A Love Once Lost, Lost Forever Chapter II

Warning: Slight kiligness for the "Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuy" types.

To Nayomi: SSSSSSHHHHHH!!!!!!



The next morning, Jowy woke up with the sunlight streaming on his face. He groaned and slowly sat up, trying to remember what had happened to him.

"You're up?"

Jowy looked towards the door, where Tara was peeking from behind. "C'mon, breakfast is ready," she said. Jowy nodded, and Tara left.

Of course, Jowy thought. Tara took me in last night when I was separated from Riyu and Nanami. He sighed, thinking that he should get out of bed and get out of there. As soon as possible.

'I just have to find them', Jowy thought.

"Good morning," Jowy greeted as he came in the kitchen, fully dressed. Tara turned around and was about to greet him when she stopped, and stared.

"What is it?" Jowy asked after a few moments. Tara still stared at him, transfixed.

"Tara," Jowy said, going over and gently shaking her, "What is it?"

Tara blinked and looked at him. "I-I'm sorry," she said. "It's nothing." She moved away from him and sat down.

Jowy sat down and began eating his breakfast. He looked at Tara. She wasn't eating.

"Is something wrong, Tara?" Jowy asked.

Tara was silent for a few moments. Then she spoke.

"You're leaving, aren't you?"

It was now Jowy's turn to stare, but this time he stared at the floor. "I don't know," he muttered.

"I'm sorry," Tara said quickly. "It's none of my business if you're going or not," she said, poking at her vegetables.

". I guess so."

They were silent again for a minute or so. Then Jowy looked up. "I'll be leaving, but at least not now. I haven't done my training."

"Training?"

"Yeah. Every morning I go outside and I practice with my rod," Jowy said, taking out his shiny blue stick. "It keeps me fit and ready for fighting."

"I see," Tara said, staring at the rod. Jowy looked around, and he saw Tara's white rod in one corner.

"Do you do training too?" Jowy asked, pointing to the rod, trying to sound as though it was new. Tara looked at the rod, then gave a small smile. "Yeah, I do," she said.

"Would you like to train with me then?"

"We-ell." Tara said, unsure, "if it's okay with you."

"Yeah, it's fine," Jowy said.

Tara smiled. "Let's get going."

A few minutes later, Jowy stood in the backyard, waiting for Tara. She had stated in the house to change, but would be coming after him. He decided to do a few exercises while waiting.

A vision of Tara practicing in the same area he was standing on flashed through his mind. 'How did she do it again?' Jowy thought. He closed his eyes and tried to mimick the movements in his mind.

"What are you doing?"

Jowy opened his eyes and turned around. He saw Tara standing at the doorway, carrying her rod. Jowy noticed that she replaced her long skirt for a shorter one, revealing a pair of boots.

"Cool outfit," he thought aloud. Tara giggled. Jowy realized what he just did and blushed.

"It's okay," Tara said, walking toward him. "I like compliments. I don't really get them often," she said, stopping in front of him.

"I see," Jowy said, struggling to maintain his posture. The sight of her a few seconds ago had almost made him feel weak.

"But since I don't have many visitors like you, I'm fine with that," she said, tying her hair into a ponytail. She backed up a few steps. "Let's see how good you are," she said, going into a fighting pose.

Jowy nodded and went into battle mode. The two of them stared at each other for a moment, then attacked.

They flew into each other, whirling their rods, but the blow left them both unharmed. Jowy charged forward, whirling his rod. Tara jumped up, dodging the attack and aimed a kick at Jowy's back. The kick sent Jowy tumbling forward into the ground. Jowy recovered quickly and went back to his fighting pose, though his arms shook a little.

Little, yes, but violently enough for Tara to see. She had backed up a few paces again, but she saw it clearly. "Shaking, Jowy?" she said.

Jowy shook his head, but as he did, his whole body shook. Tara laughed.

"Seems like you haven't fought in a long time," she commented. "But that doesn't mean you're a fool big enough to lose to a girl!" she cried, charging at him.

Jowy blocked Tara's attack and sent a swift kick to her stomach. Tara went flying backward, but she did a back flip and landed on her rod, which stood straight. Jowy stared at her, perfectly balanced on a thin rod.

"Needs a few years of training to get this one," Tara said, as though she could read his mind.

Jowy sent his rod smashing into the standing white rod, but Tara did another flip in the air, taking her rod with her and landing on the branch of a tall tree nearby. Tara smiled tauntingly at Jowy.

"Tell me when you're tired," she called.

Jowy shook his head and jumped up on the branch. "I'm not tired yet," he said.

Tara smiled again. "Good. 'Coz we're just getting started."

Tara charged at Jowy again, but he ducked and aimed another kick, this time at Tara's ankles. Tara lost her balance and fell from the tree, but as she did she used her stick at Jowy's ankles as well. Jowy, too, lost his balance and fell. Jowy closed his eyes as the dusty ground rushed out to meet him.

"Ohhhhh." Jowy groaned, feeling his muscles ache. He could've sworn they were screaming in pain. He slowly opened his eyes. and saw Tara staring at him, horrified and blushing at the same time.

"OH MY GOD!!!!" Jowy yelled, standing up so quickly that one could've thought that a porcupine had pierced his body all over. In fact he had woken up to find himself lying on top of Tara. Tara had evidently woken up before him and had realized that.

It took him a while to compose himself. When he had regained control of his movements, he looked at Tara. She was still blushing.

Jowy couldn't think of anything to say. After a few moments, he blurted out, "Are you okay?"

Tara didn't answer.

'I guess I should help her up,' Jowy thought. It seemed like the most logical thing to do. He knelt beside Tara and helped her to sit up.

"Are you okay?" he asked again. This time, Tara nodded, though her cheeks were still faintly pink.

"Can you walk?" Tara nodded again. Jowy helped her stand, and led her into the house. When they entered, Tara pulled away from him and went to get a glass of water. Jowy sat himself on the kitchen table and sighed.

He saw a thin white hand holding out a glass. He looked up. It was Tara.

"Here," she said quietly, pushing the glass into his hand. "It's only water," she said, smiling a little. "Won't hurt, right?"

Jowy smiled a little too, and nodded. "Right."

Tara sat across him and drank too. For a few moments, there was silence. Then Jowy cleared his throat and began to talk.

"So," he said, "Where did you learn all those fighting techniques?"

Tara raised her glass and began tracing the water ring it had left on the wooden table. "I dunno," she muttered. "I guess I sort of taught myself."

"You did?" Jowy asked in amazement.

"Well, it's not like I did have anybody live here long enough to teach me."

"I know," Jowy said quickly. "It's just that I find it a bit-hard to believe," he added.

Tara smiled. "I know," she said too. "People ask me the same question-well, if there were anybody to come by and say hello."

"Nobody comes here very often, right?"

"Yeah."

"Isn't that kind of lonely?" Jowy asked.

"Not really," Tara said, managing another little smile. "It's kind of fun without anybody around. You get the whole place to yourself, and nobody would dare bother you in any way."

"I guess so."

The two of them fell silent again. Jowy gripped his glass tightly. What should he say?

"I'm sorry," he blurted out. "I don't know what to say."

"It's all right," Tara said. "I feel the same."

That evening, when Tara was in bed, Jowy got up and took his rod and his bag. He tiptoed as quietly as he did the night before, and crept slowly out of the front door. To his luck, Tara did not awaken.

Jowy walked towards the river where he and Tara had first met. He jumped from stone to stone across the river until he had reached the other side. When his feet were on solid ground, he stopped and looked back for a moment at Tara's house. No lights were on in the windows, and only the moon lit the house with a very faint light. No shadows were seen on the trees in the backyard. Tara, therefore, was not in training.

Jowy sighed. He knew Tara would not like it. Him, Jowy, her only companion, running off in the dead of night. But he also knew that he was right. He couldn't stay. He had to leave. He had more important things to care about.

Jowy continues to stare at the cabin, imagining Tara in front of it, smiling that smile he had seen for the past two days.

"Goodbye, Tara," he whispered.

He turned around, and ran.

~Owari~

Well, this one sounded at lot better than the first. And yes, people, that's how far I will go as long as copulation is concerned. ^_^ I'm not really a hentai or lemon fan.

Any ideas on how to continue this fic? I love reader requests! *squeals*

Ja!

~ Saeko