YOUR ORDERS
Chapter 22: The Harvest Moon

PV: MOTOKO

In these almost two months after that torrid night of passion, we tried to live in a way as comfortable as possible. After all, it's not a good business living in stress due to a non-confirmed trouble yet.

We tried to leave Kei-kun alone… At least, we didn't set out to besiege him. But what occurred that night was something out of the ordinary. I delivered my body, my most precious temple, to the man I loved so much. It wasn't such a simple thing to ignore. And I believed that the other girls thought in the same way as I did.

In the several times when I talked to Naru and Kitsune, the conversation always rounded in the longing of becoming one together with our eternal kanrinrin. I just found that we, in a certain way, passed the other girls by. If some of the medical examinations were positive to pregnancy, the hour of truth for all of us would be very imminent.

During all that time, obviously life didn't stop. I recalled the most disturbing episode that occurred during the period. It was when I found out that I had a rival in my class. Keitaro confessed to me that Megumi tried to besiege him, and he warned me of possible intentions from that spoilt girl. As I didn't like schemes, I tried to solve that question as soon as possible, and putting that socialite in her right place.

Yuuko thought it was better ignoring Megumi's existence, but I explained that I was raised with an education typical of the samurais, and that warriors didn't like to leave loose edges. Yuuko warned me that Megumi was from a very wealthy family, with strong links to the Yakuza. I didn't get scared: if Megumi wanted some challenge, then I would provide her with a true war.

Megumi always walked with a gang of plumed dolls. Without any shame at all, I entered in the middle of the group and I interrupted any nonsense they were talking about. I eyed Megumi seriously, as if we were in a duel. Ready for a duel of words. A deadly silence was set in the little group. I didn't know how much time we stayed static, but the tension dominated the place. I waited for her to speak first, for seeing how the talk route would be.

"So, why is one of the members from the tasteless bunch trying to mix among the greatest ones?", provoked Megumi, breaking the ice. Well, so I understood how to deal with her.

I closed my eyes and smiled, answering: "A great person doesn't need to state his own condition; he evinces it with actions that demand the admiration from other people. You, for a while, are just an heir of a past of crimes.".

Megumi got her face closer to mine and growled: "It's not appropriate accusing me so loudly. If I'm as dangerous as you say, I can have my ways to make you suffer a lot.".

"Is it a threat? Do you know which clan I belong to? We may live modern times, but my clan will take a vengeance against the ours in an old way!", I gave back the threat. She gave a yellow smile, somewhat defiant. And I continued: "And don't besiege Keitaro any longer, did you get it?".

"Is he your boyfriend?", Megumi inquired, with a tone of sarcasm.

"No. But, despite of that, don't get closer to him again.", I answered dryly.

She widened her smile and challenged me: "If he doesn't belong to you, then he'll be mine. I get everything I want!".

From nowhere, a familiar voice was raised: "Hinata-sou's girls have the preference, you dumbass!".

When I turned, I was astonished. It was a speech from Naru, surrounded by Mutsumi and Mizuho. All of them had grave looks. And Naru went on: "And Keitaro isn't an object. Nobody is, never will be his owner. I want to be one with him, complete myself together with him. But you're a useless person, you don't understand these things…".

"So, you can speak! I thought the only attributes all of you had were the big tits!", said Megumi with derision.

Naru retorted the same derision, holding hands with Mutsumi: "Yes, unlike you, we are smart and we have large breasts…".

Megumi faced Naru with a scorn I hadn't ever seen before. In that moment, I visualized her killer instinct. Megumi was a dangerous woman, a kind of woman that Hinata-sou's girls didn't know to deal with. I decided to draw Megumi's attention towards me, or the other girls would get into big trouble. I screamed: "You have unfinished business with me. I know your kind, and I'm challenging you to a duel, ok?".

Megumi turned and came in my direction, keeping that diabolic smile. She almost leaned her nose against mine, as she spoke: "A duel? The martial arts of my family against yours?".

"I accept. If I win, you won't get closer to Keitaro any longer, nor Hinata-sou's girls, do you get that?", I said, giving emphasis to the last word.

"And, if I win, Keitaro will be mine. None of you will get closer to him again, and he'll live with me. By either good or bad methods. And there is no discussion at all, it's my proposition. Got it?", said Megumi, also laying emphasis on the last word.

"You don't know if he'll accept this. I can't make a promise using another's name.", I said worried.

"I don't care. I have my means to guarantee that the bet will be paid. Maybe money doesn't buy love, but it buys the law. I know that. As you said before, people of my kind are able to do anything to get what they want, and they have access at many means to keep their interests. And he'll be mine, and period. That's the agreement!", argued Megumi with hardness. She was cold and stolid, so she knew how to negotiate as anyone else.

Despite the gravity of the situation, I felt something very comfortable in that moment. It was a very nice sensation. I smiled and faced Megumi, saying: "I accept. I know I can't lose.".

"Presumption, Motoko? It's something harmful for one who has a great objective…", Megumi affirmed with irony.

"It's not any presumption. The spirits of old fighters are together with me. It's a blessing, I'm sure of it.", I answered softly.

"Spirits… They cannot fight for you. The fight is here, in the real world, not in a fairy tale. By the way, say the hour and the place for my victory.", said Megumi with an air of triumph.

"In the Mount Fuji, where else? It's a right place to recollect the great epic battles, which occurred during the shogunate… A week from now, at 10 o'clock.", I said.

"That's fine. It's right. Hold your swords and a weapon helper. Let's have a battle according to the tradition, right?", said Megumi, keeping her eyes against mine.

"We have an agreement. See you soon…", I answered already turning my backs on her. When I got some distance from that bunch of lightheaded Megumi's followers, I felt some people holding my arms. It was Naru by the right side and Mutsumi by the left one.

"Are you insane? A deadly duel? If Police discover it, you'll be put in the jail surely!", scolded Naru.

"Motoko-chan, it's risky. I don't want to lose a friend. I don't want a friend of mine dying in such a barbarian way… Or having to kill someone!", exclaimed Mutsumi, very affected and crying a little.

I tried to calm them down, saying: "Don't you worry… It's not necessary to kill when there isn't such a possibility. I must trust in my destiny and impede that Megumi continues to be a threat… If she have some scruple, even it's buried inside the depths of her heart, she'll honor the battle's result.".

Well, I needed a helper. It had to be someone agile and that had some knowledge of what I meant with gestures and few words. I believed that Haruka-san would be the right person.

Well, when the Urashimas that lived in the Hinata-sou found out about the incident, they stayed all alarmed. After all, a samurai duel was a deadly event. I affirmed that I set up my mind for once, that the honor of my clan and the inn were into the game, and I assumed all the responsibility.

I looked to Kei-kun. He had the look of supplication; he feared for my welfare. I smiled as a proof of confidence, but he dropped his head. He feared the worse, I was sure of it.

Haruka confirmed she would be my helper. After that confirmation, I traveled to Kyoto and warned my clan about the challenge. Albeit my announcement was something sudden, they accepted my decision. At least my clan supported a decision of mine; I had so many struggles that I was accustomed. Tsuruko was the only person that listened to me and tried to understand me.

I only hoped that my decision was correct. It wasn't healthy to play with other people's lives. I couldn't allow that the other had to pay due to my incorrect chooses. Definitely, I couldn't make any mistake. And I trained all the week not to make mistakes.

Well, the assigned day for the combat arrived. I woke up early that day and went to the annexes, to be together with Haruka. After a light meal, we went straight ahead to the Mount Fuji. Over there, there was a great temple where the samurai used to duel so many time ago.

I decided to go only with Haruka, because I needed to get some concentration. I left the others sleeping till later. When I arrived there, I saw Megumi was there already. Her helper was Naomi, one of our classmates and a member of that little bunch of bitches.

We didn't talk at all. I went to the opposite side from where would be the dojo; it was a great altar made of stone. Little by little, the audience began to arrive. My clan and Megumi's clan were placed at opposite sides. Together with my clan, the Hinata-sou's girls and Kei-kun.

Megumi placed a timepiece in one of the altar's sidelong. When the clock showed 10 o'clock exactly, the clock alarm shot. It was the beginning of the fight. I didn't know how much time we fought, but the fight was hard. Both helpers were efficient to change the weapons, and Megumi was a master in the martial arts of her family. She stood even my most thunderous strokes.

For some moments, I felt my defeat was imminent. It was when she managed to disarm me. Quickly, with that diabolic smile, she stabbed my right shoulder. The pain was piercing, but I couldn't give up.

"You are past, bitch. Kei-kun is mine, all mine!", screamed Megumi, retrieving the dagger and preparing the final cut. In that fraction of seconds, a movie passed in front of my eyes.

I arrived in the Hinata-sou. I began my friendship with Naru-san. Kaolla spent my time every moment she could. The perverted Keitaro entered in the inn and, thereafter, in my life. My sister thrashed inches of my life for a moment. That indecorous Keitaro, why has he drawn my attention? Damn, I fell in love with a useless guy. No, he wasn't a useless man, because he entered Toudai and I didn't. He helped me to enter there. He gave me caress, he never accused me of anything. He made sex with me. He'll be a wonderful father. I couldn't lose... I couldn't lose... I couldn't lose... I couldn't lose...

"I cannot lose!!", I screamed with my lungs full of air. It was enough to disarm her and throw her to the other side of dojo with just one blast. I jumped in an attempt to reach her and impede her rearming. The jump was precise; I fell over Megumi's trunk. I was sat over her and I was disarmed, so I punched her in the face several times till she was bleeding a lot. So I demanded: "Surrender now!".

"Kill me… If I'm gonna lose, so I also want to die in battle…", Megumi babbled spitting blood.

"You're sillier than I thought, if you really want to die… Life is too good to be thrown away. You're just a confused girl, thinking that you can have the world in the palms of your hands. There is time to discover much more about life still. Surrender, please!", I begged her. Megumi was without reaction for some minutes, till she opened the right hand and, in a grasping way, knocked her hand three times against the ground. That was amazing. Victory, my victory.

I got off Megumi, visualizing her body at some distance. A gentleman ran desperately to her and hugged her, trying to clean her. I concluded that he probably was Megumi's father. I said to him: "Megumi has a promise. Be sure she will keep it, please.".

He nodded positively. When I realized, Haruka was by my side. She held me and verified the hurt in the shoulder. I felt so tired that I almost fainted in Haruka's arms. Soon, the other girls surrounded me and gave me congratulations. Keitaro watched at some distance, showing apprehension. With all that excitement, and without energy already, I passed out.

I woke up in my bedroom. There was a tray full of food by my side. Sweet Shinobu was taking care of me. I didn't know how to thank her. When I was better, I noticed the bandage in my shoulder. I had some pain to move the arm, but I could stand it. Shinobu explained to me that Megumi's father had a private physician, and he did all the treatments in a private nursing home, avoiding a visit in a hospital. Very smart, if I went to a hospital, the police would be warned about how a patient victim of aggression was interned.

When the night fell, I was alone in my room when Kei-kun appeared. Looking kindly to me, he said: "You fought a duel for me. I don't know what to say…".

"Don't say anything… I'm happy you're free from Megumi's menace", I answered gently.

"I can't leave without retribution what you made for me… I want to return the dedication…", he said, getting closer to me till his lips were against mine. So we made love by the second time, that time with condom. And full of passion. Nothing like the gratitude to make things happen.

After I recalled all these happenings, I felt that someone woke me of my daydream. It was Naru; we had gone together at gynecologist to know the exams results. I said to her that I was recalling everything I passed thru till that moment. And soon it would be the time for truth…

PV: NARU

After the result, we went directly to the Hinata-sou. We joined all the Hinata-sou's tenants in the party saloon. So we announced the exams results. Both of us were pregnant of Keitaro. That revelation was a great shock. The first reaction I noticed was from Shinobu, who ran away crying. Little by little, the other ones began to react.

"But… But how? What a disgusting thing!", exclaimed Kanako.

"I didn't even know what to say for you two. Sincerely, I don't have a damn idea… Evidently, that's not a trivial situation…", babbled Mizuho.

"Oh, I also want to have a kid with Kei-kun… Pregnancy should be tasteful…", moaned Kaolla.

"Well, I think I must be happy, mustn't I? After all, Kei-kun is gonna be a daddy! And two times in one shot!", said Mutsumi, not losing the kindness in the look, but with some edge of jealousy in the speech.

"That's true. Albeit the situation is quite unforeseen, the fact is consummated already and there isn't nothing to do, except wishing that all of you have healthy children.", said Mizuho, with a look of piety.

"That's a cheat! They got pregnant to push the marriage!", protested Sarah. Hearing the noise of the crowd, I concluded that most of them thought the same way. That thing irritated me, and I noticed that Motoko didn't like the comment also.

"I don't need to use low games to conquer Kei-kun! If I don't make a couple with him, I'll have my child and I'll raise him by my own. You're just a finicky girl, you don't know how winding is the path of love!", I unburdened, slapping hard that brat.

Sarah didn't make any reaction. That brat faced the floor, rubbing the place where I slapped her. So, I continued: "Neither you, nor anyone else has the right to judge me! It was a non-planned pregnancy, but I'll assume this child as the most sacred thing of this world. And I'm sure that Motoko-chan thinks the same way. All of you can hate us, but…", I fell on my knees, crying due to the anguish, and so I begged: "But don't hate our children, please! They don't have any fault about our imprudence!!!".

The last phrase was spelled as if it was a cry for help, the voice was quite scratched. My attitude changed the scenario. The girls, till that moment they seemed to be divided, started to act in a peculiar way. Even that several of them didn't agree with the fact we were single mothers, they didn't look at us as if we were alien beings – or even worthless beings. The situation was delivered, and there wasn't any idea able to change the panorama.

PV: MOTOKO

Naru's outflow served as an emotions' catalyst. The tenants left the party saloon slowly and in silence. No word, no impulsive reaction at all. All of them would have to familiarize with two pregnant and single women.

During some days, Shinobu didn't talk to anyone else. She loved her senpai so much… It's hard to stand the fact that some of her best friends made love in a stealthy way. Kaolla tried to make her up, but that was in vain. She was getting closer more and more, till the point she didn't leave her bedroom.

She even didn't go to Keitaro, Naru, Mutsumi and Mizuho graduations, and they celebrated the diplomas in a mutual but somewhat restrained party, because the pregnancies announcement occurred just one week before the party. Kaolla finally celebrated her entrance to Toudai together with Shinobu. As the blue hair girl didn't show up, the party had something missing.

That setting persisted for two weeks, till Kaolla came to me with a look she hardly ever had, the sadness followed by tears, and said: "Motoko, Shinobu isn't having properly meals, she doesn't even go away from that futon! She's dying, Motoko! In this atmosphere of season greetings, she didn't even celebrate our entrance to Toudai! She is even avoiding making any phone call to her parents! We have to do something about it! Hunger isn't fun at all!".

Immediately, I called Haruka. The mature woman advised us to make a call to the hospital. The ambulance came and carried her urgently, taking Haruka as companion. Hours later, Haruka went back, with a very serious look.

"And so, how is she? Doesn't she need any companion?", asked Keitaro, quite apprehensive.

"Shinobu doesn't need any companion by now, because she's in the ICU. She almost died of inanition. The intensive physician told me he's gonna discuss the case with a psychiatrist…", explained Haruka.

"Psychiatrist? She went mad?", asked Sarah, obviously confused.

"Not exactly. The intensive physician, after a talk with me, began to suspect that Shinobu entered in inanition due to a severe depressive setting. Her parents are aware already, I've talked to them already…", told Haruka. She showed discomfort when she was talking about the situation of poor Shinobu.

Kaolla was inconsolable in my shoulder. I'd never seen the Indian featured girl crying copiously, in a very deplorable way. That clarified how much Kaolla loved Shinobu. She slept with me that night, because she was feeling quite fragile and she didn't want to be alone in her bedroom.

Next day, I had a chat with Naru. The fatal redhead made use of the graduation to tell for her parents about the pregnancy. I got curious, because I should have a similar conversation with my clan about the same situation.

"And so, how was it?", I asked.

Naru gave a deep sigh and answered me: "It was something strange. After the announcement, there was a constricting silence that was kept for several minutes… Till Mei-chan hugged me with a great happiness. There weren't any hostilities. My parents were worried, but they didn't undervalue me. They told me that they will be by my side. It was… It was easier than I thought. You… You'll talk to your clan in the next few days, won't you?".

It was my time to have a sigh and say something: "Today I'll go to Kyoto. But I don't know if the reception will be warm… Personally, I don't care if they're gonna accept it or not. If it's necessary, I'll find a job to sustain my costs. I worked as writer and actress; I can find some job. I'm just going to the dojo of my family due to the samurai obligation of informing to the ancients about my new situation. And abortion is out of question! I'll have my baby and period.".

"I'm sorry, Motoko! I guarantee that Kei-kun wouldn't like to see you in such a constraining situation!", Naru consolated me.

"It isn't his fault, I know that. I lowered my guard, and only I must assume the responsibilities of my pregnancy before my clan. The only thing I hope from Keitaro is that he accepts our child, and that's a guaranteed subject. Nothing else annoys me. I'm calm.", I confessed. So, we exchanged a long hug. Anyway, we were in the same boat. Who could imagine that a product of one love could be so controversial?

So we saw Kei-kun entering desolated in the inn. I and Naru stayed apprehensive with the look of sadness in his face and we got closer to our beloved one.

"Kei-kun, what happened?", questioned Naru, with a tone of preoccupation.

"I… I… I told about what happened to my mother… She is furious! She wants that I leave here immediately and assume the family businesses once for all…", said Keitaro, sounding like one whose heart is being grasped tightly.

"But you recently got graduation in Archeology! You weren't necessary for your mother before, what changed?", I said indignant.

"She told that this place was a bad influence for me, and she won't stand my infantilities and the madness from grandma Hina. She'll arrive tomorrow to demand some explanations from grandma…", Keitaro detailed.

"But grandma is traveling around the world! What's it going to be?", questioned Naru.

"Today will be the day for the payback. That woman won't need to wait any longer!", said Haruka coming from nowhere. Keitaro blinked confused, and Haruka completed: "Keitaro, don't you remember when I said to you that one day the truth would come up and I'd get everything clean between me and your mother? Well, the time is up.".

I postponed my going to Kyoto. I realized that confrontation would be much more interesting than my conversation with my clan. Finally, I had the chance to see Haruka in action.

Chapter written between 31-Jan-2006 and 03-Feb-2006, and translated in 22-Nov-2006. As all of you can realize, the chapter 20 signed a change in the script. I decided to increase the emotions on this saga. I thank all the reviews, specially BlackRobedOne, Major Mike Powell III and HunterKiller360. Oh, the original saga in Portuguese is up to chapter 33, and I'm planning the final chapter. So, give your opinions about what girl deserves to marry with Keitaro. Beta-reading by Martin Gradwell.