Crouching low to the ground, Kyoko grasped the hammer tightly, her right hand visibly shaking with determination. The stone, resting innocuously on the large patty shaped river rock, refracted dark pink, purple, and blue in the tree filtered sunlight. She could almost feel its gloom fighting for life while staring at it. She raised her arm, and then paused hesitantly, mesmerized. A large strong hand firmly joined her grip and brought down the hammer. Smash! The shards were everywhere, each displaying the same multi tinted facets of blue born from the whole stone. A great calm came over her, the tension palpably fading as she slumped in relief. All the pent up and unresolved grief, anger, pain, resentment, hurt and lastly fear, shattered into fragments. She felt an arm steal around her shoulders and hug her comfortingly.

"Feel better now?" Kuon's warm deep voice penetrated right through to her heart as she nodded mutely in agreement. "We don't need it any more Sweet Heart. We've grown up and we have a wonderful group of people to go to when we have challenges and best of all we have each other. "

Leisurely walking away from the stream together, hand in hand, her ring finger sported a large gem which was cut to perfection, showing off the many variants of blue it contained. Kyoko beamed up at Kuon , all Cutie Honey.

"I'm OK, Kuon !" Kyoko said confidently. "I know this stone," she squeezed his hand with emphasis and leaned against him, "will store all our happiness and love and rather than being a crutch, it's reminder to be grateful for all that we've achieved"

Kuon, sucked in his breath and through gritted teeth replied, "I'm not holding back this time, Kyoko, even if you call me a pervert playboy!" "Wh…what? Kuon! MMPH! " Kyoko, never usually at a loss for words was silenced in Kuon's embrace.