Next part, here I come! XD Sorry these past few chapters have been so short. I don't want them to go above 3,000 words, though, so I have to cut things out sometimes. XP I've been on a roll lately due to having free time during my lunch break. :D And ripitupgenki is so wonderful for reviewing all these chapters! Thank you so much, Ripit! It means so much to me! ^o^ I hope you enjoy this! ^_^

Note: This story takes place after Season 3.

Disclaimer: I don't claim to own Monster Rancher or the characters. I'm just a huge fan. Tecmo owns everything. I just own the plot.

Moments We Share

N: Night

"…Genki?"

"Hm? Yeah, Holly?"

"I don't mean to sound rude, but where are we going so late at night?"

Genki smiled as he watched Holly's eyes dance with curiosity and excitement as the couple strolled through the dark streets of a night lit Toriyama. A small layer of snow coated the streets and the couple's breath was visible as it met with the surrounding cold air. The streets were empty besides the young couple, mostly due to people not wanting to be out in the cold weather. The moon was full and beautiful while the stars twinkled elegantly in the night sky like little fireflies; the beams of light occasionally glimmering off Holly's face and causing Genki to become nervous with every step they took. He couldn't believe how slow four months could go by, but he never felt happier to see Holly when she hopped off the cart and flung herself into his arms. He never wanted to let her go ever again, no matter how selfish it sounded.

"You don't like taking casual walks at night?" Genki asked playfully, knowing full well that wasn't the case.

"It's not that, really. I do enjoy them. It's just, this was so sudden of a plan and you actually came to my house to ask me out. What if my father had seen you?" Holly asked with a curious frown as shook some snow off the tip of her boot before trotting quickly to fall back in pace with her boyfriend.

"I would have pulled him into a hug and shouted 'I love you!' so the whole world could hear me!" Genki replied with a chuckle while Holly puffed up her cheeks and playfully hit the young man's arm.

"If you did that, he'd probably try to kill you!"

"Wouldn't it make for a great story, though?"

"Not if you were dead!"

"Hahaha! True! I wouldn't do that, anyways, since I really don't want to press my luck," the young man grinned as Holly shook her head before grabbing onto his arm and snuggling up close to his side like a tired cat. "Are you cold?"

"A little bit, but I'm more curious to know where we're going!" Holly replied with an impish smile, the heat coming from Genki's form filling her body with warmth and security.

"Don't worry; we're almost at our first destination," Genki spoke with a wryly smile as a sign to a fancy restaurant slowly began to come into view. Back in his world, Genki had seen enough romance movies to see women seemed to like going out to dinner. To him, it was probably because they didn't have to cook for a change and because the man paid for the meal, but he would play it safe and go with the classics. Before the couple could walk any further, however, Genki felt his legs stop moving when Holly stopped and placed a hand over her mouth.

"Oh, Genki! Look!" Holly exclaimed in worry as the visible form of a purebred Hopper lay motionlessly in the cold snow at the end of an alley. With maternal speed only women possess, the young woman broke away from her grip on Genki's arm and tore down the alley before kneeling at the Hopper's side to check on the small lemur monster, fear etched in her features.

"Is it alright?" Genki asked with concern as he slowly began to make his way into the alley as well.

"I… I don't know. I don't see any injuries on it, but it's not moving, either," Holly replied with a frown, but she felt her body go ridged as a large hand came from behind in the shadows and grabbed her by her ponytail before yanking her up; a shocked and pain laced scream emitting from her mouth until another large hand appeared from the shadows with a large dagger pressed up against her throat.

"HOLLY!" Genki shouted in horror as he watched a large gruff man linger out from the shadows with Holly in his grasp; the dagger's blade pressed up firmly against the tender flesh of the young woman's neck. "YOU LET HER GO!"

"I don't think you're in any position to be making any demands of me, boy," the older man chuckled hoarsely while the Hopper rose up from his spot and grinned. "You did well, Hopper. Women always fall for these kinds of traps."

"What do you want from us? I'll give you anything, just please don't hurt her," Genki pleaded, his fists were clenched so tightly that his knuckles were white and his palms were beginning to sweat. The glimmer from the dagger's blade seemed to almost taunt the young man and Genki could feel the color draining from his face.

"What do I want? Money, of course," the man sneered while the Hopper nodded his head in agreement. "And anything else you have on you that's worth something."

"…don't, Genki…" Holly whispered softly, though she yelped as the dagger was pressed harder against her neck. The metal was cold and intimidating, and she couldn't help but wince as a small droplet of blood ran down her neck and into the top of her wool coat.

"I'm not playing games here, girlie, so keep you damn mouth shut," the man growled as his piercing eyes bore down into Holly's pure ones; the entire scene being one of the most horrific moments in Genki's life.

"H-here, take it!" Genki exclaimed as he dug through his pockets in a desperate attempt to find anything that could end this nightmare. He normally didn't carry much of anything with him, but he had the money that was supposed to be for the dinner in a small pouch. With one last glance down at the pouch of gold coins, Genki tossed it at the man's feet, where the Hopper was quick to pick it up and look through it.

"Yup! Some golds! Some golds!" The Hopper cheered merrily at the prize.

"Empty the rest of your pockets, as well," the man sneered while keeping a close eye at the hostage in his arms.

"Alright, just please don't do anything rash," Genki gulp with a defeated frown as he dug through his pockets until his fingers met with something hard and smooth. As the mugger watched with anticipation and Holly with fear, the young man slowly pulled out a small black box from his pocket. That cursed little black box. That beautiful little black box.

"Well, what do we have here? Toss it here," the man commanded.

"…alright," Genki breathed slowly as he looked down one last time at the object in his hands. That small black box held his future and it held the symbol of the most important step he would ever take in his life. With a bitter intake of air, Genki tossed the box next to the Hopper who was quick to snatch it up; his gaze falling to the dirty snow beneath his feet. And just like that, he tossed his future away.

"Well played, boy. I think I'm done here tonight. I can't have you following me, though," the man spoke gruffly as he nodded to his Hopper companion.

"Jump Blow!" The Hopper shouted as it leapt into the air before its foot slammed into Genki's eye, sending the young man sprawling onto the ground and into the cold snow with a loud shout of pain. Genki gritted his teeth as his head spun, though just as his vision came back to him, he watched as the man pushed Holly roughly against the alley wall with a loud thud before he disappeared into the shadows; leaving Holly to slump down to the cold ground below.

"H-Holly!" Genki stuttered out as he scrambled to get his footing in the slushy snow before he bolted to Holly's side. Although a little disoriented, Genki sighed in relief to see her look up at him before she flung her arms around his neck and buried her head against his chest.

"G-Genki… I'm s-so sorry…!" Holly whispered as her body shook. "I didn't e-even think about t-the dangers…"

"Shh… don't be sorry, Holly. It wasn't your fault at all. Had you not run out to help that Hopper, I would have. It's in our nature, especially yours because you have such a big heart," Genki responded softly as he stroked his girlfriend's hair before kissing her lovingly on her forehead; relief flowing into him at knowing she was alright. They knelt in the cold snow like that for a long time as everything slowly sunk in even though their cold bodies cursed at them to get up.

At the beginning of the night, the couple looked like something from a story book. Besides the ever present orange hat on his head, Genki had worn a more dressy blue button up shirt with a tie, black dress pants, and shiny dress shoes. Holly, too, had dressed up a bit for the occasion of getting to see her boyfriend after four months. Her hair had been placed in a neat ponytail, she wore a stunning green shirt with an elegant dark green skirt to match, and she wore sparkling flat black shoes to top it all off. Every now and then, they would catch someone glancing at them with happy and even jealous eyes. Now, though, it was all ruined. Genki's suit was soaked and his eye was swollen shut from the Hopper's attack, a large blue bruise blotching the entire area. His once shiny shoes were scuffed and muddied while he looked as if he had been thrown into a pit of angry dogs. Holly wasn't better off. Her once neat ponytail had come undone due to the mugger pulling her by it and her side throbbed from where she had been pushed into the alley wall. Her skirt was torn down the side and her knees were raw from the cold. Although not much, a stream of dried blood was caked on the young woman's neck and even though it was all over, Holly could still feel the blade pressed up against her throat.

'...fate hates me...' Genki thought to himself as he cradled Holly's shivering body close to his own. He had planned the night out since Holly had left on her trip, but everything had fallen into shambles right before his eyes.

"…Genki?"

"Yeah, Holly?"

"…was that black box what I think it was?"

Genki felt his eyes widened as he looked down at the tired girl in his arms before he hugged her a little tighter. His plan to bring her out to a beautiful restaurant before bringing her to the outskirts of town to watch the stars and finishing the perfect night by asking her 'the question' had all gone down the drain, and he couldn't help but wonder why fate always had different plans for him. Now he had no money for food, they were both too tired to stay out late to watch the stars, they were both scuffed up, they were wet and freezing, and he had no ring. His plans had turned into a disaster.

"…yeah, it was," Genki replied with a bitter chuckle as he avoided any eye contact, for he felt too ashamed to look into her innocent eyes. "But obviously fate had other plans and there's nothing we can do about it."

The couple fell into a bout of silence while they continued to avert their attention elsewhere. Everything had happened so fast that by the time they had registered what was going on, both of them had been mugged, assaulted, and left in the cold. After several minutes, Genki felt a bitter sigh exit his throat as he went to stand up, but he felt his eyes widened when Holly's cold and delicate hands held him down to stay seated as they had been. Her face was still pressed up against his chest, though no longer did she seem afraid or distraught. Instead, Genki could have sworn she seemed almost peaceful, like some kind of angel.

"…Genki?"

"Yeah?"

"You know you… you don't need a ring to ask me that question."

Genki felt himself blink in surprise as he looked down at the brunette in his arms before a large wryly grin broke out across his face, one in which Holly was quick to match. With a nervous gulp, the young man awkwardly got on one knee, his entire leg feeling the effects of kneeling in the cold snow. Holly was quick to leap to her feet and stand in front of the man from another world as she waited patiently, and nervously, for the question that would change their lives forever. She couldn't remember how long she had waited for this moment and although the night hadn't gone as planned, seeing Genki down on one knee was one of the most magical moments of her entire life. And when he asked her hand in marriage, she responded with a 'yes!' even before he got to finish his sentence.

Sometimes, fate tries to lead people in one direction, but many times it's better to go one's own direction instead.

So, yup! You don't actually get to see it, but Genki and Holly are finally engaged. Woot woot! ^_^ I could picture Holly being so excited about the proposal that she wouldn't even let him finish. I know I would be! XD The whole fate thing started in the L chapter and will be a part of this story now because Genki and Holly will be kind of fighting fate for a while. I need to organize the next few chapters because I know S and T will go together as sort of a set, but I'm still working out the other letters before those. Thanks so much for reading!

RockyRoadSmith: Signing off! :3