Author's note: Yes, it's short. Yes, it's a little forced. But we all know it needed to be done.

DISCLAIMER: Fanfics are like LEGOs, y'know? Even when you build something out of them and say "I made this", you know that you didn't make the blocks. In plain English, I'm saying that this is my story, but not my characters, settings, etc.

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"So like I was telling her", Irma said while standing next to Taranee's locker while the latter gathered her books, "Ryu was the natural choice, what with having the Denjin Hadou-ken in that version of the game..."

"Mm-hmm." Taranee nodded and focused on her task, silently begging the universe to send her some diversion from the current topic - as much as she cared for her friends, she had little interest in their penchant for using sprite-mapped people to beat each other silly. Instead, she plotted out what she needed to take home that day and what could wait for study hall the next.

Fortunately for her, the universe heard her plea and decided that it was worth granting.

"Look out," she said, "Martin's coming."

Irma whirled to see that what her friend said was indeed fact. "Oh crud... I've got to hide before he gets here, or he'll start talking my ears off about those dungeon-crawl games he's always playing..."

Taranee silently noted that irony needed better aim.

"I need something to distract him..." Irma looked one way, then the other. "Could I hide in your locker for a minute?"

"Wait for it", Taranee responded. "I've got a plan. The timing has to be just right. He has to be close enough to have his attention focused on both of us, but not so close that he actually opens his mouth to say anything." Then, telepathically, she added "Okay, wait... wait... now just play along."

...and Taranee took her friend by the shoulders, pulled her in close, and kissed her quite squarely on the mouth.

Irma's surprise was plain even without the psychic connection, but Taranee just did her best to send soothing thoughts. She opened one eye just enough to see Martin stop dead in his tracks, frozen and unable to respond, then turn on his heel and beat a fast retreat. With a faint smile, she followed the kiss with another one, lighter and softer, then a third, faint as the stroke of a feather.

"W... wow." Irma brushed her hair back and turned around. "Ha, look at him go! That was pretty..." Then she seemed to come back to herself, and returned attention to her friend, who was smiling slyly. "Hey, what're you doing with my trademark look there?"

"I'll tell you later. Let's get going - my mom's probably waiting for me already."

So on they went, out of Sheffield's front doors and to their waiting friends.

"Hey everyone" Hay Lin said with a grin. "Grandma's going to make some new soup tonight and wants us all over to see if it's good enough for the menu!"

"Count me in", Irma replied.

Taranee put her hands up. "I've got homework to do, but I'll come by later. How's that?"

Then, as she turned toward her just-arriving mother, she heard Irma's voice in her mind.

"Why kiss me three times?"

"Oh", she silently responded with a glance over her shoulder, "because I've wanted to for weeks now."

The brunette girl's look changed right away - whatever she'd expected to hear, that certainly wasn't it.

And in Taranee's opinion, that look was pretty cute on her too.