Author's Note: Thanks to a complaint, ahem, that I got from a certain reader of mine about my semi-lemon scenes, I suppose that means I'm writing those horribly. To that reader, you won't have to worry, because there won't be any more of those, at least not in this story. One more thing, you should be careful how you distinguish constructive criticism from flames. Know where to draw the line. I'm sorry to force the rest of you to read this if the reader I'm talking about isn't you; please continue on and I hope that you will enjoy this chapter.
Bloody Roar III: Reunited by Chance, a Reflection of the Past
By Tiger5913
Chapter 16
Another Recollection Arises
A night of bliss occurs, binding
Together their hearts and souls.
The morning following the events
Lead to a wanted reunion, but gets
Interrupted by an unexpected revelation.
Mmmm…
Lazily stretching her arms over her head, Uriko allowed her eyes to remain closed as she let out a yawn. Her long black lashes fluttered against the lower part of her eyes when she blinked, wincing at the bright sunlight that met her vision. Shifting her position a bit, she smiled as a feeling of vague tenderness graced her body, letting her skin feel soft. Her hair, let down loose after the shower she had taken the previous night, was spread out upon the upper portion of her bed, the silky brown strands tickling her cotton pillow.
Yawning again, she slowly turned to her side, her arm grazing a warm part of the figure lying next to her. Feeling slightly confused; she sat up on her behind and glanced over at the space on her bed that was presently occupied.
"Oh!" she gasped; covering her mouth with her hand as she suddenly remembered the events that had happened the night before.
In surprised instinct, the young woman hopped out of her bed and immediately regretted it when her bare body met the chilly air of morning. "Damn it!" She muttered, shivering as she quickly hopped over to her dresser for an outfit to change into.
Good thing Kenji closed the door last night before my massage… or else that might have interfered with us… with our… she blushed at the thought.
"…Need this?" a voice behind her piped up timidly.
The auburn-haired teenager whirled around to see her fiancé sitting up in bed, her pale blue bathrobe in his outstretched hand. Blushing even more fiercely, she murmured, "thanks…" and took the robe, slipping into it with modesty and tying the knot around her waist securely.
"Riko, I… Err… Do you… um…" he trailed off.
Uriko gave him a shy smile and went over to sit down by the bashful ninja. "I don't regret it… if that's what you're trying to ask."
Hope I wasn't utterly horrible for a first-timer… His grin a bit shaky, Kenji embraced her tightly and whispered into her ear, "Thank you…"
"For what…?"
Unknown to her, he blushed as well. "For… for the… event that we shared…"
Her smile grew wider. "I…really loved it."
"Riko… you are my first," her companion told her. My first everything… he thought silently to himself. You are so… special to me…
Pressing the side of her cheek against his dark blue hair, she replied softly, "And vice versa…"
'When you love, you're not alone…' the blue-haired teenager remembered a part of the song. I'm not alone… Uriko's song is right… Wait…our song…
Smiling, the young woman pulled back slightly and stroked her fingers through his tousled blue hair. "I bet even your hair looks better than mine right now," she said with a teasing giggle.
"But I like your hair…" her fiancé protested with a smile, leaning toward her and kissing a portion of her long brown bangs. "It's beautiful… and silky, too…"
Pink began flushing on her cheeks. "Thanks…"
Just as the couple was closing the space between them for a kiss, a soft, but firm voice was sounded, mewing outside of the bedroom door.
Uriko pulled away and her eyes widened. "Oh, it's Kineko!"
"Did I…lock her outside?" Kenji asked, looking a bit sheepish.
"I think she got out of my room before I went to take a shower…" she answered, getting up and walking across the room. "Mother says that every cat needs their own private time, so I usually keep my door opened. That way, she can come and go as she pleases." Reaching the door, the Kenpo student turned the knob and pulled it inward as the small black kitten came trotting in.
"Mrrrowlll…" Kineko mewed, tilting her head while her wide yellow eyes flickered upon Kenji.
"Hi kitty…" Uriko greeted warmly, bending down to ground level and carefully scooping the cat up into her arms. "Sorry that you had to be stuck out there all night." She paused briefly to gently nuzzle the feline's head with her hand. "Was it cold?"
"Prowllll…" the kitten purred, rubbing her head more fiercely against her owner's palm. Stopping after a little bit, she looked over at the ninja in curiosity and mewed at the female zoanthrope in question.
Uriko smiled. "Not used to seeing Kenji here and this time of day, huh?" Kineko purred her agreement, her thin, ebony-colored tail slowly swaying in the air.
This time of day, I'd probably be still sleeping in my room, waking up to Yugo and Alice's cute little 'breakfast routine'… The blue-haired teenager shook his head in a fond manner at the thought of his older brother and the nurse.
"What?" The young woman said in a playful tone, looking down at her cat. "You want to know if there'll be more times that Kenji stays over?"
At that mention, he blushed, but a part of him wished that he could… someday.
Looking up and catching the red on his face, she grinned teasingly. "Hmm… may-be…"
With that said, she gave a quick kiss to the top of the black kitten's head and set her down on the floor. Kineko scurried off down the hall, soon out of their sight.
"Aww, so Kineko gets a kiss and I don't?" Kenji pouted lightly, a small twinkle in his dark brown eyes letting his fiancée know that he was just teasing her.
Uriko lifted a finger to one of her lower eyelids and gently tugged it down, then stuck out the tip of her tongue at him: her former trademark. "Well that's 'cause she's cute!"
"Hey, and I'm not?" The ninja faked a sniffle and pretended to look hurt. "You're gonna make me cry… waahh…"
"Ohhh, my poor baby…" she shook her head but smiled. Going back to the bed, she wrapped him in a hug and whispered into his ear, "You're not cute because instead, you're handsome…"
"Hrmp, lucky save," he grumbled.
The corners of her lips quirked down slightly. "He-ey!"
Kenji began to laugh before she started socking his arm. "Kidding, kidding!"
"Say Uncle!" the brown-haired girl ordered firmly, grinning in a playful manner.
"No way!" Came the persisted reply.
Sticking her tongue out at his refusal, she retracted herself from him, sat down on a part of her bed and grinned when he murmured to her in a sing-along tone of voice, "Girls just wanna have fu-un…" She nodded her confirmation.
Silence fell in the room as the couple sat for a serene period of time, knowing smiles timidly forming over each of their lips. After a little while, Uriko caught the gaze of her fiancé and said softly, "You know, I just realized something…"
"Yeah?"
"I think I've kind of hogged you to myself too much since you came back," she told him, smiling faintly. "Do you want to go out to the park today or something and meet up with our friends?"
"Erika and the others still don't know that I'm back yet, huh?" The ninja questioned, shaking his head slightly. "Riko…"
"Hmm?" The young woman looked at him, curiosity in her large brown eyes.
"How was their… I mean, what were their - our friends' - reactions to my… leave of absence?" The dark-haired teenager ended his question in a quiet tone of voice.
Her gaze fell to peer at the blue spirally designs on the surface of the blanket that was modestly wrapped around his lower body. "Erika and Ryan are…were…really concerned. I mean, one of their friends disappearing for such a period of time…"
I hate being a damn nuisance to others, especially my friends. A pang of guilt gnawed at his conscience and he frowned at himself.
"Chrysta and Curt…" his companion continued. "They were worried too, you know. That's why I think it'd be good for all of us to meet together today." She paused to give him a small smile. "What a reunion it would be, huh?"
"Yeah… I-I guess so…" was Kenji's quiet reply. "But… how am I supposed to explain anything…?"
Her head lowered. "I wish humans supported zoanthropes more strongly… then I wouldn't be scared to reveal my abilities to Erika…" her eyes fluttered softly to a close. "We've been friends for a long time… it feels weird to keep such an important secret from her, you know?"
The mole zoanthrope's eyes were glazed over as an old memory was conjured up in his mind…
*****
"Dork!"
A twelve-year-old with a head of black hair was standing on a school playground, his schoolbag tossed to the ground, several other preteens and student surrounding him. The school newcomer's young face turned into a fierce scowl at the vicious remarks being flung carelessly at him.
"Loner!" A girl nearby yelled cruelly.
"Hypocrite!" Another one cried.
Anger boiled up inside him and the figure closed his dark brown eyes, deeply focusing his thoughts as the other scholars continued taunting him. All of a sudden, they were all silent, stopping their previous relentless comments thrown at him regarding his cool posture and status at the school.
The moment he had reopened his eyes, his clothes were ripped when his muscles had rippled and grown. The beginning features of a mole form were displayed: an elongated beak, the thick mass of dark fur that were in patches at different parts of his small body, and his fingers had curved into wicked claws, the pointy gleaming objects stealing attention away from the other features. His now-blood red irises widened in shock as the other students around him gasped at the sight.
"H-hey, he's one of those animal-morphing peoples!" Another female screeched, pointing his finger accusingly at the boy in the middle.
"I-I am not!" He tried to protest, his words sounding garbled from the partial transformation.
"H-he and his friends are gonna torture and kill us!" A boy proclaimed, his eyes wildly scanning the other students for support. "Let's get outta here before he hurts us!!"
The children darted off, leaving the lone boy standing there, tears of sorrow and resentment slowly trickling down his cheeks.
"I…I'm not a freak…" he said quietly, sounding as if he were trying to convince himself. The young male student fully turned back into his human form and headed for his backpack. His eyes inflamed, he yelled out rhetorically in the yard, "I am not a freak!!"
The wind brushing against his dark-colored bangs, he picked up the pack and slung it casually over his shoulder. As the tears began to dry, he roughly wiped the remainder away with the sleeve of his sweatshirt and walked off the campus, heading around the corner. Suddenly, he neared a small figure that was sitting on a bench nearby, back turned to him, oblivious of his presence. The set of large brown eyes of the person filled with sympathy and long black hair flowed freely in the breeze.
"He can morph…" the other said, interest filling her pupils.
Realizing that she had been just another observer, his expression darkened and he stepped foreword, instincts urging him to go grab the girl and inflict to her some of the pain that he'd stored up inside him from the previous incident.
"That new boy reminds me of… Kenji…" Her face saddened a bit as she continued murmuring to herself.
He stopped at what she had just said, his body freezing up at the mention of the name.
"He could morph just like me…" the girl sighed forlornly. "I wonder what happened to him…"
She knows my name…? Her unknown companion reveled back in shock, his sneakers scraping against the concrete sidewalk. But how… this is only my first day here, no one knows me…
Not paying attention to where he was backing up, the young male zoanthrope tripped over a bump and fell on his bottom, causing a bit of noise. Letting out a gasp, the girl jumped up from her seat and whirled around, her wide brown eyes meeting his in surprise.
"You…you're the-!" she started to say.
Kenji flipped up into a standing position and cut her off abruptly, his pupils flashing in anger. "If you call me a freak I'll hurt you! I don't care who you are, even if you're just a girl!"
She looked at him defiantly, the look turning into an upset glare as she yelled, "I'm not just a girl; I have a name and it's Uriko! I can morph too! So… so why don't you just shut up!"
Their twin set of eyes widened at her admission. Biting her lip, she turned and ran down the street, her light blue backpack colliding with her back.
"…Riko." That subconsciously escaped his mouth. He shook his head firmly, shutting his eyes in the feeling of confusion.
I know her from somewhere… the male zoanthrope thought to himself. She seems familiar… but why??
His mind dwelling on his meeting with the strange girl - Uriko, she'd yelled at him - he tightened his grip on the strap of his backpack and continued heading toward his home.
*****
Riko's right about being cautious… Who knows how Erika and the others would react if they knew about our abilities…?
"We have be careful about that subject," the blue-haired ninja said finally, letting out a heavy sigh. "They're our friends… but…"
"Does friendship overcome fear?" Uriko questioned rhetorically, tilting her head to a slight angle.
"Good point…"
She managed a tight-lipped smile. "Well, we should at least see our friends… and let them know of your return."
"What about the explanations…?"
"Be as vague as you can," the young woman said. "I mean, tell them the parts that you can… Leave out, obviously, your meeting with Xion - which all of us are yet still wondering about - and just tell them you… got really sidetracked or something…"
Kenji raised an eyebrow warily. "I was gone for almost three years because I got sidetracked?"
She rolled her eyes. "Okay, so my brain doesn't work right in the morning…"
Her fiancé grinned. "So what's your excuse for the other times of day?"
"Hey!" The brown-haired girl protested, wagging her index finger at him. "Don't make me pound you again!"
He laughed, a husky, lighthearted sound. "Normally, I'd take you on, but… uh, I think today could be…" he paused and blushed. "…Be an exception."
Her cheeks flushed as well. "I'll, um, go get changed in the restroom…"
"Nu uh," he opposed, shaking his head, starting to get up into a standing position. "I don't want to kick you out of your own room. Um, after we both get done, let's meet outside on your front porch, k?"
Looking away while she nodded and blushed more deeply, the female teenager waited a couple of minutes, listening for the shuffling noises of her companion leaving her room and making a quick getaway to the bathroom in the hallway. After hearing silence, she let out a shaky breath of relief while her heart pounded from the thrill. Walking over to her dresser, a small smile formed over Uriko's lips as she thought of the upcoming reunion with their friends.
I bet they're all gonna be really surprised, her smile grew wider. And after our reunion, Kenji and I have to come back so he can finish his explanation…
Picking an outfit up from one of her drawers, she began untying the knot of her robe while wondering, What did happen to Kenji that got him to meet up with Xion…?
*****
"I'm not sure I am ready for this…"
The soft morning breeze blew around the strolling couple, beckoning loose strands of their hair to tie up with the wind. The climate of the morning was chilly, yet certain spots grazed with the warm thin rays of sunlight. Inhaling in a breath of the cool air, the blonde-haired woman assured her partner, "Don't be afraid, Long…"
"I can't really help it," the Kenpo master insisted. "I fear his reaction, in addition to how he will treat me after he finds out…"
Placing a hand on his arm, her sky blue eyes filling with compassion, Jane said to him, "I don't think you should anticipate a…positive…reaction-"
Still continuing their walk down the street, going toward Uriko's house, his eyes behind the lenses stayed trained to the floor as he replied, "I am definitely not expecting that."
"-But don't expect the worst, either." She finished. "I think the runt has been a good influence on Kenji, anyway."
A shadow of a smile touched Long's lips. "I believe so, too. Ever since Uriko and Kenji had their 'chance meeting'… neither of them have been the same." He hesitated and looked up at his girlfriend. "However…"
The leopard zoanthrope smiled warmly. "Just… let your worries for now, all right?"
His dark brown eyes left her figure and traveled to a figure standing on the porch in front of a house a little ways ahead. Every so often, the figure paused and looked up expectantly at the house, as if awaiting someone.
"I think that is Kenji…" Long murmured, gesturing toward the person with a swift jerk of his head.
She gave him a reassuring smile. "The moment of truth has arrived. But remember, he has a right to know about this…"
"Jane…" What she's saying is true… but still… he thought, stopping momentarily to take off his glasses and hand them to his companion.
"…?" Jane peered questioningly at him. "You aren't wearing your contacts right now, right?"
"No, I'm not," he replied. "But I can see fine."
"Long, you don't really think that Kenji is going to resort to violence, do you?" She stopped as well and looked at him with a weary expression on her face, holding the delicate pair of lenses in the palm of one hand.
The tiger zoanthrope sighed deeply. "I honestly don't know what to think right now…"
The blonde-haired woman slipped an arm around his waist and glanced at him wordlessly, waiting for him to continue.
"I…" he started to say in a quite tone of voice. "…I even attacked my own father and the other lab technicians upon realization of the zoanthrope powers that they had bestowed within me."
"That's a different situation," Jane told him gently. "You didn't do those things to Kenji…"
"Worse, I killed his father…" He sighed again, this time in frustration. Not only his father but also-
"Whatever happens, I will be here to stand by you," his girlfriend said albeit quickly with a timid smile, interrupting his thoughts. "You don't have to worry about losing my support, because you won't."
Jane… if only you knew… Long offered her a shaky smile in return. "I thank you for that…"
Gently linking her arm with his, she urged him foreword and the couple resumed their walking.
But will you still think that, the Kenpo master pondered. If you found about out the other part of my connection with Adam Takiyo…?
End Of Chapter 16