Matagu walked with Zabaione down to the lake around midday. The summer weather had become sweltering and despite his tank top and shorts, he began to sweat profusely. Glancing over at the alien female, he saw her skin didn't appear the least bit damp. Before heading into town, she had donned ordinary summer clothes, a light blue tank top and board shorts.
The lake made for a spectacular sight against the mountain backdrop. It never ceased to amaze Matagu and he could tell she was impressed as well..
"I've taken a lot of pictures of this area," he told her. "It's amazing not only in summertime, but also in every other season."
"The artistic side of you?" she inquired.
"Yes, probably," he smiled humbly. "If my goal to be an astronaut doesn't work out, I'll have photography to fall back on as a career."
Truth be told, Matagu used his camera usually to snap photos of good looking girls. He'd sometimes go to beauty pageants and sit in the front row, trying to get ecchi snapshots. It shamed him sometimes.
"In fact," he found himself saying. "I have my camera in my bag. Would you care to pose for me?"
"Me?" she asked, a little surprised.
He retrieved his camera from his knapsack then took off the lens cover. She eyed him for a moment then stood in view of the lake, her arms hanging loosely at her sides.
"Look casual," he urged, focusing in on her.
Unused to such things, she tried to accommodate him as best she could. He had to refrain from staring at her too long as he tried to get the best angle. His finger pushed a button.
"Finished?" she asked after hearing a small click.
He gave her a thumbs up. "That will make a good picture, but can I get one more with both of us in it?"
After propping the camera on a nearby rock, he set it on a timer, then rushed over to her side. Zabaione gave him a curious sidelong glance as he awkwardly but his arm around her back. The camera whirred and clicked.
"I'll make doubles and give you these two photos," he promised her as he put the camera away. It was too much to ask to try and keep taking more pictures of her than he already had. His heart was racing a mile a minute, despite him not doing anything wrong. Still, others would have slammed him for being a pervert.
"Let's go see my friend Kei," he suggested. "He'll let us take a paddle boat onto the lake."
Zabaione nodded and followed him down a dirt trail. Since it was a hot day, a lot of people had come to the lake to swim, picnic, and otherwise enjoy themselves. Matagu chose not to scope out the many girls in bikinis, although none of them compared anyway to the woman he was currently spending time with.
"We should go swimming afterwards," she suggested. "I have not been in a natural water body in ages."
His mind raced at the prospect of seeing her in a swimsuit.
Kei worked at the water's edge, always having the chance to keep cool. His job was simple, to see the passengers on and off their vessels and maintain the craft. When a jet ski would come in, he'd anchor it, when they'd embark, he'd give the users instruction and tips. Sometimes, he'd even take a jet ski out himself and enjoy a 60 MPH joy ride.
Tsubaki Oribe worked the register at the small roof covered building, registering boater hopefuls. She was headed into her senior year of high school, now the President of the Student Council.
"Shido?" she did a double take at seeing he and a rather tall foreigner coming her way.
"Oribe," he greeted, keeping a straight face. She had been just another girl who never gave him any consideration, preoccupied with Kamishiro then Shimizaki.
"We'd like to rent a paddle boat," he told her, handing her payment.
"Matagu?" Kei's eyes widened at seeing his younger best friend. It wasn't that he was unused to seeing him come to the Lake on occasion, it was out of the ordinary to ever see his friend with a girl, much less someone as stunning as this woman.
"Hey Kei, this is my friend Zabaoine Costada," Matagu introduced her to his pal, feeling a bit of pride.
Kei should her hand awkwardly. "Kei Kusanagi, pleased to meet you, Zabaione."
She kept a poker face, although his name registered. Big time.
"I'm a grad student from America," she mentioned, before Matagu had a chance to fill in.
"She's my pen pal," he chimed in lamely.
Kei would have bought it, only he was used to lying all the time to cover for Mizuho's secrets. He could tell his younger friend was a tad nervous and hiding something.
"You never told me you had an American pen pal," Kei turned to his friend good naturedly.
"You never asked," chuckled the black haired youth as he entered the right side of the boat. She got in the other side and Kei pushed it out a little more so they were floating on enough water. "I paid for an hour…"
"You can have as much time as you want, it's fine by me," smiled the married man.
"See you when we return," the other said as he started to move his legs to operate the craft. Zabaione followed his example and put her feet on the pedals, doing her part.
Kei stared after them, his mind racing. There had to be more to Zabaione then met the eye. When they came back, he intended to take Matagu aside and have a long talk with him.
"How long have you known Kusanagi?" Zabaione asked.
"Since we were freshmen. He'd one of my best friends."
She trailed her fingers over the edge of the fresh, inviting water.
Haruko Shido thanked the inventor of air conditioning as she sat behind the counter at the front of the family business, a full service unisex salon. Her mother was giving a facial, while two other employees, a hairdresser and manicurist also worked on customers. The door opened to reveal Karen Onodera, a fellow classmate of hers.
"Hi Karen!" Haruko greeted her. The auburn haired girl was always bubbly and cheerful, friendly with most of the girls in her class. She could take credit for getting Maiku and Miina's relationship to begin once they all found out who was the twin and who was the stranger. Karen didn't resent her because of it, but to some, she grew to be very possessive of her big brother. That relationship was the opposite for the younger Shido child. Because of his lack of success with women, Matagu had become too preoccupied with his sister. He'd make her wear glasses and engage in silly games. It never came to a point where she felt extremely uncomfortable. He doted on his sister a lot, but he also had hoped to establish something with Ichigo Morino.
"Hello Haruko," Karen smiled at her. "I'm here to get my hair done."
"You have a big concert tonight, right?" the other asked.
"Yes," Karen replied. She was going to give a concert and hoped that it would land her a music scholarship at a major college. A few scholastic big shots from the Pan School of Music would be in attendance.
Suddenly Marie appeared on the countertop, his red tube wrapped around his torso.
"Good afternoon, little one!" Haruko exclaimed. She reached for an opened box of Maple Pretz.
The little sentient took the snack, several at a time into his small mouth.
"Are you going to play some of the song's you've written?"
"Probably. I want to play the one I wrote awhile ago," she began.
Haruko nodded. Karen had played that song for her once at school when they were in an empty classroom. Of course, the astute girl had deduced the song was written with Maiku in mind. It was full of gentleness and emotion. There was a shimmering of light, then another small being appeared near the register. It resembled Marie, but wore a blue jumper. What looked like a tiny palm pilot shined while held in its small grip.
"Wow," the Shido girl breathed, eyes wide as saucers upon seeing the newcomer.
Molly's eyes remained impassive as she beheld the two human life forms. They did not appear the least bit hostile.
Marie seemed shocked to see another of his kind appear. He tilted his head slightly. "Noh?"
Molly pressed a button, sending a pulse of orange energy flying at Marie. Rivulets crisscrossed over his small frame, stunning him silly. The small sentient watched as her target fell to the counter, making barely a noise.
"Miss Enigma!" Karen gasped.
"Marie!" Haruko exclaimed.
Molly moved towards the fallen yellow being then they both disappeared a few seconds later.
Zabaione pulled a small instrument from her pocket. The object resembled a cell phone, although Matagu had never seen one designed like hers. She pressed a few buttons on the keypad, getting readouts from the lake. If she were Kazami, she would have hidden her ship below the surface near the bottom. The fugitive's Marie-siel vessel, while undetectable to Earth's inhabitants was easily locatable by Galactic Federation technology of Zabaione's caliber. Mizuho did not own a warship, so the cloaking device was not that advanced.
Matagu watched her, sensing she was a thousand miles away in thought. He felt awkward, unused to being alone with a woman. "How long have you been a Planet Inspector?" he struck up a conversation.
"Four years," she replied, not fully lying. Her career track did match the fugitives in length of service.
"What was your training like?" he asked.
"It was challenging," she admitted. "I graduated at the top of my class, though."
"Are all your races humanoid?"
"Intelligent life you mean?" she wondered. When he nodded, she continued. "There are many beings that aren't humanoid who are members of the Federation."
"I believed that before I even met you," he smiled. "I did have an encounter with a ghost last year that fed off my life force, leaving me in the hospital for a time."
"A wraith?" she commented, seeming to understand.
Hyosuke Magumo sat in the projection booth of the movie theater, glad he had a job that kept him cool all summer. He let the air conditioner blow right behind him as he leafed through materials related to his move to Tokyo University. Having already taken the entrance exams, the bleach blond student only had to work out what classes he would enroll in and where to live. His quiet time was interrupted by a ring tone on his cell phone. Kaede.
"Hello sweetness," he greeted good naturedly.
When it came to his friends, he was always in an upbeat, rosy mood. With her, it was magnified.
"Hyosuke," her soft voice spoke. "How's everything at work?"
"Good for a change. The new movies are out today," he replied.
"Don't forget later, we're invited to a cook out at Kamishiro's place," she reminded him.
"I haven't! I'm the barbecue master!" he declared mightily.
"Guess what, this morning your best friend came into the café with a pretty woman," Kaede informed him.
"One of his many relatives, I'll wager," dismissed the other. "He has more cousins than Carter has liver pills."
"No, it was an American girl; she was very striking," the red head continued.
"That dog!" Hyosuke proclaimed loudly, then checked himself. He hoped the movie goers had not heard his outburst. "I've been his boy for ten years and he's holding out on me? Hell, I told him about us after that time in Okinawa right away!"
The Irish Japanese girl paused in shock. "You could ask him to bring her to the barbecue."
"That's what I'm gonna do, babe. And when he gets there, he's gonna get an ass whuppin'."
"I'll talk to you later," she said with a chuckle.
"Bye hon," he bade her then hit "walkie-talkie" to connect with Matagu.
"You dirty dog!" Hyosuke's voice erupted in his friend's speaker.
"Hyosuke!" Matagu's said nervously into the phone. He glanced at Zabaione who remained focused on her own device.
"Why'd you hold out on me, you bum?"
"What do you mean?" the other asked, feigning innocence.
"I know you're with a hottie right now! What are her measurements?"
His cheeks flushed, but his companion remained nonplussed. "Er, so how are things at the theater?"
"Do I sense the dissolution of the Virgin Federation?" teased the aspiring statesman.
"Come on, bro," the black haired teen winced.
"Anyhow, you better show at Kamishiro's crib tonight. They're having a cookout before Karen's recital."
"I'll be there," Matagu assured him. "Got to go, later."
He pocketed his cell then turned to Zabaione. "Just my goofy pal, Hyosuke."
"Your best friend," she surmised.
The male nodded.
Miaku Kamishiro parked his scooter outside Herikawa Groceries. He had spent all morning at his data processing job, but took this afternoon break to pick up the supplies for the barbecue he and the girls were throwing that evening.
Miina brightened noticeably when she saw him enter the store. Despite their living arrangements, her feelings for him hadn't wavered in over a year. Both of them were very much in love, but their relationship had yet to progress to a more serious one. Something also seemed to prevent the two of them from spending quality time together. Karen always made sure to keep them at bay when they were in the house and whenever they went out, she always tagged along as a chaperone. Miaku juggled his computer job and school work very well. He was also planning ahed, trying to decide where he wanted to attend college.
"Hey Mike," she gave him a radiant smile.
"Good afternoon," his baby blues stared at her with affection.
"I took some time to put everything we needed into bags," she told him. "There's more than enough for twelve to fifteen people."
"Great," he smiled. "What's on the menu?"
"Yakitori, hamburgers, hot dogs, homemade salads, watermelon," she replied, pointing to the huge green shape on the counter.
"I've been wanting to try out that new grill," he told her, as he wondered how he was going to lug the watermelon home on his bike. "Remember, I'll help you two out by doing the grilling."
He handed her the money.
"That means you might have to kiss the cook," Koishi said, appearing at the counter. "Hey Kamishiro!"
"Sempai," the younger man acknowledged the brunette Herikawa.
"My cousin is visiting this summer. Miina and I decided to have him come tonight to your house then the recital," she told him.
"The more, the merrier," shrugged Mike.
"He's a skilled musician and aspiring composer," she winked. "Maybe someone who can catch your little sister's fancy," she grinned conspiratorially.
He seemed okay with the idea then noticed Miina's shy smile and flushed cheeks.
"See you later," he nodded at the girls, then departed with his arms quite full.