Disclaimer: I do not own and did not create DBZ or its characters. Any original characters are mine and are not to be used without written permission.
I just noticed I left Radditzu out of the character list, and I'm rather ashamed of myself, so I added him to the list. I went back and fixed some typos too, I hope they weren't too noticeable. In any case, I hope you enjoy this new chapter! Many thanks to the four who reviewed, I enjoyed them very much. I'm sorry this chapter is so long, but I wanted to give you a closer look at everyone and their motives. If you'd like to be on the update mailing list for this and other stories, please say so either in your review, or send me an email saying such at
Chapter Two: I Ain't Afraid of No Ghosts!
Juuhachi lay prone and spread-eagled on ChiChi's flowered comforter, ill at ease. Propping herself up on one arm, she ran her fingers down the dark blue pants of her uniform. ChiChi and Buruma chattered in the background, alternately staring at themselves in ChiChi's floor length mirror and rifling through her closet. Buruma wanted something sexy and that was definitely hard to find in ChiChi's closet. Juuhachi grimaced to herself. ChiChi's dad sure was a prick, but she could see the clothing angle. She didn't wear sexy clothing anymore, as she had when she first reached her teens. She'd wanted to prove herself all grown up, and since her mother was too busy working to take her out for new clothes, she'd simply pressed money into Juuhachi's palm and told her she'd have to shop for it herself. She still remembered the reactions she'd gotten. Perhaps that's why she preferred wearing the boy's uniform to school, it suited her well, and it kept more things covered. When she wanted more attention from the men she'd claimed, she was naked anyhow. It was best to be comfortable, and the cut of the suit fitted her boyish figure better than the pleated skirt and dress shirt.
"Hey Juu? Do'ya think you could help me coax our little prude into something a tiny bit more revealing. There's no sense not using all our God given gifts to win this bet..." Buruma pursed her lips as she stood, one hand on her hip, analyzing ChiChi's figure, which was clothed only in a bra from the waist up.
"I'm not a freaking doll for you to play with Buruma," ChiChi glared, crossing her arms over her full breasts in an attempt to hide them. She still was shy and awkward when it came to her body, even though she'd gained most of her figure more than four years previous. Her father didn't help much. "If you want someone to do your sick, manipulative mind trip on, why don't you try Yamucha. I mean, isn't that what he's around for?"
Buruma rolled her eyes. "Of course Chi, but it gets so boring yanking him around. I like fresh meat once in awhile you know. You can only say you're waiting for true love for so long to one guy before he tries to pull that blue balls crap." She shuddered and picked a tiny bit of fuzz off one of ChiChi's sweaters. "He's just as dumb as the rest of them, they think that if they bide their time they'll get in my pants," she snorted and finished mockingly, "and it'll be so incredibly explosive because I'm such a sex kitten."
ChiChi sat on the bed next to Juuhachi, crumpling the blue uniform pants she wore that were the girls alternative to a skirt. She laughed somewhat nastily. "Oh what wouldn't I give to see the reaction on Yamucha's face if he knew what you really are, Little Miss Virginity."
Juuhachi smirked. "I don't think he knows what a virgin is, I mean, one can only bed whores for so long before they lose understanding of the concept!"
"Eh, enough about that pathetic dipshit," Buruma waved a closely-clipped manicured hand, "he's a man, and men in general sicken me."
"You're preaching to the choir there," Juuhachi drawled sardonically, while ChiChi nodded in agreement.
"But if I know anything," Buruma continued, ignoring the proverbial peanut gallery, "it's how men work. They're totally ruled by their hormones, especially at this age. All it takes is a low cut shirt here, a little show of cleavage there, a bit of fawning and fluttering your eyelashes like a doe-eyed moron, and they're putty in your hands."
"So what you're saying," ChiChi coughed discreetly. "Is that we act like sluts, we win the bet, and we count on them not saying anything and ruining our-- my reputation?"
"Ahhh my little ChiChi," purred Buruma, "How little you know of them. Vejiita'll never admit to anything, especially after they lose. It's a win-win situation, at least for our side." She cackled. "You know how much I enjoy one-upping that little troll..."
"Beh, you're entirely too obsessed with that creep." Juuhachi rose from the bed and stripped off her shirt.
"If anyone's obsessed, it's you, Juu," mumbled ChiChi, "You're always staring at that little bald midget out of the corners of your eyes..."
Juuhachi opened and closed her mouth, but no words came forth, though to ChiChi it looked a lot like 'fuck you.'
"Oh come off it Juu, we know you like him, you've had this little thing for him since ninth grade when you started dating that little cocksucker Toshi," Buruma paused, "knowing you, you're what turned him completely gay with all that dominance shit. He wasn't emotionally strong enough for it, poor bastard." She frowned. "Why do you always take the pretty ones?!" she whined, apparently to God, as she stared forlornly at the ceiling.
Juuhachi guffawed loudly. "You're just sorry you never got to play with him yourself! I never even slept with him. He never was anything but gay! Besides, I am soooo over men." She followed Buruma's example by choosing entirely black clothing, to better camouflage herself. "You sleep with them once and they expect you to sleep with them again! And then when you tell them you were just using them for a quick lay they get all pissed off. Eh, such hypocrites, its not like they were doing anything else themselves. No, wait, I retract that, men want quick no-attachment lays and an adoring living doll that'll bend to all their commands and fawn over them to the point of insanity." She finished dressing quickly in a pair her pants and one of Buruma's severely tight tops, although it was much looser around Juuhachi's bust line, and proceeded to brush her shoulder-length blond hair till it shone.
"Now Chi, you can't really expect to be a slut in a turtleneck, honestly...what does your father think you are? A leper?" Buruma scowled as she rummaged through the clothes she had brought and tried to coax ChiChi into a tight leather tube top that looked more like a giant pastie than a blouse.
Juuhachi smiled softly to herself. Kuririn is kind of cute, even if he is a 'little bald midget' as ChiChi says... I just really don't see myself with him in my minds eye. I mean, God, I really can't see myself thinking about him that way, period. I can't believe I'm actually following this train of thought, its like my brain took a left turn at self-restraint and went and had a head on collision with starry-eyed mush head. The last time I was mooning over some boy was before... She stopped. And on top of everything, he's friends with Goku and Vejiita. Goku isn't too terrible, he's just a moron, but Vejiita...he's probably the biggest asshole ever to grace the world with his presence. I know I shouldn't hold that against Kuririn, but really, why would he be friends with Vejiita if he was any different from him? I just wish that there was true love, that there were soul mates. That's what I've always wanted, someone who'll stay with me forever. Too bad it doesn't exist except in faerie tales... I'm not asking for perfection, just someone who'd be good to me. But are men really capable of that? If you hear my mother talk, my father was wonderful, but where did that get her? She gave up everything, and he still left her, with twins on top of it. Kuririn could be the one meant for me, but how would I know? Trying to make excuses for someone I barely know doesn't mean anything...
"Do you really think my father would let me out of the house wearing this? What the fuck are you smoking now? Or maybe you've moved onto snorting cocaine, and that's why your genius IQ seems to be dropping at an incredible rate," demanded ChiChi sarcastically of Buruma. Juuhachi raised her eyebrow at her friend's blouse. It actually showed...skin?!
"Chi, its like the most modest thing I own! Just because you show some skin doesn't mean you're not chaste, or does your father not notice this isn't the medieval era?" Buruma stopped ChiChi from pulling up the off-the-shoulder black blouse so that it covered her breasts entirely. "I mean, look at me!" She twirled experimentally, showing off her pair of baggy pants that sat low on the hips and tight across the ass, and a low cut, midriff baring, sleeveless shirt that was so tight that it appeared painted on if one didn't look close enough. Both were of ebony, and they made for a striking contrast against her milky complexion.
"Bah, ChiChi, you look beautiful, not slutty," Juuhachi laughed. "Besides, you look really nice in that shirt, it makes your breasts look almost as big as Buruma's, while mine remain pitifully small in comparison." She ended without much remorse. She liked her body. It was a nicely proportioned figure, although on a smaller scale then either of her friends, but it made for easier fighting; if her two friends were to try, she knew they'd most likely end up binding their chests so that their breasts couldn't get in their way. She was beautiful, she knew this, or rather, she was told it often enough that it didn't matter what she really thought. However...it was a lithe and sleek, feline sort of beauty, as opposed to ChiChi's soft and sweet womanly curves, or Buruma's lush overripe temptations. But still, at times, especially when she mentally compared herself to her friends, as all women do...she felt somewhat insecure. She felt gangly and all limbs when measured up to others, though it only irritated her deep inside. "Those pants make your ass look really good too..."
"But what about my legs, eh Juu? Ahh well...those have always been your strong suit anyway." ChiChi complimented her friend in return, and mumbled something under her breath about the horrors of unchecked cellulite.
"I kind of think Goku's an ass man anyway...so you needn't worry too much," Juuhachi remarked slyly. ChiChi spluttered and spat some of the soda she had just sipped across the room.
"As much as I hate to break up your little love fest, we have to be there around ten and it's 'most that now..." Buruma smirked as she patted her hair in front of the mirror. "Damn, am I smokin' hot tonight!"
Juuhachi and ChiChi rolled their eyes at Buruma's self-centered vanity, and ChiChi pulled on a large sweater over her shirt, which she would remove when they got to their destination. All three of them gathered their purses and hoped to sneak down the stairs and out the front door without running into ChiChi's father, who was still at home.
"ChiChi! Where are you three going so late?!" Mau Gyuu was a large, hulking man of about fifty-five, and he towered over all three girls like a giant, standing to the right of the front door, and blocking their exit as surely as if he had barricaded it.
Bah, you'd think someone like him would be out picking up women on a Friday night. She flicked her blond hair over one shoulder.
ChiChi opened her mouth to answer but Buruma was faster. In one fluid motion she flung her arms wide, tittering in a perfect imitation of her mother, and knocking ChiChi to the side. She knew ChiChi couldn't lie to her father, or hold up to his penetrating gaze. "Oh we're going to go see a movie at Maylin Sayue Theater, and then we're going back to my house to spend the night. My momma is gonna give us manicures and pedicures, and then we're going to make some brownies, you know how us girls love chocolate, don't you Mau-san?" She giggled vapidly.
Mau Gyuu studied them closely for a minute and relaxed. "It is good that you're finally starting to act like a real girl, Buruma, I thought you'd turn into an old maid because of your obsession with those stupid machines. No sane man would go for a woman who couldn't accept being in the place where she should be: in the home and with the children. You may go this time, ChiChi, but next time I will not be so lenient. You will tell me of your plans beforehand so that I may make sure they are proper for a girl your age." Buruma's face hardened for a second, her eyes glinting, but then she laughed. His lips quirked upwards slightly, different from his usual look of stolid hollowness, and he asked about ChiChi's boyfriend, watching carefully for her response.
"Georgie's ok, I guess..." ChiChi spoke the words woodenly.
"Must I remind you, 'ChiChi-san' that he is George Henry Worthington-West III, second cousin to the Crown Prince, and fourth in the line for succession! You will treat him with the respect and honor he deserves, being your better as royalty and a man. But, of course your inferior feminine intellect couldn't comprehend anything beyond pretty dresses and stupid boyfriends," he snorted derisively, "Don't you understand that if –-when–- you wed him, you will make us part of the royal family?! You could possibly be queen someday because of that, what I've always brought you up to be. His father is simply a business colleague to me now, but think of what connections there would be for Julian and I if we were as close as blood?! You will please him, above and beyond what you have been trained to be, if necessary."
ChiChi gasped as she realized the implications of what her father meant, her cheeks flaming. "Yes sir..." The cool monotone of her voice and her stiff movements made her seem almost artificial; a doll-child pawn in the great game of chess her father commanded.
"Good girl, I will make you worthy of my house yet." He stepped aside to let them pass.
As soon as the door closed behind them, Buruma stared at her friend, horrified. "How can you stand him Chi?! I mean, my dad wants me to take over Capsule Corp. someday, but its not like he'd force me into it!" She asked incredulously, eyes still wide.
"Not to mention he basically asked her to sell her body to some sick, inbred bastard in exchange for power, and in front of her friends!" Juuhachi intoned, her eyes chilly.
"I'm counting the days until I can go off to college. With my brains and his money, I should be able to go anywhere I want...I've already begged him to let me, the only reason he's going to is because the current queen has her degree. Then I can get the hell out of this town and never come back, ever." The last four words were spoken like a vow reaffirmed.
"Well..." Buruma broke the silence that had sprung up between the three as they walked down ChiChi's expansive driveway. "We should really get going, and try and forget about all of that." She grinned wolfishly at ChiChi, and de-capsuled her car, a pure black convertible that was sure to have a souped up engine.
ChiChi blanched. "Oh, no, no no no! I am not letting you drive, last week I practically had a heart attack when we swerved past that tractor-trailer!" She shuddered visibly. "Save it for the race track!"
"Come on Chi," Juuhachi smirked at her apprehensive friend. "Besides, if you die, then your father will have to marry George himself!" They pushed ChiChi into the car, much to ChiChi's displeasure.
"Yeah Chi, where's your sense of adventure?" Buruma grinned and then hit the gas pedal, hard and fast. The car took off with a crescendo of piercing screeches, both from the tires and ChiChi's lips.
Kuririn paced nervously in front of the temple door. He really hoped his grandfather was as heavy of a sleeper as he was proported to be. He wasn't supposed to be out after midnight, and if he got caught, heaven knows what his father, or god forbid, his mother would do if they got ahold of him. He scratched frantically at his neck under the collar of his training robes, the itchiness of the fabric made all the more worse with the anticipation of punishment. He wondered how his companions could keep so cool. Vejiita, he supposed, wouldn't care even if he was caught. Goku's grandfather was ill enough that he was bedridden much of the time, but not so bad that he needed constant care through the night. There was no way he would know. And, Kuririn chuckled to himself, it would take a lobotomy for Radditzu to chide his brother for staying out late with three 'lovely' ladies. Perhaps that was what was kicking him into overdrive. He couldn't really say he was scared of any of the three girls...at least when it came to his personal safety. Buruma made him nervous with her blatant sexuality, though he personally thought she was just a tease because of all the conflicting rumors floating around. ChiChi wasn't really strong enough to do much damage, unless of course one counted eardrums. Juuhachi though strong, probably couldn't and if she could, wouldn't beat him....to...death. She definitely was strong for a female, though. He tugged at his collar, feeling the sweat start to collect in the fabric at the back of his neck.
Goku chewed happily on one of a batch of double chocolate chip cookies he'd baked in his Home Economics: An In-depth Study of Culinary Arts course that morning. Noticing Kuririn pacing, he quirked an eyebrow and bestowed upon his friend the highest of honors: he held out a cookie with an offering gesture. Kuririn refused, responding,
"I don't really feel like cleaning puke off the shrine steps this late at night."
Goku swallowed, his Adam's apple bobbing as he gulped down the last of his milk. "Why're you so nervous, I know you're scared of girls, but usually you're not about to blow chunks." He cocked his head to the side like an inquisitive bird, and his eyes shone darkly in the moonlight. "Is it because you like one of them?"
"That's positively amazing, Kakkarott, you've actually managed to point out the obvious without having it hammered into you through repetitive explanations. The planets must have aligned or something equally miraculous. Next you'll be telling me one plus one is two and actually understand it!"
Goku irritably looked over his shoulder at his friend, but took no offense at the insult. "I've told you Vejiita, my name isn't Kakkarott. I'm getting it changed as soon as I'm eighteen. My name is Goku, and it'll always be Goku. I want no part in the name my so-called-parents gave me." He spoke softly, but with a force that went against his usually placidity.
"So you would continue deny all ties to our ancestors?" Vejiita hissed, referring to the fact both he and Goku were descended from the fierce warrior tribes of the south western part of the great continent. "I won't! No matter how far you try to run from it, no matter how much you twist and turn, it is there, it is part of you. We are warriors, born and bred, and no matter how much you play with you fucking pots and pans will ever change that. I will call you by your real name, not the pathetic semblance of one you choose to hide behind."
Goku ignored him for the time being, and simply asked cheekily, "Which one do you like Kuririn? Is it Buruma? She does look a lot like Maron..."
Seeing the murderous look on Vejiita's face at the mention of the blue-haired girl, Kuririn quickly responded without thinking, "Buruma? Ahhh, no way! Maron was a complete idiot anyway. Besides, she was all boobs and I," he blushed scarlet, "I kinda...go more for legs..."
"It's obviously the blond then, Kakkarott, before you kill more of what little braincells you have by trying to decipher that little puzzle." Vejiita smirked as he scratched his nose.
"N-n-no way!" Kuririn stuttered, "She creeps me out! Besides, with Kala and mom I have enough girl trouble already." Vejiita and Goku apparently either completely disregarded Kuririn's statement, or didn't believe him, and Kuririn exasperatedly placed all his bets on the latter.
"So, did you get everything ready for tonight?" Vejiita turned his hungry gaze upon the unlucky Goku, stole the unfortunate boy's remaining cookie and shoved it into his mouth.
"Yeah," Goku replied, looking mournfully at Vejiita's mouth, and whispering a silent prayer for the dearly departed pastry. "I got Piccolo to come by and set up his projection thingies..."
"Uh, Goku, which one of us is supposed to run it if we all have to be in the graveyard for the bet?" Kuririn scratched his head absently. He really didn't approve of their, or rather Vejiita's plan, to be more specific.
"Piccolo is! He said he'd sooner let a car run over his equipment than let us use it..." Goku answered sadly, but not about Piccolo's gibe because he was still lamenting the loss of his cookie. He'd saved the best, absolutely magnificent, most incredibly orgasmic cookie for the end....and Vejiita had eaten it!
Vejiita scowled at Goku's comment, but simply beaned him over the head, smirked and said, "So all we have to do is lead those unsuspecting bitches into the graveyard, wait for midnight, and that asshole, weakling greenie will take care of the rest....wow, you managed not to fuck this one up Kakkarott." With that, the sounds of screeching were heard from the road below, and soon after, following some low curses and a shriek, the girls appeared at the top of the stairs.
"Looks like you didn't chicken out after all," Vejiita eyed them dangerously. "We never did decide, what do we would get when we win this little bet of yours?"
"You'll be treating us out to dinner when we win, someplace nice too, not a stupid burger joint." Buruma smiled challengingly at Vejiita, and gestured to Kuririn to lead the way. It was because of this that Juuhachi noticed him as they began the five minute walk from the shrine on top of the hill to the graveyard that bordered it.
"My God..." Juuhachi stared in wonder and then began to cackle crazily. "What in the fuck are you wearing?!"
Kuririn laughed nervously and blushed, though it wasn't too apparent in the low light that shone down on them from the full moon. "It's my um, err...training robes."
The girls sank down in unison to sit on the large stone bench that was placed near the gates for people coming to visit the graves of the deceased. Kuririn and Goku sprawled themselves on the grass, while Vejiita scowled and leaned against the chilly wrought iron fence, crossing his arms over his chest. It was ten-thirty by that point, the girls having arrived 'fashionably late' and the next hour or so went by in relative silence, with only a few whispered giggles coming from the three females. Kuririn noticed how all three were dressed, and figured Buruma had had a hand in it, judging from the level of sex-appeal. He could tell Goku and Vejiita had noticed also, judging from the fleeted glances they were giving the benched women. It was too bad the girls hadn't counted on the self-discipline needed for martial arts, though Juuhachi should have known. But still, he grinned, it was an attractive showing. Much to his surprise, he'd discovered that ChiChi had more of a figure than he'd suspected. She usually didn't show off her body like this, and that fact was emphasized by the way she kept fidgeting with her clothing.
It was around eleven fifty-five that Buruma pulled out a silver lighter that was engraved with interlocking B's and a cigarette, pausing only to ask, "Is it alright with everyone if I smoke?" yet not really caring about the response.
"Ugh, that's disgusting!" Goku announced, holding his nose.
Buruma glared at him. "Well for your information, you fucking health nut, it's a free world and I can smoke if and where I want to! Maybe if I'm feeling nice I won't blow it in your direction!" She clicked her lighter and quickly leaned into it, lighting the cigarette that was held between her front teeth.
Goku was about to reply with 'Why did you ask if you could then, if you were going to anyway!' when the clock tower bells rang across the silent outskirts of the city, signaling that it was finally midnight.
"The witching hour," Buruma whispered, standing up, taking a last drag from the cigarette, and putting it out on the ground by grinding her sneaker over it.
"See, I told you this stupid story wasn't true, and I almost got in big trouble tonight for...." ChiChi trailed off, eyes widening as she pointed a trembling finger over the heads of the still-seated Goku and Kuririn. The two jumped up and turned around as six pairs of eyes focused in horror at the image before them.
A solitary, glowing and, most startling of all, transparent figure dressed in a long gown was slowly walking toward them, holding out its hands beseechingly.
Man, Piccolo sure outdid himself this time... Kuririn contemplated with devilish glee, the little naughty boy he had been rising from his hiding place deep inside the teen. The girls looked absolutely terrified. Just then, his pocket rang, announcing that someone was calling him. He flicked open the silver phone. "Yello?"
"Kuririn," a moody-sounding Piccolo grumbled on the other end.
"Hey Piccolo, you're doing a great job on the effects!" Kuririn laughed, momentarily oblivious in his glee to the fact that he was the closest to ChiChi.
"Effects?!" ChiChi growled menacingly, calling his attention back to her.
"That's what I'm calling about Kuririn," Piccolo announced sourly, "Sorry I couldn't tell you earlier, I got grounded and was in the middle of a lecture for the better part of the past five hours." Kuririn grimaced. "I'm not there, so Goku or Vejiita must have gotten someone else to show up there to run it in case I didn't show up..."
"What?!" Kuririn barked into the phone. "What do you mean you're not here?!"
"If Piccolo isn't there, who's running the machine, I mean, I didn't ask anyone else to run it just in case...neither did Vejiita!" Goku's eyes had widened so much that one couldn't see his eyelids, and Vejiita, wild-eyed, shook his head no.
"Uh, guys, if there's no machine," Buruma croaked tonelessly, her voice quivering, "What's that?!" She pointed towards the old grounds keeper's shed, where a glowing figure paced before the door.
"It's Derrick!" ChiChi screamed, petrified. "He's come to take us to the spirit world!" She started to shriek mindlessly then, and Buruma grabbed her hand. They ran howling in terror, closely followed by a similarly indisposed Juuhachi, Kuririn and Goku. Vejiita uttered not a sound. Upon reaching the shrine that was also the home of Kuririn's grandfather, Buruma flung open the unlocked door and slammed it closed again after everyone had come in. Goku locked it feverishly and sat down hard, leaning all his weight against it, while he breathed heavily. They all edged back away from Kuririn nervously, hearing the voice of his grandfather stab through the shadows.
"Kuririn? What're you doing here and what's going on?! And um, who are these people?" He blinked owlishly at them, rubbing sleep from his eyes.
"Ummmm...uhhhhh" Kuririn faultered, trying to keep the shit from hitting the fan for just a few more seconds.
"Speak up boy!"
"We wanted to see if the legends about the spirits were true!" spitting out the words forcefully, he tugged once more on the collar of his training robes.
"And now you've found out for yourselves that the legend is not any more a lie than you or I are?"
"Yes," they chorused collectively.
"You children should know better than to get caught up in the affairs of immortals, it'll cause you nothing but trouble!" He spoke with an air of experience.
"Yes, Sir." They all spoke as one, and Goku looked down, apprehensively rubbing the toe of his shoe against the polished wooden floor.
"I should call all of your parents right now..."
"Oh please Sir," ChiChi interjected, "not that, please...anything but that!" She looked up at him, pleading with her soft brown eyes.
"But...I won't." They all sighed in relief. "I was just like you children when I was your age...I sneaked out to see if the legend was true. My grandfather caught me too, when I came in screaming like a banshee in my terror, just like you've done now. Now he," Grandfather Yukio paused, scratching his beard, "he didn't tell my parents on me either. He said, that if I had courage then the other thing I needed was discipline, and he set me to work doing chores around the shrine. And that's what I'm gonna do. I may not alert your parents, but you will all have to come here and work for me for the next three months. You'll come every Saturday and help me out around the shrine, I'm not getting any younger, you know!" He chuckled.
"Three months?!" Vejiita gaped at him.
"You're lucky I don't make it six months! I wasn't out there with a bunch of girls!" He gestured almost imperceptibly towards the door. "Now you children get along now, and don't forget to be here by nine o'clock tomorrow!"
They all filed out, mumbling to themselves. Vejiita would not become angered by Piccolo's flaky behavior, nor would Buruma moodily discover their show had had no affect on the boys, until the next morning. For now, they were simply happy to escape. Kuririn tried to sneak out with the rest of the group, but his grandfather snatched his wrist.
"Except you, Kuririn..." Kuririn gulped visibly. "You disobeyed your parents by staying out past midnight, but what I'm more disappointed in is your abuse of my trust. In addition to those extra chores, you will preform the Ceremony of Abstinence, by yourself, for one month."
"Yes Sir!" Kuririn walked almost happily out the door, glad he was getting off so easy. He wrinkled his nose. He didn't like the Ceremony of Abstinence, which involved ritual fasting while sitting in front of a platter of food to show his resolve to evil spirits and to offer the provisions to good ones. He hated it the most, but then, if his grandfather had completed it every Sunday for the past fifty years, he could do it for four times in a row. Besides, it would prepare him for the day he would take over the shrine himself, though that would be awhile; he knew his father would take over when he retired. Plus, his mother would have a good meal for him at the end of the day, when he could finally eat.
"Kids these days," Grandfather Yukio shook his head sadly.
"I think they may be the ones, Yukio, and then we can finally be together..."
"Do you think so, Iris?" He turned to look at the stunningly beautiful, shimmering woman before him. Her silver hair glinted in the moonlight and framed her unlined face. She was as beautiful as the day he'd met her, when she'd come to meet him to see...if he was one of the fated ones He hadn't been, but it was love at first sight. He loved her still. His wife had borne him a son, and he had be quite fond of her, but it wasn't the burning passion he had for this one....woman he'd seen only a couple times before in person. Mostly, they communicated through his dreams.
"When I cast the spell, I didn't think they'd have to wait this long. I believed that there were mortals that would recognize their true loves, even if I was called foolish. To think that it would be your grandson who will be one to help break the spell...well, now I can see why I thought you would be one."
"Are you still bitter that I married another?" He wished to hear her answer spoken from her own lips, face to face, for once.
"No...at my age, comes wisdom. By marrying her, you got a beautiful family while you were still young. There was no feasible way for us to be together while the spell remained unbroken. I am bound as helplessly as they are. Only when they are joined can we be."
"Do you truly think it will come to an end?"
She smiled fondly at him. "Yes, and then we shall be together, my love...forever." Pressing her lips to his in a phantom kiss, she started to fade before his eyes. He snatched out to her, only to see his hand go though. He'd forgotten she was merely a shade in her current condition. "I must go now, for the spell grows greater the closer to daybreak it is. Farewell...until we meet again, Beloved..." She closed her eyes and disappeared completely.
Kuririn cursed as he climbed the trellis outside his window. He couldn't risk going inside any other way. Damn roses... he thought grumpily to himself, almost slipping when he yawned uncontrollably.
"Mommeee! Daddeee! Kuririn's not in his bed!" his sister screeched from inside the house.
Oh no! Damn Kala! He'd forgotten about his sister's almost constant spying on him. The stupid brat had been doing it ever since she could walk. He supposed it was some sort of displaced revenge for having to come out of their mother's womb. How positively Freudian! He scrambled in his window, tore off his clothes, leaped on the bed and pretended to snore. Just then, the door opened, and his parents entered with his sister trailing behind them.
"Kala! Kuririn is here, fast asleep! The poor dear must be so tired..." His tiny but pretty mother scolded her youngest child.
"You have to stop lying to us, sweetheart," Orinji Yotan shook his finger at Kala as he stared down at her from his great height.
"But-but-but..."
"No buts, now get back into bed!" His parents ushered the bewildered Kala out of the room, closing the door softly behind them. Kuririn sighed in relief.
Whew! That was a close one. But damn if it wasn't worth it just to one-up Kala! That brat's always trying to get me in...trou..ble... He drifted off to sleep.
However, the surprise Kala got was nothing compared to the one Kuririn got the next morning...