⌠I think I caught something the other day. Since when do we sing?■ Eizou grumbled to her friends. Kakure was doing her best keeping a straight face.
⌠Well, I don▓t know,■ Kaki shrugged. ⌠Maybe this is a universe constructed by some great creator and we▓re all fan based? Not to mention that our original author had someone take over that last chapter?■
⌠You▓re nuts! We▓re very much real,■ Pomona leaned over and hit Kaki across the head. The other▓s head smashed into the table, sending her drink across the top to the other side as the others scurried to avoid the wave. ⌠See? That hurt!■
⌠A traditional pinch would▓ve sufficed,■ Kaki hissed, her eyes glinting dangerously. ⌠You annoying.. my drink!■ She straightened. ⌠My head!■ She groaned, rubbing at a bruise fast forming. ⌠You▓re worse than Minako!■
⌠Ouch..■ Eizou winced. ⌠Sure, just be insulting.■
⌠Oh, quiet.■
⌠Hey guys!■ Nigori plopped down, being tailed by Haimutsu and Toki. ⌠We went to Setsuna liked you asked, Kakure but are you sure you know what you▓re doing?■
Toki actually spoke before Kakure could open her mouth. ⌠Setsuna brought up a point. If he wasn▓t supposed to exist here, than something bad can and will eventually happen. He has to go back to his own timeline.■
⌠Yea..■ Kakure looked out the window, heaving a lone sigh. Eizou▓s eyes softened.
⌠I know how hard it is to do the right thing. Even if he▓s settling in, you▓ve got a boyfriend, and well, at least you haven▓t reached any bases, right?■ Eizou asked brightly.
⌠Oh god, Eizou, why did you ask that?■ Kaki▓s eyebrow twitched. ⌠That▓s disturbing..■
⌠Tell me about it,■ Eizou snorted. ⌠But hey, you▓re sixteen! We▓re legally old enough to get married!■ She said brightly.
⌠He▓s not going to marry me,■ Kakure turned red. ⌠Let alone get anywhere with me. It▓s just this foreboding feeling, I can▓t sleep that well because of it.■
⌠Hmm.. well, you are the closest to him,■ Haimutsu agreed. ⌠We tend to be able to read those whom we are very close to. Like Toki but then, she▓s a picture book.■
⌠I▓ll ignore that,■ Toki glowered before turning. ⌠When are you going to talk to him?■
⌠He▓s finishing his teaching in a half hour,■ Kakure was still looking out at the window, her gaze moving up to the skies. She was unable to meet her friend▓s gaze. The only one that may have understood best was Eizou as the said girl stared into her own drink, falling back into old and painful memories.
⌠We need to cheer you both up!■ Pomona began. ⌠Let▓s go!■ She reached across the table but slipped on her feet, her nose smashing into the tabletop. ⌠Ouch.. help?■
The girls helped Pomona to stop her nose from bleeding and by the time they had exited, were laughing and talking brightly, as if there was nothing life changing happening soon.
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Kakure tapped her foot impatiently, looking at her watch before looking up to scan the school yard. ⌠Where is that idiot of mine!■
⌠I didn▓t realize you gave me a nickname,■ Dan looked agitated and annoyed at the tie around his collar. ⌠They made me wear this. Can▓t believe what a headache I have from them students trying saying the word English alone. It▓s not Ingrish, it▓s ENGLISH..■
Kakure glared at him.
⌠Sorry, forgot you can▓t speak it either. So what▓s the special occasion or surprise? We planned on meeting tomorrow night, right?■
⌠Uh..■ Kakure blinked before she gave a helpless shrug. ⌠What can I say, I missed you.■
Something flickered in his eyes. ⌠Huh.. that▓s sweet but stupid. Could▓ve just called me.■
⌠So what, you wouldn▓t have wanted to see me?■ Kakure began before a gaggle of girls came running up. All of them were attempting to speak English and Kakure, while she couldn▓t understand them, saw the slow creeping blush across Dan▓s neck toward his face and her eyes narrowed very thinly.
Her lips pinched as she began to walk backwards away. ⌠Fine, whatever, Dan. Have fun with all of your little girlfriends,■ she turned and flounced off.
Dan heard that last line and blanched, wincing. ⌠No, no.. it▓s not what you think!■
⌠Love me long time?■ One of the girls asked cheerfully in her broken English.
⌠Okay.. it is but still.■ He struggled to get away and back to Kakure. ⌠I▓m sorry, I▓m taken!■ He howled as he tripped and fled. ⌠KAKURE!■
Kakure had made it to a pathway between a batch of cherry blossom trees. She was still stomping as Dan came running up.
⌠Wait a minute! Wait a minute!■ He cried out before crashing over a tree root, landing with a near shriek. ⌠Oh god.. my face.. why are we all falling on it this episode?■
⌠You dirty, perverted, jackass! I came all this way to see you and not only are you ungrateful, you have that indecent group of so-called fans at your heels and you▓re paying more attention to them!■
Dan managed to stagger up, brushing his pants free of debris. ⌠Oh... are you jealous a little?■
⌠Jealous this!■ She glared, her face flushed because he guessed right and she was still too angry. She gave a swift kick to the shin as he jumped up and down with another yell. ⌠Go on and have your fun!■
⌠That..■ He was still hopping at this point. ⌠Is not..■ He nearly fell over the same tree root. ⌠Fair!■
⌠Then why weren▓t you happy to see me!■
⌠I was. Can you blame me, I▓m a man. We men don▓t show emotions. It▓s weak!■
⌠This coming from a man who can become a woman.■
⌠Don▓t remind me,■ he muttered darkly. ⌠Listen, why did you want to see me?■
⌠I.. um... listen, my dad▓s gone and I was wondering if you wanted to come over to keep me company?■
⌠Sure there are no surveillance cameras set up?■ He asked smirking.
She glared at him.
⌠Hey, he liked me..■
⌠We▓ve been over this before. He doesn▓t want a daughter. I▓m sure people in America have that sort of idea!■
Dan▓s smile faltered. ⌠It must be lonely for you.■
⌠That▓s why I▓m inviting you over,■ She said hurriedly. ⌠So are you coming?■
⌠I▓ll be over about seven. Is that enough time for you cook up a meal? You -can- cook right?■
⌠Better than you,■ She glared. ⌠I know how to cook! It was a necessity for me in order to survive!■
He held up his hands in defense. ⌠Okay, okay. I don▓t know what▓s with you. Must be hormones or something!■
⌠OR SOMETHING!■ She glared. ⌠I▓ll see you at seven,■ She turned and walked off with a sharp step.
⌠What the hell is the matter with her?■ He muttered to himself.
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⌠How am I supposed to do this?■ Kakure wrung the hand towel tautly, trying to even her breathing. But she was upset, considerably so. She never felt like this but she knew that if there wasn▓t any other solution soon, this would be the only way.
⌠He has to understand..■ But she sighed and rubbed her nose absently. She was in the bathroom, attempting to fluff her hair but she stared back into still wet eyes.
⌠Plain.. boring, not to mention temperamental,■ She laughed a little. ⌠He▓ll forget about me. Every man in my life does.■
She dressed in a black, strapless dress, with a long dip against her back. It was somewhat loose around her hips, falling down getting looser until it spread at her ankles, fluffing out. She had placed her hair up in black rose clips but left everything else untouched.
She heard the doorbell ring as she hurriedly fluffed her hair the more before nearly running to the door.
⌠Hi!■ She said breathlessly. Dan▓s eyes widened slightly.
⌠Wow.. um.. is it an anniversary or something?■
⌠No, just wanted it to be special.■
He began to pull on his collar. ⌠Maybe I shouldn▓t have taken off the tie,■ he grinned sheepishly.
⌠You▓re beautiful the way you are,■ she beamed. ⌠Come on, come on! Everything is all nice and cooked!■
He settled, spying the intricate set, the dual set of burning candles and though he smiled, there was a strange worry growing that proved difficult to push away.
She did most of the talking, nervous chatter as Dan tried to think of why she was so bizarre in her behavior.
He took in the outfit, the fancy hair, the scrumptious dinner, and wondered suddenly if he were being wooed. ▒By a sixteen year old..▓ the thought startled him as he attempted to squash that notion. There was lull of silence as Kakure stared back at him, her smile fading.
⌠What?■ She asked finally.
He coughed. ⌠I think.. I should leave.■
⌠But.. we haven▓t dessert,■ she protested. She stood up and he was suddenly aware of her bare shoulders and the dip into her chest to reveal just the beginning of..
⌠Ah.. I need to go... finish.. finish with... ah.. the fixing.. what▓s it called? Grading! Yes! Grading! I have so much work, I really should..■
⌠Dan, please..■ He turned and was shocked to see tears, opening spilling. Her eyes were filled with pain and his heart felt shattered. ⌠I can▓t do this.. I don▓t want to but we haven▓t a choice..■
⌠What are you doing, breaking up with me?■ He asked, half-joking.
⌠Dan, you have to go back to your own time. If you don▓t... you don▓t.. everything is ripping at the seams.. Setsuna told me, that you coming here was a mistake, an accident because you were careless. But I don▓t.. don▓t wanna see you go but if you don▓t go.. you▓ll get hurt...■
She was sobbing at this point, falling to her knees as she covered her face. ⌠I don▓t know why... why you noticed me, why you were here in the first place. I thought I finally found.. found someone who would love me for me... I never knew it could feel so good but hurt so bad at the same time!■
Dan was watching the door before he turned and walked over to her, kneeling down. ⌠Why? I don▓t have to leave..■
⌠Dan, listen to me,■ she whispered, cupping his face gently. ⌠If you don▓t go, not only will this world, this universe be ruined, the time stream will tear and everything else will spin out of control. We have to send you back, no matter what.■
He studied her teary eyes. ⌠You already decided, haven▓t you?■
⌠Yes..■ Her eyes welled up. ⌠But I love you so much... I have to let you go...■
He gave a strained smile. ⌠So you weren▓t trying to woo me, huh? Just wanted to make me see you the more.. you didn▓t have to do any of this. I▓m stupid most of the time, and gullible.. and easily distracted.■
⌠Dan?■
He looked up at her and smiled with a wistful smile. ⌠I suppose... if this is the way to go..■ He sighed and leaned his forehead against hers. ⌠Could I.. stay the night?■ He asked in a soft whisper.
Her eyes glimmered. ⌠I would love that..■
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The cold wind of very early morning was bitter against Prince Daroshay▓s skin. ⌠Finally, finally I have found that blasted self. Not to mention so many other suitable minions to collect.■
⌠David!■ He snapped his fingers. ⌠Have you found him?■
⌠Not yet. There are too many interfering energies,■ David sat at the holograph computer, clicking wildly as images and information flashed. ⌠Apparently, these energies are called Sailor Senshi. They have the powers of the Stars themselves. If we take them one by one..■
⌠What would the fun of that be?■ Prince Daroshay smirked. ⌠Let▓s draw them out at that location..■ He pointed to a section of the map, where the Tokyo Tower was flashing.
⌠It▓s time for the end, my better self. I will get what I want, complete and utter control...■
