Disclaimer: I own no part of Love Hina or any of the other copyrighted names mentioned in this chapter.
Whew, that one took a little while to make, didn't it? Well, here's the first of the many holiday chapters lined up for you.
* * * Chapter XXIX: Halloween at Hinata * * *
Monday, 10/29 7:22 AM
"Hey y'all!" Sean said as he entered the dining room to find everyone gathered there for breakfast. Shinobu was just about to serve the food she had prepared. "Here, let me help you with that."
"Thanks," Shinobu said. In all honesty, she could have and would have done it herself, but she could never turn down one of Sean's offers to help.
"So, how's everyone doing this morning?" Sean asked as he started placing the food in front of everyone.
"Oh, you know, same old, same old," Naru said. "School and all that stuff."
"Don't I know it. I've had to deal with it for longer than I'd like, but believe you me, if all that led to me showing up here, it was more than worth the effort."
"You have any idea how corny that sounds?"
"Yeah, I do," he said, rolling his eyes. "But it is true, despite that." He finished helping Shinobu serve the food and then took a seat between her and Keitaro.
"What's everyone gonna be for Halloween?" Suu asked cheerfully between her usual heaping bites.
"I'm not quite sure yet," Keitaro said. "What with all the crazy things that go on around here on a regular basis together with the schoolwork I get, I haven't had much time to think about it."
"I've got a couple ideas going through my head right now," Sean said.
As the discussion went around the table, some of them were on the fence as to what they would dress up as, and those that did know wanted to keep it a secret so it would be a surprise. Eventually, it was Motoko's turn.
"I'm not going to dress up as anything," she said after she was asked.
"Why not?" Sean asked.
"It's childish, that's why."
"Oh, come on, you mean you haven't had a single Halloween costume?"
"Sure I have, but that was when I was too young to take up the sword. Since then, I thought it was trivial to do such things."
"Well, trivial or not, it's not good to be all serious all the time," Kitsune said.
"Now, hold on, Kitsune," Keitaro said in Motoko's defense. "She's come a long way as far as that's concerned, but if she doesn't want to, we shouldn't force her it down her throat."
"That's right, Keitaro," Sean said. "but she shouldn't be left out. I'll try to think of something she may agree to." He turned to Motoko. "Is that all right?"
"I suppose I'll give it a chance, but if I don't like what you propose to do, I don't have to go through with it, got that?"
"All I ask is that you consider it. I'll try not to disappoint you."
The rest of breakfast was spent kicking around ideas for Motoko's costume. Some of them were interesting, but a certain few (suggested by Kitsune, of course) just caused her face to turn bright red. At one point, she couldn't stand all the attention she was getting. "I think I've heard enough," she said, standing up. "I thank you for the input, but I seriously doubt if any of them will work for me."
"Don't worry, Motoko," Sean said as she walked out of the room. "I'll try to think of something more reasonable by the time you get back from school today."
"That would be greatly appreciated, considering some of the suggestions I've heard just now," Motoko said, glaring at Kitsune before she was out of sight.
"…What?" Kitsune asked as she saw similar looks directed at her from around the table. "You don't think she would look good as a Playboy bunny?"
"You can be so insensitive, you know that?" Sean said as he got up. "Excuse me. I'm going to have a chat with her for a bit." He walked out in the same direction Motoko did, though he was noticeably slower than she was; he had a good idea as to where she would go, and that she would be there for a while if she was feeling stressed.
Sure enough, when he got to the roof, he found Motoko there swinging her sword around, apparently unaware of his presence. When he saw her pause a bit in her routine, he decided to speak up.
"I'm sure she means well, Motoko," he said.
Motoko turned around quickly at the sound of his voice. "I'm well aware of that; I just think her views are very distorted."
"Sure, compared to yours, but for her it's just par for the course. Trust me, I for one have no intentions of having you wearing things like that, knowing how you feel about it."
"Thank you."
"You mind if I watch you practice? It might give a some ideas; better ones"
"That's fine, just try not to distract me, or I might lash out without thinking."
"No problem," Sean said as he took a seat in the corner of the platform. "Would it help if I turned invisible? I know how hard it is to do certain things when you have an audience; or at least keep a straight face."
"Yes, that would help greatly."
"I promise to stay out of your way." Sean vanished from sight and Motoko resumed her workout unhindered.
"Damn," he thought. "I keep forgetting how graceful she is when she does all this kendo stuff; especially since I've stopped being on the receiving end of it."
Fifteen minutes went by and Motoko finally concluded her exercises. She wiped the sweat from her brow with one hand and sheathed her sword with the other. "Alright, Sean, I'm done. You can turn visible now." She looked around, but saw nobody. "Sean? Are you still here?"
"Oh, sorry," Sean's voice said. Motoko turned her gaze in the direction the sound came from and she watched Sean slowly rematerialize. "My brain must have stopped working for a while. I guess you had me under a spell of your own, huh?" He couldn't help but smile as he saw Motoko's face turn pink.
"So," Motoko said while mentally trying to force the color from her cheeks--and having a tough time doing it. "Have you thought of anything for this whole Halloween thing?"
This time, it was Sean's turn to blush. "Well, to be honest, I was too mesmerized by the show you just put on to have much in the way of rational thought, but I promise I'll have something by this afternoon."
"Uh, thanks, I think," Motoko said as she started to leave the roof, but stopped when she saw that Sean still hadn't moved. "You coming?"
"I'll be down in a minute." Motoko nodded her understanding and left him alone with his thoughts. "Oh man," he thought as he placed a hand to his forehead. "If she could read my mind, I could only guess as to how many times she would have killed me by now, even with my magic protecting me. I'm so glad I can keep these thoughts I get from becoming actions."
--- 11:24 AM
"A trip to the hot springs is just what I need right now," Kitsune said to herself as she changed out of her clothes and into a towel. For the last three hours and them some, she had been working on her article for the newspaper, and her back had become quite stiff in the process. "Just a quick dip to sooth my muscles and then back to work…" She snickered a bit. "'Back to work.' I can't believe I've gotten used to saying that."
When she opened the door to the spring, she found Alicia there sunbathing. From the sheen her body possessed, it looked like she hadn't been out of the water for too long. "Well, well, what do we have here?" Kitsune said.
"Hey, Kitsune," Alicia said as she moved her head just enough to see her visitor.
"Oh, yeah," Kitsune thought. "Sean has definitely gotten used to that body." In the past, when someone found Alicia there, she would at least make some attempt to cover herself up, but in recent days, that hasn't happened. "And I don't blame him one bit, either."
"Whatcha doin'?" she asked out loud.
"Oh, nothing. Just letting myself air dry. I was going to hang myself out on the clothesline, but it wouldn't have been that comfortable. It's just as well; I didn't feel like showing off my assets to the entire town today anyway."
"Aren't you even a bit cold? I mean, it's not exactly the best time of the year to be exposed to the elements like that."
"It's a bit chilly, I'll grant you that, but it actually feels kinda nice if taken in small doses. If it helps, I don't plan on doing this when winter comes. I don't want to get frozen or anything."
"That's smart. Mind if I join you?"
"Not at all." Alicia watched as Kitsune made her way to the water, pausing only to let the towel around her fall to the ground. "What brings you out here, Kitsune?"
"I have to have permission to be out here now?"
"Nah, just curious."
"I'm just taking a break from work. I won't be here for too long."
"Oh yeah, that's right, you have a job now, don't you?" Alicia said, smiling.
"You're never going to let that die, are you?"
"I will eventually. I surprised at you; you can dish it out the comments left and right, but you can't take it."
"Whatever. What's going on with you?"
"Well," Alicia began, flipping herself over to get her back some sun. She rested her chin on her arms. "I've been trying to think of a costume for Motoko--it's been difficult."
"I'm telling ya, she would look great as a Playboy bunny."
"And I'm telling you you're out of your mind if you think she would ever consider agreeing to that. Besides, that's not what I meant."
"Then what did you mean?"
"Well, I was watching her practice this morning, and--"
"You're having naughty thoughts about her, aren't you?" Kitsune asked, a grin appearing on her face.
"Uh, you can put it that way, but don't you dare tell Motoko that or else I won't be long for this world."
"Don't be so sure. She been more understanding as of late."
"Not if she sees what I'm thinking." She lifted her chin off her hands and replaced it with her forehead. "The things I have to put of with," she muttered.
"Hey, I didn't do anything!"
"I'm not talking about you."
"Oh."
"I have to think of something that Motoko would agree to," Alicia thought out loud with a sigh. "It'll probably end up being a warrior of some sort."
"Well, that's boring," Kitsune commented. "She's already a warrior. You should have her be something she's not."
"As boring as it may sound, I want her to be as comfortable with this as possible."
"Whatever."
The next few minutes went by in relative silence, with Alicia trying to keep her mind on topic, and when she could, trying to think of a suitable costume for the resident swordswoman. Meanwhile, Kitsune relaxed in the water, letting her escape from the working world for the time being, which was why she went out there in the first place.
After a while, Kitsune noticed Alicia get up and start heading for the door. "Where are you off to?"
"My room. I'm going to see if I can find something on the internet for Motoko. I'm also going to fine tune my ideas for my own costume."
"Alright, see you later."
"See ya," Alicia said as entered the dorm. "I also realize," she thought as she made her way to her room to get dressed. "that thinking about Motoko while I'm naked probably isn't the smartest thing in the world to do with my time. Especially thinking about her like that."
--- 3:05 PM
"I'm home!" Motoko said as she entered the dorm after a hard day at school. Throughout the day, her mind was clouded with thoughts of what costume Sean would eventually think of--and what her reaction to it would be. To put it simply, she was hoping for the best, but preparing for the worst.
"Hey Motoko," Kitsune said, looking at her from her seated position on the couch. "How was school?"
"Rough," Motoko said with a sigh. "I found it almost impossible to concentrate on what was being said in class. Do you know if Sean thought of anything yet?"
"No I don't, but what I do know is that he's been thinking about you all day long."
Seeing the grin Kitsune gave her that sent a shiver down Motoko's spine. "Um, do I want to know what he was thinking about, exactly?"
"He didn't say too much, but nevertheless, he made me promise not to tell you anything, for fear of what you'd do to him."
"I see," Motoko said as she went up the stairs toward Sean's room. "So it's confirmed," she thought. "He does think about that sort of thing after all. He may be a man of morals, but he is still a man; a man with perverted thoughts consistently running through his head.. At least he can keep his emotions contained when he needs to." She couldn't help but wonder as to what Sean's fantasies included as she opened the door to Sean's room to find Keitaro at the table, doing schoolwork. "Is Sean here?" She saw him look up at her for a moment, smile, then point in the direction of Alicia's room. "Thank you," she said, closing the door.
She slowly, almost hesitantly, walked the short distance to Alicia's door. As she raised a hand in preparation to open it, a thought occurred to her. "Maybe I should reconsider doing this whole costume thing. I know everyone means well, but this might end up with me being humiliated." She quickly shook her head of her nagging doubt. "What am I thinking? Sean has always held my best interest in mind when he does these things. Besides, even if I don't agree to this, I know he'll understand." Taking a deep breath, she opened the door to her destiny.
Much to her surprise, Motoko saw Alicia calmly working at her laptop, completely oblivious to her presence--that is, until Motoko cleared her throat.
"Oh, hey," Alicia said, looking at who just walked in. "How long were you standing there?"
"I just got here."
"That's good. I wouldn't want to keep you waiting or anything."
"You mean you've thought of something?"
"I honestly think I have, and I believe you will agree to this whole-heartedly."
"Really?" Motoko was surprised by the confidence he had in his plan.
"Yes. Have a look."
Motoko made her way around to Alicia's side of the table, looked at the computer screen and her eyes grew wide at what she saw. "Is that what you thought up?"
"Yep, what do you think?" Alicia smiled at what she thought was a brilliant idea, but when she looked at her subject, she noticed that she was speechless--but she didn't know if it was a good thing or a bad thing. "Uh, Motoko? You alright?"
"Um, I'm fine, I just didn't expect anything like this…" The figure on the screen was none other than InuYasha.
"Well, I think it works perfectly for you. I mean, it would require an almost minimal wardrobe change, and you can still carry a sword around for the duration. Granted, I would have to supply a different weapon for you in order to better compliment the image, but that won't be too hard to accomplish. The only things I have to confirm will be the physical adjustments."
"What do you mean 'physical adjustments'?" Motoko asked with a hint of suspicion.
"Don't get me wrong, it will all be purely cosmetic. All I'll do is change your hair color and give you some claws and the appropriate ears. Will that be acceptable?"
"Yes, I think so. Just curious, but will these… changes affect the way I move or anything?"
"I don't think so. I actually plan on having at least the ears being illusionary. If you don't mind, I would like to make those changes now. I'll turn everything back to normal afterwards; I just want to make sure it all works and to see what you think of it."
"Okay."
"Thank you. Have a seat," she said, motioning to her bed. After Motoko sat down, she got ready for work. "Now, let's see, the first I need to do is turn your hair from black to white… next, the claws… alright, and finally…" Alicia worked her magic on Motoko, making her look more like the figure on her computer. "There, done. What do you think, Motoko?" It was at that moment that she realized that Motoko had her eyes shut tight for the whole ordeal. "Are you okay? I didn't hurt you or anything, did I?"
"Uh, no, you didn't, I was just… never mind."
"You can tell me."
"Well, you've never really used your magic on me that much in the past; or at least not like this, and I was scared of what it would feel like."
"Was it uncomfortable for you?"
"Actually, I didn't feel a thing. Did you actually do anything to me?"
"See for yourself," Alicia said, pointing to the mirror.
Motoko slowly looked at her reflection and was shocked at how different she looked. She then switched her glance to the screen and back again. "Oh my," she thought out loud. "With the way I look right now, he and I could have almost been twins."
"I know. That's one reason why I chose InuYasha. You and him have a lot in common."
"I see."
"Alright, let's change you back to normal." Alicia snapped her fingers, and Motoko's original features returned. "I'll work on the accessories through tomorrow. I'll call you when they're ready."
"You don't have to go through all this trouble for me. You don't have to make everything yourself."
"But I want to. Besides, what I have planned can't be bought in a store; if you catch my drift."
"So they won't be ordinary items, will they?"
"Nope."
"I guess I'll let you get to work then."
"Alright."
Motoko was just about to head for the door when she remembered something. "Uh, Sean, could I ask you something?"
"Sure."
"Well, it's just that Kitsune told me that you were thinking about me all day. Is that true?"
"Oh great," Sean thought. "I was hoping this wouldn't come up." "What did she tell you?" He asked, expecting the worst.
"Just that, but how she said it made me think there was something more than that."
"I really don't want to talk about it."
"Why not?"
"Because if I told you, I'd probably be dead by now. Serves me right for telling Kitsune anything, that blabbermouth."
"Don't worry, I'm not quite as critical about perverted thoughts as I used to be, especially after having some of them myself, if you recall."
"That's good to hear, but I'd still like to keep quiet about it for now, but whatever the case may be, I should be careful about watching you practice again, or I might have those thoughts again."
"So it's watching me train that does it, huh?" She thought. "I'll have to keep that in mind." She opened the door to find Shinobu about to do the same thing from the outside. "Oh, hello Shinobu," she said, stepping aside.
"Hi, Motoko."
Motoko took one look back at Alicia. "See you later. Don't work yourself too hard."
"I won't," Sean said as Motoko stepped out and Shinobu stepped in.
"What's she talking about?" Shinobu asked.
"I'm helping her with her costume, remember?" Shinobu nodded, remembering the conversation that happened that morning. "So, what brings you here?"
Shinobu blushed a bit. "I just wanted your opinion on my costume."
"Alright." It took a few moments to realize Shinobu didn't bring anything with her. "Uh, where is it?"
"In my room."
"Let's go," Alicia said, closing her laptop and following Shinobu out of the room and down the hallway until they reached Shinobu's door.
"Could you stay out here?" Shinobu asked. "I want it to be a surprise."
"No problem," Alicia said, watching her enter her room and close the door behind her. Moments went by with Alicia leaning against the wall next to the door, her curiosity growing with each passing second. Eventually, she saw the door open and was shocked when she saw Shinobu literally fly out of the room.
"Well, what do you think of it?" Shinobu asked, eager for Alicia's honest opinion.
"Very nice witch costume," Alicia said after regaining her composure. "The flying broom is a nice touch. Did you do all this yourself?"
"Yeah."
"Nicely done. To be honest, I was thinking of being a magical figure also."
"You were? Can I see it?"
"It's not done yet."
"Oh. Well, when you do, I want to be the first one to see it, 'kay?"
"Sure thing." Alicia watched Shinobu pilot her broom back into her room. "Just when I think I've seen it all," she thought as she went back to her room. "along comes Shinobu riding a broom."
--- Tuesday, 10/30 6:31 AM
"Oh man, am I in heaven," Alicia sighed blissfully as she reclined a bit in the hot spring, letting the water reach her neck. She felt like she needed the bath then more then ever, as the work she had put in the day before left her exhausted. She was so involved in her own spa treatment that she was unaware of someone slowly approaching her.
"Okay," Motoko thought to herself. "I can do this. I've needed to tell him this for a long time now, so I might as well get it over with." For some strange reason, she felt the need to sneak up on her target in order to do what was needed, and considering that Alicia had her eyes closed, and from her actions, it appeared her ears were as well, she was able to get close with little difficulty. The only thing left to do was get her attention…
Alicia was still off in her own little, peaceful, blissful world when she heard a voice calling out to her. She slowly opened her eyes and immediately recognized the girl next to her. A half-tired smile appeared on her face. "That clinches it. I am in heaven. I'm seeing angels."
Motoko couldn't help but smile at the compliment, but she knew she had to get down to business. "How are you doing, Sean?"
"I'm fine."
Motoko gave her a skeptical look. "Are you sure? You look tired."
"I guess I am a bit weary, what with working on our costumes and all."
"Did you get enough sleep?"
"Oh sure, but creating items that way takes a lot out of a person, you know?"
"You don't have to do all the things you do for us, you know."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, you have to deal with so much around here, yet you still do almost anything we ask of you."
"And your point is?"
"There is such a thing as being too helpful for your own good. Sure, you need to keep this place up and running, but you don't have to help us with every little problem we have. I think you work yourself too hard and that we kind of take you for granted."
"Don't be silly, Motoko. I like what I do around here. Besides, isn't it my job to care for everyone here?"
"Yes, but that doesn't mean you have to sacrifice yourself to do it."
"What are you talking about?" Alicia asked, as though what Motoko said was absurd.
"Well, look at you now. You've sapped your strength to make a costume for me, which you didn't even have to do in the first place."
"I know I didn't, but I couldn't just leave you to feel left out of the festivities."
"That's not the point!" Before she could say anything further, Alicia placed a hand over her mouth.
"Motoko, listen to me," Alicia said, a serious look on her face. "I know exactly what I do around here and the toll it takes on me, but if it keeps everyone here healthy and happy, then so be it!"
"Alright, I guess I can't persuade you on that point, but I still think you're a bit under appreciated. I mean, you do all these things for us and most of the time, all you get is a mere thank you."
"What are you getting at?"
"All I'm saying is that I think you deserve something better than that."
"And what do you suggest?"
"I guess we could all repay you in our own way. For example, I could have you watch my practices more often."
"Now hold on just a sec--"
"I know what it does to you. I've been through the same thing thinking about you, remember? It's alright to have fantasies, even if they are about me."
"Sure, but what if my will breaks down and I want to turn one of those fantasies into a reality; I mean, REALLY want to?"
"I guess we'll deal with it when it happens. Who knows, I might be very accommodating."
"Obviously, she hasn't seen what goes on in my head," Alicia thought. "Thank you. I must have been so wrapped up in helping you all that I didn't give much thought to asking for anything in return."
"Well, maybe you should."
"Maybe; but I'll try not to do it too much. I don't want to seem greedy or perverted or anything like that."
"Trust me, you won't be."
Suddenly, a thought occurred to Alicia. "Hold on, what about Keitaro? Aren't you still going out with him?"
"Yeah, I still like him, but with you, it's different."
"Pray tell, how?"
"I feel like I owe a debt to you for all you've done for me. Besides, it's not like you and I dating or anything, right?"
"What we've done together is a few steps past dating."
"Well, you do those things with Kitsune, and you're not dating her."
"That's different."
"What do you mean?"
"With her, it's more like a prescription than anything else. I've seen her when she hasn't gotten laid in a while, and I don't want to see it again. Only recently, after I've been able to change into a woman, did I even consider trying to make those encounters mutually beneficial."
"And were they?"
"I wish. It seems that whenever the two of us get together, she's the only one who feels good afterward."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean either it ends too quickly, leaving me wanting more, or it drags on forever, making a very torturous experience for me to say the least."
"Oh."
"Actually, recently, I've considered asked one of you to help me with that."
"You have?"
"Yeah, but I've given up on that idea already."
"Why's that?"
"Well, I couldn't ask Naru, cuz she's with Keitaro, after my last encounter with them, Suu and Mutsumi are out of the question, and Shinobu's too young for that sort of thing."
"What about me?"
"I figured you would refuse outright, calling me a pervert or some such thing."
"You know I'm not quite like that anymore; and never let go of an idea just because you assume what the reaction will be; you might get surprised by the result."
"Are you saying that--"
"Just answer me this one question."
"Yeah?"
"When you and I did… those things… did you enjoy it?"
"Yeah, I did, actually."
"And would you like for me to do that sort of thing more often?"
"You mean you'd actually do that for me?"
"I feel like I owe you that much. I mean, you've gotten me to experience a wide range of things that I would never have even considered before you came along."
"But what if Keitaro finds out about all this?"
"Well, you consider what you do to Kitsune a prescription, right? Well, I'll just say it's the same thing for you and nothing more."
"That should work. Probably the only person that would object would be Kitsune, but I'll think of a way to deal with that."
"Um, do you want me to please you now? I'm not trying to sound too eager or anything, I just figured that after how hard you were working yesterday, you might need a break from all that; and we are all alone out here…"
"You know what, as much as I appreciate the gesture, I came out here to get my energy back, and I doubt that would help any. After all, I still have work to do for tomorrow."
"You mean you're not done yet?"
"Not quite, but you must understand; not only am I making your costume, but also my own."
"Oh, then I guess I should let you get to work, then."
"Not necessarily. I could stay here for a while. Would you like that?"
"I would." The two would remain together in the hot spring for the next twenty minutes, just enjoying each other's company.
--- Wednesday, 10/31 3:28 PM
"I still can't believe he spent all that time and energy on me…" Motoko said to herself as she gazed at the items that Sean created for her costume; namely, a chakra necklace and a sheathed sword. He had shown them to her and explained to her what they did the day before, so she was well aware of what to do. This was fortunate, as she hadn't seen the guy since she got home from school that day.
When she put the necklace on, her hair, ears and hands transformed, making her look more like InuYasha. In addition to that, a red robe appeared over her kendo outfit, which she had been instructed to wear by Sean beforehand. After practicing with the new sword a bit, she walked out for the living room, where everyone was gathering for the forthcoming party.
"Wow, Motoko, you look great!" Shinobu said at first sight of her. "I was wondering what Sean's been working on the last two days. It really suits you."
"Uh, thanks," Motoko said as she not only saw her in her witch outfit, but also riding a broom that was floating three feet in the air by some unseen force. "You did a good job as well."
"Aw, it was just something I threw together," Shinobu said, blushing.
Motoko eventually saw everyone else and the costumes they chose. Suu was Ed from Cowboy Bebop, Kitsune was a Playboy bunny (she figured her idea was too good to waste) and Naru and Keitaro dressed up like some elderly couple, which got Motoko a bit concerned, seeing how the two teamed up on their costumes. She had a feeling that she was starting to be on the losing end of the battle for Keitaro's heart, but in the back of her mind, she figured that was going to happen anyway. The only one left unseen was Sean, but the sound of thunder in the distance made everyone think that that was about to change.
Suddenly, a ball of electrical energy appeared. The light that radiated from it forced everyone to shield their eyes. As quickly as it appeared, it vanished, revealing Sean wearing a slightly oversized white robe with red triangles lining the bottom and the ends of the sleeves, and whatever hair that could be seen from under the hood of the robe was also a bright red We wielded an impressive looking purple mallet decorated with lightning bolts. "How's that for an entrance?" he asked, smiling.
"Wow," Shinobu said. In fact, that was all anyone could say until Suu spoke up.
"Where have I seen that outfit before?" She asked herself. "Oh, now I remember, you're the White Mage from Final Fantasy I!"
"Yep." Inwardly, Sean was surprised anyone would recognize it. He figured he would have had to explain it.
"And that's got to be Thor's Hammer, isn't it?"
"You sure know quite a bit about the game, don't you?"
"Well, when I'm not working on my machines, I'm playing video games. You went really old school with that one."
The party went off without a hitch, with everyone laughing and chatting it up. Probably the thing that provoked the most questions was Motoko's ears, wondering if they were real or not, and her sword, which transformed into the full-powered version of the one from the show at the push of a button on the hilt.
---
As day turned into night, everyone started to gravitate towards their own rooms until just Sean, Kitsune and Motoko were left. "Hey, Sean," Kitsune said, obviously drunk, "why don't we go to my room for some post-party lovin'?"
"You go on ahead. I'll be there in a minute."
"Don't be too long," she said with a wink as she staggered back to her room.
"Oh, I won't."
"What are you going to do?" Motoko asked. "Are you going to tell her about how she isn't satisfying you?"
"Nah, I have a better idea…"
---
After Kitsune got back to her room, she started to strip out of her costume, but partially due to her drunken state, she wasn't able to reach the zipper in the back. "Damn, I should have asked him to help me with this stupid thing before I left." As if on cue, she felt that same zipper being undone. "Oh, thank you." She looked back, but was shocked to see that nobody was there, but she continued to feel something removing her costume for her. "What the hell is going on?" she thought. "Am I that drunk?" After her outfit was fully removed from her otherwise bare body and flung across the room, she felt what could only have been hands; one was running its fingers up her thigh, one down her chest.
"Aw, screw it," she said, not wanting to think about it any longer. "I'm yours, mystery man!"
---
"I honestly never thought I would ever do that again," Sean said as he looked at his arms, or what was left of them, since the hands were missing. "but, letting my hands go free and turning them invisible is probably the best idea I could have ever come up with. I'd rather go without than end up either only half-satisfied or tortured by overkill."
"Um," Motoko said as she removed the necklace, returning her looks back to their original form and placing it, along with the sword, on the table in Alicia's room. "I just want to thank you again for what you did for me. I enjoyed myself tonight."
"No problem. I'm glad you liked your costume." He looked on as Motoko bid him goodnight and made her way to the door. "Before you go, could you do something for me?"
"Sure, what?"
"Can you help me change out of this thing?" he asked, pointing out the robe he still had on. "It'll be pretty hard for me to do it without my hands."
"Of course." Motoko walked back to Sean and found that the only way to remove it was to lift it up over his head. With some reluctance, she bent over and grabbed the bottom of it and began to do that very thing.
It wasn't until she got the outfit to Sean's neck that something clicked in Motoko's head. She stopped when she realized that what was under the robe was not Sean's, but Alicia's body, and that she could see everything Alicia had to offer.
"Is something wrong?" Alicia asked.
"I just didn't expect you to…"
"Sorry about that, but I do have one more request to make of you."
"I think I know."
"Would you…?"
"I'd be glad to," Motoko said with a smile as she let the robe fall over both of them; due to Alicia's smaller frame, there was enough room to fit both of them.
"Thank you Motoko," Alicia said as she moved both of them onto her bed. "This means so much to me."
"Finally," Motoko thought. "my guilt is starting to fade. I found something I can do for him; and it's something I wouldn't mind doing more often." Motoko let her mind slip away as she made Alicia feel better than she had in a long time.
* * * End of Chapter XXIX * * *
Yeah, yeah, call me a pervert or whatever; I don't really care anymore. Honestly, you should be used to this sort of thing from me by now. Anyway, this might be the last chapter you'll see from me for a while, as I have a couple of English papers due and finals are in about a week, so don't worry about me if you don't find Chapter XXX (Huh, XXX. I wonder...) within four or five days. I'll still be alive, I just have more pressing matters. Besides, when school's over, I'll probably be making up for lost time. See you soon and please R&R!
Whew, that one took a little while to make, didn't it? Well, here's the first of the many holiday chapters lined up for you.
* * * Chapter XXIX: Halloween at Hinata * * *
Monday, 10/29 7:22 AM
"Hey y'all!" Sean said as he entered the dining room to find everyone gathered there for breakfast. Shinobu was just about to serve the food she had prepared. "Here, let me help you with that."
"Thanks," Shinobu said. In all honesty, she could have and would have done it herself, but she could never turn down one of Sean's offers to help.
"So, how's everyone doing this morning?" Sean asked as he started placing the food in front of everyone.
"Oh, you know, same old, same old," Naru said. "School and all that stuff."
"Don't I know it. I've had to deal with it for longer than I'd like, but believe you me, if all that led to me showing up here, it was more than worth the effort."
"You have any idea how corny that sounds?"
"Yeah, I do," he said, rolling his eyes. "But it is true, despite that." He finished helping Shinobu serve the food and then took a seat between her and Keitaro.
"What's everyone gonna be for Halloween?" Suu asked cheerfully between her usual heaping bites.
"I'm not quite sure yet," Keitaro said. "What with all the crazy things that go on around here on a regular basis together with the schoolwork I get, I haven't had much time to think about it."
"I've got a couple ideas going through my head right now," Sean said.
As the discussion went around the table, some of them were on the fence as to what they would dress up as, and those that did know wanted to keep it a secret so it would be a surprise. Eventually, it was Motoko's turn.
"I'm not going to dress up as anything," she said after she was asked.
"Why not?" Sean asked.
"It's childish, that's why."
"Oh, come on, you mean you haven't had a single Halloween costume?"
"Sure I have, but that was when I was too young to take up the sword. Since then, I thought it was trivial to do such things."
"Well, trivial or not, it's not good to be all serious all the time," Kitsune said.
"Now, hold on, Kitsune," Keitaro said in Motoko's defense. "She's come a long way as far as that's concerned, but if she doesn't want to, we shouldn't force her it down her throat."
"That's right, Keitaro," Sean said. "but she shouldn't be left out. I'll try to think of something she may agree to." He turned to Motoko. "Is that all right?"
"I suppose I'll give it a chance, but if I don't like what you propose to do, I don't have to go through with it, got that?"
"All I ask is that you consider it. I'll try not to disappoint you."
The rest of breakfast was spent kicking around ideas for Motoko's costume. Some of them were interesting, but a certain few (suggested by Kitsune, of course) just caused her face to turn bright red. At one point, she couldn't stand all the attention she was getting. "I think I've heard enough," she said, standing up. "I thank you for the input, but I seriously doubt if any of them will work for me."
"Don't worry, Motoko," Sean said as she walked out of the room. "I'll try to think of something more reasonable by the time you get back from school today."
"That would be greatly appreciated, considering some of the suggestions I've heard just now," Motoko said, glaring at Kitsune before she was out of sight.
"…What?" Kitsune asked as she saw similar looks directed at her from around the table. "You don't think she would look good as a Playboy bunny?"
"You can be so insensitive, you know that?" Sean said as he got up. "Excuse me. I'm going to have a chat with her for a bit." He walked out in the same direction Motoko did, though he was noticeably slower than she was; he had a good idea as to where she would go, and that she would be there for a while if she was feeling stressed.
Sure enough, when he got to the roof, he found Motoko there swinging her sword around, apparently unaware of his presence. When he saw her pause a bit in her routine, he decided to speak up.
"I'm sure she means well, Motoko," he said.
Motoko turned around quickly at the sound of his voice. "I'm well aware of that; I just think her views are very distorted."
"Sure, compared to yours, but for her it's just par for the course. Trust me, I for one have no intentions of having you wearing things like that, knowing how you feel about it."
"Thank you."
"You mind if I watch you practice? It might give a some ideas; better ones"
"That's fine, just try not to distract me, or I might lash out without thinking."
"No problem," Sean said as he took a seat in the corner of the platform. "Would it help if I turned invisible? I know how hard it is to do certain things when you have an audience; or at least keep a straight face."
"Yes, that would help greatly."
"I promise to stay out of your way." Sean vanished from sight and Motoko resumed her workout unhindered.
"Damn," he thought. "I keep forgetting how graceful she is when she does all this kendo stuff; especially since I've stopped being on the receiving end of it."
Fifteen minutes went by and Motoko finally concluded her exercises. She wiped the sweat from her brow with one hand and sheathed her sword with the other. "Alright, Sean, I'm done. You can turn visible now." She looked around, but saw nobody. "Sean? Are you still here?"
"Oh, sorry," Sean's voice said. Motoko turned her gaze in the direction the sound came from and she watched Sean slowly rematerialize. "My brain must have stopped working for a while. I guess you had me under a spell of your own, huh?" He couldn't help but smile as he saw Motoko's face turn pink.
"So," Motoko said while mentally trying to force the color from her cheeks--and having a tough time doing it. "Have you thought of anything for this whole Halloween thing?"
This time, it was Sean's turn to blush. "Well, to be honest, I was too mesmerized by the show you just put on to have much in the way of rational thought, but I promise I'll have something by this afternoon."
"Uh, thanks, I think," Motoko said as she started to leave the roof, but stopped when she saw that Sean still hadn't moved. "You coming?"
"I'll be down in a minute." Motoko nodded her understanding and left him alone with his thoughts. "Oh man," he thought as he placed a hand to his forehead. "If she could read my mind, I could only guess as to how many times she would have killed me by now, even with my magic protecting me. I'm so glad I can keep these thoughts I get from becoming actions."
--- 11:24 AM
"A trip to the hot springs is just what I need right now," Kitsune said to herself as she changed out of her clothes and into a towel. For the last three hours and them some, she had been working on her article for the newspaper, and her back had become quite stiff in the process. "Just a quick dip to sooth my muscles and then back to work…" She snickered a bit. "'Back to work.' I can't believe I've gotten used to saying that."
When she opened the door to the spring, she found Alicia there sunbathing. From the sheen her body possessed, it looked like she hadn't been out of the water for too long. "Well, well, what do we have here?" Kitsune said.
"Hey, Kitsune," Alicia said as she moved her head just enough to see her visitor.
"Oh, yeah," Kitsune thought. "Sean has definitely gotten used to that body." In the past, when someone found Alicia there, she would at least make some attempt to cover herself up, but in recent days, that hasn't happened. "And I don't blame him one bit, either."
"Whatcha doin'?" she asked out loud.
"Oh, nothing. Just letting myself air dry. I was going to hang myself out on the clothesline, but it wouldn't have been that comfortable. It's just as well; I didn't feel like showing off my assets to the entire town today anyway."
"Aren't you even a bit cold? I mean, it's not exactly the best time of the year to be exposed to the elements like that."
"It's a bit chilly, I'll grant you that, but it actually feels kinda nice if taken in small doses. If it helps, I don't plan on doing this when winter comes. I don't want to get frozen or anything."
"That's smart. Mind if I join you?"
"Not at all." Alicia watched as Kitsune made her way to the water, pausing only to let the towel around her fall to the ground. "What brings you out here, Kitsune?"
"I have to have permission to be out here now?"
"Nah, just curious."
"I'm just taking a break from work. I won't be here for too long."
"Oh yeah, that's right, you have a job now, don't you?" Alicia said, smiling.
"You're never going to let that die, are you?"
"I will eventually. I surprised at you; you can dish it out the comments left and right, but you can't take it."
"Whatever. What's going on with you?"
"Well," Alicia began, flipping herself over to get her back some sun. She rested her chin on her arms. "I've been trying to think of a costume for Motoko--it's been difficult."
"I'm telling ya, she would look great as a Playboy bunny."
"And I'm telling you you're out of your mind if you think she would ever consider agreeing to that. Besides, that's not what I meant."
"Then what did you mean?"
"Well, I was watching her practice this morning, and--"
"You're having naughty thoughts about her, aren't you?" Kitsune asked, a grin appearing on her face.
"Uh, you can put it that way, but don't you dare tell Motoko that or else I won't be long for this world."
"Don't be so sure. She been more understanding as of late."
"Not if she sees what I'm thinking." She lifted her chin off her hands and replaced it with her forehead. "The things I have to put of with," she muttered.
"Hey, I didn't do anything!"
"I'm not talking about you."
"Oh."
"I have to think of something that Motoko would agree to," Alicia thought out loud with a sigh. "It'll probably end up being a warrior of some sort."
"Well, that's boring," Kitsune commented. "She's already a warrior. You should have her be something she's not."
"As boring as it may sound, I want her to be as comfortable with this as possible."
"Whatever."
The next few minutes went by in relative silence, with Alicia trying to keep her mind on topic, and when she could, trying to think of a suitable costume for the resident swordswoman. Meanwhile, Kitsune relaxed in the water, letting her escape from the working world for the time being, which was why she went out there in the first place.
After a while, Kitsune noticed Alicia get up and start heading for the door. "Where are you off to?"
"My room. I'm going to see if I can find something on the internet for Motoko. I'm also going to fine tune my ideas for my own costume."
"Alright, see you later."
"See ya," Alicia said as entered the dorm. "I also realize," she thought as she made her way to her room to get dressed. "that thinking about Motoko while I'm naked probably isn't the smartest thing in the world to do with my time. Especially thinking about her like that."
--- 3:05 PM
"I'm home!" Motoko said as she entered the dorm after a hard day at school. Throughout the day, her mind was clouded with thoughts of what costume Sean would eventually think of--and what her reaction to it would be. To put it simply, she was hoping for the best, but preparing for the worst.
"Hey Motoko," Kitsune said, looking at her from her seated position on the couch. "How was school?"
"Rough," Motoko said with a sigh. "I found it almost impossible to concentrate on what was being said in class. Do you know if Sean thought of anything yet?"
"No I don't, but what I do know is that he's been thinking about you all day long."
Seeing the grin Kitsune gave her that sent a shiver down Motoko's spine. "Um, do I want to know what he was thinking about, exactly?"
"He didn't say too much, but nevertheless, he made me promise not to tell you anything, for fear of what you'd do to him."
"I see," Motoko said as she went up the stairs toward Sean's room. "So it's confirmed," she thought. "He does think about that sort of thing after all. He may be a man of morals, but he is still a man; a man with perverted thoughts consistently running through his head.. At least he can keep his emotions contained when he needs to." She couldn't help but wonder as to what Sean's fantasies included as she opened the door to Sean's room to find Keitaro at the table, doing schoolwork. "Is Sean here?" She saw him look up at her for a moment, smile, then point in the direction of Alicia's room. "Thank you," she said, closing the door.
She slowly, almost hesitantly, walked the short distance to Alicia's door. As she raised a hand in preparation to open it, a thought occurred to her. "Maybe I should reconsider doing this whole costume thing. I know everyone means well, but this might end up with me being humiliated." She quickly shook her head of her nagging doubt. "What am I thinking? Sean has always held my best interest in mind when he does these things. Besides, even if I don't agree to this, I know he'll understand." Taking a deep breath, she opened the door to her destiny.
Much to her surprise, Motoko saw Alicia calmly working at her laptop, completely oblivious to her presence--that is, until Motoko cleared her throat.
"Oh, hey," Alicia said, looking at who just walked in. "How long were you standing there?"
"I just got here."
"That's good. I wouldn't want to keep you waiting or anything."
"You mean you've thought of something?"
"I honestly think I have, and I believe you will agree to this whole-heartedly."
"Really?" Motoko was surprised by the confidence he had in his plan.
"Yes. Have a look."
Motoko made her way around to Alicia's side of the table, looked at the computer screen and her eyes grew wide at what she saw. "Is that what you thought up?"
"Yep, what do you think?" Alicia smiled at what she thought was a brilliant idea, but when she looked at her subject, she noticed that she was speechless--but she didn't know if it was a good thing or a bad thing. "Uh, Motoko? You alright?"
"Um, I'm fine, I just didn't expect anything like this…" The figure on the screen was none other than InuYasha.
"Well, I think it works perfectly for you. I mean, it would require an almost minimal wardrobe change, and you can still carry a sword around for the duration. Granted, I would have to supply a different weapon for you in order to better compliment the image, but that won't be too hard to accomplish. The only things I have to confirm will be the physical adjustments."
"What do you mean 'physical adjustments'?" Motoko asked with a hint of suspicion.
"Don't get me wrong, it will all be purely cosmetic. All I'll do is change your hair color and give you some claws and the appropriate ears. Will that be acceptable?"
"Yes, I think so. Just curious, but will these… changes affect the way I move or anything?"
"I don't think so. I actually plan on having at least the ears being illusionary. If you don't mind, I would like to make those changes now. I'll turn everything back to normal afterwards; I just want to make sure it all works and to see what you think of it."
"Okay."
"Thank you. Have a seat," she said, motioning to her bed. After Motoko sat down, she got ready for work. "Now, let's see, the first I need to do is turn your hair from black to white… next, the claws… alright, and finally…" Alicia worked her magic on Motoko, making her look more like the figure on her computer. "There, done. What do you think, Motoko?" It was at that moment that she realized that Motoko had her eyes shut tight for the whole ordeal. "Are you okay? I didn't hurt you or anything, did I?"
"Uh, no, you didn't, I was just… never mind."
"You can tell me."
"Well, you've never really used your magic on me that much in the past; or at least not like this, and I was scared of what it would feel like."
"Was it uncomfortable for you?"
"Actually, I didn't feel a thing. Did you actually do anything to me?"
"See for yourself," Alicia said, pointing to the mirror.
Motoko slowly looked at her reflection and was shocked at how different she looked. She then switched her glance to the screen and back again. "Oh my," she thought out loud. "With the way I look right now, he and I could have almost been twins."
"I know. That's one reason why I chose InuYasha. You and him have a lot in common."
"I see."
"Alright, let's change you back to normal." Alicia snapped her fingers, and Motoko's original features returned. "I'll work on the accessories through tomorrow. I'll call you when they're ready."
"You don't have to go through all this trouble for me. You don't have to make everything yourself."
"But I want to. Besides, what I have planned can't be bought in a store; if you catch my drift."
"So they won't be ordinary items, will they?"
"Nope."
"I guess I'll let you get to work then."
"Alright."
Motoko was just about to head for the door when she remembered something. "Uh, Sean, could I ask you something?"
"Sure."
"Well, it's just that Kitsune told me that you were thinking about me all day. Is that true?"
"Oh great," Sean thought. "I was hoping this wouldn't come up." "What did she tell you?" He asked, expecting the worst.
"Just that, but how she said it made me think there was something more than that."
"I really don't want to talk about it."
"Why not?"
"Because if I told you, I'd probably be dead by now. Serves me right for telling Kitsune anything, that blabbermouth."
"Don't worry, I'm not quite as critical about perverted thoughts as I used to be, especially after having some of them myself, if you recall."
"That's good to hear, but I'd still like to keep quiet about it for now, but whatever the case may be, I should be careful about watching you practice again, or I might have those thoughts again."
"So it's watching me train that does it, huh?" She thought. "I'll have to keep that in mind." She opened the door to find Shinobu about to do the same thing from the outside. "Oh, hello Shinobu," she said, stepping aside.
"Hi, Motoko."
Motoko took one look back at Alicia. "See you later. Don't work yourself too hard."
"I won't," Sean said as Motoko stepped out and Shinobu stepped in.
"What's she talking about?" Shinobu asked.
"I'm helping her with her costume, remember?" Shinobu nodded, remembering the conversation that happened that morning. "So, what brings you here?"
Shinobu blushed a bit. "I just wanted your opinion on my costume."
"Alright." It took a few moments to realize Shinobu didn't bring anything with her. "Uh, where is it?"
"In my room."
"Let's go," Alicia said, closing her laptop and following Shinobu out of the room and down the hallway until they reached Shinobu's door.
"Could you stay out here?" Shinobu asked. "I want it to be a surprise."
"No problem," Alicia said, watching her enter her room and close the door behind her. Moments went by with Alicia leaning against the wall next to the door, her curiosity growing with each passing second. Eventually, she saw the door open and was shocked when she saw Shinobu literally fly out of the room.
"Well, what do you think of it?" Shinobu asked, eager for Alicia's honest opinion.
"Very nice witch costume," Alicia said after regaining her composure. "The flying broom is a nice touch. Did you do all this yourself?"
"Yeah."
"Nicely done. To be honest, I was thinking of being a magical figure also."
"You were? Can I see it?"
"It's not done yet."
"Oh. Well, when you do, I want to be the first one to see it, 'kay?"
"Sure thing." Alicia watched Shinobu pilot her broom back into her room. "Just when I think I've seen it all," she thought as she went back to her room. "along comes Shinobu riding a broom."
--- Tuesday, 10/30 6:31 AM
"Oh man, am I in heaven," Alicia sighed blissfully as she reclined a bit in the hot spring, letting the water reach her neck. She felt like she needed the bath then more then ever, as the work she had put in the day before left her exhausted. She was so involved in her own spa treatment that she was unaware of someone slowly approaching her.
"Okay," Motoko thought to herself. "I can do this. I've needed to tell him this for a long time now, so I might as well get it over with." For some strange reason, she felt the need to sneak up on her target in order to do what was needed, and considering that Alicia had her eyes closed, and from her actions, it appeared her ears were as well, she was able to get close with little difficulty. The only thing left to do was get her attention…
Alicia was still off in her own little, peaceful, blissful world when she heard a voice calling out to her. She slowly opened her eyes and immediately recognized the girl next to her. A half-tired smile appeared on her face. "That clinches it. I am in heaven. I'm seeing angels."
Motoko couldn't help but smile at the compliment, but she knew she had to get down to business. "How are you doing, Sean?"
"I'm fine."
Motoko gave her a skeptical look. "Are you sure? You look tired."
"I guess I am a bit weary, what with working on our costumes and all."
"Did you get enough sleep?"
"Oh sure, but creating items that way takes a lot out of a person, you know?"
"You don't have to do all the things you do for us, you know."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, you have to deal with so much around here, yet you still do almost anything we ask of you."
"And your point is?"
"There is such a thing as being too helpful for your own good. Sure, you need to keep this place up and running, but you don't have to help us with every little problem we have. I think you work yourself too hard and that we kind of take you for granted."
"Don't be silly, Motoko. I like what I do around here. Besides, isn't it my job to care for everyone here?"
"Yes, but that doesn't mean you have to sacrifice yourself to do it."
"What are you talking about?" Alicia asked, as though what Motoko said was absurd.
"Well, look at you now. You've sapped your strength to make a costume for me, which you didn't even have to do in the first place."
"I know I didn't, but I couldn't just leave you to feel left out of the festivities."
"That's not the point!" Before she could say anything further, Alicia placed a hand over her mouth.
"Motoko, listen to me," Alicia said, a serious look on her face. "I know exactly what I do around here and the toll it takes on me, but if it keeps everyone here healthy and happy, then so be it!"
"Alright, I guess I can't persuade you on that point, but I still think you're a bit under appreciated. I mean, you do all these things for us and most of the time, all you get is a mere thank you."
"What are you getting at?"
"All I'm saying is that I think you deserve something better than that."
"And what do you suggest?"
"I guess we could all repay you in our own way. For example, I could have you watch my practices more often."
"Now hold on just a sec--"
"I know what it does to you. I've been through the same thing thinking about you, remember? It's alright to have fantasies, even if they are about me."
"Sure, but what if my will breaks down and I want to turn one of those fantasies into a reality; I mean, REALLY want to?"
"I guess we'll deal with it when it happens. Who knows, I might be very accommodating."
"Obviously, she hasn't seen what goes on in my head," Alicia thought. "Thank you. I must have been so wrapped up in helping you all that I didn't give much thought to asking for anything in return."
"Well, maybe you should."
"Maybe; but I'll try not to do it too much. I don't want to seem greedy or perverted or anything like that."
"Trust me, you won't be."
Suddenly, a thought occurred to Alicia. "Hold on, what about Keitaro? Aren't you still going out with him?"
"Yeah, I still like him, but with you, it's different."
"Pray tell, how?"
"I feel like I owe a debt to you for all you've done for me. Besides, it's not like you and I dating or anything, right?"
"What we've done together is a few steps past dating."
"Well, you do those things with Kitsune, and you're not dating her."
"That's different."
"What do you mean?"
"With her, it's more like a prescription than anything else. I've seen her when she hasn't gotten laid in a while, and I don't want to see it again. Only recently, after I've been able to change into a woman, did I even consider trying to make those encounters mutually beneficial."
"And were they?"
"I wish. It seems that whenever the two of us get together, she's the only one who feels good afterward."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean either it ends too quickly, leaving me wanting more, or it drags on forever, making a very torturous experience for me to say the least."
"Oh."
"Actually, recently, I've considered asked one of you to help me with that."
"You have?"
"Yeah, but I've given up on that idea already."
"Why's that?"
"Well, I couldn't ask Naru, cuz she's with Keitaro, after my last encounter with them, Suu and Mutsumi are out of the question, and Shinobu's too young for that sort of thing."
"What about me?"
"I figured you would refuse outright, calling me a pervert or some such thing."
"You know I'm not quite like that anymore; and never let go of an idea just because you assume what the reaction will be; you might get surprised by the result."
"Are you saying that--"
"Just answer me this one question."
"Yeah?"
"When you and I did… those things… did you enjoy it?"
"Yeah, I did, actually."
"And would you like for me to do that sort of thing more often?"
"You mean you'd actually do that for me?"
"I feel like I owe you that much. I mean, you've gotten me to experience a wide range of things that I would never have even considered before you came along."
"But what if Keitaro finds out about all this?"
"Well, you consider what you do to Kitsune a prescription, right? Well, I'll just say it's the same thing for you and nothing more."
"That should work. Probably the only person that would object would be Kitsune, but I'll think of a way to deal with that."
"Um, do you want me to please you now? I'm not trying to sound too eager or anything, I just figured that after how hard you were working yesterday, you might need a break from all that; and we are all alone out here…"
"You know what, as much as I appreciate the gesture, I came out here to get my energy back, and I doubt that would help any. After all, I still have work to do for tomorrow."
"You mean you're not done yet?"
"Not quite, but you must understand; not only am I making your costume, but also my own."
"Oh, then I guess I should let you get to work, then."
"Not necessarily. I could stay here for a while. Would you like that?"
"I would." The two would remain together in the hot spring for the next twenty minutes, just enjoying each other's company.
--- Wednesday, 10/31 3:28 PM
"I still can't believe he spent all that time and energy on me…" Motoko said to herself as she gazed at the items that Sean created for her costume; namely, a chakra necklace and a sheathed sword. He had shown them to her and explained to her what they did the day before, so she was well aware of what to do. This was fortunate, as she hadn't seen the guy since she got home from school that day.
When she put the necklace on, her hair, ears and hands transformed, making her look more like InuYasha. In addition to that, a red robe appeared over her kendo outfit, which she had been instructed to wear by Sean beforehand. After practicing with the new sword a bit, she walked out for the living room, where everyone was gathering for the forthcoming party.
"Wow, Motoko, you look great!" Shinobu said at first sight of her. "I was wondering what Sean's been working on the last two days. It really suits you."
"Uh, thanks," Motoko said as she not only saw her in her witch outfit, but also riding a broom that was floating three feet in the air by some unseen force. "You did a good job as well."
"Aw, it was just something I threw together," Shinobu said, blushing.
Motoko eventually saw everyone else and the costumes they chose. Suu was Ed from Cowboy Bebop, Kitsune was a Playboy bunny (she figured her idea was too good to waste) and Naru and Keitaro dressed up like some elderly couple, which got Motoko a bit concerned, seeing how the two teamed up on their costumes. She had a feeling that she was starting to be on the losing end of the battle for Keitaro's heart, but in the back of her mind, she figured that was going to happen anyway. The only one left unseen was Sean, but the sound of thunder in the distance made everyone think that that was about to change.
Suddenly, a ball of electrical energy appeared. The light that radiated from it forced everyone to shield their eyes. As quickly as it appeared, it vanished, revealing Sean wearing a slightly oversized white robe with red triangles lining the bottom and the ends of the sleeves, and whatever hair that could be seen from under the hood of the robe was also a bright red We wielded an impressive looking purple mallet decorated with lightning bolts. "How's that for an entrance?" he asked, smiling.
"Wow," Shinobu said. In fact, that was all anyone could say until Suu spoke up.
"Where have I seen that outfit before?" She asked herself. "Oh, now I remember, you're the White Mage from Final Fantasy I!"
"Yep." Inwardly, Sean was surprised anyone would recognize it. He figured he would have had to explain it.
"And that's got to be Thor's Hammer, isn't it?"
"You sure know quite a bit about the game, don't you?"
"Well, when I'm not working on my machines, I'm playing video games. You went really old school with that one."
The party went off without a hitch, with everyone laughing and chatting it up. Probably the thing that provoked the most questions was Motoko's ears, wondering if they were real or not, and her sword, which transformed into the full-powered version of the one from the show at the push of a button on the hilt.
---
As day turned into night, everyone started to gravitate towards their own rooms until just Sean, Kitsune and Motoko were left. "Hey, Sean," Kitsune said, obviously drunk, "why don't we go to my room for some post-party lovin'?"
"You go on ahead. I'll be there in a minute."
"Don't be too long," she said with a wink as she staggered back to her room.
"Oh, I won't."
"What are you going to do?" Motoko asked. "Are you going to tell her about how she isn't satisfying you?"
"Nah, I have a better idea…"
---
After Kitsune got back to her room, she started to strip out of her costume, but partially due to her drunken state, she wasn't able to reach the zipper in the back. "Damn, I should have asked him to help me with this stupid thing before I left." As if on cue, she felt that same zipper being undone. "Oh, thank you." She looked back, but was shocked to see that nobody was there, but she continued to feel something removing her costume for her. "What the hell is going on?" she thought. "Am I that drunk?" After her outfit was fully removed from her otherwise bare body and flung across the room, she felt what could only have been hands; one was running its fingers up her thigh, one down her chest.
"Aw, screw it," she said, not wanting to think about it any longer. "I'm yours, mystery man!"
---
"I honestly never thought I would ever do that again," Sean said as he looked at his arms, or what was left of them, since the hands were missing. "but, letting my hands go free and turning them invisible is probably the best idea I could have ever come up with. I'd rather go without than end up either only half-satisfied or tortured by overkill."
"Um," Motoko said as she removed the necklace, returning her looks back to their original form and placing it, along with the sword, on the table in Alicia's room. "I just want to thank you again for what you did for me. I enjoyed myself tonight."
"No problem. I'm glad you liked your costume." He looked on as Motoko bid him goodnight and made her way to the door. "Before you go, could you do something for me?"
"Sure, what?"
"Can you help me change out of this thing?" he asked, pointing out the robe he still had on. "It'll be pretty hard for me to do it without my hands."
"Of course." Motoko walked back to Sean and found that the only way to remove it was to lift it up over his head. With some reluctance, she bent over and grabbed the bottom of it and began to do that very thing.
It wasn't until she got the outfit to Sean's neck that something clicked in Motoko's head. She stopped when she realized that what was under the robe was not Sean's, but Alicia's body, and that she could see everything Alicia had to offer.
"Is something wrong?" Alicia asked.
"I just didn't expect you to…"
"Sorry about that, but I do have one more request to make of you."
"I think I know."
"Would you…?"
"I'd be glad to," Motoko said with a smile as she let the robe fall over both of them; due to Alicia's smaller frame, there was enough room to fit both of them.
"Thank you Motoko," Alicia said as she moved both of them onto her bed. "This means so much to me."
"Finally," Motoko thought. "my guilt is starting to fade. I found something I can do for him; and it's something I wouldn't mind doing more often." Motoko let her mind slip away as she made Alicia feel better than she had in a long time.
* * * End of Chapter XXIX * * *
Yeah, yeah, call me a pervert or whatever; I don't really care anymore. Honestly, you should be used to this sort of thing from me by now. Anyway, this might be the last chapter you'll see from me for a while, as I have a couple of English papers due and finals are in about a week, so don't worry about me if you don't find Chapter XXX (Huh, XXX. I wonder...) within four or five days. I'll still be alive, I just have more pressing matters. Besides, when school's over, I'll probably be making up for lost time. See you soon and please R&R!