Disclaimer: I own no part of Love Hina, but Sean is me.
Notice: This chapter is based on actual people. The names have not been changed. The people involved are aware of this.
XLIV: Busman's Holiday
Tuesday, 6/3 8:12 AM
When Alicia woke up that morning, it took her a little while to realize that she was in a hotel room as opposed to her room back at Hinata-Sou. She sighed happily as she struggled to decide whether or not to go back to sleep. "It's been a long time since I slept in an real bed," she thought. "I'll have to make some… alterations when I get back." She smiled as she envisioned her futon going up in flames.
Alicia's happy mood would quickly fade as thoughts of back home entered her mind. She was beginning to regret her hasty actions and considered going back, but quickly shook her head of the notion. "I can't go back," she thought out loud. "At least not yet. If I return now, who knows what they might think of me. (Sigh) Even though I need this time alone, I already miss the girls' smiling faces. Oh well; the time will fly by and I'll be seeing them again soon enough." She got out of bed, changed genders and got ready for the day ahead, completely unaware of the premonition he had just made.
"I wonder what I should do first," he thought as he went into the elevator. He had arrived in Myrtle Beach the previous morning, but spent most of the day relaxing in his hotel room watching television; he had come to miss good old American TV, especially Comedy Central and Cartoon Network. The other reason for wasting the day was the fact that his journey left him drained. "I guess I should pay a visit to some old friends first. I just hope I still remember where they live; provided they still live there, of course."
The elevator stopped at the ground floor and Sean went to get some breakfast when a thought hit him. "Hey, I could go to Arby's. I bet they'd be glad to see me again." He decided to have a light breakfast and head out there early, knowing that the place opened around ten. "I've still got some time to kill," he thought, glancing at his watch as he walked out into the world. "Let's see what's changed around here." He found a secluded spot away from prying eyes, turned invisible, lifted up off the ground and flew off, following the road about 20 feet up.
"Huh," he muttered after a while. "Looks like everything's the same." He happened to pass by a Wal-Mart. "Hmm, I wonder…" He landed, turned visible and walked inside, quickly making his way to the craft department in the back, obviously searching for someone, who he eventually found at a counter helping out some customers. "Yep, she's still here. Time to give her a big surprise." He sneaked around behind the woman and when she was finished with her customers, he made his move. "Excuse me, miss," he said in a somewhat disguised voice. "Could you help me find something?"
"Sure, I'd be--" The woman turned around and was shocked at who she saw. "Sean?! Is it really you?!"
"Hey mom," Sean said. "It's me."
"It's been so long since I've seen you," Sean's mom said as she hugged her kid. "How have you been?"
"Pretty good."
"Why haven't you contacted us?"
"I've been real busy. You wouldn't believe the things that have happened over the last year if you tried."
"When did you get here?"
"Just yesterday. How's dad been?"
"He's doing well. He finally got his own business going."
"Really? That's great. I guess he finally got the banks to cooperate with him."
"Yep. How long are you planning on staying?"
"I'm not sure right now. Probably a week or two."
"You should stop by the house sometime. I'm sure dad would be happy to see you."
"I'll stop by sometime tonight, how's that?"
"I look forward to it."
"Amazing," Sean thought as he and his mother said their goodbyes. "Her age still hasn't caught up with her. I bet she still has fun tricking people with that." He laughed a bit, remembering how they used to be mistaken for brother and sister. After he left the store (after spending some time in the video game section), he looked at his watch. "Hmm, 10:06. Arby's should be open by now. Of course, I'm in no hurry." He vanished and took flight again, following the highway and keeping the same speed as the traffic below.
Fifteen minutes later, Sean arrived at his destination, which, coincidently, was next to another Wal-Mart. "Well," he thought as he reappeared and set foot on solid ground. "It's still standing; that's a good sign." As he approached the door, it opened and a man walked out, take-out in hand. "So I won't be the first one after all; oh well." As he got closer, something clicked in his head. "Could it be? It is!" "Hey, Jimmy!" he said out loud. "Remember me?"
"Hey, Sean!" Jimmy said, quickly recognizing his friend. "It's been a while."
"Too long. How's life been treating you?"
"I can't complain. How's Japan?"
"It's good. Can't complain much about the weather."
"You still working at that hotel?"
Sean couldn't help but laugh. "Yeah. Man, do I have some stories to tell you."
"As much as I want to hear them, I gotta get back to work."
"Maybe another time, then."
"Yeah. Here, I'll give you my new address. Come to my place tomorrow morning around 5:00 and you can tell me all the tales you want."
"See you then," Sean pocketed the address and continued on his way to the door. "Man," he thought. "This morning is just full of surprises; and it won't end if I can help it." He has no idea just how right he was. "Hey y'all!" he yelled upon entering. "Guess who back!"
"Hey, Sean!" the lady at the counter said. This early in the business day, there were only three people working there: all women, all managers, all Sean had come to know pretty well.
"Hey, Martha," Sean said. "Good to see some familiar faces still here."
"Good to see you too," Martha said. She was a middle-aged woman with short blonde hair. "So, what brings you to this neck of the woods?"
"Yeah," another woman said. She was also a middle-aged blonde, but her hair was a bit longer. "Last we heard of you, you were going to be a landlord in Japan."
"Hey, April. I guess I just needed some 'me' time. It's been a long time since I've had a vacation."
"I suppose even a guy so obsessed with numbers as you needs a break from it every once in a while," Theresa, the third woman said. She looked only a couple years older than Sean. She had dark hair with the exception of a blonde ponytail that reached the middle of her back.
"Well, it's not exactly the numbers I'm getting away from. If you think that way I act is a bit strange, you should meet the people I've been living with."
All of a sudden, Sean could hear some faint beeping coming from the headset Theresa was wearing; she had an order at drive-thru. As she went to take the order, April went to the back to make any food that was needed, leaving Sean and Martha alone up front. "So," Sean said. "How's business been?"
"Pretty good, though it was never the same without you."
"I suppose not." Sean was so focused on the conversation he was having, he was completely oblivious to the crowd that had just gathered right outside the door.
"Who is she?" Naru asked.
"Couldn't tell you," Motoko said.
"Maybe she's an ex-girlfriend he never told us about," Kitsune said.
"But didn't he say he never had a girlfriend before he met us?" Shinobu said.
"Yes," Naru said. "Early on, he was really uncomfortable with that issue; I've seen it first hand, but maybe it was all an act."
"He wouldn't lie about something like that, would he?" Shinobu asked.
"She does look a bit old to be his girlfriend," Kitsune noted, rubbing her chin. "But there's only one way to find out. I'm going in."
"Wait," Shinobu said. "What would he do if he found us here?"
"You should have thought of that before bringing us here, Shinobu. Alright, here goes nothing." She opened the door and stepped inside. "So, you really thought you could get away, huh?"
As soon as Sean heard Kitsune's voice, he shut his eyes and placed a hand on his face. "Oh, you gotta be kidding me," he muttered.
"What's wrong?" Martha asked.
"Tell me," Sean asked, pointing to the door. "Look over there and tell me what you see."
"Five girls and a guy walking in."
Sean nodded. "That's what I thought."
"Do you know them?"
"They're the ones I've been living with for the last year."
"Sean," Naru said. "Who is this woman and why do you know her?"
"Yeah," Motoko said. "Have you been lying to us about your past relationships?"
"What? No! I wouldn't lie about something like that! Her name is Martha, and I don't know about you, but I tend to get to know someone when I work with them for four to five years."
"You used to work here?" Shinobu asked, relieved by Sean's explanation.
"Yes. In fact, this was the last job I had before I went to Hinata-Sou."
"Why would you work in a place like this?" Kitsune asked.
"I had to pay for college somehow. Besides, I could have done much worse; I used to work at Burger King too."
Hearing Martha laugh a bit, Naru asked, "What's so funny about that?"
"I have a tendency to talk smack about Burger King whenever I get the chance. They deserve it."
"Why's that?"
"My time spent there wasn't exactly pleasant."
"You should be glad to have someone like him," Martha said. "We lost a good man when Sean left us. He's one of the best drive-thru people I've ever seen."
"Oh, we are," Kitsune said. "Believe me, we are."
"Well, since you're all here," Sean said. "Want something to eat? I'll buy."
"Yay!" Suu squealed.
"Uh, don't get too much, okay?" Sean asked, noticing Suu drool in anticipation. Everyone ordered and received their food and sat down at a couple tables. "Okay," Sean said. "How did you guys know I was here? I thought I covered my tracks."
"You did," Kitsune said. "And you did a damn good job, too, but you forgot about your little trip to space with Shinobu. That greatly narrowed down the search."
"Oh, that's right," Sean said, suddenly remembering. "How did you get here so quickly?"
"I got us here," Shinobu said. "I looked up the spell in your binder."
"Figures."
"Hey, Sean," A new voice said, the owner of which being another blonde, female manager (all a coincidence, I can assure you).
"Oh, hey, Jessica," Sean said.
"When did you come back to Myrtle Beach?"
"Yesterday morning."
"I see you finally got contacts."
"Nah, I just had some laser corrective surgery done a while back." This was more true than he'd like to admit to the others.
"Did you come to tell me you finally have a date set for our wedding?"
Hearing that made Sean flinch. "She just had to say that, didn't she?!" he thought.
"WEDDING?!" Everyone in the Hinata Crew yelled. "Since when were you and her engaged?!" Naru asked, balling her fists.
"Never!" Sean quickly said. "We never even dated!" He turned to Jessica. "Didn't I have talk with you about saying things like that years ago?!"
"Yeah, but after finding out you were here, I figured I'd do it for old times' sake."
"Well, that's a good way to get me killed around these girls!"
"Why, are all these girls you're girlfriends?" Jessica asked, jokingly.
"No, just one, thank you."
"So you finally started dating. I'm proud of you. Which one is it?"
"Does it matter?"
"I'm sure you'll make her very happy, whichever one it is." With that, Jessica headed behind the counter.
"I'm sure I will."
"Why would she ask you when you would marry her?" Shinobu asked.
"She thought it would be funny or something. I just found it irritating, myself." He took a bite out of his Turkey Ranch 'n Bacon. "Man, it's been a long time since I've had one of these."
"What are you going to do now that we found you?" Keitaro asked.
"Considering the luggage you brought with you, you're here for the long haul, so I guess I don't have much choice but to let you all stay here with me."
"Yay!" Suu yelled. "Hinata Holiday!"
"I can't wait to hit the beach," Kitsune said. "How about you, Naru?"
"I guess we both came prepared, didn't we?" Naru said. "What's so funny?" She asked, hearing Sean stifle a laugh.
"I think Keitaro's glad you're 'prepared.'"
"Oh, really?" Naru turned to Keitaro, who moments before, had a goofy grin on his face. "I guess you have something to look forward to then, huh?"
"I'm sure I do," Keitaro said, regaining his composure.
After everyone finished their meal, Sean decided they should go to his hotel and get them situated. After a while, it was obvious he was planning on getting there the hard way. "Why are we walking?" Kitsune asked. "Why don't we just teleport there?"
"Well, for one, I've been jetting around town for the last couple hours, and two, I want to keep a low profile. Plus, this gives me a chance to ask a few things I've been meaning to."
"Like what?"
"When did you actually get here?"
"Around 2:30 this morning," Naru said.
"Unlike you, we didn't take the time difference into account," Keitaro said.
"Where did you sleep?"
"In the field we landed in which, when daybreak came, we found out was somebody's front yard."
"You didn't get in trouble or anything, did you?"
"Nah."
"That's good. I probably know the answer to this already, but why did you come looking for me?"
"Well, we can't have our landlord sneaking off somewhere without telling us beforehand, can we?" Kitsune asked.
"Yeah," Shinobu said. "I wouldn't be able to stand it if you were gone all summer."
"I know, and I'm sorry I had to do it, but I'm just trying to keep your safety in mind. What with Suu and Sarah attacking me all summer, that would be an issue."
"That's right," Naru said. "Suu never told you why she does that, did she?"
"What's to explain? I figured she just had a thing for destruction."
"That more to it than that," Suu said. "You remember back when Shonoko tried to destroy us, right?"
"How could I forget?"
"Since then, I figured that something like that might happen again, and I wanted to make sure that you'd be able to protect us from it."
"You should have told me," Sean said. "I would have done something to help out with that."
"I guess I thought it would be better if you didn't see it coming."
"I see your point." Sean glanced at Motoko, who was staring off into space. "You've been pretty quiet. Is there something on your mind?"
That jarred her out of her wandering thoughts. "I don't know how to put this, but…" She was blushing deeply. "We… happened across a guy earlier this morning, and…"
"You're not talking about that cop, are you?" Kitsune asked. All Motoko could do was nod her head.
"I don't remember seeing a cop," Keitaro said, scratching his head.
"It was before you woke up," Kitsune said. She turned back to Motoko. "Sounds like you have a crush on him. Was he cute? I never got a good look at him."
"Yes, he was, but that's not what's getting to me right now. Yes, I found him attractive, but I'm not sure what I should make of it. I mean, we have no idea how big this place is and I may never see him again."
"Life is like that sometimes," Sean said. "You get one fleeting moment and you may never experience it again, but you never know, there's still a chance that you'll run into him again and maybe get to know him better or something like that. In the meantime, you shouldn't let things like that get to you."
"I know that," Motoko said. "But the only guys I've had feelings for are you and Keitaro, and I'm still a bit unaccustomed to them."
"Maybe you can use this vacation to help with that," Kitsune said. "I know I'm going to be looking at hot guys while I'm here."
"Huh boy," Sean thought. "So much for a peaceful vacation."
"So," Naru said. "Where are we going to stay exactly, anyway? You're not going to put us up in some cheap motel, are you?"
"Nope. It's actually a really nice place" Sean gave a thumbs-up. "Right on the beach."
"Then what are we waiting for?!" Kitsune said. "Let's go!" She ran off ahead of the group.
"Wait, Kitsune!" Sean said, chasing after her. "You don't even know which way to go!"
"That Kitsune," Naru said, shaking her head. "She just can't wait to show off, can she?"
After a little while, Sean was able to drag Kitsune back to the group. "Well," he said, slightly out of breath. "Since certain people are eager to get there and it would be a pretty long walk, I guess it wouldn't hurt to teleport all of us there." Within minutes, they were at the hotel, inquiring about rooms. Fortunately, the ones next to Sean's were available. As they rode up the elevator, Sean knew there was one thing left to take care of. "So," he said. "We have three rooms; who will be sleeping with who? Let's start with my room--" In an instant, Shinobu wrapped her arm around his. "Okay, that takes care of one room."
"Keitaro and I can share the second one," Naru said. "For some reason, I wouldn't trust him alone with any of the other girls."
"Okay then," Sean said. "That just leaves--hmm…"
"What's wrong?" Motoko said, noticing the serious look on Sean's face.
"Seven people, six beds. Somebody's going to have to share."
"We can share," Shinobu said without a moment's hesitation.
"I'm so glad we're the only ones in the elevator right now," Sean thought. "As long as nobody has any objections."
"I can sleep in the other bed in your room," Kitsune said. "And Motoko and Suu can be in the third room."
"Is everyone alright with that?" Sean asked. "Of course, all the rooms are connected, so we can switch things around at a moment's notice." Nobody had any objects to the sleeping arrangements. When they got to their floor, they quickly headed to their respective rooms.
"Wow," Shinobu said upon entering the room. "This really is nice." She walked over to the balcony. "We even have a view of the ocean."
"Yeah, the room's nice and all," Kitsune said. "But why are there two beds in here? Weren't you staying here by yourself?"
"I guess I knew in the back of my mind that, despite my efforts, you girls would find me," Sean said.
"Good enough for me. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to take advantage of this situation." She quickly changed into a bikini, grabbed a beach towel and some sunscreen from her suitcase and headed out. "See you guys later!"
"See ya!" Sean said. "Don't get burned! Well, there she goes." He said that last part after Kitsune left and as he joined Shinobu out onto the balcony to look out at the view.
"It's a wonderful view, isn't it?" Shinobu said after a few minutes.
"Yeah," Sean said unenthusiastically as he walked back inside.
"What's wrong?" Shinobu asked, following him and sitting next to him on one of the beds.
"I'm just wondering if I made a mistake in coming here."
"You're not angry at us for following you here, are you?"
"No, it's more like I'm upset at myself for letting it happen. You know, for as long as I've thought about it, I've considered myself a perfectionist. I like things to go a certain way, and if things go wrong, I take out my frustrations on myself, as though it was my fault that it happened; whether or not I'm actually to blame. The main reason why I beat myself up like I do is that I don't want to take it out on somebody else. That's why I left when I did, but if I had just thought it through instead of making such a spur-of-the-moment decision, I would have realized that in my effort to prevent myself from hurting you all physically, I would end up doing emotional damage instead."
"Sean, it wasn't your fault."
"Wasn't it? This whole thing started because of me. If I hadn't destroyed Suu's tanks, Sarah wouldn't have attacked me and I'd have never left. This morning, I began to really regret what I had done and seriously considered going back, but Kitsune would probably call me a coward or something like that."
"Who cares about what she'd say? I would have been overjoyed just to see you back, though it's a good thing you decided to stay here, cuz if you did go back, you would have returned to an empty house."
"You do have a point there. All things considering, everything probably turned out for the best."
"There you go! Now, how about we go join Kitsune down on the beach?"
"You go ahead. Even though I've lived here for about half my life, I've never been much of a beach person."
"Why not?"
"You remember what I looked like when you first met me, right? I wasn't exactly in the best of shape."
"Yeah, but you've lost weight since then."
"I can't imagine why," Sean thought.
"Besides, who said you had to go to the beach as a guy?"
"Now why didn't I think of that?" Sean turned into a bikini-clad Alicia. "Besides, it may take both of us to keep Kitsune from getting some poor guy in trouble with his girlfriend."
--- 12:12 PM
"You know what," Kitsune said. "I don't care if you were initially trying to ditch all of us. This is the best idea you've ever had."
"You said it," Naru added. "For a change, school is the last thing on my mind right now."
"Maybe that's because school's out for the summer, but I still stand by my opinion."
"You're only saying that because you actually found me," Alicia said. "Who knows what you would be going through right now if you made the wrong guess?" Alicia, Kitsune, Naru and Motoko were each on blankets, getting some sun, watching Keitaro, Shinobu and Suu play in the ocean. "They look like they're having fun."
"Yeah," Kitsune said. "It almost makes me want to get up and join them. Almost."
"Hey, Naru," Alicia asked.
"Yeah?"
"Have you ever given any thought as to just how far your relationship with Keitaro will go?"
"Not really. I just take each day as it comes."
"On that topic," Kitsune said with a grin at her implied play on words. "Is Keitaro good in bed?"
"Kitsune!" Motoko said. "That not an appropriate topic for a place like this where kids can hear us!"
"Oh, please. Considering what's on television these days, kids know more about things than we give them credit for."
"I agree with Motoko," Naru said. "Besides, as sad as it sounds, Sean knows the answer to that question better than I do."
"So you're taking it slow, I see," Sean said.
"Why? Has he said anything to you about that?"
"Technically, no."
"Care to elaborate on that?"
"You mean he never told you?"
"Told me what?"
"This is going to be good," Kitsune thought, her ears ready to soak in every last word.
"You know how good at drawing he is, right?"
"Well, sure, but what does that have to do with me?"
"When we get back, you should take a look in his closet. In it, you'll find a pad with a bunch of drawings of a certain girl."
"Is that so?"
"Yep. I don't know how he'll react to me telling you this, since he's not even aware that I know of it."
"What kinds of drawings are we talking about?"
"Let's put it this way: at least some of them would most certainly have gotten him killed if you had seen them while you still had a short fuse."
"What?" Naru's eye started to twitch.
"We're not talking nudity here, though there were some that were quite revealing. From what I've seen, it's apparent that he had a crush on you from day one."
"I wonder why he never said anything before?"
"Probably because he was too busy trying to stay alive," Kitsune said.
"My thoughts exactly," Alicia said. "And I have a couple words of advice for you, Naru."
"And what's that?"
"Don't ask him about his drawings until we get back. Also, I haven't looked at them since I moved out of that room. If he was drawing the way he was while you hated him, I can only guess as to what he drew after you two got together."
"I can certainly see where he gets his inspiration," Motoko said. "considering how many accidents he's had."
"Not to mention having such a beautiful subject," Alicia said.
"Hey, I don't like being referred to like that!" Naru said, provoking laughs from the others. "Although, I have to know; how do I look in those drawings?"
"I can't be put into words," Alicia simply said.
"Oh." Naru found herself staring at Keitaro as he continued to play with the two youngest Hinata girls in the water. "You think he'd make a good father?"
"Why do you ask?" Kitsune asked. "Are you planning on finding out any time soon?"
"No! I was just… curious, that's all."
"In my opinion," Alicia said. "I think he'd make a great dad. He's responsible, dedicated, kind-hearted--"
"And his constant clumsiness can keep a kid entertained for hours," Kitsune added.
"You got that right," Alicia said as all four girls started laughing, partially because Suu had just tackled Keitaro in the water.
"You know," Kitsune said. "It's a good thing we tracked you down."
"And why's that?" Alicia asked, turning over onto her stomach.
"It's depressing how someone with such good friends--and in a way, lovers--to go on vacation all by himself."
"You know why I felt by myself," Alicia said. "Besides, it's not like I chose Myrtle Beach at random. I've lived here for 11 years, and I still have friends and family around. In fact, I was planning on visiting my folks later on tonight and seeing a friend of mine tomorrow morning."
"Think we can go with you to meet your parents?" Naru asked.
"Sure, but maybe another time. I think we should let them get used to my being back before they meet you all, but I don't think my friend would mind me bringing you along to meet him. He said to be at his place at 5:00."
"Why so early?" Kitsune asked.
"Last I heard of him, he was into martial arts. Maybe he uses the early mornings to practice or something like Motoko does."
"Martial arts, huh?" Motoko said, suddenly interested in the conversation.
"Sounds like that caught your interest," Kitsune said.
"How skilled is he?" Motoko asked, ignoring Kitsune's comment.
"Can't say. Until this morning, I haven't seen him since I moved to Japan. Sounds like you're looking forward to meeting him."
"Yeah, well, when are we going to get another chance to meet some of your old friends?"
"Good point. If you want. I can set up a wake up call for us at 4:30."
"That should work."
"Alright," Kitsune said. "Time for serious talk is over; this is supposed to be a time for relaxation, remember?"
"Yeah," Alicia said. "It already looks and feels like I brought my job with me."
--- 8:13 PM
"I'm back," Sean said, walking into his hotel room.
"Hey," Shinobu said. "How are your parents doing?"
"They're doing alright, though for some reason, they didn't want to see me leave so soon. I have a feeling that when they meet you all, they'll figure out what I've been up to for the past year."
Kitsune giggled a bit. "Yeah, no kidding."
"Do they know that you can use magic?" Shinobu asked.
"They do now."
"How did they take it?"
"Pretty well. I was working on my first spells for a couple months before you met me; I think they knew something was going on, but they just didn't know what."
"What are you're plans for tonight?" Kitsune asked.
"Well, considering how early we'll be getting up tomorrow, I was going to turn in early. Besides, it's not like we won't have to any nights out while we're here. Just be glad you get to sleep indoors tonight."
"Not to mention in such a nice bed," Kitsune added.
Sean turned into Alicia and got into bed, with Shinobu and Kitsune changing and following suit shortly thereafter. "I'm glad we could spend this vacation together," Shinobu said.
"Me too," Sean said. The two would fall asleep at about the same time, in each other's arms.
---
"I just can't help it." Naru was having a difficult time getting to sleep. She looked over at the other bed, where Keitaro was already fast asleep. "I can't stop wondering what's in that damn sketchbook of his. I don't know if I'll be able to keep myself from bringing it up before we get back to Hinata-Sou."
Meanwhile, Motoko was in the same boat as Naru, but her thoughts were heading in a very different direction. Specifically, visions of the cop from that morning and ideas as to what Sean's friend might look like. Given time though, both Motoko and Naru would drift away from the reality that was the waking world.
End of Chapter XLIV
Some of you people might be thinking that these last couple chapters have been a bit lacking (though definitely not in size), but I assure you, things are going to get more interesting in the next chapter. See you then! Please R&R!
Notice: This chapter is based on actual people. The names have not been changed. The people involved are aware of this.
XLIV: Busman's Holiday
Tuesday, 6/3 8:12 AM
When Alicia woke up that morning, it took her a little while to realize that she was in a hotel room as opposed to her room back at Hinata-Sou. She sighed happily as she struggled to decide whether or not to go back to sleep. "It's been a long time since I slept in an real bed," she thought. "I'll have to make some… alterations when I get back." She smiled as she envisioned her futon going up in flames.
Alicia's happy mood would quickly fade as thoughts of back home entered her mind. She was beginning to regret her hasty actions and considered going back, but quickly shook her head of the notion. "I can't go back," she thought out loud. "At least not yet. If I return now, who knows what they might think of me. (Sigh) Even though I need this time alone, I already miss the girls' smiling faces. Oh well; the time will fly by and I'll be seeing them again soon enough." She got out of bed, changed genders and got ready for the day ahead, completely unaware of the premonition he had just made.
"I wonder what I should do first," he thought as he went into the elevator. He had arrived in Myrtle Beach the previous morning, but spent most of the day relaxing in his hotel room watching television; he had come to miss good old American TV, especially Comedy Central and Cartoon Network. The other reason for wasting the day was the fact that his journey left him drained. "I guess I should pay a visit to some old friends first. I just hope I still remember where they live; provided they still live there, of course."
The elevator stopped at the ground floor and Sean went to get some breakfast when a thought hit him. "Hey, I could go to Arby's. I bet they'd be glad to see me again." He decided to have a light breakfast and head out there early, knowing that the place opened around ten. "I've still got some time to kill," he thought, glancing at his watch as he walked out into the world. "Let's see what's changed around here." He found a secluded spot away from prying eyes, turned invisible, lifted up off the ground and flew off, following the road about 20 feet up.
"Huh," he muttered after a while. "Looks like everything's the same." He happened to pass by a Wal-Mart. "Hmm, I wonder…" He landed, turned visible and walked inside, quickly making his way to the craft department in the back, obviously searching for someone, who he eventually found at a counter helping out some customers. "Yep, she's still here. Time to give her a big surprise." He sneaked around behind the woman and when she was finished with her customers, he made his move. "Excuse me, miss," he said in a somewhat disguised voice. "Could you help me find something?"
"Sure, I'd be--" The woman turned around and was shocked at who she saw. "Sean?! Is it really you?!"
"Hey mom," Sean said. "It's me."
"It's been so long since I've seen you," Sean's mom said as she hugged her kid. "How have you been?"
"Pretty good."
"Why haven't you contacted us?"
"I've been real busy. You wouldn't believe the things that have happened over the last year if you tried."
"When did you get here?"
"Just yesterday. How's dad been?"
"He's doing well. He finally got his own business going."
"Really? That's great. I guess he finally got the banks to cooperate with him."
"Yep. How long are you planning on staying?"
"I'm not sure right now. Probably a week or two."
"You should stop by the house sometime. I'm sure dad would be happy to see you."
"I'll stop by sometime tonight, how's that?"
"I look forward to it."
"Amazing," Sean thought as he and his mother said their goodbyes. "Her age still hasn't caught up with her. I bet she still has fun tricking people with that." He laughed a bit, remembering how they used to be mistaken for brother and sister. After he left the store (after spending some time in the video game section), he looked at his watch. "Hmm, 10:06. Arby's should be open by now. Of course, I'm in no hurry." He vanished and took flight again, following the highway and keeping the same speed as the traffic below.
Fifteen minutes later, Sean arrived at his destination, which, coincidently, was next to another Wal-Mart. "Well," he thought as he reappeared and set foot on solid ground. "It's still standing; that's a good sign." As he approached the door, it opened and a man walked out, take-out in hand. "So I won't be the first one after all; oh well." As he got closer, something clicked in his head. "Could it be? It is!" "Hey, Jimmy!" he said out loud. "Remember me?"
"Hey, Sean!" Jimmy said, quickly recognizing his friend. "It's been a while."
"Too long. How's life been treating you?"
"I can't complain. How's Japan?"
"It's good. Can't complain much about the weather."
"You still working at that hotel?"
Sean couldn't help but laugh. "Yeah. Man, do I have some stories to tell you."
"As much as I want to hear them, I gotta get back to work."
"Maybe another time, then."
"Yeah. Here, I'll give you my new address. Come to my place tomorrow morning around 5:00 and you can tell me all the tales you want."
"See you then," Sean pocketed the address and continued on his way to the door. "Man," he thought. "This morning is just full of surprises; and it won't end if I can help it." He has no idea just how right he was. "Hey y'all!" he yelled upon entering. "Guess who back!"
"Hey, Sean!" the lady at the counter said. This early in the business day, there were only three people working there: all women, all managers, all Sean had come to know pretty well.
"Hey, Martha," Sean said. "Good to see some familiar faces still here."
"Good to see you too," Martha said. She was a middle-aged woman with short blonde hair. "So, what brings you to this neck of the woods?"
"Yeah," another woman said. She was also a middle-aged blonde, but her hair was a bit longer. "Last we heard of you, you were going to be a landlord in Japan."
"Hey, April. I guess I just needed some 'me' time. It's been a long time since I've had a vacation."
"I suppose even a guy so obsessed with numbers as you needs a break from it every once in a while," Theresa, the third woman said. She looked only a couple years older than Sean. She had dark hair with the exception of a blonde ponytail that reached the middle of her back.
"Well, it's not exactly the numbers I'm getting away from. If you think that way I act is a bit strange, you should meet the people I've been living with."
All of a sudden, Sean could hear some faint beeping coming from the headset Theresa was wearing; she had an order at drive-thru. As she went to take the order, April went to the back to make any food that was needed, leaving Sean and Martha alone up front. "So," Sean said. "How's business been?"
"Pretty good, though it was never the same without you."
"I suppose not." Sean was so focused on the conversation he was having, he was completely oblivious to the crowd that had just gathered right outside the door.
"Who is she?" Naru asked.
"Couldn't tell you," Motoko said.
"Maybe she's an ex-girlfriend he never told us about," Kitsune said.
"But didn't he say he never had a girlfriend before he met us?" Shinobu said.
"Yes," Naru said. "Early on, he was really uncomfortable with that issue; I've seen it first hand, but maybe it was all an act."
"He wouldn't lie about something like that, would he?" Shinobu asked.
"She does look a bit old to be his girlfriend," Kitsune noted, rubbing her chin. "But there's only one way to find out. I'm going in."
"Wait," Shinobu said. "What would he do if he found us here?"
"You should have thought of that before bringing us here, Shinobu. Alright, here goes nothing." She opened the door and stepped inside. "So, you really thought you could get away, huh?"
As soon as Sean heard Kitsune's voice, he shut his eyes and placed a hand on his face. "Oh, you gotta be kidding me," he muttered.
"What's wrong?" Martha asked.
"Tell me," Sean asked, pointing to the door. "Look over there and tell me what you see."
"Five girls and a guy walking in."
Sean nodded. "That's what I thought."
"Do you know them?"
"They're the ones I've been living with for the last year."
"Sean," Naru said. "Who is this woman and why do you know her?"
"Yeah," Motoko said. "Have you been lying to us about your past relationships?"
"What? No! I wouldn't lie about something like that! Her name is Martha, and I don't know about you, but I tend to get to know someone when I work with them for four to five years."
"You used to work here?" Shinobu asked, relieved by Sean's explanation.
"Yes. In fact, this was the last job I had before I went to Hinata-Sou."
"Why would you work in a place like this?" Kitsune asked.
"I had to pay for college somehow. Besides, I could have done much worse; I used to work at Burger King too."
Hearing Martha laugh a bit, Naru asked, "What's so funny about that?"
"I have a tendency to talk smack about Burger King whenever I get the chance. They deserve it."
"Why's that?"
"My time spent there wasn't exactly pleasant."
"You should be glad to have someone like him," Martha said. "We lost a good man when Sean left us. He's one of the best drive-thru people I've ever seen."
"Oh, we are," Kitsune said. "Believe me, we are."
"Well, since you're all here," Sean said. "Want something to eat? I'll buy."
"Yay!" Suu squealed.
"Uh, don't get too much, okay?" Sean asked, noticing Suu drool in anticipation. Everyone ordered and received their food and sat down at a couple tables. "Okay," Sean said. "How did you guys know I was here? I thought I covered my tracks."
"You did," Kitsune said. "And you did a damn good job, too, but you forgot about your little trip to space with Shinobu. That greatly narrowed down the search."
"Oh, that's right," Sean said, suddenly remembering. "How did you get here so quickly?"
"I got us here," Shinobu said. "I looked up the spell in your binder."
"Figures."
"Hey, Sean," A new voice said, the owner of which being another blonde, female manager (all a coincidence, I can assure you).
"Oh, hey, Jessica," Sean said.
"When did you come back to Myrtle Beach?"
"Yesterday morning."
"I see you finally got contacts."
"Nah, I just had some laser corrective surgery done a while back." This was more true than he'd like to admit to the others.
"Did you come to tell me you finally have a date set for our wedding?"
Hearing that made Sean flinch. "She just had to say that, didn't she?!" he thought.
"WEDDING?!" Everyone in the Hinata Crew yelled. "Since when were you and her engaged?!" Naru asked, balling her fists.
"Never!" Sean quickly said. "We never even dated!" He turned to Jessica. "Didn't I have talk with you about saying things like that years ago?!"
"Yeah, but after finding out you were here, I figured I'd do it for old times' sake."
"Well, that's a good way to get me killed around these girls!"
"Why, are all these girls you're girlfriends?" Jessica asked, jokingly.
"No, just one, thank you."
"So you finally started dating. I'm proud of you. Which one is it?"
"Does it matter?"
"I'm sure you'll make her very happy, whichever one it is." With that, Jessica headed behind the counter.
"I'm sure I will."
"Why would she ask you when you would marry her?" Shinobu asked.
"She thought it would be funny or something. I just found it irritating, myself." He took a bite out of his Turkey Ranch 'n Bacon. "Man, it's been a long time since I've had one of these."
"What are you going to do now that we found you?" Keitaro asked.
"Considering the luggage you brought with you, you're here for the long haul, so I guess I don't have much choice but to let you all stay here with me."
"Yay!" Suu yelled. "Hinata Holiday!"
"I can't wait to hit the beach," Kitsune said. "How about you, Naru?"
"I guess we both came prepared, didn't we?" Naru said. "What's so funny?" She asked, hearing Sean stifle a laugh.
"I think Keitaro's glad you're 'prepared.'"
"Oh, really?" Naru turned to Keitaro, who moments before, had a goofy grin on his face. "I guess you have something to look forward to then, huh?"
"I'm sure I do," Keitaro said, regaining his composure.
After everyone finished their meal, Sean decided they should go to his hotel and get them situated. After a while, it was obvious he was planning on getting there the hard way. "Why are we walking?" Kitsune asked. "Why don't we just teleport there?"
"Well, for one, I've been jetting around town for the last couple hours, and two, I want to keep a low profile. Plus, this gives me a chance to ask a few things I've been meaning to."
"Like what?"
"When did you actually get here?"
"Around 2:30 this morning," Naru said.
"Unlike you, we didn't take the time difference into account," Keitaro said.
"Where did you sleep?"
"In the field we landed in which, when daybreak came, we found out was somebody's front yard."
"You didn't get in trouble or anything, did you?"
"Nah."
"That's good. I probably know the answer to this already, but why did you come looking for me?"
"Well, we can't have our landlord sneaking off somewhere without telling us beforehand, can we?" Kitsune asked.
"Yeah," Shinobu said. "I wouldn't be able to stand it if you were gone all summer."
"I know, and I'm sorry I had to do it, but I'm just trying to keep your safety in mind. What with Suu and Sarah attacking me all summer, that would be an issue."
"That's right," Naru said. "Suu never told you why she does that, did she?"
"What's to explain? I figured she just had a thing for destruction."
"That more to it than that," Suu said. "You remember back when Shonoko tried to destroy us, right?"
"How could I forget?"
"Since then, I figured that something like that might happen again, and I wanted to make sure that you'd be able to protect us from it."
"You should have told me," Sean said. "I would have done something to help out with that."
"I guess I thought it would be better if you didn't see it coming."
"I see your point." Sean glanced at Motoko, who was staring off into space. "You've been pretty quiet. Is there something on your mind?"
That jarred her out of her wandering thoughts. "I don't know how to put this, but…" She was blushing deeply. "We… happened across a guy earlier this morning, and…"
"You're not talking about that cop, are you?" Kitsune asked. All Motoko could do was nod her head.
"I don't remember seeing a cop," Keitaro said, scratching his head.
"It was before you woke up," Kitsune said. She turned back to Motoko. "Sounds like you have a crush on him. Was he cute? I never got a good look at him."
"Yes, he was, but that's not what's getting to me right now. Yes, I found him attractive, but I'm not sure what I should make of it. I mean, we have no idea how big this place is and I may never see him again."
"Life is like that sometimes," Sean said. "You get one fleeting moment and you may never experience it again, but you never know, there's still a chance that you'll run into him again and maybe get to know him better or something like that. In the meantime, you shouldn't let things like that get to you."
"I know that," Motoko said. "But the only guys I've had feelings for are you and Keitaro, and I'm still a bit unaccustomed to them."
"Maybe you can use this vacation to help with that," Kitsune said. "I know I'm going to be looking at hot guys while I'm here."
"Huh boy," Sean thought. "So much for a peaceful vacation."
"So," Naru said. "Where are we going to stay exactly, anyway? You're not going to put us up in some cheap motel, are you?"
"Nope. It's actually a really nice place" Sean gave a thumbs-up. "Right on the beach."
"Then what are we waiting for?!" Kitsune said. "Let's go!" She ran off ahead of the group.
"Wait, Kitsune!" Sean said, chasing after her. "You don't even know which way to go!"
"That Kitsune," Naru said, shaking her head. "She just can't wait to show off, can she?"
After a little while, Sean was able to drag Kitsune back to the group. "Well," he said, slightly out of breath. "Since certain people are eager to get there and it would be a pretty long walk, I guess it wouldn't hurt to teleport all of us there." Within minutes, they were at the hotel, inquiring about rooms. Fortunately, the ones next to Sean's were available. As they rode up the elevator, Sean knew there was one thing left to take care of. "So," he said. "We have three rooms; who will be sleeping with who? Let's start with my room--" In an instant, Shinobu wrapped her arm around his. "Okay, that takes care of one room."
"Keitaro and I can share the second one," Naru said. "For some reason, I wouldn't trust him alone with any of the other girls."
"Okay then," Sean said. "That just leaves--hmm…"
"What's wrong?" Motoko said, noticing the serious look on Sean's face.
"Seven people, six beds. Somebody's going to have to share."
"We can share," Shinobu said without a moment's hesitation.
"I'm so glad we're the only ones in the elevator right now," Sean thought. "As long as nobody has any objections."
"I can sleep in the other bed in your room," Kitsune said. "And Motoko and Suu can be in the third room."
"Is everyone alright with that?" Sean asked. "Of course, all the rooms are connected, so we can switch things around at a moment's notice." Nobody had any objects to the sleeping arrangements. When they got to their floor, they quickly headed to their respective rooms.
"Wow," Shinobu said upon entering the room. "This really is nice." She walked over to the balcony. "We even have a view of the ocean."
"Yeah, the room's nice and all," Kitsune said. "But why are there two beds in here? Weren't you staying here by yourself?"
"I guess I knew in the back of my mind that, despite my efforts, you girls would find me," Sean said.
"Good enough for me. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to take advantage of this situation." She quickly changed into a bikini, grabbed a beach towel and some sunscreen from her suitcase and headed out. "See you guys later!"
"See ya!" Sean said. "Don't get burned! Well, there she goes." He said that last part after Kitsune left and as he joined Shinobu out onto the balcony to look out at the view.
"It's a wonderful view, isn't it?" Shinobu said after a few minutes.
"Yeah," Sean said unenthusiastically as he walked back inside.
"What's wrong?" Shinobu asked, following him and sitting next to him on one of the beds.
"I'm just wondering if I made a mistake in coming here."
"You're not angry at us for following you here, are you?"
"No, it's more like I'm upset at myself for letting it happen. You know, for as long as I've thought about it, I've considered myself a perfectionist. I like things to go a certain way, and if things go wrong, I take out my frustrations on myself, as though it was my fault that it happened; whether or not I'm actually to blame. The main reason why I beat myself up like I do is that I don't want to take it out on somebody else. That's why I left when I did, but if I had just thought it through instead of making such a spur-of-the-moment decision, I would have realized that in my effort to prevent myself from hurting you all physically, I would end up doing emotional damage instead."
"Sean, it wasn't your fault."
"Wasn't it? This whole thing started because of me. If I hadn't destroyed Suu's tanks, Sarah wouldn't have attacked me and I'd have never left. This morning, I began to really regret what I had done and seriously considered going back, but Kitsune would probably call me a coward or something like that."
"Who cares about what she'd say? I would have been overjoyed just to see you back, though it's a good thing you decided to stay here, cuz if you did go back, you would have returned to an empty house."
"You do have a point there. All things considering, everything probably turned out for the best."
"There you go! Now, how about we go join Kitsune down on the beach?"
"You go ahead. Even though I've lived here for about half my life, I've never been much of a beach person."
"Why not?"
"You remember what I looked like when you first met me, right? I wasn't exactly in the best of shape."
"Yeah, but you've lost weight since then."
"I can't imagine why," Sean thought.
"Besides, who said you had to go to the beach as a guy?"
"Now why didn't I think of that?" Sean turned into a bikini-clad Alicia. "Besides, it may take both of us to keep Kitsune from getting some poor guy in trouble with his girlfriend."
--- 12:12 PM
"You know what," Kitsune said. "I don't care if you were initially trying to ditch all of us. This is the best idea you've ever had."
"You said it," Naru added. "For a change, school is the last thing on my mind right now."
"Maybe that's because school's out for the summer, but I still stand by my opinion."
"You're only saying that because you actually found me," Alicia said. "Who knows what you would be going through right now if you made the wrong guess?" Alicia, Kitsune, Naru and Motoko were each on blankets, getting some sun, watching Keitaro, Shinobu and Suu play in the ocean. "They look like they're having fun."
"Yeah," Kitsune said. "It almost makes me want to get up and join them. Almost."
"Hey, Naru," Alicia asked.
"Yeah?"
"Have you ever given any thought as to just how far your relationship with Keitaro will go?"
"Not really. I just take each day as it comes."
"On that topic," Kitsune said with a grin at her implied play on words. "Is Keitaro good in bed?"
"Kitsune!" Motoko said. "That not an appropriate topic for a place like this where kids can hear us!"
"Oh, please. Considering what's on television these days, kids know more about things than we give them credit for."
"I agree with Motoko," Naru said. "Besides, as sad as it sounds, Sean knows the answer to that question better than I do."
"So you're taking it slow, I see," Sean said.
"Why? Has he said anything to you about that?"
"Technically, no."
"Care to elaborate on that?"
"You mean he never told you?"
"Told me what?"
"This is going to be good," Kitsune thought, her ears ready to soak in every last word.
"You know how good at drawing he is, right?"
"Well, sure, but what does that have to do with me?"
"When we get back, you should take a look in his closet. In it, you'll find a pad with a bunch of drawings of a certain girl."
"Is that so?"
"Yep. I don't know how he'll react to me telling you this, since he's not even aware that I know of it."
"What kinds of drawings are we talking about?"
"Let's put it this way: at least some of them would most certainly have gotten him killed if you had seen them while you still had a short fuse."
"What?" Naru's eye started to twitch.
"We're not talking nudity here, though there were some that were quite revealing. From what I've seen, it's apparent that he had a crush on you from day one."
"I wonder why he never said anything before?"
"Probably because he was too busy trying to stay alive," Kitsune said.
"My thoughts exactly," Alicia said. "And I have a couple words of advice for you, Naru."
"And what's that?"
"Don't ask him about his drawings until we get back. Also, I haven't looked at them since I moved out of that room. If he was drawing the way he was while you hated him, I can only guess as to what he drew after you two got together."
"I can certainly see where he gets his inspiration," Motoko said. "considering how many accidents he's had."
"Not to mention having such a beautiful subject," Alicia said.
"Hey, I don't like being referred to like that!" Naru said, provoking laughs from the others. "Although, I have to know; how do I look in those drawings?"
"I can't be put into words," Alicia simply said.
"Oh." Naru found herself staring at Keitaro as he continued to play with the two youngest Hinata girls in the water. "You think he'd make a good father?"
"Why do you ask?" Kitsune asked. "Are you planning on finding out any time soon?"
"No! I was just… curious, that's all."
"In my opinion," Alicia said. "I think he'd make a great dad. He's responsible, dedicated, kind-hearted--"
"And his constant clumsiness can keep a kid entertained for hours," Kitsune added.
"You got that right," Alicia said as all four girls started laughing, partially because Suu had just tackled Keitaro in the water.
"You know," Kitsune said. "It's a good thing we tracked you down."
"And why's that?" Alicia asked, turning over onto her stomach.
"It's depressing how someone with such good friends--and in a way, lovers--to go on vacation all by himself."
"You know why I felt by myself," Alicia said. "Besides, it's not like I chose Myrtle Beach at random. I've lived here for 11 years, and I still have friends and family around. In fact, I was planning on visiting my folks later on tonight and seeing a friend of mine tomorrow morning."
"Think we can go with you to meet your parents?" Naru asked.
"Sure, but maybe another time. I think we should let them get used to my being back before they meet you all, but I don't think my friend would mind me bringing you along to meet him. He said to be at his place at 5:00."
"Why so early?" Kitsune asked.
"Last I heard of him, he was into martial arts. Maybe he uses the early mornings to practice or something like Motoko does."
"Martial arts, huh?" Motoko said, suddenly interested in the conversation.
"Sounds like that caught your interest," Kitsune said.
"How skilled is he?" Motoko asked, ignoring Kitsune's comment.
"Can't say. Until this morning, I haven't seen him since I moved to Japan. Sounds like you're looking forward to meeting him."
"Yeah, well, when are we going to get another chance to meet some of your old friends?"
"Good point. If you want. I can set up a wake up call for us at 4:30."
"That should work."
"Alright," Kitsune said. "Time for serious talk is over; this is supposed to be a time for relaxation, remember?"
"Yeah," Alicia said. "It already looks and feels like I brought my job with me."
--- 8:13 PM
"I'm back," Sean said, walking into his hotel room.
"Hey," Shinobu said. "How are your parents doing?"
"They're doing alright, though for some reason, they didn't want to see me leave so soon. I have a feeling that when they meet you all, they'll figure out what I've been up to for the past year."
Kitsune giggled a bit. "Yeah, no kidding."
"Do they know that you can use magic?" Shinobu asked.
"They do now."
"How did they take it?"
"Pretty well. I was working on my first spells for a couple months before you met me; I think they knew something was going on, but they just didn't know what."
"What are you're plans for tonight?" Kitsune asked.
"Well, considering how early we'll be getting up tomorrow, I was going to turn in early. Besides, it's not like we won't have to any nights out while we're here. Just be glad you get to sleep indoors tonight."
"Not to mention in such a nice bed," Kitsune added.
Sean turned into Alicia and got into bed, with Shinobu and Kitsune changing and following suit shortly thereafter. "I'm glad we could spend this vacation together," Shinobu said.
"Me too," Sean said. The two would fall asleep at about the same time, in each other's arms.
---
"I just can't help it." Naru was having a difficult time getting to sleep. She looked over at the other bed, where Keitaro was already fast asleep. "I can't stop wondering what's in that damn sketchbook of his. I don't know if I'll be able to keep myself from bringing it up before we get back to Hinata-Sou."
Meanwhile, Motoko was in the same boat as Naru, but her thoughts were heading in a very different direction. Specifically, visions of the cop from that morning and ideas as to what Sean's friend might look like. Given time though, both Motoko and Naru would drift away from the reality that was the waking world.
End of Chapter XLIV
Some of you people might be thinking that these last couple chapters have been a bit lacking (though definitely not in size), but I assure you, things are going to get more interesting in the next chapter. See you then! Please R&R!