[FFML] [Love Hina] Foxheart :Chapt 1 "New Year, New Path" pt 2/3

Hey,

And the good times continue. Enjoy!

Several hours later, back at the Hinata House,
Keitaro and Naru were in the middle of what they
called a "two for one" study session. The idea was
that each of them would get a different study guide
and they would ask each other a question and then
switch who the questioner was. Keitaro currently had a
book on literature while Naru had a geography book.
"Who wrote the 106 volume story Nanso Satomi
Hakkenden?" asked Keitaro.
A) Bakin Takizawa
B) Saneatsu Mushanokoji
C) Soseki Natsume
D) Shikibi Murasaki
E) Masao Kume?"
"That's not too hard," mused the auburn-haired girl.
"Let's see, it clearly can't be Murasaki. Everyone
knows she wrote Genji Monogatari. It's not Kume
because he died only about fifty years ago. Nanso
Satomi Hakkenden is a samurai story and was written
back in those days. I'm pretty sure it was A."
"You got it," nodded Keitaro.
"Okay, it's your turn," said Naru. "We're still on
North American geography. Which of the following is
the largest of the Great Lakes?
A) Lake Huron
B) Lake Ontario
C) Lake Michigan
D) Lake Erie
E) Lake Superior?
"Lake Superior," replied Keitaro.
"That was easy. Now do me."
Keitaro's thoughts momentarily flew in a number of
lusty directions, but he managed to reign himself in
before Naru noticed. "Who wrote the poem 'The Road Not
Taken'?
A) Washington Irving
B) Mark Twain
C) Robert Frost
D) T. S. Elliot
E) Jack London?'"
Naru exhaled deeply and sighed. "Let's see, I know it
wasn't Jack London or Mark Twain. They were novelists
mostly. I'm pretty sure it wasn't T. S. Elliot too. I
think it was?gimme a sec?I know this?Robert Frost!"
"Yep," nodded Keitaro. "That's ten in a row, Naru.
Good work."
"I borrowed some of Kitsune's books the other night,"
Naru replied, the pride in her voice clear. "She
doesn't do it as much now, but she really liked to
read when she was in high school. She's got quite the
collection of stuff stashed in a box in her closet."
"Really?" said Keitaro. "I never would have pictured
her as the reading type. I guess everyone has layers
to them."
Naru's head tuned and looked in the direction of
Kitsune's room. "Yeah. I guess they do," she said
quietly.
Keitaro blinked and was about to ask Naru what she
was doing when his studymate turned back around and
looked at the book in her hand. "Uh, next question,
same topic. Which of the following is the capital of
the American state of Kansas?
A) Wichita
B) Topeka
C) Omaha
D) Lincoln
E) Smallville?
Damn, that's a tough one, " muttered Keitaro. "I know
that Omaha is in Nebraska. I don't think it's
Lincoln?I'm pretty sure Wichita is in Kansas but I
don't think it's the capital?So that means?"
"It means?" prodded Naru.
"Um, Smallville?"
Naru momentarily went stiff with disbelief. She
quickly recovered and proceeded to hurl the geography
book at Keitaro, taking great satisfaction at the
sound it made as it smashed into his face.
"You idiot! The answer is Topeka! Smallville is
Superman's hometown!"
"Whoever writes these tests has a twisted sense of
humor," grumbled Keitaro as he rubbed his face where
the book had impacted.
Naru huffed and shook her head. "Before that flub you
were seven for ten. That's actually pretty good for
you. If you study a little harder you might have a
real shot and passing the center exam that's coming up
soon."
Glad that Naru's anger seemed to have subsided
Keitaro smiled at her praise. "Thanks a lot. I think
I've got a pretty good chance of passing too. I
managed to pass the one they had last year, after
all."
"Say what?! If you passed the center exam last year
then why didn't you make the cut off for Tokyo U?"
Keitaro began to scratch the back of his head in
embarrassment. "Uh, well, the thing of it is that the
center uses mark up sheets and I goofed up on them."
"A good mechanic doesn't blame his tools," frowned
Naru. "And someone who wants in Tokyo U shouldn't
blame the mark up sheet."
Keitaro nodded, not fully paying attention. He was
currently in the middle of a semi-flashback. "I was
sure I used up all the bad luck I was due there. But
then I tanked on the second big test the next day.
Once I realized I was going to be ronin for another
year I got really depressed. Because of that my grades
started to slip until I was under 50%. That's when my
folks kicked me out of the house and I ended up here."
"Wow, that is kind of a downer. Still, you've improved
lately and so have I. If we keep this up we could both
be students at Tokyo University by spring."
Keitaro blinked and began to turn that concept over
in his mind. Me and Naru at Tokyo University? Kitsune
might have been right. Maybe this is the year I'll
finally get everything I've ever wanted. In a couple
of months I could studying law at Tokyo U. And if Naru
is the girl from my promise like I think is might be?
Naru noticed that Keitaro seemed to have gotten a
distant look on his face. "Hey, Earth to Keitaro. Come
in, Keitaro. You'd better not be thinking something
dirty!"
That last statement snapped the ronin back to
reality. "Uh, Naru?"
"Yeah?"
Keitaro looked across the table at Naru. He took a
deep breath to try and help gather the courage for
what he wanted to say next. If it means I can finally
be with that girl again and get into to Tokyo U, then
in the end what's one more risk matter?
"Naru, let's make a promise to each other right here
and now," said Keitaro, earnestly.
"A..A promise?" gulped Naru, wondering if the Hinata
House's manager had taken her praise to mean something
deeper.
Keitaro nodded. "Let's promise each other that we'll
get into Tokyo U together. You're tops in the country
on those exams and I'm a second year ronin. If anyone
deserves to get into Tokyo University it's the two of
us! If we keep at it like we have there's no way we
can fail!"
Naru took a second to process what she'd just heard
but then nodded. "You're right, Keitaro! We've come
this far and I don't plan to fail!"
Instinctively, the two suddenly grasped hands.
"Good luck to both of us!" wished Naru.
"To our double entry!" responded Keitaro.
The pair then spent a few seconds mutually reveling
in the moment. Then Naru suddenly realized Keitaro was
holding her hand. She jerked it back and blushed.
Keitaro, after coming to the same realization about
one second later, also blushed.
To shake off the embarrassment Naru stood, stretched
and adjusted her glasses. "I guess we've studied
enough for one day. Let me go back to my room and
change and we can head out. We should have a few hours
to find the others and enjoy yourselves once we get
there before the fireworks start."
"Sounds good," nodded Keitaro.
With that, Naru turned and headed for the door. But
just as she reached the threshold she stopped but
didn't turn around.
"Keitaro?"
"Yeah?"
"If try and peek at me while I change this time I'll
hit you so hard it'll put you in orbit. Around Saturn.
Got it?"
Keitaro gulped. "Got it."
As soon as Naru's footsteps vanished down the hall
Keitaro flopped back on the floor and exhaled. "It
worked," he chuckled to himself. "Kitsune was right.
People who play the long odds do win big. I took a
risk by asking Naru to make a promise like that but it
worked. Now, if I'm right and she is the girl from my
childhood, then we've double promised each other we'll
go to Tokyo U together. And no power in the universe
can top a double promise!"
Just then Keitaro heard movement up in Naru's room.
He felt his eyes drifting toward the loose piece of
wood Naru kept on her floor that served as his
ceiling. Keitaro had experienced on several occasions
Naru's fury after poking his head through that hole
uninvited. Given what had just happened between then
he had no desire to do anything that might upset the
positive air that, for the moment, existed between
them.
"So close to heaven, yet still so far away," sighed
Keitaro as he cast a final look at the hole. He then
stood and stretched.
Shortly after, Keitaro's door opened and he almost
collapsed at the sight before him. In the doorway
stood Naru wearing a finely crafted, dark blue kimono
with a pink and green flower design. There was also a
small, pink nadesico flower in her hair and a brown
stole wrapped around her shoulders.
Keitaro gaped.
"So wadda you think?" asked Naru, a quirky smile on
her face.
Still stunned by the lovely vision before him, it
took Keitaro a moment to pull his thoughts together.
"You look?great! That outfit really suits you!"
"Really?" asked Naru as she did a small pirouette to
examine the kimono. "I admit, seeing the others in
their outfits made me remember how nice it is it get
dressed up like this once in a while."
Wow, Naru looks amazing in that outfit, thought
Keitaro. If this is any indication of what that
fortune was telling me about, then this year really
could be the best of my life. Thank goodness Kitsune
talked me out of getting rid of that fortune. I'll
have to do something to thank her later.
"Ready to go?" asked Naru.
Keitaro nodded and the two headed for the door.
As they descended the stairs in front of the Hinata
House Naru suddenly turned to Keitaro. "Oh, I just
remembered. You never told us what the fortune you got
said."
The young ronin looked at Naru in her kimono and
thought over the events of the last few hours. Then he
smiled.
"Good luck. It said I'm going to have lots of good
luck this year."

~*~

Keitaro took a deep breath and focused. Before him
was the enemy, the one he'd vowed to vanquish.
"Come on, Keitaro," pleaded Naru. "Just admit defeat.
This is a fight you just can't win."
"No way! If I can't win then I am not a man!"
"You barely qualify as a man now," muttered Naru
under her breath.
Keitaro felt the weight of his weapon in his right
hand. With this instrument he would fell the one
before him and show Naru what he was really made of.
Some inner instinct told the ronin that now was the
time to strike. Keitaro hurled his weapon forward?
?and missed utterly.
"Ya sure the prescription on those glasses is up to
date, kiddo?" asked the gaunt man who stood behind the
counter of the carnival booth.
Keitaro whimpered. Since arriving back at the temple
almost an hour ago he and Naru had been having a good
time. They taken in the attractions, had some shaved
ice, people watched, chatted about a few things and
generally had an enjoyable time. Much to Keitaro's
delight.
It seemed that his roll of good fortune was still
going.
But then Keitaro had decided to try an impress Naru
by winning her a stuffed animal at one of the booths.
Using an old softball to knock down a few stacked milk
bottles had seemed like no challenge at all. Now,
after several failures, Keitaro had a sinking feeling
his run of luck was over.
"Give it up, Keitaro," signed Naru. "You've been at
this for over fifteen minutes, have already blow
around �2,000 and you still haven't even come close.
Call it quits already!"
"No!" retorted Keitaro and gabbed up another ball and
hurled it. The ball fell like a rock right in front of
the platform where the bottles rested.
"Ooooooh, ya were so close," said the booth worker,
unconvincingly. "You've got one more ball to toss.
Then it'll be another �200 for three more. Come on,
kiddo. Ya wanna win yer girlfriend a prize, don't
'cha?"
"Hey!" shouted Naru. "I'm not his girlfriend! He's
just a perverted second year ronin I happen to live
with!"
The carnie let out an impressed whistle and nudged
Keitaro in the ribs. "You're a second year ronin and
ya managed not only to get a hot little number like
that for your girlfriend, but you're living together
to boot? What's yer secret, kiddo? If I could get a
sweet little thing like that for myself I'd dump that
frigid scarecrow I call a wife in a New York minute."
"No! No! It's not like that! I'm not like that at
all!" sputtered Keitaro.
"Both of you are disgusting!" howled Naru. She then
rushed forward and dealt Keitaro a punch to the head
that sent him tumbling to the ground. The carnie
jumped back fearing the same fate.
"Have fun trading dating advice, you sickos!" spat
Naru as she stomped off.
Keitaro then stood, dusted himself off and sighed.
"That confirms it. My good luck is over."
"Crap in a hat!" gulped the carnie. "Suddenly a
frigid, gangly wife don't seem so bad. Better to have
to deal with a woman who can't put out then one who'll
beat a guy senseless."
Keitaro gave the man a disgusted look. "Hey, don't
you talk like that about her! Naru may have temper but
she's also very nice and kind. Someone like you
wouldn't understand that!"
"Uh, sure, kiddo," replied the carnie, nervously. For
all he knew the guy could be as violent as the girl.
"Look, you've got one ball left to throw. Why don't ya
toss it and then go? After that I think I'll close up
early."
Before Keitaro could respond the worker shoved the
last ball into his hand. Keitaro looked at it for a
moment and sighed. "Forget it."
He then turned began to walk away. As he did he
casually tossed the ball back toward the booth over
his shoulder. The ronin stopped dead in his tracks a
second later as the sound of half a dozen milk bottles
falling to the ground filled the air. Keitaro whipped
around in disbelief.
No way! he thought.
But sure enough, through some cosmic fluke, Keitaro
had knocked the bottles over.
"Well I'll be dipped," muttered the booth worker as
he scratched his head in amazement. The man then
reached over to the prize wall, grabbed a stuffed
green frog about a foot and a half high and tossed it
to Keitaro. Somehow he managed to catch it.
"That's some damn strange luck ya got there, kiddo,"
said the carnie. "I hope that luck's with ya when yer
dealin' with that girl. Somethin' tells me yer gonna
need it."
With that, the man quickly closed the shutters on his
booth.
"'Strange luck'?" repeated Keitaro.
The young man shook his head to try and clear it and
then looked down at his prize. "Hey, I know this toy.
It's one of those Hello Kitty characters. KeroKero or
something like that. Maybe if I give this to Naru
later it'll help her to forgive me."
Keitaro then suddenly flashed back to the angry look
Naru had worn as she'd left. Suddenly his prospects of
forgiveness seemed much dimmer. "Aaahhh, dammit! And
things between us had been going so well the last few
hours!"
With a final sigh Keitaro tucked the toy under his
arm and headed off to try and find Naru and the other
girls.

~*~

"This sucks," mumbled Keitaro.
It had been almost an hour since Naru had stomped off
and despite his best efforts Keitaro had had no luck
finding her or any of the other girls. The fireworks
were due to start in about forty minutes and Keitaro
was growing worried that he'd end up watching them
alone. As if that wasn't bad enough everywhere the
ronin looked he seemed to see couples walking,
smiling, joking and flirting, all hand in hand.
As he watched yet another happy couple stroll by
Keitaro let out a small whine. "One minute I'm one
cloud nine and now I'm down in the dumps. Maybe I
should have tied that damn fortune to a tree after
all.
"No, I'm being silly. It was Naru's temper and my
usual bad luck that caused this. Blaming that fortune
is silly. Still, watching all these couples together
isn't making me feel any better. Maybe I should just
go be by myself for a minute before I start looking
for the girls again."
With plan in hand Keitaro began to look for a spot
where he could grab a moment of solitude. He soon
spotted a darkened and empty area of the temple's
garden. The ronin then quickly headed there.
With some space between him and the crowd Keitaro
began to relax a bit. "Ah, this is better," said
Keitaro as he walked down the garden path.
For few minutes Keitaro simply walked down the path
letting the silence and darkness of the garden drain
his stress away. But his peace was suddenly shattered
when something caught the ronin's eye. Nearby lay the
figure of a woman spread haphazardly on the grass.
"Hey! Hey, miss! Are you okay?" called Keitaro as he
ran over to the woman.
As he did so the woman groggily raised herself up off
the grass and looked at him. "Huh? Wha? Oh, hey,
Keitaro! Fancy meetin' you here," slurred Kitsune.
The drunken girl then began to look around. "Hey, what
are we doing here?" Kitsune then grinned one of her
trademark fox-like grins. "Were you feeling lonely,
Keitaro? Is that why you dragged me to this secluded
little spot? And with so many people nearby! How
naughty and romantic! I never thought you were that
type."
"No! No! No!" blanched the ronin. "I was taking a walk
in the garden and found you laying on the grass. I
swear!"
"Too bad," huffed Kitsune. "Some girls like guys who
are a little on the bold side." The fox-girl's grin
now turned amazingly seductive. "You know, Keitaro,
I've always thought you were kinda cute."
Cute?! Did a girl really just call me cute!? Keitaro
thought as his heart began to pound.
"In a nerdy, hopeless loser sort of way, that is."
Keitaro collapsed to the ground in disappointment.
"Whadda ya, say Keitaro?" said Kitsune in a voice
that made the ronin feel like he was going to melt.
"We're all alone and technically it's still New Year's
Day. We can still celebrate."
Keitaro's heart was now beating so fast he was sure
it was going to burst out of his chest and go flying
through the air at any moment. "C-ce-celebrate!?"
"It doesn't have to mean anything. Just two people
chasing the loneliness away for a little while,"
assured the girl as she crawled forward seductively.
Despite himself Keitaro couldn't help but notice that
Kitsune's kimono was now rather loose. Plus, with the
way she was moving towards him, he was getting view of
his housemate's ample bosom that bordered on indecent.

"Com on, Keitaro. I've been around the block a few
times. An older girl like me can show you everything
you've ever dreamed of and more."
This can't be happening! thought Keitaro. No way in
hell could anything this good ever happen to me! Then
again, that fortune?
"Still thinking it over?" sighed Kitsune. "Maybe this
will help you make up your mind."
With that, Kitsune turned her back to Keitaro. Seconds
later her kimono slid off her shoulders and down
almost to her waste. With her back to him as it was,
Keitaro couldn't clearly see anything too forbidden,
but the sight of the smooth skin of Kitsune's back was
more than enough send Keitaro's already extremely
excited senses into overload.
"Carpe dium time, Keitaro," whispered Kitsune,
softly.
Good God, what do I do now? thought the ronin.
It was at that moment, in a puff of metaphor, that
three tiny figures appeared on either side of
Keitaro's head.
The two figures on Keitaro's left looked exactly like
his friends Haitani and Shirai. The only difference
was that this Haitani and Shirai wore devil costumes
complete with tails, horns and pitchforks.
The sole figure that appeared on Keitaro's right, in
contrast, looked just like Shinobu. Only this Shinobu
wore a pure white gown, had wings jutting from her
back, a bright halo over her head and a golden harp in
one hand.
"What this hell are you waiting for, idiot!" shouted
Devil Haitani. "She's raring and ready to go and
you're sitting on your ass trying to figure out if you
should go for it or not! No wonder you're still a
virgin and a ronin!"
"Yeah!" added Devil Shirai. "We know what your
fantasies are and something like this certainly
qualifies as one of them come true."
Keitaro nodded as he looked at Kitsune. "Well, I'd be
lying if I said something like this had never crossed
my mind?"
"Sempai, don't listen to them!" implored Angel
Shinobu. "Kitsune's clearly had to much to drink and
doesn't really know what she's doing. I know you're
not the type who'd take advantage of her like that."
"It's true, I can smell the sake on her even from over
here," admitted Keitaro.
"Don't listen to Little Miss Goody Goody," snorted
Devil Haitani. "So what if she's drunk? Kitsune's half
drunk all the time and nobody questions her ability to
make decisions then. After twenty years without so
much as a date you deserve this!"
"And clearly Kitsune's a girl with a few notches on
her lipstick case, if you know what I mean," said
Devil Shirai. "What's wrong with you being one more?"
"You don't really think that Kitsune is?that sort of
person," rebutted Angel Shinobu before Keitaro could
reply. "Just because she's uninhibited doesn't mean
she's? that she's a?a?"
"Slut?" suggested Devil Shirai.
"A total spread machine?" offered Devil Haitani.
"Hey!" snapped Keitaro. "Shinobu's right! I don't
think of Kitsune like that!"
"Bzzzzt! Wrong!" retorted Devil Haitani. "The both of
us are manifestations of your inner feelings and
thoughts. Ergo, because we see her that way that means
part of you does too."
Keitaro gulped. He wanted to refute Devil Haitani's
claim, but in his heart he knew what he'd heard wasn't
totally untrue.
"Don't let them trick you like that," warned Angel
Shinobu. "It's true that they're some of your feelings
given voice and form. But so am I. I'm the part of you
that knows that, despite her flaws, Kitsune is a good
person. I'm the part of you that cares about Kitsune
as a person and would never want to hurt her. The same
way you don't want to hurt the real Shinobu or the
other girls.
"You're the Hinata House's landlord. That means the
girls rely on you to take care of their home even them
to a degree. If you took advantage of Kitsune now do
you think they'd ever trust you again? The real
Shinobu's faith in you as her sempai would be
destroyed. Plus, Naru would hate you forever for
taking advantage of her best friend."
"N-Naru would hate me? Forever?" said Keitaro.
"Ah, crap," grumbled Devil Haitani. "She would have to
go and use the N-word."
"We're boned," sighed Devil Shirai.
It was then that another figure appeared to Keitaro's
left. This figure also had horns, a tail and a
pitchfork. But this new devil hand on garters, a lacy
red bra with matching thong underwear and just
happened to look like exactly like Kitsune.
"Oh no, not her!" gasped Angel Shinobu.
"Cripes, can't you losers do anything right?" growled
Devil Kitsune.
"Kitsune?!" asked Keitaro as he stared hard at the
newcomer to his inner mental debate.
"The answer to is yes and no. Actually it's just no,"
said Devil Kitsune. "But that's not important right
now. What's important is that you've had a sure thing
fall into your lap and you're thinking about running
away before that sexy little thing over there has a
chance to do anything to your lap or any other part of
you body."
"Don't listen to her!" urged Angel Shinobu. "She'll
say anything to get you to do what she wants. She's a
manifestation of?of your?" Angel Shinobu trailed off
and then blushed deeply.
"Aw, what's the matter, Ms. Morality?" mocked Devil
Kitsune. "Are you so inhibited you can't even say the
word? Fine, I'll do it. Plain and simple, I'm a
manifestation of your lust, Keitaro."
"'My?my lust?!" repeated Keitaro, shocked.
"Is he going to repeat everything any of us say?"
complained Devil Haitani. Devil Shirai just shrugged.
"Kitsune's a big girl, handsome," assured Devil
Kitsune in a voice like silk. "If tonight she wants to
share a little body heat with you why pass it up? And
don't worry about the other girls. It'll just be a
little secret between you two. Besides, the both of
you are adults. How is what the two of you do in your
spare time any of their business?"
Keitaro made a distraught sound and began to quickly
look back and forth between the devils and the angel.
"Please, sempai! You know what the right thing to do
is!" implored Angel Shinobu, her eyes filled with
hope.
"Come on, Keitaro!" urged Devil Kitsune "The chance to
kiss virginity goodbye is right in front of you. All
you have to do it take it!"
"It's time to finally get your freak on!" yelled Devil
Shirai.
"If you pass this chance up you'll be a disgrace to
every man who ever lived," warned Devil Haitani.
Keitaro felt his dual nature raging within him. But as
with all battles eventually one side claimed victory.
"I?can't do it!" he yelled. "I won't take advantage of
Kitsune like this! I'm her landlord and, at least in
my eyes, her friend to a degree. That means it's my
job to take care of her and help her when she needs
it. Right now she needs someone to get her home safe
and that's what I'll do!"
"Yay, sempai!" cheered Angel Shinobu. "I knew you'd do
the right thing!"
Devil Kitsune glared at Keitaro. "Loser! I hope you
enjoy having never been with a woman when you're
eighty!"
"I guess I won't be getting any use out of this,"
sighed Devil Shirai as he pulled out a mini video
camera. "Talk about a bummer."
"You know, just because the loser over there isn't
interested doesn't mean you have to go
home?unsatisfied," said Devil Haitani to Devil
Kitsune. "If you're lonely Shirai and I-ACK!!"
Devil Haitani was cut off as Devil Kitsune began to
bash him in the head with her pitchfork. "Like I'd
ever do you losers!" spat Devil Kitsune just before
going after Devil Shirai.
"Mommy!" screamed Devil Shirai as Devil Kitsune began
to pummel him.
"You're a good person, Keitaro," smiled Angel Shinobu.
"That's why you're my sempai."
With that, the devils and angel both vanished. Since
the four had all been a part of Keitaro's mind the
preceding conversation had happened at the speed of
thought. As such, only about one second had elapsed in
the real world.
Kitsune still awaited Keitaro's answer.
Deciding to get this over quickly Keitaro hopped up,
hustled over to Kitsune and, while turning his head
away, pulled her kimono back up over her shoulders. He
then hauled the drunken girl to her feet and quickly
made sure that the sash on her kimono was tied
tightly. Finally, seeing that his housemate was
unsteady on her feet, he put one arm around her waste
and tossed one of her arms over his shoulder.
"Awww, does this mean you don't wanna have fun,
Kei-ta-ro-chan?" asked Kitsune in a singsong voice.
"You're drunk, Kitsune. I'd be lying if I said I
wasn't tempted, but I'm not going to take advantage of
you when you're like this. I'm not that sort of guy.
And don't call me Keitaro-chan. Only grandma gets to
call me that now that I'm an adult."
"Feh, it's your lose."
"Yeah, I know," murmured Keitaro under his breath.
"Just how much did you have to drink anyway? I don't
think I've ever seen you this drunk."
"I stopped counting after the twentieth one. Or maybe
it was thirty. Whatever. By then I was sorta havein'
trouble walkin', nevermind counting."
"Twenty or thirty drinks? Jeez, haven't you ever heard
of alcohol poisoning?"
"Alcohol poison?" slurred Kitsune. "Oh, yeah, I've had
those a few times. They make 'em with tomato juice and
lemon twist, right? Oh, man, will those things knock
you on you ass fast!"
Keitaro just shook his head. "Come on, let's get you
home."
"Oh, I see. You wanna do it back the Hinata! While the
cats are away the mice will play, eh?"
Keitaro could feel his emotions swirling around inside
of him. Embarrassment, anger, lust, worry and duty
churned steadily. Ill equipped to deal with such
feelings, he just wanted for the night to be over.
It was then that Keitaro spotted the KeroKero doll
he'd won laying on the ground. It all the excitement
he hadn't even noticed he'd dropped it. It was a bit
of a balancing act with a drunken girl on his
shoulder, but Keitaro managed to retrieve the doll
without falling over.
"Cute toy," said Kitsune. "Is it for me?"
"No, it certainly isn't," snapped Keitaro.
Just for a second Kitsune's eyes seemed to come out of
the fog of alcohol and show a hint of pain. But just
as quickly it faded and the girl was all drunken
happiness again.
The ronin then took a deep breath. Yelling at Kitsune
isn't going to help, he thought. I just need to get
her out of here. The sooner the better.
With that, Keitaro began to walk/haul Kitsune back
toward the festival area.
"Sometimes you wanna go where knows your
naaaaaaame?And they're always glad you caaaaaaame?You
wanna go where you see troubles are all the same?. You
wanna go where everybody knows your naaaaaame!" sang
Kitsune in drunken merriment.
Keitaro just rolled his eyes.
"Sempai! Are you here?" called a voice, suddenly.
"Scooby Doo, where are you?" came another voice.
"Was that?Shinobu and Su?" blinked Keitaro.
"Sounds like," answered Kitsune. "YO! SHINOBU! SU!
OVER HERE!"
"There's no need to scream, you know," reprimanded
Keitaro.
Kitsune just snickered.
Just then Shinobu and Su appeared. "Oh, sempai, there
you are," said Shinobu. "I?I mean, we were getting
worried about you. The fireworks show is going to
start soon."
"Wow, Kitsune totally reeks of booze!" exclaimed Su.
"Did she turn over a sake table this time?"
"No, but I'm pretty sure she drank one all by
herself," sighed Keitaro. "Actually, it's lucky I ran
into you two. Kitsune is in no shape to take care of
herself so I'm going to have to take her home. Do you
two know where Naru or Motoko is?"
Shinobu nodded. "Yes, they're near the shrine's main
bell. That's where all of us were supposed to meet
just before the fireworks start."
"Good, go back there and tell them that Kitsune isn't
well and that I had to take her home." Keitaro then
turned a bit red. "And, uh, tell Naru that I'm sorry.
Uh, about missing the fireworks."
Shinobu felt massive disappointment that she wouldn't
be able to watch the fireworks with Keitaro. But even
she could smell the sake on Kitsune and knew that her
wellbeing had to come first. "I understand, sempai.
I'll be sure to tell them."
"Hey, who's the doll for?" asked Su.
Keitaro glanced at the stuff frog. He couldn't give it
to Naru now, that was for sure. Having Su or Shinobu
give it didn't seem right nor did giving it to Naru
the next day.
Keitaro suddenly glanced at Shinobu. You know, it
never really occurred to me just how responsible
Shinobu is. She's only thirteen but she does lots of
chores around the house really well and never
complains. Heck, she's even helping me out with this
mess. I wonder if maybe we all haven't been taking
here a bit for granted.
It was then that inspiration struck.
"Actually this is for Shinobu," informed Keitaro.
"For me!?" gasped Shinobu as she began to turn red.
Keitaro, who was blushing a bit himself, nodded. "I
won it at one of the booths a little while back. I
figured this doll is cute and Shinobu is cure and I
know that she likes stuffed animals so, uh, here."
Shinobu, who was a shade of red that any beet would
envy, accepted the doll and then bowed deeply. "Thank
you, sempai. I'll, um, treasure it."
At least I made one of the girls happy tonight,
thought the ronin with a smile.
"It's been nice talkin' to ya but Keitaro needs to get
going so he can get me in bed!" said Kitsune.
Instantly Keitaro stiffed and Shinobu seemed about to
cry.
"Uh oh, Keitaro's up to something naughty!" shouted
Su.
"That's not true!" protested Keitaro. "You both know
how Kitsune gets when she's drunk!" The ronin then
focused on Shinobu. "Please, Shinobu, you know I
wouldn't do something like that!"
The older boy's seemed to seemed to calm Shinobu down
and she nodded. "Yes, I know you'd never do something
like that, sempai. Kitsune's just being?uh, silly."
"Thanks, for believing in me," said Keitaro. "Anyway,
we'd better get going. I'll see the both of you
tomorrow."
"Yeah, do not disturb," mumbled Kitsune, more to
herself than anyone.
"We'll be sure to tell Naru and Motoko what you said,"
assured Shinobu.
"Hey, Shinobu, let's get going," insisted Su. "I don'
wanna miss the fireworks."
Keitaro gave the girls a quick nod and then led
Kitsune off into the night.

~*~

Skyrocket

=====
"..and Harry Potter and all his little wizard friends went straight to HELL for practicing witchcraft :: Ned Flanders

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