An hour later, and several fittings done, had Mitsumi standing with Saitama in a near-matching Wind Crane Clan costume to her clan dress. Tacki was incredibly proud of it. She knew it was one of her finest works.
As Mitsumi's dress crossed up and over her chest with crane wings in flight, Saitama had a full, long-sleeved shirt much like his hero suit. It was made up of black spandex and covered with blue-black feathers. The crane in flight was proudly emblazoned on the front of it with small gems and feather bits to form the beautiful bird. Even the zipper front was a small crane design to Mitsumi's delight. The buttons to hold the cape on were gold, though, to go against the black feathering, and they had small cranes molded into them. Even his belt had the same set up to be black with the golden crane image.
His pants were the same material as the top and covered with the same feathers. He wore black gloves and boots to keep with the theme, but it was his cape that was the true masterpiece. It was layered artistically with blue-black feathers, given the same crane image from his top in a broader display and it was set with sturdy spandex to let it flare out like his main hero cape. The underside of the cape was set with white feathers to match how the fans would look.
"Why is the underside white?" Mitsumi asked.
"It will give him a nice silhouette when he stands still," Tacki grinned. "It also has small crystals embedded in it. This way, if the light shines around him, the looker gets blinded."
"Oh! That's cool!" Saitama grinned and flared the cape out.
"Something else, too. Wind Crane thought of this. Now when you fly with Lady Mitsumi, you'll blend in a bit with her. It may be hard to tell that you're with her from the cloak. It's very rare for a man to join the clan. Even in marriage. As you understand how the fans work, you are now considered a true member. Same with me, but I can make them with the right stuff," Tacki nodded.
"So…my family can be considered members?" Mitsumi asked.
"To a point, yes," Tacki grinned and giggled in the excited hug she got now.
"Inichi can also sort of 'tell' me how to use the fans to a point, too. I'll just need to practice holding them," Saitama said.
"Dad!" Fumio said and hopped over to grin. "Are we going to Bane's place now? Or something else?"
"We are going over there now," Saitama nodded and rested a hand on his son's shoulder. "Get ready to go."
"I'm here to help transport. Fubuki is already there and waiting for us. As is Rendor and Tatsumaki to help with building support. We should go now," Inichi said. "And, Mr. Saitama! That outfit definitely suits you."
"Thanks," Saitama nodded.
"You should have a hat," Mitsumi giggled.
"Why?" he asked and led her and Fumio outside.
"If not a hat, then maybe a circlet? Like me?" she asked.
"Eh…I'm not really big on hats," he sighed. At her frown, he grimaced. "Okay. What did you have in mind?"
"Well…if you'd only do it for me and not for yourself, then it really makes no sense," she sighed back.
"What do you want me to wear?" he asked her now and signaled for Inichi to wait. "And so you know, I tend to get knocked in the head a lot. Doesn't do anything, but many think they can do it."
"Oh. Well…I wouldn't want anything to get knocked off…" she frowned. Wind Crane clapped her beak and strode over to set the tip of her feathered tail over his head as though to dust it.
"Stop it!" Saitama scowled and saw Mitsumi laughing softly. "Okay. I see why you did it. Wind Crane, did men wear hats of any kind?"
:NOT NECESSARILY. ALTHOUGH, YOU COULD LOOK GOOD WITH A FEATHER CIRCLET. IT IS TRUE THAT YOU DO NOT NEED ANY FORM OF HEADGEAR, BUT THE ILLUSION OF SUCH A THING TO BE NEEDED NEVER HURTS.:
"Ah! So…pretend that I need it? And you said a circlet of feathers? Hmm…" Saitama mused at the idea.
"Oh! An idea! A feather headband, but it can hold the crane emblem in the front with a small piece of crystal to help stun!" Tacki said. Wind Crane nodded her beak a few times with agreement. "I can make it a bit for a guy, too, so that's fine. I can work on it at Bane's place."
"Sounds good," Saitama nodded. Now he pulled Mitsumi close to give her a passionate kiss. "Okay. You got me to wear hat. Of sorts."
"I know you'll look amazing! You already do…" she said and let her hand trail over his shoulder to where the crane zipper was to make him grin slightly.
"Think we can sneak to the bedroom real quick?" he muttered and kissed her again. Inichi cleared his throat to get a small glance given back. "Guess not."
"Plenty of time after the dojo construction. It won't take too long," she chuckled and watched the fans fly out to settle on her belt holders. "Do I fly us there? Or let Inichi take us?"
"Hmm. Good question. It's been a while since we flew," he mused.
"We could fly with Wind Crane, come to think of it. As this is Wind Crane Clan business, it would be proper. Zenchu can even fly with us, too," she smiled.
"Bane's isn't too far off. We can do that," Saitama nodded. He caught sight of Sonic already darting off to head there, and he moved with Fumio and Mitsumi to get onto Wind Crane's back. "We'll meet you all there!"
"Of course!" Inichi said. Then he paused and said, "Wait!"
"What?" Saitama asked and caught a flying dark figure aiming right at them. "Mitsumi. Fumio. Stay here."
"Saitama?!" Mitsumi frowned, but Saitama was already set to leap up into the air. "You're not doing that alone! Screw that!"
"What?" Saitama blinked and she moved to have him grab her.
"You hold on!" she said and leapt into the air with all the fans out to fly them up into the air. "Protect Fumio!"
"Yes, Lady Mitsumi!" Tsuruga nodded and tossed his horns. The figure aiming at them did not expect the sight of all the fans working together to form into a set of massive crane wings. Even more to see two of the sets ready to attack and defend. She only needed eight fans in flight, so the other two sets were free to do as they pleased to protect her. The eleventh set in her hands was easy to work with, and she glared at the intruder.
"Stop! Right now!" Mitsumi ordered the figure, and she hovered in the air with Saitama now in a sitting position to hold her in his lap. The fans kept her afloat easily and circled around her protectively.
"No!" the figure said and revealed itself as Garou. "I'm actually not here to attack! I just want answers!"
"We were on our way to Bane's place. He'll attack you if he knows it's you," Saitama said. Now Garou realized who else confronted him. "Do I need to slap you again and make you leave?"
"Love, he just wants answers. However, we are on our way to build a dojo. Can this wait?" Mitsumi asked.
"I don't think it can," Garou said and kept his wings flapping to hover with them. Mitsumi frowned and darted a thought out.
"I can assist," Inichi said when he hovered up to them. "Garou, if you stay here, I will answer all of your questions. I can do this telepathically with no issues at all. I can also show you where to hide safely, and there are others here that can also help you with food and shelter. Should you need it."
"You're…able to…?" Garou paused with surprise.
"I was the one that bubble-trapped you. I can," Inichi chuckled.
"I just have one burning question," Garou said to Mitsumi before pointing at Saitama. "What do you see in that guy?!"
"In Saitama? Heh…" she chuckled. "That's always what others ask. So, I'll say it again. He believed in me when no others would. He gave me and my monster family a chance when no others gave a damn. He freed me from a curse that almost killed me. And, trust me, you think you're evil? No. You're not. You have no idea what true evil is."
"Then what is evil exactly?" he asked.
"Mitsumi…" Saitama frowned.
"I have to. Just…keep me calm. Okay?" she smiled and pressed a kiss to Saitama's mouth before looking at Garou again. "My own family was run by a woman who I thought was my mother. She was a monster in human skin. She murdered my father in cold blood with poison. In fact, if it wasn't for my father, I would have been abandoned and left for dead. A month after I was born! Just for being the youngest of my family, she felt I was worthless. After my father was murdered, I was treated like a pet and they fed me pet food for several months just for being the youngest. She had my other brothers and sisters do the same.
"Then that fat thing gave me to another monster that kept me sedated, changed me from old to young each day with a venomous snake bracelet and harvested parts from me to feed other monsters! The changes let me regenerate my organs back or I would have died. Easily. He took out my heart! On top of that…he did…other things to me. It was only a month with that guy…but it was two years with that stupid snake! Yeah. You don't know what evil is."
"Stop!" Saitama ordered and squeezed her close. "I killed them all. You know I did. No one else will ever touch you again. Unless it's me."
"Saitama…" she winced and he crushed her to him with a hard shiver.
"Her heart was removed?" Garou asked with a bit of surprise.
"And it came back with each shift of age. I can show you the visions. If you want it," Inichi said calmly.
"Fine," Garou seemed to shrug. Then Inichi had to bubble him to keep the monster from falling from the sky from the shock of everything being revealed.
"Now you know. And I killed everyone that tried to hurt her like that again! That guy that tortured her…we found him and only I could kill him. He was also a monster, as she told you. One of her brothers was tricked into becoming a monster. I had to kill him, too," Saitama muttered and cradled Mitsumi's shivering form. "This is still rough on her. It was only about two weeks ago that I found her and rescued her from it all. It was just about a week ago that we killed off the monster woman. But there are other monsters out there like them. We are hunting them down and killing them."
"I…" Garou started and trembled.
"So, now you need to ask yourself," Mitsumi whispered loudly to be heard. "Garou…what side are you really on? The side of a monster that wants to stop attacking mindlessly? Or one that I will have to hunt down to put you out of your misery? My new family is mainly made up of monsters that were cured. That hated what they had become. Zenchu, though…he loves it. But he only protects now. He was so disgusted with himself when he woke up! A few others prefer to remain as monsters, but only to help and protect. And now…it looks like you woke up. But you are also a different case. So…what side will you choose?"
"I still…need time to think…" Garou admitted.
"Think all you want. But, the moment you attack an innocent, you made your choice," Saitama warned him. Garou seemed to mutter at that, but he found himself glancing at Mitsumi.
"Give him time to decide. His actions will be proof enough," she said softly and pressed herself into Saitama's neck. The fans around them continued to hover and soar around them with a sensation of being deadly butterflies. It was when Wind Crane leapt up to join them and hover neatly using just the breeze in the wind that Garou found himself in a sensation of shock.
:GAROU. YOU HAVE DONE MUCH WRONG. HOWEVER, I KNOW YOU SEEK TO BE REPRIEVED. YOU MAY NOT KNOW THIS, YOURSELF, BUT I KNOW THIS. I CAN HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS LIKE INICHI DOES. I AM OLD. VERY OLD. I WILL GIVE YOU A TEST OF YOUR OWN INNER REFLECTION. CAN YOU SPEND THE REST OF THIS DAY TRYING TO FIGHT YOUR OWN INNER MONSTER? AND WIN?:
"What?!" Garou blinked with confusion.
"Just like you, no one ever gave me a chance to prove myself until I met Saitama. Now the chance is being offered to you. Was there ever a point in time that anyone treated you with kindness? Other than me?" Mitsumi asked. "I, too, heard her speak. This is Wind Crane. She is my mentor. The very founder of the Wind Crane Clan. Huh. Saitama, he kinda reminds me of Sonic."
"What?! Ugh. No," Saitama muttered. "He might be insulted."
"He does, though," she chuckled.
"Shut up. No."
"Why?"
"Sonic is just…an idiot! He can't even break a feather!"
"I can't break a feather, either."
"You don't have to. He challenged me. Until he can break a feather, he's still got a lot of training to do. Besides, I don't think this guy can break a feather," Saitama shrugged. "He can't even cut me."
"Saitama, you are stupid strong. Of course, he can't cut you. Hell, Saitama, you took a bath in lava! You can't feel that, either! But…I can nibble you…" she grinned to get him staring at her with disbelief. Now he started to feel the slight tinge of fiery need, but he pushed the sensation aside.
"Do you really have to bring that up now?" he asked.
"Of course, I do! It's a truth," she said.
"Do they…always…talk like that?" Garou asked Inichi.
"All the time," Inichi chuckled.
"And he actually took a swim in lava?" Garou asked.
"Oh, yes he did!" Mitsumi grinned at Garou.
"Quiet. He should know that lava doesn't do anything to me after he smacked me into it. He has no right to act surprised," Saitama said.
"Come on…" Mitsumi chuckled at Saitama.
"Nope! No excuse! And you can't play with the zipper right now," he said when Mitsumi traced over the crane zipper. "We have somewhere to be. As much as I wanted today to be an at home day, we can't have that, either."
"And to think you didn't want a dojo," she chuckled.
"I still have no clue what I'm going to do in it!" Saitama said with a small groan. "I have no idea what to train, how to train…I can't even feel my own trainings! Even if I spar, I feel nothing from it. Even if I get hit! I feel nothing. There are times I'm still shocked that I can feel what you do to me."
"So, I just want to ask…" Garou started.
"Shut up. Not yet. Hold that thought," Saitama said and refocused on Mitsumi. "You know that I can feel nothing from others and just from you. I don't really know that anyone else exists around me anymore."
"So…I don't exist to you?" she frowned.
"I never said that you don't exist to me!" he said. "I said others!"
"Ah…" Garou started again.
"Quiet! Not yet!" Saitama said.
"Stop telling me to shut up!" Garou finally snapped.
"Saitama…" Mitsumi sighed hard and shook her head at him. When he was going to talk again, she put a finger on his mouth with a smile. She looked at Wind Crane and nodded before looking at Garou. "Okay. If you need a place to rest for now, there are plenty of abandoned buildings here. If you need food, we can provide that easily. Inichi can help you. He said he can also answer any of your questions. I really need to get to building that dojo. So, if you feel up for it, we can set you up with a temporary place here. What do you say?"
"Ah…well…" Garou blinked. "One more thing."
"Okay," she nodded.
"What was that smell? On the mountain?" he asked.
"Flowers, actually. When Wind Crane first came here six hundred years ago from a meteor egg, it made a field of flowers today from where she landed. The flowers…are like this…" Mitsumi said and revealed the image on her fans. "When we went back to the field just recently, the scent of the flowers was able to saturate the fans. We may make a perfume out of it, too."
"It's the most calming thing I've ever…" Garou sighed and shook his head. Several fans now flitted around him to give more of the scent to make him shiver.
"We have a few of the flowers now. We can give you one in a pot. If you would like that?" Inichi asked.
"Oh. Um…I…yeah…" Garou managed to say.
"Did you want to rest here for now?" Saitama asked.
"Yeah. For now," Garou nodded.
"Inichi, do not tell Bane of Garou's presence. Just hide him in a tall building and stock it with some food. Oh, wait. Huh. Inichi just told me you have a rather intense appetite at times. Hmm. Do you still have that?" she asked.
"I don't know," Garou shrugged.
"I can assist. Leave it to me. Give me five minutes," Inichi chuckled and now sped off with Garou. On watching them leave, Mitsumi grinned softly at Saitama's own light grin.
"So…our new tactic is to mindlessly banter at each other to cause confusion and force an outcome?" she mused.
"It worked," he grinned a bit more. "Now…you were playing with my zipper? Were you done…playing with it?"
"I don't know. We have a dojo to build though…right?" she asked and found herself kissed intensely.
"Mitsumi…" he muttered. Then he paused. "Now."
"What now?" she asked.
"I need you. Now," he said with a slight wince.
"Saitama?" she frowned.
"That…burning…" he grimaced. At first, she thought he was pulling a prank. It was Wind Crane that flew up beneath them to let them both settle on her back. At her worried prod to Mitsumi, she gasped that it was true.
"Saitama! I mean…right now?!" she asked.
"Please…!" he hissed out. She was quick to help him with his pants just enough before shifting her own clothing aside. The cry he gave out was intense, and all he could do was hold her to him tight. She even gasped at the severity of his need, and it took a minute for her to calm down from it. He was just grateful that Tacki decided to add a hidden zipper to the pants!
"You're sweating…" she frowned and ran a hand over his forehead. The simple, gentle gesture sent cooling relief to him.
"First time…in a long time…okay…I feel…better," he said with a slight pant and lay back in the feathers. "Sorry, Wind Crane…"
She clapped her beak in a way that showed she didn't mind. When he sat up, he hugged Mitsumi close with a sigh of intense relief. At his condition, she asked, "Are you able to go to Bane's lands? Or do we need to start staying home?"
"I don't know…" he admitted. "That burning sensation was like…an inner fire. It was…suffocating. Nothing like my training days at all. With my training days, it was normal workout pain. I can muscle through it. I can deal with it. This is something else. I should be okay now. I started to feel a tinge of it while talking to that guy. I ignored it. Now I know that…I can't do that anymore. The moment I feel it, I need you. It's gone now, so…"
"Okay," she nodded. He did kiss her lovingly before carefully letting her move from his side.
"We'll just stay here," he sighed and clung to her lightly after fixing up their clothes. She nodded and watched her fans circle around Wind Crane when she started to fly off. She did swoop down and scooped up Zenchu and Fumio in her claws before heading off to where Bane's dojo was.
"Is everything okay?" Zenchu asked. "Who was that?"
"Garou," Mitsumi said. "Inichi is taking care of it now. He'll inform."
"Dad? Are you okay?" Fumio asked when he climbed up carefully and sat with them on Wind Crane's back. "You look…out of breath a bit?"
"Yeah. Fumio…it's getting to a point that I have to be with your mother. It causes me a form of pain if I don't. If you see me struggling, you need to get her. Okay? It's gonna pass, but it's to make sure you get a brother or a sister," Saitama explained slowly. "I can't help this. It's the…power in me. From what we know. So, if I suddenly start sweating, get her."
"Oh! Okay!" Fumio nodded. Zenchu blinked at what Wind Crane just told him, and he was able to carefully climb up to them to sit with them.
"So…you feel a need for intense sex to a point that you can't move?" Zenchu asked with complete concern.
"Apparently," Saitama shrugged.
"Ah. This is why Wind Crane said to expect this. Okay. So…it usually takes about two days for a girl's peak fertility to hit and pass. Since it's climbing up to it…hmm," Zenchu frowned.
"We'll need to see if it's safe for me to move from him at times. Like if I have to use the bathroom," Mitsumi said.
"I think that will be fine. If you have to go, I know my body will give a small leeway. Just…an inner feeling. I will never hurt you. So, if you feel something is wrong, tell me so my body will stop and give you a quick minute or two to get things fixed and done. It's the only chance we'll have to move. I think. I hope. It's what I'm feeling. Hard to explain, but…" Saitama grimaced and squeezed her close.
"I know. We'll figure it out," she agreed and pressed a loving kiss to his mouth. "You'll never hurt me. I know this, too."
"Yeah," he said and saw Bane's dojo come into view. Inichi was also there and dropping off the others to help with the mountain half a mile away.
"That mountain should be removed!" Charanko said.
"No," Bane said and glared at his disciple. "Go to our dojo and sweep the floors, please. I have those new disciples coming over later today. We need to set up some practice targets, too. Go now."
"Ah…yes, Master," Charanko sighed, bowed and was quick to do his chores. Genos shook his head at it all, but he waved to Saitama when Wind Crane landed and dropped off her passengers.
"Master Saitama?" Genos frowned on reading his body signs with a quick scan. "You appear…out of breath?"
"Slightly. But…yeah," Saitama said and kept Mitsumi close to him. "It's the power building up in me to be with Mitsumi. It's…getting harder to ignore. It almost feels like my first days in strength building! It's insane!"
"Oh," Kamiko said and moved to check on him. "Lady Mitsumi, you can't leave his side at all. You don't anyways, but he's right. The moment he needs you…hmm…I think we can set up an emergency room at Neutral Grounds for this. You'll both need it if it gets to a point and you're there."
"What do I have to build?!" Tacki asked and darted over.
"Tacki! Please calm down!" Kamikaze said. "I don't want you sick again."
"I won't get sick," she promised and looked at Kamiko.
"It's getting to a point that Saitama has to be with Lady Mitsumi right when that pain hits him. Think of it like…he has to have her or he'll hurt himself. Internally. It's hard to explain," Kamiko said.
"I can help," Inichi said. "Lady Mitsumi's time of fertility will likely be here within three days. His body knows. It's forcing him to be with her to a point that he boils over with internal heat. It also mildly immobilizes him. I know this will pass after her fertility peak is done. Then it will be a waiting game to ensure she becomes pregnant with offspring."
"So…they need an emergency bedroom?" Tacki frowned. "I don't know if there is enough space for that. We'll need to rush them home. Unless we have them stay home after tonight. How often does this happen?"
"All at random," Mitsumi frowned. "It's bad, too. He actually sweats from it. It really does worry me."
"How would he be if he has to protect you?" Tsuruga asked.
"If I have to punch something, I know I can still do it. It's when it's done," Saitama said calmly. "Otherwise, I have no other idea. I'm just going off of what my, eh…body is telling me."
"Going off of instinct?" Rendor asked on walking over. Tatsumaki hovered near him and listened curiously.
"Possibly. Anyways, let's build the dojo," Saitama said and sat down with Mitsumi in his lap when Zenchu brought them a chair.
"I love you," Mitsumi whispered in Saitama's ear to get a squeeze from him.
"I love you, too," he said and pressed into her. Then he winced.
"Saitama?!" she frowned.
"Now…!" he grimaced. Wind Crane was quick to hop over and cover them with her wings. On ruffling her feathers out, it was quite sound-proof and she glared at any that were too curious.
"Can we even go out tonight?" Mitsumi asked softly and panted softly against him. He sighed hard and rested against her.
"I think we can. It just…I dunno. I was kinda thinking about it. Talking about it. It hit. So, if I don't think about it until it really hits…should be okay. I think. We'll try it," he said.
"Okay," she said and let him kiss her with a hungry need before gasping when he pulled her down on him again.
"Okay…this…is insane…!" he panted lightly before forcing himself to calm down. "What the hell?!"
"Darling, are you sure you'll be okay tonight?" she asked gently and ran her hand over his back to help calm him down.
"Keep…rubbing your hand on me like that…" he sighed with relief. "That helps me out."
"I can do that," she nodded.
"As long as I feel your touch. It will help," he said. He was able to have her move to fix up their clothes again before hugging her close. She ran a hand over the top of his head, and Wind Crane backed away gently. It was when Sonic rushed at them thinking Saitama had a moment of weakness that the hero stood up with Mitsumi against his side and quickly caught the blade in his fingers again. "Really? You're funny."
"But…you're weak now!" Sonic gaped.
"Nope," Saitama said and slapped him away. "Try again later."
"Gah!" the thin man shrieked out before getting face-planted into the dirt. Zenchu and Kamikaze were dying with laughter. Tsuruga was sitting down and braying out his laughter. The others were just as much in tears over it.
"Did he really think he had a chance against you? Huh. Well, at least we know everything is fine when it comes to defending me," Mitsumi shrugged.
"I told you that I'd be fine. It's if I…think…about it…eh…" Saitama grimaced and let Wind Crane cover them up again. "Don't move from me!"
"I won't," Mitsumi whispered and remained locked in his lap once he was able to claim her again. She sent a desperate thought to Inichi and let Wind Crane cover them fully for as long as she had to.
"Okay. This is bad," Inichi frowned. Fubuki was in shock at what she was witnessing. "I'm going to…okay. Mr. Saitama is going to give me visuals with Lady Mitsumi on what the dojo should look like. As long as he doesn't think of his need for her, he is fine. For now, though, they will remain as they are until he is able to fully calm down again. Sonic, if you try that stunt again, I will cage you before you have a chance to breathe."
"Urk…" Sonic gave out from where he was. Kamikaze was still in tears from laughing so hard at what he saw. Tacki was thinking of making him a feather outfit at first, but now she thought against it.
"I have a pad to start sketching. Give me the details?" Genos asked. Inichi started to mentally give out the blueprint design for the cyborg to get to work. Kamiko brought him a chair to sit on, and he pulled her into his lap to hold the pad while he drew on it. The finished design was impressive.
The building was set to stand at fifteen feet in height for the main front floor. The stairs to it would open up to a set of double doors with an intricate design of cranes at play. A storage room, sleeping quarters, bathing room, kitchen area, dining room and training area were drawn out on various sheets. The second floor would be for meetings, main living space for teachers, viewing rooms for keeping watch and a study area.
The roof was splayed out in traditional style at four corners with small crane ornaments like small scouts on each edge. The top of the dojo could be reached with an inner ladder and set with a small bell to chime for various events and training needs. There would be enough space for someone to stand with the bell for scouting and defense needs.
Under the mountain would be a hidden lair for Wind Crane. The mountain was even adjusted now to do this, and it was further reinforced. Of course, this meant the mountain had to be much wider than Bane's. Charanko wouldn't be happy about it, but Bane would likely tell him to keep calm. The top of the mountain was widened enough for Wind Crane to land easily and support up to fifty people. The stairs leading up to the dojo on the mountain were able to be set, smoothed and neatly sanded down by Fubuki to resemble polished stonework.
"I should totally carve cranes in each step! I just need thirty minutes!" Tacki grinned. "And that is in total!"
"What?!" Kamikaze asked her. "There's a hundred steps there! Even more! There is no way it would take you thirty minutes in total. You'd need ten minutes a step. I think you're exaggerating."
"Um…" Tacki looked at him oddly. "I'll make a bet with you."
"What?" he asked. Kamiko coughed down her laughter.
"You know how crazy I am with getting things done. Right? And you're going to question me on this? Fine. If I get all the stairs done in under thirty minutes, you have to give me a full body massage for thirty minutes," she smiled.
"If I win, you have to craft me a new sword," he grinned.
"For all that, I could do that for you while you give me a massage," she rolled her eyes to get him gaping at her with disbelief. "Fine. Deal!"
Now he watched her take out a hammer and chisel before walking up to the steps. She got an image of what she wanted in her mind for each step and got to work. He just found himself further and further in disbelief at how fast she was working to get the stairs done.
"We have various massage oils in storage," Kamiko chuckled. "I'll make sure you can pick the best one for her."
"Ah…sure…" Kamikaze said in a form of speechless awe.
"Get a good one for us," Genos muttered to her while finishing up a sketch for a vegetable garden section. Kamiko blushed softly and leaned into his squeeze.
"And she's not a hero. Hmm…" Bane mused.
"Not with my kids in her," Kamikaze grunted. With Tacki neatly getting the stairs done, Zenchu was standing in front of Wind Crane to help protect the special couple she was also guarding with her wings folded around them to shield them. Saitama was still going through the horrific burning sensation, and it was finally starting to let go of his senses.
"Saitama?" Mitsumi whispered and felt his squeeze. Wind Crane had yet to leave their side, and he made no move to have Mitsumi leave his lap.
"Yeah," he sighed and continued to lean into her. "Just…a bit longer."
"Okay," she kept cradling him and pressed a kiss to his forehead.
"I'm finally leveling out. I hope," he muttered.
"That's good," she smiled.
"You too warm or anything?" he asked.
"I'm okay," she assured him and let him rest in her arms.
"This is going to be one hell of a week," he grunted.
"I can already tell," she chuckled. "You're sure you'll be okay for tonight? I mean…there will be other firework events."
"No. We are going," he said and pressed a passionate kiss to her mouth before finally letting her go.
"Should we be in hero clothes?" she asked and stood up after fixing her dress. He stood up to fix his pants and pulled her close.
"Eh…nah…" he grinned and watched Wind Crane pull away and glare around her in warning. "And…is Tacki redoing the stairs?!"
"Yeah. I…made a bet with her that she couldn't get them done in thirty minutes…" Kamikaze sighed. "How are you feeling?"
"I'm good," Saitama said quickly and changed the subject. "Tacki! Won't that chip away?"
"Nope! I'm finishing up the carvings first! Then I'll go over it with a sealing mix. That will take a little time for it to set, so no one should use the stairs until morning to make sure it sets right. Hopefully not too much dust will settle on the carvings with the sealant, though," Tacki sighed and made it to the halfway point in under fifteen minutes.
"These carvings are so beautiful!" Mitsumi beamed at the elegant artistry on each step. "I definitely wouldn't want anything to chip them away."
"Like my hooves," Tsuruga chuckled.
"Right," she smiled. Saitama had her walk with him to see the sketches that Genos was working on to study them.
"Not bad!" Saitama said.
"I wonder if we can do something like a small hot springs in the bathing area. It would be nice," Mitsumi mused aloud.
"That would involve tunneling and other things," Saitama said.
"I do look forward to the hot springs trip, though," she chuckled.
"If they have private baths in the rooms, then we're doing that," he said.
"What? No. I would want the full deal at least once. So, you would have to be away from me for at least twenty minutes," she said.
"What?! That's way too long!" he said.
"We'll talk about it when it comes time, okay?" she smiled.
"Eh…fine…" he seemed to pout. Genos was going over his sketches with the others for another ten minutes before Tacki moved to confront Kamikaze.
"I like rosewood oil," she said and pointed at the finished stairs. "I had five minutes to spare."
"Are you kidding?!" he gaped at the completed stairs.
"I got it done! Not kidding," she grinned lightly. "Anyways, I'll put a protective seal on the stairs now. That's easy. The base coat will set fast on the stone and harden up the rest of the way overnight. It will be good."
"Girl…" Kamikaze grimaced before scooping her up to hold her. Then he saw her yawn. "You need a nap."
"I do not!" she said and saw Mitsumi burst into a fit of giggles.
"Yes. You do," Kamikaze muttered softly in her ear and gently rubbed her back. At her sudden yawn at the loving gesture, he chuckled. "Told you so."
"Ten minutes…" she murmured and snuggled down into his shoulder to sleep. Kamikaze made a sign for twenty minutes.
"Ah…" Saitama blinked and cringed.
"Inichi. Home. Now," Mitsumi said. "Saitama, we'll go straight to the bedroom. If this keeps up tonight, we stay home."
"But…eh…okay. We'll see…" he gave in and pulled Mitsumi close from Inichi's bubble. "Keep us informed of the construction, please."
"I shall," Inichi said. "Fumio, did you wish to head home?"
"I'd like to stay and help build," Fumio said.
Inichi nodded and now focused to send Mitsumi and Saitama back. Wind Crane wanted to stay to help oversee the construction with the others, but Zenchu was quick to pat her wing to show he was heading back. She nodded and watched Inichi take him away now. She wanted to ensure the dojo was given proper Wind Crane Clan homage, and she focused on Genos to start giving some new, intricate designs to use. She knew Mitsumi was going to be thrilled with everything being done. The Wind Crane Clan was going to come back at last. And the Secret Skins would be brought to their knees.