A Month With Suichi Minamino
By Payne N. Uranus
.:AN:.
Phew...(looks around) Been awhile since I've been here, hasn't it?
Conscience: (flat voice) Weren't you just here bout a month or so?
Okay, fine, it's been awhile since I've been here to actually post a chapter. Better?
Conscience: Very nearly. That little author's note is technically considered a chapter, though--
Save it, jerkface. (turns to readers) So it's late, and I'm tired, and I have people to thank. Yes, I know there's author responses to reviews. I just like breaking rules.
Conscience: Payne...
...Yes, that's sort of a lie. There were 46 six reviews to this chapter, and I would love to address them all, buuut.. These are just people who reviewed anonymously, and they deserve recognition. So on to the responses!...sort of...
the ness-ness: Yes, I think this chapter came along beautifully, thanks you for asking. =) And the reason I put in the parents is answered in this chapter. That, and because I like writing from Shiori, and exploring both her and her new husband's personality. So, since I'm the writer, I'm allowed to be stupid and do that kind of stuff, haha. But yeah, thanks so much for commenting on my "awesomenessity", as you put it. I try, really I do. (bows) No, but in all seriousness, I really appreciate your comments, they're lovely to read!
Aquanightshade: I hope this is soon enough! Thanks for reading, I think YOU rock!...is that too cheesy? (note to self) Cut back on cheesy-ness...damn...
Raquel AKA Aqua: Wow. (feels oddly humble) There are very few stories I have read over and over, and to imagine myself being compared with THAT level of greatness...I'm getting choked up over here...no lie. Thank you very very much!
EvilKritter: Haha, love the modesty. Honestly, I really love the name! Makes me giggle inside...anyways, I'm glad you think it's original, it's one of those things I've been struggling to capture amidst all of this creative competition! It means a lot to have that noticed by everyone, and there is no way that I could ever think anyone's reviews are boring. You've said more than many reviews or comments I have received in the past, and so for that, I deeply thank you.
Also, special thanks to yokonyomi398, who was a very dedicated reader, went through my story and pointed out things that I did well, and things I could improve on. Admittedly, I have yet to follow through with the editing process of my earlier chapters (I was hoping to save that for when I actually get this guy done and over with), but I took everything they said to heart, and I hope that they will continue to support me and help me with fine-tuning my writing!
I really wish I could say, "Screw you, Fanfiction!" and go ahead and reply to everyone else, but I'd like to continue writing more on here, so just know I have LOTS of love for the following people:
Death101- Fox Version, Shalaren (thanks for all the "When Life Gives You Lemon" jokes!), Yumifox13, Hoku ala, FictionOtaku, Yoru Inu, Icekitsune4ever, MusicalCharlatan, MairaiPan, Blood Alchemist, black ennui (it's never too late for "WLGYL" jokes), QueenOfCrisis, Golden Vixen (it's because Mitsuyo didn't want to deal with an even harder training than before, and Kurama made it difficult),LoveAnime18, Terrible Temptation, Meiza, Call Me Cyrus, PopTartAddict, Trayne, psycogirl234 (Oh, psycogirl234's broooo...teehee), N. M. Marquette (flipsy-flopsy is now a word! I declare it!), KiyoshiXI, lizzieXmarieXyoukai, Basic Imperfection, IssueshaveI (thanks for sharing, and no need to be sorry! Haha, why be sorry?), bookworm0492 (south? It's cold down there! --whimpers--), ShadeSpirit, OneOutOfControlChick (who said anything about knives? I was talking about..uh...glittere tubes?), XNabaki-ChanX (haha, well, thanks for the "When Live Gives You Apples" jokes! Though, honestly, I'd probably just eat them?), Blehh (maybe at the end of the story? mwahaha), YamiKitsuneKami (haha, you're a goof and I love you a lot), EvilGenius Koji, TogetherAtLast (--shakes fists at Fanfiction), sandry stardiamond (No, Hiei is not jealous, yes, he's concerned, you'll have to wait for Jin's appearance to know what's happening, and since this is a Kurama-centric story, Yusuke and Kuwabara don't really have/need to play a part, but since Yu Yu Hakusho is all about them, really, they have to be included somehow... =D Hope that helps!), PervyMonk, Kurama's number1 girl, Meibou, Roashiki, and Accidental. Enlightenment (continues to shake fists at Fanfiction).
All done! (breathes deeply) When I find the time to respond to you wonderful people, I totally will! Haha. Also, I know that in the past, I did a horrible job keeping track of the people who volunteered to help me with my writing, and for that, I'm so sorry. Please, if you are one of those who were neglected, let me know if you so wish. I really do regret it...
Conscience: Now comes the part of the program where Payne does something that has never been done before...in this story
Ah...yes...(grins happily) The near-perfection of this chapter, and those following, has been all made possible by two (well, technically three) people that I cannot even begin to express my deepest gratitude towards. My two betas, saiyuri-dahlia, and LoveAnime18 (along with her "Grammar Nazi friend", lol), who have both been kind enough to offer their resources and talents to bettering this chapter. Any brilliance found in this one is solely the work of those two brilliant minds...
Conscience: Anyway, you all are probably just wanting to get on with the chapter. So help yourself!
Chapter 18: Calm before the Storm
The last string of cries had finally faded as Akio's most recent victim fell silent, his small, limp body collapsed forward against the chains. Akio took a moment to observe his handiwork, pausing to simply imagine the possibilities his newly comatose captive opened for him. Waving over one of the guards stationed beside the pedestal where the prisoner was hanging with his unsoiled hand, the bespectacled man wiped the other on a crimsoned handkerchief, feeling very satisfied with the way things were proceeding.
Three down, one to go.
The demon slave obeyed the unspoken command, and released the shackles fastened around the child's wrists, catching it mid-fall. Attaching a new set of chains around its arms, the brown-haired hostage was unceremoniously dragged out of the room.
"Bring in the last," Akio said evenly to the remaining guard, folding the bloodied tissue into a neat square before tucking it into the breast pocket of his pinstriped vest.
"So soon?" the guard asked with surprise, its raspy voice bouncing off the now silent stone walls.
Akio breathed in a calming breath before turning to look at the daring sentry. The apparition choked at the sharp, murderous gleam in his master's eyes, and immediately bowed his penitence. "As you request, Sir."
As the sentry silently followed the order, Akio turned to a silent Jikku, who was cowering in a stunned state on the blonde's shoulder, and grinned that maniac grin that made Jikku quake with fear.
"Week's nearly over. The fun's about to begin."
~`*`~
Mitsuyo was running.
Why, you ask?
Mitsuyo wasn't sure.
But she was fairly certain that it had to do with the short fire demon currently chasing her around in the forest surrounding Genkai's home.
…That was just a guess.
Hurdling herself from the ground floor into the fluttering canopy of trees above her, Mitsuyo nimbly leapt from branch to branch, eyes constantly darting around to keep track of her environment. She made sure to dive sharply to the side whenever she came across a shadow that even remotely resembled that to her current pursuer. Mitsuyo also kept in mind that if she continued to go in the direction she was heading, there was a chance that the trees would thin, and her cover would be blown. Having played this "game" for going on two hours, Mitsuyo was pleasantly surprised to discover she had yet to feel the strain of her workout. And yet there was a simple problem, really.
Mitsuyo was not happy.
Well, she was, but she really wasn't. Okay, yeah, in truth, she was really happy; however she just didn't want to admit it and actually put on a façade that she was unhappy. But she really wasn't unhappy, she was happy. Right? Yeah, why wouldn't she be happy? After all, this change in her training program…thing worked. And boy was she happy.
Probably the understatement of the year because, as Mitsuyo was very exultant to tell anyone in the temple that would listen, it was the end of the week the gang had scheduled for her and her fitness tuning…deal. The switch from having Hiei charge her with a drawn sword to having Hiei chase her around the forest wasn't as painful as Mitsuyo had expected it to be. Not to say that it wasn't painful period, but much less so than her mind's imagination entertained her with.
If "entertained" is the correct word for such a phrase. "Tormented" would've been a better fit, but she wasn't one to look at a glass of water and say it was half-empty, right?
Right?
Wrong.
The "training" went something like this:
Wake up, meditate with Kurama, eat a delicious breakfast made by Yukina…get chased around the forest by Hiei, all the while having him spit nasty comments about her attire, her hair style, her B.O, her reflexes (something she always prided herself on), and the choice she made in which direction she wished to run.
Part two: Meditate with Kurama, eat a lovely prepared lunch by Yukina…get chased around the forest by Hiei, all the while having him spew hurtful comments about her intelligence, her fitness, her B.O, the color of her socks, and the choice she made in which direction she wished to run
Part Three: Meditate with Kurama, eat a relaxing dinner cooked up by Yukina…and get chased around the forest by Hiei, all the while having him relay very disturbing tales of a girl (who sounded suspiciously like her) who, no matter what she did, found her demise in very unsightly manners, the most disturbing of which were when she stumbled upon a rabid demon dog that ate her alive.
And, when that was over, she would have Genkai test her reflexes while, again, Hiei continued to make very crude comments about her movements and actions. Sometimes, he would tell another story, of a girl who had her limbs removed by a demonic Venus Flytrap one-by-one, until all that was left was her torso…which was then devoured by a rabid demon dog that ate her alive.
Either he had a thing for rabid demon dogs, or he wasn't very imaginative and stuck to the one story that managed to make Mitsuyo squirm.
But over the week, her responses to violence were more focused, were more precise. And, without her realizing it, her fighting situation was a thing of the past. Not to mention the fact that her strength was now so honed that she could move a swiftly and silently as any demon could, though not as exact as Kurama or Hiei. But it was enough to evade the eyes of Akio's men, who – in Hiei's poetic words – may have been the most ignorant and foolhardy super apparitions known to Demon World.
"They can hardly sense an intruder amongst their midst aiming to steal one of their master's treasures," he had spat with repugnance when Mitsuyo had asked how strong said demons were. "I highly doubt you'll have to worry about being spotted by them while on the run. It's only if you drop down directly in front of them, announce your importance, then attack them head on, that you will have to worry about facing off with them."
Mitsuyo had just stared blankly. "So, they're really strong then?"
Hiei growled, "Let us worry about their power, and you get back to working on your hopping skills."
Mitsuyo, with a protruding pout, had been attempting to fine tune such movements on her second day outside the temple with Hiei, with his sword drawn and his actions quicker than they had been when they first started. The way she figured it, the fire demon always trained her with his power and skill levels just barely below her own, so that she was pushing hard to keep ahead of the game while allowing her to have enough slack to not worry about going under. As her endurance and prowess increased, so did his, matching the ratio that he created between their two powers.
She had found this frustrating not too long ago when, after training for two days straight and with only fitful sleeping breaks in-between, it didn't seem as if she was getting better. It didn't take long for Mitsuyo to demand to have more of a challenge.
She wasn't sure what she expected, but when she spoke this request in the temple one morning at breakfast, Hiei had lashed out at her. And, knowing that it would happen, she had reacted instantly.
But it wasn't the type of reaction where one froze, and scrunched up her face waiting for the impact, nor was it the type where one immediately threw herself to the floor and clung to her body and, in the process, make a complete fool of herself.
No, Mitsuyo liked this particular reaction much more.
Her head, which Hiei had been aiming at with his fist, instantly recoiled out of reach, while her other hand shot out and grabbed the once-solid punch around the wrist, securing it in place.
The occupants in the room, which consisted of everyone except Kuwabara—he had decided that it was the appropriate time to take his morning leak out in the back—were frozen in shock as the two instigated a staring match. Mitsuyo, needless to say, was also taken aback by her response to Hiei's attack, but the fire demon's face was a stone cold as ever. After a few moments in which her movements finally sunk into her brain, she quickly released the grip, and started babbling an apology. Despite the fact that Mitsuyo found the short apparition to be quite stuck-up and irritating, she never once acted out against him or his—frequent—punishments. Now that she had, the teen had no idea what Hiei would say or do, and didn't know whether or not any protection would be provided to her by the other members of the gang from whatever his choice of action may be.
However, she had nothing to worry about as a satisfied smirk flashed over the fire demon's hard expression. His response was blunt but let the breath Mitsuyo had not been aware of holding hiss out between pursed lips with relief.
"Hn. Better. Much better," he had sneered in a prideful tone before adding harshly, "though next time, grab my fist as though catching a ball one-handed. Aiming for the wrist leaves leverage for your opponent to continue to push forward and slip out of your grasp, and you may be hit anyway – or worse." With those last halting words, he swiftly turned and flitted out to the tree he had taken residence in between Mitsuyo's breaks.
And, since then, Mitsuyo didn't once complain again, allowing Hiei to do whatever he found fit for her training. She almost forgot that he didn't want to be doing this with the diligence he showed into making sure she progressed during the time spent with him. That, in itself, was surprising, since after every mess-up she made, he would tell her hatefully, "If I were given the chance, you would be dead long before Akio ever set his eyes on you. But that chance probably won't be showing itself anytime soon, so make the best of what you're given. Otherwise, that opportunity may show up right when you've let your guard down."
No better advice has been spoken.
And so now came the final day of working with Hiei, according to the training regime Kurama had set up.
And Mitsuyo was running.
And Hiei was chasing her.
And she thought she had lost him, until—
"Oomph!" Mitsuyo grunted loudly in pain as her body was ruthlessly knocked off-balance from behind, causing her to veer off-course, and coincidentally have an unpleasant re-acquaintance with the ground.
Scrabbling to regain her footing, Mitsuyo was barely aware of the dark figure standing above her, leveling the point of his sword towards the tilt of her neck. However, when the sharp bite of cold steel came into contact with her skin, her head jerked up, wide eyes staring into the glaring gaze of her captor.
"Gotcha," Hiei growled with an almost feral smirk.
Mitsuyo gulped.
His wrist twitched.
Without thinking, Mitsuyo ducked away from the wicked blade, abruptly rolling to her side and pushing herself off the ground at an awkward angle. It strained the muscles in her arm, and it nearly gave out on her, but it was enough of a boost to get her moving again.
She shot upwards, instinctively heading towards her best chance at shelter. Once she felt firm footing beneath her, Mitsuyo resumed her relentless bounding through the woods, only this time she could hear the distinct swish of disturbed leaves following closely on her tail.
Her breathing became ragged, her movements frantic. The flashes of sunlight through the shade provided by the foliage above her started to distract, and it seemed like her heart would beat right out of her chest. The overpowering sensation of adrenaline pounding through her veins was leaving her so winded, Mitsuyo feared for a moment that she would pass out.
With all of the turmoil rolling through her body, the brunette's pace had slowed considerably. So out of it she was, that when another slam into her back sent her hurdling towards the ground once more, she couldn't brace herself for the jarring impact. Dust stuck to her sweaty face, coating the inside of her mouth as she sucked in the hot air. Opening and closing her mouth, Mitsuyo could feel the grating of the sand against her teeth, but couldn't muster the necessary saliva to spit it out.
Hiei knelt down to her height, observing her with a critical eye. Nodding once to himself, and emitting a soft "hn", he stooped to get a solid hold on the exhausted girl's arm, and hauled Mitsuyo up onto her stumbling feet. Not giving her the chance to fall, he then pulled that same arm over his shoulders, securing his other around her waist, before slowly nudging his dehydrated pupil in the direction of the temple.
"How'd I do that time?" Mitsuyo asked breathlessly, trying at a winning smile, but only succeeding in a half-grimace.
Hiei stubbornly turned to the other side, and "hn"ed again.
Mitsuyo nodded in response. "Yeah," she sighed happily. "I thought I did amazing, too."
The shorter fire demon whipped his head back around to give the cheeky girl a sharp glare, but stopped himself half-way. "…Perhaps." He finally acknowledged.
It was only then that Mitsuyo realized how worn Hiei's own body appeared. In fact, if she thought back to their second run-in of the session, the brunette could clearly recall seeing her height-challenged teacher out of breath. Not expecting this discovery, Mitsuyo stopped concentrating on lifting her limp legs, and gave Hiei a surprised look.
Hiei refused to react to it, though, and instead barked harshly, "Pick up your feet! I am not dragging you the whole way. I don't care if you're tired. What your feeling right now will be nothing compared to what you'll be experiencing later on tonight. So pull yourself together!"
Mitsuyo, having regained a bit of consciousness since the unofficial end to the afternoon's practice, managed to straighten up and put more effort into their journey "home".
However, that didn't stop the pleased grin from pulling at the corner of her lips.
"I so did amazing."
"Walk!"
~`*`~
Kurama was, to say the least, proud. And not without good reason. He had witnessed Mitsuyo's growth; from a frightened teenaged girl, to a capable young woman who was responding exceptionally well to Hiei's tutoring.
What Kurama had discovered during the routine meditation periods held throughout the course of the days past, was that Mitsuyo's energy was not completely stemmed by the restraints installed by Spirit World. There was enough of a break in the fetters that allowed normal energy flow throughout the girl's body. Nevertheless, there were moments when the power current surging through her body started to rise, and that was during times of utmost concentration of the mind. Which, consequently, explained why Koenma had insisted that those lessons took place between training sessions.
What bothered Kurama, though, was that when the sitting was over, the extra swell of spirit energy had vanished, as if the occurrence had never taken place to begin with. At first, the red-head assumed that the Spirit Energy had seeped into Mitsuyo's physical body, having finally been provided with a means to directly access the circuits of energy running through her muscles, and give that extra oomph that allowed the girl to perform all of the superhuman stunts Hiei had taught her. After all, Mitsuyo had said it herself - she may have been cursed with abnormally warped Spirit Energy production, but she was still technically a normal human girl. Even comparing her to Kuwabara was a stretch, since the boy had heightened spirit awareness born into his system.
She had grown up as an average human being since birth. There were no special genes bred into her body.
But there had to be somewhere else the energy would go, Kurama decided.
There had to be.
He just couldn't figure it out yet.
~`*`~
"Are you fully aware of what you are meant to accomplish tonight?"
"Yes, Sir."
"You heard of Ryoko."
"Yes, Sir."
"He died foolishly. Attempting to do the same thing that I have asked of you."
"Yes, Sir."
"He got caught up in his revenge, losing focus on the mission."
"I am not him, Sir."
"Indeed not. But I do not allow failures in my midst. You know this."
"Yes, Sir."
"I hope I can trust this task to you."
In all honesty, he didn't think that the apparition in front of him would be enough. Maybe for one of them, but not the whole group. Then again, that was why the others had been captured.
"Master, there is no doubt in my mind in what I have been asked to do. I have no deviant intentions."
Akio grinned.
"Good."
~`*`~
"C'mon, Grandma, let me go home!"
As soon as Hiei and Mitsuyo had reached the point where Genkai's temple was in view, the two had parted ways. Hiei was determined to pick up on his own personal training, and didn't think it was necessary to deliver the girl right to the old woman's doorstep. Mitsuyo was fine with that decision. As much as she respected the fiery demon, he didn't make the best company to keep for long periods of time, and felt that she was strong enough to walk the last few feet.
However, before she had an opportunity to test out this theory, Genkai herself had shown up, and Mitsuyo took the opportunity to ask what had been bothering her since that morning.
It was turning out to be harder than Mitsuyo had originally intended.
"No," Genkai replied firmly, left unfazed by the over-used insult. Mitsuyo offhandedly gathered that she was used to hearing worse names come out of Yusuke's mouth, but that fact made her all the whinier.
"Aw, why not?" she moaned dramatically, falling to bruised knees and clasping her hands before her in a begging fashion while the hermit continued to flip through the recently purchased magazine she was carrying with a nonchalant air. "Haven't I proven myself capable of running away in the heat of battle? Aren't I enough of a sufficient wuss to get a break? Huh? Oh, please, Granny, pretty, pretty, please?"
"No."
"Guh, at least tell me why," Mitsuyo demanded, completing her descent towards the ground and folding her legs. Resting her elbows on her knees, and letting her head plop down onto her fists, the young girl pouted up towards her older mentor.
"I don't need to explain myself and my decisions to an impudent little girl," was her answer. Without missing a beat, Genkai showed Mitsuyo her back, taking calm, deliberate steps towards her home, eyes still glued to the page she was reading. Mitsuyo was left steaming at the base of a large oak tree that she had once been forced to scale with her arms behind her back blindfolded that week, wondering what the hell she did wrong (or an even scarier thought, done right) to earn more than a week's worth of skills to survive death.
She hated to admit it, but she was feeling a bit homesick. Now that the adrenaline and fear of having this demon person thing come after her was wearing off, it didn't seem so real anymore. She hadn't heard anything from Kurama about Akio's plans, or if he even had any. Well, not that this fact counted for anything, since she hadn't talked to him directly in a few days, but if not him, then the others would have mentioned something…right? In any case, Mitsuyo wanted to see her mom and dad again, and maybe even beat on her little brother a bit for old time's sake. Hell, with the new skills she had developed, it would be very fun indeed to test them out on him. If only she could get Genkai to set her loose for an afternoon…or more.
Kurama had been sitting on one of Genkai's rather comfy couches – a new addition to her lovely abode – sipping quietly at a cup of tea while reading one of his favorite botany books that he had borrowed from the school since early that morning. It was the best vantage point, as far as he was concerned, to both get some light reading done in addition to keeping an eye on Mitsuyo's training. Since the training was over, however, he was allowing himself the rare opportunity to enjoy his book. Maybe when he had the time he would go out and purchase it for himself. Until then, the library would be his rather hospitable friend and provide him with such simple materials like the one he held. Kurama had just stumbled upon a particularly interesting chapter, that had always been a favorite for him, about night flowering plants that bloomed only at dusk and their properties, when Genkai slipped through the back door with a heavy sigh.
"Something troubling you?" he questioned casually, glancing up from his book to briefly observe the old hermit's expression. It was an automatic reaction lately – with the right scrutiny, Kurama could tell if a person's bad mood was due to Akio or simply irritation. Judging by the crease line between the psychic's brow, he mused that she was merely annoyed.
"Your love interest wants to go home now," she answered gruffly, seating herself down in the empty space beside the fox while slapping her magazine onto the table beside them.
Choosing to ignore the "love" aspect of the comment, Kurama quirked an eyebrow, "Is that not expected? She completed her week of training, now she gets to go home."
Genkai frowned, "I'm not against her having a break, however…how long until the week Akio gave us is officially up?"
Kurama didn't even have to think, "A few hours; it'll be over by five-twenty tonight, if I recall the time correctly."
"You know you do."
"Yes, but I didn't want to sound too egotistical."
"You? Never."
"Amusing, really. But back to the point, I was thinking of leaving in a couple hours time. That is, after Hiei completes his last session, so that we can arrive at the Kajima residence around dinner time."
"Hm…" Genkai hummed. "Wouldn't letting Mitsuyo return to her family only endanger them when Akio decides to strike?"
"There is always a chance," Kurama admitted. "But, from Akio's viewpoint, no matter where Mitsuyo goes, he can see and follow. I have no doubt that Akio is already aware of the location of the Kajimas, and I'm skeptical of the idea that he has no fear in subjecting himself to low blows such as blackmail and the like. If he really planned on staking the lives of Mitsuyo's family on her actions, then he would have done so long ago. Hence, our being present will do no harm."
"But, if necessary, may offer some sort of protection," offered the old hermit in a slightly hopeful tone, leaning against the wall nearest to the couch.
"Precisely," he nodded. He had given up on reading his botany book, and left it open, cover-up in his lap, "and in the meantime, I can try and strengthen the power of Mitsuyo's mental abilities."
"And how do you plan to do that?"
"Simple, yet ingenious strategies are my specialty," Kurama smiled politely, casually twiddling his thumbs for a couple cycles before once again picking up his book where he had left off.
"Not to mention vague," Genkai shot back dryly. "So we're left to trust you to do this properly, then."
"It's not too much of a challenge, is it?" he drawled, slipping his finger easily between the next pages.
"Hardly."
"Good. Now where is Mitsuyo at the moment?" Kurama questioned, acting for all the world like he didn't care too much about the answer.
"You know where," Genkai smirked. "So why don't you go tell her the good news, and let her get a head start on the packing."
"And you're busy doing…?" he demanded coolly.
"Some very important yoga exercises," was her brief answer, "that need my immediate attention, as they are very stress relieving, and I have far too much stress in my body to function properly. Have fun."
She quickly exited the room after that, leaving Kurama to watch her departure with a mixed sense of exasperation and nervousness. He thought quietly for a bit, pondering his choices before settling into the back of the couch. He started leafing through his textbook again, only to put it down once more a few seconds later. Wishing it wasn't so hard to convince himself to get up and find Mitsuyo, Kurama finally managed to stand, figuring he'd work from there. His behind, however, instantly came in contact with the luscious cushions of the couch in which only moments had passed since it had left them. Sitting and staring idly at the ceiling, he sighed and picked up his book one last time, goading himself into reading his favorite chapter.
He didn't comprehend a single word of it.
~`*`~
With Shiori and Hatanaka...
~`*`~
Shiori stared out at the ocean, knowing with a strange pang in her chest that it would be the last time in a long while that she'd see this view from the deck of a cruise liner. Sensing her partner's appearance behind her, she wordlessly leaned back into his front and sighed in contentment.
"This was nice," she told him softly, eyes still trained on the glittering ocean surface.
She felt him nod against the side of her head, his response rumbling from deep in his chest. "Yes, it was."
Sighing again, this time with a more regretful quality, she turned around and took in his appearance. Smooth, silky brown locks combed until they shone; round, spotless spectacles perched upon the bridge of a strong nose, shielding warm eyes shimmering with affection; broad shoulders donning a charming polo shirt that brought out the color of his irises. It was nice to have this man for so long, to be able to have all of his attention, and to be able to give all of hers. Shiori wondered briefly if they would see less of each other now that their mini-vacation was coming to an end. After all, they both had lives waiting for them once they left the protection of the ship. He had his son, and his job, and…she had hers.
She thought, for once, it would be nice to be able to think about herself again. To have a family instead of being the sole parental figure in her already mature son's life. Maybe to even have a child that needed more than the occasional reprimand that, more often than not, went unheeded.
Hatanaka saw how deep in thought the woman in his arms had become, and was momentarily frightened by what it might lead to. As the last week of the cruise had passed, he had found that he had grown more nervous around Shiori. Always becoming concerned when, randomly, his date would go silent and stare off into space. At first, he wrote it off as just a behavior a woman would have after being apart from her child for so long. But there would be times when it seemed to be…heavier than that. When Hatakana would suddenly get a shiver traveling down his spine, and felt so indescribably cold. It truly frightened him.
And yet he had never felt so alive when Shiori pinned him with that gaze. That warm, almost longing gaze. The one that made his heart beat double-time. The one that made his blood pound. The one that seemed to make the world stop turning, and the only people affected were the two of them.
The one she seemed to be giving him now.
"Thank you," the dark-haired woman said, hands almost tightening subconsciously at his waist.
He took the moment to observe her, much in the same way she had done not seconds before. Hatakana had been trying to gather the courage necessary to fall, willingly, before this woman. To put all of his strength into her hands, and kneel before her as she passed her judgment. He had never guessed that it would be so hard.
He had once told his son that the boy would understand when he was older. Hatanaka couldn't help but laugh, because even at his age, he still didn't understand completely.
But when he looked at this woman, when he felt her underneath his fingertips, when it remembered every moment they spent together, whether it was here on this cruise or back on land, he felt the urge to let go.
And so he did.
Slowly, as if gravity suddenly didn't want to hold him down any longer, and was pushing him towards the sky as he fought to fall, he slipped from her grasp, letting one knee hit the deck. All the while, he kept his eyes trained on hers, watching as they changed from a tender yearning to a wider and -- dare he say it -- hopeful stare. The setting sun was pressing into her from behind, lighting her dark hair into a golden halo.
It took his breath away.
"Shiori…" he nearly whispered, shaky hands grabbing at his pocket. All was silent during the time it took for him to pull it out, the soft, velvet box sheltering its treasure like a oyster shell would its pearl.
"Will you marry me?"
~`*`~
Should she try bribery?
No, Mitsuyo thought, Yusuke's sure to have tried that already… and I doubt it's gotten him anywhere.
Blackmail?
But exactly what possessions did the old crab have that she would submit to letting her go in order to have it delivered back to her safely?
Absolutely nothing, Mitsuyo answered herself, sighing as she sunk down against the rough bark of the tree. Nothing except maybe those magazines she's started reading. But even I have enough pocket money to buy a few, and that's with the meager allowance my dad graciously delivers every weekend. So I'm stuck here.
Why not try Kurama?
Can't, she replied. The butt-head's too busy keeping his word that I foolishly allowed him to believe was okay to keep.
Why didn't Mitsuyo question him again?
Because, she tried, I…was too tired to care…?
Liar, the voice in her mind said. You did it because you trust him with your life.
…Maybe.
Mitsuyo heaved a bigger sigh before pushing herself back onto her feet – groaning all the while – and started back towards the temple, thinking maybe she could catch a few winks before Hiei started after her. Ever since she graduated the kindergarten version of fighting, the twerp of a fire demon kept goading her into agility races and tests - like the one she had participated in earlier that day - because he enjoyed the small challenge in his victory while Mitsuyo moaned woefully at the thought. The bruise starting to form on her back ached with her.
On the way there, she spotted Yukina by the well, looking to be rather deep in thought as she cranked up the bucket of water. Mitsuyo stopped beside a tree, leaning against it as she watched the ice maiden pick up the liquid laden pail and set it onto the pale bricks that wrapped around the waterhole. She wasn't sure why, but she could sense that something was amiss in the land of the apparition's mind, and wondered exactly what could possibly make even the sweetest of the group so indolent. Mitsuyo continued to observe Yukina, who in the meantime stared listlessly at her reflection for countless moments. It wasn't until Mitsuyo thought the gang's culinary artist had fallen asleep did she decide to approach.
"Hey…erm, Yukina? Everything alright?" she asked gently, trying not to feel too uncomfortable while at the same time attempting to put out a mask containing all the calm and casualness she could muster. She wasn't too surprised to find accomplishing both at the same time was incredibly difficult.
The smaller woman's head shot up, an alarmed look capturing her at Mitsuyo's appearance, though the doe's eyes softened with a look of recognition after a second's glance. Placing a delicate hand to her chest, Yukina gave a light sigh of relief, gigging a bit at her foolishness.
"You startled me," she offered as a means to rectify her actions. "I was a bit preoccupied, wasn't I?"
"Just a little," Mitsuyo chuckled flippantly, keeping up the act of frivolousness that was increasingly demanding as time past. "With what, though, I'm curious to know." Seeing Yukina's unsure attitude, she quickly amended, "That is, if you want to talk about it, I'm here to lend an ear. Whenever, wherever, just ask."
"Thank you… That is…very generous of you," the ice maiden replied hesitantly, facial features screwed up with the signs of a troubling internal battle, though the gratitude shown through.
"Right…" Mitsuyo followed up, biting her lip. Suddenly, her chivalrous moment turned awkward, and – swinging her hands together with a clap – she was stuck on how to proceed. Disconcerting silence filled the void between them, Mitsuyo nervously shuffling from foot-to-foot, Yukina lost in thought once more.
"I…think I'll just go now, 'kay? Okay," Mitsuyo excused herself quickly, bowing with as much grace as could be attained in such a swift effort, and skittered her way past the sliding doors across the way. Once inside, she leaned against the wood, heaving a sigh of relief. She hated it when a perfect opportunity for a pleasant conversation turned uncomfortable. Then again, it was a common occurrence with Mitsuyo, as she rarely had any friends, female or not. While self-consciously searching for different ways she could've said or done something different and how she could fix anything that needed it the next time she ran into the ice apparition, she discovered she wasn't alone in the room thanks to a rather polite clearing of the throat.
Immediately her attention flew to the being sitting fairly primly on the sofa against the opposite wall, and Mitsuyo felt her breath being sucked away by the two jaded eyes pinning her own.
"Kurama," she acknowledged with a slight nod of her head.
"Miss Kajima," the redhead replied in turn.
Mitsuyo groaned. "Why do you insist on doing that?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about," Kurama responded before taking a small sip of the steaming cup of tea he held delicately in his hand.
"Of course you don't," she sighed, getting used to feeling verbally defeated. First Genkai wouldn't let her go home despite her protests, then she couldn't keep a decent chat with Yukina going longer than a few minutes at best before it died a miserable death, and now once again she couldn't get Kurama to recognize the fact that his usage of her surname bothered her immensely, even though he did it just to get that very reaction despite the many times she informed him of this fact. "Well, so far my day's been crap. It was good for a while, but overall, it's turning crap. How's your's been?"
Kurama couldn't fight the grin that blossomed on his lips. "Very pleasant, actually, thank you for asking."
"Oh, well. Good for you."
There was a slight pause as Kurama took a deep draft of his heated beverage, in which Mitsuyo used the time to examine her hands, finding with a sort of amusement that not one of her fingernails remained unbroken and clean by any means. Dirt caked her palms, outlining the deep wrinkles that lined her skin born from the hard work she was put through during her stay. Several of her fingers bore nasty-looking blisters and one pinky had an angry rash where a sliver of bark had embedded itself into its underside. Idly, she wondered if that was why it hurt when she used it to clean out her ear earlier after getting grains of dirt shoved into it.
Mitsuyo was brought out of her reverie when Kurama decided he wanted to continue their conversation by asking, "Have you started packing yet?"
She blinked. "Am I being kicked out or what?"
"In a way, yes, though not out of any wrong actions of your doing," the redhead stated before drowning himself once more in Genkai's good china.
Mitsuyo continued to stare at him, not truly comprehending what she had been told. "What?"
"Your parents miss you," Kurama said as soon as he swallowed, setting his cup down on the table in front of him prior to reclining back into the couch. "They wish for the both of us to visit tonight, in fact."
"Tonight?" she asked numbly.
"Essentially, in a few hours time. But otherwise, yes, that is correct." Kurama nodded.
Mitsuyo looked like she was in a daze. "Well then."
"Also, since your week of training is over, I told them that you were ready to return home. I figured it'd be a nice reprieve with all the progress you have made with your sessions with Hiei."
"Oh…" her response trailed off as her eyes went out of focus for a few seconds.
After waiting a moment, Kurama asked hesitantly, "Is this…not a good time? We could postpone—"
"NO!" Mitsuyo shouted, bolting upright from her spot against the shoji door, looking alarmed at the mere suggestion. Pausing to take a shaky breath, she stuttered, "I-I mean, um, no, why wouldn't it be a good time, of course it's a good time, not that I want to see them, no, that's ridiculous, why would I want to see my family? No, no, I'm just shocked is all, yeah, that's right, I'm shocked….yeah."
Kurama just stared at her, and because it was so obvious that everything she said, save for the last bit, was a lie…in one form or another, he decided to humor her and not question her on the matter.
"Understandable," he commented instead, offering a comforting smile. "I hear that Genkai told you that the possibility was null and void."
"Did she change her mind?" Mitsuyo asked a lot quieter than previously, eyeing Kurama with slightly pained eyes, clouded by the hope just given to her. "Or did you decide to go against her wishes?"
"Neither. She is still adamant that you shouldn't go; however, I managed to convince her that it was necessary. After all, you've earned yourself a proper break, one that cannot be achieved fully when you've spent so much time without your loved ones."
The look this explanation earned made Kurama feel even better about his decision, no matter the hidden motives behind it.
"That is…good to hear…" Why was it so hard to convince herself not to cry? Thankfully the urge was snuffed soon after it was born, but it did leave her a bit shaken. Breathing deep to calm herself, she then asked, "So, I should probably go pack, then, huh? Maybe take a shower…" She stopped to smell herself, and immediately wrinkled her nose in revulsion. "Or two…"
Kurama chuckled. "Yes, please do. In fact, I insist on giving you some herbs to help with your bathing. It'll do wonders, trust me."
Mitsuyo shuffled her feet guilty. "That bad?" she asked with a slight wince.
The redhead considered telling her that being a fox reincarnate granted him with a relatively perceptive sense of smell, and that the odor she was currently emitting made his lip want to curl in revolt, but didn't want her to feel any more embarrassed than she was currently. So, instead he gave one last reassuring grin and merely said, "I've smelt worse. I just want to save you some trouble."
Though Mitsuyo knew he was lying (or at least, changing the meaning behind the question), she was grateful and showed it by mirroring the smile revealed.
"Go now," Kurama instructed with a wave of his hand. "And take your time. We'll leave in a few hours. Dress warmly, it's supposed to be a bit nippy outside later on."
Mitsuyo gave a mock salute before marching off in the direction of her room…and the bath.
~`*`~
Right on schedule, according to Kurama, the duo had walked (much to Mitsuyo's displeasure) every foot of the distance between Genkai's abode and the Kajima residence, arriving on the doorstep precisely at the time Kurama had predicted. It was no wonder the redhead had suggested she adorn her jacket and long-sleeved sweater, for even with the extra layers of cloth the two provided, Mitsuyo found herself hugging her arms close to her chest and ducking her head down beneath the collar of her coat as another gust of wind tore through her.
Shivering, she struck her fists violently against the door of her home, as if the harder she hit its solid surface, the quicker it would open to let her and Kurama inside. Honestly, it was summer…wasn't it supposed to be warm at night? Stupid weather…
It didn't take long for Mitsuyo to pack up her things back at the temple. In fact, there was hardly any "packing up" necessary. During the first few days of her training, her CDs' lives had been hacked away by a certain fire demon's sword, ending up with the remains of her discs, as well as the player in which they resided, in her lap. The same fate met that of her books, when she had been reading them and Hiei decided that it was time to start a bonfire in the middle of her room. Most of her clothes were beyond the repair a needle and string could manage, the handful of hair bands she had brought along were lost or snapped, her hairbrush was filled with dirt and grime she didn't have the energy to clean out, and everything else she had was pretty much threadbare or desperately needing an everlasting residency in the city dump.
It was this tangent of thought that made Mitsuyo forget about the abnormal chill she was suffering from, and miss the fact that the door had since opened and permitted entrance for her and Kurama.
"Miss Kajima," the redhead in question called from the doorstep.
She snapped out of it, and nearly collapsed with relief. For, standing next to Kurama, watching her with those parental, calculating eyes, was her mother.
Probably feeling just a little bit pissed off.
"What in the world were you—"
"MOMMY!!" Mitsuyo squealed happily, making a mad leap from the bottom of the porch stairs into Mrs. Kajima's akimbo arms.
~`*`~
Mitsuyo had never considered what her parents might have been told about her sudden disappearance. In all honesty, she had completely forgotten about it after eavesdropping on Kurama and the rest of the guys when she had been in her room packing to leave and "go train". But now that she was back from the temple, and had witnessed her mother's hysterical breakdown after their initial greeting at the door, Mitsuyo was worried. She had thought that Kurama had everything covered, that all questions had been answered.
It would seem that was not the case.
Kurama had swiftly ushered her out of the room before taking Mrs. Kajima by the elbow and leading her to the couch to sit and attempt to re-gather her control upon noticing the fact that the woman in question was not satisfied with the information his letter had provided. Mitsuyo couldn't hear exactly what words were being exchanged between the two, but from the soft murmurs and the distinct absence of frenzied screaming, the brunette gathered that things were progressing smoothly. And not long after she came to this conclusion, Kurama and her mother were both walking calmly towards her, the latter with a dignified expression on her tear-stained face.
"Well," Mrs. Kajima started shakily, looking down at her daughter, who played the part of looking properly chastised, "Suichi explained everything to me, and while I appreciate the effort you were making, I would appreciate it even more if I were suitably informed before you start making such rash decisions."
Mitsuyo's primary reaction was to ask who "Suichi" was, before belatedly remembering that it was supposed to be Kurama's alias. She recovered from the confused look she was no doubt sporting, and bowed apologetically. "Yes, ma'am," she said humbly.
Mrs. Kajima wordlessly swept her eldest child in a loving embrace cooing softly into her hair. "My baby running of with a sweet boy to go on a "Habitat for Humanity" trip…how darling! And so selfless, my baby girl is growing up!"
At this, Mitsuyo couldn't fight the glare she shot an unflustered Kurama.
He is so gonna pay.
"Habitat for Humanity?" another, younger, voice chimed in with disbelief.
Mitsuyo turned in her mother's arms to see an unimpressed Hiroshi standing behind them. She was shocked at how happy she was to see him, and was about to pull herself away from the embrace in order to offer one to her younger brother, but then… the brat always had a way of getting to her. Badly.
"I doubt she'd do something like that," he scoffed, folding his arms and almost looking like he was looking down at her. "She probably just ran away with her pretty boyfriend to do disgusting teenager stuff. And he's just smart enough to have a cover story ready."
Mitsuyo's eye twitched.
That's it. They're both gonna pay.
"Oh, Honey, you're back!" exclaimed a more masculine voice from the stairway. "How was your time with Suichi and your other friends?"
Momentarily ignoring the burning rage roaring in the pit of her stomach, Mitsuyo managed to cast a grateful smile in her father's direction. Mr. Kajima returned it with light-hearted joy as he quickly descended the steps. At least he seemed to be the only male in the room not giving her a hard time.
"Other...friends...?" Mitsuyo asked, incredibly puzzled and feeling very stupid for not contributing more to this whole conversation.
"Yes," her father replied, also looking a bit confused. "The friends you two met at the party last week? The ones you and Suichi went on a camping trip with?"
"Suichi was just telling me about the wonderful excursion they all took this past week with the "Habitat for Humanity" group," Mrs. Kajima was telling her husband with a proud smile, though it seemed to have lost its vigor after her son's comment.
Mr. Kajima broke out into a serious fit of laughter. It was so intense, it had the older man clutching the wooden railing of the staircase, and wiping tears from his eyes. Mitsuyo couldn't stop the frown from pulling at the corners of her lips, and her brow furrowed in disappointment.
Kurama really needs to reconsider his ability to lie after this, she thought to herself with disgust. Glancing briefly to her right, she saw Kurama sheepishly avoiding all eye-contact. Yeah, that's right. Ass.
Through his little conniption, her father managed to get out, "Mitsu…selfless…haha…Habitat…Humanity?"
"Thanks, Dad," the girl in question deadpanned. "Nice to know I have your support. You're my hero. Really. Thanks."
That's it. They are ALL gonna pay.
~`*`~
"No fair!" Mitsuyo whined indignantly as the land once occupied by her own black men were easily knocked aside by an army of red pieces before engulfing Asia and claiming it as its own.
"All's fair in love and war," Kurama quoted, exchanging groups of his men for larger pieces and leveling out the armies of each country he had in his possession.
"I'm not feeling any love at the moment," she continued to sulk, woefully watching the last of her territory get swallowed up by the crimson men under the fox's control. Her gaze turned hard when she laid eyes on her own depleted military, completely surrounded by the land she had lost to her enemy. "Some black plague you are…"
As soon as the matter of Mitsuyo's and Kurama's absence had been addressed, the Kajima family was quick to agree that a nice relaxing game of Risk would be a perfect "welcome home" for the two. It was, obviously, Kurama's suggestion.
"I always feel a certain sense of accomplishment with activities dealing with strategic maneuvers," the redhead had announced with a sly smile in Mitsuyo's direction. "It truly does wonders for the mind."
"I wholeheartedly agree," Mr. Kajima had, in turn, responded animatedly, immediately eliminating anyone's prospect of excluding themselves from playing.
And, after two hours of "fun", Kurama had succeeded in wiping out every member except for Mitsuyo, much to the disappointment of her father. Hiroshi couldn't have cared less what the outcome of the game may have been, content to peacefully leave the table once all of his green armies were swept clean off the board. There was even a moment when Kurama, predictably the leading participant throughout the majority of the game, hadn't even conquered a country that the young boy had in his possession, and had instead received ownership "as a thank-you gift", according to Hiroshi, when Kurama succeeded in taking over one of his sister's pieces of land. Mrs. Kajima had dropped out shortly after her son; not really losing, but explaining she had a TV show she wanted to catch, and didn't think she'd win or lose in time to watch it. Her husband was the last to leave, admirably fighting the inevitable, and overall being a good sport about it. Mr. Kajima tried to stay and watch the rest of the battle between his daughter and her friend, but got distracted soon afterwards when his cell phone went off and he had to leave to take the call.
Mitsuyo was handling the situation very well, concerning that she had only made it to this point in the game because Lady Luck was on her side. It was almost as if Kurama had saved any confrontation with her until the very end when everyone else had been wiped out. The brunette's eyes narrowed at this thought, because it was likely that it was the case. The fox was sneaky like that.
Feeling a strange sense of frustration as Kurama's arsenal of red plastic men struggled to find purchase on the crowded board, the girl attempted to distract herself with other musings. For example, the shirt she was wearing had a ridiculously annoying hole in the pit of one sleeve, and how she desperately wished that she could sew. Or how her mother would wonder why Mitsuyo no longer carried around her CD player, which had been, for some time, almost permanently glued to her hip. And how was it that, even though she wasn't present for the past weeks to help her brother commit the so-called crime, various objects in the house seemed to have been recently demolished?
Mitsuyo had a sudden want for a baseball bat.
Speaking of which.
"We need to go shopping this weekend," Mitsuyo commented with a sigh, planting her chin firmly on the knuckles of her left hand while watching as Kurama's army continued to grow. It oddly made her think about a pepperoni pizza -- how there never seemed to be enough room for all the meat one wanted to put on its cheesy surface. Somehow she had a feeling that it'd take a while before it was her turn.
Kurama's hand reached out, snapping his fingers twice in front of her eyes. "Focus," he commanded before offering her the white dice. "Protect Japan."
Mitsuyo sighed again. "Oh, I am so passed the point of caring anymore. You've won. I forfeit."
Acting as if he had not heard the brunette's conceding remark, Kurama continued to roll his dice. "That is not the proper mindset for a victim of war," he chided sternly. "You should be aware that Yusuke, Kuwabara, Hiei and I have all been through rather daunting times, and survived. The odds of a quandary merely complicate things—will, however, is the determining factor. Whether you live or die in combat depends on the amount of want held to continue living."
The frown that appeared on Mitsuyo's face deepened. "So you making me play an incredibly long, and extremely boring board game is your way of teaching me about not giving up hope?"
"Is it working?"
"Does a bear shit in a toilet?"
"The saying is "in the woods", Miss Kajima."
"I like my version better. It puts across my feelings perfectly."
"Very well. We still have a few hours before lights out to do something about that."
A groan.
"Don't start. Now, protect Mongolia."
~`*`~
"You can't be serious," Mitsuyo expressionlessly announced.
Kurama's stare refused to waver, his hand still offering out the large 1,000 Sudoku Puzzles book. Mitsuyo, in turn, glared at it in hopes that it would spontaneously catch fire. Then again, she didn't think it'd actually work. She'd seen Hiei attempt it many times, and he was a fire demon. But that didn't stop her from trying.
"Here. You have an hour."
"To do one?"
Kurama actually laughed. "No, of course not," he said easily, waving off her comment with his hand. Mitsuyo breathed out, looking relieved, until Kurama added, "To do the whole thing."
Her jaw dropped. "WHAT? What for?"
"Do you think you cannot do it?"
"Would it be demeaning for me if I said yes?"
"Yes."
"I don't care. I can't do that."
"Do it, and I'll stop calling you 'Miss Kajima'."
Precisely one hour later, and Mitsuyo was surprised that she had managed to complete the book…for the most part.
"Ugh…" Mitsuyo grunted, collapsing on the couch.
Kurama was currently checking over her puzzles. "You messed up #132," he told her, tossing the book back at her. "Fix it."
"Ugh," she said again.
"And #376. And #591. And #725. And—"
"Okay, okay! I get the picture!"
"You shouldn't be too hasty, you make mistakes that way."
"Not like I could help it. You did just give me an hour."
"Working under pressure. You shouldn't be a stranger to it."
"Right, right, so what piece of advice do you have for me now?"
"Use your eyes."
"…Really? That's it?"
"I almost forgot. You messed up #44 and #10.
"Ugh."
"Oh, and #650 through #655."
"Uuuugh."
"Ah, and can't forget #914. You managed to put 6 in one cell three times."
"So I did them wrong! Big deal!"
"To some, it may be, Miss Kajima."
"Ugh!"
~`*`~
Mitsuyo gave Kurama a blank stare.
"Solitaire?" she asked with a skeptical eyebrow raised.
"What?" Kurama asked, looking particularly nonplussed. "It's good exercise."
Mitsuyo's eyebrow rose even higher along her hairline. "Exercise? For what?"
Sighing, Kurama took the deck of cards the brunette held limply in her hands, and took them out in order to shuffle them. Once they were to his satisfaction, he began to set up a game of Solitaire on the coffee table in the living room.
"Exercise, Miss Kajima," he answered, ignoring the frustrated groan of his protégé, "for the mind."
"Look, my mind's tired," Mitsuyo said, throwing her hands upwards in exasperation. "I wanna go to bed. So that, maybe, tomorrow? I can actually chase my brother around and catch him."
The redhead turned to give his annoyed companion a firm stare. "You will do no such thing. Abusing your powers will lead to nasty consequences."
Mitsuyo scoffed. "So says the sly fox that used his creepy demon vines to push me out of a tree when I was hiding from a certain incensed, living, miniature flamethrower after I accidentally dumped my tea glass on his head," she grumbled under her breath.
Kurama had the courtesy to ignore the comment's implications. "Don't blame your poor sense of balance on me, Miss Kajima," he said, sitting back to examine the card game's layout. "Now, play."
"…Ugh."
.:AN:.
So...guess what? Someone's missing in this chapter... can you find who it is? I'll give you a hint. He's the one in the third chapter...now, can you guess why? Stay tuned, and find out in (echo voice) Chapter 19 of "A Month With Suichi Minamino"!!
I will probably end up reposting this chapter again later this month. Also, I'll be taking a small break until summer comes so that I'll have more time to focus on my writing. Til then, let me know what you think! R&R and all that...haha!