Disclaimer: I own no part of Love Hina, but Sean is me.
Chapter XXXII: A Christmas Mystery
Tuesday, 12/18 6:14 PM
"Ah," Naru said as she walked out of her room, stretching a bit. "It's good to finally get all that schoolwork out of the way." She spent the last three hours working on her studies, and a break was just the thing she needed. "I wonder if Sean had to deal with all this when he was in college." When she got to the living room, she found Sean there, sitting on the couch, his back to her. "Well, speak of the devil," she thought. Since the television was off, she was a bit curious as to what he was doing there all alone. As she crept up behind him, she could see a notepad and pencil in his hands, but what caught her interest was that written on the paper was a list of everyone at Hinata-Sou except for himself; next to a couple of the names were some strange symbols that she found vaguely familiar, but couldn't remember where from.
"Hmm," Sean muttered. "Let's see now…" He tapped the eraser end of his pencil on the paper for a minute or two. "Ah, that should work." He then began to scribble more incomprehensible mumbo-jumbo next to Suu's name on the list, but seemed to stop midway through it. "Can I help you?" He asked flatly without turning around.
"You knew I was here?" Naru asked.
"Of course."
"Magic?"
"No, I could feel you breathing down the back of my neck."
"Oh, sorry." She moved around to the front of the couch and took a seat. "So, what are you doing out here all by yourself?"
"What, I can't have time to myself all of a sudden?" Sean asked with a smile.
"Well, around here, it's just not possible most of the time, you know?"
Sean nodded knowingly. "And what brings you down here?"
"I just finished my schoolwork for the day, so I figured I'd relax for a while."
"That's cool."
"Now that I think of it, where is everyone? Usually, there's so much commotion in this place, I can barely think."
"Don't know. Maybe they've got the same idea we do."
"Maybe hell froze over." The two shared a laugh. "Hey, can I ask you something?"
"Shoot."
"What was college like for you?"
"Not bad. There were some bumps in the road here and there, but overall it went pretty well. Why do you ask?"
"It's just that I've been working so hard on my studies, and I was just wondering if you went through the same thing."
"To be honest, I've never been much of a studier, though if I was trying to get into a place like Tokyo U, things might have been different."
"So the school you went to wasn't as tough as Toudai?"
"No, and I'm not sure if I could have gotten in if I tried, even now."
"Why not?"
"Like I said, my study habits are nearly nonexistent."
"Then how did you get through college, then?"
"Don't get me wrong, I still did the work I had to do, but usually the most preparation I ever did for a test was to go over notes and such that day. It's not ideal, I know, but hey, it worked for me."
"I suppose." Naru's eyes fixed themselves on Sean's notebook. "What are you writing about in there?"
"What, this? Oh, it's nothing important."
"But I saw our names."
"Like I said, it's not important," he reinforced, mentally thanking himself for thinking of writing in the same script he uses in his spellbook. "Hey," he started in an attempt to change the subject before Naru gave him a full interrogation. "I haven't heard Suu in a while; I'm going to check on her and make sure she doesn't blow the place up or something." He quickly got up and left the room, taking his pad and pencil with him and leaving a bewildered Naru in his wake. "This is definitely not going to end well," he thought as he made his way to Suu's room. He did have to keep his story straight, right?
"Hmm," Naru said to herself after Sean left. "I wonder what's so important that he'd keep it a secret from me? Maybe I should look into it… no, if it concerns all of us, he'll tell us about it eventually."
---
Two days went by in regular Hinata-Sou fashion, but everyone present could notice that something was a bit off about Sean. After her little encounter with him, Naru was probably the most informed, but she made sure not to mention anything about it, since she knew the other girls well enough to know that rumors had a tendency to spread like wildfire, and that that was probably the last thing Sean would want until, hopefully, he revealed his secret himself. Unfortunately, Kitsune had other plans.
--- Thursday, 12/20 4:30 PM
"He's hiding something from us, I just know it!" Kitsune said. She had gathered everyone in the attic to discuss the issue.
"I have to admit," Motoko said. "He has been acting a bit more reserved as of late."
"Whenever I saw him," Shinobu said. "he seemed to be in deep thought until he noticed me watching him."
"That's just what I'm talking about! We have to find out what's going on!"
"No we don't," Naru said, intending to stop this uproar before it starts. "We have no business prying into his personal life." Kitsune gazed at Naru, as though analyzing her. "What are you looking at me like that for?"
"You know something, don't you?"
Naru got a bit flustered, but tried to cover it up with indifference. "What are you talking about? As if I want to know what he does 24 hours a day."
"You know what, you are such a horrible liar. Get her!" In an instant, both Kitsune and Suu were upon her.
--- (Fifteen minutes later…)
"I'm going to ask you one last time," Kitsune said. "What's Sean doing?"
"For the thousandth time," an enraged Naru said. "I don't know! Even if I did, what makes you think I'd tell you now?!" She had been tied to a chair in the living room.
"She has a point," Motoko said. "This is certainly not going to persuade her to talk if she actually has any information."
"We could always leave her here," Kitsune said.
"We can't do that!" Shinobu said. "I mean, Sean would definitely let her loose when he finds out about this!"
"When I find out about what?" Sean asked as he entered the room. "Uh, why is Naru tied up?" He asked when he saw her, not to mention the crowd surrounding her. "Isn't it usually Keitaro that ends up restrained for one reason or another?"
"Ah, just the man I wanted to see," Kitsune said walking up to him. "I have a couple questions for you."
"First, I suggest you untie Naru. If you don't, I won't protect you from whatever she does to you. In fact, I just might encourage her." A sly smile appeared on his face. "Or better yet, I might give her a few suggestions."
Kitsune quickly sprang into action, releasing Naru from her bonds. She knew full well that Sean can think of some very unpleasant things when given enough incentive.
"Thank you," Naru said, standing up, glaring at Kitsune. "They've been giving me the third degree about what you've been doing for a while now."
"Like you tried to do two days ago?"
"So she DOES know something!" Kitsune said. "Spill it!"
"You won't get anything from her," Sean said. "Trust me."
"Then why don't I ask the source?"
Sean looked confused. "And who was that again?"
"Don't play dumb!" Kitsune said, grabbing Sean by the shirt. "You're planning something, and I demand to know what it is!"
"I doubt that there's anything I could say that would be of any use to you." "Except for this," his mind added. "Hey, Shinobu, could I ask you something?" he asked after he removed himself from Kitsune's grasp.
"Uh, sure," she answered, a but surprised by the sudden request; but the next question would be only more so.
"When's the next time you plan on going into town to go shopping?"
"Tomorrow right after school, why?"
"Mind if I join you?"
"Not at all."
"Why do you want to go shopping with Shinobu?" Naru asked.
"Are you denying me the right to be out with my girlfriend?"
"Of course not, I was just curious. You've never had too much interest in actual dates in the past."
"Well, that's because I knew I would get weird looks if I was out on a date with a 13 year-old. Plus, after what happened last month, I'd probably be recognized on the spot, and I really don't want to know what happens after that."
"And how do you plan to keep people from identifying you?" Motoko asked.
"You forget my female alter ego. There's no way they'll know it's me. I'll meet you tomorrow when you get out of school, 'kay?" All Shinobu could do was nod as Sean began to leave the room, but stopped short. "Oh, and remember, call me Alicia while we're out, alright?"
"No problem," Shinobu said as Sean walked out of the room.
Naru kept rolling the conversation around in her head until something clicked. "I think I know," she muttered.
"Come again?" Kitsune asked.
"Two days ago, I found Sean writing on a pad and paper."
"Why didn't you say that before?!"
"I didn't want to spark a riot. Besides, I had no way of knowing what he was writing."
"Why's that?" Shinobu asked.
"He was writing in some strange language I couldn't understand. The only thing he wrote intelligibly was a list of all our names. I've wondered what that could mean, and I think I now know."
"Well, don't keep us in suspense, girl, tell us!" Kitsune said.
"I believe it's his plans for Christmas gifts for all of us."
"Why didn't I think of that before?!" Kitsune said, mentally kicking herself. "That's got to be it! That would explain why he wants to go shopping all of a sudden."
"Presents!" Suu yelled over and over again.
"I knew it," Sean thought as he leaned against a wall in the next room. "That made things a bit more interesting." He then left for his room. He knew that Kitsune would be plotting something; maybe right then and there, and he didn't want to be within earshot because he wanted to figure out her plan on his own. Besides, it might be entertaining to see what they come up with.
--- Friday, 12/21 3:01 PM
Shinobu walked out of school after class ended to find Alicia waiting there patiently for her. After taking a moment to remember how to address her, she approached her. "Hello Alicia," she said.
"Hey kiddo," Alicia responded, mussing Shinobu's hair a bit. "How was school today?"
"It was fine," she said, blushing a bit. "So I guess we should head home so I can get my purse, huh?"
"No need. I brought it with me." Alicia handed Shinobu's purse to her. Even in her female form, she found herself uncomfortable carrying a purse around, but hid it well.
"What about my backpack?"
"We could always take it with us; the extra carrying space might come in handy."
"You always think of everything."
"Not always," Alicia said, though internally, she had more things planned out than Shinobu counted on.
"Let's go then."
"Lead the way."
As the two girls made their way downtown, Shinobu went over Kitsune's plan in her mind. "I just have to find out what Sean's going to get us," she thought. "though I'd rather be surprised."
Alicia couldn't help but notice Shinobu deep in thought. "Hmhmhm," she thought, smiling. "Time to set my own plan into action." "Hey, Shinobu, mind if I meet you here later?"
"Uh, sure," Shinobu said. As she watched Alicia head off in another direction, she reluctantly decided to set Kitsune's plan into motion. Reaching into her backpack, she pulled out a small headset and put it on. "Bluebird to Foxhole; Bluebird to Foxhole; do you read me, Foxhole?"
---
"This is Foxhole," Kitsune said. "What's your status, Bluebird?" Everyone (some more willing than others) had gathered in the dining room where Kitsune had a 2-way radio set up (courtesy of Suu, of course).
"The target has made her move," Shinobu's voice said.
"Perfect. Follow her, but keep your distance; I don't want you to blow your cover. Keep us updated."
"Roger that, Foxhole. Bluebird out."
"Yes," Kitsune said. "Soon, we will all find out what he's going to give us."
"But won't that ruin the surprise?" Motoko asked.
"Yes it will," Kitsune said with a smile. "You don't have to listen if you don't want to, but I'm certainly interested in what great gift he's going to give."
Motoko's mind was in conflict. She wanted Sean's gift to be a surprise, but she also found it difficult to resist knowing what it might be. "Uh, maybe I'll stay and listen for just a little while," she finally said.
"I don't blame you, Motoko." Kitsune turned her attention back to the radio. "Sean is so clueless right now, he has no idea that he's being watched. He's playing right into my hands."
---
"She's playing right into my hands," Alicia thought. Unbeknownst to Shinobu, Alicia had magically placed a tracer on her, letting her know her exact whereabouts at all times; and at this time, Shinobu was tailing her a ways back. Alicia glanced at the stores that lined both sides of the street until she found one that caught her interest. "Perfect," she thought. "I'm sorry, Shinobu, but I have to get you off my back if I plan on getting what I really need."
---
"Foxhole, this is Bluebird."
"Go ahead, Shinobu."
"She's going into a store; you won't believe what kind."
"Tell us."
"Well, she's going into an… adult store."
"Really?" Kitsune didn't see that one coming. "I wonder what she has planned."
"Don't expect me to follow her in there."
"Of course not. Try to be inconspicuous as you watch her through the window."
"I'll try." There was an obvious nervousness in her voice, and there was silence for a few moments before Shinobu spoke again. "What is she--oh my…" The gang back at Hinata-Sou heard a strange sound and then more silence.
"Shinobu, what happened?" Kitsune said. No response. "Shinobu, are you there?!" They heard more sounds and then a voice could he heard.
"Hello, Kitsune."
"Oh, crap," Kitsune said upon recognizing Alicia's voice. "What happened to Shinobu?"
"She fainted. Don't ask why."
"How did you know she was following you?"
"I knew you were planning something. To be honest, I'm disappointed with you. I thought you would come stalk me yourself instead of having her do you dirty work for you, or at least have her go stealth or something. If you'll excuse me, I'm going to do my Christmas shopping now without any further interruptions."
"Well, that didn't work," Kitsune said.
"Thank goodness for that," Motoko thought.
---
About a minute later, Shinobu woke up. The headset had been replaced on her head as though it had never been removed, and she found a note in her hand: "I'm sorry about that, but I didn't want you to see what I'm getting for you all. I hope you understand; Sean. P.S. I'll come find you when I'm done."
"I understand," Shinobu thought. "and I wouldn't want it any other way."
--- Tuesday, 12/25 8:49 PM
"Here we are, the moment you've all been waiting for!" Sean said as he came down the stairs, presents in hand. He had been working on them all weekend, but finished early enough to help out with the decorations the day before.
"It's about time," Kitsune said. For the last three days, she tried to get any information from him using her usual methods, but always walked away empty-handed. Granted, the others were curious as well, but they were more patient. Even Suu didn't let it get to her--that is, until she saw him set the small pile of presents on the table.
"Which one's mine?!" She asked, leaping for the gifts, but was caught by Sean.
"I want to say something before we get started, 'kay?" Sean set Suu down, where she stayed, but he could tell she was getting a bit restless, so he tried to make it quick. "Naru, Keitaro, I wasn't able to think of anything specific for you two, so I got something for the whole group, is that alright?"
The couple looked at each other for a moment. "That's alright," Naru said. "Nobody's perfect. I'm sure we'll like whatever we get."
"Thank you," Sean said, turning back to Suu, who was looking at the presents like it was a feast. "Since you're so eager, I'll start with you."
"Yay!" Suu cheered as she saw him search for her present.
"Here you go," Sean said, handing her the gift, who then quickly ripped up the wrapping paper and opened the box underneath.
"Hmm," she said as she pulled out a vial that contained a red liquid. "What is it?" she asked, examining it.
"It's kinda hard to explain with words, so a demonstration is in order." He walked into the kitchen and came back with a banana, much to Suu's delight. He grabbed the top of the vial, which turned out to be a eyedropper, and put a single drop of the liquid on the banana. Much to everyone's surprise, that one drop spread over the entire thing, then faded until it was barely noticeable.
"What did that do?" Naru couldn't help but ask.
"I'll let Suu answer that," Sean said, tossing the fruit to her. "Dig in."
Not one to pass up a snack, Suu quickly peeled the banana and ate the whole thing in one bite. Moments later, there was a shocked expression on her face.
"Is something wrong?" Motoko asked.
Suu swallowed before she gave a response. "That is the spiciest banana I've ever had!" The smile on her face said the rest.
"I had a feeling you would like that," Sean said. "I know how much you like spicy foods, so I figured out a way for you to have all you want without everyone else getting heartburn. The only thing you really need to know about that stuff is that you only need one drop for the entire meal. Any more, and it might be too much, even for you." After making absolutely sure Suu understood, he went back to the pile and grabbed a small, rectangular box. "Next up: Kitsune," he said, tossing it in her direction.
"I wonder what this could be," Kitsune murmured as she opened the package with somewhat less enthusiasm as Suu. Inside, she found a beautiful gold necklace. "Wow, it's wonderful! Thanks, Sean!"
"You're certainly pulling out the stops on this one, huh?" Naru asked as everyone watched Kitsune put on her present.
"It is my first Christmas at Hinata," Sean said. "Besides, you don't know the half of it."
"What do you mean?" Keitaro asked. "Does that necklace have some sort of function?"
"Of course. You've known me long enough to know that I rarely make anything just to be a fashion statement; and that is no exception."
"What does it do?" Kitsune asked.
"Well, all of us know that you're not exactly what one would call a morning person, considering your… habits."
"Yeah, what's your point?"
"What if I told you that you will never have another hangover again as long as you wear that?"
Kitsune's eyes lit up. "Is that true?"
"Sure is."
"You mean no matter how drunk I get--"
"Let me just clarify something. This doesn't mean you can drink yourself sick. The only thing that necklace will protect you from is the hangover the next morning."
"Alright, I get it, but still this is a great gift. What do you say I show you my gratitude later on tonight?"
"We'll see. The next gift will be the one for all of us; and I'll be opening this one personally."
"Why you?" Kitsune asked.
"When I say everyone, I'm including myself."
"I see."
"Actually, now that I think of it, since I didn't get anything specifically for Naru or Keitaro, why don't you two do the honors?"
"Alright," Keitaro said as Sean handed the package to them. They opened it and found… something; actually, seven things.
"Um, what are these?" Naru asked, holding one of them up for the others to see. It looked like what would happen if a mechanical pencil and one of those click erasers had kids.
"We all use pencils quite a bit, whether it be for school, work, or whatever. With these, you'll never run out of lead or eraser--ever. I figured you would all find it useful, even if it isn't much for a Christmas present."
"Don't worry about it," Naru said. "It's the thought that counts."
"Thanks." Sean then grabbed another present and handed it to Shinobu. "I took me a while to think of this one, so I hope you like it."
"I just know I will," Shinobu said as she unwrapped the gift and found a leather-bound book underneath. She saw her name engraved on it in Sean's handwriting. Upon opening it she found all the pages blank.
"You could use that for any number of things: a diary, a self-made recipe book…" He said the next part more offhandedly. "…a spellbook… "
"You mean I could make my own spells in here?" Shinobu asked.
"Of course. It looks better than in a binder, I'm sure."
"I've never given any thought to making my own spells before. I should think of something good for my first one and make you proud of me."
"More than I already am?" Sean asked. "I find that a bit hard to believe." Shinobu blushed and brought her present close to her as she watched him walk back to the pile, where there was only one item left. "You must have seen a pattern with my gifts so far. All these gifts were intended to be used for a long time, though in Suu's case, I'll have to refill that vial at some point. This last one…" He held up the last present; it looked rather small. "…is one that I'm especially proud of, as it took me the most effort to make. I hope you make some good use out of this, Motoko." He set the tiny package in Motoko's hand.
Motoko undid the wrapping paper and saw that there was a ring box underneath. "This isn't a--"
"It's not a proposal," Sean quickly said, obviously expecting such a reaction. "Open it." Motoko obeyed and inside was a seemingly ordinary ring made out of what appeared to be platinum. "If it was a proposal, I would have some gems on it or something like that." That explanation also served to calm Shinobu down. After seeing the ring, she got a bit worried about Sean's intentions, but after what Sean said, she remembered she knew him better than that.
"It's interesting," Motoko said, giving her gift a once over before putting it on her right index finger. "What does it do?"
"You'll see," Sean said. "Stand up." After she did, he directed her to another part of the room, a ways away from where the others were seated. "Close your eyes. Now, move your hand as if you were unsheathing your sword. Motoko did so. "Now, open your eyes and tell me what you see."
"My sword…" she muttered, shocked at the weapon in her hand. "But how…?"
"First, let go." The sword vanished as soon as it lost contact with Motoko's hand, much to her surprise. "I know how you like to have your sword with you at all times, and I realize there are those places where weapons aren't exactly appropriate. Therefore, I created this ring so that you will always have a weapon ready if you need it. What do you think?"
"I love it!" Motoko said, giving Sean a hug that made Shinobu a bit flustered again. As quickly as the embrace arrived, it left; Motoko made the hand motion again and the sword appeared out of some unseen scabbard. "This is wonderful!" she said, making a few practice swings with her gift.
"Motoko, I want to make something perfectly clear," Sean said. When Motoko turned to face him, her smile distracted him for a moment, but he quickly regained his composure. "I only intended this to be a last resort. Don't rely on this new sword all the time, as it might not be as well made or as powerful as your own. I suggest you only use this one when you have no other options, do I make myself clear?"
"Yes," Motoko said as she let go of the sword. "Perhaps I will only wear this so I'll be more comfortable and confident in… social situations."
"That's what made me think of this in the first place." After a few moments, he added, "Alright, enough of all this serious stuff. Let's all enjoy ourselves." The party would last until past midnight, when everyone started to get tired and decided to go to bed until only two people were left.
"Um, Sean?" A somewhat drunk Kitsune said. "I know I've kinda made a habit out of torturing you in… a certain way."
"Yes," Sean said. He had vivid memories of what she's done to him.
"Well, I was just wondering if, as a present from me, I could try to… make up for some of it?"
Sean only responded by smiling, then turning into Alicia.
"Thank you," Kitsune said as she led her to her room.
End of Chapter XXXII
What did you think? See you next time! Please R&R!
Chapter XXXII: A Christmas Mystery
Tuesday, 12/18 6:14 PM
"Ah," Naru said as she walked out of her room, stretching a bit. "It's good to finally get all that schoolwork out of the way." She spent the last three hours working on her studies, and a break was just the thing she needed. "I wonder if Sean had to deal with all this when he was in college." When she got to the living room, she found Sean there, sitting on the couch, his back to her. "Well, speak of the devil," she thought. Since the television was off, she was a bit curious as to what he was doing there all alone. As she crept up behind him, she could see a notepad and pencil in his hands, but what caught her interest was that written on the paper was a list of everyone at Hinata-Sou except for himself; next to a couple of the names were some strange symbols that she found vaguely familiar, but couldn't remember where from.
"Hmm," Sean muttered. "Let's see now…" He tapped the eraser end of his pencil on the paper for a minute or two. "Ah, that should work." He then began to scribble more incomprehensible mumbo-jumbo next to Suu's name on the list, but seemed to stop midway through it. "Can I help you?" He asked flatly without turning around.
"You knew I was here?" Naru asked.
"Of course."
"Magic?"
"No, I could feel you breathing down the back of my neck."
"Oh, sorry." She moved around to the front of the couch and took a seat. "So, what are you doing out here all by yourself?"
"What, I can't have time to myself all of a sudden?" Sean asked with a smile.
"Well, around here, it's just not possible most of the time, you know?"
Sean nodded knowingly. "And what brings you down here?"
"I just finished my schoolwork for the day, so I figured I'd relax for a while."
"That's cool."
"Now that I think of it, where is everyone? Usually, there's so much commotion in this place, I can barely think."
"Don't know. Maybe they've got the same idea we do."
"Maybe hell froze over." The two shared a laugh. "Hey, can I ask you something?"
"Shoot."
"What was college like for you?"
"Not bad. There were some bumps in the road here and there, but overall it went pretty well. Why do you ask?"
"It's just that I've been working so hard on my studies, and I was just wondering if you went through the same thing."
"To be honest, I've never been much of a studier, though if I was trying to get into a place like Tokyo U, things might have been different."
"So the school you went to wasn't as tough as Toudai?"
"No, and I'm not sure if I could have gotten in if I tried, even now."
"Why not?"
"Like I said, my study habits are nearly nonexistent."
"Then how did you get through college, then?"
"Don't get me wrong, I still did the work I had to do, but usually the most preparation I ever did for a test was to go over notes and such that day. It's not ideal, I know, but hey, it worked for me."
"I suppose." Naru's eyes fixed themselves on Sean's notebook. "What are you writing about in there?"
"What, this? Oh, it's nothing important."
"But I saw our names."
"Like I said, it's not important," he reinforced, mentally thanking himself for thinking of writing in the same script he uses in his spellbook. "Hey," he started in an attempt to change the subject before Naru gave him a full interrogation. "I haven't heard Suu in a while; I'm going to check on her and make sure she doesn't blow the place up or something." He quickly got up and left the room, taking his pad and pencil with him and leaving a bewildered Naru in his wake. "This is definitely not going to end well," he thought as he made his way to Suu's room. He did have to keep his story straight, right?
"Hmm," Naru said to herself after Sean left. "I wonder what's so important that he'd keep it a secret from me? Maybe I should look into it… no, if it concerns all of us, he'll tell us about it eventually."
---
Two days went by in regular Hinata-Sou fashion, but everyone present could notice that something was a bit off about Sean. After her little encounter with him, Naru was probably the most informed, but she made sure not to mention anything about it, since she knew the other girls well enough to know that rumors had a tendency to spread like wildfire, and that that was probably the last thing Sean would want until, hopefully, he revealed his secret himself. Unfortunately, Kitsune had other plans.
--- Thursday, 12/20 4:30 PM
"He's hiding something from us, I just know it!" Kitsune said. She had gathered everyone in the attic to discuss the issue.
"I have to admit," Motoko said. "He has been acting a bit more reserved as of late."
"Whenever I saw him," Shinobu said. "he seemed to be in deep thought until he noticed me watching him."
"That's just what I'm talking about! We have to find out what's going on!"
"No we don't," Naru said, intending to stop this uproar before it starts. "We have no business prying into his personal life." Kitsune gazed at Naru, as though analyzing her. "What are you looking at me like that for?"
"You know something, don't you?"
Naru got a bit flustered, but tried to cover it up with indifference. "What are you talking about? As if I want to know what he does 24 hours a day."
"You know what, you are such a horrible liar. Get her!" In an instant, both Kitsune and Suu were upon her.
--- (Fifteen minutes later…)
"I'm going to ask you one last time," Kitsune said. "What's Sean doing?"
"For the thousandth time," an enraged Naru said. "I don't know! Even if I did, what makes you think I'd tell you now?!" She had been tied to a chair in the living room.
"She has a point," Motoko said. "This is certainly not going to persuade her to talk if she actually has any information."
"We could always leave her here," Kitsune said.
"We can't do that!" Shinobu said. "I mean, Sean would definitely let her loose when he finds out about this!"
"When I find out about what?" Sean asked as he entered the room. "Uh, why is Naru tied up?" He asked when he saw her, not to mention the crowd surrounding her. "Isn't it usually Keitaro that ends up restrained for one reason or another?"
"Ah, just the man I wanted to see," Kitsune said walking up to him. "I have a couple questions for you."
"First, I suggest you untie Naru. If you don't, I won't protect you from whatever she does to you. In fact, I just might encourage her." A sly smile appeared on his face. "Or better yet, I might give her a few suggestions."
Kitsune quickly sprang into action, releasing Naru from her bonds. She knew full well that Sean can think of some very unpleasant things when given enough incentive.
"Thank you," Naru said, standing up, glaring at Kitsune. "They've been giving me the third degree about what you've been doing for a while now."
"Like you tried to do two days ago?"
"So she DOES know something!" Kitsune said. "Spill it!"
"You won't get anything from her," Sean said. "Trust me."
"Then why don't I ask the source?"
Sean looked confused. "And who was that again?"
"Don't play dumb!" Kitsune said, grabbing Sean by the shirt. "You're planning something, and I demand to know what it is!"
"I doubt that there's anything I could say that would be of any use to you." "Except for this," his mind added. "Hey, Shinobu, could I ask you something?" he asked after he removed himself from Kitsune's grasp.
"Uh, sure," she answered, a but surprised by the sudden request; but the next question would be only more so.
"When's the next time you plan on going into town to go shopping?"
"Tomorrow right after school, why?"
"Mind if I join you?"
"Not at all."
"Why do you want to go shopping with Shinobu?" Naru asked.
"Are you denying me the right to be out with my girlfriend?"
"Of course not, I was just curious. You've never had too much interest in actual dates in the past."
"Well, that's because I knew I would get weird looks if I was out on a date with a 13 year-old. Plus, after what happened last month, I'd probably be recognized on the spot, and I really don't want to know what happens after that."
"And how do you plan to keep people from identifying you?" Motoko asked.
"You forget my female alter ego. There's no way they'll know it's me. I'll meet you tomorrow when you get out of school, 'kay?" All Shinobu could do was nod as Sean began to leave the room, but stopped short. "Oh, and remember, call me Alicia while we're out, alright?"
"No problem," Shinobu said as Sean walked out of the room.
Naru kept rolling the conversation around in her head until something clicked. "I think I know," she muttered.
"Come again?" Kitsune asked.
"Two days ago, I found Sean writing on a pad and paper."
"Why didn't you say that before?!"
"I didn't want to spark a riot. Besides, I had no way of knowing what he was writing."
"Why's that?" Shinobu asked.
"He was writing in some strange language I couldn't understand. The only thing he wrote intelligibly was a list of all our names. I've wondered what that could mean, and I think I now know."
"Well, don't keep us in suspense, girl, tell us!" Kitsune said.
"I believe it's his plans for Christmas gifts for all of us."
"Why didn't I think of that before?!" Kitsune said, mentally kicking herself. "That's got to be it! That would explain why he wants to go shopping all of a sudden."
"Presents!" Suu yelled over and over again.
"I knew it," Sean thought as he leaned against a wall in the next room. "That made things a bit more interesting." He then left for his room. He knew that Kitsune would be plotting something; maybe right then and there, and he didn't want to be within earshot because he wanted to figure out her plan on his own. Besides, it might be entertaining to see what they come up with.
--- Friday, 12/21 3:01 PM
Shinobu walked out of school after class ended to find Alicia waiting there patiently for her. After taking a moment to remember how to address her, she approached her. "Hello Alicia," she said.
"Hey kiddo," Alicia responded, mussing Shinobu's hair a bit. "How was school today?"
"It was fine," she said, blushing a bit. "So I guess we should head home so I can get my purse, huh?"
"No need. I brought it with me." Alicia handed Shinobu's purse to her. Even in her female form, she found herself uncomfortable carrying a purse around, but hid it well.
"What about my backpack?"
"We could always take it with us; the extra carrying space might come in handy."
"You always think of everything."
"Not always," Alicia said, though internally, she had more things planned out than Shinobu counted on.
"Let's go then."
"Lead the way."
As the two girls made their way downtown, Shinobu went over Kitsune's plan in her mind. "I just have to find out what Sean's going to get us," she thought. "though I'd rather be surprised."
Alicia couldn't help but notice Shinobu deep in thought. "Hmhmhm," she thought, smiling. "Time to set my own plan into action." "Hey, Shinobu, mind if I meet you here later?"
"Uh, sure," Shinobu said. As she watched Alicia head off in another direction, she reluctantly decided to set Kitsune's plan into motion. Reaching into her backpack, she pulled out a small headset and put it on. "Bluebird to Foxhole; Bluebird to Foxhole; do you read me, Foxhole?"
---
"This is Foxhole," Kitsune said. "What's your status, Bluebird?" Everyone (some more willing than others) had gathered in the dining room where Kitsune had a 2-way radio set up (courtesy of Suu, of course).
"The target has made her move," Shinobu's voice said.
"Perfect. Follow her, but keep your distance; I don't want you to blow your cover. Keep us updated."
"Roger that, Foxhole. Bluebird out."
"Yes," Kitsune said. "Soon, we will all find out what he's going to give us."
"But won't that ruin the surprise?" Motoko asked.
"Yes it will," Kitsune said with a smile. "You don't have to listen if you don't want to, but I'm certainly interested in what great gift he's going to give."
Motoko's mind was in conflict. She wanted Sean's gift to be a surprise, but she also found it difficult to resist knowing what it might be. "Uh, maybe I'll stay and listen for just a little while," she finally said.
"I don't blame you, Motoko." Kitsune turned her attention back to the radio. "Sean is so clueless right now, he has no idea that he's being watched. He's playing right into my hands."
---
"She's playing right into my hands," Alicia thought. Unbeknownst to Shinobu, Alicia had magically placed a tracer on her, letting her know her exact whereabouts at all times; and at this time, Shinobu was tailing her a ways back. Alicia glanced at the stores that lined both sides of the street until she found one that caught her interest. "Perfect," she thought. "I'm sorry, Shinobu, but I have to get you off my back if I plan on getting what I really need."
---
"Foxhole, this is Bluebird."
"Go ahead, Shinobu."
"She's going into a store; you won't believe what kind."
"Tell us."
"Well, she's going into an… adult store."
"Really?" Kitsune didn't see that one coming. "I wonder what she has planned."
"Don't expect me to follow her in there."
"Of course not. Try to be inconspicuous as you watch her through the window."
"I'll try." There was an obvious nervousness in her voice, and there was silence for a few moments before Shinobu spoke again. "What is she--oh my…" The gang back at Hinata-Sou heard a strange sound and then more silence.
"Shinobu, what happened?" Kitsune said. No response. "Shinobu, are you there?!" They heard more sounds and then a voice could he heard.
"Hello, Kitsune."
"Oh, crap," Kitsune said upon recognizing Alicia's voice. "What happened to Shinobu?"
"She fainted. Don't ask why."
"How did you know she was following you?"
"I knew you were planning something. To be honest, I'm disappointed with you. I thought you would come stalk me yourself instead of having her do you dirty work for you, or at least have her go stealth or something. If you'll excuse me, I'm going to do my Christmas shopping now without any further interruptions."
"Well, that didn't work," Kitsune said.
"Thank goodness for that," Motoko thought.
---
About a minute later, Shinobu woke up. The headset had been replaced on her head as though it had never been removed, and she found a note in her hand: "I'm sorry about that, but I didn't want you to see what I'm getting for you all. I hope you understand; Sean. P.S. I'll come find you when I'm done."
"I understand," Shinobu thought. "and I wouldn't want it any other way."
--- Tuesday, 12/25 8:49 PM
"Here we are, the moment you've all been waiting for!" Sean said as he came down the stairs, presents in hand. He had been working on them all weekend, but finished early enough to help out with the decorations the day before.
"It's about time," Kitsune said. For the last three days, she tried to get any information from him using her usual methods, but always walked away empty-handed. Granted, the others were curious as well, but they were more patient. Even Suu didn't let it get to her--that is, until she saw him set the small pile of presents on the table.
"Which one's mine?!" She asked, leaping for the gifts, but was caught by Sean.
"I want to say something before we get started, 'kay?" Sean set Suu down, where she stayed, but he could tell she was getting a bit restless, so he tried to make it quick. "Naru, Keitaro, I wasn't able to think of anything specific for you two, so I got something for the whole group, is that alright?"
The couple looked at each other for a moment. "That's alright," Naru said. "Nobody's perfect. I'm sure we'll like whatever we get."
"Thank you," Sean said, turning back to Suu, who was looking at the presents like it was a feast. "Since you're so eager, I'll start with you."
"Yay!" Suu cheered as she saw him search for her present.
"Here you go," Sean said, handing her the gift, who then quickly ripped up the wrapping paper and opened the box underneath.
"Hmm," she said as she pulled out a vial that contained a red liquid. "What is it?" she asked, examining it.
"It's kinda hard to explain with words, so a demonstration is in order." He walked into the kitchen and came back with a banana, much to Suu's delight. He grabbed the top of the vial, which turned out to be a eyedropper, and put a single drop of the liquid on the banana. Much to everyone's surprise, that one drop spread over the entire thing, then faded until it was barely noticeable.
"What did that do?" Naru couldn't help but ask.
"I'll let Suu answer that," Sean said, tossing the fruit to her. "Dig in."
Not one to pass up a snack, Suu quickly peeled the banana and ate the whole thing in one bite. Moments later, there was a shocked expression on her face.
"Is something wrong?" Motoko asked.
Suu swallowed before she gave a response. "That is the spiciest banana I've ever had!" The smile on her face said the rest.
"I had a feeling you would like that," Sean said. "I know how much you like spicy foods, so I figured out a way for you to have all you want without everyone else getting heartburn. The only thing you really need to know about that stuff is that you only need one drop for the entire meal. Any more, and it might be too much, even for you." After making absolutely sure Suu understood, he went back to the pile and grabbed a small, rectangular box. "Next up: Kitsune," he said, tossing it in her direction.
"I wonder what this could be," Kitsune murmured as she opened the package with somewhat less enthusiasm as Suu. Inside, she found a beautiful gold necklace. "Wow, it's wonderful! Thanks, Sean!"
"You're certainly pulling out the stops on this one, huh?" Naru asked as everyone watched Kitsune put on her present.
"It is my first Christmas at Hinata," Sean said. "Besides, you don't know the half of it."
"What do you mean?" Keitaro asked. "Does that necklace have some sort of function?"
"Of course. You've known me long enough to know that I rarely make anything just to be a fashion statement; and that is no exception."
"What does it do?" Kitsune asked.
"Well, all of us know that you're not exactly what one would call a morning person, considering your… habits."
"Yeah, what's your point?"
"What if I told you that you will never have another hangover again as long as you wear that?"
Kitsune's eyes lit up. "Is that true?"
"Sure is."
"You mean no matter how drunk I get--"
"Let me just clarify something. This doesn't mean you can drink yourself sick. The only thing that necklace will protect you from is the hangover the next morning."
"Alright, I get it, but still this is a great gift. What do you say I show you my gratitude later on tonight?"
"We'll see. The next gift will be the one for all of us; and I'll be opening this one personally."
"Why you?" Kitsune asked.
"When I say everyone, I'm including myself."
"I see."
"Actually, now that I think of it, since I didn't get anything specifically for Naru or Keitaro, why don't you two do the honors?"
"Alright," Keitaro said as Sean handed the package to them. They opened it and found… something; actually, seven things.
"Um, what are these?" Naru asked, holding one of them up for the others to see. It looked like what would happen if a mechanical pencil and one of those click erasers had kids.
"We all use pencils quite a bit, whether it be for school, work, or whatever. With these, you'll never run out of lead or eraser--ever. I figured you would all find it useful, even if it isn't much for a Christmas present."
"Don't worry about it," Naru said. "It's the thought that counts."
"Thanks." Sean then grabbed another present and handed it to Shinobu. "I took me a while to think of this one, so I hope you like it."
"I just know I will," Shinobu said as she unwrapped the gift and found a leather-bound book underneath. She saw her name engraved on it in Sean's handwriting. Upon opening it she found all the pages blank.
"You could use that for any number of things: a diary, a self-made recipe book…" He said the next part more offhandedly. "…a spellbook… "
"You mean I could make my own spells in here?" Shinobu asked.
"Of course. It looks better than in a binder, I'm sure."
"I've never given any thought to making my own spells before. I should think of something good for my first one and make you proud of me."
"More than I already am?" Sean asked. "I find that a bit hard to believe." Shinobu blushed and brought her present close to her as she watched him walk back to the pile, where there was only one item left. "You must have seen a pattern with my gifts so far. All these gifts were intended to be used for a long time, though in Suu's case, I'll have to refill that vial at some point. This last one…" He held up the last present; it looked rather small. "…is one that I'm especially proud of, as it took me the most effort to make. I hope you make some good use out of this, Motoko." He set the tiny package in Motoko's hand.
Motoko undid the wrapping paper and saw that there was a ring box underneath. "This isn't a--"
"It's not a proposal," Sean quickly said, obviously expecting such a reaction. "Open it." Motoko obeyed and inside was a seemingly ordinary ring made out of what appeared to be platinum. "If it was a proposal, I would have some gems on it or something like that." That explanation also served to calm Shinobu down. After seeing the ring, she got a bit worried about Sean's intentions, but after what Sean said, she remembered she knew him better than that.
"It's interesting," Motoko said, giving her gift a once over before putting it on her right index finger. "What does it do?"
"You'll see," Sean said. "Stand up." After she did, he directed her to another part of the room, a ways away from where the others were seated. "Close your eyes. Now, move your hand as if you were unsheathing your sword. Motoko did so. "Now, open your eyes and tell me what you see."
"My sword…" she muttered, shocked at the weapon in her hand. "But how…?"
"First, let go." The sword vanished as soon as it lost contact with Motoko's hand, much to her surprise. "I know how you like to have your sword with you at all times, and I realize there are those places where weapons aren't exactly appropriate. Therefore, I created this ring so that you will always have a weapon ready if you need it. What do you think?"
"I love it!" Motoko said, giving Sean a hug that made Shinobu a bit flustered again. As quickly as the embrace arrived, it left; Motoko made the hand motion again and the sword appeared out of some unseen scabbard. "This is wonderful!" she said, making a few practice swings with her gift.
"Motoko, I want to make something perfectly clear," Sean said. When Motoko turned to face him, her smile distracted him for a moment, but he quickly regained his composure. "I only intended this to be a last resort. Don't rely on this new sword all the time, as it might not be as well made or as powerful as your own. I suggest you only use this one when you have no other options, do I make myself clear?"
"Yes," Motoko said as she let go of the sword. "Perhaps I will only wear this so I'll be more comfortable and confident in… social situations."
"That's what made me think of this in the first place." After a few moments, he added, "Alright, enough of all this serious stuff. Let's all enjoy ourselves." The party would last until past midnight, when everyone started to get tired and decided to go to bed until only two people were left.
"Um, Sean?" A somewhat drunk Kitsune said. "I know I've kinda made a habit out of torturing you in… a certain way."
"Yes," Sean said. He had vivid memories of what she's done to him.
"Well, I was just wondering if, as a present from me, I could try to… make up for some of it?"
Sean only responded by smiling, then turning into Alicia.
"Thank you," Kitsune said as she led her to her room.
End of Chapter XXXII
What did you think? See you next time! Please R&R!