Chapter 3
Motoko had gotten back to Hinata-Sou at five o' clock. She had taken a long walk to try to piece her mind together. These past few weeks' events…they confused her more than anything else had. Things weren't going her way anymore. Weakly, she sat on her mat, almost falling over in dizziness. Her mind swirled. The things in her room seemed to move on their own. She tried to steady herself; found that she was sitting firmly on her mat, but…what was happening? She heard the faint sound of someone entering her room, but before she could react, she felt a hand on her shoulder, steadying her. She heard a soft, tender voice.
"Motoko-chan?"
For some reason, the images stopped swirling in her eyes; her breathing became more normal.
"Motoko-chan…are you OK?" Shinobu's worried voice finally penetrated the cloud of dizziness. She stopped swaying; the dizziness finally passed.
"Shinobu…?" she asked weakly, slowly opening her eyes.
"Yes…I'm here…"
"I felt…dizzy…"
"Would you like me to make you tea? I could get it now…"
"No…Shinobu…-chan"
Shinobu heard something urgent in Motoko's voice and listened.
"Motoko…?" Motoko still had a pained expression on her face, as if the light in the room hurt her eyes.
"Shinobu…have you…noticed something different about me?"
Not wanting to lie, Shinobu answered hesitantly, "Yes…I've noticed that you seem to be thinking of something every time I look at you. Is there something troubling you?"
"Yes," Motoko looked away. "Shinobu…have you ever had the feeling that…you're missing something important in your life? Like if you didn't find what it was, then everything starts to fall apart?"
Shinobu regarded her with confused eyes, but then remembered her feelings for Keitaro.
"Yes." Motoko looked at her, surprised. "Every time I look at Naru and Keitaro together. I am missing my courage, every time I see him with her. It's like I'm throwing my feelings away. Just for her…while she's giving up nothing." It was Shinobu's turn to look away. Motoko could see a tear slowly travel its way down Shinobu's cheek. But Shinobu wiped it away, as if she resented shedding it. She suddenly moved forward and took Motoko's hands into her own. "Please…don't tell Urashima or Naru-sempai…" Numbly, Motoko felt herself nod.
"I won't tell them…" She suddenly felt like a child, telling a friend that she would keep a secret.
"I don't know…I feel like I'm missing something, but it's not a thing, it's…a feeling. It seems that it affects everything I do…I can't practice without feeling something different, I can't even eat without thinking about it. I think there must be something wrong with me." Her hands remained in Shinobu's. She seemed mesmerized by their shape, their feel, and was snapped out of it when Shinobu asked, "Motoko-chan?"
"Nani?…oh…" She shook her head. "Never mind."
Shinobu let her go, and stood up.
"Arigatou…for listening," she said, and left.
~*~
End Part I
Kikuko held Keitaro, nearly strangling him. 'You and I both have the same fate. We are both destined to die without having loved someone!' And then, she raised her katana, and yelled, 'Shinmei Ryu: Zan ma Ken-Ni no Tachi!' and expelled the demon from Kikuko's body. Kikuko opened her eyes wide, then suddenly let go of Keitaro, and looked as if nothing had happened.
No…I do not share the same destiny…there is someone…close…that cares…someone…
An image of full-grown peach-colored roses was the last thing Motoko saw before she woke up. Motoko's body had twitched suddenly, and she sat up, gasping for breath.
"Kikuko?" she whispered into the empty air.
~*~
Motoko could clearly smell the scent of the tea as a cup was set before her. But Shinobu didn't leave immediately as she always did each morning. She seemed to be…waiting for something. Motoko sighed inwardly, figuring she wanted assurance that she wouldn't tell Keitaro or Naru what she had said to her. Indeed, Motoko was surprised to find Kitsune instead, standing over her.
"Ki…Kitsune?!" Motoko leaned back, half expecting Kitsune to lean forward with her smug smile. But instead, Kitsune sat down, just as Shinobu did, opposite Motoko.
Has she gone insane?! What's going on?!
Kitsune sipped at her cup slowly, her eyes opened just a little; taking in the decorations in Motoko's room.
"This room; it fits your personality perfectly: neat, straightforward…powerful." She took another sip slowly; closing her eyes. Motoko was left with nothing else to do besides ask, "what was it you wanted to talk about?"
Kitsune smiled, but Motoko didn't know if it was because of her confusion or because of the tea. Motoko was confused, and she absolutely hated not knowing something.
"Your practices have become shorter, I noticed…" Kitsune began.
She noticed?! Well, if she noticed, then that means everyone else might have noticed…!
"Any reason why?'
"It's…really none of your business…"
"Understood…" Kitsune nodded, "but what if I said I could probably help you?"
Motoko froze. "What…?"
"Tell me…when did you first feel weaker?"
Motoko winced at the word, but she answered anyway. "I guess…after I defeating the demon on that island, but…"
"And what did you think the reason was?"
"I thought it was because I had used Shinmei Ryu…I thought I must've taken a lot of my ki away…to make me weaker temporarily…"
"That was quite a while ago…"
"Yes…I know."
"Tell me again…why were you finally able to do it…the attack I mean."
"Because…I think because I finally realized that something like love could be powerful…it didn't have to make me weaker…"
"Ahh…" Kitsune nodded understandingly, then took another sip of tea. "Is it possible…" she paused, "that if was Kikuko that was possessed have anything to do with it?"
"I don't understand why that would make a differ—."Motoko gasped. Kitsune's smile disappeared and her mouth was slightly open. Everything…all of it is coming together: the rose, the dreams, the weakness…and everything is finally connected…SOLVED.
Motoko hastily left the room, abandoning her teacup. Kitsune stood up, and leaned against the sliding door frame, smiling.
~*~
End Part II
Spring had come. Everywhere, colors were bursting onto the scene. But Motoko had no time to look around. It would almost seem that she didn't know where to go, but somehow, her feet followed her heart. The silent flip-flop of her sandals and her breathing were the only things she heard. People walking that morning watched as a figure ran through the streets and to the small area of forestry. To them, Motoko was just a passing blur, nothing to pay much attention to. They were all enjoying the scenery around them instead. Motoko found the small path again, almost missing it. But today, her feet were faster than her eyes. They automatically stopped where she made her way into the clearing. She saw the rock, but there was no one else there.
At first, Motoko was too stunned to realize it. She just stood there for nearly two minutes.
She didn't notice the footsteps behind her.
"The rose seems to be the symbol for many love stories." Motoko spun around. The voice continued, its face obscured by the shadows of the trees. "The man always brings a rose for the woman…it symbolizes a love shared by two people. How funny it is that it is different in this case."
"This…case?"
The figure stepped forward. Motoko squinted, trying to see whom it was exactly. But she already heard the voice, so she wasn't too surprised when Kikuko's face came into view.
"The rose…" Kikuko gestured at a bunch to her right. "Many have noticed the irony between its beauty and the thorns. But not many have understood the symbolism. People trim them off when they give it to someone they love, like they don't even matter. But they do."
"It's the pain that one must go through before seeing the true love." Motoko answered, unconsciously.
Kikuko nodded, almost shyly. "Hai." She looked over to the roses, contemplating about something.
"How did you know I would be here?" Motoko asked.
"I didn't…I simply…followed my heart."
No one said anything for a while. Then, both girls spoke at the same time. "Motoko-sempai—" "Kikuko—"
"Hai?" Kikuko whispered, walking up to Motoko.
"That night…when Naru was possessed by that demon…and then you were possessed…I don't know why I was able to do the attack…I think…it was because there was something in my heart that I didn't realize…my feelings for you…"
Kikuko's heart jumped. She had been waiting for those words…for so long. She was afraid for a moment; that she wasn't ready for them. But her heart gave her a little push, and that was all she needed to fall into Motoko's arms. "No more thorns," she whispered. She closed her eyes, feeling a warmth wash over her. Spring had come.
~*~
End Chapter 3
THE END
Hope that was lovely… : Þ
