing into a woman she took to be Barzini's mother. "Oops..."

"Yes... It got alot of history background, and my parents aren't here for the holidays. Alicia! A room for the guest!" He said authoritatively, and the maid bowed, and took Maria's luggage.

"Oops," Maria giggled manically. "I thought that was your mom." She was laughing, not cheerful, but more like a psychopath...