Chapter 13 – Meeting the family
Keitaro winced a bit as he head yet another loud crack come from his cabin. He shuddered again as he heard yet another bone crunching kick connect. Even though he was slightly annoyed at her, Keitaro had to feel sorry for Naru. I mean, what a way to meet the family, huh? You come in full of concern and admiration, and because you woke them up, you were about to get your ass kicked.
A tall man with mahogany hair and matching eyes walked up to him. As he was passing, the man cast an eye on the boy standing outside the cabin. "Holy cow! Is that you Keitaro?" Keitaro looked up at the sound of his name and his eyes nearly jumped out of their sockets. "Takydo?" The two hugged and embraced.
"Man, it's been so long. I haven't seen you here in god knows how long? How've you been doing, from what Heero tells me, Grandma Hina gave you the position of kanrinnin of an all girls dorm." Keitaro nodded and he and Takydo walked away from the shrieking cabin. "You sly dog."
"I wonder how's Naru doing?" Kitsune asked, taking a peak outside her cabin door. Haruka calmly lit a cigarette across the hall, muttering something incoherent. "What was that?" Kitsune asked.
"I said, she's probably in some kind of coma at this point. Nobody walks away from her after waking her up."
"Who's her?"
"Keitaro's sister?"
"HIS SISTER?"
"It would such a hassle to explain to the Urashima family tree. Which is why I'm letting you and Naru, if she's coherent, to come the the family reunion this evening."
"Does the captain allow that?"
"Who knows. But nearly every competing family has one the first night. In fact, some of the boys have started a little pre party. No doubt they found out Keitaro was coming and decided to 'invite' him."
Down in the lower halls, a group of boys and young men had gathered, with stolen foods and snacks form the galley. At the head of the hall, a stage of sorts had been put up, with a shady looking podium in the middle. It was this podium that Tadydo led Keitaro.
"Gentlemen," Takydo said, momentarily silencing the crowd, "I'd like to introduce to you, a family member that hasn't been with us for a long time. Most of you have probably forgotten him, but here he is, Keitaro Urashima." He finished as Keitaro strode forward into the light. The group broke into applause. As Keitaro scanned the faces of the crowd, he picked up a couple of his cousin's faces. An uncle from Kyoto, Ken, came up to him and patted his back. "Keitaro, my boy, where've you been hiding?," then in a quiet whisper he added, "And believe me, have you got some explaining to do. What's this about you becoming the manager of an all girls dorm in Hinata?"
Keitaro smiled, it sure was good to be back amongst family.
Naru Narusegawa crawled out of the cabin from hell. Had anyone chosen to look in, they would have found nothing out of the ordinary, a girl sleeping on the top bed in a bunker. As Naru crawled done the stairs she realized to for once, she really had lost all feeling, in her body at least. Kitsune was sketching something obscure in little sketch pad,when Naru crawled onto her bed feebly. "You'd better get some sleep, we're going to the Urashima family reunion tonight."
Naru's swollen eyes shot open as she muttered three words; "Oh, god no."
Kanako was waking up from her short nap when Haruka walked in. Neither said a word to each other while Kanako got ready for a shower. "25000 yen on Keitaro." Haruka said nonchalantly. Kanako replied with a snort, "75000 yen on Ken." Haruka walked out the door, pausing to add a little side note, "This never happened." Was all she said.
As the evening drew near, Naru and Kitsune emerged from their rooms and knocked on Haruka's door. Haruka walked out and faced the two, nodded and led them to the lower halls. They met up with a group of girls talking amongst each other and joined them. Introductions were short and sweet. "Ayane, Hesperia, Miho, Hayakasama, Jun, and Sasuka." As they approached the main hall, they passed by a hall where a large group of boys were huddled together in the center chanting, "KEI-TAR-O! KEI-TAR-O!"
Kitsune sweatdropped as some of the girls made rather rude comments about the little pre party. "At this rate they wont stop until tomorrow evening." Ayane complained. Sasuka asked, "Who's Keitaro?" Haruka chuckled slightly, causing the hairs on the back of the girls necks to stand on edge, "oh...you're about to find out, my young friends, very, very soon."
The hall was about filled with people. Naru was about to ask if they were all Urashima's when Haruka shook her head and led them through the crowd into a small hall to the left. Inside were about fourty to fifty people, all Urashimas. Haruka later explained that the others were from different families. She also explains Motoko would take Su and Shinobu to her family reunion, which was sure to cause a bit of interest.
A young woman got the front and stood by a podium, smacking the microphone to get everyone's attention. "Welcome to the Urashima family reunion. This has been a tradition for over..." she trailed of as the crowd of males entered through a hidden tunnel, creating a lot of noise. The group already there laughed wholeheartedly. "Nice of you to show up boys." The woman finished.
"I tried to get them here faster, but some of them were really rowdy today." Ken said as he stepped up from the group.
"Says the guy who brought in a keg of sake to make us forget the reunion." Countered Takydo as he stepped forward. This caused some more laughter and before anyone knew how, the party had started. Ken and a couple other boys hit the bar as soon as all attention was diverted from them.
Kanako stepped up to Haruka, causing Naru to flinch. "Actually I want 80000 of Ken and Takydo." "And I want 75000 on Keitaro and Ayane." Kanako raised an eyebrow, but nodded affirmative.
Kitsune walked off to mingle with some girls while Naru stuck with Haruka. Keitaro was nowhere to be found. At least not until a number of people started up the KEITARO chant again. Curious bystanders walked to the center of the crowd.
Ken and Takydo were seated on one side of a table, facing Ayane and Keitaro on the other. Kanako stood behind Keitaro, while Haruka stood behind Ken. In between them was a huge bottle or bourbon and tequila. Off to the side, Miho cautioned them on the rules.
Ken had a malicious gleam in his eye and Keitaro moaned. "How did you ever talk me into this?" Keitaro question Ken.
"No one can resist my persuasion powers." Ken stated proudly.
A glass of tequila was poured for Takydo and Ayane. They both took it at the same time and swallowed. Then Keitaro and Ken. Both remained unfazed. On and on this wild game went on until final, after taking their 19th drinks, both Ayane and Takydo fell unconscious. This got cheers and aww's from the crowd. Some had lost their money, others had earned some more. Keitaro and Ken were tied at 20 drinks.
16 drinks later found a hammered Keitaro and Ken. The bottles had wound down to the last two shots. If both survived, then it would be a draw. Keitaro looked at his drunk, before giving a drunkish grin and gulping it down. Ken looked bewildered at Keitaro and was about to drink his cup, but collapsed onto the table instead. Keitaro jumped up and around, gong crazy from the sights, sounds and smells. Kanako walked up to Haruka and smiled smugly. Haruka reached into her check book and wrote out a check for Kanako. "Never bet against Keitaro."
Keitaro winced a bit as he head yet another loud crack come from his cabin. He shuddered again as he heard yet another bone crunching kick connect. Even though he was slightly annoyed at her, Keitaro had to feel sorry for Naru. I mean, what a way to meet the family, huh? You come in full of concern and admiration, and because you woke them up, you were about to get your ass kicked.
A tall man with mahogany hair and matching eyes walked up to him. As he was passing, the man cast an eye on the boy standing outside the cabin. "Holy cow! Is that you Keitaro?" Keitaro looked up at the sound of his name and his eyes nearly jumped out of their sockets. "Takydo?" The two hugged and embraced.
"Man, it's been so long. I haven't seen you here in god knows how long? How've you been doing, from what Heero tells me, Grandma Hina gave you the position of kanrinnin of an all girls dorm." Keitaro nodded and he and Takydo walked away from the shrieking cabin. "You sly dog."
"I wonder how's Naru doing?" Kitsune asked, taking a peak outside her cabin door. Haruka calmly lit a cigarette across the hall, muttering something incoherent. "What was that?" Kitsune asked.
"I said, she's probably in some kind of coma at this point. Nobody walks away from her after waking her up."
"Who's her?"
"Keitaro's sister?"
"HIS SISTER?"
"It would such a hassle to explain to the Urashima family tree. Which is why I'm letting you and Naru, if she's coherent, to come the the family reunion this evening."
"Does the captain allow that?"
"Who knows. But nearly every competing family has one the first night. In fact, some of the boys have started a little pre party. No doubt they found out Keitaro was coming and decided to 'invite' him."
Down in the lower halls, a group of boys and young men had gathered, with stolen foods and snacks form the galley. At the head of the hall, a stage of sorts had been put up, with a shady looking podium in the middle. It was this podium that Tadydo led Keitaro.
"Gentlemen," Takydo said, momentarily silencing the crowd, "I'd like to introduce to you, a family member that hasn't been with us for a long time. Most of you have probably forgotten him, but here he is, Keitaro Urashima." He finished as Keitaro strode forward into the light. The group broke into applause. As Keitaro scanned the faces of the crowd, he picked up a couple of his cousin's faces. An uncle from Kyoto, Ken, came up to him and patted his back. "Keitaro, my boy, where've you been hiding?," then in a quiet whisper he added, "And believe me, have you got some explaining to do. What's this about you becoming the manager of an all girls dorm in Hinata?"
Keitaro smiled, it sure was good to be back amongst family.
Naru Narusegawa crawled out of the cabin from hell. Had anyone chosen to look in, they would have found nothing out of the ordinary, a girl sleeping on the top bed in a bunker. As Naru crawled done the stairs she realized to for once, she really had lost all feeling, in her body at least. Kitsune was sketching something obscure in little sketch pad,when Naru crawled onto her bed feebly. "You'd better get some sleep, we're going to the Urashima family reunion tonight."
Naru's swollen eyes shot open as she muttered three words; "Oh, god no."
Kanako was waking up from her short nap when Haruka walked in. Neither said a word to each other while Kanako got ready for a shower. "25000 yen on Keitaro." Haruka said nonchalantly. Kanako replied with a snort, "75000 yen on Ken." Haruka walked out the door, pausing to add a little side note, "This never happened." Was all she said.
As the evening drew near, Naru and Kitsune emerged from their rooms and knocked on Haruka's door. Haruka walked out and faced the two, nodded and led them to the lower halls. They met up with a group of girls talking amongst each other and joined them. Introductions were short and sweet. "Ayane, Hesperia, Miho, Hayakasama, Jun, and Sasuka." As they approached the main hall, they passed by a hall where a large group of boys were huddled together in the center chanting, "KEI-TAR-O! KEI-TAR-O!"
Kitsune sweatdropped as some of the girls made rather rude comments about the little pre party. "At this rate they wont stop until tomorrow evening." Ayane complained. Sasuka asked, "Who's Keitaro?" Haruka chuckled slightly, causing the hairs on the back of the girls necks to stand on edge, "oh...you're about to find out, my young friends, very, very soon."
The hall was about filled with people. Naru was about to ask if they were all Urashima's when Haruka shook her head and led them through the crowd into a small hall to the left. Inside were about fourty to fifty people, all Urashimas. Haruka later explained that the others were from different families. She also explains Motoko would take Su and Shinobu to her family reunion, which was sure to cause a bit of interest.
A young woman got the front and stood by a podium, smacking the microphone to get everyone's attention. "Welcome to the Urashima family reunion. This has been a tradition for over..." she trailed of as the crowd of males entered through a hidden tunnel, creating a lot of noise. The group already there laughed wholeheartedly. "Nice of you to show up boys." The woman finished.
"I tried to get them here faster, but some of them were really rowdy today." Ken said as he stepped up from the group.
"Says the guy who brought in a keg of sake to make us forget the reunion." Countered Takydo as he stepped forward. This caused some more laughter and before anyone knew how, the party had started. Ken and a couple other boys hit the bar as soon as all attention was diverted from them.
Kanako stepped up to Haruka, causing Naru to flinch. "Actually I want 80000 of Ken and Takydo." "And I want 75000 on Keitaro and Ayane." Kanako raised an eyebrow, but nodded affirmative.
Kitsune walked off to mingle with some girls while Naru stuck with Haruka. Keitaro was nowhere to be found. At least not until a number of people started up the KEITARO chant again. Curious bystanders walked to the center of the crowd.
Ken and Takydo were seated on one side of a table, facing Ayane and Keitaro on the other. Kanako stood behind Keitaro, while Haruka stood behind Ken. In between them was a huge bottle or bourbon and tequila. Off to the side, Miho cautioned them on the rules.
Ken had a malicious gleam in his eye and Keitaro moaned. "How did you ever talk me into this?" Keitaro question Ken.
"No one can resist my persuasion powers." Ken stated proudly.
A glass of tequila was poured for Takydo and Ayane. They both took it at the same time and swallowed. Then Keitaro and Ken. Both remained unfazed. On and on this wild game went on until final, after taking their 19th drinks, both Ayane and Takydo fell unconscious. This got cheers and aww's from the crowd. Some had lost their money, others had earned some more. Keitaro and Ken were tied at 20 drinks.
16 drinks later found a hammered Keitaro and Ken. The bottles had wound down to the last two shots. If both survived, then it would be a draw. Keitaro looked at his drunk, before giving a drunkish grin and gulping it down. Ken looked bewildered at Keitaro and was about to drink his cup, but collapsed onto the table instead. Keitaro jumped up and around, gong crazy from the sights, sounds and smells. Kanako walked up to Haruka and smiled smugly. Haruka reached into her check book and wrote out a check for Kanako. "Never bet against Keitaro."
