CHAPTER 4
They had a nice dinner, and Randy loved having it with Kanae. He paid the check and they headed out, back for the college. On the way, Kanae stopped at a drink vending machine and got a bottle of water.
Eyeing the bottle, she walked over to the curb and poured all but a third of it out.
"You didn't buy that just to pour it down the drain, did you?" Randy asked, confused.
"Nay lad, need the container," Kanae told him. When she had about a quarter of the bottle left, she capped it. "K, let's go."
Holding hands back to her dorm, Kanae had Randy wait and went up to her room. She carefully poured an equal amount of scotch in the bottle, ok just a bit more, then put it away and capped the bottle. She put her belt pouch on and put the water bottle in, then went back out to Randy.
Night time, Campus police were about. Kanae led Randy out to the park where she though they'd have some privacy. So had many other couples, it seemed people were everywhere. Here and there, tiny red lights glowed briefly from someone sucking on a rolled up tube of something.
"Ain't there no open spots left?" she grumbled.
"Has to be," Randy said firmly, aching to finally make out with his lovely Kanae.
Making their way along, Kanae sat down in a bench. "This'll be good."
Randy wasn't sure, there was nothing but grass around them. Still he sat and put his arm around her. "I guess it's better than nothing," he grumbled.
Kanae pulled her bottle out. "Here lad, just take a sip. I diluted it half an half wit water. Doan think ya wanna full dose first time out."
Randy took the half full bottle. He noticed the liquid now held a light brown color.
Kanae watched him take a mouthful. His eyes opened wider and he swallowed. He then sniffed the bottle. "That's … strong. OK, yeah, it's kinda smoky and, really good." Looking at her, he said, "I can see this bringing up strong memories."
"Aye, an wait a bit. It'll light a nice soft fire in ya," she said. She took the bottle when he handed it over. She took her swig and handed it back.
Slowly, they took turns sipping the bottle empty. Kanae cuddled up against him. She let out a satisfied hum.
"Where are you?" he asked, seeing her far off gaze.
In a sleepy tone, she replied, "The Highlands, where else? I kin see our castle. Ain't much wind, the windmills on the towers'er barely turnin. Mom an Gramma are out weedin the garden." She let out a giggle, "Nana's on the scooter, Mayu's sitting behin'er, pointed the way she wants ta go. Richie's gathrin his sheep ta git'em back ta the barn. Dad an Uncle Conner'r out back, sparin wit their swords. Typical day up on the hill."
"That is a very picturesque scene," Randy admitted.
"Aye, a pretty one too," Kanae said in her sleepy voice.
"You know, Kanae, I think I'm falling in love with you," Randy said firmly.
Kanae smiled. "Aye, I'm getting real fond of ya also. Nay matter what others were thinkin or doin, ya've stayed right by me an supported me. Many things here are strange ta me, but yer makin it all worthwhile."
Turning to gaze at him, their lips met and their arms went around each other. They kissed, breathing out each others mouths, they kissed until their lips were sore. Then kept on kissing. Kanae felt his hands stroking up and down her back and was loving it.
A loud speaker announced, "Lights out in ten minutes."
Kanae pulled back to grumble, "Damn. They gotta do that?"
Randy chuckled. "Yeah, We got classes tomorrow, we better head back in."
When they got up, Kanae realized she was a bit tipsy. By his stagger, Randy was also. Looking around, Kanae asked, "Seen a trash bin?"
"By the path on the way out, over there," Randy told her. As they walked along holding each other up, he said, "That warm fire you talked about? I can feel it."
"Aye, good feelin, ain't it?"
Randy hugged her a little tighter. "I think it's cause of you."
Kanae giggled. "So ya wanna git warmer wit me?"
"I was thinking more like hot an bothered."
Kanae giggled. "Aye lad, I' m sure we'll git there."
Seeing Randy was having a little tougher time walking, Kanae guided him to his dorm and made sure he got inside.
Getting up to her own room, Kanae saw Tracy outside the room leaning against the wall, arms folded over her chest and looking at the floor. She cast a lazy gaze at Kanae. "Can I sleep here tonight?"
"Sure," Kanae replied. She unlocked the door with a mind hand and opened it. "Go on in."
Tracy looked at the door. She shook her head and went in.
"Somethin happen?" Kanae asked as she followed Tracy and shut the door behind her.
Tracy flopped down to sit down on what was her bed. "I joined the wrong sorority. They are a bunch of stuck up bitches. I just can't take it any more."
"Sorry ta hear it." Kanae offered and got dressed for bed. Tired of wearing a hat, she tossed her tartan cap up on the shelf in the closet. Turning to go to bed, she saw Tracy watching her. "What?"
"You do have horns, just like your mother," Tracy said, eyeing her.
Kanae snorted. "Well duh! I am her daughter. Why wouldn't I?"
"You really cured that guy who had an inoperable brain tumor, didn't you?"
"Yeah, then got promptly screamed at by the Dean," Kanae said as she pulled her covers back and sat down. "Course there was nay physical proof I performed an illegal surgery having no license ta perform brain surgery, so he finally let it go."
Tracy watched Kanae get in bed under the covers, then said, "You know, I really didn't like you for a while because you beat the hell out of my friends. But they tried to attack you, didn't they?"
"Told ya, the stupid will get punished," Kanae replied.
"Yeah," Tracy said in a breath. "I tried to warn them. They didn't listen, so it's not your fault. Sorry I was mad at you."
"Nay worries. Doan fret over it. Night Tracy."
"Night, Kanae." Tracy said and slipped under the covers.
.
In the morning, Randy woke up feeling great with a boner so hard it hurt. He'd been dreaming of sleeping with his pink haired wonder. Excited that it appeared she really liked him too, he called home.
His mother answered the phone.
"Hey Mom, I got great news! I met this girl, her name's Kanae and she's really awesome."
His mother's tone was flat. "You having sex with her?"
Randy flushed. "No! She's not that kind of girl. Kanae is really special Mom, I mean super special."
"I see, she's got a big set of boobs then?"
"Why'd you say that? No, she doesn't. I guess they're about average. Look, she's smart, she's real pretty and she's not stuck up like the other girls who flaunt themselves. If anything she's reserved, but she's easy to talk to. I also saw her remove an inoperable tumor from a man's head. She's completely awesome."
"So when can we meet this awesome girl? You're coming home for Christmas?"
"Yeah, planned to. Kanae's mother is coming here in a couple weeks, right when winter break starts. Maybe I can get her to come home after her Mom leaves."
"I think she'll be heading home with her mother. Where's this girl live?"
"In Glen Finnen. She's been telling me about it, and it sounds like an awesome place."
"Glen what? Are you talking Scotland?"
"Yes, she lives in the Highlands in Glen Finnen. Some of the things she eats there, though, I have to wonder about."
"So, this girl is latching onto you maybe to get American citizenship?"
Randy frowned. "Mom! I can't believe you said that."
"Happens all the time," she stated. "Probably she wants to marry you so she can have her citizenship, then takes off on you."
Randy gripped his phone tightly. "She's not like that!"
"Right. Just be careful. Randy, how do you know anything she says is the truth?"
Becoming angry, Randy said, "I looked up her mother, Kaede Kikumura. The woman is a friggin Knight! We're talking Knighted by Queen Elizabeth for saving the world."
"Oh I see, so you believe the most famous Witch on the planet is this girl's mother?"
"Mom, I saw a picture of Kaede being knighted. Kanae looks just like her."
His mother let out a huff. "Hair dye and makeup can do wonders. Be very careful son, and don't commit to anything with this girl until you know more about her."
"K Mom, if you say so. I'm doing good in school by the way. Me and Kanae are in the top of our classes."
"That's good to hear. Did this girl tell you that her mother, if that's really the case, is wanted for multiple murders in Japan?"
"Where's you hear that?"
"Internet crime show. What they said was she wiped out a whole health facility, killing at least 36 people including a doctor and a nurse, then more in Seattle Washington, and even more who tried to find her. She also managed to cover it all up. THAT is the woman this girl claims is her mother. You might want to think about that."
"I don't believe you," Randy stated.
"Look it up yourself but be very careful! If that is her mother, they are very dangerous to even be around."
Randy wanted to scream at her for believing such nonsense. "I gotta go get to class. Talk to you later, Mom." He then hung up, grabbed his bag and headed off for school.
.
Tracy hadn't brought anything with her when she fled the sorority house All she had was the clothes on her back. She left to go get her things as Kanae got ready for school. Kanae reminded her to reapply for a dorm room, and specify room 331 because her spot was still open.
One thing Kanae was happy about was Tracy no longer had all that metal hanging out of her face, and she'd changed her makeup. With dark blue eye shadow instead of black, and a shiny red gloss to her lips instead of black, Tracy looked much prettier. It appeared Tracy was trying to become Tracy, instead of what others thought she should be.
Heading out, Kanae found Randy waiting for her outside the dorm as usual.
She ran up and put an arm around him. "Hey, ready for another fun day-o crammin our brains?" she asked wearing a big smile.
Randy looked at her and forced a smile. "Sure."
Seeing he looked down in the dumps, Kanae asked "Wha'tis it?"
Randy put his arm around her and said, "Noting important, just talked to mom this morning."
"And?" Kanae prodded.
Wincing, he said, "She thinks you want to be with me so you can get American citizenship."
"Nay, lad, already got it." Kanae stated.
"You do?" he asked, surprised to here that.
"Aye. Mom made sure-o that back in grade school. See Grandpa is an American citizen an still owns a place in Seattle, so Granma automatically became a citizen. Mom was naturalized and we, Mom, Dad, Uzuki and I, spent a few years back in Seattle to get our citizenship as well as see how different the school systems were. Gotta tell ya, I wasn't impressed too much with the schools, but we did go on trips that were neat while we were there. Fer a while I was wonderin what the point was, but now we kin go back and forth with nay trouble. We even got both the British an American flags flyin on the Sea Witch."
"The Sea Witch?"
"Aye, Mom's sailboat," Kanae said, then frowned a bit. "But Mom still won't lemme jump off at sea and swim wit the dolphins."
Randy laughed. "Somehow, I can see you trying that."
Kanae shrugged, "At home in the summer I swim with the selkies in the loch. Even help herd fish wit'em too."
Randy laughed. "Herding fish?"
"Aye, it ain't easy, but once ya git the hang of it, it kin be fun."
Randy laughed harder. That had to be the silliest thing he'd ever heard! "OK, I gotta know, HOW do you herd fish?"
In a serious tone, she told him, "Well, ya can't scare'em or they scatter. If ya come up on'em easy, they'll turn an swim away. Ya git a group'a people big enough to git'em migratin in the same direction towards the nets. Once they're over the nets, ya come up an wave. The ones holding the nets pull the nets up, and ya got a bunch'a fish to put in the cages. The cages open up in the top so ya kin put the fish in. Being in the Loch, the fish calm down pretty quick. They also git used ta being fed pretty quick too."
"Why not just use nets like normal fishermen do?" he asked with a grin.
"Boat engines make'em nervous, and many of the fish swim away fore ya kin net'em," Kanae explained. "This way, ya git the whole school'a fish all at once. Being in cages in the water, the selkies kin keep'em alive up until they're ready to be taken to markets, meaning they always provide fresh fish."
Chucking, Randy said, "You people in Scotland certainly have a different way of doing things."
"Aye, maybe, but it makes work fun," Kanae offered with a wink.
.
Stopping by the cafeteria, they got breakfast. They had a couple hours before their first class, and Randy was thinking about Kanae in a bikini. Even a one piece swim suit he thought would look great on her. "There's a pool here, have you thought about swimming with no fish to herd?"
Kanae eyed him with a smirk. "Yer just thinking bout me in a bathin suit, Ain't ya?" she accused.
"Busted," he admitted.
"Nay a bad idea," she said slowly, "Long as ya git in wit me."
"I ah, didn't bring one."
"Neither did I. Shopping after classes taday?" she asked.
Heading to the school pool, which was an Olympic sized pool, they learned when the 'free' swim' times were due to the pool mainly being for swim team training and competitions. They also learned that in this pool, only the 'authorized' swimwear could be used. The College also had them conveniently for sale right in the pool building. Checking out what the authorized swimwear was, they found full torso covering suits for women and men. They were also in the school's colors. There was even an embroidering service to get their names stitched into their suits. Even the required plastic hair covers were in school colors. Whoopee.
Still it seemed like a fun idea. Kanae always had her card with her, so she got them the suits, hair covers, goggles and ear plugs. Having less than an hour left before class started, Randy noted one of the 'free swim' times was from 11 AM to 2 PM.
"We kin skip lunch an go git somethin later," Kanae suggested.
"Sounds good. Let's see if they got lockers.
The school did have lockers, but unless one was on a swim team the lockers were rented. Kanae decided to rent them lockers so they didn't have to carry their purchases around.
Today's class was all on heart functions and blood flow and the various things that affected the circulatory system from the nerve impulses the heart received from the brain down to the capillaries in the feet. Just the list of things that could affect the heart and how the heart was affected by each was long. Again, a ton of memory work.
Staying after class a bit to be sure they had everything down, Kanae and Randy left the classroom at 10:45. OK, close enough to head for the pool.
Getting to the pool, students were coming out. No one bothered Kanae as she went for the girl's locker room. Getting to it, a guy came out. She eyed him. He had long hair, but by his muscles, build and voice when he said, "Excuse me," she knew it was a guy.
Kanae stopped him. "What ya doin in there?" she asked in a hard tone.
He frowned at her. "I identify as a woman so I'm allowed, now move!"
He went to push past her. Kanae grabbed him in her mind hands, spun him around and planted him face first into the wall where it said, 'Women's locker room'.
"What's that read?" she asked in a growl.
"Get off me!" he cried.
She pulled him back a bit. "Tell me what that reads or you'll kiss it again!"
"Stop, you're assaulting me!" he wailed.
"Ain't even touchin ya," she growled and planted his face into the sign again. "What's it read?"
Shaking he yelled, "Women's locker room, now lemme go!"
Kanae spun him around and planted him against the wall to face her. "That's right, Women's locker room! Not I wanna be a women's locker room. I find ya in there again, an yer gonna hurt. Got me?"
"I'm allowed!" he said with a squeak in his voice.
"Not wit me ya ain't. Go an doan come back in there again," Kanae said, then pushed him down the hall.
As she watched him go, she saw a few women had gathered. As the man quickly left, they clapped and cheered. Kanae went in to find her locker.
Three women followed her in. "Thank you!" a brown haired woman said in a gush. "Those perverts come in to watch us undress and as long as they say they want to be women, the college won't stop them from coming in here."
"We tell them to leave and they threaten to turn us in for violating their rights!" A shorter blonde agreed.
"You know, he's gonna turn you in," another warned.
"For what? Standing there while he banged himself against the wall?" Kanae asked.
They stared at her.
"Did ya see me even touch'im?" Kanae asked.
"No, no you didn't! The blonde said with a grin.
"Then if he complains, I got witnesses ta say I never even touched'im."
"Yeah!" the brown haired girl cried happily. "Hey, we'll give you our names so you have them if you're ever asked about it."
"And if you want to join the swim team, please do! You can keep those guys out."
Kanae smiled. "If they come in and wanna see ya undress, Doan. Just git their names. I'll go have a talk wit'em. If they ain't gonna stop and the college woan do it, they we gotta stop'em."
The girls ran up and hugged her. She was glad she made them happy.
Kanae got her suit on and while it fit good, the only thing it showed was her legs and arms. Coming back out, there was a big wide Hispanic guy, hands on his hips blocking the door.
"Let me in, I identify as a woman!" he snapped.
Kanae shoved him hard into the far wall. "Look like a man to me. Kin ya prove otherwise?"
He got up and stared at her. "You pushed me!"
"Nope. Get in my face again and ya won't be pushed again. Harder." Kanae stated.
Eyeing her angrily, he said, "If you want trouble, I can give it to you!"
Kanae grew an evil grin. "Bring it on, fatso."
"What's going on here!" a firm voice called.
Kanae turned to the man in a coaches uniform with a whistle around his neck. She pointed to the man across from her. "He wouldn't let me outta the locker room, now he's threatenin me."
"I seen that too!" Randy said, coming from the men's locker room. "I'm thinking he's a bully wanting to beat girls up."
The Hispanic man glowered at Randy. "She pushed me!"
Randy tipped his head. "Yeah like a maybe 90 pound girl shoved your big ass across the hall? Tell me another one."
"You, out!" the coach told the man firmly.
The man glared at Kanae again and stormed out. The coach said to Kanae, "Don't worry, we'll keep him out."
Once they left, Kanae walked over to Randy. Raising her arms, she asked, "What do ya think?"
Randy swept her with his eyes. "Gorgeous. Pure Princess material."
Kanae giggled. "This suit is?"
"No way, just what's in it," he said with a wide grin.
"Charmer," she said as she blushed.
They went in the pool area. Behind them a couple other girls came in.
"Cannon ball contest!" the brown haired girl cried and ran over to the diving board.
"Hey guy, you be the judge," the blonde called, pointing at Randy.
"Umm, OK."
He watched the first girl run off the end of the diving board. She balled up and splashed down to make a big splash. The blonde didn't run off the end, but jumped to bounce off the end of the board gaining some height before she balled up and splashed down.
"That was higher," Randy noted.
A third girl bounced off the end of the board and came down to make a splash that went half way to the ceiling.
"Even higher," Randy announced.
The three girls were trading water when Kanae took her turn.
"Do a big one!" one of them yelled.
Kanae jumped up high off the middle of the board. When she hit the end, it bend down hard. She jumped as it threw her into the air. She went halfway to the ceiling, then curled up in a ball to smack the water hard.
There was a BOOM when she hit the water and water shot out and up. Some raining on the ceiling, water rained down on all the girls and Randy. The wave caused by her impact rolled to slap against the sides of the pool.
A WOW and a DAMN sounded out from the girls. Everyone looked down to see where she was. Near the bottom, Kanae swam herself back to the surface. Her plastic cap was floating on the surface. Eyes got wide as she swam up under her cap to grab it and put it back on before she came up for air.
"How was that?" Kanae asked with a silly grin.
"What's that on your head?" the blonde asked.
Randy sighed. Her horns were visible from where he was standing. He offered, "Kanae, we gotta fix your cap, your hair's not under it any more."
All three girls swam over as Kanae swam to climb out to have Randy fix her cap. They watched intently as he got her hair straight and rolled it into a bun to stuff back up under her cap.
"Kanae, right, what are those things on your head?" the brown haired girl asked.
"What things?" Kanae asked meekly.
Reluctantly, Randy said, "Hon? Your cap came off. They all saw."
"We did, but what are they?" the Blonde asked.
"Damn it!" Kanae spat.
Thinking quickly, Randy said, "Covers! Kanae had some minor skull surgery and those are reinforced covers so the holes in her head can heal."
Kanae eyed him.
"Cool, it almost looks like you got horns," the brown haired girl beamed.
"Antlers," Randy said with a grin. When she's healed, they'll fall off."
"Har har," Kanae grumbled.
Hearing giggles from the pool, he offered, "They think it's funny."
"I got a new contest!" Kanae announced. "Belly flop from the diving board! Randy ya kin go first this time!"
"What? No!" he cried. That diving board was a good ten feet from the water. That would hurt.
"OK, fine, I'll go first, but you have to go second," Kanae said.
"No way! That's really gonna hurt!" Randy complained.
"Chicken?" she asked.
Randy tucked his hands under his arms and flapped his arms. "Cluck cluck, fuckin cluck!"
That got all the girls laughing.
A life guard came in and offered, "If you want, how about a swimming race to the other end of the pool?"
The man was trim, built and blonde. All the girls took notice.
"Yeah, a race!" the blonde agreed.
"Yeah! From the racing stands?" the brown haired girl asked.
"Great!" the life guard agreed. "Come, I'll show you how to start."
"Race with me?" Kanae asked as she poked Randy in the shoulder.
"Sure I wanna see how you herd fish."
That made even the life guard turn around and look at him. With them all watching, he pointed to Kanae and said, "She's a fish herder!"
They all broke out laughing. Except Kanae. She only cast him an evil grin. "How's this," she asked, "The winner gets ta do whatever they want wit Mr. Chicken?"
The other girls giggled. "You're on!" they agreed. They all hurried to the race stands.
The life guard got up on a stand as they all watched. He showed them how to curl their toes around the leading edge of the stand and squat down with their fingers on the edge to get the best push off the stand. After explaining to push out instead of up, he then had them climb up and squat down. He checked their stances. By Randy, he whispered, "I think you better win." He then back away and said, "I'll blow the whistle to start you. Ready?"
Seeing they were all tensed, He blew his whistle. Most of the girls and Randy all jumped out with decent arcs to hit the water. The pink haired girl shot out farther, like a torpedo off a ship. The rest were all up and swimming by the time she landed on the water he guessed nearly twenty feet away. When she hit, water parted to the sides as she went under.
Already ahead of everyone, she didn't come back up, but undulated her body, legs together under water. He was waiting for her to surface, but she didn't. Swimming fast, she made the other end a good half length before any of the others. Randy let the pack on. The pink haired girl got up on the side of the pool and watched them approach. She moved over by where the boy was coming. As soon as he grabbed the edge, she grabbed his wrist and announced, "You're mine!"
The life guard wished he had a stopwatch. That had to be the fastest he seen anyone swim the length of the pool, and not even come up for air either!
Walking quickly over to them, he asked her, "You said your name was…"
Randy pointed to Kanae and said, "The Fish Herder!"
"Real name, please."
"Kanae Kikumura," she told him.
"Miss Kikumura, I'd like you to try out for the swim team." the life guard said firmly.
Kanae winced. "I got a busy schedule."
"After you abuse Mr. Chicken?" the blonde asked in a giggle.
"Can I time you on a full length swim, from the stands to this end and back?" he asked.
"Go for it!" Randy said, "And if you take longer than he allows, then I get to do whatever I want with you!"
"And if I take less time?" she asked.
Randy bowed his head and said, "Then I will be your loyal servant for two days."
"OK, that's a challenge," Kanae agreed.
"Be right back." the life guard stated.
Going out to the trophy room he got the fastest swim time ever recorded, a stopwatch and came back to find Randy and Kanae by the start stands. The other girls were on the side of the pool.
Holding up his stopwatch, he said "You have to swim to the other end, touch it and get back to this end to slap a hand on the top edge of the pool. Get ready to start." He moved to the side to see how she jumped off the start platform.
Kanae got into position, toes and fingers gripping the front edge. "Ready!" she announced.
He blew his whistle. Kanae flung herself of the platform.
Watching closely, he noted she hit the water 25 feet from the edge. Hitting the water fast, she dove under again to swim the length of the pool, leaving a wake behind her. At the far edge, she jumped up and shot herself out again, upside down to twist in the air for what had to be another fifteen feet before she plunged under again and swam back. He saw her jump up still eight feet from the end, he stopped the watch as she slapped her hand down on the edge of the pool and lifted herself up and out in a single, smooth motion.
He looked at his stopwatch. "Damn," he said softly.
"Well, did I beat the time?" she asked.
He nodded. "You did. I went and took the fastest recorded time at this College. You beat it by 28 seconds."
The girls all cheered for her. Randy just shook his head. It figured.
"I did good?" Kanae asked.
The life guard eyed her. "You beat the men's all time Olympic record by 21 seconds. If this was a contest, you'd hold a record that would stand for centuries. Usually any new record holder only shaves a few tenths of a second off the record. Not many whole seconds."
Kanae pumped a fist. "YES!"
"I urge you to join the swim team," he said firmly. "I guarantee you'll be the top swimmer as long as you're in this college. If you go Olympic, most likely there as well."
"Go for it!" the brown haired girl cried. The others joined in with their cries for her to do it.
Hands clasped in front of her, Kanae shrugged. "I really can't," she said meekly.
"WHAT? WHY NOT!" the blonde all but screamed.
Wincing, Kanae said, "Because … I am a fish herder. I got me job ta do."
"Oh bullshit!" the brown haired girl barked. "There's no such thing!"
"Is too," Kanae said defensively. "Back home we collect fish the old fashioned way. Git in the water and guide them inta nets. We call it fish herdin."
"Where you from?" the life guard asked.
"Scotland."
"You don't have boats?"
"Aye, but the boat motors make noise. We git more fish chasin'em and getten'em inta the nets."
"Wow, I thought that was a joke," the blonde said, staring at her.
"So that's why you swim so fast!" the brown haired girl announced.
Kanae just nodded.
The blonde grinned, she had a great piece for the school newspaper.