Chapter 11: Rivalry

"How do people do this?" Cupid groaned impatiently, standing in the middle of the Yamada's Supermarket cereal aisle. The sound of easy-listening music droned on in the atmosphere as he held a box in each hand, studying them as if trying to decipher an ancient code. Sugar Blasted Rocket Puffs or Chocolate Marshmallow Candy Crisp: this was the enigma that served to confound him for the past five minutes. He supposed they both sounded ok but it was the aesthetics of their respective cartons, which served as the root of his indecisiveness.

In one hand, the neon glow of shooting stars and orange shuttles surfed through the visual pun that was quite literally a milky way. In the other, a whimsical cartoon troll shoved a spoonful of cereal in its mouth with such an expression of euphoria that Cupid wondered if there was an extra ingredient not listed on the box.

"You both win," he sighed, tossing them simultaneously into his shopping cart. He continued on, bearing the weight of his body against the handlebar of the cart as he traipsed down the lane lethargically. It was the first time he'd ever had to shop for himself and it was proving more tedious than he'd ever imagined. Regardless of this, he supposed it was necessary as Taki's greed was reaching new heights back at the house.

Cupid recalled his intention to make an omelet that morning, discovering that every egg in the carton was plastered with Property of Taki labels. As he rounded the corner into another lane, fantasizing about breaking that carton of eggs over Taki's head, an unfamiliar voice called out to him.

"Hey… hey you, there."

He turned to face the origin of the voice, finding a twenty-something guy in skinny jeans, a white t-shirt, and a baseball cap, staring back at him excitedly.

"Ah, it is you! I knew it!" the dude exclaimed in recognition.

Cupid looked back at him, confused. He was sure he'd never seen the man before in his life. "Huh?"

"You're the guy from the festival - the cucumber killer!"

"Oh, right. Yeah…" Cupid cringed at his new moniker.

"I was there at your show. It was absolutely amazing!" He rushed over, eyes glinting with fascination. "I've been going to that festival every year since I was a kid and I've never seen anything like that. Not even close!"

"Hey, keep it down, will you?" Cupid demanded as he noticed people around them starting to stare. "I'm glad you enjoyed the show but I really have to get going." He started to turn away.

"Wait," the star-struck fan beckoned, hooking his fingers into the grate of Cupid's shopping cart. "I've just got to know - how did you guys do it?" He gawked at Cupid, anxiously awaiting the secret formula to be imparted to him.

"How did we do what?"

"C'mon man, the special effects. I keep replaying it over in my head but I just can't figure it out. It's been driving me nuts!"

Cupid supposed he should come up with something to appease the man's curiosity if he wanted to make a clean breakaway.

"Well, you know, um, mirrors, cables, and…" He queried his mind for some form of Earth capable technology that explained away some of the phenomena. "holograms," he said finally, hoping it was a believable offering.

"Holograms!" the fan repeated in epiphany, pounding a fist into the palm of his other hand. "I've heard of that before but never on such a grand scale." His face went slack in sudden befuddlement. "But that still doesn't explain the chunks…"

"The chunks?"

"Yeah. I have a cousin who worked on the cleanup crew of this year's festival. He was kind of pissed off about all the mess that particular show left behind."

"Oh, yeah, the chunks…" Cupid recalled. He went back to pondering. "Canons," he said after a moment, snapping his fingers. "We packed them full of vegetables and fired them off at the right moment. Fake explosion, real chunks."

"Brilliant!" the fan cried eagerly. "But…" Perplexity returned to his expression, inspiring exasperation in Cupid's. "My cousin said they had to call in a tow truck to haul away half of a giant cucumber. How did you—."

"Look, buddy," Cupid cut him off in frustration. "If I told you every detail, there'd be no magic left, would there?"

"I suppose you have a point," the fan digressed. "Fair enough. But, can I ask just one tiny little favor?"

"Go ahead," Cupid reluctantly granted.

"Can I get a photo with you? I've just got to show this to my cousin! He'll never believe it otherwise."

Cupid sighed. "Alright, just make it quick, I've got errands to run."

With that, the fan excitedly pulled a smartphone from his pocket, threw an arm over Cupid's shoulder and flashed a wide grin. "Say cucumbeeeerrr!,"

"The hell I will," Cupid grumbled.

The sound of a camera shutter signaled the successful snapshot.

"Whaddya' think?" asked the fan, presenting his phone for Cupid's approval. The image aptly captured the raw emotion of the moment: one man's pure joy, contrasted by another's utter discomfort, and in the far background, a blue-haired girl's disconcerted bewilderment. What the hell? Cupid thought to himself, instantly recognizing her face.

He spun around with a start. There Sasami stood in the flesh, staring back at him curiously. Her hair was tied back into two bundles, which draped down her back. Bangs framed the green, V shaped mark on her forehead. Her emerald-shaded tunic was split down the sides, revealing a pair of black leggings.

"Whoa, who is that?" his new acquaintance uttered after turning to see what so suddenly caught Cupid's attention. "Oh man…" he murmured, spellbound. "She might be the girl of my dreams."

"How about I put you to sleep so you can verify?" Cupid muttered.

"Oh, wait, is she...?" His eyes darted back and forth between Cupid and Sasami. "Ah, I gotcha'," he crooned, shrewdly. "Some guys have all the luck... I'll just be going then. Thanks for the pic!"

He meandered off, knocking over a display of canned goods as he peeked back over his shoulder to steal one last glimpse of Sasami. One rolled under his foot, sending him skating down the aisle before flopping onto his back. "Goddammit, that did not just happen while that hot chick was watching!" he cried before springing to his feet and retreating in humiliation.

"Uh, hi Cupid," Sasami greeted, recovering from the awkward scene.

"Sasami. What are you doing here?"

"Shopping of course, silly," she teased, dangling a basket of items in front of her. "Looks like you're doing the same."

"Yeah… or trying to, at least."

She walked over and peered into his cart.

"Um, do you have a sweet tooth?" she questioned, observing his collection of junk food.

"Now that you mention it…" Visions of forbidden cake with 'Only for Taki, not Cupid' inscribed in icing danced through his head. "I'm really bad at this, I think."

"I can teach you," she offered happily.

"Would you? That would be great," he replied, grateful for the lesson.

"The first rule of grocery shopping: never do so on impulse," she lectured. "You should make out a practical list of what you need before even leaving the house. Otherwise, you'll end up with, well… this." She nodded at the contents of Cupid's cart.

"I see," he stated, observantly.

"You'll want to make sure all your basic food groups are covered," she instructed. "I usually think about whether or not I'm running low on bread, milk, or eggs."

"Eggs! How could I possibly forget that?" he exclaimed in self-disappointment.

"No worries, just follow my lead," she said, placing her basket into his shopping cart. She took over the task of pushing it along as he walked beside her, feeling as if she had just rescued him from a cruel fate.

"I'm happy to see you again," he said.

She blushed. "I'm happy to see you again, too," she replied. "I'm sorry about the other day. The way I left the room, without even saying goodbye. Pretty lame, right?"

"You don't have to apologize. I understand."

"Also, I'm sorry for last night. Yugi told me what happened. I had no idea she'd go and do something like that."

"Yugi," Cupid said, recalling their odd exchange. "She's different, for sure. But it was ok. I think she's cool."

Sasami was relieved that he didn't seem put off by the awkward events of the week. She thought back on what Yugi said about the outcome of their scuffle and remembered he wasn't quite normal in his own right. "Cupid… are you from Earth?" she asked as she reached out to grab a carton of milk.

He looked at her, somewhat surprised by the question but supposed it was only natural for her to come to such a conclusion. He chose the honest answer. "I'm not," he said finally. "At least not this version of it."

"Hmm?" She looked at him with palpable confusion. "What does that mean, exactly?"

"To be honest, I don't know yet," he answered, a bit solemnly.

"I see." Sasami gazed at him compassionately. "You know, I'm from a different place too," she admitted. "Me, Yugi, almost everyone at the Masaki residence."

"Can't say that surprises me, no offense," he said. Suddenly, something else about her admission caught his attention. "Wait a minute. Did you say the Masaki residence?"

"Yes, that's right," she answered, curiously.

Cupid laughed at the irony. "The whole reason I came to Okayama was to seek out the Masaki residence. I can't believe I found it without even realizing."

"Find us?" Sasami questioned. "Why?"

"I need answers about how to find my way back home."

"Does that mean you're stuck here?"

"Seems so…"

"That must be terrible," she said woefully. "But you had the right idea. If anyone would know how to help you, it's Washu. I'm sure she'll figure something out."

"Who?"

"I have an idea!" Sasami said suddenly. "I'm cooking a big dinner for everyone in the house tomorrow. You should come! I'll introduce you to everyone and we'll see about finding an answer for you."

"Yeah, that sounds like a plan," Cupid agreed, optimistically.

"Great, I can't wait!" She smiled at him, endearingly, rousing something within his heart that he'd never felt from anyone else.

He smiled back, wishing he could tell her how beautiful he thought she was. He fought the urge, heeding the advice of his conscience. They continued exploring the aisles together, staying close to one another as she tutored him in the finer points of grocery shopping. Just like that, a chore that seemed so overwhelming became intriguing and gratifying for Cupid. By way of her knowledge and patience, he'd found everything he needed to get through the week, and perhaps even a way back home.

Mournful of the inevitable conclusion of their time together, they found themselves in a reluctant parting ritual in front of the store.

"Thanks for your help," said Cupid. "I don't know what I would've done without you."

Hearing those words made Sasami feel contented. "You're very welcome."

"You know, I can walk you home if you'd like," he offered.

"I only need to walk down the road. Kamidake is waiting where no one can see. He's my ride back."

"Oh, ok then," he acknowledged, mildly disappointed.

"I'll see you tomorrow evening, right?" she reminded, as if to mitigate the letdown.

"Definitely. It's a date."

She grinned irrepressibly. "I look forward to it." They exchanged their goodbyes and she walked off along the sidewalk. She peeked back every so often, smiling to herself every time she found Cupid still standing there, watching after her. As she reached the corner of the street where she was meant to turn, she took one final look back. This time, he was gone. She scanned about, unable to see him beyond the traffic of people who strolled in and out of the store.

"Princess Sasami, is everything alright?" Kamidake called out from around the corner, posing as a statue in front of a smoke shop.

"Yes," she answered, still gazing longingly down the road. She turned toward her escort finally. "I'm ready to go."

"As you wish, Your Highness," he replied, angling himself parallel to the ground. She walked over and boosted herself up, taking a seat upon his wooden body. They lifted off into the air, en route to the Masaki household.


Yugi was lying back on the living room sofa, reading through one of Nobuyuki's old mangas from a collection he left at the house years ago. She heard the front door slam shut followed by a fray of shuffling feet. In a moment, Sasami came rushing into the room excitedly, grocery sack full of items folded in her arms.

"Yugi! You'll never guess what happened!"

"What?" Yugi sat up in addled attention.

"When I was out grocery shopping, I ran into Cupid! Can you believe it?" she exclaimed, cheerily.

"R-really?" Yugi's face lit up.

"Yes!" Sasami squealed. "And tomorrow he's coming to dinner!"

Yugi's heart fluttered. She didn't expect that she would see him again so soon. She struggled to keep her expression neutral, although she was overjoyed by the news.

"Today has been so great," Sasami went on as she plopped down next to Yugi on the sofa. "I taught Cupid how to shop. He really seemed lost. It was so cute! The whole time we walked around the store together, like, you know... a couple." She blushed.

Yugi began to feel discomfort in her chest. It wasn't quite anger, or annoyance. She began to realize it was jealousy brewing inside her.

"And then he asked to walk me home. That was sweet, right? I kind of wish Kamidake wasn't there. I could have spent more time with him," she said regretfully. "I can't wait until tomorrow. I'm going to make something I'm sure he'll like! Oh, maybe we'll have time to sit by the lake together and get to know more about each other. And I can show him the shrine and—."

"I like him too!" Yugi blurted out, unable to hold back any longer. Sasami stared at her in shock.

"Yugi?" she uttered, not sure she heard her correctly.

"I… I like Cupid too," Yugi repeated. "I'm sorry."

Sasami sat wide-eyed, absorbing the revelation. "I don't understand," she said, finally. "How did this happen?"

"I don't know." Yugi answered, fraught with guilt. "I met him and… I felt happy around him. I didn't mean for it to happen."

Sasami placed her bag down and sat silently in a daze.

"Are you upset?" Yugi asked her.

Sasami's brow furrowed with vexation. "I don't know what to feel. I think I'm a little upset, yes…"

"Sasami, I'm sorry," Yugi repeated, worriedly. "I was trying to help but…"

"I didn't ask you to go see him," Sasami interrupted, her scorn becoming more apparent. "I could have handled it in my own way. Just like today when we met at the store. It would have all worked out, one way or another."

Yugi sat quietly, not sure that anything she could say right now could ease the tension. Sasami glared wordlessly at the coffee table in front of her. Though trying to stay composed, her chest heaved in short, labored breaths, indicating that she was sulking. Just as Yugi thought it might be best if she left the room, Sasami spoke once more.

"I don't own him," she said. "I don't even know if anything will come of me meeting him. Also, I can't claim that my feelings for him are anymore valid than yours."

"Sasami, I—."

"I'm not finished," she said sternly. "We're best friends. Nothing will ever change that. But I want you to know… I will not sit idle and let you win."

Yugi was flustered. She'd never seen this side of Sasami before but she was glad. "I understand," she replied. "I accept your challenge."

"He's mine!" shouted Ayeka, tumbling violently into the room, embroiled in a grappling match with Ryoko. They rolled across the living room floor, tugging at each other's hair.

"I'm going to marry Tenchi!" Ryoko retorted, putting Ayeka into a submission hold. "It's only a matter of time but we all know it's going to happen!"

In the same manner as they entered, they went tumbling back out of the room, into another area of the house. Sasami and Yugi sat there in collective chagrin.

"No matter what," Sasami stated, "let's never let it come to that."

"Agreed," Yugi concurred.