Standard disclaimer
Snow is a very overrated thing when it simply never goes away. Well its time for another slightly delayed chapter of this story. Somehow it just feels better to write this one in this fashion. Oh well, hope you don't mind, and if you do…well sorry it happened. Oh and be careful of the mountains of snow, seriously mountains of the stuff around here.
X-X
Or Get Off the Pot
Chapter – 12
Dropping her change of cloths for the day, and her little friend, into her basket, Kitsune gave her window a long stare. One of the benefits of being her own boss was mornings like this. The dorm was empty, with the exception of Tsuruko possibly, she got a great night sleep, and she could move at her own pace. With her current workload completed, it was going to be a long day of relaxing and catching up with a few old friends. The plan at the moment was simple: take a bath, release some pent up frustration, and meet her old high school friends for lunch and not necessarily in that order.
"I can feel it. It's in the way he talks, walks, and everything about him. He's going to make his choice soon," Kitsune put her palm to the warm glass of her window. Scooping up her basket she opened her door with her foot as she held her clothing over her little friend. For the last two days, ever since his little overnight outing with Tsuruko, Keitaro had a different aura about him. Definitive, relaxed, and oddly sober and everybody saw it. "Stupid lug looks like he has the weight of the world on his shoulders," sadly Kitsune knew to him it was just as such.
Spinning around in mock ballerina twirls as she moved, Kitsune felt light as air and twice as happy. Oh that kiss last night, searching, probing, and totally unexpected left her all tingling. Hence her battery operated friend was taking the trip to the onsen with her. She wasn't a child, but somehow she felt a little silly hiding her adult cravings. "I'll have to thank Tsuruko, whatever happened on that date of theirs really did him a world of good," she bounced down the stairs.
While Keitaro hadn't been depressed or gloomy, Kitsune could see something was eating at him. Well that changed when he came back that morning, he said it was due to him drinking too much and knowing his tolerance Kitsune fully believed it. "This place is so peaceful when nobody is here," she quipped as she reached for the door to the onsen and pulled it wide. Taking a brisk step it, Kitsune was to deep into a little fantasy of her pulling Keitaro into her room the previous night rather than letting him escape to notice Tsuruko leaving.
After the brief and blinding pain subsided of colliding heads, Tsuruko's palm messaged a small lump. "I believe it quite ironic to walk into the only other person in the residence, do you not agree Konno-kun?" the stately woman stumbled back two steps as she recovered. "Oh Spirits, I made you drop your garment bin," she commented at the disheveled upturned basket.
Oh hell that hurt, stupid gargantuan woman being so much taller than her mashed her nose in! Stumbling back against the doorframe, Kitsune gingerly wiggled her nose with her fingers. The pain subsided quickly, but wow did her eyes water. "Guess I was too deep in my happy place to notice you, that and you're so damn quiet," Kitsune sounded just as curt as she wanted. Tsuruko did Keitaro a service, and in that respect did her a service, but Kitsune still wasn't going to trust Motoko's sister totally.
Bending at the knee, Tsuruko deftly filled the spilled wicker basket. "It is a trait I trained very long and hard to perfect, Konno-kun. Though I do see how it is out of place here," her voice wafted like the wind through the leaves. "And you do seem to be quite chipper this morning, has something transpired that you've kept secret, or was your duping Manager-san into that little kiss still lingering on your mind," Tsuruko's left eye was shut but her right was open the tiniest accusing bit.
Taking the basket from Tsuruko, Kitsune snorted loudly. Figures the damn ninja woman would have heard her calling out to Keitaro as he headed to bed, only person that could have. But since the woman said nothing at breakfast, who knows why she dropped that bomb. "That is part of it, sorry but I'm not stepping down for your sister, and I'm going to meet some girlfriends of mine I haven't heard from in ages today. So all around I'm feeling wonderful," her angry tone matched the sentiment however. That was when she noticed her plastic friend laying squarely on top of her cloths glaring at her in the morning light.
Gliding past Kitsune, her Gi already tied yet her hair still smelled faintly of shampoo and moisture, Tsuruko clicked her tongue. "Why would I expect you to not aim for the one you love? Manager-san appears to be a very nice man. And do not try and hide your needs, Konno-kun. We are both women, or do you suspect that I am devoid of all feminine qualities?" she put her hand to her chest in mock shame.
Heading towards the shelves, Kitsune put her basket down and spun on her heels. "I don't know what to expect from you really, Tsuruko. You come here one day out of the blue, just when Motoko and I get into this little tiff over Keitaro. And you expect me to believe you're not trying to help Motoko get him? I mean for all I know when you went out with him the other day, all you did was fill his mind with how wonderful Motoko is and how great it would be for him to be part of the family!" Kitsune seethed. It had gotten to the point, hiding her suspicion wasn't going to help, and having her damn itch thrown in her face wasn't helping her think straight.
Tsuruko simply nodded twice with her eyes shut. "Very understandable concerns, Konno-kun, but if you knew Motoko and my relationship you would know they are unfounded," a deepness almost remorse filled the woman. "I wish only for her to do what she thinks is right, but under her own power. Winning the battle over Manager-san's heart for her would do her no good. She will have to fight that battle alone," her eyes opened slowly but did not betray any inner doubt.
It felt like an ice block in her chest melted and shifted away. Kitsune did know Motoko and her sister had a strained relationship, but had only heard Motoko's side. It all made a sort of sense, once Kitsune saw it from the other side. "So what DID you do with Kei-chan that got him off that depression kick of his?" that Kitsune wanted to know, and if possible replicate for her own benefit.
Twirling around, her hair sending out small traces of water, Tsuruko held her hand to her cheek and laughed. "I offered him a sympathetic ear mostly. Manager-san is taking this choice of his very seriously, something I can see you are as well. That along with a pleasant meal, an adult beverage, and a full night of hot sweating animalistic lovemaking left not only Manager-san but myself in greatly improved spirits," Tsuruko didn't increase her pitch a single octave.
For a moment, Kitsune's heart stopped and her breath locked in her throat. Then she opened her mouth and let out gales of laughter. It was a joke! Had to be, who knew Motoko's sister was such a story teller. "You almost had me there! I believe all of it but the last, so I'll thank you. We all want to be there for him, but with things as they are, who'd believe we were going as friends," wiping a tear from her eye, Kitsune's other hand fell into her basket and her tool.
Her head jerking to the side quickly, Tsuruko gazed at the stairs. "Yes, quite, the Spirits are funny are they not? Now if you excuse me, I believe I heard a sound in Manager-san's room," the woman vanished without another word.
It was tense, but to a degree Kitsune felt herself liking that crazy woman. Picking her friend up, she had only accidentally called it Kei-chan twice since she felt her emotions turn for the man, looked at it for a good ten seconds and put it back in the basket. "Maybe tonight, I'm not in the mood anymore," it came and went at times so it wasn't a big shock. Taking off her cloths she wrapped a towel around herself and headed into the onsen.
Greeted immediately by the familiar stench of sulfur, she took a deep breath and put a foot in the water. Perfect as usual, just like the grounds around it. So much work Keitaro put into something he could never use, it was unfair. "Maybe I'll schedule some private time for us in here," she smiled and dropped her towel and slid into the bath.
Submerging herself up to her neck, Kitsune rested her head against the lip of the bath with a content grunt. Private time was a wonderful thing, being a wage-slave was never her lot in life. Her confidence in her writing bolstered, she'd thank Keitaro one way or another for triggering that, Kitsune no longer threw her life to chance. She'd write, write, and write some more. Articles were one thing, but she was thinking bigger now, bolder. What about books? She had plenty to write about, fiction and non, so why not?
A good twenty minutes of soaking and plotting later, Kitsune's near slumber was ruptured by the sound of somebody in the changing room. Standing up tall, Kitsune climbed out of the onsen, and called out, "That you Tsuruko? Didn't forget anything in here did…you?" she almost didn't finish her statement. It wasn't Tsuruko it was Keitaro! "K-Kei-chan aren't you supposed to be at the university?" she quickly looked around for her forgotten towel. When he didn't pass out or nosebleed, well she let it stay where it was.
The push broom fell from his hands as the man took several long strides towards the nubile flesh before him. "Let out early, came back to get some work done," he quickly reached out for her and wrapped his arms around her. "Did I interrupt?" his tone was soft, almost impossible to hear.
Something was off, but Kitsune just couldn't figure it out. "Course not, w-was thinking of asking you to join me some time. Not fair that you never get to use this place," he was so close to her! He wasn't shy as he used to be, but Keitaro often made sure a good few feet were between them, well when they weren't practicing for the wedding night. "S-something to tell me?" she said huskily. What else could it be, he was so bold, so forward! He made his choice, he choose her! What else could this be?
"Why, whatever do you think I've to tell you?" he quipped lightly before agonizingly slowly moving his hand to the back of her head. "Kitsune?" he drawled out slowly before lightly kissing her lips.
Kitsune? Keitaro stopped calling her that when they were alone ages ago! He always called her Kit-chan, or Kitty that one time she showed her how deft his fingers could be. And his lips were thinner, hands smoother and with smaller fingers. No, something wasn't right here at all. But she melted almost all the same, the doubts were present, but she wanted to believe it. That was, until another sound came from the changing area.
"Oh Konno-san, I received a call from the university," the older woman's voice rang through the onsen like a bullet.
Moments later, Keitaro broke apart from her, recaptured his broom, and quickly stammered, "I've got to go." Without another moment to spare the man seemingly leapt the fence running.
Grabbing her towel, Kitsune wrapped it around herself and felt at her lips. "What the fuck was that?" she asked aloud. Tsuruko didn't answer that, but simply told her Naru was going to be late coming home.
X-X
While she didn't want to feel superior, Motoko was having a hard time taking Sakura's attempt at a spar seriously. The girl was talented, no doubting that, but when stacked against Tsuruko and lately Keitaro her telegraphed attacks were laughable. But Sakura was one of her few friends outside the dorm so Motoko humored the girl in a little match. She'd head home afterward, hopefully without Sakura in tow as to much of the girl did grate on her nerves, hero worship left a bad taste in her mouth.
"So do you see my improvement?" Sakura huffed out despite being winded. Her right fight inched forward with what might have surprised a lesser student. Tightening her hands on her bokken, Sakura licked her lips as her chest hammered with each labored breath. "I've been practicing a lot with the other girls, Hikari and Taro," her head bobbed and her eyes went over Motoko's form.
Closing her eyes, Motoko foresaw what would happen next. An overhead slash, followed by a back step, and ending with a side slash. The hope was the first attack would leave her stunned so Sakura could score a point by the side blow. Amateurish, but effective against unsuspecting opponents, but Motoko would have pressed the over head attack again forcing her opponent to the ground, then end with a kick or jab to the throat.
But being honest would only impair her friends drive to improve, best to encourage the enthusiasms while defeating the maneuver. "Your footwork is much improved, Sakura. I would question the grip you use, but if it suits your needs I will not," she let her blade wobble, enticing her opponent to attack. Funny how a tactic Keitaro showed her, on accident she hoped, had found its way into her repertoire.
Just as Motoko predicted, Sakura lunged forward with her bokken high over head coming down with a mighty swing. When she connected with her sempai's blade, her smile was triumphant. When Motoko spun and knocked not only her blade from her hand but sent her to the ground with a foot to the waist, her smile was no longer present. Her vision spinning around as she lay on her back she coughed harshly, "Guess my plan wasn't to foolproof. I thought I had you."
Reaching down with her left hand, Motoko quite beside herself laughed a little. "Had I been Hikari or Taro it would have likely worked. But I've seen that type of attack before and knew how to counter it," she hoisted the girl up and blew at a lock of hair that had fallen before her eyes. When Sakura continued to hold her hand, she felt a sudden uncertainness, "Something wrong Sakura?"
Holding on just a moment longer, Sakura blushed and shook her head violently. "No-no, just a little out of sorts I guess. You have time for another round or are you off to lunch?" she bent over as she tried to regain her precious oxygen. "I-I'd be game for either though, unlike you, I'll need a shower after this little match," it wasn't envy but pure adoration in her voice.
A smidge of pain in her head reminded her that she had forgone breakfast that morning to spend a few moments alone with Keitaro without Kitsune or her sister around. It wasn't a very romantic moment, they didn't need to be, she simply wanted to talk and be around him. "I believe I'll have to pass on an other spar, and as I'm quite famished I'll be headed to the cafeteria now," she bowed her head slightly and turned to leave. And would have, had she not found her hand again captured by Sakura's.
Waiting for her breathing to settle, and Motoko to acknowledge her act, Sakura's eyes were fierce yet wavering. "Motoko-sempai, lately you've been so…I don't know…radiant and glowing. I-I-if you would favor me a moment, I've something to ask you, something important?" oh how she pleaded with her eyes and body language.
Groaning mentally, Motoko didn't really wish to dally any longer with Sakura, their friendship was light at best. But if Keitaro could favor her with his precious time, who was she to deny another the same request. "What is on your mind?" the more probing question she left unasked was 'why are you still holding my hand?' Again that cold and uncertainty rose in her chest, the look on Sakura's face was what she figured hers looked like when she confessed to Keitaro.
Bashfully looking away, finding a few eyes on them, Sakura lead Motoko by the hand to a more secluded spot closer to the woman's changing area. "Motoko-sempai, over the course of the year I've trained with you, talked with you, and I believe bonded with you. I see your reaction to males is much as mine is, and I was wondering…would you…could you ever consider seeing me as more than a friend?" Sakura clasped both of her hands around Motoko's as she confessed.
Sakura was confessing her feelings to her? Is that how she actually came across to others? A lesbian or man hating female? While she did make it known she held men to high standards, so far only one lived up to them, but she didn't think she was so harsh as to make people question her sexual orientation. Though what options were there to those who didn't truly know her? Either you favored men or women, and with her actions Motoko had to agree that those who didn't truly know her would think…
Gradually, Motoko freed her hand from Sakura's and noted the dejected expression filling up all of the girl's being. "You are a wonderful friend, Sakura. Well trained, speak pleasantly, and a beautiful woman," Motoko wasn't daft when it came to matters of appearance. Her own self hatred made others more attractive than herself in her mind. "But, somebody else is already in my heart. I am sure you will find somebody that makes you happy," she ran her crooked finger under Sakura's chin forcing the girl's head up.
Eyelashes blossoming in tiny buds of tears, Sakura failed miserably to smile. "I'm happy for you, Motoko-sempai. S-Sorry for putting you on the spot like this…I just wanted you to know…to know how I feel," without another word Sakura turned and ran deeper into the changing rooms.
For a moment, Motoko thought to follow and insure the girl was alright but it passed. "She is stronger than I to confess as she did," Motoko's hand clenched her blade as memories of her own botched confession wafted into her memory like a bad stench. Smacking her cheek with her free hand to banish the bad thoughts, the proud woman continued on her path out the door. In the distance she could see the school building proper, but more queerly she saw somebody waving at her by the utility shed.
"K-Kei-chan?" Motoko called out in shock as she recognized the man who currently held her heart in his hands. Giving the door to the gym a quick look, just in case anybody was watching, Motoko threw her image to the wind and ran towards the man. "Kei-chan, what are you doing here? If somebody were to see you they might question your intent for being here, and what about your job at the university?" oh how her lips betrayed her joy. He came to see her? Here of all places, and that could only mean good things.
In his white undershirt and unbuttoned green collared shirt, Keitaro just smiled his dopy grin and rubbed at the back of his head. "Got out early and I thought I'd stop by and see how you were, got a moment?" he casually gestured to the open utility shed and stepped just out of the way for Motoko to enter.
Privacy, seclusion, and in such a cliché place, Motoko's writers mind was running in overdrive. It was a scenario she read about in sappy romance novels, the ones she used as inspiration, and actually wrote about not three days ago. "I-I don't have much time before lunch ends, and-and I won't have time to shower or eat," but she was walking into the shed all the same. If he came here with love on his mind, it was a simple fact that he made up his mind, he chose her!
Shutting the door behind him, Keitaro leaned against the wooden divider. "Don't you love the ambient lighting these shacks have? Only sunlight through the vents," he slowly approached her and hugged her from behind. "You don't mind my coming do you? Don't mind being with me in here?" he whispered into her ear.
She felt a spike of bliss wiggle from her earlobe down to her solar plexus. Damn him for knowing just how to push her buttons, lovable buffoon. "For you, Kei-chan I would be willing to skip many lunches," she reached up and ran her hand across his cheek. Odd, it wasn't as warm as normal, and the contours felt strange, almost as if his cheekbone didn't match his face. Strange as she touched him many times and never got that impression. "S-Something to tell me?" she yelped as she felt his hand stroll over to her thigh.
Pulling her backward, away from the folded gymnastic mats, Keitaro bounced against the side of the wall with an audible thud. "What would I have to tell you, Motoko? Why don't you tell me what you think is my reason for coming?" he casually let his hand walk across Motoko's alabaster skin and start hiking up her skirt. "I'll reward you if you get it right," he dabbed his tongue against her neck.
Red flag! Keitaro was never that bold, but it felt so good, felt wonderful to have him hold her and pamper her like this! "You're here…to tell me you love me. To say you chose me over Otohime and Kitsune," she quivered as his hand brushed up against her panties. He had only been so bold twice, and each was seared into her memory. But again, her damn warriors mind rebelled! His hands were too small, his frame not quite right as she nestled against it. Something was horribly wrong here!
Moving up that one last inch, Keitaro's hand rested above Motoko's flower but stayed stationary. "Love, Otohime, Kitsune, and you," Keitaro's voice seemed disjointed almost terrified. "I…I…love," Keitaro's voice caught in his throat and a warbling to high pitched for a man wafted out.
A banging against the door interrupted the pair, sending Motoko rushing forward to avoid a compromising position. "Anybody in here want to stop what they're doing and help me put the pummel horse away?" the aged voice of the near retired gym teacher called out. Her voice instantly recognized by any of the students for its nail on a chalkboard qualities. Forcing the door open with the head of the tool, the woman peeked inside.
Taking the moment of confusion, Keitaro opened the door quickly and dashed out at speeds unseen before.
Her body heaving with unknown emotions and desires, Motoko fell against the doorframe and watched the man fleeing. "What was…who was…?" Motoko asked aloud. The gym teacher didn't answer, but thrust the dangling end of the pummel horse into her hands. When she got home, oh you better believe she had questions for Keitaro, and she wasn't going to relent till she got a satisfactory answer.
X-X
Stretching her arms far above her head, accidentally causing her satchel to bounce off the back of her head, Shinobu moaned in pleasure. It was always good to get out of school, and a good stretch felt wonderful. Stupid cleaning duty kept Aya, Suu, and her late but something had to be said about how pretty the school looked when bathed in the setting sun. Aside from the more oppressive atmosphere at the dorm, Shinobu was very pleased with her life.
"You didn't forget anything did you? The train doesn't run back here that would take you home from the dorm," Shinobu warned Aya as the pair continued walking. It was a rare occurrence, but Aya's parents had agreed to let the girl visit the dorm for the night. Her beau had told her something had come up so he wasn't walking with them, but some time apart wasn't going to kill them. "Oh! Just wait till you see Shippu! She's such a pretty bird," she drew her hands up to her cheek as she squealed.
Rifling through her own satchel, Aya stuck her tongue out as she felt around inside. Pulling out the hand, a tiny drop of red protruding from her finger, she stuck the digit in her mouth. "Stupid compass I always poke myself with it," she managed to say while covering her right index finger with saliva. "And I'm pretty sure I've got everything. Where is Suu-chan? Wasn't she going to wait for us?" Aya pulled her injured finger out of her mouth and gave it an approving review.
Checking her own bag as they wandered closer to the alleyway between the last two buildings, Shinobu paused. No homework today, good for playing around with Aya, her notebook of drawings, lunch box, and her pencil case equaled a full satchel and nothing behind. "I don't know she's been acting a little odd today. But with Suu-chan its stranger to see her quiet, maybe she's thinking about something?" she wondered aloud.
"Should we wait for her?" Aya leaned against the wall and watched a few of the students walk by. She followed a few of the boys with appraising eyes, finding a few worthy of note but didn't act on it. "And strange how? She was energetic as always during lunch, well except when Shinji-kun came over," she frowned a little as she finished.
Hissing as she sucked in air, Shinobu was hoping it was just her imagination and not a fact. Nothing was every easy was it? "I was hoping it was just my mind playing tricks on me, but yeah. I think she's feeling lonely, odd with how many people live at the dorm. But with Sempai being the focus of so much attention, and my relationship maybe she feels left out?" oh how Shinobu didn't like that. Suu was her friend, possibly her best, and didn't want to have to choose.
Rushing over to the duo, Suu leapt into the air, wrangled Shinobu, and spun around the girl until she was on the ground. "You guys! You'll never believe what I saw, but you have to be quiet!" Suu put her finger to her lips to emphasize. Going into a handstand, the spastic girl rushed off back towards the school proper. "It's got to do with Him!" she waggled her legs back and forth forming an X.
She was about to tell Suu to forget it until the mention of Shinji, then Shinobu was given reason to follow. He was a great boy, Shinobu loved almost every moment she spent with him, but her old self was still not dead. Shinobu was ages away from recognizing the truth about herself, but almost gone was the utter self loathing. But when she hung up some nights, or the conversation lapsed into a queer pause, she thought dark. Thought maybe she was taking things to slow, he was bored of her, or other countless worries.
"What did you see, Suu-chan?" Shinobu finally managed to say. Slaying the beast of self-hatred was a hard task, and if left alone the beast came roaring back. Standing up against Naru, Kitsune, and Motoko had been great training. But her life wasn't always going to be spent protecting Keitaro, though she would have wanted such. "He isn't hurt is he?" Suu didn't like him, but she'd never want him hurt.
Flipping over to her feet, Suu peeked around a corner to between the school and the dividing fence. "See for yourself, I saw it out the window on my way coming to meet you guys," Suu's forced whisper was nearly her normal tempo. Pointing her finger around the corner, Suu's smile was darkly surprising.
Her legs didn't want to cooperate with her, they felt like they'd been filled with lead. Shinobu wanted to look, wanted to see what got Suu in such an uproar, but at the same time she didn't. Her old self was screaming 'don't look!' and 'it's better to be ignorant of this!' With a scratchy and dry voice, "W-what is it?"
"Maybe we shouldn't look?" Aya alternated between Suu and Shinobu. Rubbing her hands to her biceps, Aya buzzed with frantic energy. A cloud blotted out the descending sun to show her pure white complexion, dashed with a smidge of perspiration. "He said he had something to do, maybe it's private?" cracks and sputters were the things of the moment.
Gripping the edge of the building, Shinobu felt the world drown out around her. Sounds dulled, the warm breeze was lost to her skin, and she stopped breathing. In a bold move she stepped out from the buildings shadow to see what had brought her here. A gasp, barely audible, left her lips as she dropped her satchel and she covered her mouth. It was him, Shinji, and some other girl. She had her arms around his neck and had him pressed against the wall. A lovers embrace maybe, sure looked like it from this distance? Was he cheating on her?
"I told you he was no good," Suu punched her hands together. "I say you forget that jerk and we can move on without him," she nodded to her own logic and put her hand around Shinobu's shoulders. Pulling the girl back into the safety of concealment, Suu looked peculiarly happy, "It's better this way."
Just let it go, it was bound to happen eventually. You knew this!
Shinobu's doubt was joyously reminding her over and over again. Her carefully created and constructed self esteem shattered and fell around her. Happiness, what she thought was happiness anyway and potentially love, were nothing but lies. Suu was right, just give up, give him up, and return to the nothing she was before. Letting Suu pull her along, Aya had collected her satchel, Shinobu felt tears brewing in her eyes.
Then it stopped. "NO!" Shinobu stomped her foot and spun around. "I won't let it end this way!" a fierceness so out of place yet fitting befell her. "Maybe the me from a year ago would have just walked away, but not the me now! He has to answer to me for this!" her tiny fists shook with righteous anger. "He made me happy! I made him happy! And I will not just let some harpy take my happiness from me!" Shinobu briskly waved Suu's hand off and walked back around the corner.
She still saw them, unmoving but they weren't kissing, Shinobu made a mental note of this. "Care to explain what is going on here?" she called out with all her courage behind her. A flame had been light inside her, started to defend her beloved Sempai, but now used to defend herself and what she wanted. "Shin-chan care to tell me why you have some girl all over you?" she asked as she neared. The girl was easily recognized as Chidori Uzuki from her class.
"Shinobu-chan!" the boy yelped out and slowly pushed the other girl away from him. "It-it's not what it looks like I swear!" he pleaded and took a step to put himself between Chidori and Shinobu.
Her fist shook and the urge to sock him was so hard to deny. He had hurt her, scratched up her heart and had the audacity to say it wasn't what it looked like? No! He deserved to be hurt too! Punch him, kick him, slap him, or send him flying just like Naru sent Keitaro so many…oh dear…oh my. When the shoe was on the other foot it wasn't a very easy answer was it.
Flexing her fingers quickly, Shinobu found it within herself to calm her inner rage. "What is it then? Why did you say you had something to do, but I find you with Chidori all over you," Shinobu's eyes pulled a Kitsune and narrowed to slits. Seeing Chidori opening her whore-mouth, Shinobu just pointed at her and said, "You talk after he talks, or not at all. I have nothing to say to you, and want to hear you even less."
Taking a step back, Shinji was visually unsettled by the new persona Shinobu was venting. Catching sight of Suu over Shinobu's shoulder, he pulled a note out of his pocket. "I-I got this note from Suu-chan to meet her here, but when I got here Chidori was here. She…well she hugged me and I froze up. You know me and touching aren't the best of friends…fo-forgive me?" he pleaded as he handed over the note.
Snatching the note, more forcefully than intended, Shinobu read the hastily scrawled words. Having read many of Suu's notes in the past, she recognized the near incomprehensible words. It was Suu's work alright, and all it said was to be behind the school at this time. If Shinobu were a betting woman, she'd have waged Chidori had a similar note. He was innocent, and it was all Suu's fears of being abandoned to blame.
"I forgive you if you forgive me," Shinobu finally said and crumpled up the note. Hugging the boy, she knew he forgave her the moment his arms wrapped around her. Strange for a boy, but endearing to Shinobu, her man had issues being touched, so to have such a big hug was a clear sign. "I'll talk to Suu-chan about this when I get home. As for you, get going and maybe I won't ask Suu to use you as a test subject as punishment," Shinobu glared again at the would be usurper.
Once the hug finally ended, Shinobu wasn't shocked to see Suu had fled, leaving Aya behind. It was going to be a long hard talk, but Shinobu was positive she could make it work. Making Suu understand that just because she had a boyfriend, didn't mean Suu was going to be tossed aside. Aya could help with that. Shinobu was done with being the meek girl, but she wasn't going to be cruel.
X-X
What had begun as a typical day for the manager of the Hinata dorms was quickly devolving into a menagerie of confusion and pain. Before he had left for his assistant job at the university he had a rather quaint talk with Tsuruko and played with Shippu. Lunch was a trifle boring eating alone in this borrowed office. But once the day ended and he found Mutsumi standing outside his classroom with a heart wrenching expression on her face, Keitaro's day turned upside down.
It took a good hour to calm the troubled girl down, and after her forth pint of Sapporo she once again was wearing her trademark grin. So, late already, the pair went out to get a bite to eat before heading back to the dorm for a further talk about just what sent the woman into a confused fit.
Opening the door to the door, Keitaro momentarily paused at the stillness of everything, not a good sign ever. "So you're telling me somebody who looked exactly like me hit on you?" Keitaro took his glasses off and cleaned them on his shirt. While having one near identical twin was odd, Lamba had been a real shock to see initially, having two was near impossible to believe. "And if he looked just like me, how did you know it wasn't?" he put the glasses back on and sure enough Mutsumi hadn't grown an alien antenna, so much for that hope.
From her place at his side, her arms wrapped around his left, Mutsumi hummed quizzically for a moment. Her eyes closed as her mind focused fully onto the question she had been asked. After every neuron fired in the glory of human thought, she gave her head one quick nod. "Your glasses gave him away," she said as if all the solutions to life's problems were held within.
Well that did him a great lot of good, but then again Keitaro was well versed in talking to his childhood friend. Simple was how Mutsumi worked, just understanding her version of simple was never quite so. Leading her up the stairs, again Keitaro was puzzled over the quite, nobody to greet him home? "So what about my glasses gave me away?" he asked before yelling, "Anybody home?"
Stumbling, either on purpose or accidentally was unknown, Mutsumi fully pressed herself against her guide. After Keitaro yelped and calmed down, the giggling woman let herself be lead again. "Well you remember when we were in your office the other day, the day you ate…" Mutsumi quickly found a hand over her mouth, this time she did not lick it away.
"Remember, Mu-chan, privacy is not only for your protection and good name, but to keep me safe too," Keitaro whispered through clenched teeth. The girls had been great about not attacking him the last few months, but loose lips sank ships. Hearing Mutsumi going on about his unexpected skill at cunalingus would likely not have been well received. "But yes," he squeezed her hand and basked in the memory, "I remember very fondly."
If Mutsumi's emotion were liquid it would have drowned the man as she quickly kissed him. Mutsumi was a simple creature, and Keitaro was able to fulfill all her needs perfectly. "Well, then you remember I took your glasses off and dropped them, sorry. Well they got scuffed up on the right side," she took said glasses off and pointed at the marks. Subtle swirls of grey and a faint white line along the fold marked a scuffle along a floor.
"You remembered that and saw it!" Keitaro cried out as they reached the top of the stairs. She just kept amazing him, sadly so did Kitsune and Motoko or his choice wouldn't be so hard. To notice such a tiny thing, yet remember it well enough to point it out on some clone of his was amazing. "Well, you saw me leaving the class, Mu-chan so that wasn't me. But I wonder, who it was then," he opened his door and again came to a full halt.
"Keitaro!" Motoko and Kitsune chorused from inside his room. Motoko was standing by his dresser while Kitsune was laying on his futon. "What were you thinking today?" they again asked in unison.
"Oh did you see the clone too!" Mutsumi asked plainly as she dislodged herself from Keitaro's side. Finding the kotetsu quite inviting, she climbed under it and promptly lay on the table, eyes semi-glazed. "He tried kissing me while Kei-chan was working. Naughty man almost got me, but I saw though the ruse," she yawned loudly.
Pacing the room, Motoko neared Keitaro and poked him in the chest. "So it was a fake after all. When I get my hands on that…" she grunted and thrust her fists to the side and grabbed the Hina blade. "The rube beset me at the high school, I thought it was you save for a few telling issues," Motoko's pacing recommenced.
"Same for me, but he was a little more forward with me. Walked in on me in the bath," Kitsune sat up and grabbed her feet. "I was going to offer to have a nice shared bath with you, wash your back, but I'm glad Tsuruko interrupted before the bastard got a freebie," Kitsune winked playfully at Keitaro. "Question is, who would pretend to be you, and why?" she asked aloud as she reclined back on her hands.
A little uncomfortable to have so many women in his room, let alone women he had the curse of choosing between, Keitaro stayed close to the door. "The hell I know," he said bitterly. "I'm not a great man or anything, and I've not told a soul outside the dorm about the situation between us," those words brought three sets of eyes on him. The force of that look was almost enough to send him running. Time was almost up, this little clone issue only exacerbated things.
"Keitaro what are you doing in my room? Shouldn't you be…K-Keitaro?" Naru's voice could be faintly heard above the quartet. All of them gazed up at the small circular hole that separated them from Naru and the would be Keitaro stand-in. "You shouldn't…no…I-I-I thought…" a small yelp was the last audible thing that was heard.
Leaping to the kotetsu, Motoko skillfully avoided Mutsumi's still lumbering head. "I'll go ahead, Kitsune you follow. Kei-chan you take Otohime-sempai and follow up the stairs. We'll over power and subdue the beast, but if he tries to escape from the stairs you catch him!" Motoko found Kitsune already at her side. Grabbing her rival's hand for a moment of solidarity, Motoko leapt up through the hole.
Not wasting anytime, Keitaro quickly followed through with Motoko's plan. His pulse was pounding between his ears, his palms sweaty, and his body felt unable to settle. Something was going on, something very wrong, and they were going to solve it. Helping Mutsumi to her feet, the duo rushed as fast as Mutsumi's condition would allow. He listened carefully, but heard little from their destination.
Tracing his hand along the wall as he neared the door, Keitaro thought he heard Mutsumi say something, but his adrenaline made understanding impossible. All he could think was simply that this was some how his fault. Mutsumi hinted enough at the notion at the clone made her think he had chosen her over the other two. Motoko and Kitsune wouldn't have been waiting together in his room had they not thought the same. Damn postponing the inevitable had lead to a greater confusion than necessary!
Getting to the right of Naru's door, Keitaro nudged Mutsumi to the left, if something was going to happen, Keitaro was going to have it hit him first. "On three…one-two-THREE" he yelled and opened the door. Rushing in, Mutsumi leaning against his back, Keitaro's breath was stolen at the scene. "What in the hell?" he asked as he skidded to a stop. Motoko had what appeared to be him at sword point, Kitsune was at Naru's side, and the oddest thing of all Naru was on her bed with her top and bra up under her chin exposing her chest for all the room to see.
The following moments were a blur of action that Keitaro would later credit for his need to act. Motoko spun on her heels, first eyeing Keitaro, the clone, Naru, and finally settling back on Keitaro. Seeing her hands shaking, Keitaro knew what was going to happen and actually didn't fault Motoko for the over reaction.
"NO!" Motoko screamed as she lashed out in confusion, fear, and anger. The Hina blade swung expertly at the wrong target.
In that moment of perfect recollection, Keitaro felt his body moving. He could sense Mutsumi moving in the unneeded act to protect him, so he had to move quickly. Spinning around, wrapping the objecting Mutsumi in his arms, Keitaro felt the blow against his back. Flying across the room, the very skills Motoko instilled in him helped save Mutsumi from any harm. Rotating in the air, Keitaro felt the wall smash against his back, and the cue de grace was Mutsumi's head colliding with his.
The pain wasn't even that bad, but the blow to the head filled his vision with darkness. On a scale of one to ten, one being a slap from Mutsumi and ten being the most pissed Naru punch he'd ever received, he'd give Motoko's blow a three. But before his conscious faded, Keitaro heard two different voices shouting.
The first came from the hallway and was undoubtedly Tsuruko, "MOTOKO-HAN!"
On the other hand, the voice screaming from Naru's room was a shock for Keitaro's mind to accept. It was his sisters! "ONI-CHAN!" But as the voices mixed together in a flurry of emotions, Keitaro let himself take the cowards way out and fainted.
X-X
Sitting on the couch between Motoko and Kanako, Haruka wanted a drink more than ever in her life. Tsuruko called her up to the inn not twenty minutes ago, and she still had no idea what the hell was going on. Motoko had a bag of ice pressed to her left eye, Kanako was nursing a small cut to her arm, and the other girls were just in shock. Shinobu was up with what she was told was an unconscious Keitaro. What a great way to end a day that had been tame till this point.
"So who is going to start talking? I want answers that I'll believe and I want them now," a vein in Haruka's forehead throbbed. Not liking to smoke around the younger girls, Haruka's cigarette was unlit, but her teeth mashed the filter into a very foul tasting putty. "Kanako, when did you even get into town and why?" she eyed Granny's little helper very carefully. It wasn't that Haruka disliked Kanako, it was that she hardly knew the girl anymore.
Her own continence was grim with its lack of expression, but Tsuruko grunted and bounced the hilt of her sword against the ground. "Motoko-han, explain yourself first so maybe you can retain some shred of honor. You attacked an unarmed and defenseless civilian, and in the process almost hurt a non-combatant. What lead you to make such a terrible course of action?" such ferocity mixed into Tsuruko's otherwise gentle tone.
For twenty seconds Motoko did and said nothing, just robotic breathing. After a long shutter, she shifted the ice bag on her eye and her mouth opened. Deadpan, without even the most basic tenants of human emotion, "I panicked and did not know what came over me. I saw Urashima over the semi-nude Narusegawa and all my fears rushed to mind. I believed Keitaro was playing with my feelings, I thought he was going to bed Naru. Stupid as I knew it was a lie, but when I saw the second, the real Keitaro rush in…I didn't want him to see Naru like that, didn't want him to see that Naru would let him do. I feared he'd return to his feelings for her. I have shamed myself and our family," Motoko's head hung limply to her chest.
"I don't know much about that, hun, but I agreed with Motoko," Kitsune shrugged reluctantly. Squirming in her chair as the room turned to her, Kitsune flinched at Naru's baleful look. "Look Naru, you're my best friend and I love ya like a sister, but I love Keitaro like a man. I know he took your rejection hard, we all do. But to see you like you were…you were going to let that bitch have her way with you. If Kei-chan saw that…he'd be even more confused than he is already," Kitsune swirled a cup of intoxicant in her hand.
"That doesn't explain why Motoko's got a black eye and Kanako looks like she ran through a barbwire bush," Haruka covered her eyes with her hand. Perfect, just bloody perfect, she leaves the dorm alone for a little while and a love dodecahedron happily forms in her absence. Well this had to stop, one way or the other, before the dorm got destroyed. "Kanako, I haven't heard from you yet," Haruka nudged the silent black clad shinobi at her side.
Her fists balled on her lap, Kanako was visually full of fury. "Granny Hina sent me to help oni-chan run the inn while he has his other job. I've heard the rumors of his abuse from various outsiders and I wanted to confirm it. I impersonated oni-chan to gauge the hussies reactions. Then that one attacked him while that one was about to corrupt him," Kanako pointed at Motoko and Naru respectively. "Once she hurt him, I went to protect him," her tone softened a trifle.
"Hussy? You…you touched my…you lied to me in the guise of the man I love and…" Motoko's spirit was rekindled. Leaping to her feet, the bag of ice falling away revealing her swollen shut left eye, Motoko would have pounced Kanako had Tsuruko not grabbed her. "You humiliated not only myself but Kitsune and Otohime as well, and you have the gall to speak this way to us?" Motoko bucked against Tsuruko's grip several times.
With one arm around Naru, Mutsumi was perplexed. "Mo-chan has a point, Kanako-chan, what you did to us was unfair and cruel. We all love Keitaro, but we wanted to be patient and allow him to make his choice without regret. You gave us the impression that he had chosen us." Rubbing her hands up and down the silent Naru, Mutsumi gave the quiet girl a worried glance. "What Na-chan did was just answer her heart, she is to late, but she should not be looked down upon for it," a brief hug later held no change in Naru's state.
Forcing Motoko into the chair she had occupied, Tsuruko paced around the crowded living room. The dim light from the one lamp played wonderful games with the woman's colors and shadows. "You had honorable intentions, child, but how you went about it is criminal," Tsuruko's words slithered out, dangerously and without regret. "A great deal more needs to be learned about this event, and just how punishment should be doled out to all involved," Tsuruko fixed Motoko in place with another stare. "But for now I say we…Manager-san!" Tsuruko's comment was lost as Keitaro entered the room.
Great, just throw more fire on the bonfire! Haruka's stomach clenched as ice water flowed through her veins. The room became silent, all eyes went to the man and his sad smile. "Keitaro, you shouldn't be up right now," and oh shit she did see a bag over his shoulder. Dare she hope he was going to finally put an end to this madness? To be fair, she should have known more about this, should have paid more attention rather than sit back and hope things worked themselves out.
Gripping his bags strap on his shoulder, Keitaro reaffixed its balance. "I don't know what's happened to cause this whole mess. I don't know if I want to, but I know I've put this off to long," he swiveled to get a good look at all the women that vied for his affections. "If I had been quicker to make my mind up, this might not have happened, but I wasn't so it did. But now…now I'm going to end it," heading to the exit, he stopped in the doorframe. "I'm going to go away for a few days, and when I come back, I'll have my answer," he did at least look apologetic.
Turning to Haruka he continued, "Could you watch over the dorm, Kana-chan can you help her till I get back? Sorry to put so much on you when you first got here, but from what Shinobu-chan told me…you're responsible for a lot of it." He waggled his finger menacingly before breaking down and smiling his forlorn smile. "It is…it is nice to see you again, we'll catch up when I get back," he addressed his wayward adopted sister.
As the four girls address got to their feet to protest, Haruka cleared her throat loudly. "You will sit down and let him go!" even now Haruka was proud of her commanding tone. The girls listened, while Naru still did nothing. "I'll watch the dorm, Kanako will help, and their will be NO fighting while you're away. Do I make myself clear?" Haruka spat out her ruined cigarette. It was a dramatic move, but Haruka was proud of Keitaro for making it. The man was finally facing reality, facing the truth he had ran from. Good for him.
"Yes, Mana…Keitaro-san, I will insure that this facility is in a state of peace while you do what you must," Tsuruko's head bowed slightly. Briskly moving across the room, she brought the man into a gentle yet friendly embrace. "May the Spirits guide you to what you must do, and you will find your home ready to embrace you when you return," she wafted back over to Haruka and winked at her friend.
With a wave, Keitaro walked out of the living room and a few moments later the door was heard opening and closing. The oddity of Tsuruko's little act didn't go unmissed by Haruka, Haruka just didn't understand a lick of it. "Alright, time for all good girls to go to bed. Kanako I'd say use Keitaro's room, but with what you did to Narusegawa that doesn't seem right. You'll bunk with me at the tea house tonight and we'll find you a place tomorrow," she grabbed the girl of a thousand faces and propelled her out of the room. Tsuruko would have to tend to the other girls.
One big can of worms had been opened this night, or maybe the can had been open for a long time and just ignored. "Kanako, you're lucky Keitaro is forgiving, but those other girls aren't. You might have made enemies of all of them," she groaned as she continued pushing the reluctant girl. Thankfully Kanako didn't reply, Haruka didn't want to hear it anyway. She just hoped that Tsuruko and her vow to Keitaro held true. The dorm was going to be lively as a beehive thanks to Kanako's terrible idea. But when Keitaro did come back, well the changes then would be life changing.
X-X
Notes
Yeah moving closer to the end. I like the Kanako character, but to prolong things in this story would just be pointless padding. Padding has its place, but not here I feel. I hope you understand where I came from with this chapter, and aren't to pissed at it. As for the ending, again I'm sure you'll all be happy and call me a sell out…I'll drop the pretense and just say it here.
Multiple endings. Yeah its corny and a bad writing tactic, but know I'm honestly not doing it to placate you my readers, I do really appreciate you guys (girls?), just know the idea for multiple endings comes from the fact I can honestly see all the endings I've planned working honestly for this story.
Oh well, I'm sure some of you will be pissed at the copout, others will be happy cause that increases the chance of seeing the ending you want.
Oh well, LATER!
Mercaba