Here it is not so hot off the press...enjoy...
Part 3
Moving in
Back at Hinta house... "OK so let's tally the votes" Keitaro points at Su.
"I voted to let little Kuzi stay!" Keitaro points at Kitsune.
"I vote for him to stay with us." Keitaro points at Mutsumi.
"I said I would also like Kuzi-chan to stay with us!" Keitaro points at Naru.
"I would defiantly not want another guy in the house! No!"
"Um ok, so that's three yeses and one lonely no. snicker" Keitaro laughs to himself and points at Shinobu. Ms. Maehara...do you approve of me being here with you and the other tenants? "I'm sorry but I'm just not ready for another guy at the house." She speaks softly, "No, sorry." At that instant Kuzimicu feels that his heart has been stabbed and Naru celebrates in her head. Now I know there is no way that Motoko will say yes and that means no new guy and no other Keitaro! "Well, it's ok Shinobu that you feel that way," Keitaro extended his hand toward Motoko. "My vote shall be for Kuzimicu to stay with us for as short of a time period as possible. If he stays any longer I shall drive him from Hinta house." No way! I thought she would say no, no matter what! So the only possible person that will help me in getting Kuzimicu is Shinobu...and even then she might not be that helpful!
"I guess that I should start moving in, right?" Keitaro smiles and nods a yes, to which Kuzimicu walks outside and grabs his belongings outside the Hinta house door and stands in front of Keitaro with his belongings in hand. "That's it?"
"Yes Mr. Landlord," Kuzimicu had a black campers backpack on his back complete with futon and a black duffle bag in hand. "I travel light so I can move fast. So I can't say I need to stay longer because I need to pack, ok Ms. Aoyama?" Kuzimicu stared at Motoko with another warm smile.
"Yeah...guess so, and you better remember those words kid."
"Your room can be next to mine!" Kitsune shouted out,
"No! Little Kuzi's room will be next to mine!' Su shouted back
"But I live next to you!" Motoko reminded Su, to which so made an expression of 'oh.'
"Stop it all of you," Keitaro said in his strongest voice, "For safety reasons Kuzimicu will stay in room 305. Sorry Kuzimicu, you understand don't you?"
"Yeah, sure I get it." As long as I get to stay here, "so were is room 305?"
"Oh, I'm sorry little Kuzi, mean ol' Keitaro put you in the room at the end of the hall way on the second floor. Next to no one or under anyone...sniff" Su began to cry while she squeezed Kuzimicu's head.
"It's ok Su," Kuzimicu managed to say while he removed her from his head. "Could some one show me were that is? And maybe afterwards show me around Hinta house? Like were not to go and were to go? The men's bath and restroom? Please?" Silence hung in the room for a while and then some more. "Why don't you Urashima?"
"No, I gotta do Landlord stuff. Kitsune why don't you do it?"
"No I got writing to do, I got a job ya know. Su you like him a lot, you show 'little Kuzi' around."
"Hmm... ok!"
"No! I advise that Su does not show Kuzimicu around Hinta. Shinobu why don't you show Kuzimicu his room and around Hinta?" Mr. Landlord you read my mind!
"Um, alright...Kuzimicu follow me please."
"Lead the way Ms. Maehara," No problem Ms. Maehara, I'll fallow you were eva... Kuzimicu lifted his bags and followed Shinobu up the stairs to the second floor. "Um, excuse me Ms. Maehara but we haven't been properly introduced," Kuzimicu tried to break the silence of walking to his new living space. "My name is Kuzimicu, I'm 15, and my current residences is The Hinta house. Your turn Ms. Maehara."
"..." Shinobu was quite for a while and kept walking then turned around to face Kuzimicu. "I'm Shinobu Maehara, I'm 14 and a student, I also live at Hinta house. There happy?" Her cold face made Kuzimicu want to rewind time to try that again. "Here is your room Kuzimicu, unpack and I'll show you the rest of Hinta house." Kuzimicu gazed at the empty room and began to unpack.
"Are you sure about letting Shinobu showing our new house mate around?"
"Yes, why should I worry about Kuzimicu?"
"Not Kuzimicu you idiot! Little Shinobu and him 'together' in a room." Kitsune explained to Keitaro "Boy plus girl plus same age equals..." silence, "use you brain you idiot!"
"I don't think that Kuzimicu is like that Kitsune"
"Don't be so sure Keitaro, you see the way he looks at her and how he seemed to be happier when you chose her to show him around."
"I agree with Kitsune," Naru walked in holding a soda.
"Naru what are you doing here, aren't you suppose to be studying?"
"That's not important and look who's talking. We should go make sure about that right Motoko."
"What? when did I get involved? Whatever lets go."
"You'll be sorrrry...ow!" Keitaro bragged until Naru threw her soda can at him.
Kuzimicu was in his room unpacking his stuff. Already on the floor were his futon, his spear, a pair of jeans and T-shirt, a school uniform from somewhere, and a Sake cup set. He was now rummaging through his duffel bag for something while her through the other things out like boxers, random articles of clothing, cloths, and other needed items for living. He was interrupted by a knock at his door, he jumped up and went over to answer the door of his new living area. He opened the door to see Motoko and Naru standing there with Su behind them but before he could even say 'hello' he heard "Wind dividing slash!" followed by "second form." Kuzimicu back flipped out of the effective range of Motoko's technique, which broke the door's frame, in time and landed a good distance away from them.
"Were is Shinobu you slime ball!" Naru pointed and ranted.
"Huh...?" was all Kuzimicu could muster.
"Don't play stupid with us pervert." Motoko readied another attempt.
"Ooh, little Kuzi's in trouble!" Su was hanging from the arch way of what was the door, "so whatcha do lil' Kuzi?"
"Yeah, what did you do to or with Shinobu? And were is she? If you did anything to her I'll..." Naru went on ranting and raving describing Kuzimicu's punishments and make examples with her hands. They think I would do something to Ms. Maehara..!?
"Ms. Segawa, SILENCE! You think that I would do something vulgar to Ms. Maehara!?" Kuzimicu shout in rage, "you, Ms. Segawa, have insulted me with this claim! Ms. Maehara is in her room!...wherever that is."
"We'll see then, Su." Naru snapped her fingers.
"Okie! we'll find her with my Shinobu-finder-thing ver. 2000!" Su began waving the over sized leaf blower around Kuzimicu's new room. 'beep BEEP BEEP!' went the leaf blower.
"My Shinobu-finder-thing-2000 says that Shinobu is..." Su stared at her leaf blower and turned to Naru, "in her room?" They all gazed back at Kuzimicu and were met with a cold gaze and his spear in hand. He raised the spear to Naru's' eye level.
"Your claim has insulted me and dishonored me. So penance for this outrage will be a duel. You and me Ms. Segawa." His once warm and accepting eyes were now cold.
"You gotta be kidding, a duel?" Naru stared back in question. "That's more of Motoko's style. Listen Kuzimicu, I'm sorry ok?"
"Fine, apology accepted, but..." Kuzimicu walked over to Naru's room door. "An eye for an eye. Wind dividing slash, second form!" He swung his spear at Naru's door not even slightly touching it and the door and doorframe burst apart. Keitaro came running up the stairs and saw everyone and the now two broken doorframes.
"Now I gotta fix those two!?" Keitaro began to cry.
"No need Mr. Landlord, I'll fix mine and Naru will fix hers. Right Ms. Segawa?" Kuzimicu walked back to his room to unpack. Keitaro stared at the damage and then at Kuzimicu and Naru.
"Well alright then, bye." And with that Keitaro ran off to do something else. How did he mimic my technique so well? I'll figure it out later. "Naru you might wanna get started on that door." Motoko wandered off.
"Sorry little Kuzi, didn't mean to make you mad!" Su began to cry while she covered Kuzimicu's head.
"It's alright Su, I'm not mad at you." Kuzimicu pulled Su off and gave her the now famous 'Kuzimicu-be-happy-supa-warm-smile!' "How could I stay mad at you? now I gotta finish unpacking, k?"
"I'm so happy Kuzi!" Su hugged him and left with a smile. Is this how it's always going to be living here? Sigh Just gotta be accepted and I'm set. Now were is that thing? He continued rummaging through his bag for the unknown object.
"You know I gonna get you back for this right?" Naru poked her head past his busted doorframe with a construction helmet on. "Any way here," Naru tossed him a safety helmet.
"Um...sure thing and thank you Ms. Segawa." Kuzimicu went back to looking through his belongings. There it is! He pulled out a Samurai sword and sheath; the sword resembled a Wakizashi, with a gold hand guard, a handle rapped in red fabric. The sheath was Jet black with blood red characters that could be made out to 'the right hand, the power, the judge, and property of the..... clan. Although all the characters were scratched the name of the clan had deep cuts and scars. Kuzimicu set the sword aside and continued to look for something else. now were are those two? "Ahhh!" He triumphantly pulled out a sword stand and another sword. The sword stand was made with strong amber red wood, The Samurai sword was actually a kind of Hari-kari knife. It was decorated like the first sword. He placed the sword stand along a wall and placed the swords on it. "Now for the rest of the stuff!"
"I told you guys," Keitaro mocked Naru while she tried to fix her door way.
"Oh shut up, and if you're just gonna stand there why don't you give me a hand?" Naru said while she accidentally broke some more wood.
"Naw, it looks like you got it under control, hehehehe."
"Excuse me Mr. Landlord, but were is Ms. Maehara's room?"
"Why do you wanna know!?" Naru butted in.
"Because she said she would show me around Hinta house, Ms. Segawa."
"It's on the first floor at the end of the right wing, you can't miss it, it has her name on the door."
"Thanks Mr. Landlord,"
"don't get any ideas you little..."
"Naru leave him alone." Keitaro began to walk off, "and fix that door." Naru mumbled curses aimed at Kuzimicu and Keitaro.
"Sigh...I don't get it..." Shinobu was hunched over her work desk staring at some math homework that she couldn't figure out. Knock knock
"Ms. Maehara? are you in there? um...I ready for the tour."
"I'm here, I'm coming. Sigh" Shinobu opened the door and met Kuzimicu eye to eye.
"Why do you look so sad? What happened Ms. Maehara?"
"It's nothing really Kuzimicu!" She replied with an obviously fake smile toward Kuzimicu,
"Ms. Maehara you don't have to lie to me," he put a hand on her shoulder, "now tell me what's the problem?" He tried to stare deep into her eyes but she turned away.
"Really nothing..."
"Whatever you say, may we begin?"
"Yeah..." Shinobu pointed down the hall, "let's get going." Now instead of going into detail of every part of the house I'll just say Kuzimicu's reactions until the important part.
Lounge: Kuzimicu: "This is the room that I first met everyone in, I commend whoever decorated it." Shinobu: "I honestly have no idea who did..."
Dinning Area: Kuzimicu: "Hey this is really nice...but it doesn't look like everyone can sit here at once..." Shinobu: "Sempai doesn't usually dine with us, let me show you were he usually dines."
Keitaro's dinning area: Kuzimicu: "...This isn't even a table...how does he eat here?" Shinobu: "He doesn't really eat there...he just let's his cup of noodles cook there."
Kitchen: Kuzimicu: "Niiice, ya know I know a little about cooking myself, heheheh." Shinobu: "Well I usually do all the cooking, sometimes Naru cooks."
"Would you mind if I cooked some of the time? Or at least help you with it?"
"I wouldn't mind at all but I'm not sure about everyone else, especially Naru..."
"What's Ms. Segawa's problem with me any way? She's the only one who seems to hate me here, sigh"
"I don't know honestly, I think it has to do with the fact that this is a girls dorm and you're a guy."
Open air bath/women's bath: Kuzimicu: "WOW!!! An open air bath!" Shinobu: "Read the sign first Kuzi."
" 'Hinta hot spring: Women's bath,' alright so were is the Men's hot spring?"
Men's Bath: Kuzimicu: "..... !" Shinobu: "Yep that's it, this wooden tub thing with the fire under it."
The Annex: Shinobu: "This is were I hang the laundry and were Motoko does he early morning kendo sessions." Kuzimicu: "This is really nice, a view, a breeze, and even some trees. Ahhh..." Kuzimicu plotted down against the railing. "So why do you call Mr. Landlord Sempai?"
"Hmmm...ï‚©" Shinobu blushed at the memory of the first time Keitaro helped her with her math work. "It's because he always helps me in any way he can when I have a problem or trouble with some thing." Kuzimicu was getting a little jealous about it, I thought all the girls didn't really like Keitaro, what does he got any way?
"So why do you call him Mr. Landlord, Kuzi?"
"Isn't it pretty obvious?" Kuzimicu cracked a smirk; "it's because he is the landlord of the Hinta Inn." A brief moment of silence pasted and Shinobu leaned against the railing staring down at the city. She really is beautiful, Kuzimicu couldn't help but stare as the wind blew her hair away from her face. A little peak at her beauty can't hurt, right? Kuzimicu thought as he turned away from his object of interest, not saying that women are objects of anything for men.
"See Naru he's harmless."
"That's what you think Keitaro, he's probably plotting something."
"Yes, Urashima you give him too little credit for what he can do."
"Motoko your just mad that he managed to copy your technique with in moments of seeing it."
"Still trying to figure out how he did that, with a spear even." While the three bickered at the steps of the Annex, Kuzimicu and Shinobu had a peaceful moment to them selves.
"So is there anything else I need to see?"
"Unless you want to know were everyone's room is." Shinobu rose from the railing and stood over Kuzimicu looking down at him. Kuzimicu jumped up from the floor and met Shinobu's eyes and replied, "sure, that be cool as long as no one else gets mad at me." As the two headed toward the stairs Motoko, Naru, and Keitaro scrambled way to act like they were doing something else. As the descended the stairs they saw Keitaro frantically sweeping, Naru sitting nervously studying, and Motoko just standing in plain sight with her eyes closed. Both Shinobu and Kuzimicu paid little attention to the odd scene and preceded to the hallway were Motoko's and Su's rooms were. They reached the rooms, "ok Kuzi, be careful around Su's room, it's weird."
"Which one is it and how is it different?"
"It's the farthest one from us..." Before she finished Kuzimicu was already at Su's door examining it and trying to get it open. What's the deal with this door? It looks like a regular room and door but it does smell weird.
"I told you not to go around Su's room!"
"What are they doing hanging around my room?" Keitaro, Motoko, and Naru were peering at Kuzimicu and Shinobu around a corner.
"More importantly were is Su?"
"I think she went out to play or something." They stared at Shinobu while she yelled at Kuzimicu not to open the door. "He's very curious isn't he?"
"More like stupid, we should stop him."
"Let Su's room teach him a lesson about going into girls rooms." When Motoko finished here sentence Kuzimicu had managed to open Su's room door.
"That wasn't so hard," Kuzimicu said with ease and peered into Su's room. "Shinobu come on, check it out. It's probably nice."
"It's not safe you idiot!" Kuzimicu ignored the insult and extended his hand toward Shinobu inviting her to come in with him. "Do you really think I'm going to go in there with you?"
"Why not? You've come with me this far?" Then Kuzimicu had his first glance inside Su's room. It was best described as an over grown green house with metal trinkets here and there and banana peels. Kuzimicu slowly closed the door and stepped back. He looked over to Shinobu with a smile. "Ya know it's not really a room, but more like a contained jungle." He turned to face Shinobu, "Is that Motoko's room over there?"
"Uh, yeah," Shinobu breathed a sigh of relief. He's a bit hard headed, but he admits his mistakes kinda.
"Any one else's room I should see?"
"Let's see, you know were Naur's room is, I think you know were Sempai's room is, and I don't think you need to know were Kitsune's room is."
"How about just in case?"
"Whatever, let's go." And so Kuzimicu and Shinobu began walking to Kitsune's room.
"Oh no! here they come!" Keitaro, Naru, and Motoko all began to scramble away from their vantage point. Keitaro managed to scramble to his room while Naru was rushing up to the stairs to her while poor Motoko was left standing in plane sight with her eyes closed. But it didn't matter because neither Kuzimicu nor Shinobu paid any attention to her or Naru running up the stairs, they were busy talking about school. "So what are you going to do about schooling?"
"I'll just go to whatever school you go to,"
"how old are you any way?"
"Uh...I'm fifth teen, why do you ask?"
"Because I'm 14 and Motoko is 16,"
"what does this have to do with Ms. Aoyama?"
"Well right now she's the only one in high school so you'll be going to school with her." Kuzimicu froze in place in shock, "What's wrong Kuzi?"
"It's just that I get the feeling that Ms. Aoyama doesn't like me."
"Well if you don't want to go to school with her you could just fail the entry exam or try and pass for 14 or something." Kuzimicu just answered with a sigh and continued walking. I wish I could go to school with Ms. Maehara, it doesn't matter if Su is there, she's the only girl her that I think likes me.
"And this is Kitsune's room." Shinobu pointed at the door, "She's probably inside right now so we shouldn't go in." As soon as she finished her sentence Kuzimicu was knocking on the door. "What did I just tell you!?" It was too late; Kitsune had already answered the door.
"Who's there, stop knocking so loud..." A hung over Kitsune looked up and saw Kuzimicu at her door. "Well if it isn't my favorite little Kuzi! And on in!" She extended her arm to them to come in. Her room reminds me of either a bar or a storage room for alcohol. The table is held up by Sake bottles! She has drinking problems... "So what can I do for you kids?"
"Oh nothing Kitsune," Shinobu's head dropped, Is that a way of showing respect to older people here? Kuzimicu did the same. "I was showing Kuzi around Hinta house."
"Oh I see, it's your first date?"
"WHHAAAA!?" I whish.
"I thought so, heh heh uo tu mike a pritty cuple, heh heh."
"Ms. Konno, your drunk and I think you should lay down before you hurt yourself or anybody else." With that he took her by the and with his other hand on her hip. He turned her around in almost a Waltz and moved her in the direction of her bed/couch. "There, now close your eyes and go to sleep. I'll wake you up for dinner K?"
"Heh heh, Shinobu," Kitsune turned her head to look at Shinobu. "You got some kind of man!"
"Oh, just go to sleep!" Thanks Kitsune, I'm working on it.
The Lounge: Kotare, Naru, and Motoko.
"I told you that Kuzimicu's a good kid."
"Oh yeah? What about going into Su's room without any permission?"
"Ummm..."
"It's ok if lil Kuzi goes into my room." Su said as she jumped on Motoko's back.
"Su were did you come from? More importantly were have you been?"
"That's a seeeecreeet silly." What am I going to do? Naru began to think to herself"Urashima, what about schooling?"
"Uh...?"
"You haven't thought this through have you?"
"We'll just have him go to school with you tomorrow and fill out some papers so he can go to school with you."
"Why does he have to go to my school?"
"He's fifteen and you're sixteen right?" Damn! Now I gotta go to school with a boy, at least it gives me time to ask him a few questions about how he copies moves. "So he'll be going to High school with me?"
"Yup, tomorrow you'll show him around campus, right?" That'll give me plenty of time to drill him on his fighting style and how he copied my move. A moment after she finished the thought, Keitaro got up from the couch a placed his mouth inches from her ear. "Earth to Motoko!" Keitaro shouted in her ear, "ANSWER ME! PLEAZ!"
"Then just quit with the yelling!" Keitaro drew back from her ear and sat back down on the couch. "Soooo?"
"Ok, I'll show him around." All right now that that's finished what's next? ...Keitaro thought harder... then blurted out "What about dinner!?" Everyone else simply stared at him with sweat drops down their sides. Truly an idiot thought Naru. A one-track mind of a man thought Motoko. "I like the way you think Keitaro ï‚©" On that note Shinobu came clamoring down the stairs putting an apron on. "I'll get right on it!" she said as she ran by with Kuzimicu right behind. "There, is your problem solved?" Keitaro nodded. What's Kuzimicu doing in the kitchen with Shinobu? Naru turned back and saw everyone else talking amongst him or herself. So now I can go spy on them alone! See what they're up too, heh heh. As Naru peered around the corner and saw Shinobu and Kuzimicu both trying to cook and telling each other to stop and let them cook. "Kuzimicu what are you doing, I gonna cook."
"I can I least try and help, I need to start earning my keep around here." Kuzimicu gave Shinobu his famous smile and she blushed for the first time towards him. She blushed! At me! "Well shouldn't we tell everyone else that you're cook too?"
"Nah," he said while grabbed a bowl as Naru crept off
"Hey Shinobu, this is great!" Naru cheered.
"But it tastes a bit different from your usual cooking." Motoko said.
"I'm just glad I can eat with you..." Keitaro began to cry.
"It taste different because Kuzimicu help me cook it." After Shinobu said that the room went silent except for Keitaro eating.
Kuzimicu sat on the annex gazing outward to the stars while he scooped spoon fulls of the curry he and Shinobu had made. Shinobu can cook! He took another bite of the rice and curry. Everything is in the green, no one seems to hate me, and I haven't given anyone a reason to be mad at me. Except Ms. Segawa and busting her doorframe with that thing I saw Ms. Aoyama do. It was a pretty simple move for such a skilled sword person. Just focus all the energy into the weapon and the swing and get as close as you can to the target without touching it. I got a knack for copying something just by seeing it. In fact that's how I learned to cook, or is it that both my eyes are Sharingan! Awww...there's no way it could be something like that, maybe they're Byakugan! Kuzimicu began to laugh at himself while putting curry in his mouth. He munched and laughed a bit longer until he was disturbed by a sudden sense of movement toward his direction. He dropped the plate and exited the annex and ran down the opposite way that the movement was coming from. "Tell me why we're doing this again?" Shinobu asked with a worried expression on her face.
"To basically thank Kuzimicu for cooking for us, people he barely knows or maybe even likes." Motoko explained to a worried Shinobu.
"You mean lil Kuzi might not like me!" Su started to suck on her thumb, "why won't he like me back Motoko!" Su screamed crying. There! Kuzimicu ran down the hall as sift as the wind and stopped two feet in front of Motoko and a blade a centimeter away from her neck. Motoko looked down at Kuzimicu and saw the same demonic glare she saw when he stood on her sword. It was then that Kuzimicu realized his error; he put his sword away and bowed in apology. "I'm sorry, I'm not used to being snuck up on. So when I am I go a little over board, hehe." A little overboard? He could of killed Motoko if he moved that blade another inch!
"Well any way, I just wanna thank you myself for dinner. You helped cook dinner for people you barely even know or like, you don't even know if we like you. So thanks!" Motoko bowed herself to Kuzimicu. Looks like I can start living now and not be so overreacting to small stuff. Oh no! I gotta get ready for school!
Next chapter: Schooling
Note: If any of you are waiting for an update I first have to finish it and then lure my courage out with some beef jerky...Luego