Dear Readers,

(Dances) So…. What now? What becomes now of our heroes and heroines! The plot thickens…

And will we ever get our roundhouse kicks right? - kung fu dilemma

Love,

Wolf Princess Aya

Lasting Memories

The carriage trundled along the wet road, rain falling lightly over the scenery. Botan watched with mixed emotions as the castle got closer and closer.

She was getting nearer and nearer to her future. Whether it was a good one or a bad one, she had yet to discover.

As the carriage past the huge stone wall and came to the steps, it stopped, causing Hari to awaken.

"Hmmm?" she moaned as she slowly woke.

"We're here!" Kurama whispered to her as he got out and held the door open for the two women.

"Oh!" Hari perked up instantly. She gracefully swept out of the carriage and stood next to Kurama, her hand in his, as she looked up at the palace. "It is as beautiful as I remember!" She beamed.

"No where as beautiful as you," Kurama smiled back as the two kissed. Botan looked away, pained, as she quietly crawled out of the carriage.

The future definitely wasn't looking bright.

Yusuke trudged slowly back to Sayo's house, disappointed at how his second meeting with Keiko had gone.

'On the plus side,' he thought wryly, 'she had a lovely voice.' He was about half way to Sayo's when he heard someone call.

"Wait! Mister Vizier!" Yusuke whipped around to see the boy, the one who had been playing while Keiko told him off, running up to him.

"What is it?"

"Please sir-"

"Call me Yusuke, boy."

"Oh. . ." the boy started. Then shook his head and began again. "Please, Yusuke, don't be cross with my sister!"

"Why would I be mad with her?" he asked, curious. 'It seems the boy is actually afraid of me. . .' he thought, half amused.

The boy looked away, took a deep breath, and continued. "Keiko . . . she's never had luck with boys. She's have 5 boy friends, and each one has left her for someone new right when things were getting deep. Her last one had promised to marry her. And then he ran off the night before with some girl he just met." Yusuke couldn't think of anything to say to this.

"So please don't get mad at her for telling you off! Please don't send her to jail or anything!" he pleaded. The vizier couldn't help it. He laughed. The boy looked curiously at him.

"I would never throw your sister in jail! Especially not for anything as pointless as telling me off," he smiled.
The boy looked relieved.

"But. . ." Yusuke thought out loud with a slight frown as he looked back at Keiko's house. He could see her doing dishes in the kitchen, a sad look on her face.

"I really do care about her. . ." The boy shrugged slightly.

"I'd try and help, I really would, but Keiko has, more or less, sworn off men." Yusuke shoved his hands into his pockets. He would find a way to win Keiko. Even if she didn't want to be won.

"Well, thank you for explaining this to me . . . err . . . what is your name?"

"Souta," the boy grinned. "And thanks for understanding."

"Souta," Yusuke nodded. "Well, thanks, Souta. I hope I see you soon." Souta's grin began to look a little unsure.

"I hope I see you, too, but it's doubtful. Sis won't let you in."

"I'll find a way," he smiled as he turned to leave with a small wave. "'Till we meet again."

"Bye!" the young boy called as he ran back to his house and sister, feeling considerably better knowing she wouldn't be arrested. As Yusuke reached the door to Sayo's house, he turned briefly to look back at Keiko's.

'At least now I understand a little bit better. . .' he sighed as he opened the door and walked back inside.

"Oh!" Maya squealed as Yusuke walked through the door. "We can play cards now!"

"Joy," Yusuke replied dryly as he sat, Maya already dealing the cards, oblivious to the vizier's "ecstatic mood".

I put Keiko as never having much luck with men because in the anime, she never really wanted to give other guys a chance so… I thought of this approach with Yusuke and Keiko's relationship.

Aya-chan