Something good finally happens to Athena. –told mostly by Alice.
Y'know that thing about karma? Well I thought it would never take effect on Athena. That is until I was proved wrong…
Dear diary, Alice wrote.You'll never guess what happened. Athena got herself a BOYFRIEND! He is totally gorgeous, but I'd never admit it. He's about her height, pale skin, dark mysterious and yet alluring eye's and this shiny black ponytail that reaches his shoulder. His name is Itachi. They've only been together a few weeks or so. I know 'cuz I've only known him a few weeks…they are inseparable! He's pretty much everywhere she is,
-"I mean, " she told Aika and Akari, "he doesn't follow her into the bathroom or anything like that. Oh wait once he did last week" her friends looked stunned and slightly uncomfortable. "Y'know how the happier Athena gets the clumsier she gets?" her friends nodded. "Well he took her out to lunch last week at this fancy place and she invited me…..so as were on our way out she heads toward the restroom. She walks in, but Itachi grabs her shoulder and pulls her out, then he points to the MENS sign on the door."
"Poor Athena" Aika said. Akari nodded "he must make her really happy then."
"How do you know they're dating?" Aika said, "I mean just because he hangs around her all the time-" "I asked them" Alice said. "He kissed her cheek and nodded."
"What's he like?" Aika said.Alice thought for a moment."Well he obviously has plenty of patience. " Aika rolled her eye's "okay details Alice, whats his personality like." "Um, he's a real gentleman….whenever he eats with us on campus he brings Athena her tray, he helps whenever she makes a mess and he's good natured when she spills something on him." Aika laughed loudly. "So he's perfect?" she said.
"Now that I think about it" Alice said softly "he is." Aika looked genuinely perplexed, "He's gorgeous, patient, and a gentleman, maybe he isn't human. " Akari now looked stunned again. "A-Aika….do you really think….um, um," Aika rolled her eye's again."Well then if he's human he's the only guy that I probably wouldn't mind, " "You don't mind Al," Akari said. Aika smirked"yeah but Al talks like an old man…Itachi seems to be perfect."
"Forget it Aika" Alice said tonelessly. "He's not interested in anyone but Athena." "Th-that wa- wasn't what I meant" Aika said quickly. Alice ignored her, "He doesn't see anyone except Athena. We ran into Akatsuki and Alicia yesterday, Akatsuki got threatened. But no Itachi doesn't even flinch at the perfection of Alicia.
- He bought me and her a tour with Alicia, not even after seeing her undine skills." Aika's normally pale-tan face was still red. "N-not what I meant Alice" she said again. "Still could we maybe meet him?" Akari blushed. "Sure," Alice said without emotion.
The next morning almost everyone Alice knew well on Aqua was at the dock waiting for her, Athena and Itachi. Akari had brought Alicia and president Aria. Aika had brought Akira and president Hime. Even Woody and Akatsuki and Al showed up to greet Itachi. Maa whined in Itachi's hands. He gently stroked her head and the whines instantly ceased.
"Could I hand her back to you Alice" he said in his velvety voice. She nodded and picked up Maa. Itachi smiled and put one of his no longer occupied arms over Athena's shoulder. Behind him appeared two slim shapes. One handsome white tom and one pretty black cat, both with brilliant amber eye's.
"Oh yes-" Itachi said. "This is Ash," he gestured to the white cat "and his sitser Snow," he motioned to the white one. "They're joining us- is that okay?" No one argued.
"Ready?" Alicia smiled. Everyone nodded and boarded one of the gondolas standing by. One was marked with the ARIA logo, the others with HIMEYA's.
"Remind me where we're going," Akatsuki said as he stopped by Athena's gondola to ask Alicia.
"A beach not too far from here" Alicia beamed, she had an everlasting smile.
"Is that why we all brought bathing suits?" he said.
Alicia grinned and nodded. "It's a small and beautiful island," Alicia said. "We're going for a party, to celebrate-um" "Spring," Akari beamed from behind them.
"Yes," Alicia smiled, "Spring."
"Not just Itachi?" Akatsuki asked.
Alicia thought for a moment "it's to welcome him to our circle of friends."
As everyone boarded a gondola Woody and Akatsuki began to argue,
"What?! No way! If you get in Alicia's then how will I?" Akatsuki yelled. Itachi shoved his head aside and stepped in between them. "Athena dear, hold it steady," he said extending a hand to her.
Athena turned around, paddle still in hand and slapped the three boy's onto the water.
"Oh-" she said as they came up.
Woody was a bit stunned and it took Itachi to get him a good hold on the dock.
"What's your problem Athena?" Akatsuki yelled. "Hitting us wasn't enough?!"
"Shut up," Itachi said slapping him harshly on the back. Then he turned to Athena,
"Are you alright dear?" he said "you swung that really hard."
Once at the island Itachi helped everyone unravel and hang curtains they'd brought from trees.
Apparently they served as makeshift dressing rooms. Al didn't swim he lay on a towel on the shore beside Hime while Akira grilled rice balls, Maa chased President Aria and everyone else swam.
Well that is everyone else swam and Itachi played life guard.
"Hey Itachi-" Alicia said coming out of the water, "wanna take a break? I'll take over."
"Thanks."
Itachi unraveled a big towel and laid it on a patch of hot sand. He collapsed on top of it and Athena came out to join him. Just as the hot rays of sun became a perfect golden a shadow fell over them blocking it.
"Akatsuki-" Itachi said. "get out of our sun."
Akatsuki ignored him. "So you saw Alicia in a bikini and you're still not interested in her? Does that mean I can have her?"
'Isn't that her choice?" Itachi said.
Woody came up behind Akatsuki and slapped his back playfully. "Maybe you should give up on Alicia and go after one of the other water fairies." Itachi gave Woody a short glare but he didn't notice.
"What?!" Akatsuki said. "No way Akira, she's just like Aika. And that leaves," he looked down at the happy couple he was standing above. Itachi hugged Athena tighter and balled his other hand into a fist in warning.
"Give up on highly elite women altogether," he told Akatsuki. "Not that with your stuck up personality you'd ever get a date. Oh yeah- Get out of our sun."
"WHAT?!" Akatsuki said and ground his teeth. "And if you want me to move then ma-"
Itachi got up kissed Athen's forehead and slung Akatsuki over his shoulders.
"Akira-" he said carrying him over to her. "Yell some sense into him please," Itachi said. "Woody told him to go after a different water fairy but" he looked over to Athena who was happily petting the sand. "Y'know and he said you weren't good enough for him,"-he then returned to Athena.
"Sorry to keep you waiting hon," he said.
Athena got up and pulled sunscreen out of a bag. "I forgot it."
She tried to empty some into her hand but it landed in a puddle that she almost tripped in.
Well actually she did, and landed in Itachi's lap. "Here" he said in his velvety voice picking up the bottle.
"Hon, let me help you before you get any in your eye's."
President Aria leapt over them followed closely by Maa who was about to get her target when a Snow stepped in her way. She stood over the little kitten, then picked her up by the scruff and played with her in the water.
Soon after while Maa napped [tired from so much hard play], Snow padded back over to Aria. She seemed to be asking his permission to keep him company. He gladly accepted hoping it would make Hime jealous to see a gorgeous cat gladly his company.
However Hime may have been to pre-occupied to notice. She continually stared down Ash. The handsome white tom didn't seem to notice her.
It all seemed to be a bit different for a change. Aria was sunning himself next to an attractive young cat who didn't at all mind his company and acknowledged him every few minutes, Hime was being ignored by a handsome tom whom she wanted the attention of and Athena was being kept out of any possible danger or discomfort.
It was like Akari said once: "wonderful."
"Oh, um hello Itachi," Akari said. "I didn't get to introduce myself yet, I'm Akari."
Itachi shook her hand and grinned a warm white smile. "I see. So you're Alice's friend then no?"
he said. "It's too bad your friend Ai couldn't be here," he said. "I think I would have liked her."
"Uh hi, I'm Aika" she said pushing Akari aside a bit.
"Hello Aika, so you're Akira's student?" She nodded.
"Um how did you two meet?" she said eager his hear his voice again.
"Well Aika, Akari, it's a bit of a story think you can sit through one?" they both nodded eagerly.
"A few weeks ago I was on a bridge and it collapsed beneath me. I hit my head on something hard and fell into the water losing consciousness. I vaguely remember kind of waking up in her gondola, but very little. After that I woke up in a small shack right off the water. It had a couch a window above it and a window on the opposite wall and an archway leading out. When I woke up she was singing, both times.
I asked Athena " [he said her name dreamily each time:] "what happened, she modestly said she'd found me. More like saved my sorry skin. But we introduced ourselves agreed to keep in touch and pretty soon we saw each other every day."
By now Alice and all 5 cats had joined them. So had Alicia who was smiling. [Al was napping Akira was tormenting Akatsuki and Woody watched.]
"That's so beautiful and so wonderful," Akari said. "No sappy lines aloud!" Aika told her.
Itachi laughed. "It wasn't sappy," he said. Aika blushed. "It was sweet. And thank you Akari-san.
It was indeed wonderful."
end.