"Hey, would you be a bit more careful!", Koichi shouted as Kitsune dabbed disinfectant from the first aid kit provided by Su, on his back, cleaning away the blood that oozed from the many cuts and grazes.
"Oh don't be such a big baby sugar", she teased, dabbing the next cut with feather softness and chuckling as he still winced, "I'm just playing nurse here, besides I'm not the one who told Motoko she had a cute tush, you must be a masochist or something".
"But that wasn't me!", he implored, begging someone to believe. Naru just shook her head, Shinobu blushed at Kitsune's comment and Keitaro shrugged helplessly as if to say; "You're on your own".
Koichi felt like crawling into a hole and dying.
"You guys can go if you want, I'm almost done here", Kitsune said, an unspoken exchange flashing between her and Naru before the younger girl led her fiancé from the room, Shinobu in tow.
Kitsune methodically cleaned up the rest of the cuts, applying bandages where necessary.
"So if you're my nurse, does this mean I get a sponge bath?", he asked over his shoulder.
"I don't think you're in any condition to be getting fresh with me honey", the fox girl chided, leaning in to whisper in his ear, "But who knows, maybe later…"
Koichi's face went nova red and he suddenly found his throat feeling thick no matter how much he coughed.
Kitsune smiled, it was nice to be able to flirt like this again, seeing him in this sorry state and having found him embedded in the roof by an irate Motoko had knocked him down in her mind just enough that she felt comfortable conversing with him again.
"All done sugar", she announced giving him a pat on the back that made him flinch and sit up sharply.
"Did you really have to do that!"
"No, now be a man and suck it up"
"There are times I really don't like you", he growled playfully, resting his hands on the back of the chair he had just been sitting in.
"And the rest of the time?"
"Ooooooo, you two getting all kissy face on me?", a vibrant voice came from the doorway, and Koichi spun rapidly to face the blond girl it belonged to, death in his eyes.
"You!", he roared, trying to bolt forward only to find himself restrained by Kitsune, both her arms locked under his armpits, "Let me go!"
"Easy boy, did I miss something?"
"She's the one who did it!", he shouted
"Did what?", Kitsune asked confused.
"She's the one who made Motoko think I commented on her butt!"
Kitsune looked sceptically at the enraged young man, "I think Motoko can tell the difference between you and Su's voice".
"Not with this", Su said, taking a small sliver pad out from underneath her tongue, "I call it the Voice modifier: Koi-kun edition, MkVI".
Su rubbed the salvia-covered device against her cheek lovingly, "It's perfect, and I got to field test it today".
"You mean it really was you?", Kitsune asked, opening her eyes a little.
"Of course", she said, seemingly oblivious to the way Koichi's struggles increased, "But I just wanted to help, Koi-kun was starring at Motoko's hiny for a long time, so I knew he liked it".
Koichi stopped dead for a second.
"Tha-that's beyond the point!", he shouted his struggles resuming, "You could have got me killed!"
"Oh well"
"…Oh well, OH WELL! You're gonna tell Motoko what you did even if I have to wring the confession out of your scrawny little neck!"
"Make me", she said, pulling a face.
"That's it", he shouted, Kitsune having a hard time holding him back, "Let me at her!"
Su danced about and patted her rump at him.
"Grrh!", he screamed, finally breaking free and heading for Su like a bullet from a gun.
The tanned girl leapt above his tackle, kicking him in the head as he went by, causing his face to bounce off the floor as he skidded into the hall. Su skipped over his twitching form and cackled as she made her escape. He was up before Kitsune reached him, pausing only long enough to ask which way Su had gone before following in hot pursuit.
Damn it Su, Kitsune thought even as she heard those words echoed by Koichi moments later. She'd had the perfect chance to.
Motoko was pacing the living room like a caged animal. She couldn't believe that Koichi could have said something so low, so perverted, just when she was trying to figure out whether or not she liked him.
Why?, she thought, Why did you have to ruin everything like that?
Her train of thought was rather violently de-railed as Su came rocketing around the corner, a huge smile on her face, and a mischievous twinkle in her bright green eyes. The younger girl locked onto Motoko with a look she knew all to well, and Motoko braced herself for the incoming glomping as Su's feet left the ground.
"Motoko!", she squealed with mock fear, "You'll save me from the monster won't you?".
"Monster?", Motoko asked, "What monster?"
"That one", Su said, moving around onto her friends back and pointing just as Koichi came into view.
"Su! I swear, when I get my hands on you I'll…", he trailed off as he spotted Motoko, "erm…"
"State your business with my friend pervert", she said icily.
Koichi stiffened and glared back a little, "I already told you, it wasn't me, it was her", he said levelling an accusatory finger at the girl clinging to Motoko's back.
"That has got to be the most pathetic excuse I have ever heard, and believe me, I have heard a lot. You would use a young girl to shield yourself? Despicable", Motoko spat.
"But it's true damn it, she used something to make her voice sound like mine"
"Enough lies!", Motoko shouted, how dare this pervert accuse her friend. Her hand began to reach for her sword.
"Actually", Su said casually, watching an interesting dust mote from her perch on Motoko's back, "Koi-kun's right, I used my latest invention".
Removing the silver disk from her pocket, Su placed it under her tongue.
"Nice tush Motoko", she said, her voice a perfect imitation of Koichi's.
Motoko looked at her friend in shock as the implications of what she had just heard sunk in. This meant that she had just almost put an innocent man though the roof of the Hinata Sou.
"Are you mad at me Koi-kun?", Su asked with eyes that would have shamed a puppy.
"Not really Su", he said, trying but failing to resist the power of those eyes, "But that was a very bad thing you did, Motoko could have really hurt me".
The girl in question winced a little at the reminder of her lapse in judgement.
"I'm sorry", Su said with the same expression, "Here's an idea, how about I let you take me on a date like you did Kitsune to make up for it?".
Motoko's blood froze as she heard those words. Koichi… and Kitsune… on a date?
She looked at him, hoping that Su was joking again, but he was rubbing the back of his head awkwardly like Keitaro would when he knew he had done something wrong. So, it's…true, she thought sadly, wanting to be anywhere but there at that moment.
Kitsune poked her head around the corner at that moment. "So there you all are", she said, walking round, her pace slowing as she noticed the mood in the room, "Did I miss something?".
"Hold on a minute Su", Koichi asked, recovering his voice, "Why would you think I went on a date with Kitsune?"
"Because I was filming it on my Tama-cam", the young girl genius said, "I saw you two get on a train to Tokyo together, walk around shopping, stop at a café and I even saw Kitsune take you into one of those naughty underwear shops".
Motoko felt as if her heart were being slowly ground to dust with each revelation. So Kitsune had got to him first. Motoko wondered blackly if the pair had already slept together, she wouldn't have put it past the older woman.
"Kitsune just took me shopping to help me find a gift for Motoko Su, that's not a date. As for the underwear shop", he said glaring at Kitsune who whistled an innocent tune, "She thought that would make a good joke".
It was…just a shopping trip, Motoko thought hopefully, carefully hiding her relieved smile.
"If…if that is the case…", Motoko began, part of her mind watching in horror as the next words seemed to spew forth without her consent, "Then perhaps you would like to accompany me one night…just the two of us…on…a date…".
Koichi's smile could have eclipsed the sun at that moment, "Sure Motoko, I'd-"
"Now hold up a minute", Kitsune intervened before he could answer, realising she was about to be beaten to the punch once more, "I too have some free time this week, I was thinking we, might spend a little time together".
"Kitsune!"
"Motoko?"
Koichi suddenly felt as if the room had dropped a few degrees. Su apparently noticed also, because she slid of Motoko's back and backed slowly out of the room.
"Well", Kitsune said, looking at him, "Aren't you going to say something?".
"Yes Koichi, I would like to hear how you plan to resolve this"
"Me?", he squeaked.
"Yes, you", both girls said together, neither looking at the other.
Koichi looked around desperately for an exit, but they had backed him against a wall.
This can't be happening to me, he thought disbelievingly, I've been hoping for something like this from Motoko since I got here…but on the other hand, Kitsune is very beautiful…Why me?
"Well?"
It was a jingling in his pocket which saved him. Reaching into his pocket he withdrew a ten yen coin and held it up for both girls to see. His plan was simple, rather than trying to choose and reject one girl for the other, he'd take both of them out on separate nights, the coin toss deciding in what order so that he couldn't be accused of favouritism. He tossed the coin and asked for one of them to call it. It was Kitsune who won, meaning that she would be the first. Koichi flinched when she began to taunt Motoko, fearing the worst, but the younger girl kept her cool just barely, the hand on her Katana white knuckled.
They sat down around the living room table and hammered out the plan. Koichi was adamant that he didn't want these dates to directly follow each other, as that would put an unfair strain on him, and possibly ruin his performance when Motoko's turn came about. Both girls agreed to this. The arguments started when he proposed times for the dates.
He wanted two days between each date for downtime and planning something Kitsune wasn't happy about because it meant she had to wait, despite being first, and something that angered Motoko because it meant that her date was almost a week away.
Eventually he managed to get sulky agreements out of them both when he threatened to call the whole idea off.
The 'negotiations' complete, both girls left to make their own plans, each making a point of giving him a quick peek on the cheek in front of the other.
When they were gone Koichi let himself fall face first onto the table.
"Why me?", he whimpered, this was not what was supposed to have happened. In his mind he heard a familiar voice, "Oh Oni-chan".
The first two days seemed to rush by faster than he imagined they would, and all to soon he found himself waiting outside the Hinata Sou for his first date. Koichi tugged at the collar of his black dress shirt and shuffled his feet in his polished shoes in an attempt to feel more comfortable. It wasn't working.
He hadn't really been sure what to go for so he had opted for semi-casual hoping that he wouldn't stand out too badly.
He glanced at his watch again, wondering what was taking Kitsune. He should have known the fox girl would be 'fashionably late', even if they were residing in the same residence.
He stuffed his hands into his pockets and pace nervously. How the hell had he ended up in this situation? All he had wanted was to catch Motoko's attention, possibly spend a little more time around her, and now he was caught in the middle of a love triangle it seemed. Koichi mused briefly how he had thought such things never happened in real life…then again there were aspects of his life most people would say the same thing about…
"Hi there sugar, hope I didn't keep you waiting to long"
Koichi turned back to face the voice, intending to ask her what had taken so long, but the power of speech seemed to abandon him momentarily.
Kitsune was wearing a chic red mini skirt with tights and a thin, black turtle neck sweater, brown flats and the subtlest hint of make up completing the image.
"So?", she said with a twirl, "How do I look?"
Koichi bent his will to forming words, but nothing seemed to come.
Relax, a helpful voice supplied, Just take a deep breath, clear your throat, and breath out while moving your lips and tongue like you have done for most of your life thus far, I'm sure it'll all come back to you.
"You look…great Kitsune", he said, causing her to nod happily and take his arm.
"So lover boy", she said playfully, "Where to?"
Koichi had given some serious thought to where he would take each girl. While Motoko struck him as the 'quiet walk on the beach' type, Kitsune was anything but, so he had discreetly asked around for tips on where to find the best nightlife in town and had been directed, after a few false starts, to some good possibilities that he had noted the addresses of before moving on.
Their first destination tonight was Hinata Palace, a nightclub that was at least semi-reputable, and just the kind of thing that Kitsune would get a kick out of. Or at least that was what he hoped. It had occurred to him repeatedly that he really had no idea how to tailor to the tastes of an older woman, so he was making a proverbial leap of faith based on what little he knew about Mitsune Konno.
They arrived at the club in good time, just after the initial rush for admittance had faded, meaning that they didn't spend awkward minutes waiting in line with nothing to do.
Koichi mentally congratulated himself on sticking around long enough to ask those extra, nit-pick questions.
As soon as they were ushered inside he wondered if he had made a mistake. Music blared loudly from a number of unseen speakers and the entire room seemed to one giant sea of pulsating flesh, with a 'safety' strip with a number of chairs and tables where the less adventurous club goers could sit back and 'enjoy the ambience'.
Koichi swallowed, he was in way over his head on this one, even Tokyo hadn't been this crowded.
He spotted the bar in the far corner and gestured to Kitsune to convey his intention. She agreed readily and he took her hand to prevent them being separated as they moved through the throng.
When they reached the bar Koichi tapped the bartender, a man with slicked back brown hair, perhaps a few years older than himself, and opened his mouth to order.
Before he could the other man spotted his companion, his face lighting up with a snake like smile.
"Konno you sexy thing", he shouted above the din, "Long time no see, what brings you back?"
"Hi Shinji", she said, "I'm just here on a date, to have a little fun, you know, the usual"
Koichi felt his heart sink a little. So much for an original night out, he should have thought to ask if anyone fitting Kitsune's description was known to frequent the place.
"A date?", he asked, looking Koichi over dismissively, "How old are you kid, about sixteen?"
Kitsune glared at the greasy man, putting a restraining hand on Koichi as he made to fire a retort back.
"Now, now boys, lets play nice shall we, I'll take two shooters Shinji"
"You sure the boy here can take it", he said, sticking a thumb in Koichi's direction.
"Oh, he can handle himself, he can handle himself just fine", she purred, draping herself against Koichi suggestively. Luckily he was still too angry at the bartender's casual insults to blush and ruin the effect.
"lucky b", Shinji muttered under his breath, ducking beneath the bar to retrieve two small glasses and pour out her order.
"Down the hatch", she said, handing one to Koichi after he had paid and downing the contents in a single swallow.
Feeling the older mans envious gaze still on him, Koichi mimicked her, to his credit not hacking up a lung as fluid seemingly originally intended as paint stripper burned a fiery track down his oesophagus.
"Smooth", he wheezed the age-old cliché, setting the glass back down roughly.
Kitsune grinned at him and grabbed his hand dragging him toward the dance floor, "Come on honey, lets kick this party into high gear!".
It now became apparent of another flaw in his seemingly perfect plan. Koichi had two left feet when it came to dancing. In any other situation his life in his younger years had equipped him with a grace and dexterity some would think supernatural, but on the dance floor he moved like a drunk and it showed.
He must have crushed the feet of half the patrons before he decided to throw in the towel and sit the next song out.
So this was how his date found him, sitting at an empty table, feeling an utter sense of failure.
"Hey now, what's with the long face? I hope I'm not that bad a date?"
"No Kitsune, you're great", his said with a genuine smile that brought back the blush the fox girl thought she had lost, "It's me, I guess I should have thought this through a little better, sorry for spoiling our evening".
"Hey", she said, squatting down to his face level, "I came here to spend some time alone with you, and that's what I got, so I'm happy".
To drive the point home she lent over and kissed him softly on the cheek.
"Now what do you say, wanna give it another try?"
"Just try and stop me", he said, his confidence restored.
Kitsune led him back out onto the dance floor as the next song began, a slow song with a heavy beat.
His date place her back to him, confusing him for a second until he noticed the motion of her hips and the way she was glancing over her shoulder at him.
Kitsune raised her arms above her head, crossing them at the wrist and swaying gently in time with the music.
Moving in as close as he dared, Koichi followed her movements, locking eyes with her to prevent his gaze wondering.
They danced like that for a small eternity, and when the song changed to something more lively, his partner took the unspoken lead, showing him what moves to perform and so on.
So the night went on, until by mutual concession they decided to leave, seeking the fresh night air after hours spent in the increasingly heated and stuffy nightclub.
Koichi had suggested that they return, but Kitsune hadn't been quite ready to end the evening yet, so they had take a quiet stroll by the moonlight, until coming to one of the quieter bars the older girl frequented, and ducking inside to escape the growing chill.
Kitsune introduced him to several of her personal concoctions, making the rather worrying statement that no one who'd drunk them ever went permanently blind. Still it was something new to Koichi, and soon they were both a little drunk, laughing at each other's jokes more than they really should have and swaying slightly where they sat.
Koichi found himself greatly enjoying the elder woman's company, even going so far as to talk to her about the funnier bits of his childhood, travelling with his father and younger sister Kana.
They stayed there long after midnight before making their round about way home.
"Thanks for this Koichi", Kitsune said when they reach the Hinata Sou, "It's been too long since I had a good date… you… you wanna come in?"
"Course I do, I live here after all", Koichi said, still a little merry from his rather liberal consumption that night.
"No, that wasn't….that wasn't what I meant"
Koichi mentally ticked off a list of alternate meanings behind that sentence, until he arrived at the one Kitsune was driving at. His eyes widened slightly and he suddenly felt very sober.
Kitsune nodded when it looked like he'd got it and pressed against him, "So? What do you say?"
A part of Koichi was screaming "Go for it!", after all, wasn't every boys dream to win the favour of a beautiful, older and more experienced woman?
As he battled with himself he could see that young girl's face, the one he had made a promise to so long ago slipping away.
Could he really forsake that? Did it really matter if she didn't even remember?
….Yes…Yes, it does matter… she might not recall, but I do, and I'd have to face her everyday knowing I'd betrayed that promise… If she released me, maybe I could do this, but not now.
If she released me…, was that what he really wanted?
"I…I'm sorry Kitsune", he said, wincing at the way her face seemed to fall a little, "You are incredibly beautiful…and I'm honoured you'd ask, but I can't do that just yet…there's to much I need to sort out".
"It's ok", she said, giving him a look of understanding and another gentle kiss on the cheek, "I'm a very patient woman".
Koichi smiled his thanks hugging her lightly before saying goodnight and heading inside.
Kitsune stood out in the moonlight for a while longer, just staring vacantly up at the moon. I guess I lost this battle…but the war is far from over, she thought, lifting her spirits. Koichi had made a good impression with his actions tonight, she was sure now that whoever he chose would be the one he truly wanted, and she could live with that for now.
Koichi spent most of the next day asleep on the living room couch, he felt completely wiped.
Snoozing contentedly, he never saw the stealthy figure that crept past his sleeping spot, a long package tucked securely under one arm.
The figure stopped near him, a slender hand reaching forth timidly to brush away the locks of messy hair that had fallen over one of his eyes, but halting uncertainly and reluctantly drawing away.
Moments later the figure was gone.
Koichi looked himself over critically in the mirror. He was wearing black t-shirt with the word "Ninja", printed across the chest in white block capitals, the rest of his apparel being the same as always.
Father would have a stroke if I saw this, Koichi thought with a chuckle, raking his hands through the organised chaos that was his hair and belatedly checking his breath and popping one of the small mints he had brought earlier.
It was midday on a gloriously warm Saturday, the day of his date with Motoko. Once again he had a carefully planned itinerary, this time however having made sure not to make an ass of himself by including things that either of them couldn't do.
It was to meet Motoko out front, just as he had Kitsune, in approximately five minutes.
"Show time", he said stuffing his wallet into his pocket and heading out the door.
Koichi stomped his boots on when he reached the entranceway and stepped out into the summer heat, closing his eyes and opening his arms as if to greet the day personally.
He glanced down at his watch briefly. Only one minute to go, and if he knew Motoko…
3, 2, 1…, he mentally counted down. The door behind him slid aside and he was stunned for the second time that week.
Motoko stood, her hands clasped demurely or perhaps anxiously in front of her, but it was what she wore that held his attention.
It was a square cut, one-piece summer dress. Pure white, accenting her pale skin and contrasting nicely with her raven tresses, the bangs of which seemed to have been crimped for the occasion, the rest having been tied back in a simple ponytail at the nap of her neck.
She's gorgeous, he thought admiringly as the wind played with the knee length hem of her dress.
"You look great Motoko", he said causing her blush a little and look away, "Are you ready?"
She nodded mutely, following as he led the way.
Koichi had found inspiration for this trip in one of the local papers. There had been mention of an exhibit at one of Tokyo's museums, on a recently discovered set of Samurai artefacts, some of the oldest ever recovered intact.
Truth be told, Koichi had to admit to himself as he paid for he and Motoko's train fare, he had another reason for taking her to see the new items besides the obvious. He was hoping that being, with him, around things she was familiar with in a setting that was similar to of her childhood, she might recall a certain promise made by two children a long time ago…
The train ride was quiet, Motoko didn't seem to know what to say, and Koichi's mind, usually churning with a wide variety ideas that he could ramble on about to strike up a conversation, was curiously silent.
They reached their stop and disembarked still without speaking. Koichi was beginning to feel uneasy about this whole thing as they walked to their first destination barely uttering more than a few words at a time.
Things brightened a little when they actually reached the museum. Motoko was impressed with his choice of venue, wondering around the latest section, calling him over when she spotted something interesting or found something that she believed labelled wrong.
Koichi was able to impress her by not only following her commentary, but even correcting it on occasion, showing a great deal of knowledge in the areas she herself had been schooled in as a child.
Once more she was being shown that there was more to this boy than met the eye, and it…intrigued her, to find out more.
When they tired of the museum, Koichi had suggested they take a stroll down to the park.
Their conversation was much more animated this time, as they mocked some of the more outrageous mistakes made by the museum's so called experts.
Motoko had even had the courage to take his hand as they walked, even if it had taken several minutes for her to stop blushing afterwards.
On impulse, Koichi had hired out one of the row boats available at the lake in the centre of the park, and they had spent part of the afternoon drifting idly along, chatting just as they would at home, comfortable and happy in each others exclusive company.
Motoko thanked the waiter as he set the frozen dessert down in front of her. She had commented on the hot weather and Koichi had brought them to a small café he knew to get something to cool down.
He was currently sipping a chilled coffee and gazing out at the throngs of people passing by, going about their daily lives.
Motoko found herself tracing the outline of his jaw with her eyes, the set of his shoulders and the muscle structure visible through his shirt. If not ripped his was certainly in good shape she mused, blushing and chiding herself for having such thoughts.
As she sat there an old memory surfaced. The time she had seen Naru-sempai and Urashima in a similar situation, just as Naru had been about to feed her date some of her ice-cream.
Motoko chuckled at the irony of the situation.
"What's funny?", Koichi asked, raising a curious eyebrow as she giggled.
"Nothing", she assured him, an idea forming in her head, "Koichi, say ahhhhh"
He looked confused until she lifted up her spoon, a small amount of the chilled dessert on it and held it out toward him.
Grinning, Koichi obediently opened his mouth and closed his eyes, "Ahhhh"
"Who's the tease now?", an amused voice enquired from behind Motoko, causing her to jerk forward, the dessert landing on Koichi's face.
"AH! Cold!", he said, his eyes flying back open as he grabbed a napkin to remove the icy substance.
"Na-Naru-sempai!", Motoko stuttered, wondering what the older girl was doing here, and if she had somehow read her mind.
"Sorry about that", Naru said, smiling apologetically at her friend, "I didn't mean to startle you like that".
Naru was standing behind Motoko, Keitaro next to her smiling apologetically at the younger couple.
"What are you two doing here anyway? On a date?", she teased.
"Yes actually", Koichi said, taking hold of Motoko's hand, causing her to blush slightly hoping Naru wouldn't see the sudden change of colour.
"Oops, my bad", the brown haired girl said, smiling at the pair.
"What are you and Urashima doing here anyway?", Motoko asked to divert attention away from herself and Koichi.
"Seta phoned to ask the big lug here to sort out a new shipment of earthenware for him while he and Haruka are away, and naturally he agreed without remembering that he had promised to spend the day with me, so here we are", she said giving her fiancé a look of fond annoyance.
"Speaking of which Naru, we need to head over there now if we want any time left today, let's leave the youngsters to their date", he joked.
"Youngsters?", Naru asked, a dangerous edge to her voice, "Are you implying that I'm old Keitaro?".
"No!", he said, waving his arms defensively and backing away, "I would never say something like that".
"But you were thinking it"
"No Narusegawa, I wouldn't!", he said breaking into a sweat and making a run for it.
"Get back here Keitaro!", the brown haired girl shouted giving chase.
"Help meeeeeeee!", his voice filtered through the crowd as they both faded from sight.
"….Well, that was unique", Koichi sweat-dropped.
"If only", Motoko sighed ruefully, disappointed that her moment had been ruined by the Hinata Sou's most famous couple.
"I'm no longer that hungry", she said, pushing the dessert aside, "Do you want to call it a day?".
"Sure", Koichi said, knowing that Naru and Keitaro's little interruption had spoiled the mood somewhat, no matter how unintentionally.
The ride back was as quiet as the ride there, but this time neither minded much, they were content to simply hold hands, and Koichi was surprised to realise, that unlike when he had been with Kitsune that day, he really didn't mind the attention of the other passengers…
Koichi rested his back against the wall outside Motoko's room.
When they had returned, she had informed him that she had something to give him, and taken him upstairs, instructing him to wait where he now stood before vanishing inside and closing the door.
Koichi's mind speculated on what she could want to give him, his fantasies occasionally dipping into the ridiculous and the x-rated much to his own chagrin.
Eventually the door slid aside and Motoko stepped out with something clutched behind her back.
"Firstly, I would like to thank you for a wonderful day, I enjoyed myself a lot".
"Me too Motoko", he said causing her to smile.
"I'm glad… I'd like to give to something to say thank you for today".
Bringing her hands around from behind her back, Motoko presented him with a bokken, carved carefully from polished oak, the inscription: For Koichi, indented into the wood of the pommel in Kanji.
"I promised to teach you after all, and I can't do that if you don't have something to practice with", she said, watching with worry as his expression flickered for a second. Had she done something wrong? Maybe she should take it back…
Seeming to notice her inner distress, Koichi took the proffered gift reverently.
"Domo arigato, Motoko-chan", he said with a slight bow, the last making her blush again. He had hoped for a split second when she said the word 'promise' that she had finally remembered, but he could live with it this time if she didn't.
"There is one other thing", she said, bracing herself.
"Wha-", was as much as he got out before she darted forward, pressing her lips softly against his.
It didn't take him long to respond, wrapping his arms around her and deepening the kiss.
Ever nerve ending felt on fire for Motoko, she hadn't even experienced this when she had kissed Urashima, true he had never returned the kiss, but still…
When they broke apart, Motoko was a little breathless and flushed, hardly daring to believe the boldness of her own actions.
"Motoko…", Koichi said, looking into her eyes, he'd made up his mind, he was going to tell her, "I-"
"Ooooooo", a voice crooned from nearby, "Koi-kun and Motoko sittin' in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-"
"That's it shrimp!", Koichi bellowed, spinning to face Su, the bokken he had just received in hand, "Your going down"
Su squealed as he charged her, running as only Kaolla Su could.
Motoko smiled wistfully as Koichi chased her around the corner, still yelling, but to her at least, clearly enjoying the chase.
It was nice to know that he liked her best friend and that she liked him in return.
That night Motoko dreamed of a little boy with sea grey eyes.
"So…it's a promise?", the boy said, his voice full of excitement and his eyes alive with hope.
"Yes Koi-kun", she heard herself respond with that same excitement, her voice somehow higher, younger, "I promise"
I promise…
Promise…
What did I promise?---Author Notes---
Oh aren't I evil, hehehe, cliff-hanger it is. Thus ends chapter 3 at last, now onto the one I've been wanting to write since I started this, chapter 4: Promise: Twin Blades, Fight! The chapter I've been wanting to write since I started this whole project.
Coming up: Promises revealed, secrets explained, a past uncovered and a choice to be made…
Till next time, Betweenheavenandhell