Art Attack
By Lord Raa
Disclaim-me-do: Suffer not the mutant, unless they've got something to offer, that is. Like shovel-hands or beer-bottle opening belly buttons. Or free standing genitalia.
Part 6
Tsuruko Aoyama sat in silence as she considered the words Keitaro had spoken.
He was right, but how could he know that she was, well, not quite desperate, but certainly willing to try almost anything to keep a suitable man?
She certainly hadn't mentioned what she was looking for in a man, only that there were certain aspects of Keitaro that reminded her of Akira.
Kitsune was also impressed with Keitaro's ability to read desires and sexual tastes. 'He's only known Tsuruko-san for a few hours. Somehow I doubt Tsuruko-san is the sort to discuss bedroom behaviour at a place like Amaterasu's Garden. I know Haruka isn't.'
Keitaro was beginning to feel uncomfortable at the silence. 'Crap, I've upset Tsuruko-san.'
"What else have you written, Keitaro-san?" Tsuruko asked, changing the topic. "I mean the stories that were well received."
"I think Miko-Miko Revolution and Freeter Deluxe were the most popular."
The widow followed up. "What were they about?"
"Miko-Miko was about a shrine maiden who finds her life turned upside down by the arrival of ronin," Keitaro answered, his cheeks turning red.
Kitsune chuckled, clearly seeing where the inspiration had come from. Then, realisation struck her. 'I've been classed as a Freeter…'
"I see," Tsuruko nodded in understanding. 'Keitaro-san's been using his life with his friends here as inspiration for his stories. But if he feels that he's run out of inspiration, maybe I could help him out?'
Before Keitaro could stammer out an apology, the swordswoman spoke up. "Keitaro-san, about your rejected story; what was different about it from your more successful work?"
"What?" the ronin asked, taken aback by this unexpected attitude. He'd been bracing himself to a torrent of accusations and violence; not what appeared to be support.
Kitsune was also surprised by Tsuruko's question. She had felt a little betrayed by the way Keitaro had used her and Motoko for inspiration, but couldn't really complain, given her own precarious situation.
'Though, perhaps I could use Keitaro's job as an alternative to doing the chores?'
"I mean that there must have been something in Miko-Miko Revolution and Freeter Deluxe that is missing from your new idea. Or perhaps your new idea has something in it that your editorial staff feels disrupts the story in some way?" Tsuruko clarified.
"Oh," the ronin replied before taking a sip of his tea. "Well, I guess that the new story has a different focus. I mean, the main character is a young man, rather than a young woman, like my more successful work. I don't know why, but Hajime, the main character, just doesn't have the same appeal as the others I wrote about."
"Perhaps you made him too generic, too much of an everyman?" Kitsune suggested. "Maybe your editors feel the blank canvas approach doesn't always work?"
"That makes sense," Keitaro nodded. "I don't think that I'm going to be able to rewrite everything in time for the deadline though."
Tsuruko looked surprised by this. "Really?"
"Yeah, it's not as easy as 'find and replace'; you need to change how people interact," the artist replied. He wet his lips with tea before explaining further. "For example, when I first met your sister, I know that she would have treated me differently if I was a martial artist who regularly placed in the local tournaments. I'm not saying she would have fallen in love with me, but she would have seen me in a different light because I'm a skilled martial artist.
"Maybe she's willing to help me with training? Maybe she develops a crush on me? Maybe she's threatened because there's a man who's skilled at fighting under the same roof? But let's say, for the sake of argument, that Motoko's attitude to me was positive; a mutual respect because of the effort we both put in.
"Because of this, she would be more understanding about my attempts to get into Toudai; she sees that I'm juggling a time consuming interest, a promise and my academic studies. This positive attitude is transmitted to the other residents, and instead of the hostility I faced when I first arrived, I'm made welcome and I'm able to enter Toudai on my next attempt. Quite the difference, don't you think?"
"Yes, a marked difference," Tsuruko nodded.
"Hostility?" Kitsune repeated. The look she received from Keitaro made her follow up question of 'that's a bit harsh, isn't it?' seem a little foolish. "You do have a point, Keitaro. So, what will you do now?"
"I don't know, Kitsune, I've got a couple of other ideas that I could work on, but I'd spent quite some time on this. It seems a shame to just abandon it. Do you know what I mean?"
'I think I do, Keitaro-san, I think I do,' the swordswoman thought with a smile.
Kitsune decided that she needed to talk to a friend about what she had learned that morning. Someone mature and responsible, so that ruled out Naru and Motoko, even if they weren't on their way to Kobe.
No, that left Haruka as the only option.
"Haruka-san," she said, waiting for an opportune moment to strike.
"What is it, Kitsune?"
"I found out about Keitaro's part time job."
"Oh?" Haruka asked, looking at her friend quizzically.
"It turns out that Keitaro has got some artistic skills that's he's putting to good use," the ash-blonde explained.
"So he's drawing again?"
"Yeah," Kitsune nodded. "Wait, 'again'? You know about what Keitaro's been drawing?"
"You seem shocked, Kitsune," the smoker smirked before explaining. "Of course I know, I'm family and I get on well with Keitaro."
"Well, why didn't you say anything earlier?"
"What do you think Naru and Motoko would have done if they knew about Keitaro's work? They'd still be cleaning the blood off the walls."
Kitsune winced. Keitaro was a likeable enough person, but his accidents and unfortunate timing often infuriated her friends. The knowledge that Keitaro drew pictures and wrote stories of an erotic nature would have pushed them over the edge.
"So, what do I do about this?"
"If you're planning to blackmail Keitaro into letting you stay for free, you can forget it. Like I just said, Keitaro is family. You've caused him enough of a headache lately, so if you do try anything, I will have to take desperate measures…" Haruka trailed off for effect.
"I'm not planning to blackmail Keitaro, Haruka, it's just, well, I was thinking that if I'd known about his job earlier, I could have offered to help in exchange for rent and a few yen, that's all," Kitsune explained.
"Oh. Well, I suppose that could have worked. What help did you have in mind?"
The voluptuous woman casually drew attention to her breasts. "I'm sure that I could come up with something to assist Keitaro…"
"I hate to tell you the bad news, Kitsune, but I'm not sure that Keitaro really needs a model for his artwork."
"W-what? Are you sure about that?"
Haruka smiled knowingly. "Keitaro's work is good enough to be sold professionally; do you really think his women have man-faces and basketballs strapped to their chests?"
"Well, no, but still, maybe I could help inspire him?" Kitsune suggested.
"Inspiration can come from many sources," the smoker agreed, though her expression was one of wistful remembrance rather than true concession.
'What aren't you telling me, Haruka?' the ash-blonde wondered. "Actually, I think I might have been the inspiration for one of his stories."
"I saw some similarities between you and Megumi Kanno from Freeter Deluxe."
"Wait, so you've read Keitaro's work?" Kitsune demanded.
"Who do you think gave him his pen-name?" Haruka smirked.
"Biggun?"
"The full name is 'Ivor Biggun'. It's a pun; in English, 'Ivor Biggun' sounds a little like 'I've a big one' if the speaker has a certain accent," the smoker explained.
A thought occurred to Kitsune. "A big what? Is Keitaro… you know?"
"Yes, in fact, Keitaro has half a dozen two-metre long prehensile penises. You don't forget an encounter with tentacles, I can tell you!"
"You're mocking me, aren't you?"
"Hey look, Buzz, there's an alien!" Haruka deadpanned. "You're the one who sleeps in the room next to him, Kitsune; you would have a better idea than me."
"You make it sound like I should be sneaking into his room to peep on him when he's naked, Haruka," Kitsune replied.
"If you had been peeping on him, you could have used it as part of your scheme to get out of paying the rent," the spinster said as a casual aside. "Keitaro doesn't pick up on subtle hints, so catching you in the act would have shown him that you liked him."
Tsuruko knocked on the door to Keitaro's room.
"Come in," the ronin said.
"Keitaro-san, there's something I wanted to ask you," the swordswoman said as she approached where the young man was seated.
"Oh?" Keitaro asked. He looked up and noticed that the normally calm and collected woman seemed to have a pink tinge to her cheeks. "Is everything alright, Tsuruko-san?"
"I'm fine," Tsuruko insisted as she took up a place opposite her host. She cleared her throat. "Err, Keitaro-san, there is something that I wanted to ask you. I like to see people doing their best, and sometimes people need a little help to bring the best out of them. I'd like to help you with your work."
The ronin was lost for words; especially when Tsuruko followed up with, "I don't suppose you could let me read one of your stories?"
"I…"
"It's just that Kitsune-san seems to think that 'Miko-Miko Revolution' might be interesting."
When it became clear that Tsuruko wasn't going to let the matter drop, Keitaro sighed in defeat. "Ok, but promise me you won't hit me after you've read it?"
"I promise that I shall not hit you after I have read your story, Keitaro-san." Although the widow spoke with a calm, composed voice, she couldn't help but feel attraction towards Keitaro.
"Ok, but you promised!" the artist said as he retrieved a copy of the story from his bookcase and handed it over.
Tsuruko sat out on the porch, basking in the mid-morning sunshine as she read the story Keitaro had written and illustrated. The first few chapters were setting up the blend of historical fiction and mythology.
It was only with the appearance of the mysterious ronin that things got interesting.
And that was not just because of steamy fantasy Minako indulged in after she saw his fighting prowess.
"Oh my," the swordswoman murmured as she turned page after page of Keitaro's erotic novella.
Before Tsuruko knew it, Keitaro was calling her name to let her know it was lunch time.
"Oh, sorry, Keitaro-san, I got engrossed in your book."
The bespectacled young man laughed nervously.
"I mean, the way you described Motoko's desires…"
"Minako," Keitaro corrected, a drop of sweat trickling down his cheek.
"Please, Keitaro-san, it's clear that my sister was the inspiration for Minako Kageyama and her situation," the widow said, casting a half-lidded gaze at him. "So, how did you get Motoko-han to open up to you?"
"I… What?"
"How did you get my sister to talk to you about her desires? It's clear that you know what makes her excited."
"I never talked to her about it. I mean, what would she do if she found out about my job? It took ages for her to tolerate me as her landlord, she's not going to be the sort of person who opens up about what sort of man she likes," Keitaro replied.
"So how did you find out about the sort of man that my sister likes?" Tsuruko asked, genuinely curious. "Was it your gift?"
"Yes. I-"
"Lunch is ready!" Kitsune called out, interrupting Keitaro.
"Don't worry, Keitaro-san, I'm not going to tell my sister that she was the basis for an erotic novella."
"T-thank you, Tsuruko-san."
Tsuruko smiled as she followed Keitaro to where Kitsune was serving up the meal. "Although, I think that we might have to discuss your characterisation of the older sister, Toriko…"
Keitaro swallowed nervously. "B-but she's only mentioned in passing…"
"I know, but doesn't she deserve her own story?"
The ronin started to sweat profusely. "I…"
"There you are, I'm getting hungry!" Kitsune chided as she handed out the plates of food.
"Sorry, Kitsune, I…"
"It's my fault, Kitsune-san, I was discussing something with Keitaro-san," the widow said as she took her place. "It can wait until after we've eaten."
Despite the trepidation he felt, Keitaro sat down with Tsuruko in his room to discuss the story he had based upon Motoko.
"Now then, Keitaro-san," the swordswoman said, trying to keep a calm façade in place.
"I'm sorry, Tsuruko-san. I shouldn't have used my friends as inspiration for my stories," the artist said.
"Despite the view of me that my sister has, I am not an unforgiving monster, Keitaro-san. I accept your apology," the swordswoman smiled as she handed over the copy of Miko-Miko Revolution.
Keitaro visibly relaxed.
It was then that Tsuruko added a caveat. "I want you to write a story for me."
"What?"
"I like your style, Keitaro-san."
Keitaro was taken aback. "You like my writing style?"
"Amongst other things, yes," the raven-haired woman nodded. "I must confess that there are things about you that I find attractive."
"Wait, what? You do? How could I possibly be attractive to you, Tsuruko-san?" the ronin asked in disbelief. "I mean you're you: you're beautiful, you've got money, influence. What could you see in me?"
"Your humility, your sense of humour; don't think that I didn't pick up on that in your story, Keitaro-san," Tsuruko smiled. "And I can't forget your kind nature. Despite what Motoko-han tried to pull, you were willing to help her."
"What else was I suppose to do?"
There was a knock on the door which interrupted Tsuruko's answer.
"Come in," Keitaro said.
"Hi there," Kitsune smiled. The smile froze when she saw that Tsuruko was sitting opposite Keitaro. "Ah…"
"What can I do for you, Kitsune?"
"I… It can wait, it's not important," the short-haired girl said, not really wanting others to know that she was after a closer look at Keitaro's work.
Kitsune left as quickly as she arrived, leaving Tsuruko to realise that she needed to act quickly if she wanted to progress things with Keitaro.
She coughed to get Keitaro's attention. "About that story, Keitaro-san."
"Well, I'd love to write you something, but I haven't had any good ideas lately, Tsuruko-san," the artist protested. "All the ones I've suggested to my publisher were rejected."
"Maybe I can help you find some inspiration?"
"How?"
"Well, you've already used my sister for the inspiration for one story, why can't I be the inspiration for another?"
The ronin swallowed. "W-what kind of thing did you have in mind?"
Tsuruko reached out and touched Keitaro's hand. "Let's have a look at your ideas and see what we can develop?"
Kitsune, feeling at a loose end, decided to visit her friend.
"What's up now, Kitsune?" Haruka Urashima asked, not looking up from her newspaper.
"How did…?"
"Because something's bothering you about Keitaro," the smoker answered, still not giving the ash-blonde her full attention. "Odds are that it's his job."
"Well, it is, but it's not just that. Did you know that he was talking with Tsuruko-san in his room?" Kitsune asked.
"No, but I'm not shaken to my foundations."
"Why not?"
"Because it became clear last night that Tsuruko-san likes Keitaro," Haruka explained, finally looking at Kitsune. "There's no need to look that shocked, Kitsune. Keitaro may not be an 'alpha male' compared to some of the men you've met, but he does have desirable qualities that they lack. Things like a sense of responsibility, a work ethic, creative talent."
"Oh, but, still," the short-haired girl shrugged.
"But nothing, Kitsune, if you had come to me sooner, you could have grown to see Keitaro in the same light that Tsuruko does. He would've sweat blood for you, you know?"
Kitsune blinked. "Perhaps I was a bit hasty?"
"Perhaps," the smoker said before reaching for her cup of coffee. "But it may be too late for you, Kitsune."
"I don't hear the final bell, Haruka, so I'm still in with a chance!"
Haruka cast a critical look over her friend. Kitsune was cute, there was no denying that. And she did have a fine body; Keitaro would have enjoyed spending hours drawing it.
She was also fun. Some of the stories Kitsune told were hilarious. There was some doubt over their veracity, but they were almost always amusing.
But she was also somewhat immature; as she had showed with her inability to handle money. Sure, she had an adult's body and she was of the age of majority, but it took more than that to be an adult. A bit of responsibility wouldn't have gone amiss.
'Of course, Kitsune would have claimed that Keitaro was responsible enough for the two of them,' the smoker mused. "Ok, so you're still in with a chance. But you'll have to convince Keitaro that you do have feelings for him, that you're not trying to use him. You don't have a lot of time to do that, if Tsuruko-san is spending time in his room…"
Tsuruko looked over the ideas that Keitaro had outlined. They weren't bad by any means, but they seemed to lack something.
It took a while, but the swordswoman eventually worked out what was wrong.
"I'm sorry to say this, Keitaro-san, but all these ideas seem rather… generic. There's nothing bad about any of them, but I can't help but feel that they could be used for almost anyone," she explained. Tsuruko could see that Keitaro was looking rather despondent at her assessment. "I found Miko-Miko Revolution interesting because of the characters."
"Oh, but I'm not sure that I can use any of the 'Miko-Miko' characters in these ideas," the artist replied. "It feels a bit forced, if you know what I mean."
Tsuruko nodded. 'Now would be a good time to put yourself forward, Tsuruko.'
The swordswoman coughed to get Keitaro's attention. "Err, Keitaro-san, I may have another option for you."
"You do?"
"Yes," Tsuruko nodded. She swallowed nervously. "I… I could be the inspiration for your story. I might not have had the experiences of some women, but I would like to think that I could help you develop a story."
"A-are you sure about this? I mean, it would mean talking about… you know…" Keitaro trailed off. "I mean, you're a beautiful woman, but I'm not sure that I'm the sort of person you would talk to about this sort of thing."
"I was never really able to talk to anyone about this sort of thing," the widow explained. "In our family, such things were always considered taboo."
"Taboo?" the ronin repeated. "But saying that, it makes sense, I mean, how do you start a conversation about sex? It's not really something that people want to talk about with family members. Somehow I doubt that you and Motoko-chan asked about your parents' wedding night."
"Quite true, Keitaro-san, quite true."
There was a silence as Keitaro looked at some of the notes he'd written down. They were mainly scenarios and the occasional plot outline.
"Wait, a taboo…?" he asked rhetorically. "I just need a character and a taboo to break and I might have an idea I can use."
"I-I don't mind being the basis for your character, Keitaro-san," Tsuruko said, her cheeks turning pink. "A lonely widow has finished mourning. She's still got most of her life ahead of her, but none of the single men in her town show any interest in her: she's not only a 'Christmas Cake', but she's considered 'used goods'."
There was a moment's silence as it became clear that the swordswoman's words were spoken with the voice of experience.
"But then," she followed up, "She encounters a man through family business. This man, despite being more age appropriate for her sister, intrigues the widow. There's something about him that sets him apart from other men, not that the younger sister sees that."
Keitaro nodded as he scribbled down the idea Tsuruko had outlined. "And then what?"
"S-she realises that if she abides by the established etiquette, she'll be alone for a long time. T-that's when she decides to make a move on this younger man."
"Yes, that's good, but a woman asking out a man is hardly the taboo that I'm looking for," the artist said as he continued to jot down the idea. "What if she became obsessed with him? Not like a stalker who just takes photos of him and has a shrine, but she takes serious steps to be near him?"
"Yes, she moves into his apartment block," Tsuruko nodded. "There could be a few accidents, where she walks in on him when he's changing and she likes what she sees."
"But there needs to be a spanner in the works," Keitaro said absently. "It can't be all plain sailing, or the reader won't connect emotionally."
"She could feel that the young man is vulnerable?" the raven-haired woman suggested. "He's an heir to something valuable or important, and she feels protective? That way, there can be gold-digging rivals and concerned relatives?"
"That might just work," the ronin said as he finished writing down the outline. "Wait, this looks familiar, the only thing missing is-"
Keitaro's words were cut off by Tsuruko kissing him on the mouth.
To be continued…
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