Love Hina Fan Fiction ❯ Legacy ❯ Chapter 18

Shinobu hurried back to the Hinata, trembling slightly. I can't believe I actually told Naru all that! she thought, surprised at herself. And…and I even…kissed her! she gibbered silently. Stepping into the warm comfort of the Hinata, she took a calming breath. Feeling calmer, she hurried to her room. It did feel kind of good, kissing Naru, reflected the girl.

 

Her day had been interesting, to say the least. Motoko and Tsuruko had caught up to her on the train, and accompanied her to school. Su had been happily looking forward to using her ionized plasma sword thing on the teacher, and to Shinobu's mild surprise, Motoko was making no effort to dissuade her. Reaching the school, she and her two `escorts' followed the ever-energetic Su into the school, Kaolla calling out for the teacher to take his `groining' like a man. Students and teachers alike avoided her by whatever means they had resort to in order to be outside the danger zone of the erratic genius.

 

The young domestic of the Hinata had found herself in the middle of a three-person train, Motoko breaking trail in front, Tsuruko behind her. I never thought that Motoko-sempai was particularly scary, but from the way that the others were acting, she must have had an angry expression on her face, Shinobu mused, hours later. The students - from first year to third year - parted before her like a school of fish parting for a hungry shark. Neither Aoyama warrior were actually carrying any sort of sword, but from the looks on the faces of her fellow students and teachers, you'd think that they were brandishing drawn katanas.

 

Having been to Shinobu's school the day before, Motoko knew where to find Shinobu's classroom. Even though there were bare minutes before the bell rang, Motoko had thrown open the door to the classroom and strode in, eyes on the desk by the blackboard. The chatter in the room fell dead silent, the students eyeing the tall, proud women bracketing the slim, compact form of Shinobu. Akiko, seeing her friend, offered her a small smile. Returning the girl's smile, Shinobu moved over to her seat, setting down her bag. Tsuruko and Motoko stuck close to her, clearly planning to see who dared take the teacher's seat that morning.

 

“Um, how are you feeling, Shinobu?” whispered Akiko.

 

“I'm feeling fine,” Shinobu said. Looking at Su's desk, she saw the girl's bag - flap open - sitting there, but no Su. “Where is Su?” she asked her friend.

 

“She ran in, threw her bag at her desk, and ran off holding something and yelling about groining someone,” Akiko offered, sweat-dropping. She was used to Su's crazed behavior and tried her best to ignore it. “Any idea what to expect?” she asked hesitantly.

 

“Maybe,” Shinobu replied. “Uh, is sensei…?” she whispered. Akiko shook her head.

 

“Rumor has it that he was put on administrative leave,” Akiko said. Shinobu tried not to let her sigh of relief be heard. Her shoulders, which had been stiff with tension, relaxed at that news. Immediately, she felt a gentle, warm hand on her shoulder. Looking up, she saw Motoko smiling at her. She was a little embarrassed, since she was a senior and Motoko's actions were more like something a first year would get, but more than that, she was happy. Knowing that Motoko-sempai and Tsuruko-sempai were there made it a lot easier to go to school today, thought the girl. I think I will make their favorite dishes tomorrow evening, she mused.

 

Her moment with Motoko had been interrupted by the arrival of their replacement teacher right as the bell rang. “That's the bell,” the woman began, only to freeze, seeing the two tall women standing by Shinobu's desk. “May I help you?” she asked the two.

 

“You are going to be Maehara's homeroom teacher through the end of the year?” asked Tsuruko, her tone pleasant, but distant. Both she and her younger sister were staring at the woman.

 

“T…that is correct,” confirmed the woman, looking at the two. For some reason, their gaze made her flesh crawl.

 

“Very well,” said Tsuruko, looking down at Shinobu. “Call us if anything happens, hmm?” she murmured, leaning down to hug Shinobu, her soft lips just brushing the small girl's forehead as she straightened. “Is the dean here? There are some matters we must discuss with him,” she said.

 

“I believe he is in his office,” the woman said. “Do you…?”

 

“We will find it,” said Motoko, moving out of the class room after briefly stroking Shinobu's hair.

 

After the initial excitement, her day had settled down and she had fallen into rhythm. Su had come in a few minutes after the bell, pouting about not being able to use her invention on their former homeroom teacher. Tossing the device back into her bag, she settled in for the day. Before she knew it, the final bell had rung, and she was on her way home with Su.

 

When she got home, she had found the Hinata as crazy as ever, which was strangely comforting to her. Gratefully, she had allowed herself to slip into her role at home. After supper, Kanako had taken her aside and spoken with her briefly about some Hinata-related issues, as well as asked a few questions about the staff at her school and rather or not she felt ready to take the Todai entrance exam, which was coming up in a few weeks.

 

Right after that meeting, Kitsune had wanted to speak with her, so she had wound up talking to the fox girl about what she planned to do when she got into Todai. Kitsune was one of the only girls in the Hinata not shooting for Todai. Certainly, she was the only one in the original group that had no interests in university; any university.

 

Kitsune and she had gone from the older girl's room to the spring, where the girls enjoyed the nightly group soak. Kaolla and Amalla were talking in their native language over in a corner, while the others chatted of inconsequential things. Mutsumi had told the group that her mother had had to return to Okinawa after her talk with Hina, but might be back sooner or later.

 

After the bath, Shinobu had finished her homework with Naru, Mutsumi and Motoko in Naru's room. When that was done, she and Naru had slipped out to talk privately. The two had gone back toward the annex, then veered away to the far corner of the walled compound, to the seldom-used, hardly-tended garden that sat adjacent to the annex. Under the moon and stars, the two had talked.

 

And kissed, Shinobu thought, still tasting Naru on her lips. The girl blushed, but her lips curved into a smile. Shinobu didn't know what Naru would decide, but she had at least come out with more information than she had had going in. She had learned that Naru and Kitsune were in some form of alliance, though the nature and goals of that team were unclear to the girl. So, the camps are pretty much what one would expect, she mused, moving to a door and softly tapping. Hearing a muted answer, she slipped into the room.

 

“Well?” asked Kanako, closing a notebook. The sister of her beloved Keitaro was sitting at her brother's small desk, in his room, and had been working on something or other. Shinobu closed the door behind her, making sure it latched, before moving over to kneel at the desk as well, facing Kanako.

 

“I talked to her,” said the domestic softly. “I don't know what she will decide, but I did learn some things from her,” Shinobu continued. “She and Kitsune-sempai have some sort of deal, though I don't know if it was planned or Naru-sempai fell for one of Kitsune-sempai's tricks.”

 

“How it may of happened isn't really relevant,” Kanako said. “Only the fact that it did happen is relevant. It makes sense, too, given their history,” Kanako added. “How would you say she reacted to what you had to say?”

 

“I…I think she was surprised, but it was almost like she was…relieved? as well.” Kanko frowned.

 

“Why would she be relieved?” she asked herself.

 

“Perhaps she feels as threatened by the Aoyamas as we do?” suggested Shinobu.

 

“I don't know,” Kanako murmured, thinking her way through it. “She has changed a lot since she started her therapy sessions, so maybe she is more aware of her previous history's consequences, but…” Kanako shook the thought away for the moment. “Do you think that she will ally herself with us? Or maybe seek to join Su's factions?”

 

“Well, it's not clear what she is thinking,” said Shinobu slowly, “but isn't it irrelevant whether or not she joins us or Su's group?”

 

“If she were to join the Aoyama's side, it could be problematic,” Kanako replied. “As for the other, I suppose it matters little aside from that.”

 

“She did ask me one thing that sort of surprised me, though,” admitted Shinobu. Kanako waited patiently. “She asked me if I could actually share him,” she whispered. Kanako's eyebrows twitched.

 

“What did you tell her?”

 

“Um, well, I…kissed her,” Shinobu admitted. Kanako stared at her ally.

 

“You kissed her?”

 

Shinobu nodded. “It…seemed the best way to answer her,” the girl said weakly. Kanako pursed her lips, considering that.

 

“I suppose it was,” she agreed a few heartbeats later. “If nothing else, it will give her something to think about,” allowed the sister. Shinobu had been thinking of something else for a while.

 

“Kanako,” she whispered, eyeing her friend, “are you…” she paused, re-considering, “like that with girls, too?”

 

To her surprise, Kanako shrugged. “Depends on the girl, but yes,” she admitted candidly. Shinobu blushed. “You are, as well,” Kanako almost accused Shinobu.

 

“I…” stammered Shinobu, “I might be,” she forced herself to answer. “But more than anything, I want to keep my family together, happy, like we have been for all this time,” she said. Kanako surprised her again.

 

“Yes, I know,” the girl said. “But I wonder, are the others willing to go as far as you are willing to go for that?”

 

“What do you mean?” wondered Shinobu.

 

“Remember, we all have to agree who it is that Keitaro will marry,” Kanako reminded her, “but that means that some of us will have to lose. The Aoyama sisters currently have the strongest hand, but if we unify, we can force them out. To unify, however, means that we must all make some compromises. Do you think that Motoko - stiff, proper, moral daughter of a samurai family that she is - will accept sharing? It is not an issue with Mutsumi, since she is clearly uninterested in which gender her loved ones are, nor do I think that Kitsune has any problem so long as she gets a secure, comfortable life with access to Keitaro. Su is, I believe, incapable of understanding that it may be an issue, as she has admitted that she wants to marry Motoko and you as well as Keitaro.”

 

“Oh.”

 

“Don't misunderstand me, Shinobu,” said Kanako, “due to my situation, I can only hope that she will not be as stiff and uptight as she can be on this issue. Tsuruko is another wrinkle I don't need, but there is no helping it.”

 

“Um, what about Haruka-sempai?” wondered Shinobu. Kanako's lips twitched.

 

“I don't think that there is much danger of that,” she said. “After all, she and Keitaro are blood relatives.”

 

-

 

“Sign here,” said the officer, pushing a form in front of the man. Sighing, he did as instructed. “Initial here,” the desk cop continued calmly. The mad did so. “And sign again on the third page, affixing your hanko next to the signature,” the cop finished. Biting his lip, the man did as instructed. Quickly reviewing the form, the cop tucked it into his out box, retrieved a manila folder and handed the man his belongings.

 

“Be sure to keep in touch,” came a voice from behind the man. Turning, he saw the inspector watching him.

 

“Of course,” he replied tightly. Exiting the police station, he made his way toward his home. Since he had been tanked for two days at the cop shop, he pulled up his cell phone to see what he had missed. Looking at the screen, he saw that the phone's provider had suspended service. Of course, he thought crankily. I'll call them from home, decided the man.

 

When he reached home, he unlocked the door and stepped inside. In his mail slot he saw a bill from the electric company. Opening it, he blinked. “What the…?!”. Grabbing his phone, he angrily punched in the number for the power company. It took him a moment to realize that his phone had no dial tone. “Now what?” he sighed. Moving to his kitchen area, he opened the small refrigerator and pulled out a beer. Opening it, he moved to his table and collapsed in his chair.

 

Fishing out the crumpled piece of paper the police had given him - the one with the court dates and case numbers so he could give them to his lawyer - he tossed it to his table, dismissing that in favor of trying to figure out how to protect his Maehara from those maniacs she lived with. With no car and no income, he was pretty limited in what he could do. But, he was sure that a man who could craft such a superior scholar as he had could figure out how to out-wit a bunch of slackers, wanna-be samurai, drunks and perverts.

 

Rummaging around, he found an old train schedule and began to study it. It seemed barely a moment later when someone knocked on his door; loudly. Growling in annoyance, he went to see who it was this time. Looking through the peephole, he saw the building manager standing outside his door. Opening it, he asked what the man wanted.

 

“Two things,” the manager said without preamble. “You know pets aren't allowed without prior approval, and some lawyers came by yesterday evening, looking for you. You weren't around, so they gave me this to give to you,” the man said, handing him a sealed envelope. “You gotta pay the pet surcharge and file the request before the end of the week or you're out,” the man added, turning away.

 

“Wait! What pet?!” the teacher demanded.

 

“Black cat,” the man said. “It kept your neighbors up last night, pawing at your door. Had to let it in to shut him up, too,” added the man.

 

“I don't own a cat!” protested the teacher.

 

“Then why do you have a food and water dish in your kitchen and a litter box in your bathroom?” asked the manager, moving away. “It's thirty five hundred yen a month more for pets, and you owe the security deposit and last month's rent, so you better drop off twelve five,” the man said, not slowing. “Have a good night!” he called back, nearly mocking the man.

 

“The hell…?” growled the man, turning to look at his apartment. Sure enough, there was a small dish of cat food and a bowl of water on the floor of his apartment, and when he looked into the tiny bathroom, a litter box was tucked next to the toilet. Angrily, he grabbed up the litter box and dishes, shoved them into his trash can, and pulled the liner out. Marching down to the dump, he threw it all in. “I haven't got time to waste on this nonsense,” he muttered, moving back toward his apartment.

 

-

 

“Finally,” sighed Haruka, climbing out of the hatch to the Boeing 737, “home soil,” she sighed. Behind her, Keitaro shared her relief. It wasn't the Hinata, but it was Japanese soil at last.

 

They had decided that taking a dog-leg through southeast Asia - Thailand, to be precise - would put them behind the storm, and let them get home earlier than waiting for the less-frequent direct flights. It had seemed to be working, though there were delays. What was supposed to be an eleven hour trip with a forty minute layover in Bangkok turned into a fourteen hour marathon of problems. They had been delayed on the runway in Indonesia for nearly an hour, for no reason they could discern. Then, two thirds of the way to Bangkok, the plane had lost an engine to some sort of mechanical failure. As they crossed the border of Thailand, they had run into turbulence, and the pilot had descended to calmer air.

 

Calmer air, though, seemed to attract other fliers as well. There had been a god-awful clanging smack, followed by the co-pilot telling the passengers to be calm - it was just a bird striking the plane. As the plane began descent to the airport, Haruka had seen a large mob near the airport fence. Even as the wheels came down, Haruka spotted placards and signs in the crowd. It didn't really surprise her to be informed as she and Keitaro departed the plane that a strike by the workers that provided services to the airport had sparked some clashes with police, and it was advised that they not leave the concourse if they were catching a connecting flight.

 

The pair had found themselves trapped in a somewhat dirty lounge, waiting for their connecting flight to Tokyo. Unlike some other passengers, the two weren't upset about the situation; probably because they had both lived in worse places. Apparently, the workers on strike were the ones that swept up, cleaned the bathrooms, took out the trash and other such chores. They opted to skip eating, though Haruka managed to find some candy bars for them in a vending machine not yet completely empty. They had made the Snickers bars last for almost a half hour.

 

After the last of the candy was consumed, they had spent another hour in the lobby before their flight finally boarded. Like before, they got delayed on the runway, but only for twenty minutes or so. Once they were airborne, the two figured they were as good as home, since it was a direct flight. Somewhere over the ocean, though, the pilot had made an announcement that due to a faulty fuel gauge, they were having to emergency divert to a different airport.

 

That airport turned out to be Okinawa. Haruka and Keitaro were tired, hungry and fed up with air travel for the time being. Both of them were glad to be back on their native soil, though. Haruka didn't waste any time. She marched right out of the airport, flagged a taxi and pulled Keitaro in after her. “Where to?” asked the cabbie, once in Japanese, then again in English.

 

“Food and lodging,” said Haruka. The cabby nodded, beginning the process of exiting the airport.

 

“Any particular preference?” he asked. Haruka glanced at Keitaro.

 

“Do you care?” asked Haruka. Keitaro shook his head.

 

“No, not really,” replied the young man.

 

“There you go,” said Haruka to the cabby. “Take us somewhere the food is plentiful and good, and recommend a hotel,” she directed.

 

“I know a good spot to eat,” he said, “but there's not many open hotel rooms; lot of tourism right now, and some conventions are in town. Oh, and the rally,” he recalled. Haruka sighed.

 

“What rally?” she asked, pulling out her cell phone.

 

“The complainers are consolidating themselves this year,” explained the gabby hack, “the group that is protesting the US bases has joined with the group that wants total disarmament of the entire world, which has ties to the ultra-left movement, who in turn has ties to the socialist movement. They all sort of gather in one place and protest whatever they can find until the locals get tired and force them out,” he snorted. “Bunch of damn fools,” the man said.

 

“We've had more than our share of damn fools recently,” Haruka said mildly, punching buttons on her cell phone. “Take us to the food,” she said, her phone chiming a time or two. “If you want to stick around while we eat, we can talk about where we'll stay. My treat, if you haven't eaten yet,” enticed Haruka.

 

“Well, I haven't had dinner yet, so I suppose I could join you,” smiled the man. “I'll call dispatch and let them know I'm on dinner, so you won't have to pay the fare on the time,” he offered.

 

“And I'll pick up your meal,” confirmed Haruka. Her phone chirped again. Glancing at the message, she nodded to herself before tucking the phone away. In barely fifteen minutes, the cabby was leading the two into a small, unmarked door that revealed a cozy family-style restaurant. Sitting at a small table, Haruka sighed after smelling the air. “What's the best dish here?” she asked the cabby.

 

“You, miss, are sitting in the best chanpuru joint in the world, though all the dishes are good. They can even do some of the more popular European and American dishes,” bragged the cabby. “But I personally recommend the tofu chanpuru,” he said.

 

“Sounds good with me,” Haruka smiled, seeing a woman about her own age approaching. “Thee double-size tofu chanpuru, two Orions, and whatever our friend here wants to drink, please,” she ordered. The woman bowed and moved back through the hanging slat door to the kitchen area. The cabby chuckled.

 

“You sound like you are hungry, miss,” he said. Haruka nodded. “If you don't mind me asking,” he said casually, “what's the occasion?”

 

“We're just back from a stretch at an archeology dig,” Haruka said. “It's been hell getting back, too,” she added, shaking her head ruefully.

 

“Archeology? Sounds interesting,” the man said, the waitress setting their drinks before each of them and saying that their food would be out shortly.

 

“It can be,” smiled Haruka, glancing at Keitaro. “But day-to-day, it is pretty mundane,” she said.

 

“Where were you digging?” wondered the cabby. For the next fifteen minutes, Haruka told him a little about the dig on Pararakelse Island, though she was editing it a little. When the food arrived, she and Keitaro fell on it like starving wolves, finishing their plates well before the cabby did. After a brief discussion, the two asked for some hirayachi to top off their stomachs.

 

When they were finally done - and feeling deliciously full - the three returned to the cab, and Haruka gave the man a destination. When they reached the destination, Keitaro found himself looking at a familiar face. “Welcome back to Okinawa, Keitaro, Haruka!” exclaimed Mutsumi's mother.

 

-

 

Kitsune was humming to herself as she finished the dishes, stacking them back into the cupboard. This isn't so bad, she thought to herself. I mean, it isn't really that hard, and doing it every so often isn't unreasonable, mused the girl. Besides, by doing this, I can avoid the more strenuous chores, like laundry, windows and waxing the floors, grinned the girl.

 

She had been volunteering to do the dishes on a more or less regular basis ever since Shinobu's little `vacation' several days before. Motoko and Tsuruko had been sharing daily work cycles with the small heart of the Hinata, as had Naru and Kanako, though Naru - due to classes and her therapy - didn't carry as many chores as Motoko and Tsuruko did, while Kanako focused primarily on the administrative end of things.

 

It was the first time in a long time that the older girls had been actually doing any chores around the Hinata. Kitsune supposed that since she and the others paid rent, that they could probably get away with not doing any chores, but she was ill-inclined to push the issue with the matter of the scroll still up in the air. Su is the only one not doing any chores; which is something I can completely agree with! Kitsune thought, drying her hands before putting the cloth away and moving toward the living room for a well-deserved rest.

 

It wasn't that Kaolla didn't want to help; far from it. She was eager to help out, but her `help' was often more harm than good. She had made a machine to wax the floors, but didn't see what the problem was with using steel pads to apply the wax. Over the course of an hour, she had re-worked an older model Mecha-Tama to scrub the springs, but because it was a Mecha-Tama, it could only really use its laser cannon to scrub the spring. “Girl's heart is in the right place, but her head isn't,” murmured Kitsune fondly.

 

Amalla had been asked by the other girls to curb Su's impulsive desires to invent things to make their jobs easer. She was welcome to join in, but only if she - and not some device she made - were doing the work. So, the older sister had been spending a lot of time riding herd on her younger sister. Lying back on the couch, Kitsune picked up the current track book, but did little more than leaf through it before dropping it back down on the coffee table. Sighing heartily, Kitsune wondered how long it would take Keitaro to get back. I'm all set up and ready for him, but this waiting is driving me to work! she silently complained.

 

“Kitsune,” came the quiet voice of Kanako, “we need to talk.” Blinking, Kitsune got up and followed Kanako into Keitaro's room. Closing the door behind them, Kanako knelt opposite Kitsune at the small table she used for work.

 

“What's up, Kanako?” asked the older girl.

 

“What is the deal you and Naru have about Keitaro?” Kanako cut right to the heart of the matter. Kitsune blinked. How did she learn about that? wondered Kitsune. Kanako's cold eyes held hers.

 

“What does it matter to you, sugar?” asked Kitsune calmly. Kanako's expression didn't change.

 

“You know what it matters to me. It matters to all of us,” she added. “Unless you want to have to work for a living or live by the rules of the Aoyama, you need to start working with others,” warned the girl.

 

Kitsune remembered the incident years before, after Motoko had lost to her sister, and tried to give up the sword. She had nearly driven the entire house mad with her attempts to be a `normal' woman rather than a Shinmei-ryu warrior. Kitsune fought down a shiver as she recalled Motoko's insistence that she drink vinegar instead of sake, to run and to stop gambling. That had not been a pleasant few days for her; or even for the other girls and Keitaro.

 

“What do you want to know?” asked Kitsune.

 

“Everything,” said Kanako. “How it was formed, what the terms are, your plans and contingency plans, everything,” repeated the sister of Keitaro.

 

“And why would I tell you that, Kanako? You are after him as well, right?” challenged Kitsune.

 

“Yes,” replied Kanako easily. “But you should have realized by now that if we don't unify, one of the Aoyama sisters will get him. Think about what that would mean for a minute.” Kitsune did so. She wasn't very happy with the results. “Tell me what I want to know, and I will tell you about who is in our camp,” Kanako enticed.

 

A few heartbeats later, Kitsune told her about the photos, the deal she had with Naru and the sort-of plans the two had. Kanako listened carefully, clearly planning. After a little prompting from Kitsune, she told the fox about her alliances, the current plan she and her allies were working on, and the first contingency plan. Kitsune stared at her, her eyes open fully.

 

“Shinobu came to you?” she asked, surprised. I think I might not know that girl as well as I think I do, worried Kitsune.

 

“Yes,” said Kanako, “and she also approached Naru, as well.”

 

“Hmm,” hummed Kitsune. “So, what did Naru say?” wondered the fox girl.

 

“She hasn't given us her final decision yet,” Kanako said, “but I think she will agree, given her uncertain status. Her therapy sessions have proven more effective than I had anticipated. We need her with us against the Aoyama, if for no other reason than we cannot afford for her to side with Motoko or her sister,” Kanako explained.

 

“What about Mutsumi? She is looking to marry him too, you know?” reminded the fox. Kanako nodded.

 

“I know,” she agreed, “but I doubt that she is as great a threat as the Aoyama women are. Mutsumi would be happy with a Turtle Clan marriage, while the Aoyama would insist on a traditional marriage. Also, Mutsumi would not prove as…possessive as the rigid Aoyama likely will,” Kanako opinioned. Kitsune's ears perked up at that.

 

“You have some basis for that?” wondered Kitsune.

 

“Yes,” said Kanako, but didn't elaborate any further.

 

“So, then,” Kitsune continued after a long period of silence, “you figure that as a united front, we can force the Aoyamas to the bargaining table. Ok, sounds good as far as it goes,” she said, “but what do we do when we have them there?” asked the fox girl. Kanako smiled.

 

“We get what we want,” said the girl. Kitsune watched her silently for a moment.

 

“Which `we' and how?” asked Kitsune.

 

“We as in the alliance, and as for how, well, it is a matter of being honest with yourself,” Kanako said.

 

“How so?” Kitsune sought greater detail.

 

“What is it you want most, Kitsune?” asked Kanako. The fox girl frowned. “Unless I am mistaken, what you want is not so much to marry Keitaro as to have a comfortable life, am I right?” Kanako pressed.

 

“I guess,” Kitsune said, “though I do want Keitaro close to me,” added the girl.

 

“How close?” came the brutally-direct question from Kanako. Kitsune pursed her lips. “Be honest, Kitsune,” warned Kanako.

 

“Close enough to scratch my itches,” Kitsune said. Kanako nodded.

 

“As I thought,” she said. “So, we have only to find a way to keep you here and to have access to Keitaro, and you will be happy, correct?” she capsulated. Kitsune frowned a little, but nodded.

 

“And you, Kanako?” asked the older woman. “You were hung up on marrying him, weren't you?” asked the fox.

 

“I had thought that at one point,” said Kanako. “But, with all that has happened, I have re-evaluated my goals. I can never marry him,” the girl said, scowling slightly, “but if he keeps his promise to me, and loves me at least as much as he does whoever does marry him, I won't have anything to be sad or upset about,” she said, a small, small smile on her lips.

 

“Oh, so that is how it is,” grinned Kitsune. I see why she came to me with her other plans; she and I have more in common than I thought, mused the ash-haired woman. “But, you and I both know that Shinobu-chan won't really be happy with anything short of being Misses Keitaro Urashima,” she pointed out. To her surprise, Kanako smiled.

 

“You would be surprised at how mature our little Shinobu-chan is in certain areas,” Kanako replied fondly. “She has already decided what it will take for her to be happy, and it is achievable without her being married to him,” she shared. At least, married to him under Japanese law, she left unsaid. Kitsune was interested in that tidbit, to be sure.

 

“So, what does she want?” asked Kitsune. Kanako smiled at her.

 

“You should ask her that yourself,” she suggested. “But let's set that aside for the moment,” said Kanako. “The biggest problems are pinning down the Aoyamas and being able to live with within the agreement,” she said. Kitsune frowned.

 

“What do you mean?” she asked Kanako. It sounds like how it is now, she thought.

 

“You are not that naïve, Kitsune,” Kanako said firmly. “You are fully aware of what such an arrangement will mean,” she admonished. Kitsune silently thought about it.

 

“I can share,” she said quietly. Kanako nodded.

 

“But for this to work, we all have to share,” she reminded the taller woman, “especially the one he will call his wife.”

 

“I can't see how that can work if it is Motoko or Tsuruko,” Kitsune sighed. They're both good women, but they are so stiff and overly moralistic, she thought.

 

“And that is the greatest hurdle to our plan,” nodded Kanako. “However, I believe that if we can exert enough pressure, we can bend even the stiff Aoyama sufficiently to let us all get what we want,” she said. Kitsune shrugged.

 

“That will take a lot of pressure,” she said, “but also, a delicate touch,” warned the girl. Kanako nodded.

 

“Yes, which is why we will be applying the pressure, and another will be applying the touch,” said the acting manager.