Chapter 13: The Invitation
"Okay honey, focus." Tokiya knelt in front of his sister. It was nearing sunset, and the two Mikagami siblings were in the backyard of their house.
Tanya closed her eyes and willed her energy print to go down a notch... then another. After their piano practice, her brother had suggested that they stretch their legs a bit. He took the opportunity to teach her about hiding her energy as well.
"That's it." Tokiya coached. "You don't have to do it so fast... easy does it..."
The sound of a branch cracking caused them both to look up, ruining Tanya's concentration. Fiery energy blasted outward, knocking Tokiya flat.
"Ooops! I'm sorry!" Tanya threw herself facedown onto the ground next to her brother. "UGH! This is hopeless!"
Tokiya brushed himself off and ruffled his sister's hair. "It's okay. Don't be so hard on yourself."
"Hmpf!" Tanya mumbled, still facedown.
"Oh, so it's gonna be like that?" Tokiya tackled her and started to tickle.
"HEY! DON'T!" Tanya squealed and attempted to wriggle out of his arms. "No fair!"
Tokiya tickled his little sister till her laughter turned into tears of mirth.
"Better now?" He asked.
Tanya nodded. "Much." she stood up. "I'll try it again."
They both stood up and brushed themselves off. Tanya closed her eyes and slowly performed the energy-hiding technique, with her brow furrowing deeper everytime her energy print would simmer down a level.
Minutes later, she felt her brother's hand on her shoulder.
"You did it."
Her eyes flashed open. "I did? I DID!" Tanya somersaulted around the backyard.
"Did you see that, Neesan? I did it!"
Tokiya clapped. "I'm really proud of you." He smiled and watched her cartwheel in around in a victory circle.
"Now you'll just have to learn to hold it down that way till you need to release it."
Tanya stopped, mid-cartwheel. She remained in a handstand position and tilted her head to look at her brother. "Oh?"
"Yeah." Tokiya said. "I don't want anyone with the ability to sense energy prints to mark you. They could be dangerous." 'And I can't lose another sibling. I won't!' he added as an afterthought.
Tanya flipped back right side up. "Alright."
Tokiya put his arm around her. "Come on. Let's go back inside. I'm cooking."
Tanya clasped his hand. "You sure? You look tired."
"I'm fine."
Tanya sat down at the kitchen table, head in her arms, waiting for her brother to serve dinner. She was getting sleepy a little too early. After that Sibling Rivalry match,practicing on the keyboard with her brother, plus that new energy-shielding technique she just learned, her limbs and fingers were a bit sore.
"You all right?" she heard her brother's voice next to her. Man, he was so silent, she didn't even hear him walk over. She felt him stroke her hair.
"I'm okay. Just a bit sleepy. Who knew that hiding your energy would feel like you''re carrying ten-pound weights?"
"That's normal. Once you get used to the technique, it won't feel heavy anymore." Tokiya glanced over at the oven, watching the timer countdown. "Dinner will be ready in a few minutes. You can go sleep right after.
"It's too early!" Tanya pouted, looking up. There was a loud beep from the oven.
"Don't force yourself to stay awake." Tokiya said, putting on a large mitt and opening the oven. "And by the way, your bedtime is 9:00 on schooldays."
"9:00?" Tanya's expression was incredulous. "I'm not four years old!"
"I know you're not. You're already seven, which means you'll need a lot of sleep so you won't be stunted in growth."
"Have you been reading child care books since you learned I was coming to live with you? Where did you find that out?"
"No," Tokiya laughed as he removed a pan from the oven. "I learned that fact from one of my lessons when I was in primary school."
"Wow. Recca wasn't kidding yesterday when he told me you're a total nerd." His sister teased.
"I'd rather be a nerd than a monkey." Tokiya placed the contents of the pan onto a serving platter and walked back to the table.
"I'm not saying it's a bad thing." Tanya lifted up her nose to sniff dinner.
"You seem to be a nerd yourself." Tokiya grinned, setting down the platter. "The only other person I know who reads schoolbooks as soon as they're issued out is me."
"Guilty."Tanya grinned and punched him lightly on the arm. "Smells good. Lasagna?"
"Yes. One of my specialties. You have a really good nose." Tokiya replied, spooning out a large slice for her.
He smiled when he saw the expression on her face when she took her first bite.
"Mmmm….Heavenly!"
"Glad you think so." Tokiya started on his own portion of Lasagna. He had just swallowed his first bite when-
"BRRRIIIIIING!"
Tokiya put down his fork and went to the living room. He picked up the cordless phone and went back into the kitchen.
"Hello?"
"Hey, Fridge-Boy. I asked Fuuko for your number."
"Oh it's you, Sea Monkey." Tokiya drawled, after hearing Recca's tone on the other end of the line.
"Yeah. How's Tanya?"
"She's fine. We're having dinner."
"Whoa. Sorry to disturb you."
"You don't sound sorry." Tokiya sat back down at the table.
"Do you ever run out of smart remarks?" Recca asked.
"You and the rest of the Monkey Squad ran my supply dry when we were still in high school. Maybe all this time we've spent away from each other gave me a chance to restock on some new ones."
Recca laughed. "You're still an Icicle. Well, the reason I'm calling is that Kurei's inviting the whole Hokage Team to this hot spring resort he owns for the rest of our semester break. He says to bring swimwear since there's also a pool. It turns out he and Neon are getting married and something about an engagement party that Neon's sisters… sorry I forgot their names-"
"Miki and Aki."
"Yeah, them." Recca finally remembered. "Knew you had the hots for one of them. Question is, which one?"
"I do not 'have the hots' for either of them, Hanabishi, and can you please cut to the chase?"
"Fine. They're inviting all of us to this engagement party thing. They said to bring Tanya since they'd like to meet her."
"As if I'd leave her behind on her own. And you-"
"I told them about Tanya. Not the entire story though, I'm leaving that up to you. I didn't tell them she has an Ensui either, if that's what you're worried about."
"All right." Tokiya let out a relieved breath. "When do we leave for the resort and how do we get there?"
"Monday. And hold on. You're agreeing to come? I thought I was gonna have to get Fuuko to barge into your place and make you go."
"Ha ha." Tokiya snapped, though the mere mention of Fuuko's name sent a warm tingle through him. "As I asked, how are we getting there?"
"Kurei said he'd send a van to come pick us up, so you won't have to risk your prized Ferrari. Dad and I offered to be the ones to drive so they don't have to get someone to do it."
"Okay. Well, I suppose me and my sister can go."
"Great! Well, tell Tanya I said hi, and see you Monday."
"Bye."
Tokiya clicked the 'End Call' button and put the phone on the table.
"What's up?" Tanya asked, maneuvering a second slice of Lasagna onto her plate.
Her brother nodded. "Recca says to say hi."
Tanya grinned as she spooned some more of the baked pasta into her mouth. "Why did he call?"
"An invitation to go to a hot spring."
"Cool!" Tanya nearly spat out her mouthful of food.
"Don't talk with your mouth full." Tokiya admonished.
Tanya swallowed before asking, "Who's inviting us?"
"Apparently, our ex-opponents."
"The Uruha-?"
"How did you-"
"Sensei Megumi told me about them." Tanya answered, fork paused in mid-air pre her recent exclamation.
Tokiya picked up his fork and resumed eating. "Recca said they want me to bring you since they want to meet you."
"Does that mean we're going?" Tanya asked excitedly.
"So help me, yes, we are." Tokiya replied, dropping his head onto his free hand for effect. His sister laughed.
"I've never been to a hot spring." Tanya mused, as she chewed another bite. "Is it similar to a spa?"
"Something like that."
Tanya nodded thoughtfully.
Suddenly, Tokiya looked at her. "Do you have a swimsuit?"
Tanya looked at him oddly before answering, "Yes." He let out another sigh of relief and continued eating. Whew. Lucky. If she didn't have one, he didn't know exactly how he was going to help her shop. He was going to have to see if it was conservative enough though. The way swimsuit fashions were going these days, even the kiddie ones were leaning toward the skimpy side.
"I thought it was like a spa?" Tanya said, breaking into his thoughts. "I didn't know you have to wear swimsuits if you're going to take a dip in a hot spring-"
"No, no." Tokiya managed to smile. "They also have a pool."
"YES!" Tanya punched the air. "I haven't gone swimming in the LONGEST time."
"Being that you're pyrokinetic, I thought you'd be afraid of the water." Tokiya smirked. "Aren't you afraid you'd go up in a puff of smoke?"
"Hardi-har-har, Neesan." Tanya leaned over to punch him again before scooping her last forkful into her mouth.
"We'll be leaving Monday, so you'd best get packed tomorrow. They'll be picking us up."
"Okay." Tanya began scooping a third slice of Lasagna onto her plate.
"And show me your swimsuit. I have to decide if I'll let you wear it." Tokiya said.
His sister only raised an eyebrow in imitation of his trademark expression.
"Nice." Tokiya said approvingly. It was after dinner, and Tanya had brought out her swimsuit from her closet and put it on. The top was fine, and the bottom part was like shorts.
"You approve?" she asked, good-humoredly.
"For now, yes. But promise me you'll bring a t-shirt when we you go swimming and wear it when I say so."
"I promise." Tanya said, before shooing him out of her room so she could change into her pajamas.