Fun and flashbacks

Why am I letting her drag me here?! Satoshi thought to himself.

"We're almost there."

"Oh joy…"

"Don't be a pessimist!" laughed Kari.

Kari paid for the entrance fee and they went in. Satoshi had never been to an amusement park before, or had any fun thanks to Krad! He was completely out of his element. She sensed his discomfort and gave him a reassuring grin.

-----

"So what do you want to do first? Rides, games or both?"

Satoshi decided it was time to take a leap of faith (so to speak) and said, "Rides."

"Come on! Let's go on some then!" she smiled. This time he followed her like a lost puppy…much to the amusement of others. The first one they got on was: the space ship. It swung up high back and forth; Satoshi was glad that he didn't have a weak stomach! Next was a ride that he had mixed opinions of…it was like a spinning top, except he was on the inside while it spun around and went up into the air. He looked at Kari and saw that she was grinning. He grinned too…it was fun once you got past the fact that it made you dizzy.

He was mildly irritated that he went on the log ride; he liked it until they got to the part right before the log goes down a large slide. (He got soaked; Kari was laughing at his look.) She decided to take it easy on him and went on the Ferris wheel.

-----

"So? What'd you think so far?" she asked.

"I'm…actually having fun. This is an odd feeling…" admitted Satoshi.

"Feels good, doesn't it?"

"Yeah…this is the first time I've ever been to a real park before."

"You're kidding!"

"No, I'm serious. I either had to worry about Krad or my father so much that I eventually gave up on being a normal kid."

"That is bad. Even my jerk of a father took me to amusement parks. Have you ever gone to a swimming pool before?"

"Couldn't…low blood pressure."

"You've missed out on a lot…" said Kari sympathetically.

"I guess this is the perfect time to catch up, then!" laughed Satoshi.

-----

They got off the Ferris wheel and went to get lunch. Satoshi looked a bit dubious as to whether or not it was actually edible. (Kari couldn't resist teasing him a bit!)

"Hey, you trusted my cooking skills and tried my hard candy recipe! I still can't believe you and Krad thought I'd poison you with the food coloring," laughed Kari.

Satoshi remembered that incident a little too well…

(Flashback to five days ago…)

"What're you making, Onee-san?" asked Satoshi. Kari was hovering over the stove with a pan. She had corn syrup, sugar and water already in it. (It had 2/3 corn syrup, 2 cups sugar and 3/4 a cup of water.)

"Hard candy."

"That doesn't look like candy if you ask me…" said Satoshi.

"That's because I just started it! And as for the flavoring… Which would you prefer: cherry, wintergreen, lemon, or cinnamon?"

"Are you sure you know what your doing? I don't see a cook book anywhere…" said Satoshi nervously.

Kari puffed up her cheeks (anime style) and said, "I don't need one to make this candy. I know perfectly well what the ingredients are and the temperature they have to be in!"

"How do I know you actually know the recipe by heart?" asked Satoshi dubiously.

"I've made this particular recipe about twenty times. I know what I'm doing! Now what flavor do you want?" she asked a little annoyed.

"I've never had cherry before. I'll try that," said Satoshi. (He and Krad were both going out on a limb by trusting her not to ruin the batch.)

"Okay, cherry it is. Would you prefer the regular red color or would you like to mix a few of them to make something different?"

"I don't know…how about blue or yellow?" asked Satoshi.

"I'll make it blue then. It's a good thing I brought the candy thermometer with me when I came!" said Kari. One look at the thermometer was giving Satoshi second thoughts!

I have a baaaad feeling about this.

You and me both, Satoshi-sama!

I heard that!!!!!

ACK!

"Would you relax already?! I'm not going to ruin the recipe!" said Kari annoyed.

"Okay, Onee-san."

"And I better not hear any thoughts of poison from either of you two! The only ones I'd do that too are Dark and your step-father!"

After turning on the stove, putting it on medium heat, she stirred until the sugar had completely dissolved before she sat down nearby and kept an eye on the temperature. That's when she remembered something important.

"Hey Sato-kun, would you like to help me make this?" she asked.

"Sure…what do I have to do?"

"Oil the pan. Just a little; it's to keep the candy from sticking when I pour it," said Kari as she handed him the pan and cooking oil. He poured a small amount onto it and made sure it covered the entire surface. She waited until it got to 260 degrees before she measured exactly one fourth of a teaspoon of blue food coloring. She caught Satoshi and Krad thinking she was going to poison them…they didn't trust whatever was in the small plastic bottles. She poured it into the mixture and then waited for the temperature to go up around forty degrees more.

When it got to around 290, she pulled out a small bottle and undid the plastic around the cap. (It was the flavoring for the candy. You have to pour it when he candy reaches 300 degrees.) Next she pours the contents into the syrupy mix and stirred like crazy. (Satoshi could have sworn he tasted something new from the steam!) As soon as she put the entire contents of the steaming pan and proceeds to spread it out onto the oiled up cookie pan. She put the rest of the utensils she had used in the sink and got out a small container of powdered sugar.

She managed to stop Satoshi from touching it. (She knew all too well how HOT that candy was!) When it cooled enough for them to break it into pieces, she let him go first. Soon it was broken up into smaller pieces and into the powdered sugar. (She asked him if he wanted to use the powdered sugar on top and he shrugged.)

He took a small piece of the candy before she put it in the sugar and (silently gulping), tried it out. Much to his (and Krad's!) amazement, it was pretty good.

"I told you that you had nothing to worry about! Why'd you two think I was going to poison you earlier?"

"We didn't like the look of whatever was in those small plastic bottles…" admitted Satoshi reluctantly. Kari looked at him before she burst out laughing.

"That wasn't poison, it was food coloring!" she said laughing.

(End flashback…)

"You never know whether you'll like something or not until you try…believe me, I know!" said Kari.

Satoshi reluctantly tried it out and was mildly surprised that it was edible. As they sat down eating lunch, Kari had a very disturbing message given to her when Krad showed up.

-----

I hate to break it to you, but Hiwatari is coming to Master Satoshi's house. He seemed to be annoyed when he didn't pick up the phone. I don't recommend going back there tonight.

Thanks for the heads-up!

-----

"Krad's here, isn't he…" sighed Satoshi.

"Actually, he was wanting to know where I put that hard candy. He's having trouble finding it," lied Kari.

"Oh, was that all? I'm still surprised he can open it without our help," joked Satoshi.

"Hey Sato-kun, how'd ya like to stay at my place tonight? You know, for a change of pace. I got some movies we could watch," said Kari.

"Definitely! Anything to avoid worrying about that idiot step-father of mine for another day!" grinned Satoshi.

"Maybe if we're lucky we'll catch another idiot outside my window to use for target practice!"

-----

Now that would DEFINITELY convince me!

I thought it might…

-----

They finished lunch and went on the roller coaster before playing some games. They decided to see the movie that was playing…just for the heck of it. They stayed having fun at the park until around 8 before they headed home. Kari and Satoshi were laughing at the pictures they got from the photo booth. There were five in all; both agreed that the one where Satoshi actually sat behind with his arm around her and stuck his tongue out with a wink and a 'peace' sign was the best! (They had gotten doubles of that one.)

"I still can't believe Krad actually let us have fun without him!" said Satoshi with a grin.

"He stayed with me after we finished lunch. I think he had a bit of fun too," joked Kari.

"He had fun?! Okay, what happened to the old Krad?" snickered Satoshi.

I heard that!

I was hoping you would.

"Now, now you two. You can go back to hating each other tomorrow…tonight I want both of you to agree to a truce," said Kari quickly.

Fair enough. I get first shot a Dark if he shows up!

"Oh alright…but I get the second crack at him!" said Satoshi.

"Now was that so hard? Now, what movie do you want to watch first? A horror flick, a comedy or an anime?"

"You have anime films?!" said Satoshi in disbelief.

"Why're you so surprised?"

"I thought anime was for little kids…"

"Not you too! I get enough of that from my dad and grandpa!" said Kari a little annoyed.

"Sorry…"

"Don't worry 'bout it. So what do you want to watch?"

"I've never even thought of an anime one, so why not that?"

"I got plenty of 'em! I also have 'Jaws', Alfred Hitchcock's 'The Birds', a really funny one called 'Patch Adams' and a hilarious one I'm sure Krad will like called 'Little Nicky'."

"Why do you think Krad will like the last one?"

"The main character is the son of Satan and his mother was an angel who got too drunk at a party. He has two older brothers…well, I shouldn't ruin the movie for you."

"The main character is a cross between an angel and the Prince of Darkness?! I think you're right, he actually might get a kick out of it," said Satoshi.

They entered the apartment and the boys waited while Kari set up the first movie. (They each got to pick ONE movie before they went to bed.) She chose a Miyazaki flick called Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind. Satoshi was a bit surprised she set the language selection to Japanese with Subtitles. When he asked her why she gave him a weird grin.

"I prefer watching the movies in their original un-dubbed format with the subtitles on. Don't ask me why, I just think it's more fun that way," said Kari. (Krad could have sworn he saw an arrow that pointed at Kari saying 'Queen of Subtitles'.)

Satoshi and Krad actually enjoyed the movie, despite the fact that it was an anime. Satoshi choose the next one: he wanted to see 'The Birds'. (Krad saw yet another arrow saying, 'Heard of it but never actually bothered to watch movie'.)

-----

That is weird…

What is? (Both ask at the same time!)

Nothing…its just I'm sure I saw arrows pointing at you with words on them.

What did mine say? (Kari.)

Queen of Subtitles. Satoshi's read "Heard of it but never actually bothered to watch movie".

Weird…

Krad looked up and saw one aimed at him too! (It read; 'the only one who can actually see the arrows'.)

-----

At this he looked outside to see whether or not his hunch was correct. (It was.)

"I should have guessed you were the one pulling that stunt. What was with the arrows, Dark?!" asked Krad a tad annoyed.

"Eh, I was bored and it looked like you guys were havin' fun without me."

"How did you know that I'm the 'Queen of Subtitles'?!" asked Kari.

"I'd rather not say…"

"You were outside her window watching with her without her knowing, weren't you?"

"Yup. I must say I was a bit surprised that she always put the subtitles on even when it's in English…"

"I just like to read the subtitles. Besides, it helps whenever the neighbors are being noisy and I have a hard time hearing it. You might as well come in Dark."

Aw…you said we could use him as target practice!!!

I said he could come in, I never said you couldn't shoot at him when he finally leaves.

Yay!!!!

Hehehe…

"So what are we going to watch next, Krad-kun?"

"I told you not to call me that!" said Krad irritably; he heard Dark's veiled snickering behind him.

"Sorry, but it is your turn to pick the movie," she reminded him.

"You said there was one that might amuse me… why not that?" asked Krad while he secretly thought 'Can I PLEASE throw popcorn at Dark?'

We'll join you. But you're gonna be the one to pick it up later.

Deal.

-----

She put in the Adam Sandler movie called 'Little Nicky'. Krad was actually laughing when he watched it much to Dark's surprise. He didn't think he'd ever hear Krad laughing! When it was over, Satoshi was fast asleep in her lap and Dark got up to leave.

"Definitely worth coming over. I never thought I'd see the day when you actually give a genuine laugh!"

"I'd get going if I were you… Kari said we could use you for target practice if you showed up."

"Knock yourself out Krad!" laughed Kari.

Best. Night. Ever!

Aren't you glad that Sato-kun's idiot step-father called?

If he hadn't, I would have missed out on throwing popcorn at Dark for over an hour!