In our last chapter, we left Al in a Tokyo backstreet, facing execution by the Yakuza
(Friday night, midnight...)
Al closed his eyes. This was it - the final curtain call, the big sleep, the last adventure. Time to say his last goodbyes - goodbye dizzy, goodbye Motoko, goodbye Hinata Sou, goodbye...
BANG!
"Well, looks like I'll have to shorten my goodbye list." Al thought.
He remained still, awaiting the pain, or the tiredness; something that he assumed death felt like.
All he could feel was that his feet were numb from all the kneeling he was doing.
He opened his eyes slowly. Was this Heaven? He looked around for clouds, slurpie machines, and Rodney Dangerfield.
He saw a dingy alleyway filled with garbage.
Perhaps this was Hell, but if that was so, where was the giant Pokemon teaching algebra?
What was that gunshot he had just heard? He looked around behind him to see the man with the gun still pointed at him, but he was looking to his right, and there was an unusually horrified expression on his face. The young American looked to the right as well and saw her.
A young girl wearing a middle-school uniform along with some dark green shades was pointing a gun directly at the leader of the bunch. He could tell that she was the one who had fired, due to the slightly faint trail of smoke that was being emitted from the barrel of her gun.
"This man is not to be touched." she said simply, and jerked her head to indicate to them that they needed to back off.
"B-But ma'am! He needs to be punished for humiliating us! For humiliating the family!" one of the three men exclaimed.
BANG!
Another gunshot echoed throughout the alley as she fired another warning shot, this time nearly grazing the head of the one who had an excuse. The girl aimed directly at his head and warned all three of them.
"It's onii-chan's orders so holster your weapons and leave."
They all hesitated except for the leader who smirked spoke up with an attitude.
"Hey, we don't care about your older brother. Why don't you and your brother go piss off someone else? I'm ending this right here, right now" he cocked the hammer and prepared to shoot.
Al squeezed his eyes shut again 'This is it!' he thought to himself once more.
BANG!
Yet another gunshot rang out, but something was wrong - he wasn't dead. Instead, he heard the clatter of metal hitting the ground some fifteen feet to his left and no longer felt the gun to his head, he turned to look and saw the man starring bug-eyed at the girl.
There was more smoke coming from the gun she held in her hand and her face (even though it was dark outside) was as red as Naru's whenever Keitaro walked in on her while she and the girls were in the bath. She clutched the gun tightly in her hand and he could hear her strain to keep her temper.
"That was your gun. Next will be your hand." she hissed threateningly.
All three of the men backed away nervously and they hesitantly retreated from the alley. The mysterious girl tucked the gun into a school book-bag by her feet and sighed...
"T..Thanks." Al was very pale he stood, his knees shaking. How many brushes with death could he stand?
The girl gave him a look that expressed her feelings of boredom before turning and leaving the alley, not saying a word.
"What just happened?"
"I was going to ask the same thing." Kitsune stepped out from behind the corner. She was looking shaken and scared - she had been afraid that she wouldn't be able to save Al, and in the end she hadn't - it was that girl. Whoever she was.
-
Haitani and Shirai drove Mutsumi home, but Kitsune told them that she and Al had a lot more drinking to do and so they left. Al and kitsune shot off into the night on his vespa, traveling further from the Hinata house.
Oddly enough, Kitsune had him stop at an IHOP. Al was surprised to find they had them in Japan, but he reminded himself it WAS the "International House of Pancakes".
They sat and ordered their meals, with Kitsune ordering lots of pancakes, eggs, bacon and toast, while Al settled on a French dip sandwich and a large Mountain Dew.
After discovering they didn't serve Sake, kitsune ordered a Coke.
"So then, who were those guys?" asked Kitsune, straight to the point.
"well I'm not totally sure, but I think they're with the Yakuza."
"Well no freaking duh, what I meant was, why are they after you?"
"Not sure. I suppose the simplest explanation would be I ticked someone off and they hired the mob out to get me."
"You really know how to tick people off!" Kitsune sounded almost impressed.
"Well, it's not just me anymore - now they're after Lance 'cause he saw them chasing me, though after that little incident I wonder if they'll try again. That chick was pretty scary."
"Good point, so now what do you plan on doing?"
"I suppose I sit tight, and if they try anything again I try to find who called the hit on me and tell them to call it off." Al sipped his mountain dew and closed his eyes as if tired.
"You think it's that easy!" Kitsune was amazed. He either really didn't know or he was a better actor then she gave him credit for.
"Well I wasn't gonna worry about it but now that some of my friends are in danger I'll have to do something after all."'
"Alright, well now that it's settled that you're gonna do something, why don't we get back to our topic in the bar. Tell me a little about yourself." Kitsune smiled, the veil going up. She was getting into the state of mind she always got into when wanting to learn about someone and yet give nothing away about herself.
"Well okay, but for everything I tell you about me, you have to tell me something about you. And I know that you'll know if I'm lying, and I'll know if you're lying, so if one of us calls B.S. the other has to take a drink."
Kitsune blinked - he had noticed her lacing her Coke with rum.
"Alright then, I'll play your little game, but you go first." Kitsune had laid her cards on the table. This was going to be interesting, and if he was as good as she was at this sort of stuff, perhaps she wouldn't mind him knowing more about her.
"Alright then, I was born in California, and less then a year after my parents got divorced, and shortly after that my mom married someone else and had my brother, and some time later (Several years) they split up, she married a third guy and had my sister. My brother's a pain in the butt and my sister is sweet but she's a little bratty, which is natural for her age. Now you."
Kitsune mentally checked the long run-on sentence; he hadn't been lying as far as she could tell.
"Ok, when I was six I had my first kiss..."
"Hold it!"
"What?"
"This is a fair game, I told you about my family, now you tell me about yours, and we aren't trading little secrets for big ones now."
"Alright, my family, a mother, father, and six sisters when we started..."
-
Al sighed; it had been a long night.
He drove at a steady pace, and Kitsune seemed to be asleep, her arms wrapped around his waist, breathing softly. He could see in his mirror that her eyes were closed.
He thought back to their conversation, running it over in his head. Kitsune had had an interesting life, to say the least - most of it wasn't the greatest, but it seemed her life had taken a turn for the better when she reached the Hinata house. Now he understood why the other roommates had pictures of their family in their rooms, and all that Kitsune had were pictures of the other girls... they were her family.
He turned into the garage of the Hinata house and stopped, wondering if he could carry Kitsune to her room or if he should go find some help.
As he lifted her, he was surprised to find her much lighter then he had suspected. He wondered how she kept such a trim figure with all the laying around she did.
As he carried her up to her room he remembered what had been the closing to their discussion. After her family they had discussed their friends, life at the Hinata house, and then Kitsune had remembered about Naru's birthday, and a sly look had crossed her face.
"Ok, you know how Naru and Keitaro have been pussyfooting around their relationship?"
Al nodded, Kitsune had spoken a lot about Kei and Naru's love life, and it seemed she felt that she had a personal stake in it.
"Well, I say as a birthday present to Naru, we find a way to give those two crazy kids a romantic moment in which they can share their true feelings!"
Kitsune looked like she was imagining it; her face was dreamy enough that Al might have wondered if it was Naru in the fantasy or Kitsune.
"All we gotta do is get them alone, maybe have some cherry blossoms raining down, yeah that's it, real romantic, and she'll look at him, and he'll look at her, and they'll kiss!" Kitsune was getting excited and sketching their plans out on a napkin.
"So is this one of those plans where the two of them don't know about any of it?"
"Of course, if they knew then it wouldn't work - it'd be too awkward, they'd never do it."
"You seem really into this, is it because you're a caring friend or because the whole thing's like some silly soap opera?"
"A little of A, and a little of B."
"Figures."
-
Al lay Kitsune in her bed gently, and pulled the blanket over her. She was a kind person though she tried to hide it with a fun loving party girl attitude, but he could see right though her. Like many actors, both she and he were gifted with a great ability to read people, and to each other they were an open book.
As he sneaked out of the room, he heard her mumble softly "Good night little brother."
He smiled warmly and shut the door, and was walking towards his room only to be confronted by Motoko, who was just getting up to do her morning practice.
"Well, where were you all night?" She asked, a hint of death in her eyes.
"I couldn't leave Kitsune alone in Tokyo, it's a dangerous city... why, are you jealous?" Al smirked in a way he knew would bother Motoko.
"No, not at all. I was just making sure you weren't doing anything devious yourself." She said coldly.
Al facefaulted at her clear and straight denial of any feelings for him, and being tired he didn't feel much like trying to save face and get her to warm up to him again.
He stood and smiled. "Well, I'm off to bed, see you later mo-Chan." But as he passed, he paused, and hugged her - it was a habit he had, hugging his friends when he was feeling good, and getting to know Kitsune and making a new friend of her had made him feel very good.
The hug was quick, he then left, leaving a flabbergasted Motoko to stand and blush, and not even think of trying to hit the large boy as he returned to his room.
She wandered out to the deck in a daze. What had just happened?
(Saturday Morning, early)
"Dear Ai-chan.
"How are you? Is Alaska nice?
"It's funny, the way things have changed. In the past, my family had enough money to go anywhere we wanted, but I never wanted to move. I was happy with my lazy, carefree life in Tokyo. And now that I finally do have a reason to leave, I have to scrape every penny I can to make it work.
"Japan is a lonely and painful place to be in now. I walk around the teashop and through the winding streets trying to move on with my life, but all I can ever think of is you. I know, you said you were promised to somebody else. But you can't say that what we had was nothing, no matter how brief it lasted.
"That's why I'm making plans to go to Alaska. I need to see you again, to touch your face and see your beautiful smile. It will take a little while, but I promise to be there soon, hopefully with the help of your cousins. I will be a new man by the time you see me next. And if you will still reject me, I will go home knowing that at least there was closure.
"But in that small, one-in-a-million chance that you will accept me in your heart... I will be the happiest man alive.
"Sincerely yours, Sakata Kentaro."
Haruka finished reading the letter yet again, digesting every word as carefully as she did the first time. She had been mulling over this missive for the better part of the night, but no amount of tea or nicotine could shake off the feeling of tight anxiety in her breast. If only she been more careful during the age changing incident, things would be so much simpler! But that was days behind now, and the ugly present was staring Haruka right in the face.
She had already made the proper preparations. Tonight, after Naru's birthday party, she would take the plunge. But knowing exactly what she was going to do didn't make her feel any better about it. If anything, the sense of dread was only rising.
Haruka lit another cigarette with the tip of her dying one, popping the new one comfortably between her lips. Taking a deep, luxurious drag, she held the smoke in her mouth for several seconds before finally releasing it in a distressed sigh.
"This is going to be ugly."
-
It was late in the morning when Lance finally woke up. His head felt groggy, and his feet were still cold. Groaning he sat up and rubbed his eyes, hoping to revive them well enough to see clearly. The light that shone through his window had helped him more than enough, and he found himself turning away from the window and to the side of his futon, where a half-empty (or half-full?) water bottle lay. He reached for it and chugged the rest of it down. Smacking his lips, he felt his head starting to stir back to regular status. Now he could formally "get up".
The late night practice with Al, Su and Dizzy had taken it's toll on him, and he started to regret ever agreeing to practice for the extra three hours. He had barely managed to scrap up a new song for them to play, and he didn't want to rest until he was sure that they could all play it decently enough. It took longer than he expected, but he was pleased with himself on the progress. Even for a few short days, the band seemed to have really gotten good. Of course, there was the major problem of pretending to be female during all of it... but he hoped to death he could overcome it.
He looked at the alarm clock near his futon. It was past breakfast. He suddenly felt sorry, hoping no one was worried. But since no one had come to wake him up, he thought it was fine to skip it. He stood up and got dressed in his casual/street clothes, jeans and Nintendo t-shirt to show his undying dedication, and went for the door.
He saw his guitar propped up on the wall next to the door. He looked back and forth from the door to the guitar, wondering where to go. With a shrug, he grabbed his guitar and sat back down on his futon, starting to play to himself.
-
Keitaro snickered - this would be wonderful... he had been saving up for a month, nothing but ramen noodles for breakfast lunch and dinner, but he had saved up enough money that he could buy her this birthday present, the perfect silky red kimono.
He took the box which he had painstakingly wrapped to make perfect - better then even some professional jobs, he thought.
He stood on his table and pushed the floorboard aside, he could hardly wait to see the look on her face.
Sadly as could be expected, her face was not the first thing he saw.
He wondered, as he soared above Hinata, just how many times a day Naru must change her clothes, and how he always seemed to catch her doing it?
-
"Ready?" Maho clapped her hands rhythmically, tapping her shoe against the ground at the same beat. "Four, five, six and go!"
Al twirled through a rough pirouette, shaking his hips invitingly at the last moment. He stopped on his right heel, moving into a backward two-step and wiggling his chest. Finally, he threw his head defiantly to the side, posing once with his hands at his hips, again with one arm over his head, and a third time with his limbs splayed open. Then he shook his hair wildly, bouncing to the other end of the floor with flashy hand gestures.
"Wrong!" Maho's whip landed squarely between Al's shoulder blades, creating a loud cracking noise and an equally deafening yell.
Al wept openly as he feebly massaged his back. "That hurt!"
"Then do it right!" she retorted.
"What did I do wrong?"
"You didn't smile!" Maho began to lecture, occasionally gesturing with one of her wands for emphasis. "The sexy dance is a vital part of every magic show. On top of the usual optical effects, it is necessary that there be energetic and sensual performers to do a dance that distracts the audience and gives the magician—i.e., myself—the precious extra seconds necessary to complete my trick. Energetic!" She pointed at him. "That means you have to smile!"
Al nodded sullenly, still feeling a dull ache from the whip. "Okay, fine."
"Don't sulk. You volunteered for this, Al-san."
"I wouldn't have if I knew you were going to be a Nazi..." he muttered.
She frowned. "What did you say?"
"Nothing."
Maho shook her head. "Let's just do this again." She made the rhythm once more. "Four, five, six and go!"
This time Al barely made two motions before he felt the whip crack on his back again. "Oww! What did I do this time?"
"Your arms weren't in the right place!"
"Yeah, I'll bet! You just want to whip me again!"
"You know... You're right. I do." She smiled, sending a chill down Al's spine. "From the top, Lupin-kun!" This time Maho made the rhythm by hitting the whip against the floor. "Seven, eight, nine and go!"
As Al moved miserably through the dance for the hundredth time, he knew Maho would gleefully strike whenever he was making a mistake.
"Move those legs!"
"Okay!"
"I said smile!"
"Okay, okay!"
"Call me ojou-sama!"
"What!"
"Don't challenge me, worm!"
"Y-Yes, ojou-sama!"
Al found her determination and focus admirable. She was a lot like Motoko in some ways, even. But no matter how much he liked her, Maho was absolutely terrifying when she was serious.
-
Shinobu set her knife down. What was all that racket upstairs? It sounded like someone was having a fight. She just couldn't cook with that kind of distraction. Setting her apron aside, she tiptoed up the stairs and to the rooftop to see what the commotion was.
When she opened the door, she found Maho wearing a tuxedo top with bloomers, fishnet stockings, and black high heels. She was holding a leather strap and using it to whip Al, who was in a sheer pink leotard with bunny ears and appeared to be doing some kind of striptease.
If Maho saw her, she didn't give any indication. "Oh-hohohoho! Do it again!"
Al didn't seem to notice either, so focused was he on the sexy dance. "Yes, ojou-sama!"
"Auuu!" Shinobu retreated back into the house as quickly as possible, crimson with embarassment. What on earth had she just seen?
-
Sam stood proudly, his crimson Psyche Warrior robes swirling around him. Next to him, Lu Ling Qi (wearing a costume which left little to the imagination) clung to his arm and stared adoringly up into his eyes.
Opposite him, Lu Bu (dressed in black robes) raised his oversized sword and charged in to the attack.
"Die, puny moral!" he howled as he charged.
Sam looked back, scornfully.
"Knowledge is power," he remarked, coldly. "I have knowledge, and so now fall into oblivion!"
With a glance he blasted Lu Bu skywards with a bolt of psi power.
Lu Ling Qi looked on adoringly. "Oh, Samuel!" she cooed, "You're so manly! Oops, my top's just fallen off..."
Sam was about to look down, when he woke up feeling something whack him on the top of his head.
Mutsumi shook her finger at him in exasperation.
"Sam, you aren't supposed to be sleeping! You're supposed to be trying to find a vision! I think your problem is, you don't eat enough watermelon. Maybe if you ate a couple more..."
Sam looked on in horror. She'd already force-fed him half a dozen of them! Quickly he tried again to centre his psyche and find a vision.
"I can see... a brightly burning flame... errr..." he hazarded.
"Oh Samuel..." sighed Mutsumi. "Don't be ridiculous. Try harder."
Somewhere on the other side of town, Lu Bu was running around in a panic after having accidentally set himself on fire while trying to cook. However, back in Hinata-Sou, Sam was actually beginning to see something.
"I see... I see..." said Sam, hesitantly.
"What? Tell me!" said Mutsumi, excitedly.
"I see... Hello Kitty! And she's carrying a big round black thing with a fizzing fuse and the word 'bomb' written on it!" Sam replied, and then realised how crazy that was.
Mutsumi shook her head sadly. Maybe it was time to call it a day.
-
Al wandered downstairs around noon, his stomach reminding him that he did indeed require sustenance.
He entered the kitchen to find Shinobu rushing around the kitchen swiftly, delicious aromas filled the air and he could see at least four recipe books open on the counter.
"Hiya shinobu-chan, do you always multi-task so much?" Alex smiled as she whooshed past him to stir the soup.
"No, but I have a lot to cook today." Shinobu's hands were a blur as she sliced the carrots next to the soup and added them.
Truly, she had been glad to be so busy, it distracted her from the problems at hand. She slowed a hair as she remembered her current situation with her beloved, and how could she redeem herself in his eyes?
Al slid past her and opened the freezer producing a frozen pizza and placing it in the already heated oven.
"Are you going to have enough room for the party food? We'll have quite a bit and I wouldn't want you to eat yourself ill, Alexander-san." Shinobu spoke as if from far away though she was next to him stirring a pot on the stove. She flushed slightly as she remembered the scene she had witnessed earlier on.
"Oh yeah, I have a stomach of steel, nothing can harm me once I swallow it... usually." He smiled and looked to see if the comment had spurred a grin from the blue haired child.
She was adding some ingredients her eyes on the pot of soup but he could tell her mind was elsewhere.
Taking a book from the worktop, he found a dessert that she was working on and found where she had left the batter, not quite finished. He began mixing the missing ingredients as he watched her work - he knew that his helping wasn't much but maybe she'd see it as a sign of good will.
"So Shinobu, you look a bit distracted, something weighing heavy upon your soul?" Alex asked startling Shinobu into almost slicing off a finger as she prepared more vegetables.
"Auuu, I err um..." She stammered, how could she be so easy to read?
"It's no big deal Shinobu-chan, if you don't wanna tell me no worries - after all, I am a stranger pretty much, just a big blond guy who's been enjoying your fine cooking for a week or so, but I also know that talking about a problem sometimes makes it easier to solve."
She looked at him. He was gazing into the oven watching his pizza cook, the look on his face was calm, peaceful, almodt as if he were in a trance.
"Well you see, I have this friend…"
"Yes? Does she have a name?"
"Err... uh... Nami, yes that's it, Nami!" She smiled as her eyes set upon a recipe submitted by miss Nami Moura of Tokyo in one of the books laying on the counter.
"Alright, so what is Miss Nami's problem?"
"Well you see there's a boy..."
"There always is."
"And she really likes him, but she knows he likes an older prettier girl, and the girl likes him even though she hits him a lot, and Nami doesn't want to be a problem for either of them but she can't ignore her feelings for the boy and... and..." Shinobu paused trying to think of something else to add to the story, but it seemed to be complete, the problem was stated. "And she asked me for help." Shinobu added making sure to cover her tracks in the story.
"I see..." Al was silent for a moment, looking contemplative.
After a moment he looked to Shinobu breaking his stare at the pizza, and replied "All's fair in love and war. Nami should follow her heart and keep trying to win the boy's affection, and if the girl isn't mature enough to handle finding out she isn't whom he really wants, then perhaps she shouldn't be dating."
Shinobu blinked. Could it really be that simple, could the answer really be to just keep at it?
"It doesn't hurt to be a little selfish once in a while, specially in love." The timer rang and Alex removed the Pizza, cutting a slice off for Shinobu and taking the rest to his room.
She picked up the cheesy slice and bit into it. It was good, possibly the best she'd had in some time - not that she ate it often, but on occasion Su or Kitsune would order a pizza and she'd have a piece.
She returned to her cooking; perhaps she'd try out Alex's advice, he might just be smarter then Motoko-sempai said he was.
-
"What?" Al looked confused, which went along nicely with the tube of lipstick he was examining.
He and Dizzy hadn't had as much time to talk lately as they usually did, so Dizzy was filling Al in on a couple of things that Al had missed out on. One was the fact that Su had told the little weasel they'd be cross-dressing for the concert, and the other was that Shinobu had gone on a date with Keitaro, and that she had possibly the world's largest crush on the hapless landlord.
"Well imagine that, she likes Keitaro... wait, that's bad, I'm supposed to set him up with Naru tonight!" Al looked a little unsure of himself, but it didn't last long and soon he was confident and picking out the right shade of eyeliner.
"Alright, so I'll burn that bridge when I get there... but about the show, I have some ideas I'd like to try..."
Dizzy gulped and began searching out some weasel eyelashes so he could appear more feminine.
(Saturday Afternoon)
Maho entered the Hinata House without her customary greeting. Instead, she silently craned her neck around the entrance to see if anyone was around. There was no sound of activity, and since she ran home from school the others were probably far behind her. Aside from the occasional dust mote dancing in the rays of afternoon sunlight, the air was completely still. Assured that she was alone, she tiptoed as quietly and quickly as a mouse, up the stairs and straight into her room.
Miserable chirping greeted her from the birdcage.
"I'm home, Kyoko, Shuuji." Maho smiled apologetically, tapping the cage. "I'm sorry I couldn't let you out today, but I didn't want you guys getting tired before the show." She made her way to her dresser, where she pulled out an article of clothing and held it out for the birds to see.
It was a simple red dress.
"Cute, huh? Ryuko-chan said I should get it." Maho swished it around in the air, modeling it in front of her chest. "I'd love to wear this to the festival, but I don't know. The beauty magazine said that red will get a person's attention, but I'm afraid I'll look like some kind of tart." She chuckled. "I'm probably thinking about it too much."
Kyoko cooed, flapping her wings.
Maho bit her lower lip. "I might as well try it on, right? See how it looks." She slipped off her jacket and quickly undressed, her hands shaking in self-conscious dread.
Her body wasn't very impressive in front of the mirror: she didn't have any curves, and the baby fat around her stomach and thighs was annoying. Also, her boobs were too small. She'd pretty much given up hope that that would change. Naru, on the other hand, seemed to have done quite well for herself since childhood. Even if that girl weren't so set on Keitaro, her natural assets would guarantee her a boyfriend in no time.
If that wasn't sad enough, Maho also she had a feeling that she had some stiff competition from Shinobu in the size department.
She pouted. "Mou... Out of all the places in Japan, I had to go to the one where everyone's a bloody pin-up girl."
Deliberately avoiding her reflection, Maho put the dress on. It was a pleasant one-piece design, with a modest cut and short sleeves. It was a little loose around the hips, but she could fix that with some tape and liberal sewing.
She spun around once, carefully examining her posterior. It wasn't so bad after all. It even went with her boots. She chanced a smile.
"Maybe this is just what I need." Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, Maho noticed someone standing at the doorway. "Eep!"
Motoko watched bemusedly as the short, elfish girl immediately darted from the mirror to hide behind a dressing curtain, fumbling with one of her long coats. She had just arrived from school to see Maho talking to herself, and staring hard enough to bore holes into the walls.
"Urashima-san?"
"Y-Yes?" She cursed her nervous stutter.
"What are you doing?"
"Oh, nothing!" Maho stepped out, buttoning the jacket and shoving her hands into her pockets with a disarming smile. "Nothing at all."
Motoko raised an eyebrow. "Do all female magicians wear evening dresses when they perform?"
"No, uh, well..." She sighed. Why was she so nervous talking about it? It was just harmless conversation between two girls. It was certainly nothing to be so high-strung about. "Actually, I'm trying on outfits for the festival tomorrow. I thought I should, you know. Wear something special. Just because." She shrugged.
"For Rush?" Motoko asked.
Maho blinked. That came out of the blue. "Come again?"
"Are you looking to impress Al-san?" The calm, almost casual tone of voice was unsettling.
She laughed. "Impress him? Why would I be trying to do that?"
The pressure didn't relent. "I'm wondering myself."
"I..." Maho tried to say a complete thought, but it wasn't coming out. An awkward silence filled the air.
Thankfully, Motoko changed the subject. "I'm looking forward to your show, Urashima-san." Like a cool breeze in summer, the tension went from stone thick to practically nothing in the space of a few words.
"Oh, uh, thanks!" She smiled. "I'll be sure to put on my best performance!"
With a friendly nod, Motoko went to her room, leaving Maho feeling like she had just narrowly avoided an inferno.
"Why did she ask about me and Al-san?" she wondered aloud, the dress completely forgotten. Neither of her doves could offer a good answer.
-
Lance looked up from tuning his guitar - someone was knocking on his door, maybe Al wanting a word about the show.
Lance was still having second thoughts about the cross-dressing thing. Should they be recognized they could get kicked out of the Hinata house... he was fairly sure Motoko wouldn't stand for it.
"Then again," He mused as he opened the door, "She didn't seem to mind Alex doing it."
All Lance saw was a flash of blond hair as the force of a professional football player smashed him backwards into his room and he soon found, hugging him in a bone breaking grip, was a tall busty blond girl with a large pink bow holding her ponytail up in a defy-the-laws-of-physics sort of way.
After a moment her realized she was making words, although they were high pitched and she sounded like she should be in a mall raiding the sales at her favorite clothes store.
"Oh my God, and then that dude, he told me you were living all on your own and I was like, "No way!" and he was like "Way." And so I came all the way up here to meet up with you little brother!"
Lance's face was pale. Who was this girl, why was she so thin looking but felt so heavy? And why was Naru looking at him like that from the door cracking her knuckles and... oh dear...
"You hentai! Bringing innocent girls into your room to do things for you!" Naru beat Lance into a pulp before slamming the door on the scene.
Lance sat up feeling woozy and in considerable amounts of pain, and all the while the mystery girl was giggling like she was slightly to the left of mentally well.
"Who the hell are you?" Lance demanded after his breath returned to him.
"Gotcha." The girl winked and made a kissy face, but the voice belonged to someone very familiar.
"YOU JERK!" Lance smashed the disguised Al in the face with a cardboard tube in a attempt to cope with the pain Naru had inflicted upon himself.
"Hey, hey, hey! Is that anyway to treat the guy who's gonna help you get in touch with your feminine side?"
"You're really serious about this, aren't you?"
"Am I ever serious?" Al asked, grabbing Lance by the arm and dragging him down the hall to his room where Dizzy was waiting with the dress choices.
-
Al (still in his 'Cute girl' outfit) was dragging Lance down the corridor, when they turned the corner and came face to face with Maho and Ryuko. Al immediately dropped Lance's arm, and gave a cute giggle and smile, while Maho raised an eyebrow at the sight of Lance apparently in the clutches of yet another female.
"Better not let Sara-chan see you with your new girlfriend, hmm?" she remarked, to Lance's embarassment, but immediately turned back to Ryuko who was preoccupied with a sudden pain in the palm of her hand. While the girls attention was diverted, Al took his opportunity to duck into his room with Lance in tow.
"Oh great - now they think you're my girlfriend!" moaned Lance. "Can this get any worse? Surely you know how serious it is to have a girl in your room, here..."
"Hey, you should be thankful for what it'll do for your reputation!"
"What!"
"Yeah, a cute little thing like me? You're so lucky, Lannie-kun!" Al posed with a 'V' sign and blew a kiss, before being decked by a cardboard tube Lance had pulled from somewhere.
"Anyway..." continued Al, after he'd brushed himself off, "The reason you're here is to get your costume for the LADS group sorted out. You've already seen mine, Suu-chan doesn't need one of course, and Dizzy is just putting his on. Now we've just got to do yours..."
Lance backed away as Al advanced on him, but there was no escape.
A howl of anguish echoed through Hinata-Sou.
-
"Hey, not bad (if I say so myself)," remarked Al, an hour later, as he examined the newly-decked-out Lance. Suu had arrived part of the way through the process, and between the two of them they'd managed to do a pretty good job, he thought. He pushed a full-length mirror into place for Lance to check out his handywork.
Lance looked into the mirror - and his jaw dropped. Looking back at him was a leggy brunette, wearing a cute 'Heart' tank-top to cover her pneumatic chest, and a red mini-skirt. His twin ponytails were tied with a couple of red bows, and from somewhere Al had even found a pair of stilletto heels to fit. He had to admit - if he saw that girl on the street, he'd be rather attracted to her.
"Not bad..." Lance remarked, and then looked shocked as he realised that his voice certainly did not match the look! Al spotted this, and passed him a small red heart-shaped choker to wear, matching the one he was already wearing.
"That will fix the voice problem," commented Al in explanation.
After Lance put on Su's 'Strawberry-egg-kun' choker device, his voice was raised into a much higher-pitched and decidedly 'cute girly' type of voice.
"So, that explains how you managed the voice thing!" Lance said, relieved - after seeing this, there was absolutely no way anyone would ever recognise him. They might actually pull it off!
"Hey, we might actually pull this one off!" he remarked to Al.
"Oh, maybe, if no-one squeals on you... Lannie-kun..." came a new voice from behind them.
They turned around slowly in fear, to see Sara hanging out of a secret passage entrance that Al had not previously known about. From her hand dangled a camera. Al and Lance sweatdropped.
Sara climbed out and advanced on Lance.
"You know, that's a good outfit, but your rugged macho maleness still reeks out of it," she said huskily, with a frightening attempt at an eylash fluttering. "It's probably enough to con most people, though... provided a bitter, scorned woman doesn't cruelly reveal your secrets..." she was now close enough to flip up the hem of Lance's miniskirt, revealing a tell-tale bulge beneath. Lance flushed and quickly held it down.
Al, however, could see where this was going. He turned to Sara.
"OK, out with it, what is it that you want in order to keep quiet on the whole thing?" he asked her bluntly.
"Want? Oh, nothing," she said, insincerely, "But... it would be good to be able to spend more time with my Lannie-kun, here, I think." She turned to Lance. "A date. Monday. Dinner, dancing, the whole enchillada. Deal?"
Lance was still too shocked, and was pulling back... but found himself (herself?) in the clutches of both Al and Suu.
"Deal." said Al, firmly. "He'll be there... if you keep your end of the bargain this weekend."
"No problems!" smiled Sara, innocently. She Skipped off out of the room happily, pausing only to blow a kiss back at Lance, who shuddered.
"Al..!" began Lance, turning angrily towards the other American, but Al had reverted to character mode, and was wearing a 'vacuous teenage girl' expression.
"Oh, how romantic!" he gushed. "You're SO lucky, Lannie-kun! And so CUTE, too!"
Lance was about to wallop Al with yet another cardboard tube, but a noise coming from a plastic castle at the side of the room distracted him. What he saw made the tube drop from his nerveless fingers.
Dizzy had emerged, and was dressed like a drag queen. Where on earth had he found three-inch false eyelashes? wondered Lance, before wondering where he'd found the rest of the outfit, too.
Al eventually broke the silence.
"Dizzy, old pal, I think you may need a bit of help from me here..."
-
Sam was riding his bicycle towards town, on a mission to purchase some wrapping paper with which to wrap Naru's birthday present. He was amusing himself by trying to see how many cats he could hit. Despite his abilities, it seemed that cats had some other abilities of their own, and he hadn't hit a single one.
He did, however, manage to hit a large black van with a red stripe.
"Hmm, I thought that Seta guy drove a white van..." mused Sam, before a huge black man with numerous gold necklaces climbed out of the van, examined the dent caused by Sam's bike, and scowled darkly at Sam.
"What fool messed up my van?" he growled.
Sam decided that discretion being the better part of valour, he'd better run. He finally managed to lose his pursuer by cutting through Lu Bu's house, although the sounds of a crash behind him indicated that Lu Bu himself was not so lucky.
Eventually, he arrived at an appropriate store and raced in.
"Hi, can I get some wrapping paper please? Do you have one that says 'to the most violent girl i will ever know'?"
"What was that, Sonny?" asked the confused clerk.
"Er... I said, do you have any wrapping paper?"
"Sure..."
And eventually, Sam managed to get the required paper, and return back to Hinata to wrap his gift.
-
"I'm gonna kill him..."
Dressed back in his regular clothes, Lance made his way downstairs to the kitchen, hoping to find some food before going outside. The weather was nice, breezy, and bright. He could really use a nice walk around town to calm his nerves. That jerk Al! He guaranteed the date with Sarah, and now he couldn't do anything about it, or risk being outed from the band contest tomorrow. This weekend just wasn't starting out right...
When he reached the kitchen, the only person he saw was Shinobu, standing near the stove and stirring something in a very large bowl. He noticed though, that she was tearing up as she stirred, and staring absently out of the window. Something seemed wrong with her, and it suddenly made Lance sad.
"Uhm... Shinobu?"
She gasped, escaping her brief zone-out and turned to see Lance standing in the doorway. She suddenly blushed and put the bowl down on the counter. "Lance-san, you startled me..."
"Oh, I'm sorry!" Lance sweatdropped. He walked inside, looking over inside the bowl, which was filled with what seemed to be cake batter.
"What're you cooking, anyway?" he asked.
"It's a cake for Naru," she answered, turning back to the bowl and dipping her finger in. "I hoped to start sooner so that it would be done by this afternoon, but I think it'll still work..." She licked the batter off her finger, testing it.
"I'm sure it'll be delicious!" Then Lance turned from happy to a more concerned look. "Shinobu,... is something wrong?"
"What do you mean, Lance-san?" She asked, although she had a feeling he knew what.
"Well, it's just,... you looked so sad. Is something bothering you? Anything I could help with?"
Shinobu felt her face flush, and a shot of guilt running through her heart. What...?
"Look," said Lance in a comforting tone, "If it's about tomorrow, you don't have to go with me, I mean, if you've already made plans..."
"No, it's not that.." Shinobu said quietly. "It's... well..."
Lance suddenly realised what might've been the matter, and he forced a slight grin. "Oh, wait! If you thought we were seriously going on a date, you shouldn't worry! It's like I said, it's only between friends. We are... friends, right? And you still have no problem going with me?"
Shinobu lifted her head to his slightly, some of the guilt leaving her. "Yes, of course! But... you said... it was a date..."
Lance smacked himself on the head, "Is that what threw you off? I'm sorry, it's just a saying in America, when you set plans with someone. It's really an unexaggerated phrase, you know?"
Shinobu smiled, "Really? That's it?"
"Of course!" Lance smiled back, "But since we're friends, I just want you to know, that no matter what happens tomorrow, or any day, I'll stick with you. I'm always available to talk, if you need to, and I'd be glad to be with you more around school and stuff!"
"You'd do that?"
"Of course! Plus,... I trust you more than anyone else here. I guess that's why I told you about me a few days back before the age thing... and truth be told, I'm glad I got it off my chest."
"Thank you, Lance-san. I'm glad to have you as a friend." Shinobu bowed, the smile on her face growing. "Do you want to help me with the cake?"
Lance sweatdropped again, "I would, but I kinda forgot to buy Naru her present, so I was hoping to go to town and find something for her before the party. Maybe when I get back?"
"Ok! Bai, Lance-chan!"
"Seeya!"
Lance went to the door and slipped on his shoes before stepping outside. His face beamed with gladness as he looked out to the sea.
"Lance-chan..." came the voice of a certain hyper-active teen from somewhere above him.
And, just to make sure Lance didn't have a perfect moment during this hellish weekend, Su dropped a whole arsenal of mini-rockets onto him, blasting him to a galaxy lightyears away...
(Saturday Evening)
Haitani and Shirai stood, looking upon the seemingly impenetrable fortress that housed their desires within. How could it be fair that common, everyday people could simply move in to such a place, and live with so much beauty, and have so many dreams come true? How could it be possible for others but never for them?
Shirai knew the truth - he knew that if they ever wanted to move in they'd have to clean up their act, but he feared they had already damaged it beyond repair in some cases.
Haitani, always the confident one, took the last step to the door and knocked on it pleasantly.
However the door opened to a less than pleasant-looking Motoko.
"What do you want!" She growled holding her sword at her side. She had been training all morning to try and put off her questions of what that hug that Rush gave her could have meant, and now these two had decided to stop by and annoy her.
"M..Motoko-san, we're here for Miss Naru's birthday party." Haitani smiled winningly and held out the gifts as if they were proof of the boys' innocent intentions.
She looked annoyed, but let them enter, knowing that Keitaro had already invited them. She had to admit that the two had been behaving acceptably during the recent rehearsals for the Band Contest tomorrow, and so they would be given the benefit of the doubt. For the time being. Closing the door behind them, she led them to the area of the house where Kitsune was directing Su, Sarah, Cody and Moe in the decorating of the room.
"More balloons Cody, we need more balloons!" She roared at the Alaskan-native without actually lifting a finger herself to help.
Su and Sarah swung around the room on streamers, slapping banners up on the walls like a couple of Martha Stewart enhanced monkeys.
"You two, get your butts in gear, no great party happened without preparation! Shirai, start filling balloons, and Haitani, Place this over the doorway there!" She threw a bag of balloons and Shirai and a large golden ball at Haitani.
"Oh I see, this is one of those things where you pull the string and confetti and streamers pop out and rain down on Miss Naru, right?"
"Something like that, yeah... now get to work!" Kitsune cracked a whip that she had borrowed from Haruka, which made Haitani and Cody flinch, and gave Shirai some awkward and impure thoughts.
-
"Naru! I just want to give you this before the party!" Keitaro scrambled to follow his beloved but she wasn't listening to him. She was still mad about the activities that had taken place in the morning.
He tripped on his sock as he struggled to keep up and fell, rolling as he hit the floor and crashing into her, the two of them landing in a crumpled heap on the floor in the doorway entrance to the party.
"They're already getting to the best part, yeah!" Kitsune cheered and pulled the string, dumping enough cherry blossom petals onto the two to bury them entirely.
A few muffled curses and a loud "THAWOCK!", and Keitaro shot out of the pile and into the cake in the corner, demolishing it.
Shinobu sighed and left to get the backup cake she had made just for such an occasion. Living in Hinata-Sou, you had to know what to expect.
"So, too many cherry blossoms?" Kitsune asked Al innocently.
"Ya think?"
-
Lance sat in his room, just returning from town with Naru's present next to him, and a pile of wrapping supplies. His arm was sore from the walk back, Naru's gift weighed a lot more than he thought he could handle those steps with. Sitting down, he began to wrap it up when Tama-chan glided through the open window.
Lance turned as saw her coming in. His senses came to alert, remembering the past experiences he had with that turtle. But his guard was slowed when he saw an envelope laying on top of her shell. When she flew closer to him, he saw his name on the envelope.
"What's this?" He grabbed the envelope and examined it. His eyes widened in shock.
It was the same kind of envelope that his "brother" had sent him before. A hastely scribbled name on the front, and nothing else.
His fingers trembled as they held the envelope. They wanted to open it, but his brain screamed no. He couldn't help it however, as he ripped it open and grabbed the letter inside, and read to himself.
"Lance,
I've arranged to get a flight to Japan tomorrow. From where I am, it'll probably take me a couple of days before I get there. I know you have a lot to ask, like who I am for one, but I promise to answer anything you want when I get there.
Damian."
He let the letter drop to the ground, his hands stiff and cold. Lance couldn't even breathe, couldn't even speak, as the letter replayed itself through his head. His brother... his long lost brother, who he knew nothing about... was coming here. At Hinata Sou.
A wave of depression somehow developed in him. He had nothing to be depressed about, moreso he should be scared or hesitant. But instead he felt miserable. He sat there for many long minutes, not even thinking or doing anything. Tama hovered around him for a little bit, and flew back out the window. As Lance watched her, he decided he too should go outside. Maybe a walk could get some sense into him again.
The last he wanted was to upset everyone downstairs, so he finished wrapping Naru's gift and left it outside of his room. Maybe they would understand not to come in. Then he slipped on his shoes and crept out the window. The drop down was longer than he expected, but he was able to land safely and quietly. And so he began his long walk around town.
-
It felt like days, when it was only a few hours. Lance sat idly in a small playground that was somewhat near the Hinata Sou, specificaly on one of the swings. Near him was the slide, and a sandpit which held a domed sand castle, of some sort. He had sat there for who knows how long, but when he didn't feel like walking all over the place, he just chose this spot and sat and thought for what seemed like ages. He didn't know why, but this place felt... familiar. Like he had spent his whole life here.
A sound startled him. Keitaro, a big bump enveloping on his head, was walking by the playground, not noticing that Lance was there.
"Hey,.. Keitaro?"
Keitaro turned and saw Lance, and a strange feeling started in his stomach. He didn't know how, but at the sight of Lance, he suddenly felt... annoyed.
"Oh, Lance-san... what are you doing here?" he asked.
He shrugged, his legs swinging under him. "I just took a walk, and came across this playground. It feels... safe, somehow."
The annoyed feeling inside Keitaro didn't falter. "Well... be sure to come home soon. The party's going to start shortly."
"I will."
Keitaro turned and continued down the road until he reached the stairs. He was cursing at himself silently. Why didn't he do anything? The normal, caring Keitaro would sit down and talk with Lance and find out what's wrong. But instead he just turned and ditched him without a single word of advice! He felt so bad, and yet, he felt satisfied.
"No, stop it." Keitaro snarled at himself. "I can't be jealous about him... just because he's going on a date with Shinobu... even though..."
(Saturday Evening)
Keitaro had many questions on his mind. For instance, the spotlight that shone down on him: Where did it come from? For that matter, where did the stage, curtains, and stadium-style seating come from? They couldn't have just popped up from nowhere, but he went out for a bath and by the time he returned to the living room it was practically a stadium.
While he was gaping, Maho had popped out from backstage with a sheet of paper. The fact that she was only half-dressed was not overlooked. "Kei-kun, can you read my introduction?"
"I, uh..." Trying desperately not to look like he was staring at his own aunt, he said the first thing that came to mind. "Sure."
"You will?" She beamed, giving Keitaro a quick hug and handing him the paper. "Great! You're the best!" Keitaro, for his part, did a good job of nodding and smiling as Maho ran back behind the curtain. "Hang tight for a second, I'll go get your costume!"
"...costume!"
And now it came to this.
The landlord of the Hinata Inn cleared his throat, trying his best to look dignified despite being in what was, for lack of a better description, a plushy frog suit.
"Oi, Kei-chan!" Kitsune was catcalling from the front row, a bottle of sake in hand. "Shake it, sexy!" The rest of the audience was no less amused.
He sighed. Well, at least Naru was smiling. Or smirking, perhaps.
"Ladies and gentlemen." Keitaro read from his webbed, cotton-encased left hand. He adjusted the oversized frog head with his other hand. "Prepared to be amazed. Prepared to be shocked. Prepare to be..." He braced himself for the humiliation. "'ribbit'-ed." Terrible. "Allow me to introduce the stupendous, the extraordinary... Urashima Maho!"
As everyone clapped and the curtain slowly rose, Keitaro tried to remember what Maho told him to do next. There was something that she stressed was absolutely vital.
As the first gouts of blue flame rose from the floor, he remembered her clearly saying: "Run like hell, Kei-kun." He barely avoided another set of pyrotechnics before he dove to safety.
The things I do for family, he thought.
Another spotlight shined on center stage as the smoke and fog dissipated, illuminating the solitary figure standing before the audience in shades of brilliant blue. An enormous top hat was tipped over Maho's head dramatically, obscuring her face completely. Her arms were crossed, and in each hand was a fanned-out deck of playing cards.
Her small voice echoed through the room. "It's been a long time, Naru. Many long years in England, separated from Japan. Separated from you. We were children together, but sadly, we have grown up to be adults apart." Her tone became almost inaudibly soft. "But I've finally returned. And now that we are reunited, at long last... My dearest, oldest friend..."
The light suddenly turned bright pink as Maho tipped her hat up, revealing a ridiculously happy grin.
"Let's have some fun!"
At the last word, she threw her hands outward. As the cards flew from her fingers, they each detonated into a shower of sparkles and bright cherry blossoms. But Maho was still holding two Aces of Hearts, which she tossed carelessly in the air. Then, taking out her wand, she made two downward strikes. As she hit each card, it magically transformed into one of her two doves, which faithfully flew up onto her shoulder.
The residents of the Hinata Inn cheered, and the show started.
-
"Okay!" Maho balanced the brim of her hat on the tip of her index finger. "For the final trick, I'll need a volunteer." She immediately pointed her wand at Naru. "So come on up, birthday girl!"
Naru's eyes widened. "Me?"
"Would it be anyone else?" She took Naru's hand, gently lifting her onstage. Then she handed her a large chain and leather straightjacket. "I'm going to wrap you up in these, so please check them to show the audience that they are not trick props."
"Huh?" She sputtered. "You're going to what?"
"Wrap you in all of this." Maho nodded. "And then I'm going to make you disappear."
Naru sweatdropped. "Um, are you sure?"
"Absolutely." She smiled reassuringly. "Have faith in me, Naru-chan."
"Well... Okay." Naru smiled worriedly as Maho wrapped her in the straightjacket and chains.
Maho inspected every lock, and then stood in front of Naru confidently. "Looks good to me." She held out her wand with a flourish. "You may want to close your eyes."
Naru obediently screwed her eyelids shut, as the shorter girl tapped her on the head once, twice, then...
"Abracadabra!"
On the third tap, there was a flash of light and a loud boom. When everyone's vision once again came into focus, the straightjacket and chains were lying on a pile in the floor, as were Naru's clothes. Naru herself was nowhere to be found.
And Al, dressed in a sheer pink bunny leotard, was performing the Sexy Dance.
From the front row, Motoko glared. "Rush..."
He cringed as he gyrated his hips. "It's part of the act, I swear. Please don't kill me."
Mercifully (for both parties), the sexy dance was over in a matter of minutes, and now it was only Maho onstage again. She knelt down on the ground, where there was a long sheet of red cloth. She snapped it upwards once, then just as quickly pulled the cloth away.
Behind the sheet was a very confused Naru, who was now wearing a blue silk yukata and matching clogs.
The magician threw off her hat and gave her friend a deep bow. "Happy birthday, Naru-chan."
Naru looked down at what she was wearing. "Oh, wow. How did you... Is this... for me?"
"Yep!" Maho beamed. "Ryuko-chan and I got it for you."
She smiled apologetically. "It's too nice. I can't possibly..."
"Oh, but I insist." Maho winked. "You're already wearing it, aren't you?" Before Naru could argue further, Maho clapped her hands and was suddenly holding a giant birthday cake with lit candles.
Al appeared once more, this time wearing normal clothes. He began the song: "Happy birthday to you..."
-
As everyone else filed into the kitchen for refreshments, Maho and Al were still on the stage. The latter was exhausted, but in contrast the former was brimming with energy.
"I could sure use some birthday cake..."
"Me too. But wasn't that perfect?" Maho gushed. "I didn't think I could pull it off, that last trick, but it worked! It actually worked!" She giggled.
"Yeah, not bad at all," he agreed.
"I mean, I don't want to sound arrogant, but I really think I outdid myself tonight!"
Al smiled. "You're a wonderful magician."
Without any warning, Maho threw her arms around him and drew him into a tight hug. Al's heart jumped into his throat at this physical contact, but he forced himself to calm down before his mind went into overdrive. He could feel her face in his chest, and how it moved slightly as she spoke.
"Thank you, Al."
He chuckled, a little nervously. "Aw, well. It was nothing."
She held him tighter, locking her hands behind his back. "No, you were great. I know I was being mean before, but I couldn't have done this without you. I mean it."
For a moment, Al thought he saw someone at the doorway. But when he looked, there was no one. He turned his attention back to Maho, ruffling her hair slightly. "Any time, Ma-chan."
"Al?"
He looked down. "Yes?"
"Do you mind if we stay like this for a while?" She snuggled closer to his chest, gently leaning against his body. "I'm tired." When he didn't respond right away, she said quietly, "Just for a little bit?"
After what seemed like a long time, Al placed his arms gently around her waist. "Okay."
They continued to hold each other as the stage lights went dim.
-
Shinobu looked up as she cut another slice of cake. "Are they coming, Motoko-sempai?"
Motoko nodded, her expression an inscrutable mask. "They're cleaning up. They'll be here shortly."
Shinobu nodded cheerfully and continued on with her business. Without another word, Motoko sat down and immediately reached for Kitsune's small mountain of booze.
-
At some point during the party Kitsune took Naru aside.
"So what's going on birthday girl, why so glum?"
"What do you mean?" Naru asked attempting to hide her feelings from her best friend.
"Sugar, I'm not so drunk yet as to not notice when my best friend is being excessively cold towards our landlord."
"What? I am not, and anyway he deserves it, he's nothing but a stupid hentai!"
"Now come on, do you really feel deep down that that's all he is? don't you feel anything for him at all, not even a friendship?" Kitsune was pushing Naru's buttons, she knew how to break passed the wall of stone Naru had built around the part of her heart reserved for Keitaro at some point.
"Well... it's not like I hate him, but he is a stupid Hentai." Naru looked down at her feet embarrassed.
"And yet no matter what he does you always end up forgiving him right?"
"Yeah... I suppose."
"And why do you think that is?"
"C...cause I'm too nice that's why."
"B.S., you know it's because he's a kind dependable guy who will always try to make up for what he does wrong."
"Y...yeah."
Kisune took Naru and hugged her, "Listen kid, give it time, you'll figure out how you feel, but you have to give those feelings a chance or you'll never know if your really gonna like them or not."
"Ok, thanks Kitsune." Naru hugged back, kitsune may be a drunk good-for-nothing slacker, but in high school Naru had learned how loyal and loving Kitsune really was, and today was no exception.
"Now come on, let's go watch Motoko try to sword fight when she's drunk." The thin eyed girl led her friend back towards the party.
Naru followed, bemused. Motoko, drunk?
-
Al was chatting with Haitani and Shirai about (what else?) anime, when they spotted Motoko stumbling towards them. The older boys quickly departed, leaving Al in the direct path of the intoxicated samurai.
"Rushh, I wanna talk to shuu." She plopped down rather un-gracefully next to him and he smiled, taking a long drink from his own cup full of different sodas. It had basically the same effect on him.
"Rush, I wantsh to know, how shuu feelsh about me." She hiccupped and looked at him seriously.
"Err..." Al blushed, wondering if she would remember a thing in the morning. "Well Mo-Chan, your pretty, and noble, and kind, and strong hearted and err..." Al paused, wondering if he was going too far. He thought about it and then decided that if he got shot down, he could always blame it on the soda, "And I really like you." He looked surprised - there it was, not exactly a confession of love but it was a step forward for sure.
"I see." Motoko closed her eyes like she was thinking very carefully on the statement before brandishing her practice sword and hitting him with it on the head, "You fool, why'd you go and say that?" She stumbled off giggling leaving Al sitting on the floor, a little stunned. A part of him reminded him that she was not herself currently, but he couldn't help but feel a sharp pain, a emotional slap, so to say.
He tipped the large plastic cup back and drank the entire contents before filling it up with more carbonated caffeinated sugar water; this would be something he'd prefer to forget, even for a little while.
-
Keitaro slipped away from the crowd. After his failed attempt before, he was completely ready to hide the gift, return it, and give Naru something else and beg her for forgiveness at forgetting.
Al however had other plans. He reached out from the broom closet under the stairs and pulled Keitaro in shutting the door behind him.
If it were anyone else, he would have been surprised to see them wearing the bunny ears from the magic show, but since it was Al keitaro shrugged it off.
"So Urashima-san, how'd it go, have you given her your gift yet?" Al hiccupped due to the unholy amount of grape soda, root beer, Sprite, and Coke that he had mixed together and drunk.
"Um... not really, ya see, I kind of got her a kimono, and seeing as Maho-chan got her the same thing only better, I figured... you know..."
"That she'd turn yours down and make you cry?" Al suggested drinking from a large plastic cup that said "Super-Mega gulp" on the side.
"Well, not exactly, but still - why would she want it when she has Maho's? Not to mention I'm still a little confused by that thing with me and Shinobu-chan and..."
Al cut him off by placing a finger on his nose. The act surprised Keitaro into silence.
"First off," Al paused like he was trying to make the words in his mind into a sentence, "It's "Shinobu and I, not Shinobu and me, and second, you picked out that gift with your heart, and if you really care then you'll go out there, take her aside where you can be alone, and give her the gift, and maybe even a smoocharoo as a extra gift."
Keitaro looked very flushed as the innocent manager imagined what "extra gifts" he could get. He shook his head clearing it of these thoughts - he knew it couldn't happen.
"Listen my landlord-san, do you love her?"
"Yes."
"Do you wanna hold her?"
"Yes!" Keitaro was blushing again, where could the foreigner be going with this?
"Do ya wanna please her?" Al's voice was beginning to remind Kei of the southern Baptist preachers from America that Seta had told him about.
"Yes!"
Al then called in a sing-song voice gesturing dramatically, "Then you got-to got-to try a little tenderness!" Al continued singing but Keitaro slipped out of the closet leaving the clearly mad blond male to his own entertainment.
"Maybe that donkey had something there..."
-
"Naru... c..could you come here for a minute?" Keitaro was blushing and standing near the main doors leading out of Hinata house.
Naru nodded and slipped away. The party was beginning to get out of hand, and if things started to break she'd rather be with that baka then be in the path of a drunk Motoko.
The night sky was clear and the stars were shining brighter then they had in months, it felt like the perfect night for a stroll.
"What did you want, Keitaro?" Naru asked, trying to hide her anger at him for the events that had taken place earlier.
"W..well I've been trying to give this to you all day but I just couldn't find the right moment." Keitaro thrust a package into Naru's hands and then cringed expecting some form of bad luck to cause him harm in another attempt to thwart his plans at gift giving.
She blushed slightly. How sweet of him - and she could tell that he had even paid to have someone wrap it properly.
She opened it slowly, being careful to not rip the box.
Alex and Kitsune stood on the second story landing, leaning over the railing to watch. All their hard work was finally paying off, this was the last chance for it to all turn out right.
She opened the box and pulled its contents out, and unfolded a beautiful silk kimono.
"You baka, Maho already got me one of these!" Naru bopped Keitaro on the head lightly as he dissolved into tears... he knew it, she didn't want it, and he was doomed to failure!
"...but I guess I can wear it to the festival tomorrow, it looks like you spent enough on this to break you for the next few months."
He looked up at her. Had that been real, had he heard her right?
"Thanks Keitaro, it's really beautiful."
"N...Naru.." he stood, feeling a familiar feeling, the same feeling he got in his dreams, just before...
Naru flushed again, what was it about these sorts of moments that always got her so flustered?
Keitaro leaned in slowly, a quick birthday kiss, she wouldn't mind that, it'd be as much of a gift for her as it would be for him.
She saw him leaning for her, she started to panic, "Oh no, here he goes, he's gonna... Keitaro why now? Isn't it a bit soon? Sure, we've known each other for years now but I'm still not entirely sure..." but those thought were brushed away as he took her in his arms, so close she could feel his breath, "Well maybe just one little kiss wouldn't hurt..."
Kitsune was beside herself, it didn't help that she was drunk off her rocker, but she was almost jumping for joy, they were kissing!
She grabbed Al by the hair and with amazing strength she lifted him up "Go congratulate lover boy down there!" she threw Al off the balcony, and he landed right next to the couple, snapping them out of the romantic moment they had finally shared.
"A..AL!" The stunned couple quickly moved away and ran to Al to see if he was alive.
"Way to go Kei, I knew I could get you that kiss!" Kitsune cheered pumping her fist in the air.
"WHAT!" Naru began to glow with rage. Of all the dirty tricks, he had set her up! He had planned to kiss her all along, and had enlisted Kitsune and Al to help! How dare that little pervert!
"N..now Naru I don't know what she's talking about, NARU!"
POW! One swift Naru punch sent both Al and Keitaro sailing off into the night sky, to shine like the stars that they were under.
Kitsune hiccupped as she watched Naru stomp inside holding his gift, perhaps she had made a mistake? ...nah!
-
Shinobu watched through the cracked closet door. She had seen the whole thing: sempai had given Naru his gift, and then they... they...
She sat down and shut the door; she had ducked into the closet when she had seen Naru coming. She couldn't face her, not now, not ever... she had finally come to the realization that sempai could never be hers, he belonged to Naru.
Alone among the cleaning products she used so often, Shinobu cried for a wound deeper then anything inflicted upon Keitaro by Naru or Motoko: a broken heart.
(Late Evening)
Various residents of the Hinata Inn were sprawled on the living room. Some had crashed on the couch, and some others were splayed shamelessly on the floor. A few had tried to make it to their rooms, but the hibernating bodies on the stairway indicated that not everyone made it. The air mingled with the scent of sugar, alcohol, and fireworks powder.
Haruka didn't even want to know what had gone on here. Clucking disapprovingly, she tiptoed among the sleepers until she reached Naru. The young girl was wearing a lovely blue yukata, and was holding onto a paper fan. She seemed to be having a happy dream, the way she smiled and smacked her lips occasionally.
The older woman knelt down, gently placing a small box into Naru's arms. It was wrapped in pearl-colored paper, and tied with a nice green bow. Putting a blanket over her so that she wouldn't catch cold, Haruka touched her hair lightly, speaking softly as she did so.
"Happy birthday, Naru-chan." She smiled. "Sorry I couldn't join you for the party, but there were things I had to take care of." The smile disappeared. "Things I still have to take care of." With that, she stood up and turned off the light, leaving the exhausted partygoers to their rest.
Before long, she was in front of Su's room. Sounds of activity radiated from behind the door. Haruka inhaled deeply from her cigarette, letting the smoke calm her down in the face of the inevitable.
She knocked.
"Come in!" Su's voice boomed ominously.
Haruka stepped inside and immediately beheld the wonder that was the resurrected age changing machine. The bathtub was all but completely obscured now by all manner of different contraptions, blinking red and blue lights, as well as various things that whirred and spun. "Impressive."
"Isn't it, though?" Su patted herself on the back. "Nothing like a bushel of bananas to provide some incentive!"
"Is it ready?"
"Of course!" She gestured toward the monstrosity. "Just step inside and we can get started."
Haruka raised an eyebrow. "How long will it last?"
"Assuming we do it now?" Su looked at her watch. "Midnight. You'll have one whole day."
"Okay." Haruka nodded. "That should be enough time."
"Ano, Haruka-san." Su scratched her head. "I forgot to ask: why did you want to do this?"
She smiled at the much younger girl. "To end this mess once and for all."
"Ooh, Haruka-san is so mysterious!" She laughed, putting on a pair of flight goggles. She began flicking switches at her desk, watching the lights turn orange, then green. "All systems are go!"
Haruka was already inside the tub, looking up at the enormous light that replaced the showerhead and feeling a rush of terrifying excitement. After a moment, she thought of something from her teenage years that made her smile.
"Beam me up, Scotty."
Su threw the last switch, and Haruka was bathed in blue light.
Was it happening again, she wondered? Could it really be happening again? Yes: Her heart was stirring. And it was beautiful.
Haruka's cigarette fell to the floor, forgotten.