5 comments/ 22743 views/ 29 favorites The Rising Sun & The Morning Calm Ch. 01 By: vinkb Pusan, 1587 Chosun Dynasty of Modern Day Korea The storm that raged along the shores of Pusan was unusual for this time of year. The rainy season was not due for another few months but almost out of nowhere the sky blackened as the heavens unleashed their fury on the inhabitants of the coastal town. Fighting her way back to her home, Ji Eun cursed herself for not leaving sooner. She'd had a particularly good run of fishing and was trying to hold out until the last possible minute. Now, battered by the harsh rain, her jacket over her head, she was paying the price. Her rubber shoes sank into the wet sand, slowing her progress when she suddenly tripped over something in the sand. Pushing her wet hair off her face, it was so dark she could barely see ahead of her, the only light the illumination from the fierce lightning that tore across the sky. In the brief reprieve from the darkness, she was barely able to make out some pieces of driftwood lodged in the sand and next to them, a mass that looked like a person. Feeling pity for the hapless fisherman who had run ashore, she left her catch on the beach and began dragging the person back to her home. After five minutes, she began to become extremely tired. If he was a fisherman, he was extremely heavy and had she not been spurred along against her will by the storm, she would have stopped to rest, frequently. After what seemed like an eternity, she finally managed to get him inside her modest house. Sliding the wooden door closed with a sigh of relief, she fumbled around to light a candle. When she could finally see somewhat properly, she nearly dropped the candle in her attempt to stifle a scream. Lying on the floor in front of her was a man. Still unconscious, he was heavily suited in a strange kind of armor that she had never seen before on a soldier of the Chosun army. Unable to reign in her curiosity, she inched forward to get a better look at him. Raising the candle to his face, she saw that he was not that old, late twenties at most. Figuring that she should get him out of his wet clothes, she set down her light and pondered how to remove his armor. Clumsily tugging at the various lacquered plates, she finally hefted off the last of his vestments when she felt how hot his skin was. He was burning with fever. Her modesty forgotten, she stripped him to the skin and dried him as quickly as she could and dragged him to her bed. After covering him with what few blankets she had, she reached into a small dresser drawer and pulled out some dried plants. When she'd ground them into a fine powder, she poured them over a cloth and steeped it in some hot water. A foul smell soon filled the room. Scurrying to the stranger's side, she cradled his head in her lap and slapped his face, trying to rouse him. When his eyes finally opened a crack, she held the bowl to his lips and felt him try to fight when he smelled its contents. "No arguments," she snapped, not even sure if he understood her. "Drink it." As if understanding her, he downed the concoction and fell back, exhausted from the effort. Figuring they would both need to eat, she ran back to where she had left her fish and hurried back inside, shaking the water from her as she entered. After cooking the fish, she boiled a simple gruel of millet and changed into some dry clothes before sitting next to her guest. This time when she tried to slap him awake, he didn't move. His fever was breaking and a cold sweat had sprung all over his body. From where she sat, she could see him visibly shivering. Eating a little herself, she looked at his armor curiously and examined his sword. Pulling it out of its sheath, she marveled at the workmanship in the slender blade. It was a beautiful weapon. Setting it back down next to his discarded clothing, she pillowed her head on her hands and studied his face in the dim light before falling asleep. Noboru awoke groggy and disoriented. When he tried to sit up, he found he was so weak that he could barely lift his head off the pillow. Pillow? Where was he? As his vision came into focus, he turned his head to see a young woman sleeping, curled up in a ball. I must be in her bed, he thought. Disconcerted by his surroundings, he tried to remember what happened before he passed out. The last thing he recalled was his scout ship being pulled into the ocean only minutes after the tempest had hit. He could only surmise that he had washed up ashore and discovered by the girl next to him. Every part of him ached and he suddenly realized that his clothes were gone. Thankfully he was more than adequately covered, but it was a bit unnerving to say the least after everything he had just been through. Seeing how she was dressed, he knew was in Chosun. His thoughts were abruptly cut short when she opened her eyes. It was strange. She said nothing, remained motionless and simply observed him in silence for a few minutes, looking into his eyes. Not sure what to do, he blankly stared back. She looked to be in her late teens, if not her early twenties and he was somewhat astonished to see that she had freckles. When she opened her mouth to finally speak, he didn't understand a word of what was said. His host must have deduced his confusion from the quizzical look on his face and pointed to herself. "Ji Eun." She patted her chest a few more times indicating herself and repeated, "Ji Eun." Swallowing dryly, he managed to croak, "Noboru." Nodding approvingly, she shuffled away and rummaged around in the far corner of the room and brought back some paper and an inkstone. What struck him was the obvious high quality of the paper and expensive look of the stone as she ground a stick of ink and added some water. Taking a brush in hand, he saw her write something and was shocked to recognize it as a Chinese character. In elegant calligraphy, she had written the word "big" and looked at him expectantly. Not sure what he was supposed to do, Noboru spread his hands wide to indicate something of great size and she nodded excitedly again. Again she wrote, this time the word "storm". Reading the paper, he pointed outside, and she laughed delightedly. He couldn't say why, but the sound pleased him and he felt himself smile in return. Bowing his head a little, he indicated the brush and after understanding what he was asking, she handed it to him and watched him write the word "country". "You want to know what country this is," she guess aloud, looking at his face. Taking the brush, she wrote the symbols for "high" and "kingdom", the two characters that indicated Chosun. She saw him nod his comprehension. Glad to have found a way to communicate with him, she began to worry when she saw that they would soon run out of paper. As if sensing her concern, he appeared lost in thought for a moment, then beckoned for her to pass him his clothes. Sliding his pants over his hips, he tentatively stood up. Noboru felt like he would pass out at any moment, and Ji Eun immediately got up to assist him, but he shook his head and motioned for her to stay where she was. Sliding the door open, he staggered onto the beach and looked around until he spotted a large flat rock. Bringing it inside, he gestured to her for something to drink and he took the bowl of water she gave him and dipped a second brush into it and wrote on the stone. The water darkened the surface long enough for a character to be read, and then as it dried the writing vanished. She was able to make out "stone" before the water evaporated and she smiled at her clever visitor, warming him. Now unconcerned with running out of paper, the two began a long unspoken conversation. He explained to her that he had come from across the seas and was shipwrecked during the storm. She explained that she had lost her parents to a plague in the capital of Chosun and had been living with her uncle until he had passed away a few years ago, leaving her alone. He asked her how she knew Chinese characters and she answered that because her father had been a high ranking official in the court, he had seen to her education. That would explain the expensive inkstone, he mused silently. His heart filled with pity for the girl, alone and impoverished. Remembering that he had not properly thanked her for saving his life, he wrote his thanks on the stone and bowed to her in gratitude. She smiled and bowed in return. When she asked him what he was doing in the area, he suddenly felt guilt descend upon him. There was no possible way that he could tell her that his shogun was planning the invasion of her country in preparation for his conquest of the Ming Empire. He knew nothing about the people of Chosun, and he didn't particularly care for war, but when his younger brother had been assigned on a mission to scout the coastline of the small country, his protective nature made it impossible for him to allow Saburo to go on his own. Now, after his life had been saved by one of their inhabitants, he felt a great pang of remorse and found it difficult to look in her face. Sensing his discomfort, she gestured for him to forget the question and set the stone aside so that they could eat. As they shared the simple fare, she noticed how he held the bowl to his mouth and pushed the rice in with his chopsticks and he also noticed that she left her bowl on the table rather than holding it to her. He also noticed that she was in fact quite pretty and dignified looking in spite of her obvious poverty. Refilling his bowl, she watched him eat and looked more closely at his face. He was clean shaven, and his hair was tied in a knot above his head. Though he looked similar to the men in Chosun, she could see subtle differences in his features. Sensing her gaze on him, he looked up and she felt her face burn as she averted her eyes. Peeking out of the corner of her eye, she saw that he was actually smiling and she gave an embarrassed laugh that caused his smile to broaden. When they had finished eating, she motioned for him to lay back down. Feeling that he had imposed upon her enough, he tried to refuse. Annoyed, she grabbed the stone and wrote that as he was sick, he had to lie there. He wrote back that he would not force her to sleep on the floor. Staring dubiously at each other across the stone, finally he wrote the character "together". He tried not to laugh when her eyebrows practically jumped off her forehead. Smothering his mirth, he wrote "honor" and "safe" next to each other and was rewarded with a skeptical look. Not about to be told what to do, he crossed his arms in front of his chest and waited. Ji Eun couldn't believe that she was actually considering sharing a bed with this strange man, but something about his demeanor was so kind that she believed him when he told her that he posed no danger to her honor. Giving him one more wary glance, she slid onto the blanket and turned to the wall. When he had settled in next to her, she blew out the candle and the room was filled with moonlight that filtered through the slight opening of the door. Ji Eun tried not to think about how many breaches of etiquette she was committing by simply lying next to Noboru, but having him in her bed made her nervous nonetheless. Noboru had no doubts that his host was uncomfortable, as she kept fidgeting next to him. Letting out a frustrated sigh, he grabbed her arm firmly with his as if to say stop it. He felt her freeze under his touch and quickly withdrew his hand as she shot him a dirty look over her shoulder. He put both his palms in the air as a show of his lack of intentions and was relieved to see her face soften. Something must have struck her as funny because she began to giggle, causing him to smile in spite of himself, and pretty soon, the two were laughing uncontrollably. When they had finally calmed down, he looked at her face and said, "Ji Eun." Smiling, she said his name. "Noboru." "Ji Eun." "Noboru." It was odd to be in such close company with a total stranger, and one who he couldn't even speak to for that matter, but the exchange of their names made the situation feel less strange, and he was puzzled at how comfortable be felt with her. She must have been experiencing a similar feeling, as she didn't recoil when he smoothed an errant strand of hair off her forehead. "Ji Eun." His voice was different this time. Lower. The way he looked at her had also changed and she felt herself blush under his gaze. "Noboru," she answered back shyly. Before even realizing what he had done, he found that he had leaned closer to her to gently press his lips against hers. His shock was almost as great as hers and he felt her tense under him, but she didn't pull away. She smelled like the sea, clean and salty. Again he began to kiss her and felt her tentatively return his advances. Emboldened, he slid his hand under the hair over her neck and pulled her closer. She gave a little squeak as she felt his erection press into her. I'm in bed with a man who I can't even talk to and I'm being absurdly lewd, she thought in a strangely detached manner. The whole situation felt so surreal, but she felt drawn to the man she had rescued and allowed his hands to explore her body as he continued to kiss her. Her curiosity again getting the better of her, she led her hand slip down between his legs and closed her fingers around his shaft, eliciting a small groan of appreciation from him. Dazed, he untied the bow that held the cropped jacket she wore in place exposing her breasts. Instinctively, she tried to cover them, but he stopped her and continued to peel away her clothing until finally, she lay naked next to him. Not wanting to take her against her will, he looked searchingly at her, silently asking her permission and she nodded quietly. Shedding his own clothes, he climbed on top of her and continued to kiss her and felt himself harden further when she began to voice her pleasure. Licking a path down to her belly, he spread her legs and began to lap up the evidence of her arousal that had pooled there. When she felt his tongue on her, she arched her back and grabbed the blanket underneath her in her fists. Snaking his arms under her hips, he brought her closer to his face and mouthed her flesh, dizzy from the taste of her. Feeling her fingers on his scalp, he probed her with his tongue until he felt her tremble and then finally convulse as she climaxed. Ji Eun attempted to collect her thoughts as her mind came out of a euphoric haze. Her lips were still sensitive when she felt something soft brush against them, causing her to shiver. Reaching down, she felt Noboru's arousal at her opening and he regarded her with uncertainty even as she could feel his pulse through the veins in his penis. Smiling at him, she indicated her consent and felt him grasp her hips. Unable to wait a moment longer, Noboru wasted no time in plunging his entire length deep inside of her. When she cried out in pain, he berated himself for not deducing that she was still a virgin and he attempted to move more slowly despite the ache in his testicles. Allowing her to adjust to him, he resumed his thrusts and enjoyed how tightly she encased him. Lost to his pleasure, he ground his hips into hers and when he felt her grip on him tighten, he erupted inside her as she came. Gasping for breath, the pair clung to each other and fell into a satisfied, dreamless sleep. The next morning, Noboru was mortified at how much blood there was on her bedding. He also felt a growing sense of panic as he considered the very serious possibility that she would regret having allowed him to take her virginity. Unsure what to do, he waited anxiously until she awoke. When she blinked open her eyes, Ji Eun turned to see Noboru staring at her with a look of concern. Allowing her eyes to travel down the bed, she saw the evidence that she was no longer a virgin and looked back to Noboru to see him wince ever so slightly. Smiling at his nervous expression, she kissed him lightly and settled back on her pillow. Relieved beyond measure that she apparently had no regrets about the events of the previous night, he hugged her to him and smiled contentedly as she snuggled further into his arms. It wasn't normal to feel this good, but he thought that perhaps everything that had happened was an act of fate to bring them together. Later, when they had eaten a simple breakfast, he pulled the stone out and wrote that he wished for her to return with him to his home country. Ji Eun read the characters with wonder and saw Noboru looking at her with an almost boyish hopefulness all over his face. Though her mind told her this was the most reckless thing she could possibly do, she nodded and was immediately encased in his arms. She laughed as he very nearly crushed the air out of her lungs when she heard voices outside speaking words she couldn't understand. Her lover apparently understood them and she wondered why all of a sudden he looked so horrified. Releasing her, he quickly scrawled something onto the stone and ran outside, sliding the door shut behind him. Peering at the character, she read the words "remain inside" before they vanished. The Rising Sun & The Morning Calm Ch. 02 If you've enjoyed the story so far, please drop a comment or two, which I will take as an indication that the story should continue. Cheers! ________________________________ Noboru frantically scanned the shoreline for the source of the voices and found his brother leading a pack of soldiers along the beach. Though he was grateful beyond measure that Saburo was still alive, he was afraid for Ji Eun. From experience, he knew that the soldiers tended to behave more like animals towards the people of Chosun and he hoped that they would not discover her presence. It sent a chill through him to even consider what they would do to her in such an isolated place. "Brother! You survived!" Saburo shouted happily, rushing to his side. "I am glad to see that you have as well." Sword in hand, Noboru attempted to keep his appearance relaxed and neutral. Nodding, he squatted down on his haunches and cracked his neck. "Hell of a storm wasn't it? It's a small miracle that any of us made it out alive." "Indeed." He inwardly winced as he considered how stilted his reply sounded. Sensing something was off, Saburo looked at him curiously but continued, "Well, we've done enough scouting. We have all the information we need and the shogun will be pleased to know that the stupid unsuspecting vermin of Chosun will pose no threat to his invasion." Standing up again, he grinned. "I guess we'll head for home." Out of the corner of his eye, Noboru spotted one of the soldiers approaching the cottage. "Oi! [Hey!]" he warned. Glancing over at the hut, Saburo noted, "Guess you found some shelter from the storm, huh? Lucky you. Got anything to eat in there? I'm starved." "I can smell some food inside," one of the men called. Shit! Their breakfast! Before he could find an excuse to distract him, they had already opened the door. "Ora, ora, [Well, well, well] what do we have here?" another man drawled. His grip tightened on his katana when they dragged Ji Eun out screaming. "Hey, not bad!" he remarked appreciatively." Saburo peered inside and saw the bloodstains on the bed. Smirking over his shoulder, he leered, "So, I see you had a bit of fun last night, Brother. What -- you didn't feel like sharing?" Strolling over to Ji Eun he sniffed her hair, causing her to squirm in the soldier's grip. "Saburo, let her go." At the severe tone of his older brother's voice, Saburo looked back at him and realization began to spread across his face. "Oh, you like this one, is that it? She's beneath you." Her screams pierced his ears as the soldiers began fondling her. Trying to reign in his mounting rage, Noboru slowly replied, "It is dishonorable for you to treat a woman like this. This behavior is unbecoming of a samurai, Saburo." "It might be dishonorable if she was a person, but these Chosun are less than dogs." Waving dismissively, he added, "Let them have the bitch." At his words, the men began tearing at her clothing, and Noboru couldn't understand the words she was screaming, but he knew how she felt and unable to contain his fury any longer, he vaulted over his brother and the morning sun flashed off the blade of his sword before it sliced off the arm of one of her captors and a leg off the other. Shouting, the other soldiers rushed Noboru all at once and though he fought admirably, he was caught off guard by his brother who knocked him at the base of his skull with his own sword. Falling onto the sand in a daze, he felt his arms twisted behind his back and someone grabbed his sword out of his reach. Clucking his tongue in disapproval, Saburo walked in front of his brother and regarded him with disappointment. "Brother, you would lay a hand on your own countrymen in order to save an animal? I expected more from you. Where is your sense of loyalty and national pride? The shogun would be very upset." Straining to free himself, Noboru glared at his sibling. "I am ordering you as your older brother to release her!" "Gomen, ni-san, [Apologies, Brother]" he said lazily. "My obligation to my shogun supercedes my filial obligation to you." Casting a look over his shoulder he added, "And I think after what you did to them, my men are entitled to some compensation. What do you say, men?" "Yamiro! [Stop!]" Noboru watched, immobilized as the remaining soldiers assaulted Ji Eun. Every time she cried out, it wrenched at his guts and he couldn't bring himself to watch as they violated her. Saburo's voice was in his ear. "You know, it's a good thing you're my brother, otherwise I would have had to kill you right here. Anyways, once they're done amusing themselves, we'll head back for the capital and the shogun can decide what to do with you." Noboru fought the urge to vomit as her cries turned into sobs that eventually died away. Unwillingly opening his eyes, he saw her lying limp in the sand, her body fouled by the soldiers. Tears welled in his eyes as he whispered, "Forgive me. I did not wish to repay you thus." As if hearing his words, she opened one of her bruised eyes and looked directly at him. Noboru felt his heart jump to his throat as she removed a small object from inside her sleeve and with her last ounce of strength moved something against her neck. He cried out when he realized that she had slit her own throat. Her eye glazed over as her blood pooled in the sand. "Ji Eun," he wailed. His chin sank to his chest and he sagged forward in his grief. "Well, so much for that," Saburo commented. "Oi [Hey], what's keeping that boat?" Still kneeling, Noboru stared at the ground as a deep, burning hatred for his brother surged within him. "Saburo, you will pay dearly for this," he vowed. "Over a common bitch like that? Please." He continued to scan the horizon for their ship. "Don't you dare speak of her that way!" he snarled. "If I were free, I would kill you where you stand! Filial obligation be damned!" Saburo gave him a bored look. "If you're going to keep being so noisy, I have no choice but to shut you up." Taking his sword, he backhanded his brother's face with it and a black curtain swept over Noboru's thoughts. A few days later, Noboru knelt before his shogun on the floor of his favorite stronghold, his eyes cast downwards. Toyotomi Hideyoshi paced a circle around him, not saying a word, surrounding by the daimyos [feudal lords] he commanded. In one corner, a young Tokugawa Ieyasu watched him keenly through cat-like eyes. After a few minutes, he stopped pacing and put his hands behind his back. "I am greatly distressed by this news, Nagamori. It shocks me that a samurai from a family as esteemed as yours would kill his own in order to save some urchin on the shores of a land that will be ours in a matter of years." Noboru said nothing in response and continued to stare mutely at the floor. "You may speak freely," Toyotomi conceded. "I am disappointed as well, my lord," he said softly. "Bushido [the way of the samurai] demands that the warriors who abide by its code live a life of honor and service. There is no honor in invading Chosun and there is only self-service to be achieved." Toyotomi's eyes flashed with momentary anger before he regained his composure. "You disagree with my plan to invade the mainland then," he noted evenly. "I do, my lord." The samurai's quiet defiance grated on his nerves. "And what, pray tell, am I to do with you, Nagamori?" "I will commit hara-kiri [ritual suicide by disembowelment] and then I will cease to be a thorn in your side." Trying his utmost to keep his voice steady, Toyotomi spat, "You do not deserve such an honor. I have better punishment in mind for you and it involves living -- for a long, long time." At this, Noboru looked up with horror at his shogun and was slapped back to the ground. "Know your place, Nagamori. You dare look me in the eye without being granted permission to do so?" Calling to the guards outside, he ordered the stricken man out of the room and resumed his seat at the head of the room behind a small lacquered table. He stroked his beard thoughtfully as all the daimyos turned their eyes to him, waiting to see what he would do next. Not bothering to look at any of them, he blithely said, "Begin the conscriptions immediately. If I am to make the Ming Emperor my loyal vassal, I will require a great many soldiers." When night had fallen, Noboru was led into the mountains and when the party had reached their destination, the soldiers guarding him pushed him unceremoniously onto his knees. In the light of the moon, he could make out that they were in some sort of clearing dotted with stone statues of dogs. No, not dogs -- foxes. A rustling and the snapping of dry twigs diverted his attention to the woman approaching him. Her body was taut and her skin glowed an almost alabaster sheen in the clean white light. A kimono was wrapped loosely around her, and though tied at the waist, he could see the inviting movement of her ample, firm breasts as they bounced enticingly as she walked. As she sauntered towards him, swaying her full hips, he saw that she wore an animal mask and Noboru realized then what she was. The woman was a kitsune-sukai - a fox witch. Standing in front of his kneeling form, his face was slightly lower than her waist and a sultry voice greeted him from behind the mask's empty eyes. "Nagamori Noboru Takeo Tsuneo, welcome." Noboru tried to ignore her and looked instead at the gleaming mother of pearl surface of the moon above him. Following his gaze, she looked into the sky and laughed -- a low muffled sound. "How fitting. Auspicious almost, the meaning of your name. The eternal ascending warrior of the immortal forest." She knelt down before him and his eyes were drawn to the creamy skin of her breast as she bent down. He tried to keep his manhood still when he saw the stiff nipples that studded each perfect globe. As if sensing his reluctant arousal, she bent over further, giving him an even better view of her. "In punishment for your lack of loyalty, our shogun has decided that you are to remain in perfect health and denied the reprieve of death. Shall we begin?" "What do you plan to do to me?" he asked suspiciously. "Nagamori-sama [sir]," she whispered in his ear, "I will not do anything that you do not desire." Her hand slipped under his clothes with remarkable speed and she expertly stroked his half erect cock to its full length. Removing her hand, she laughed at the fluid that glistened on her fingers. With her other hand, she removed her mask and looked at him. She was blindingly beautiful, almost too perfect in her appearance. The eyes that looked at him from under lowered lashes were green, like moss. Two full lips curved into a vermillion smile as she watched his reaction to her. Licking her fingers slowly, she let the silk kimono slip from her shoulder and she heard all the men, Noboru included, moan at the sight. Again, she was eerily perfect, with sculpted thighs that met a voluptuous rear and a flat belly that curved into a mound that was devoid of any hair. Smiling wickedly, she stood and his face was level with the smooth skin of her sex. "Nagamori-sama," she sighed lasciviously, "I will give you this one opportunity to leave." She loosened the bonds on his wrists. "But I do not think that you will." Sliding her fingers into herself, she pulled them out trailing pearly strands of her own lubrication. Bending down, she wiped her hand along his mouth, coating his lips with her and without even thinking, he tasted her. She tasted like nothing he'd ever known on earth and though the ropes that had bound his wrists fell ineffectually to the ground, he couldn't bring himself to leave. Lying on her back, she splayed her lips with her fingers and began sliding the slippery fluid over her sex. "Come, Nagamori-sama. If you desire me, you may take me." In the back of his mind he knew it was a trap but his legs refused to obey him as they carried him to her. Lowering himself to the ground, he hungrily began feasting on her slit. The more he licked her, the more he needed to continue and he drank the sweet moisture that streamed from her pussy. Arching her back, her nipples stiffened even more as she thrust her breasts into the air as she announced her release. Giving him a satisfied smile, she crawled to him and licked his straining cock. His body betrayed him further as he pushed his hips out to make contact with her lips. Opening her mouth, she sealed her lips over his shaft and began running her tongue along the underside of his cock. When she felt it jerk, she moaned and Noboru hissed at the sensation. Sliding her wet pout back and forth over his length, she felt him swell dangerously and knew he was almost ready. Lying again on her back, she guided him into her ready passage and felt him flex his buttocks as he drove himself desperately inside of her. She leaned her head back as he alternately sucked each nipple as he rutted above her. Running her nails down his back, she bucked under him as she climaxed again. From the way that his cock pulsed inside her, she knew he was ready and began whispering all manner of obscenities in his ear about how he had sated her and her words proved to be too much for him as a loud cry of pain and ecstasy was torn out of his throat. As he splashed her womb with torrent after torrent of his seed, he looked down to see that her eyes glowed an iridescent shade of blue and as he stared at them, he felt a chill invade his body. "Nanda? [What?]" Before he could assemble another thought, he pitched forward in agony and screamed as a blinding pain seared his nerves. Afraid, his guards took a few steps back as he writhed on the ground. A sick, cracking noise filled the night air and he tried to raise himself on his hands and knees when he saw that his skin was sprouting fine white fur and claws had sprung from his nail beds. The witch observed in fascination as his teeth elongated, enjoying the sound of splintering bone and tearing flesh as he begged for the pain to stop. When he had collapsed to the ground unmoving, she cautiously walked towards him and inspected her handiwork. The thing lying at her feet was not completely a man, nor was it completely animal. Noboru blinked feebly a few times at her and she noted with satisfaction the icy blue color of his eyes as the anthropomorphic wolf watched her with weary vigilance. Though he was unable to rise, she could see that he had grown in stature and was inwardly relieved that he was so weakened from his transformation or doubtless they would be dead in mere seconds. Bending over him, she caressed his silver muzzle before sharply raking her long fingernails across it. A low growl emanated from behind his bared teeth, but he was too exhausted to strike back. The guards gasped audibly when they saw the bloody tracks close and disappear within seconds, leaving a perfect, velvet surface. "He is ready," she murmured. "Take him." In his debilitated state, Noboru could barely stand and his bulk had to be carried from the clearing by the guards. The last thought that passed through his head before he lost consciousness was to wonder what had happened to him. The Rising Sun & The Morning Calm Ch. 03 If you enjoyed the story, please leave a comment or two. I'll take it as an indication that people would like the story to continue :) ............................................... Angela blinked her eyes open at the sound of her alarm clock screeching. Giving it an annoyed slap, she sank back into her bed and scrunched her body into her comforter. [Why do I always have to get out of bed when it's just the right temperature?] she wondered. Sighing, she reluctantly pulled the sheets away from her and drowsily walked to her bathroom. Turning on the faucet, she rinsed her face in the cold water, hoping it would help her wake up. "Mrowr?" She smiled as the owner of the voice jumped onto the ledge of the sink and began rubbing her head under her chin. "Why, hello, Yin," she cooed as her kitten happily purred. As if sensing that she was getting attention, her two siblings wandered into the bathroom. It always made her so happy to see them, considering the state that she had found them in. While walking home from her office she found them in a box, huddled together trying to keep warm. Unable to resist Yin's bright blue eyes and white mittens, she had simply scooped up the box and carried them home and it was the best thing she had ever done. Within a few weeks, the kittens were thriving and their personalities were all extremely loving. Yin seemed to be the alpha of the group and she was also the most affectionate. Her sister, Yang, was a medium hair silver tabby and Snotty, the only boy, named so because she had found him sneezing blood, was pure gray. Three bright pairs of differently colored eyes looked expectantly at her and she grinned. "Oh, are we hungry?" Padding off to the kitchen, the furry trio followed her, their tails happily held high. As she pulled out the bag of cat food, they all began meowing and chirping. "Yes, yes, yes," she laughed as she poured a bowl full and set it down in front of them. Taking advantage of their being occupied, she walked to her closet and pulled out a button down shirt and pencil skirt. Setting them on the bed, she walked back into the bathroom to brush her teeth. Looking out the window, she saw a dark mass of clouds gathering above the Chicago skyline. Hoping she would remember to bring an umbrella, she rinsed out her mouth and hastily applied a little bit of makeup before getting dressed. After grabbing her keys and purse, she tried to slide on a pair of heels while the kittens used the straps for a chew toy. "No, babies! Mommy has to go to work." As if understanding her, they stopped and sat back on their haunches to look innocently at her. She sighed with frustration – they always made it so hard for her to leave, they were so cute. Forcing herself out the door, she was halfway to work before she realized [shit I forgot the umbrella!] At the same time she hoped it wouldn't start raining until she got to her office, the first drops began to dot the pavement. Sprinting as quickly as her skirt would allow, she made it into the lobby of her building and shook the rain off her shoulders. "Morning, Dr. Baek. Forget your umbrella?" The security guard smiled sympathetically. "Oh, don't start with me, James," she shot back with mock annoyance. "See you later." "Have a good day, Doc." "You too, James." Checking her watch, she saw that she had about a half hour before her first patient would arrive, giving her enough time to get a little organized before her day started. _________________________________________ "So I'll see you same time next week then." "Thanks, Dr. Baek." As her patient left the room, Angela realized that she was extremely hungry but the thunderstorm outside showed no signs of letting up. Typically she ate at a small bakery that she really liked on Wabash but seeing the weather, she figured she would have to make do with the restaurant in the lower level of her building. When she'd entered the restaurant, she was surprised to find that it was mostly empty considering it was lunchtime. There was only one other patron in the entire place and it was a large space. Having never eaten here before, she assumed that the food was Asian of some sort, judging by the décor. After waiting for about ten minutes, a girl who looked to be Chinese walked towards her with a menu. "How many?" she asked pleasantly. "Oh, just me," Angela answered, feeling a bit silly at eating alone in such a huge place. "Follow me." The hostess sat her down in front of a magnificent saltwater aquarium. "Let me know when you're ready to order. Some tea before you start?" "Sure." Angela scanned the menu and regretted that she was so ravenous. She always ate too much when she got this hungry and the last thing she wanted to do was feel uncomfortably stuffed while she was supposed to be listening to what her patients told her. It seemed to be pan Asian cuisine as she had guessed and the sweet and sour chicken looked particularly good, if the picture was any indication. Waiting for the hostess to return, she looked over at the man two tables away from her. Also, Asian, he was bent studiously over a pile of papers. Dressed in an impeccable black suit, she was struck by how long his hair was, reaching halfway down his back, tied back in a loose ponytail. He sported a short beard as well, which was also unusual for Asians. She must have been studying him for a while because he suddenly turned to look at her and she was startled to look into a pair of blue eyes. What caught her by surprise even more was that there was a look of recognition in his face. "Do you know what you'd like?" "Huh?" She'd been so busy staring at the blue-eyed man that she didn't even notice her waitress. "Oh, uh, sweet and sour chicken please." "Sure thing." Taking her menu, she again disappeared into the kitchen. Angela looked to the other table and saw the papers still there, but the man was gone. "What the-" "May I join you?" She squealed louder than she had wanted to when she saw that he had materialized on the other side of her table. "I apologize, I did not mean to frighten you." If those were color contacts then she needed to get the number of his optometrist, they looked so real, without a ring of brown to be seen. They were even flecked with grey. They were such a pale shade of blue. The only other time she had seen eyes so pale were on Yin and certain breeds of dogs. "Are you alright?" The eyes she was distracted by looked at her quizzically. Blinking a few times, she realized that she had been staring. "Oh god, I'm sorry! Uh, I'm fine." Realizing that he was still waiting for her answer, she gestured to the seat opposite her. "Please." She watched as he slid smoothly into the chair. Not knowing what to say she attempted small talk. "Such a big place, I wonder why it's so empty. Is the food here good?" "It is alright," he said. Japanese, she thought. His English was flawless but accented. His voice was gorgeous though, if a sound could be gorgeous. It was deep, silky, yet gravelly at the same time, every bit as distracting as his eyes. "It is empty because it is currently closed for business." Her eyes darted over to where he was looking and she saw a sign that read "closed". "Why did that girl seat me then? Or you, for that matter?" The corners of his mouth turned up in a small smile. "Because I told her to. I own this establishment." Feeling simultaneously confused and surprised, she blurted, "Why did you tell her to do that?" "You looked hungry." "I did?" For some reason she found that funny and laughed at the idea of presenting such a sad picture. "You have a beautiful smile," he complimented her. Taken aback at his comment, she didn't know anything else to say except, "Thank you." He sat back a bit in his chair and studied her face. "You are Korean." It was more of a statement than a question. "I am. How did you know?" This guy was strange but fascinating and seeing that he was apparently extremely observant only fueled her curiosity about him. "You look like someone I used to know a long time ago. She was...Korean." The way that he paused before the last word of his sentence was odd. "What was her name?" She smiled. "Maybe we're related." "I didn't know her last name." He must not have known her all that well. "Well, thank you for letting me eat at your place. It's beautiful. I've never seen such a lovely aquarium." She looked at the spiny speckled fish swimming in it. "What is that?" "It is called a gunnard," he explained. "Extremely dangerous. It could take off one of your fingers if it felt threatened. And you are most welcome." "I'm Angela." She held out her hand to him. "[Ahn-young], Angela. I am Nobu." He took her hand in his but didn't shake it. "You speak Korean?" she exclaimed. His hand was very warm. "I do." "Why? Aren't you Japanese?" He still hadn't let go of her hand. "Is my accent that bad?" he asked with amusement, his eyes twinkling. She was having a difficult time keeping track of their conversation, as she kept staring at him. "No, your accent is fine. I like it, actually. It reminds me of watching Kurosawa films." "You like samurai films," he observed. "I do, yes." Before he could ask her anything else, her food arrived, giving her an excuse to take her hand away. "Oh my god, it smells so good!" About to tear into it, she eyed him. "Aren't you eating?" "I already ate, thank you," he chuckled. It was a warm, pleasant sound. "But please, do not let me stop you." Trying not to eat like a complete animal, she ate half of her meal before stopping. "You were being far too modest about the fare here. It was delicious!" The blue eyes regarded her with interest. "Then why did you stop eating?" She laughed. "Because I'm full. I'll take it to go, I can have it for dinner later." "Don't bother." "What?" "You do not need to eat the leftovers," he told her. "Why not? I'm a big fan of doggie bags," she grinned. "Because I do not like the idea of you eating cold food," Nobu smiled back. "Come back this evening for dinner and have something hot." "Are you open tonight?" "For you I am," he said languidly. "Oh, you don't have to do that. It sounds so inconvenient." He was so friendly and genuine, it made her feel good though that he offered. "Why not come to my home for dinner then?" He reached out and took her hand again. The surprises just kept on coming. "Nobu, are you asking me on a date?" she joked, looking at his hand on hers. "You can call it whatever you like so long as you join me for dinner, Angela-chan," he said warmly, releasing her hand. "Where do you live?" "Here." "In the restaurant?" He let out a delighted laugh. "No, Angela, I live in this building. Everything above the 50th floor is private residence. So, is that a yes?" Finding it hard to say no to his charming manner, she laughed too and nodded. "What time would you like me to come by?" "Come at seven if that is alright. The doorman will let you up." "What apartment number should I tell him?" "Penthouse." Standing up, he asked, "Do you work in this building?" He wasn't making it easy for her too appear nonchalant. "Yes." "I look forward to seeing you then." He began walking back to his table. "Wait! What do I owe you for the food?" He waved casually, sitting down. "Do not concern yourself with it. I will see you at seven." Knowing that she had to return to the office, she smiled her thanks and left the restaurant. When she had left, the waitress walked over to him and smile teasingly. "Hey, Boss, pretty smooth there." "[Fuzaken-na], Mei." he replied warningly. She pouted and put her hands on her hips. "You're lucky I was here to pick up my paycheck otherwise you would have had to wait on you herself and then you wouldn't have been able to talk to her as much." Again he laughed. "[Arigato], Mei. Now leave." "See you on Monday, Boss," she waved, before leaving. "And have a nice date!" "[Baga]!" he growled. Mei simply giggled and sprinted out the door. Gathering up his papers, he closed the restaurant and headed back to his condo. Once inside, Noboru sat on his bed and covered his face with his hands, trying to get a hold of himself. It had been so difficult to maintain a calm exterior while talking with her. It was like going back in time and the four hundred odd years that had passed seemed to vanish and it seemed like only yesterday that he had met her for the first time. He could still smell her after she had gone and it was all he could do to keep from leaping over the table and attacking her. [Get a grip on yourself], he thought. Unsure if he would make it until seven, he decided that perhaps a little exercise would help him work off some nervous energy. The last thing he wanted to do was to scare her away by behaving inappropriately. __________________________________________ ahn-young: hello (Korean) fuzaken-na: quit fucking around (Japanese) arigato: thank you baga: idiot (Japanese) The Rising Sun & The Morning Calm Ch. 04 Thanks for reading and if you enjoyed the story please leave a comment or two. I'll take it as an indication that people want the story to continue :) ____________________________ Feeling more nervous than she had in a while, Angela knocked on Nobu's door. She swiped her hands against her skirt, frowning when she saw the cat hairs that clung stubbornly to the fibers of the matte jersey fabric. Crap, she'd forgotten to ask if he was allergic to cats. Before she could agonize over anything else the door opened and Nobu greeted her with a welcoming expression on his face. Momentarily dumbstruck again by the color of his eyes, she managed to squeak, "Hello." Stepping aside, he motioned for her to come in. "[Okari nasai]," he said warmly. "It means-" "Welcome," she finished for him. She enjoyed the fact that it was his turn to look surprised and decided to go one better. "[Shistore-shimase]." "How do you know Japanese?" he asked, looking at her in wonder. Amused at his shock, she tried to suppress a smile. "I told you, I watch a lot of Kurosawa, and anime. Oh, and I play a lot of video games, too." She paused to remove her heels and as she bent down, she could feel his eyes on her. "[Kirei-desho]," he noted appreciatively, looking at her admiringly. "[Domo], Nobu-san." It made her stomach flip to hear him say that. Trying to look composed, she looked around his condo. The large space had two levels with floor to ceiling windows that offered a gorgeous view of the lake and Millenium Park. It was tastefully decorated in a minimalist Japanese style. The soothing sounds of a custom built granite waterfall made for a very relaxing environment and she felt privileged to be invited into his home. "I bet the view from here is amazing on a nice day." "It is beautiful, yes," he agreed, not taking his eyes off her. "You must come when the weather is better and see it for yourself." His comfortable manner with her both warmed and perplexed her. To her knowledge the Japanese were traditionally quite reserved and Nobu was anything but. "A second date already?" she teased. "Whatever you wish to call it. You are welcome back whenever you like." Smiling again, he turned and made his way into his kitchen, which was elegantly fitted out with marble and stainless steel. As he set about slicing some fish, she noticed that he was attired in a long blue kimono jacket with black trim and a matching set of trousers. It looked very comfortable and suddenly she felt overdressed. Sensing her eyes on him, he looked up. "I should have dressed more casually," she apologized. At first he wasn't sure what it was she meant, then looked down at what he was wearing. "No, no. You look lovely. It was my error for not telling you that I would be dressed as I usually am at home." Bowing slightly he added, "[Gomen-nasai]." When she smiled in return, he continued to cut the fish in front of him. Angela wondered how it was she was going to tell him without being rude and decided that he probably would appreciate the honest approach. "Uh, Nobu?" "[Hai]?" "I...uh...I don't...eat fish." She winced a little at her admission. An eyebrow went up over one blue eye. "You do not?" "No...sorry." Shaking his head, Nobu set down his knife. "I have been a bad host twice in one evening. It was my mistake for not asking you if you had any dietary restrictions." Feeling bad about screwing up his menu, she walked over to him and put a hand on his arm. "Oh no, you're a wonderful host. I'm fine with just getting a pizza even. Do you like pizza?" Placing his hand over hers, he looked at her with an expression she couldn't place. "Yes, I like it." Feeling her face turn red, she slipped her hand out from under his and stepped back. "I am sorry, have I offended you?" He really was terribly handsome. With his long black hair, blue eyes and traditional dress, he cut quite the romantic figure. All he needed was a katana and he could have stepped off the set of Seven Samurai. "No, no, not at all. I'm just...ah...taking all this in." Picking up his cell phone, Nobu leaned on the counter with one arm and dialed a number. "What do you like on your pizza?" It was funny seeing him use a cell phone. It seemed so anachronistic for some reason. "Tomatoes and black olives." He shot her a thumbs up and placed the order. After hanging up, he ushered her into his living room. "Would you care for a drink?" "Do you have regular soda?" She sat down on a buttery leather sofa and tucked her legs underneath her. "I do." Walking to the kitchen he added, "I also have wine, beer, sake-" "Nobu, I uh...I don't drink either." [Christ, I must sound so difficult,] she cringed. He gave her another quizzical look. Pouring her a coke, he walked back and handed it to her. "What else do you not do, Angela-chan?" he asked, sitting across from her. [Until today, go to random guys' apartments,] she thought silently. She was surprised to see him tilt his head as if he'd heard her thoughts. "Drugs, I don't smoke, that's all I can think of at the moment." "You are a curious woman," he said with a bemused expression. For a while they talked about the standard first date topics. Nobu was apparently the founding member of a large international biotech company and he looked interested when he found out she was a psychiatrist. Extremely curious about her, he asked her many questions about her life. "Were you born here?" "I was. I've lived here all my life." Obviously he had been born in Japan. His accent suited him. Sipping his tea, he added, "But you speak Korean." "I was raised by my [weh halmuni]. She only spoke Korean." She noticed that his face darkened a little. "Nobu, what is it?" "I meant to ask you." He seemed to hesitate for the first time since she had met him. "Do you dislike the fact that I am Japanese?" Puzzled by his question, she answered, "No. Why would I?" "I know that the Japanese and Koreans do not have a...friendly history," he explained, considering his choice of words to be quite euphemistic. "After what they did to your people, it would not surprise me if you were bothered by the fact that I am Japanese." Waving her hand dismissively, she laughed. "Nobu, that was years ago and I don't fault the current generation for mistakes made in the past." She set her empty glass down. "Besides, you don't really strike me as the imperialistic type." Refilling her glass, he handed it to her and sat down, this time beside her. "I am glad to hear it." Looking at her face, he mused, "You have freckles." Her pulse sped up noticeably at his being so close to her. "Yeah, I don't really like them." Nobu looked genuinely surprised. "Why? They are beautiful." "Yeah, everyone says that," she scoffed good naturedly, "but I can't wait until I can afford to have them removed." Shaking his head gravely, Nobu objected, "I am afraid I cannot allow that." She laughed – it was the usual response she got when she complained about them. "Okay, I promise I won't, for now." A few minutes passed with no words exchanged between them and she began to feel nervous under his steady gaze. "Where did you get your contact lenses?" "I do not wear contact lenses," he replied. "I have better than 20 / 20 vision." "Your eyes are naturally that color?" "Indeed, they are." Somehow without being aware of it, she saw that the distance between them had shrunken and he was now so close that she could practically feel his breath on her exposed skin. "Uh, Nobu..." Leaning in, he inhaled deeply. "That is a lovely perfume." Angela suddenly felt hot all over as she watched his pupils dilate. "Oh, thank you," was all she could come up with as he ran his thumb over her freckles. When he leaned into her, she closed her eyes as he sniffed her again. No one had ever done that before. It was strange, but remarkably sensual and she sat in a daze as he took in her scent, excited by the sensation of his breathing on her neck. Not sure what he intended to do, she didn't move, and she didn't get to find out as Nobu's cell phone rang, interrupting him. "[Kso]," she heard him mutter under his breath. [What the hell is wrong with me?] she wondered. [I don't even know his last name!] "Our pizza is here," he said ruefully as he reluctantly got to his feet. Feeling conflicted, she began to worry about her strange reaction to him. The behavior she was exhibiting was completely uncharacteristic of her and not wanting to do anything impulsive, she decided it would be better for her to go home even though that was the last thing she wanted to do at that moment. [Which is exactly why you should go!] she berated herself. As he paid for the pizza, she gathered her jacket and purse. "What are you doing?" He set the pizza down and frowned. "Nobu, I had a great time, but I think it's best if I left." She inched towards the door. Walking towards her, he looked concerned. "Have I done something to offend you?" "No,no!" Her resolve was weakening the longer he looked at her and she backed away as he approached. "You've been a great host. It's just that I'm...I don't even know what I am right now which is unusual for me, so I think I should go." Face to face with her, he looked at her earnestly. "Do you want to leave?" Dizzied by his proximity to her, she found it difficult to lie. "No." Her answer was so soft she wasn't even sure she could hear it. She was aroused and afraid. He could smell it on her and he knew that if he didn't let her leave now that all bets were off, but the scent of her excitement was intoxicating. Unable to control himself any longer, he tore her things from her hands and slammed her back against the nearest wall. The impact of it caused her to cry out in surprise but her protest was cut short by his lips as he hungrily kissed her. She tasted salty and clean, like he remembered but more so and his kisses became more heated as he wove his fingers into her hair and held her head immobile. Not that she wanted to go anywhere. All reason had gone out the door and all she knew was that she'd never experienced a kiss like the one he was giving her. It was animal, sensual and affectionate all at once. When he bit the skin under her jaw, she felt her knees give out but he held her up, never stopping his onslaught. When he paused to come up for air, he felt her squirm as he panted in her ear and licked the curved shell. She moaned and clawed at him and if that were not indication enough, the smell of her desire had become even stronger. If she had been able to see his face, she would have been shocked to see the pupils in his azure eyes dilate eve further and he alternately bit and sucked on her earlobe, causing her to thrash helplessly in his grasp. "Angela," he rasped into her ear. "I...I cannot stop what I am doing. If you do not wish me to do this, you must leave now." His warm breath in her ear as well as the prickling sensation from his beard on the sensitive skin of her neck were too much and she threw her arms behind his neck, pressing him to her. Under the many layers of fabric, she could feel how hard he was and at that moment the only thing she wanted was to ride it. "I can't leave," she whispered, wrapping her legs around his waist. "Not until you fuck me." Something that sounded like a snarl rose from his throat but before she could think on it any more he slammed her into the wall again and hiked up her skirt. Snaking his hand up the silky skin of her inner thigh, he pushed aside the thin strip of lace that covered her wet lips and began stroking her clit. Hearing her use such coarse language to express her need for him had been the final nail in the coffin and somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew that he would never let her leave, ever. He kissed her roughly as he fingered her and felt her shake under his hand and she screamed into his mouth as she unexpectedly came. Tearing his mouth away, he put his hand to his face and smelled the slickness that dripped from his fingers before licking them clean. "You are mine," he growled before he tore open her shirt. Though she heard the buttons bouncing on the hardwood floor, she didn't care. She wanted to be naked with him as soon as possible. Grabbing her bra, he snapped it open, freeing her breasts and he attacked her nipples with his teeth. The rough way he bit them made her weak and she felt herself going limp when he picked her up effortlessly and carried her up the stairs to his bed. Throwing her on the mattress, he yanked her skirt and thong off in one impatient motion and removed his kimono. The sight of his naked body made her even wetter as he was lean and almost completely hairless. The predatory expression in his blue eyes made her shiver and she crawled on all fours until her face was level with his swollen cock, shiny with precum. Licking the tip tentatively she watched every muscle in his body tense and took the whole of it into her mouth. The taste of it was almost enough to make her come. She didn't even notice that he had fisted her hair in his hands and was savagely fucking her face. In minutes, she felt his sac tighten and he pushed his head down her throat as he roared his pleasure. She had barely managed to swallow when he threw her on her back and plunged his tongue between her thighs. As his tongue played with the sensitive skin of her lips and clit, he reveled in the fact that she was completely shaven and felt his erection quickly return. Opening his mouth wide, he thrust the length of his tongue inside her tight walls and felt her thighs grip his head as she bucked against him. "Nobu, I'm going to cum!" she whimpered. This only caused him to redouble his efforts and as the first wave of her orgasm hit, she felt him disengage from her pussy and was about to wail in protest when she felt him slam his cock into her cunt. Unable to quiet herself, she screamed in ecstasy as he skewered her viciously, staring into her face the whole time. "[Yosh]," she heard him murmur. "Again, my love." "What? I couldn't possibly-" Before she could finish, she felt her pussy ache then spasm as a third orgasm tore through her. "What – what are you doing to me?" she gasped, amazed that she was still able to speak coherently. "I am loving you," he panted between thrusts. "In the way that only I can." The loud sounds and the delicious sensation of his balls slapping against her wet lips caused her eyes to roll back in their sockets and she nearly sobbed as she came for the fourth time. "Oh, fuck," she moaned. "Yes," he hissed, as he flipped her onto her belly. Grabbing her hips, he forced her ass high into the air. "Now, you will come for me even as I come inside you." The brief thought flashed through her head that they had not even discussed using condoms or the risks of having unprotected sex but those concerns vanished as his cock sank into her cunt and assaulted her g-spot. Digging her fingers into the mattress, she wantonly pushed her hips into his pelvis as he fucked her. God, he felt like he was getting even bigger inside her and she knew it was seconds away. She felt him dig his nails into the soft skin of her ass and heard him groan, "[Ikku!]" The feeling of him throbbing inside her as he ejaculated set her off and she muffled her screams in the mattress. If she had ever wondered why the French referred to the orgasm as a "little death" she now understood and convulsed under him as he continued to stroke her through her pleasure. Breathing hard, he pulled out of her, and smiled when he saw his cum slide stickily down her inner thigh. Covering her body with his, he inhaled the smell of her sex and sweat and kissed her neck. When she didn't move, he became concerned and turned her over to find that her eyes were glazed and she didn't appear to be conscious. "Angela? Angela!' He shook her but her head simply lolled about limply on her neck. A wave of fear gripped him as he wondered if he had been too rough with her but he saw that she was still breathing. Pulling her to him, he kissed her forehead and pulled the blanket over them. "Please, do not leave me again," he begged in Japanese. The soft sound of her breathing eventually lulled him to sleep. ______________________________ okari nasai: welcome (formal, Japanese) shistore-shimase: please pardon the intrusion (essentially thanking someone for being invited into their home, Japanese) kirei-desho: so lovely (Japanese) domo: thank you (formal, Japanese) gomen-nasai: my apologies, I apologize (Japanese) weh halmuni: maternal grandmother (Korean) kso: shit (Japanese) yosh: good, well done (Japanese) ikku: I'm coming (Japanese) The Rising Sun & The Morning Calm Ch. 05 If you've enjoyed the story, please drop a comment or two, which I will take as an indication to continue :) ________________________________ The next morning, Noboru awoke feeling rested and looked down to see Angela sleeping with her head on his shoulder, her dark hair strewn all over his chest. A small smile played about her lips and in the daylight, her freckles stood out sharply from her pale skin. "[Utskushi]," he murmured, stroking her cheek. As if feeling it, she snuggled closer to his side. Needing to use the bathroom, he unwillingly extricated himself from her and went down to the lower level so as not to disturb her. After relieving himself, he was about to go back up the stairs when he heard her cell phone ring. Not wanting to wake her, he took it out of her purse and looked at the caller ID to see who would call so early on a Saturday morning. His brows furrowed as the display read "Ken." Flipping the phone opened, he waited to see what this "Ken" wanted. "Hey, Sexy Doc. You miss me?" a man's voice playfully greeted. Noboru's lips drew back in a snarl. "Who is this?" There was a stunned silence and then an equally outraged voice shot back, "Who the hell is THIS and what are you doing with Angela's phone?" "What is it you want with her?" he demanded suspiciously. "That's none of your fucking business," the other man shouted. "Did you do something to her? Is she there?" "She is fine," he said flatly before hanging up on him. It was a good thing that this had been a phone conversation as he wasn't sure he could have refrained from tearing the man in half. Tucking the phone back in her purse, he brought it upstairs in case she needed anything and slid back under the covers. She had rolled onto her side, her back to him, and his eyes possessively slid over the curves of her lower back and ass. His cock was now at full attention and something about seeing her like this, unaware and defenseless, spurred his need to take her even more. Pulling her to him, he pressed his naked front into her back and felt her stir. "Wha-?" "[Ohaiyo]," he whispered huskily into her ear. He was rewarded by a series of shivers. Mentally filing away that this was a very sensitive erogenous zone for her, he slipped his fingers between her legs and began stroking the skin around her labia. Within seconds she was wet and twitching under his touch. "Nobu?" She let out a surprised squeal when he parted her lips with his fingers and slipped the head of his cock into her. "Did you sleep well?" He let his head rest inside her without moving further to see what she would do. "I did, thank you." He could feel her squeezing him, as if trying to coax him back inside. When he didn't slide in all the way, she gave a frustrated groan and pushed her hips back against him greedily, forcing his entire length into her. "God, your cock is so good!" She was so wet that he was in danger of slipping out of her if he thrust too excitedly and the silken sensation of her cunt on him caused him to bite down on her neck as he climbed on top of her and fucked her from behind. The animal noises of satisfaction that he was making with a mouthful of her neck between his teeth drove her wild and she thrust back at him as she was flooded with pleasure. Feeling her excitement at being taken this way, Noboru felt his sac tighten and bit down hard as he tried to strangle his own cry of release. He hovered on the edge of exploding for what felt like minutes, driving himself into her with such force that his strokes actually lifted her off the mattress when he buried himself in her tight opening. As the first jet of hot semen spewed out of him, he felt his vision blur for a moment at the sheer intensity of it, heightened by her clamping down as she came a second time. Looking down, he was horrified to see that his claws had sprung up but she would be unable to see it from where she was. [Shit!] Gritting his teeth as his finished coming, he tried to control his mind long enough to replace them with fingernails. Perhaps he had caught it in time... Angela tried desperately to catch her breath. She couldn't remember if she'd ever had such amazing sex in her life, or come so many times in a 24 hour period. "Nobu, that was amazing," she purred. When he was silent, she turned on her side to face him. "Nobu, is everything alright?" Anxiety was clearly written all over his face. He was starting to scare her and she sat up. "Nobu, what is it?" Seeing her lovely face looking at him so trustingly made him feel even worse about what it was that he had possibly done. "Angela, I must tell you something..." [Oh God, tell me he doesn't have HIV] she thought with a jolt of fear. "Is it about our not using condoms?" "No, no, you need not worry about that." Relieved that she was not in danger of contracting an STD, she relaxed again. "Well, what is it?" Abruptly she frowned. "You regret what happened." "No." He pulled her into his arms and held her tightly. "I have not been so happy in a long time." Angela smiled contentedly. It was true, she could feel his happiness in the way that he held her. Rubbing her face onto his smooth chest, she wrapped her arms around his waist. "Well, what could be so bad? Are you going to leave?" "No, but I am afraid that you may wish to, and that you will hate me for keeping you here." He hugged her tighter. [I could just take up residence in his arms], she thought with an idiotic grin. "Nobu, you're so sweet and you make me feel so wonderful. That and you're mind-blowing in bed. Why would I want to leave or hate you?" "You do not even know me," he whispered into her hair. His voice sounded so frightened and she couldn't explain why, but she felt sad for him. "What could you have possibly done for me to hate you?" Hesitantly loosening his grip on her, he felt a dull ache in his chest at the idea that what he would say could drive her away from him. "You notice that my eyes are rather unusual." "Beautifully so, yes." She put a hand on his cheek and gazed wonderingly at them, causing his cock to twitch in spite of his trepidation. "They were not always this color." "Really?" "They were as yours." Although she'd never heard of a medical condition that caused a person's eyes to change color like that, she didn't consider it out of the realm of possibility. "Okay, but what does that have to do with what you have to tell me? "How old do you think I am?" She observed him with her head tilted to one side, and the charming picture almost made him forget his concern. "Late thirties, at best." Taking a deep breath, he took her hands and looked into her eyes. "Next year, I will be four hundred and fifty years old." "Huh?" was all she could say. "That's not possible." Encouraged by the fact that she didn't recoil, he pulled her to him so that she faced him with her legs draped over his hips. "Do you see that katana above my bed?" She looked at where it hung and nodded. "It is even older than I am. My father gave it to me when I turned twenty-five. It has even been appraised." Angela faced him again and stared into his blue irises, appearing confused. "How is that possible?" Unable to refrain from touching her, he nuzzled her neck and felt her shiver at the contact. "Do you believe in demons?" "I guess." It was hard to concentrate as he ran his lips over her neck. "I'm Christian and there are demons in my religion, or devils as it were." Noboru stopped caressing her. "I was cursed by a demon. That is why I have lived for so long." "How can staying eternally young be a curse?" She could only hope she looked that good if she was so old. "It comes at a heavy price." Amused, she playfully licked his nipple and grinned as his eyes darkened. "What?" She continued to flick with her tongue and his cock began to unsheath itself from its foreskin. Trying to be serious, he grabbed her by the shoulders and stopped her, causing her eyes to go wide. "The first is that a part of me has become more primal, and when my emotion takes control of me, I...change. When I change, it is difficult to control my drives." "Okay, so you're ruled by your Id. That's not so terrible." She moved her hips against his hard shaft, running her slick lips along his length. Noboru fought to keep his mounting lust under control. "The second is that to live a long time without something meaningful to give you purpose often makes one wish for death. Everyone else around you dies but you continue living with the memories of them and their loss." Her expression became serious. "I hadn't thought about that." "And the last problem is that I -- I can transfer my condition to others." "Is that what you were scared to tell me? That you might have given me this...condition?" "[Hai.]" Still not understanding, Angela stroked his chest. "Nobu, what is it that's so awful about this change?" Stepping away from her, he touched her cheek. "Will you promise that you will not run away from me when you see it? I swear on my honor that I will not hurt you." Something about the way that he said it made her feel so sad. He sounded like a hurt little boy who was afraid of being left behind. Covering the hand on her cheek with her own, she turned her face and lightly kissed his palm. "Nobu, I know you would never hurt me. I'm a lot tougher than I look. Besides, I'm a shrink. I've pretty much seen and heard everything. I'd be impressed if you could shock me at all." "I hope that you are right." Straightening his back, he stood and closed his eyes. At first she thought this was some sort of illusion or that she was hallucinating but she watched as his skin turned white, then grew silvery fur. A nauseating sound of breaking bones filled the room as his hands and feet grew larger and sprouted claws. Despite all this, his face remained serene and he didn't appear to be in pain as his midface pulled forward into a muzzle and his ears migrated to the top of his head and shifted into points. When he had finished, he slowly opened his eyes and stared down at the tiny woman who was lying naked and open mouthed on his bed and held his breath to see if she would flee. ______________________ utskushi: beautiful (Japanese) ohaiyo: good morning (Japanese) The Rising Sun & The Morning Calm Ch. 06 If you've enjed the story so far, please drop a comment or two so I know that people want the series to continue. cheers! :) _______________________________________________ [This is one hell of a dream I'm having] Angela thought as she drank in the sight of the magnificent creature standing in front of her. Nobu was now at least seven feet tall and though his waist was still the same size, his shoulders, back and chest had broadened considerably. He was covered in a fine silvery fur, the hairs longer on his back and shoulders, almost like a mane, while the fur on his front was shorter. She had expected to see a tail but apparently he didn't have one. Large, powerful hands tipped with intimidating talons alternately flexed and relaxed their thick fingers restlessly. What shocked her most was his face. The blue eyes that regarded her were keenly intelligent if not a little anxious, but though he had changed physically, she somehow knew it was still him behind those startling eyes. Noboru thought his heart would explode from beating so quickly. Unable to wait for her to speak first, he opened his mouth. "Angela, I-" When she interrupted him, he couldn't have been more surprised by her reaction. Crawling forward, almost with her belly against the mattress, she nuzzled his cock with her lips before lightly taking the sensitive foreskin between them. He watched her, rooted to the spot as she took obvious delight in teasing him. When he had hardened to his full size, she stared at his enhanced genitals and eagerly licked her lips. Turning around, she spread her legs wide for him and looked over her shoulder. "Nobu, fuck me," she begged. His misgivings completely forgotten, he snarled and grabbed her hips with his claws, puncturing her skin as he squeezed himself into her inch by tortuous inch. Angela could see their reflection in the large mirror on his dresser opposite the bed and the sight of the enormous animal using her for its pleasure only made her wetter. When she finally felt her ass hit his abdomen, she couldn't even squeeze down she was so full. She watched as his lips curled back from his teeth, revealing gleaming white razor-sharp points. In this form he was almost twice her size and his cock felt like it had also doubled in length and girth. Seeing that she was watching them in the mirror, he pulled out of her and sat on the edge of the bed. Lifting her aching pussy over his cock, he impaled her on his shaft and watched as she trembled at the sight of his enlarged member disappearing between her puffy lips. Her scent became stronger and he growled into her ear. The noise caused her to snap and she arched her back and grabbed fistfuls of his fur as he effortlessly slid her up and down his cock. She was still shuddering from the aftershock when he threw her face down on the bed and plunged his meat into her throbbing pussy. "I am going to make you mine," he warned her as he dug his claws deeper into her flanks. "Is that what you want?" The evolved part of her brain was no longer functioning as her pleasure center was overloaded. "Yes! I don't care, just don't stop!" Her petite frame wasn't built for him in his hybrid state and threw his head back and let out a roar before clamping his jaws down on her neck. When his canines sank into her trapezius muscle, the pain increased her pleasure and she screamed his name over and over again as he flooded her with his warm spunk. Angela felt him rapidly shrink inside her and turned to see Nobu as she was more accustomed, looking at her with great concern. Noticing the puncture wounds in her hips, as well as the small amount of blood mixed with the semen leaking out of her, she gasped when she saw the row of bloody teeth marks in her shoulder. The sounds of snapping bone caused her to turn around and she saw that Nobu had again taken his more animal appearance. Lying next to her, he rumbled, "Do not move." From between his jaws, his warm tongue rolled out and began gently licking the wounds. She couldn't help but sigh as it felt blissfully soft and silky against her skin. Even the rasping sound it made as it cleaned the cuts was comforting and she snuggled deeper into his body. Placing one of his large hands possessively around her waist, he languorously lapped at the marks he had left until they had all but disappeared into faint white scars. Smiling to himself, he got up from the bed and moved to her feet. So relaxed by his ministrations, she watched him lazily as his blue eyes traveled to the bruised opening between her legs and she could have sworn he smiled at her before continuing on. The feeling of his tongue's rough surface on her lips and clit after being used so roughly caused her to arch her back and she felt his fingers hold her still, though this time, he did not use his claws. Noboru grinned as he watched her moan from his efforts. He worked his tongue all the way into her pussy until it gently teased her g-spot and her eyes flew open as the warmth in her belly spread to her entire body and she gripped his tongue with her inner muscles as she came. Exhausted, all she could do was quiver as the spasms shot through her. Slipping back to his usual appearance, Noboru spooned her, trying not to smile when he felt that she was still shaking. "I...think...you broke...my brain," she slurred, with a final twitch. He tenderly nuzzled the scars that now marked her as his. "Do you like it?" She turned with great effort to face him, unsure of what was happening to her, but at the moment, she didn't care. All she knew was that everything else in life seemed dull compared to being ensconced in his arms under his blue gaze. "I do." Stroking her cheek, he pulled a damp strand of hair out of her eyes and gazed at her flushed face. "You were not in the least bit frightened," he marveled in hushed tones. "Only that it hurt you to change, but you didn't look like it was painful." "You even desired me that way." Noboru still couldn't believe that she had responded so receptively to him. "Why?" She yawned drowsily and cuddled against his warm chest. "I don't know. I could tell you all sorts of psychological mumbo jumbo to explain it, but quite frankly I don't care. I just felt it seeing you like that, just like I felt it when I first walked in here." All he felt from her was comfort and an almost implicit trust. "Does it make you happy?" "Unbelievably so," came the muffled reply. She was half asleep when she became aware that her cell phone was ringing in her purse. Fishing around for it, she sleepily looked at the display. "Nine missed calls?" She opened the phone and scrolled through her phone log. "Who is Ken?" She looked up at the harsh edge to his voice. "How do you know about him?" "He called you earlier this morning. I answered the phone," he replied in a tightly controlled tone. "You answered my phone? Why would you do that?" "To find out what your relationship to this Ken is." She gaped at him in disbelief. "Nobu, you could have just given it to me." "You were sleeping so peacefully," he reasoned. "I did not wish to disturb you." Crossing his arms with a displeased expression, he looked sternly at her. "So, who is he?" She couldn't help smiling. "Why, are you jealous?" "Do I have reason to be?" he asked, arching a brow. "I was not joking when I told you that you were mine now." One look at his face told her that he was deadly serious. Typically such possessive behavior would have disgusted her, especially so early into a relationship, but with Nobu, she understood it somehow, and found that she rather liked it. Pulling him down next to her, she nibbled in his neck, hoping to placate him. "He's an ex boyfriend." She felt him tense underneath her. "And when was the last time you were with him?" His words were measured and deliberate. [Oh boy], she thought, [here we go]. Assuming that he would know if she lied to him, she honestly replied, "Last weekend." She looked at his face to see his enraged eyes flashing. He looked so...scary. "Nobu, it was a friends with benefits type situation, he doesn't mean anything to me." Softening a little, he grabbed her roughly and pulled her atop him. "Very well, but no longer. I cannot be held responsible for anyone who is injured if you give yourself to any other but me." "After the last 24 hours how could I possibly want to give myself to anyone but you?" she exclaimed. She laughed when his face broke into a smile and she kissed him affectionately. "Besides, I don't see how any man could compete with a real live werewolf." "Technically I am not a werewolf. I never liked that term." "So what would you call what you are?" "I am Japanese, with a few genetic modifications here and there." He flashed her a distinctly wolfish grin. "Well, Nobu-san, I don't think you need to worry about anyone else encroaching on your territory." Stretching luxuriously, she sighed when she realized her kitties were probably wondering where she had gone. "Alright [okki-inu], I have to go home now." "Why?" He clung to her stubbornly, a defiant scowl on his lips. "My babies need me." "BABIES?!" She cringed at how loud he shouted the word. Noboru was about to throw the nearest piece of furniture out the window when she pinned his arms down. "My kittens, Nobu. They're probably hungry." "Oh," was the sheepish reply. "Well, why don't you introduce me to these babies and I will help feed all four kitties?" His reluctance to let her out of his sight was endearing. "Okay, but I need to borrow a shirt. As I recall, a certain horny Japanese boy destroyed it." He merely smiled and looked quite pleased with himself. _________________________ After Nobu had parked his car, he took Angela's hand and was about to enter her building when he suddenly felt unsettled inside, as a feeling that he hadn't experienced in over four centuries swept over him. "You cannot go up there," he warned, pulling her back. "Why not?" She looked down the foyer towards the elevators impatiently. "Nobu, I have to feed my cats." He looked as if he were on guard against something. Looking around, he gripped her hand harder. "If you must, we can get your cats and anything you need immediately but you must return with me to my home. It is not safe here. I will send someone to fetch the remainder of your things." "Nobu, what are you talking abou-" Before she could finish, he took her face in both of his hands and kissed her softly. Pulling back, he stared at her and asked, "Do you trust me?" "Of course I do," she said breathlessly. "Then please, do as I ask of you." The look in his eyes was so intense that she could feel he was afraid for her. "Okay," she agreed. "I'll grab them and my laptop and we'll go back to your place." Pulling her closer to him, he continued to scan the area around them as they got into the elevator. As the doors closed, he held her tightly to him. "Thank you." Across the street, on the roof of the opposite building, a lone figure watched the couple disappear into the high rise. Stuffing his hands into the pockets of his black trench coat, he gave a low laugh before turning around. ________________________ okki-inu: big dog (Japanese) The Rising Sun & The Morning Calm Ch. 07 If you've enjoyed the story so far, please drop a comment or two, and I'll take it as an indication to keep writing. Thanks to everyone who was kind enough to review! ____________________________ They drove back to his place in silence. Casting a sidelong glance at him, Angela wondered why Nobu was so tense but thought better of asking right at that moment. When they reached his condo he became noticeably more relaxed and his face eased into a smile. Opening the box, she let her kittens sniff their new surroundings and one by one, they hopped out, Yin naturally being the first to take the initiative. "Nobu, they might scratch up some of your nice things," she worried. Examining his new occupants with amusement, Noboru shrugged carelessly. "There are only two things of mine that if damaged beyond repair would upset me." "Those being?" "One is my katana. The other," he said as he strolled over to her, "is you." Affectionately kissing her cheek, he put an arm around her waist and looked down at the purring balls of fluff at his feet. Angela watched in fascination as Yin and Yang wound themselves around his legs and flopped on their sides, begging to have their bellies rubbed. Only Snotty remained disdainfully aloof, choosing to watch imperiously from Nobu's bed. "I've never seen them act so friendly with another person." Reaching down to stroke their tummies, Noboru laughed. "That is because they know who is in charge here. Although I think Snotty-[kun] is plotting to oust me from my alpha male position," he joked, indicating him as the imperious kitten made himself comfortable on his sheets. Thinking that this was as good a time as any, she decided to broach the subject that had been on her mind all morning. "Nobu, are you going to tell me what's wrong?" He caught her off guard when he suddenly grabbed her to him and buried his face in her neck. "Nobu, what is it?" Sitting down on the sofa he pulled her into his lap. "I fear I may have put you in some danger." "Eh?" "This morning I felt something that I have not experienced in many years." He kissed the inside of her palm before continuing. "When I was twenty-seven, I accompanied my brother on a mission to scout the coastline of what was then Chosun. A storm destroyed our ship and I was washed ashore half dead and burning with fever." Touching her face, he added, "You found me and saved my life." "What?" She shook her head. So that was why he looked like he recognized her that first time. "You mean some distant relative of mine or someone that looked like me," she corrected. "No, it was you." His expression became sad, then was replaced by a fury so fierce she could feel it. "My brother found you and I was unable to protect you from his men. They dishonored you as I was forced to watch, and in your shame, you took your own life." "Oh my god." His arms around her tightened. "When I was turned over to the shogun, he was incensed by my betrayal, as I killed some of the men who tried to take you. As punishment, he ordered a fox-witch to place a curse on me. It was she who made me what I am. The logic was to use my new body's ability to heal quickly so that I could be endlessly tortured without concern of my dying." The idea of it sickened her. "How long did that last?" "It took me six months to learn to control my physical state. I continued to feign weakness in order to lull them into a false sense of security. One particular night, I found I could not wait any longer and I slew my tormentors, or at least I thought I had." "What do you mean?" She glanced up at his eyes, which had darkened to a stormier shade of blue. "My brother was the one who enjoyed my torture the most. He would accompany the witch while I was tortured and sometimes participate. To add to my ignominy, he even used my own sword to inflict pain on me. After what he did to you and how he betrayed me, I had promised myself that my need for vengeance would not be satisfied until I had killed him, and that night I did, or so I thought." "I don't understand." Angela looked at him confused. Noboru sighed. "Saburo was the first person I ever infected. As he survived my attempt to kill him, he developed many of the same symptoms as I did but I did not realize he was still alive until sixty years ago." He saw the realization spread over her face. "It's him you're worried about. You're afraid that he'll come after me." "Yes." Hugging her apologetically, he said, "I am sorry to have forced you out of your home. I did not realize he was now in the United States." "If you had, would it have changed how you acted around me?" Smiling wryly, he shook his head. "No, I would still be incapable of depriving myself of you." Drawing her closer, he kissed her lingeringly. "I had given up on the hope that I could find anyone who made me feel the way you did. I knew that one way or another, I would make you mine." She closed her eyes at the hypnotic effect his voice had on her and parted her lips to give him more room to explore her. "Nobu," she moaned. She enjoyed the feel of his name on her lips almost as much as he enjoyed it in his ears. Hearing her breathe his name, his eyes dilated to the point where there was only a thin rim of blue surrounding the deep black pools. The smell of her rising desire was beginning to overpower his mind and she could feel it as he hardened against her thigh. "You possess a dangerous power over me," he whispered, even as he gripped her neck possessively. Pulling off his T-shirt, she ran her tongue over the smooth surface of his chest and stomach, alternately licking and biting her way down to his waist. With her cheek she stroked his stiffening cock as it strained to break free of his trousers. Undoing his zipper, she slid them off and his erection sprang forward, eager for her touch. Playfully ignoring it and laying on her back, she spread her legs and began fingering her pussy as his eyes glazed over with need while he watched her play with herself. Bringing herself right to the brink of orgasm, she purred, "Fuck me like an animal. I want you to let go of your inhibitions and be rough with me." Amidst a cacophony of snaps and cracks, within seconds he was on her, pinning her down, snarling loudly, his fangs bared. The way she stared at him in his primal state was unashamed and she ogled his powerful body, waiting to be taken. His primitive side exulted in her permission to fuck her with abandon and he slashed her clothes to ribbons before tearing them off her body, leaving red welts where his talons met her skin. Taking her head in one clawed hand, he could easily have crushed her skull with little effort. Grasping his dripping cock in the other, he pushed it against her lips. "Open your mouth," he hissed. When she did, he stretched he jaws wide as he used her to satisfy himself. Seeing her juices pooling under her, he pushed her off and began lapping up the fluid on his couch before snaking his tongue into her waiting lips. She ground her hips into his face, gripping the white fur of his head with both hands, attempting to drive his muzzle deeper. When she threw her head back and exposed the flesh on her neck, he clamped down with his teeth and her blood ran over his tongue. The instant he tasted the sweet, metallic flavor, the rational part of him receded into the recesses of his mind and only his primitive urges remained -- the need to eat, to fuck, and to possess. Relinquishing his grip on her, he threw her onto her stomach so hard that she cried out in protest. The new level of urgency frightened her a little. He smelled her fear, could feel her misgivings about her request and it only inflamed the predator in him to claim her more. Wrenching her legs apart, he buried his cock inside her with one savage stroke and savored her whimpers of pain at being invaded so roughly. Taking one of her breasts in his hand, he used his grip to anchor her in place as he brutally pounded into her from behind. "Nobu, please." It was starting to hurt, he was fucking her so hard. He answered by giving her a threatening growl and snapping her neck in between his jaws. She screamed in genuine fear as she felt his teeth meet through her skin and saw her blood drip onto the leather of his sofa. With her immobilized underneath him, he relentlessly pulled in and out of her, the taste of her blood and the smell of her adrenaline bringing him to climax with dizzying speed. "Come for me," was his ragged command in her ear. The possessive and domineering nature of his order triggered an explosion inside her and she clawed deliriously at the couch as she rutted beneath him. Her release caused his own to erupt and he threw back his head and roared as he flooded her cunt with jet after jet of semen. His need sated for the moment, he remained encased inside her but began to clean her wounds, holding her limp body up as he did so. As she regained the strength in her limbs, she could feel that he was still hard and began to slide back and forth on his shaft. Snarling at the overstimulation on his sensitive genitals, he tried to pull out, but she gripped him tightly and his attempt to extricate himself only caused her to grind into him harder. Enjoying how tightly he stretched her, she leaned on her arms to give herself more leverage as she began to cum again. "Oh, god, Nobu, please! Give it to me! Fuck!" The feeling of her spasms around him were almost too much for him to take after he had experienced such a massive orgasm and he howled at the overstimulation. When the last waves died down, she fell face down onto the sofa, a dazed smile on her face as he continued to clean her. The contented rumbling noise he made as he licked her was incredibly soothing as she felt its vibrations through her body. "I am so fortunate to have found you again," he murmured in his delicious baritone. "So am I," she grinned lazily. "Nobu, will I be like you now?" Sensing her uncertainty, he held her closer to him. "Yes. I have exchanged too much fluid with you while in my de-evolved state. It will take some time to see the changes, as your genetic material is being re-written." "Will I have gorgeous blue eyes like yours?" She rubbed her cheek against the satiny fur of his muzzle. Noboru smiled inwardly. "Unfortunately no. The people I have infected have never changed eye color." A shadow of doubt flitted through her mind. "Nobu, are you sure you want to be stuck with me? You barely know anything about me." He ran his tongue over the side of her sweat-streaked face, enjoying the tangy flavor. "I have waited over four centuries to find you. It is a long time to consider what it is that one truly wants." His features slowly settled back to his usual self. "Are you sure you wish to be bound to me in this way?" Climbing on top of her, he pressed his body into hers. "We will live for a very long time." Twining her arms around his neck, she nipped his lower lip. "We are going to be having a LOT of sex then." The way his eyes danced at her response made her smile. "[Mochiron]." Kissing her eyelids softly, he whispered, "[Sarang-heh]." His words brought tears to her eyes and she bent her head to hide them. "[Sarang-heh]," she whispered back. ________________________________ -kun: male diminutive of san (Japanese) mochiron: of course (Japanese) sarang-heh: I love you (Korean) ________________________________ The sound of Noboru's cell phone woke the couple. Answering it drowsily, he muttered, "[Moshi moshi]?" Angela saw that he suddenly became more alert and was nodding at something the person on the other end was saying. "[Yosh. Hai. Hai. Sorudewa]." Hanging up, he rolled over in the bed and wrapped himself around Angela's sleepy form. "My people will be bringing your things up now." "So soon?" Nobu certainly was efficient. "I did not want to give Saburo any time to obtain any information about you that could prove to be useful for him." He kissed her shoulder softly. "Where does your family live?" "In California," she answered. "Why?" "Good, they are not in immediate danger then." Pulling the covers aside, he stood up and pulled a black kimono robe around himself and knotted the belt around the waist. Turning around, he caught her eyeing him as he dressed and smirked. His jet black hair hung free over his shoulders and the look he shot her made his full lips look even more inviting and she continued to stare at him defiantly. "How long do we have before they get here?" she asked suggestively. The look in his eyes became positively evil as the smell of her arousal began to fill his nostrils. "Unfortunately not long enough." Exercising a supreme amount of willpower, he forced his cock to stay calm. "You will be the end of me, my angel." His ears pricked up as he heard them at the door, which was odd because Angela couldn't hear anything. When he opened the door, four large Japanese men dressed in black suits entered and bowed their respects. After issuing them a few orders in Japanese, they returned carrying boxes of her things as well as what little furniture she had. Uneasy about the strangers moving about, Yin, Yang and Snotty jumped onto the bed and huddled near Angela as she watched them, holding only a sheet up to her front to cover her modesty. When they had finished bringing her things in, they paused to look up at her. She saw Nobu's eyes follow their gaze and when he looked at her his face betrayed a small amount of possessiveness and pride. The four men bowed deeply to her and bid farewell to Nobu. Ascending the steps, Noburu settled himself next to her, taking care not to disturb the cats. Yin and Yang immediately set about purring and butting their heads against him while Snotty shot him a look of annoyance and jumped off the bed. "[Gomen], Snotty-kun. You must learn to share your mother," he laughed. Yawning dismissively, the charcoal colored kitten narrowed his yellow eyes as if to say "you wish" and strutted away, his head held up. "[Nani]?" Noboru looked down to see Angela untying the obi that held his robe closed. Pulling it away from his body, he saw her smile wickedly as his cock stiffened before her watching eyes. Lowering her face, she inhaled the musky smell of him. "God, you smell so good," she groaned. His erection twitched at her words and she pulled his foreskin further back on his head while licking the slippery surface. "Nobu, how am I supposed to go to work when all I want to do is get fucked by you all the time?" His expression became grave suddenly. "What is it?" Reluctantly pulling her away from his hard on, Nobu spoke to her in a serious tone. "I want you to let me send someone with you tomorrow. I do not feel comfortable letting you go to your office alone." "Nobu, I can't do that!" Her lust temporarily forgotten, she pulled back. "Only one man," he bargained. "I'm a psychiatrist! My patients are not going to feel that their privacy is going to be respected if I have someone else in the room with them!" "He doesn't have to be in the room with you. Just outside the room is enough," Noboru explained patiently. Angela threw her hands up in the air. "And how will I explain this to my patients?" Taking her hand in his, he put his lips to her palm and gave her a pained smile. "[Onnegai]. I cannot bear the thought of losing you again. Please do not deprive me of sleeping peacefully next to you." It was hard to refuse him when he put it that way. "Fine," she relented. "But he has to stay in the waiting area." Her office was designed such that there were two doors so that the patients leaving could not see the patients entering. "And whoever this guy is, if my patients ask, he has to say he's there early for an appointment." Smiling broadly, he nodded, "Done." She did her best to look irritated with him as he nipped the skin on her neck. "You really know how to turn a girl's life upside down." In the span of forty-eight hours she had found a boyfriend, then lost her apartment, moved in with her boyfriend, then gotten stuck with a babysitter. "So who's the guy?" Chuckling at her ire, Noboru threw her on her back and began licking her earlobe, drawing small moans of protest from her. "His name is Genzo. I would trust him with my life." "Fine, I want to meet this Genzo before he has to start following me around." "As you wish," he murmured throatily as his cock slipped inside her. Her stubbornness melted away and he smiled triumphantly when she locked her ankles over his back, pulling him deeper inside her. "I hate you," she glared at him as she thrust back. "As long as you stay, that is something I can live with," he said with amusement. "[Kimochi-na], you fit my cock so well, my angel." Letting his hand wander down to her clit, he slid his finger between her lips to wet it and began rubbing her clit in small circles. "You have no idea how difficult it was for me to see my men watching you as you looked down at them naked. It took all of my willpower not to take you right in front of them." The thought of him ravaging her in front of others sparked the beginning of a series of orgasms and he continued to pleasure her clit even when she tried to push him away. "Nobu, please!" she begged him. "It only makes me want to fuck you harder when you say my name," he threatened her. "You will stop coming only when I tire of hearing your cries." His eyes drilled into her as another bolt of pleasure seared through her. When it seemed like she could take no more, he turned her on her stomach and pinioned her onto his cock, his pleasure mounting until he came with a strangled cry, pumping her full of his seed. When their breathing had calmed, he heard her voice call to him. "Nobu?" "Yes, my love?" "I'm hungry," she said plaintively. Laughing, he turned her over and kissed her. "Yes, I suppose I have to feed my cat, too." _______________________________________________ moshi moshi: hello (on the telephone, Japanese) yosh: good, well done (Japanese) sorudewa: well then, if that is all (Japanese) onnegai: please grant my reques, I beg you (Japanese) kimochi-na: feels so good (Japanese) _______________________________________________ An hour later, they sat at his glass dining table enjoying the sushi he had ordered. "As you do not eat fish, I never would have assumed you would have wanted sushi," Noboru observed with surprise. "Fish no, [tamago], yes," Angela said happily with a mouthful of egg sushi. It made him happy beyond measure to see her eat so heartily. "I will be happy to obtain it for you whenever you like." She cocked her head and winked at him cheerfully. Seeing her seated across from him, wrapped in his kimono jacket with her hair still tangled from their lovemaking earlier, he felt a simultaneous stab of fear mixed with blinding contentment. Something in him wished that he could capture her like this forever. Taking a swig of her water, Angela resumed her attack on her sushi. "Nobu, I don't know your last name. Or your birthday, or where you were born." Smiling, he watched her for a few seconds before answering. "My name is actually Noboru." Angela grinned. "It sounds like someone saying 'noble' in an Asian accent." "I had never thought about that," he said with a grin. "My last name is Nagamori. My full name is Nagamori Noboru Takeo Tsuneo." She blinked at the length of his name. "Wow, that's a lot." She swallowed the mouthful of food that she had been chewing. "Does it mean anything?" "Loosely translated the characters mean 'the eternal ascending warrior of the immortal forest'." "Sounds so grand," she smiled. "Nice to meet you, Nagamori-[sama]." The Rising Sun & The Morning Calm Ch. 07 Her use of the title [sama] made him laugh. "No, it is I who is your faithful servant, my lady." Angela giggled merrily. "I like the sound of that." "What is your last name?" "Baek." "What does it mean?" "It means 'white'." She liked finding out about him and his learning about her, which seemed odd given the fact that apparently they were now bound together for life. "So you are the white angel," he mused with a fond smile. "I guess I am," she agreed. "Nobu -- I mean Noboru -- I meant to ask you, why is it that when you lick me, I heal so quickly?" She set down her chopsticks, feeling overly stuffed. Noboru walked to her side of the table and took her hand, leading her back to their bed. "Remember when I told you that I am the owner of a large biotech company?" She nodded. "We are working on a few different projects that were originally borne out of an attempt to learn more about my body's biology and chemistry. Do you remember any molecular genetics from when you were in medical school?" "The basics. It's been a while though," she admitted. "If you recall, DNA is composed of introns and exons. The exons are the sections of genetic information that are actually translated into proteins and the introns are somewhat useless, eventually getting spliced out. You also may recall that the genetic material between many animal species does not vary greatly and is sometimes over 90% similar to our own genome." "And?" "It has been speculated that these noncoding regions contain some of this material that is common between the higher mammalian species. Apparently whatever I was infected with has activated different parts of these noncoding regions, specifically those related to wolves." "But that doesn't make any sense," she interrupted him. "How can it activate those sequences when your DNA was already set to be human?" "Actually, the virus that confers the infection is very similar to HIV in the sense that it is a retrovirus. Because it employs reverse transcriptase, it can edit existing DNA. We have found that this is why I age so slowly. The aging process seems to be linked to the material that caps our chromosomes." "The telomeres," Angela finished. "Correct. Part of the latent sequences that appear to have been activated in my DNA codes for additional telomerase, so my telomeres never shorten, not in any appreciable way, and as the virus is constantly rewriting my genetic material, any errors in the DNA replication process are quickly corrected, so for the last four centuries, I have not been host to any sort of cancerous process." She looked at him in astonishment. "Noboru, do you know what you're describing? If you find a way to control this process, you've uncovered the key to longevity and the cure for all cancer." "It is exciting is it not?" He smiled and played with her hair. Her mind reeled at the enormity of his discovery. "If your scientists can figure this out, there are going to be a lot of Nobel Prizes handed out." "At the moment, the research is very confidential, as my researchers cannot reveal the source of the genetic material they are using." "Is that why I heal so quickly when you lick me?" "Yes." He kissed her scars lightly. "There is something in my saliva that has both antiviral and antibiotic properties. In addition to fighting off infection, there are substances within it that stimulate the various cytokines and second messenger systems that stimulate and speed the healing process. It also drives the body into a catabolic state to harness energy for the repair." He smiled wryly. "Which is why you have been so hungry lately. Would healing is an energetically expensive process." "God, Noboru, the applications for this research are endless! Antibiotics, wound care, palliation, a cure for HIV even." Her eyes were wide with amazement at the possibilities that such information would open. "Does your company have stocks?" He laughed at her question. "We have not gone public no." "Pity." Wall Street would be in a frenzy over his company. "Well, until my researchers unlock the secrets stored within my genetic code, you and I are some of the few to be privileged with these traits." Their conversation was cut short by his cell phone. "[Moshi moshi]? Mm." Setting his phone down, he turned to Angela. "As you requested, Genzo has come to meet with you." "What, now?!" "You did say you wished to meet him before you began work tomorrow," he reminded her with a dry look. "Yeah, I guess I did." She hadn't meant right this second though. Noboru was full of surprises. "Well, he will arrive in a few minutes, so you might wish to close your robe." Throwing on one of his own, he went down the stairs to wait for Genzo. Angela had just finished tying her kimono robe closed when Noboru opened the door and a young man wearing a black turtleneck sweater and jeans entered. The two exchanged a few words and he looked up to where she was seated on his bed. When he had taken off his shoes, Noboru motioned for her to come down. The man at Noboru's side wore a serious expression as he introduced himself with a deep bow. "[Jo-sama], I am Uehara Genzo." __________________________ tamago: egg (Japanese) -sama: title for sir, formal version of --san (Japanese) moshi moshi: hello (on the telephone, Japanese) jo-sama: my lady / mistress (Japanese) The Rising Sun & The Morning Calm Ch. 08 If you've enjoyed the story, please drop a comment or two and I'll take it as an indication that people want the story to continue. Cheers! ___________________________ Angela looked at the stoic man who stood in front of her. Genzo was tall for a Japanese man, about 6'2'', and his short black hair was impeccably spiked in a cavalier messy style. He was also extremely muscular which she could see even under the thick cable knit of his sweater. His jeans clung like second skin to a pair of strong thighs and one of the nicest asses she had ever seen on a man. Had she not met Noboru, she would have had a difficult time concentrating under his gaze. As if sensing her physical appreciation for her new bodyguard, Noboru shot her an amused look out of the corner of his eye and cleared his throat loudly. "Oh, uh, nice to meet you, Genzo. I'm Angela Baek." She held out her hand. Genzo looked at it, then at Noboru who nodded silently in permission before taking her hand in his and shaking it. He had a strong, commanding grip. "I will let the two of you talk in privacy," Noboru informed her before exiting the room. He said a few things in Japanese to Genzo that she couldn't quite understand, which he responded to simply by bowing. "Shall we sit?" She motioned to the couches. "If you wish it." His accent also indicated that he was born in Japan. "How old are you, Genzo," she asked as he sat down. "I am three hundred and twelve," he replied offhandly. Obviously he shared Noboru's condition. "So you've known Noboru for a long time, then?" "I have." After becoming accustomed to Noboru's warm and affectionate manner, it was odd to talk to someone who did behave in the reserved manner that was indicative of the Japanese. "How do you feel about having to follow me around?" "If Noboru-sama requests me to look after your safety, I would not deny him." "No, Genzo. I asked how you felt about it." "I do not have the luxury of indulging my feelings about things," he said pragmatically. She shouldn't have been surprised by his response. "Well, I appreciate your taking the trouble." He nodded but said nothing. "I only ask a few things." When he remained silent, she took it as a cue to continue. "The first is that you have to remain in the waiting area. The second is that if anyone asks you what you are doing here, you have to tell them that you arrived early for an appointment." After a period of silence, he spoke. "Is that all?" "Yes." "Very well." He stood up. "If Noboru-sama agrees, I will abide by your wishes." "Thank you." She had intended to get to know him better but apparently he didn't consider this a social visit. As if on cue, Noboru walked into the living area. "Well?" "I have received my instructions, Noboru-[donno]." He saw Angela look up in surprise when he referred to Noboru as "lord". They exchanged a few words in Japanese and Noboru turned to Angela. "I will return in a moment. I have a few things to discuss with Genzo." Walking outside his apartment, Noboru closed the door behind him and regarded Genzo with curiosity. "So, what do you think?" he asked in Japanese. "It's not my place to say," Genzo replied politely. "Genzo, you're my friend and I value your opinion. Please, speak freely." After hesitating a moment, he said, "I'm not accustomed to her ways. She will resist my presence." He paused, the remarked, "She asks very peculiar questions." "Such as?" "She asked how I 'felt' about my assignment." He scoffed at the idea of asking something so ludicrous. "Pointless." "She's concerned about the feelings of others. That's how she is." "I don't understand why we can't simply install security cameras in her office," he suggested with a hint of irritation. "It's far safer and much more efficient." Noboru found it strange that he was reacting so strongly to his new appointment. "As a physician, she must maintain the trust of her patients and to surveille them without their knowledge could result in a great many legal problems for her. Her life has already been thrown into disarray because of me. I don't wish to make it any worse for her." "[Wakarimashta]. I will return tomorrow. [Oyasumi-nasai, gozaimasu.]" Bowing his leave, Genzo stepped into the elevator and was gone. "He's an interesting one," Angela commented archly when Noboru had come back inside. "Genzo is very Japanese, if you had not already been able to surmise," Noboru agreed. "How did you meet him?" She patted the spot on the bed next to her. Sliding onto the bed, he put his head in her lap and played with her hair, enjoying the silky feeling of the strands between his fingers. "Genzo, like most Japanese, is extremely private. I would not divulge anything about him without his permission out of respect. What I can tell you is that he is [shinobi]." She sat up straighter in amazement. "Genzo is a ninja?" "Yes." His eyes crinkled at the corners at her surprise. "Wow. I have a samurai boyfriend and a ninja bodyguard," she thought aloud. "When did my life get so interesting? Hey!" Grabbing her, he rolled her on top of him. "Ride me." "Noboru, do you ever get tired?" Underneath her, she could feel he was already hard as a pipe. "I have waited four centuries for you," he drawled as he parted her lips. "It will be some time before I am tired." She sighed as he slid inside of her. "You'll have to lick me down there a lot then. Otherwise I won't be able to walk." When their pubic bones were rubbing against each other she closed her eyes at how good it felt and began stroking the firm plane of his pectoral muscles. Untying her robe, he slipped the silky material off her shoulders and cupped her breasts. "As often as you like," he promised. He enjoyed watching her as she braced herself against his chest, leaning on her arms as she stroked him. Looking at him, she felt like she would drown in the blue of his eyes and as he thrust against her, she threw her head back and writhed as she came. When he was sure that the last of it had passed, he pushed her roughly off his cock and placed her on all fours. Spreading her cheeks, he drank in the salty taste of her before filling her again with his aching warmth. Slowly he began fucking again her and as they continued, he increased the speed of his thrusts until the loud sounds of their hips slapping together filled his apartment. He could practically feel the cream churning in his balls as it prepared to burst free and he could tell by the gutteral noises she was emitting that she was close as well. Placing a hand on the small of her back to stabilize her, he grabbed her long hair in his fist and yanked back harshly, forcing her head up and her arms off the bed as he arched his back and slammed the first shot of cum deep within her. She screamed, shaking helplessly in his grip as she exploded around him and he began growling all sorts of obscenities in Japanese as he injected her with load after load of hot fluid. Releasing his grip on her hair, she fell face down on the mattress and smiled as she felt his cock twitch a few times before lying quietly inside her. Feeling the warm rivulets of his cum sliding down her thighs, her muffled voiced floated up from the bed, "Your poor sheets. I think we have to do laundry." Noboru threw his head back and laughed at the exhaustion in her voice. Leaning over her sweat-stained body, he licked her ear, making her tremble as he pulled out of her with a wet plop. "Sleep, [Sensei], you must work tomorrow," he murmured. Too tired to argue, she rolled on her side and in minutes was snoring softly. When he was sure that she was asleep, Noboru put on a pair of black silk pajama pants and went to his study, which was outfitted with multiple computer monitors. Donning a headset, he turned to one of the screens. "Daisuke. What news?" A man sat down in one of the displays. "Nothing yet, Nagamori-sama. We are still trying to track his movements." "Keep me informed. I also need Angela's mail to be forwarded to my address." "Of course, sir. I will see to it." Removing the headset, he closed the door to his study and made his way back to bed to find Snotty curled up in the warm spot he had vacated. The kitten opened one eye and when he saw that it was only Noboru, he closed it and went back to sleep. "[Baga]," he chided. "Get out of my space." As if understanding, Snotty grudgingly stretched and got up. "Arigato, Snotty-kun." Spooning Angela to him, he joined her in her slumber. ______________________________ donno: title of lord (Japanese) wakarimashta: I understand (Japanese) oyasumi nasai gozaimasu: good night (extremely formal, Japanese) shinobi: ninja (Japanese) sensei: teacher, in this case doctor (Japanese) baga: stupid (Japanese) ______________________________ "Nagamori-sama, so good to see you again." The dulcet tones of her voice grated on his nerves even as his member slowly woke. As she did every night, she visited him in his prison and with his heightened sense of smell, he could tell if she was within a mile of him. "I'm afraid I can't say the feeling is mutual," was his flat reply. Moving lithely on her perfect legs, the [kitsune-sukai] laughed and as if conditioned, his cock began to fill and swell. "You say that every night and every night I leave with your essence dripping between my thighs." She looked at the monstrous wolf lying in the corner of the cell with hunger. "Apparently the feeling is mutual in at least one part of you," she pointed out smugly as she confidently massaged his hardening rod. Ashamed of his body's betrayal, he turned his head and tried to look away. Bringing her hands to her shoulders, she pushed her robe off and the silk fell in a liquid pool around her slim ankles. Turning him on his back, she straddled him such that they faced the other's genitals, his member pointing angrily in her face. Staring at her cleft, his cock jerked of its own volition and his head emerged fully from his foreskin as he achieved his full size. Without saying anything, she swallowed him and pushed her cunt into his face. Unable to resist, he let his tongue slip out and he tasted the addictive fluid that she released as she moaned her pleasure on his cock. When she felt him throbbing, she released him with a loud groan and began riding his tongue as she stroked his shaft with her hands until she climaxed on his muzzle with an ecstatic cry. "Now it is your turn, my insatiable beast," she purred as she lowered her hips over his cock. Sliding slowly until the full length of him was inside her, she began rocking against him, feeling him throb inside her. With a triumphant shout, she felt the molten heat of his seed splash against her and she continued to stroke him until he fell back exhausted. Giving a satisfied sigh, she scooped up her kimono and left the dungeon, but not before whispereing, "Until tomorrow, my wild lover." Soon after, he heard a second set of footsteps. "[Oni-san, o genki deska]?" Noboru bristled at the sound of the intruder's voice. "Go to hell, Saburo," he snarled from where he lay. "Is that any way to greet your family? You wound me, brother!" Saburo knelt down and supported his weight on Noburo's katana. "It's a beautiful sword, isn't it? [Chichue] really should have given it to me, but of course it went to his favorite son, the one who would carry on the family name," Saburo sneered. "Oh it broke his fragile heart to learn that his eldest who he loved so much had perished on the high seas," he wailed melodramatically. Leaning closer, he added, "He's dead now, by the way." Tears slid down Noboru's muzzle at the news of their father's death. "I never knew that you hated me so much," he whispered. "That's because the two of you were so preoccupied with all that Bushido shit." He forced his brothers face off the ground and gripped it in his hand so that their eyes were level. "Wake up, Oni-san! Honor, family, loyalty -- these things have no place on this earth. The world belongs to the strong and ruthless, which is why the shogun will crush the kingdom of Chosun, and then! Then, when he has a firm foothold on the mainland, he will force the Emperor of Ming to submit to his will and slay anyone who would dare defy him." His eyes narrowed as he smiled. "It will be...glorious." "You are a sick man, Saburo. You have my pity," Noboru muttered weakly. Angered by his indifference to his words, he pierced his brother's hide with the katana. "I'm sick? You're a fucking mongrel! Fitting, actually, as you seem to prefer fucking bitches," he spat. "Although that witch who visits, you...damn! I almost envy you at times." Wincing as he withdrew the blade, Noboru calmly looked his brother in the eye and vowed, "Someday, Saburo, the wrongs you have committed will be revisited upon you." "Lucky for me I never believed in that Buddhist shit either," he scoffed. "You know, it really was a shame that I never got a taste of that Chosun whore. Everyone else seemed to enjoy her, even if she was lower than an anim-" With lightning fast speed, Noboru lunged at his brother, knocking him onto his back. Momentarily stunned from the fall, Saburo's eyes widened in fear when he found himself staring down Noboru's muzzle right into his ice blue eyes. "Saburo," he snarled, "someday has come sooner than either of us anticipated." With an angry roar, he took his brother's neck between his jaws and tore the front of his throat away. Saburo choked on his own blood as he bled into his windpipe, gasping for breath. Grabbing his katana, Noboru regained his human appearance and sprinted out of his cell. A harvest moon hung low in the sky, a large yellow galleon floating in the black sea of the night. Near the cliff overlooking the ocean, he saw the white body of the fox-witch outlined in the moonlight. Stalking noiselessly behind her, he grabbed her and turned her around. Surprised, she let out a soft cry when she turned to meet Noboru's blue stare. "I am afraid we will not be meeting tomorrow, or ever again for that matter," he growled before reaching back his arm and severing her head with a swift stroke. Removing her kimono from her headless body, he wrapped himself in it and watched as her blood seeped into the ground. Letting his breath out slowly, he closed his eyes as the cool night breeze wafted over him for the first time in almost half a year. Looking across the ocean, he thought of the people on the other side. There was work to be done. ________________________________ kitsune sukai: fox witch (Japanese) oni-san: older brother (Japanese) o genki deska: how have you fared (Japanese) chichue: extremely formal title for father (Japanese) ________________________________ "Preposterous! What reason could I possibly have for trusting you?" The man in red official robes glared down at Noboru's kneeling figure. "You have none, and I can give you no assurances," Noboru conceded. "All I have is my word that on my honor, I speak the truth." Unapologetically meeting his eyes, he argued, "You know yourself that the Japanese have been scouting the coastline of Chosun for years. It is exactly as you feared. The shogun, Toyotomi Hideyoshi is planning an invasion of your country and unless you heed my warning and warn your monarch, there will be nothing left of this peninsula when they arrive!" Admiral Yi Soon Shin, commander of the Left Cholla Navy, examined the kneeling samurai thoughtfully. Though he was wary of anyone Japanese, his intuition assured him that the man before him was not dissembling. Nodding for him to stand up, he gestured for Noboru to sit with him at his table, causing his staff to cry out in rage. Regarding them sternly, they submissively retreated under his glare. Pouring a cup of tea, he offered it to the samurai with both hands -- a show of respect. Noboru returned his diplomatic gesture by accepting the cup with both hands and a bow of his head. "Please, tell me one thing." He watched the man's face closely for his reaction. "Why would a samurai, a warrior of Japan, know how to speak the language of Chosun?" Noboru looked down at his cup and thought of Ji Eun. "I loved a woman who was of your country once. She saved my life even though I was a stranger and a foreigner. She was beautiful, intelligent, and loving, and she died after being raped at the hands of my countrymen." He looked into the admiral's eyes, his blue ones flashing with unfulfilled vengeance. "I will not bestow my allegiance upon a country that condones such practices. My code of honor as a warrior forbids it. I cannot undo the fact that I could not save her, but out of love for her memory, I can do what little I can to protect her people." "What is your name?" the Admiral asked. "I am Nagamori Noboru Takeo Tsuneo." He bowed deeply to the Admiral. "I offer you my sword in service to your people." "It's a trick!" a captain named Yi Young Nam shouted. "He's obviously a plant sent here by the [Weh Nom] to feed us misleading information! [Jang goon], don't be taken in by his deception!" "[Dagk chi ji mott halgga]? You will hold your tongue, Yi [goon gwan]!" Admiral Yi roared. Young Nam angrily lowered his eyes and stepped back. Turning back to Noboru, he looked at him earnestly and said, "It was not an easy task for you to bring me this information. You have risked much. I am grateful to you for your help and I will send word to the capital immediately." He chose to ignore the murmurs of displeasure behind him. Feeling the venomous stares of the Chosun soldiers on his back, Noboru leaned forward and lowered his voice conspiratorially so that only the admiral could hear. "It would seem that you have made your situation considerably more difficult by following your instincts. You endanger your own position by going against popular opinion." The admiral smiled faintly. "That is something that I have learned to grow accustomed to." Standing up, he motioned for Noboru to follow him. "Come, let me show you to your quarters." ________________________________ weh nom: derogatory term for Japanese people (Korean) jang goon: admiral / general (Korean) dagk chi ji mott halgga: silence (imperative, Korean) goon gwon: title of captain (Korean) ________________________________ Sitting with the Admiral in his study, Noboru waited for him to finish reading the letter from the capital and was dismayed to see him lower the sheet of rice paper with a heavy sigh. Handing it to Noboru, he scanned the Chinese calligraphy in disbelief and cried, "They cannot be serious! How can they turn a blind eye to your warning?" "It would not be the first time," Yi replied wearily. "The court believes that by assuming their enemy is weak, it will in fact be so." Slamming his fist on the ground, Noboru stared at the ground in anguish. "The Japanese army has amassed hundreds of thousands of soldiers and an armada of ships is preparing as we speak to carry the invasion force to your shores! In less than a year's time the country will be laid waste!" "I can only do so much without the permission of my sovereign." He had pushed King Son-jo to the limits of his patience more times than he wished to recount. His longtime friend at court, Minister Yu Song Ryong had all but destroyed his political career by defending Admiral Yi's actions to the king, time and time again. Setting the paper back on his desk, he looked despairingly at the Admiral. "What will you do now, my friend?" "The only thing I can do. Be as ready as possible for the moment when the invasion arrives. If their army intends to be the master on land, then I will make my navy mistress of the seas and force them to retreat by cutting off their lifeline to Japan." He refolded the letter calmly. "I will not surrender my country to them so easily. They must kill me first and I will not make it simple for them." The Rising Sun & The Morning Calm Ch. 08 Noboru felt nothing but admiration for the man who sat in front of him with such quiet determination. He could see why people from all over the country traveled great distances just to be near him. His concern for the welfare of his countrymen and his upright character gave hope to the beleaguered peasants of Chosun. "Why do you do it, Admiral?" Noboru asked. "You have sacrificed so many things, endured so much, and for what? To be plotted against and decried by those envious of you, to be separated from your family, to barely have enough food to fill your own belly while the King and his officials drink and dance without a care in his palace. Why?" The Admiral gave him a lopsided smile and answered, "Nagamori-sama, you know just as well as I do the high price that comes with a life of honor and service. I would happily give my life for my people." Noboru felt a strange kinship with the Chosun admiral. "I consider it one of the great fortunes of my life to have had the opportunity to know you, Admiral." "As do I, Nagamori-sama." ____________________________ As what little remained of Toyotomi's invasion fleet raced home for Japan, a fierce battle raged as the Admiral's navy surged forward to destroy the last remnants of what had once been a powerful armada. Dressed in the battle armor of a Chosun naval commander, Noboru was attempting to save the Ming admiral, Chen Lien from yet another self-induced blunder as his flagship was surrounded by enemy vessels. Raising his sword, he shouted, "Save the Ming Admiral!" and with a loud cry, the soldiers of Chosun jumped onto the Japanese ships and began fighting hand to hand with the enemy. Fighting his way through Japanese soldiers armed mostly with muskets, he slashed his way towards Admiral Chen and dragged him to safety as he screamed bloody murder in Mandarin. "[Uruseh!] Noboru roared, effectively shutting him up. He was in no mood to deal with his nonsense right then. As his ship attempted to regroup with the others, shouts of victory began erupting all over the fleet as only a few ships had escaped unscathed with enough stamina to return to Japan. Rowing his [paneukson] alongside Admiral Yi's flagship, he and Chen Lien boarded the ship, as the jubilant cries of the Chosun navy filled the air. "[Manseh! Chosun soogwon manseh! Yi Soon Shin jang goon manseh!]" "Where is the Admiral?" he demanded, not seeing him at his usual prominent post. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw his nephew Won and his son Hoe emerge from below deck, their eyes red with tears. "Hoe, Won-ah, what is it? What happened?" Dropping to his knees, he covered his face with his hands. "My uncle -- my uncle is dead!" "[Sonnah]..." Noboru's sword slipped from his fingers. "He was slain by a stray bullet," he sobbed. "He ordered us not to tell anyone of his death, but to continue beating the war drum and sounding the horns until all the enemy were defeated." His son's heartbroken cries tore through the silence that had suddenly fallen over the navy and as the news of his death spread, one by one, the crew of each ship began wailing in grief at the loss of their beloved Admiral. "The Admiral is dead!" they cried in anguish. "[Tong Jae Sah] Yi Soon Shin!" Chen Lien fell to his knees and wept bitterly. "Even in death, you have saved me," he sobbed. Noboru removed his helmet and looked around at what should have been a celebration of the end to the Imjin war. Instead, the soldiers fell to their knees, grief-stricken at the loss of the man who had held their nation together for seven bloody years. "You did it, my friend," he whispered. "Your people are safe." ___________________________________________ uruseh: shut up (imperative, Japanese) paneukson: flat bottomed wooden ship used by the Chosun navy manseh: literally ten thousand years, a victory cheer (Korean) soogwon: navy (Korean) jang goon: admiral / general (Korean) sonnah: it can't be (Japanese) tong jae sah: title of supreme naval commander (Korean) ___________________________________________ The nation was plunged into mourning, suddenly bereft of their greatest hero, who had been slain on the eve of his greatest triumph. Noboru stood at one of the Left Cholla naval station's lookout points and stared across the sea that had been the battleground between the two nations for seven long years. "Am I disturbing you, Nagamori?" a serene voice asked. Noboru turned to see Kwon Jun, one of the Admiral's sub commanders and closest friends standing next to him. "No, not at all." They watched the water in silence together for a while. Finally Noboru spoke up. "Thanks to your Admiral, Chosun is safe." Kwon Jun's eyes continued to sweep the horizon, unaffected by the statement. "For now." He raised an eyebrow at his cryptic answer. "What do you mean?" "The Admiral was a remarkable man." He gave a small laugh. "Admiral Chen Lien used to wonder if he was really Chosun and not Ming because of how extraordinary he was." High praise, considering how arrogant and stubborn the Ming admiral was. "Indeed. I doubt history will ever see another military leader with an undefeated battle record," Noboru predicted. He smiled when he remembered the naval battle of Uldolmok. After being wrongly stripped of his rank and imprisoned, the navy had been all but destroyed in the incompetent hands of his replacement, the malcontent Won Kyun. Desperate for survival, the contrite monarch had reinstated the Admiral who was only able to salvage twelve ships from the severely crippled navy. Against all odds, with only twelve [paneukson], he defeated an entire fleet of Japanese ships without a single loss of his own. Of the 23 battles he had led, he'd never lost even one and the victories that the Admiral had won would become the stuff of legends, Noboru was certain of that -- a fitting tribute to his bravery and sacrifice. "True, but the greatest threat to our safety was never from your countrymen, but our own," he replied enigmatically. When Noboru appeared not to understand, he explained, "The reason Toyotomi was able to invade our land was because the corrupt, self-serving government took more interested in their petty concerns than the safety and well-being of its people. It took a man as exceptional as [Tong Jae Sah] Yi Soon Shin to save the nation from peril, but now, the Admiral is dead, and the corrupt nature of the government is no different than it was when he was alive." He leaned against one of the wooden railings with a faraway expression. "It is only a matter of time before someone else attempts to turn our weakness to their advantage." "If what you say is true, then the Admiral died in vain!" Noboru shouted, his jaw clenched. "I refuse to believe that such a warrior threw his life away for nothing!" "No, not in vain. He has given our people a legacy that will never be forgotten -- a story to inspire hope in the hearts of his countrymen for centuries to come." Kwon Jun looked at Noboru and smiled sadly. "The Admiral trusted you from the very beginning, and he was always proud to call himself your friend." Never easily given to displays of emotion, Kwon Jun was very much like the Japanese in that regard and his heartfelt admission touched Noboru deeply. He fought to stem the tears that streamed from his eyes. "[Ko mabh so]. If I can ever be of assistance to you and your people, you need only ask." Without answering him, he bowed one last time and Kwon Jun took his leave of him. Turning back to the water, Noboru wept at the loss of his friend of the last eight years. "Admiral," he prayed to the sea, "if in the heavens, you see my Ji Eun, please tell her that I did the best I could to help protect her people. I hope that your soul has finally found peace. Farewell, my friend." Lowering his topknot, he cut it with his katana and threw it into the waves before descending the steps of the station. _______________________________ ko mabh so: thank you (Korean) _______________________________ Angela awoke to find that Noboru was mumbling in his sleep. Turning over, she was surprised to see tears in his eyes and even more stunned when she realized that he was speaking an old form of Korean. "Nobu!" She shook him gently. "Nobu, wake up!" "[Noogoo-yah]?" He sat up and saw Angela looking at him with wide eyes. "Ji Eun?" He reached for her and touched her cheek. "Nobu, it's Angela." Looking around the room, he finally realized that it had been a dream. "I am sorry Angela. I had a bad dream, that is all." He looked at the clock and saw that it was three in the morning. "Nobu, you were speaking in traditional Korean." She looked into his eyes. What were you dreaming about?" "[Nan demonai], he mumbled, giving her a kiss. "Go back to sleep." _________________________________ noogoo yah: who's there (Korean) nan demonai: it is nothing (Japanese) _________________________________ Historical Note: Admiral Yi Soon Shin, Kwon Jun, Yu Song Ryong, Son-jo, Chen Lien and Yi Young Nam are actual historical figures. For those interested, the Admiral Yi Soon Shin did in fact save Korea from the first Japanese invasion and never suffered a single defeat in the 23 battles that he commanded. Like Admiral Nelson, he died in the hour of his triumph and did in fact issue the order not to announce his death until after the battle was won. His skill as a military leader and strength of character won him the admiration of Koreans and Japanese alike. Never fully recognized until after his death due to political corruption, he was and still is undoubtedly Korea's greatest hero and his creation of the turtle boat set the precedent for the modern ironclad ship. His war diaries and memorials to court have been translated into English, and the originals are regarded as national treasures by the Korean people. The historical portion of this chapter is dedicated to him. Admiral Yi Soon Shin: April 28, 1545 -- December 16, 1598 Sam Do Soo Gwon Tong Jae Sah Yi Soon Shin Manseh [Long live the Supreme Commander of the Three Provinces' Navy, Admiral Yi Soon Shin] The Rising Sun & The Morning Calm Ch. 09 If you've enjoyed the story, please leave a comment or a vote, and I will take it as an indication to continue the story. Cheers! =) ___________________________________ Genzo tapped his foot impatiently as he rode the elevator to Noboru's penthouse. His instructions had been to arrive promptly at eight and by 8:10 none of his calls had been answered. Fortunately for him, he and Noboru were well known to the concierge staff and they'd let him up without hesitation. Wondering what was going on, he was about to knock when he heard the sound of screaming and growling from behind the door. Sighing in frustration, he waited for them to finish and when he heard Noboru bellow "[Ikku]!" Genzo hit redial on his cell phone. "[Moshi moshi]," was the breathless answer. He could hear Angela gulping for air in the background. "Noboru-donno, it's Genzo. I'm here." There was an abrupt click as Noboru hung up. Thirty seconds later, the door opened and a flushed Noboru sheepishly beckoned him inside. "My apologies, Genzo," he said in Japanese. "None is necessary," he replied politely, as Angela finally emerged from the bathroom. Her cheeks were flushed and she awkwardly smoothed the front of her shirt as she came out. "[Ohaiyo, Jo-Sama]," he greeted with a bow "Morning, Genzo. And Angela is fine," she reminded him. Slipping on her shoes, she kissed Noboru ardently, unable to see Genzo's disapproving look as she did so. She could feel him growing underneath his robe while he pawed her shamelessly and was about to reach under the fabric when she heard Genzo cough loudly. Pouting, she pulled away from his reluctant arms. "Come home for lunch," Noboru whispered in her ear, before biting it and releasing her. "I will," she beamed. Entering the elevator, when the doors had closed, she looked shyly at Genzo. "I'm really sorry about that." "It is none of my business," he said flatly without looking at her, before adding, "Also, one of your buttons is undone." "What?" She looked down in horror to see that he was right. "Shit!" She was so concerned with her wardrobe malfunction that she didn't notice Genzo's look of surprise at her use of the expletive. When they got to her office, she unlocked the door and as they entered, Genzo sat in one of her waiting room chairs and pulled out a laptop from his messenger bag. "Oh, Genzo, you can come in. I'm not expecting my first patient until nine o'clock." He made no answer and merely followed her into the office. Sitting on the ledge by her window, he busied himself on his computer as she prepared for her day's appointments. It was strange to be guarded by someone who paid absolutely no attention to her. When it was 8:55 he quietly closed his laptop and walked out of the room without looking at her, resuming his seat in the waiting room chair. Angela noticed that something was peculiar about how her therapy sessions went that morning. Though she had always been somewhat tuned in to people's emotions, today her perception of her patients' moods seemed unusually clear. When she informed one patient that she was going on vacation, though her exterior was cheerful and she said that she hoped that she would enjoy her holiday, Angela detected a surge of rage that caught her by surprise. She had been seeing this patient for a year and this was the first time she had ever experienced such a profound anger with her. Another patient who had apparently been doing well for a few months told her that things were still going well and that his mood was fine but despite the fact that his exterior looked unchanged from his previous sessions, she could feel a slight sadness and anxiety in him. When she had gently brought up that he appeared somewhat dysphoric to her, he became resistant immediately, denying that anything was wrong. _________________________ When the last of her morning therapy patients had left, she sat down to type a few notes when she heard arguing in her waiting room. Walking to the door she recognized Ken's voice in addition to Genzo's. "Look, man, I don't know who the hell you think you are but I know for a fact that Angela doesn't see patients at noon. Now do us both a favor and step aside." "I am afraid that unless you have an appointment to see her I cannot let you inside." "Alright, that is fucking it! If you don't-" His sentence was cut off and there was a sound of scuffling. Angela threw open the door to her waiting room to see Ken hanging by his neck from Genzo's fingers. "Genzo, you release him this instant!" she shouted. Releasing his grip, Genzo bowed slightly in her direction and sat down as if nothing had happened. "Angela, what the hell is going on? Is this the guy who answered your phone?" An indignant Ken rubbed his neck angrily and glared at Genzo who had already returned his attention to his laptop. "Ken, get in here," she snapped, pointing at her office door. The last thing she needed in her life was more drama. As Ken stomped into her office, she heard Genzo speaking on his cell phone in Japanese but the only word she could make out was "[kareshi]". Returning her attention to Ken, she demanded, "What are you doing here?" "What am I doing here?" he repeated in disbelief. "I call you the other day and some dude answers the phone and hangs up on me, you don't return any of my calls, not even a fucking text message to let me know you're alright. I was worried!" He paced the room irritably. "Fuckin-A, Angela!" Though he could be a selfish jerk a lot of the time, she did feel bad for making him worry. "I'm sorry, Ken. Things have been a little crazy lately." "Is that him out there?" he accused, pointing his finger at her door. "Is that the one who I spoke to? Are you fucking him?" "Ken!" She threw him a warning glance and he backed off slightly under her glare. "Are you seeing someone else? Is that it?" His tone was quieter now. "Ken, we discussed this. It was only sex, nothing more." "How serious is it? I went by your place and they'd said that you'd moved out. Are you staying with him?" His voice betrayed the hurt that he felt in learning that she had moved on before he had. Before she could answer, the door opened and Noboru walked in. Approaching her, he put his hands on her waist and quietly asked, "[Daijo-ka]?" "So that was the one I talked to," Ken spat. Ignoring him, Noboru, looked again at her and repeated his question. "It's fine, we know each other. He was concerned about me, that's all." Looking over his shoulder at Ken, she said, "I'll call you later, okay? Now is not the time so just don't start." "That's what you left me for?" he sneered incredulously. "I'm insulted!" Rolling her eyes, she put her hands on her hips and looked at him acidly. "Ken, I know this is a stretch for you, but for two seconds could you TRY not to be a narcissistic ass?" Ken stormed up to Noboru and looked down at him condescendingly. "Nice contacts, man." He'd always been far too in love with himself, which was one of the reasons Angela had finally broken up with him. Not that he didn't have reason to be. Half Japanese and half American, at 6'4'' and 220 pounds, Ken was a good-looking guy and he knew it. Towering over Noboru, he leered down at him. "I thought you didn't do short guys, Ange." Praying that Noboru would maintain his composure and not kill him on the spot, she stepped between them and roughly shoved Ken back away from him. "Get the fuck out! I said I'll call you later, and if you don't leave right now, you can forget about ever fucking hearing from me again!" Shooting Noboru one last dirty look, Ken slunk out of her office. She was glad that he didn't have to walk past Genzo when he left. Flinging the door open, she fumed at Genzo, "Just what the hell do you think you were doing?" "What I was told to do," he replied calmly, not looking up from his laptop. She was about to read him the riot act when Noboru came up behind her. "Genzo, go get something to eat. Be back in half an hour." Bowing his head, he walked out of the waiting room. She whirled around to face him. "He called you, didn't he?" It excited him when her Korean temper flared and he had to suppress a smile at seeing her so wound up. "He did." Noboru closed the door behind them. "Nobu, he didn't have to be so rough with him!" "Genzo takes my requests very seriously. He was not familiar with him and anyone who I do not know is a threat to your safety until proven otherwise." Noboru crossed his arms in front of his chest and looked at her unapologetically. Angela growled in exasperation. "I can't have him attacking the delivery man just because he doesn't know who he is!" Turning her back to him, she covered her face with one hand and sighed, the other on her hip. "I will tell him to be more discreet." Wrapping his arms around her, he turned her to face him. "Please, do not be angry with me. This is new for me as well. I am trying to protect you while still respecting your privacy but I am learning." Tilting her chin up to look at him, he softly said, "[Gomen]." She looked into his sincere blue eyes and felt her irritation slip away. "It must have really scared you when you lost me all those years ago, huh?" He thought back to his dream the night before. "I never forgave myself for being unable to protect you. I refuse to make the same mistake again." He pulled her close and began to kiss her sensuously. "Noboru, we're in my office," she objected weakly as his hands began to roam with increasing urgency. His hand stole up her skirt and the damp fabric of her thong told him she would not put up much of a fight. "You were supposed to come upstairs for lunch, remember?" he murmured, slipping two fingers into her wet cunt. "I don't think you wanted me to come up for lunch," she gasped, squeezing down on his fingers. His erection was starting to become extremely painful. He had hardened as soon as she had told the American to get out. "Of course not. But I do not wish to be so obvious all the time." He groaned as she cupped his balls through his slacks. "This seems pretty obvious to me," she purred. She could feel him jerking under her palm. Growling lustily, he roughly bent her over her desk and lifted her skirt above her hips. Parting her legs, he unzipped his pants and pulled his cock out, rubbing it against her damp panties. Pulling the flimsy material aside with one finger, he stuffed his impatient member deep inside her as she stifled a moan of pleasure. "You are mine," he hissed into her ear. "I will take you wherever I please, whenever I please." He held her still with one hand under her jaw as he viciously thrust into her from behind, feeling her approaching orgasm underneath him. "I am going to cum inside you," he promised huskily, "and I want you to sit with my cum inside you all afternoon until you return home. Do you understand?" He continued to bring her maddeningly close to release. "While you are speaking with your patients, I want to think about my seed slowly leaking out of you, reminding you that I fucked you over your desk right before you saw them." His words had the desired effect and she bucked against him furiously as they came together. It was all that she could do to prevent herself from biting down on the fingers that trailed her mouth as her pussy quivered around his cock. Still breathing heavily, Noboru slid out of her with a satisfied groan and tucked himself back inside his pants, the front sporting obvious stains, which he covered by pulling out his shirt. Adjusting her thong and skirt, he kissed her nose and joked, "I will never wash these pants ever again. I will see you at home." He looked up as he heard something. "Ah, Genzo, right on time. [Ja-na], my angel." Waving nonchalantly, he walked out the other exit. Genzo knocked on her door. "Angela-sama is everything alright?" "Everything is just fine, Genzo," her voice called out from behind the door. "And for the last time, it's just Angela." Even through the door he could smell Noboru's scent and knew exactly what had transpired while he had been away. Scoffing slightly, he sat down and returned to his work. _________________________ ikku: I'm coming (Japanese) moshi moshi: hello (on the telephone, Japanese) ohaiyo: good morning (Japanese) jo-sama: mistress / my lady (Japanese) kareshi: boyfriend (Japanese) daijo-ka: are you okay (Japanese) ja-na: see you later (Japanese) _______________________________________ When the last of her patients had been seen, Angela gathered her things and opened the door to the waiting room. "Okay, Genzo. You're off duty now." Placing his laptop into his bag, he stood up and shook his head. "My duty is finished when I deliver you to Noboru-sama." "Deliver? Genzo, I am not a fucking pizza!" she reminded him hotly. "Please pardon my clumsy English, Angela-sa-" He stopped himself when she narrowed her eyes in annoyance. "Angela," he finished. God, the woman swore a lot. Sighing, she turned off the lights and waved him out of her way, hissing, "Shoo!" In spite of his misgivings about her, he couldn't help smiling at how this woman who was almost a foot shorter than him brusquely ordered him out of her way. They rode in the elevator in silence and when he saw her turn the key to the door of Noboru's penthouse, he quietly bowed and left without a word. After he'd gotten back into the elevator, she stuck her tongue out at him and went inside. Entering the foyer, she didn't see Noboru anywhere. "[Gochi, gochi]," his voice called from the alcove where is bed was. Angela went up the steps to find him lying on the bed with all three kittens purring on his front. "How the hell did you manage this? Snotty doesn't like other boys!" "We have come to an understanding, Snotty-kun and I." He looked at the purring kitten sitting on his chest. "[Neh], Snotty-kun?" The kitten simply closed his eyes and continued purring. "And what sort of understanding is this exactly?" she asked, with a bemused expression. "I have conceded that Snotty-kun is actually in charge around here. He simply allows me to look the part." He scratched the cat on the white spot under his chin and Snotty tilted his head to give him more access. Sitting on the bed next to him, she looked at the cat couch Noboru had become. "I can't believe what I'm seeing," she thought aloud. He held up a finger as if to tell her to stay where she was. "[Mitteh]." Noboru peered down at Snotty. "Snotty-kun, [onnegai shimasu], I would like to kiss your mother hello." Arching his back in a leisurely stretch, Snotty yawned, jumped off Noboru's chest and began batting a ball of yarn which led Yin and Yang to join him on the floor. No sooner had they left the bed when Noboru grabbed Angela and threw her on her back. Climbing on top of her, he pressed his face into her neck. "I love the way I smell on you," he said as he inhaled. "It makes me want to mark you more." "You are simply unbelievable," she laughed, hugging him. "How was the remainder of your day?" His hands began to wander under her shirt. She ran her hands along the sides of his face and grinned. "I don't think Genzo likes me very much." Noboru's expression revealed his amusement at her observation. "Genzo does not like anyone. That is customary for him." Sliding his hand under her lace bra, he rolled her pert nipple between his thumb and forefinger, making her shiver. "If you say so." She laced her fingers together over his back and pulled him closer. "Did you do as I told you?" His blue eyes regarded her from under lowered lids. Blushing, she nodded. "Although I think some fell out when I went to the bathroom, sorry." "Not to worry, I will replace it," he promised as he slid his fingers into her. "You are always so wet for me," he whispered appreciatively. She responded by weaving her fingers through his hair and moving against his palm. Smirking, he pulled his hand away. "Wh-what are you doing?" Her pussy felt agonizingly empty. "Did you want something?" he asked innocently. "Noboru, that's not funny!" she whined. "Tell me what it is you want." He reached under her shirt and pinched her nipple sharply again. She arched her back and tried to put her hand between her legs, but he pinned her arm down. "I need you," she whimpered. "What do you need?" She could see him tenting under his robe. Squirming in his grip she begged, "Please, I need you to fuck me, now! I want your gorgeous, hard cock in my pussy! Noboru, please! Fuck me hard!" With a growl of triumph, he tore her skirt in half before letting his robe fall and forced himself into her dripping sex. She was so wet that each time his hips met hers, their combined fluids spattered his sheets. "First you ruined my pants and now look at the mess you are making on my bed," he rasped, fucking her harder as she screamed her pleasure. Quickly pulling out, he stroked his cock as he sprayed her half clothed body and face with rope after rope of thick white cum. When he had caught his breath, he looked at her semen covered body with satisfaction. Without bothering to open her eyes, she muttered, "You owe me a new skirt." Going downstairs, he was about to get something to drink when his cell phone rang, indicating that it was from Tokyo. "[Nanda]?" He heard the water running upstairs as Angela stepped in the shower. "We've managed to trace some of his network to Chicago," Daisuke informed him. "We don't know what he's doing there, but it's not just him. He brought some of his people with him." "I want you to put more guys on the streets. I want to know where he is and what he is doing as often as possible." "Huh!" Not thirsty anymore, he felt his good humor ruined by the news that Saburo and his henchmen were prowling Chicago. Trying to ignore the worry that gnawed at him, he went back upstairs to join Angela. ____________________________________________ gochi gochi: over here (Japanese) neh: isn't that right (Japanese) mitteh: watch (Japanese) onnegai-shimasu: please, I request (Japanese, formal) nanda: what is it (Japanese) huh: yes, sir (Japanese) _____________________________________________ "Noboru-donno, [sumimaseng]." Noboru looked up from his calligraphy. "Isamu? What has happened?" Maruoka Isamu knelt in front of him. "Our informants in the government have discovered that a treaty has been signed between the United States and Japan. Prime Minister Taro has effectively exchanged Japanese claims on the Philippines for American claims to Korea." Setting down his brush, Noboru remembered what Yu Song Ryong had told him three centuries ago. Exactly as he had predicted, the political corruption and internal strife in the Chosun, now Korean, government had left the country vulnerable to outside powers and once again, his country sought to claim the peninsula for its own. "Admiral, I am sorry," he sighed. Though Isamu had never understood his master's interest in the affairs of the Korean people, he knew better than to ask. "Is there anything else you require, Noboru-donno?" "[Iyah]. You may leave." "Some things never change," he bitterly thought aloud. The increasingly militaristic attitude that the Japanese government was taking made him wonder about the fate of his country. Since the arrival of the [gaijin] Perry, Japan was becoming more and more consumed by the expansionistic tendencies of the west. Noboru had been forced into hiding with the followers he had accumulated over the years when the samurai class was abolished after the Meiji Restoration. Nothing was held sacred anymore and he wondered what the world was coming to. ____________________________ iyah: no (Japanese) gaijin: foreign devil ____________________________ The Rising Sun & The Morning Calm Ch. 09 Passing through Tokyo with a few trusted aides, Noboru had finished dining with some prominent scientists from Tokyo National University when he was distracted by the noise of muffled screams. Seeing him pause, his men felt the shift in his mood. "[Doshta]?" Genzo asked softly. "Something is going on down that street." He strained to make out the sounds and realized that they were women's voices. What was even more unexpected was that they were Korean. "Genzo, follow me." The two men slipped into a dark alleyway and approached the source of the noise. Peering through a window, they saw soldiers roughly handling women dressed in [hanbok] as they begged to be released. "Please!" one sobbed. "I want to go home! [Uhmuhni]!" The men laughed and continued on, unconcerned with their cries. "I have no idea what they're saying, do you?" one soldier asked another. "No. Do you care?" They all laughed raucously. "Working for the army sure got a lot easier when they starting bringing in the comfort women," another shouted gleefully. "And this batch is fresh!" Noboru watched as one man forced a girl's legs open and slapped her when she tried to resist. He forced himself into her and Noboru was horrified to see her bleeding profusely. The girl had been a virgin. When he was finished, he wiped the blood off his penis and pulled up his pants. "Well, back to work." The girl crawled to the corner of the bed, pulling her skirts down. Before she could even cry, her eyes widened in horror when another soldier grabbed the smaller girl next to her. "[Unnie]!" she wailed. "Let her go!" she shrieked, pounding the man's back with her fists. "She's only fourteen, you animal!" The soldier backhanded her face sharply, sending her spinning. "Stupid Korean bitch," he grumbled as he undid his pants. "[Urusai!]" he barked at the crying girl in front of him. Barely able to contain his rage, Noboru looked at Genzo. "[Ikkuzo]." Nodding, Genzo, drew his sword and leapt into the window in the next room without making a sound, his ninjitsu skills every bit as sharp as they were when they'd first met. There was a sound of flesh being slashed and few strangled cries of surprised and then the thud of bodies falling onto the ground. Entering the room, Noboru found Genzo cleaning the blood off his katana as the heads of the soldiers lay staring at their bodies. The girls had huddled in a group in the farthest corner of the room, trembling as he approached them. "[Koen chan ttah]," he said softly. The girls looked at him in surprise. "You know our language?" the older sister of the little girl asked. "I do. You must come with us. We will get you to safety." He raised his hands in a gesture of non-aggression. "I promise we will not hurt you." Unable to argue, they nodded mutely and followed them out of the dingy room. Genzo looked behind him impatiently as the only girl in the group who had been raped lagged behind, still bruised from her assault. Striding over to her, she shook as he loomed over her. Sending her a look that warned her not to do anything foolish, he scooped her up in his arms and carried her as they made their way back to where Noboru and his men were staying. Genzo gruffly but gently set her down on a tatami while Noboru explained to the others what had happened. Her younger sister clung tightly to her, still shaking. "Kunio, find someone reliable to take these girls back to Korea. Dress them as Japanese girls if you have to and I'll provide whatever money they ask for." "Huh!" Kunio left to make the arrangements. Noboru turned to see Genzo watching the two sisters intently, his arms crossed in front of his chest and thought back to the moment that Ji Eun had slit her throat. "At least she is alive," he said with relief. "We'll get them back tomorrow night." The men were awakened in the middle of the night by a scream, followed by a wail of despair. Running into the room, they saw the girl who had been raped hanging from the ceiling by a noose fashioned out of a bed sheet. Her little sister hugged her legs as she sobbed, "[Unnie]!" "No!" he shouted. _________________________________ doshta: what is it (Japanese) hanbok: traditional Korean dress uhmuhni: mother (Korean) unnie: older sister (Korean) urusai: shut up (Japanese) ikkuzo: let's go (Japanese) koen chan ttah: it's alright (Korean) _________________________________ "Nobu!" "[Iyah]!" Noboru bolted upright in bed, breathing heavily. "[Yumeh-da]," he thought aloud. Putting her arms around him, Angela looked into his eyes with concern. "Noboru, what is it?" Not wanting to upset her, he simply hugged her and said, "It was just a bad dream." When she looked doubtful he added, "[Chin-jja]. Let's go back to bed." _______________________________ iyah: no (Japanese) yumeh-da: it was a dream (Japanese) chin-jja: really (Korean) _______________________________ Historical note: The Japanese military kidnapped young women not only from Korea, but also China and the Philippines as well to service the soldiers in the army during the occupation of Korea. Lured away from their families by the promise of well-paying jobs, or simply forcibly taken, the women were raped multiple times a day and often were riddled with venereal disease or rendered sterile by the constant abuse. Those who survived returned to Korea as outcasts, unable to wed and disowned by their families who considered them as good as dead. Living under these conditions, the final blow came when the Japanese government issued a statement that these events would not be noted in their history texts. The few remaining comfort women staged protests in front of the Japanese consulate in Seoul, stating that this omission rendered a lifetime of suffering a lie. As most of these women were in their teens and early twenties when they were taken, fewer and fewer of the surviving comfort women are present each year to fight for acknowledgement. For the comfort halmun [grannies] The Rising Sun & The Morning Calm Ch. 10 Rolling over in the bed, Noboru gave a mild start when he saw Angela lying on her side, propped up on an elbow, watching him expectantly. As he didn't usually startle easily, the brief halt of his breath from the shock was quite a reaction for him. "Have you been awake long?" Not changing her position, she nodded and said nothing. "Is something the matter?" It was strange to wake up to her staring at him so seriously. She blinked slowly and studied his face before speaking. "You mind telling me what's going on?" Dryly, she added, "If it's not too much trouble, Noboru-donno." "I told you, it is nothing," he answered dismissively. "Should you not be preparing for work?" "Don't try to change the subject, Smart Ass," she shot back. "The last two nights you've been thrashing in your sleep and mumbling in Korean. I think an explanation isn't too much to ask." Hoping that she would leave the subject be, he tried to pull her over to him. "It is too early to talk about such things." She shook her head in disappointment. "I really was hoping I wouldn't have to resort to this." "Resort to what?" An involuntary moan escaped his lips when she began to tease his cock with feathery soft touches. He watched her eyes, mesmerized as his foreskin peeled back and his shaft lengthened under her fingertips. Grasping him in her fist, he began to milk large drops of precum from him until it was running down her fingers. After eagerly taking a few drops with her tongue, she used the rest to slick over his sensitive skin and began jerking him off at a leisurely pace. Her sweet strokes only encouraged his cock to produce more of it and soon the wet sound of her fingers squeezing his erection filled his ears. Smiling, she continued to jack him off as she straddled his face. She felt his hands on her hips and his abdominal muscles flex as he raised his head to taste her and she hissed, "No!" with a hard jerk to his cock. "[Nazeh]?" he gasped, eying the syrup gathering at her lips. The smell was making him salivate. "Because I said so," she ordered. Making sure to keep her cunt positioned squarely over his eyes, she resumed stroking and lowered her head to lick the soft skin of his scrotum. At the touch of her warm, wet tongue, the skin retracted, jerking his balls up to his body. She felt his cock thrash in her hand and continued to fondle his testicles with her mouth. When she reached the spot where his sac joined the rest of his skin, she pressed her tongue deep into the flesh and felt his body jerk underneath her. She was driving him crazy, between the attention to his genitals and the view of her dripping pussy. He watched as large, tempting gobs of her juice slid off her lips and felt them hit his face. Almost as if reading his thoughts, she growled, "I better not catch you licking anything." The strangled noise of frustration almost made her laugh. Returning to her work, she took one, then both his balls into her mouth and began massaging them alternately with her tongue and she felt a humming in is cock that warned he was close. "Do you want to cum, Nobu?" she asked sweetly after his dick popped wetly out of her mouth. "[Onnegai]!" was the strained response. "Can we have the conversation that I wanted to have?" She licked his taint again in case he needed convincing. "Whatever you want! Please!" "You promise?" Putting her face between his legs, she rimmed his anus with her tongue and felt his nuts practically rearrange themselves from the pleasure. "[Kso]! Hai! Let me cum!" he snarled, bucking under her. His scrotum was so tight, it looked like it might retract inside himself. Clamping her fingers around the base of his cock to prevent his release, she lowered her cunt onto his face with a wet plop and she felt his claws as he ravenously ate her out. The sloppy noises of his tongue against her pussy were almost as good as the feeling of his licking her. Still cutting off his orgasm, she rode his face as she came and in her orgasmic haze, she heard a distant noise of loud sounds and looked down to see that she was straddling a large heap of white fur. Now it was impossible for her fingers to completely encircle his girth. Thinking that she had tortured him enough, she knelt on all fours and spread her lips for him with two fingers and gave him a look of consent from over her shoulder. The fur of his muzzle was a mess of fluid and matted hair, and grabbing her by the neck, he yanked her to him and angrily rammed himself into her slit. It wasn't long before she let out another lusty series of cries as she shook deliriously against his desperate thrusts. Looking behind her, she saw that his face was screwed up in an expression of pain. "What's the matter, Baby, don't you want to cum in my hot little cunt?" she asked in a baby voice. "I...can't..." he said between gritted teeth, still pounding away furiously. She lowered her chest to the bed, making her twat even tighter around his distended shaft. "Oh, does my poor Noboru have blue balls?" She clenched her pubococxygeus muscle and smiled triumphantly as he let out a tortured growl. "Doesn't it feel good, Nobu?" she taunted him. "Doesn't your cock want to shoot your nasty wad into me? Come on, fuck me! Fuck me with that monster cock!" As he feverishly stroked into her, Noboru felt like he was going to explode, but what made it worse was that the release never came. It was like he was stuck, and it was agonizing. His orgasm seemed to be just out of his reach and no longer caring if he hurt her, he savaged her only thinking of the blinding need to relieve the extreme pressure distending his balls. When he actually started to think that he was about to lose his mind, he felt her reach between his legs and push her finger firmly into his taint and as if pushing a button, her touch opened the floodgates and he howled like an animal as he reamed her out. Grabbing her hip bones, he dug his claws in almost halfway as he held on tight, stabbing her wildly as he sprayed what felt like a never ending stream of his seed into her. Still in his wolf form, he collapsed on top of her, breathing raggedly. Angela's head jerked up at the sound of the door being kicked in. Flying off its hinges, the door was followed by Genzo who bolted inside, a worried look on his face. Looking up, he saw Noboru panting limply sprawled out on top of Angela who simply gave him an embarrassed smile from underneath his furry body. Lowering his brows in annoyance, he picked up the broken door and attempted to lean it back into place to no avail. "I will wait for you by the elevator," he informed her, not bothering to look their way. Attempting to wriggle out from underneath the exhausted body of her lover, Angela found herself firmly pinned down by his massive weight. "You can get off now," she told him impatiently. "That is easy for you to say," he huffed, still trying to regain control of his mental faculties. "I am considering just staying where I am as punishment for the torment you have just put me through." Smirking, she tickled him under his armpit and laughed smugly when he jolted off her back. "So much for your threats." Pulling on her robe, she smoothed back her hair and watched as he slid back into his human form. "You don't scare me, Noboru-kun." "Apparently I am not trying hard enough," he said wryly. Showering and dressing faster than she'd ever done before, she buttoned her shirt as she left the apartment. "I'll be back for our little chat later," she promised. In case he had thoughts of reneging on his word, she threw him a pointed glare. "[Wakkatta, wakkatta]," he muttered in resignation. At the sound of her stilettos clicking on the tiled floor, Genzo turned and pressed the down button to the elevator. "Sorry about what you saw back there, Genzo," she grinned, pulling out her compact. He watched her out of the corner of his eye as she powdered her nose and scowled at her reflection. "It is none of my business." "That was pretty fucking cool how you kicked the door in," she cackled gleefully as she put her makeup back in her purse. "Man, if I could do that..." Her voice trailed off enviously. "You would require more suitable shoes," he pointed out. He was caught off guard when she began laughing uncontrollably. "What is funny?" Looking at him briefly, she began laughing even harder. "Oh you were being SERIOUS? That's even better – I thought you were joking." Her amusement dwindled to a few chuckles and she took a deep breath when she was done. "Well, time to make the donuts," she said brightly. "Why do you need to make donuts?" he asked quizzically as they stepped off the elevator. "Never mind, Genzo." Exhausted from his near Tantric experience, Noboru felt something by his head and turned to see Yin settling into a little ball next to him. Butting her head against his, the soft sound of her purring lulled him back to sleep. _______________________________ nazeh: why onnegai: please, I beg you (Japanese) kso: shit (Japanese) wakkatta: I know _______________________________ "Noboru-donno, there is a call waiting for you." Genzo bowed and left the room. Setting down the newspaper he had been reading so intently, Noboru felt hopeful as he reached for the phone. After the two atomic bombs had been detonated at Hiroshima and Nagasaki, many of the samurai and shinobi that were loyal to him had failed to report in. Not knowing what effect the radiation would have on his followers, he was anxious for any news of their whereabouts. "[Moshi moshi]?" "[Sashiburi-dana]..." Noboru nearly dropped the phone as if scalded. "...[Ni-san]," the voice continued. Clenching the phone in his hand, Genzo appeared in the doorway when he heard the plastic straining under his grip. "[Masakka]...Sa-" "That's right, Ni-san. It's your beloved brother, Saburo." A repulsive chuckle followed. "Im-impossible!" He'd torn his entire throat out, heard him choking on his own blood. How could he possibly have survived? "No words of greeting? You disappoint me again, Brother. After almost four centuries, not even a 'hello, nice to hear from you' after all this time?" Noboru could practically see the smug smile on his face. "I guess I don't need to ask if you've missed me." "How did you get this number?" he demanded. "Oh, that's not all that important," Saburo drawled. "What is important is that I've finally been able to track you down after all these years." "What do you want?" There was a momentary silence on the other end of the line. "What do you think I want, Ni-san?" "I couldn't even begin to guess," he snarled back. "[Bakkame]," was the only reply before the line went dead. "Saburo? Saburo! [Moshi moshi]?" Replacing the phone on the cradle, still in disbelief, Noboru leaned back in his chair and tried to think clearly. "Noboru-donno, [doshta?]" Unable to sit idly by when he knew something was wrong, Genzo entered the office without being asked. "Get two through five over here right now. There are some questions that I require answered," he ordered. "Huh!" ______________________ sashiburi-dana: been a long time (Japanese) ni-san: older brother (Japanese) masakka: it's not possible (Japanese) bakkame: fool (Japanese) huh: yes, sir (Japanese) _____________________ Noboru referred to his most trusted aides by number when they were not actually physically in his presence. Two hours after being issued the order, Genzo returned with four men. Isamu was second to Genzo only because he spent the majority of his time in Japan even though Noboru had relocated to the States before the onset of the Second World War. After the move, Genzo had taken the position of prominence as his next in command. Third was Ryuzo, a grizzled older man who was actually in fact a molecular biologist from Tokyo National University but valued by Noboru for his keen intellect and shrewd judgment. Shinnosuke was fourth, taken into Noboru's care after being discovered orphaned in Hokkaido after an earthquake. The fifth and last man was Heishiro, also a samurai. Each man was unconditionally devoted to Noboru and each one possessed a unique set of skills that combined gave Noboru the ability to assess a situation from every angle. Heishiro was the first to speak. "Noboru-donno, how can we be of service to you?" Looking out the window, the sun was beginning to set over the ocean, bathing the room in a warm glow. "I need the five of you to obtain some very important information for me." From his tone, the men knew that whatever it was he required was quite serious. "I have a brother, who I'd thought was long dead, but today I received a call from him and he is indeed very much alive. I require that you find out where he is and what he is doing. Unfortunately I can only give you a name." "Please, tell us," Isamu urged. "His name is Saburo. I am not sure if he is still using our family name, but he possesses the same unique physical properties that we do." Regarding the group apologetically, he added, "I know it is not much in the way of information but I am confident that you will find what I need." "Huh!" Departing the room, only Genzo remained behind. "What do you believe it is that he wants?" Noboru interlaced his fingers and rested his chin on them. "Revenge," he muttered. ____________________________________ Noboru looked up as a file folder was placed in front of him on his desk. Bowing, Genzo informed him, "I believe we have found what you require." Noboru opened the folder and pulled out a series of photographs. There before his eyes in black and white, was his brother, bowing to a group of men in Japanese military uniform. "Somehow it does not shock me to see that he has taken up with the [Toseiha]." Noboru examined the photo of him standing in front of Tojo Hideki, the Prime Minister of Japan. Though more moderate than the ultranationalist [Kodoha] group, the Toseiha, a moniker coined by the disdainful Kodoha, still stubbornly held to goals that were unrealistic for Japan in the closing days of the war. It was rumored that the Prime Minister at the Emperor's urging had refused an unconditional surrender to the Allies, resulting in the atomic genocide on the two islands. Now, a complete submission to the demands of the Allied Forces was all but a formality. "I'm sure that the bloodlust of the military appealed to Saburo's sadistic nature," Noboru mused. "Apparently he has been playing both sides against each other and has made quite a substantial living through his connections with the various [zaibatsu]." Genzo paused before continuing. "We have also received no further word from our men in Nagasaki and Hiroshima. If they were still alive, by now..." His words faltered as he saw the stricken look on Noboru's face. "So many," he whispered in disbelief. Roughly fifty of his followers had been based at the bomb sites, some who had been with him for over three hundred years. "Well done, Genzo," Noboru muttered. "Continue to keep me apprised of the situation." "There is one more thing, my lord." "[Nani]?" He hesitated before answering. "The information that we found predates the bombings. In the current state of chaos in Japan, we are having considerable difficulty in finding where he is now." Nodding wearily, Noboru merely said, "I understand. Do whatever you can." "Huh!" Bowing, he left the room. Turning on the radio, Noboru caught the tail end of a news bulletin. "... today signed an unconditional surrender to the Allied Forces. Prime Minister Tojo and other members of the upper military echelon are to be tried on charges of war crimes and the surrender has stipulated that in order to prevent any such atrocities from occurring in future, the nation of Japan will no longer possess the right to maintain a standing army. The terms of the surrender also return independent status to Japan's colonial interests, most notably the nation of Korea, which was occupied by the Japanese in..." Lowering his head into his hands, Noboru wept for the loyal men and dear friends that had been killed. "[Gomen], my friends," he apologized. "You deserved a death more honorable than this – to die with no chance to fight back." When he felt he'd exhausted all his tears, he turned his chair to look over the ocean. The moon glittered above the placid waves of the Pacific and he was reminded of the night he escaped his prison after attacking his brother. "Ji Eun," he said in Korean, "it is over at last. In our greed, we have destroyed even ourselves and in doing so have provided the means for your people to free themselves. They will no longer suffer any further indignity at our hands. I pray that this news brings you peace, my love. I still think of you every day." Taking in a deep breath to calm himself, he called Genzo back into the room. "Now that Saburo knows where we are based, I believe it is time for a change of scenery. Make the necessary preparations for us to move to a different city and be sure that only those who are absolutely trustworthy are given the details." __________________________ Toseiha: Japanese political party that Tojo belonged to that admired Nazi Germany as a model for socialism Kodoha: Japanese political party that vied for power with the Toseiha, whose policies were far more radical and zealously nationalistic. Historical note: Tojo was tried and sentenced to death for multiple war crimes. Though he asserted that he alone was responsible for the atrocities, there is some speculation that he was asked to do this by the government who wished the Emperor Hirohito to remain blameless in the eyes of the people. nani: what gomen: I'm sorry ___________________________ "[Mahp sooh sahl...]" Angela noted with disapproval upon seeing Noboru in the exact same position she had left him in. Noboru jerked awake upon hearing her voice. "[Nanda]-?" Looking out the window he could see that it was dark out. "I have been asleep all day?" "Mm hm," she nodded dryly. "How is that possible?" Handing him a glass of water, she pursed her lips and cocked her head to one side. "Well, Mr. Nagamori, it's well understood that though REM sleep is important for memory consolidation, actual restorative sleep occurs in Stage II of the sleep cycle. As you've been spending a significant amount of time dreaming, you haven't been getting the sleep that allows you to feel rested upon awakening," she explained in her most medical doctor tone. "[So-ka]," he mumbled. Waving her fingers under her nose, she made a face and teased, "Okay, stinky boy, you go shower and I'm going to order us some dinner. Then we're going to have that conversation you promised me." "There is no dissuading you when you want something, is there?" he asked with a dubious expression. "Nope," she shot back cheerfully. "Off with ye." When he'd finished cleaning up, Angela had already set the table. "Hope you like Italian," she smiled. Realizing that he was famished, he sat down and tore into his pasta. "Uh, yeah, dig in," she said, with a roll of her eyes. "[Mi yan]," he managed to say between bites. "[Beh goph pah]." "I can see that," she laughed. "Which is a great segue way into our little talk. Now fess up. Why do you know how to speak Korean?" She was surprised to see his demeanor take a melancholy air. "What is it?" Without looking up, he softly replied, "I remember the last time someone asked me that." Raising his eyes to meet hers, he asked, "Do you know anything about the Admiral Yi Sun Shin?" "Do I?" she scoffed. "He's one of my two biggest heroes, next to Optimus Prime, not to mention the greatest historical figure in all of Korean history. In my humble opinion," she added. When he continued to look at her without speaking, she couldn't believe what she thought he was suggesting. "YI SOON SHIN asked you that question?!" The Rising Sun & The Morning Calm Ch. 10 "He did." Noboru's face was the most solemn she'd seen yet. "You met THE Admiral Yi Soon Shin?" she whispered in awe. "I was lucky enough to call him my friend for a few years." He smiled sadly at his memory. "He was an extraordinary man." "How did you get to know the Admiral?" Angela couldn't believe what she was hearing. "After you died, I needed to atone for my failure to protect you. After learning the language, I returned to Chosun to warn the Admiral about Toyotomi's invasion in the hopes of preventing it. Unfortunately, people paid very little attention to his warning but I offered what assistance I could with my knowledge." "Like what?" "Well, Toyotomi was enamored of muskets and many of the soldiers were equipped either with that or a traditional sword. The soldiers of Chosun were a bit nervous about this weapon. Initially they thought it was some sort of magical weapon that killed if you just looked at it. I was able to explain to them that it wasn't magic, and once they understood the technology and saw that its range was so limited, they stopped being so afraid. In fact, their arrows were far superior in terms of accuracy and distance. Also, as I'm sure you know, samurai often wear masks to make them look more intimidating. This was also explained to the Chosun soldiers in advance so they would not be shaken upon first seeing the enemy." "Holy shit, you HELPED Yi Soon Shin?" Her face had taken on a dreamy expression, almost as if Noboru had described knowing a modern day celebrity. "I suppose I did, yes." He couldn't help but be amused by her wonderment. "Did he believe you when you came to warn him?" "He did. But his staff did not, and it took many years before they believed my motivations for helping them were genuine." Sighing, he added, "It made life that much more difficult for Admiral Yi." "But eventually they learned to trust you, right?" Nodding, he grinned, "They even gave me a uniform." She clapped her hands excitedly. "Did you wear it?" "I did." "The fancy one with the metal plates all over it?" "That is correct." She sat back in her chair, still trying to process what he'd told her. "You knew Yi Soon Shin." Suddenly her eyes grew wide. "Were you in Chosun when he died?" "I arrived at his flagship when the battle was over and the news was announced." "Oh my god," she whispered. "He died in service to his country, and his country's government learned nothing from his example, as you know by the second attempt at occupation." Shaking his head sadly he continued, "I knew that my people would continue to be a threat and out of a sense of duty to you, I kept a close watch on the political climate in Chosun and especially so after it was declared a modern nation." "What did you do?" "Many different things. Whatever I could do. It may surprise you to learn this, but I have passed my infection on to quite a few Korean freedom fighters during the occupation. They have taken it upon themselves to try and maintain some semblance of justice. The majority of them were infected either during the occupation or during the Korean war." He smiled at her look of shock. "No fucking way!" She thought about what he'd said for a moment. "Are any of them in the US?" "No, they feel that they can best serve the country there." He grinned. "One of them is even a descendent of the Admiral." He'd gone through so much trouble to help and her breath caught in her chest when she began to finally realize the extent of his feelings. "You've spent a lot of your lifetime involved with Korea." Her voice was full of emotion. "Was that because of me?" "Hai." Angela felt her eyes brimming with tears at the quiet way he looked at her. "You really loved me, but...you didn't have to do all that." Opening his arms to her, he rubbed his face into the smooth skin of her neck after she'd sat down on his lap. "But I did. As a reward for my devotion, you were returned to me, and it was more than worth it to have you back." "Noboru..." She thought she would burst into tears at any moment and when he kissed her a few warm tears spilled down her cheeks. His thumb wiped them away as he tightened his hold on her. "There was never a day that I stopped loving you," he sighed into her ear. "It is still difficult for me to believe that you have found your way back to me." Lifting her off his lap, he shoved their dinner aside and threw her onto her back on the dining table's glass surface. Grabbing either side of her silk blouse, he tore it open and began sliding his tongue over her newly exposed skin. When he reached the skin between her breasts, he shoved her bra upwards freeing her breasts and began teasing her nipples into tight peaks with his teeth. Her fingers had laced into his long hair and he felt her grip the strands near his scalp. The smell of her and the distinct aroma of her mounting need awoke a jealous, possessive urge within him and she watched with wide eyes as he split his robe as he took on mass. Shaking off the remnants, he stood up and growled at her, showing all of his elongated teeth, cracking his powerful joints. "You belong to me." His voice barely sounded human. It was so deep it almost vibrated and she could feel it through her body. "You will always belong to me. I will let nothing deprive me of what is mine." He brandished his needle sharp claws and the long fur of his mane stood up on end, making him appear even larger. Cutting her clothes into ribbons, he took his turgid cock in his massive hand and guided it into her. "I do not care if you dislike my methods. I will do what I must to assert my claim over what is mine." With that, he pushed her hips down towards him, forcing himself brutally into her narrow passage, eliciting a cry of pain. The table shook dangerously under his punishing thrusts. "Do you have any idea what it is like to wait for so long?" He gripped her neck in his fist and squeezed down just enough to cut off her air supply. "If you dislike my methods, you should not have returned, because now, never again will I allow you to be taken from me." The combination of the pain and the lack of blood and air was frightening but underneath it, she felt a strange euphoria building as he fucked her without any concern for her needs. As he battered her cervix with his cock, his lips pulled back as he felt the rush of his impending release and he let go of her neck to grip her hips. The sudden rush of air and the return of circulation to her brain detonated an explosion of sensations inside her and he literally howled as she her pussy constricted on him. With a threatening roar, he sank his jaws into her neck and groaned "[Ikku]!" as his cock unleashed hot streams of his spunk into her tiny womb. Panting almost painfully, he eased out of her and began cleaning her neck wound. When he was satisfied that it had mended, he gradually returned to his human form and kissed her lovingly. "[Won mang heh]?" "Of course not." She twined her arms around his neck as he gathered her into his arms and carried her to their bed. __________________________________ mabh soo sahl: good grief (Korean) nanda: what (Japanese) so-ka: I see (Japanese) mi-yan: sorry (Korean) beh goph pah: I'm hungry (Korean) won mang heh: do you have regrets [about your choice] (Korean) Historical Note: It is a fact that the arrows of Chosun won over the guns of Japan – one of the few instances in history where having guns did not confer an advantage. Unfortunately, weapons technology was significantly more sophisticated by the time of the occupation and the Japanese met little resistance when they arrived. _________________ The Rising Sun & The Morning Calm Ch. 11 If you've enjoyed the story so far, please drop a comment or two which I will take as indication that the story should continue. ^_^ SoulCalibur is a registered trademark of Namco Playstation is a registered trademark of Sony ______________________________________ The next few days passed more or less uneventfully, much to Angela's relief. She and Genzo appeared to better understand one another and he made more of a concerted effort to avoid drawing unnecessary attention to either of them. Noboru stopped having bad dreams that woke him in the middle of the night and as they shared a leisurely dinner after work, they were in the middle of a pleasant conversation when he heard a distinctive ring tone on his cell phone. "What is it?" she asked, seeing his face become very serious. "Excuse me for a moment," was all he said before walking into his study and closing the door. "Never a dull moment, eh, Yang?" she cooed when Yang leapt onto the table. "Want a piece of chicken?" The kitten happily noshed on her treat and rubbed her head against Angela's hand in appreciation. The door to Noboru's study opened and he walked out looking irritated. "[Doshta]?" Walking to his closet, Noboru pulled out a small overnight bag. "I must fly to Tokyo. Some urgent business matters have arisen." "What happened?" She gave a little squeal as Yang jumped onto her lap and stared expectantly at her. Not answering her, he dialed a number on his cell and waited impatiently for the recipient to pick up. Issuing a number of orders in rapid Japanese, he shut his cell and placed it on the dining table. "My investors have requested that I meet with them to discuss some concerns that have surfaced regarding my company." Cradling Yang in her arms, Angela stood up and walked over to him, looking concerned. "What sort of business matters? How serious is it?" Noboru laughed bitterly. "Let us simply say that my brother does whatever he can to create discord in my life." "I hope I never have to meet this man." She hugged Yang closer to her and nuzzled her fluffy mane. Pausing for a moment, he regarded at her as she cuddled her kitten and smiled faintly. "I hope so as well." Resuming his preparations, he added, "I do not suppose that you could come with me?" "Sorry. I can't cancel two days worth of therapy sessions on such short notice." She flashed him an apologetic look. "[Shoganei-nah], I assumed as much," he said in a resigned tone. His voice took on a placating note. "You will likely be upset with me for this, but Genzo is on his way here." Angela dropped Yang who let out an indignant yowl as she landed on the ground. "Noboru, no!" "Angela, please!" He tried to hug her as she stubbornly resisted. "This is a very important meeting that I must attend. I will not be able to concentrate if I am constantly worrying about your safety." Grudgingly allowing him to hold her, she sulkily asked, "So when will you be back?" He looked upwards while he did a mental calculation. "At the latest, by Monday." "Monday?! I'm stuck with Ninja Boy for the rest of the week?" He couldn't help laughing when she referred to Genzo as "Ninja Boy" even though this only caused her to scowl harder. "I promise I will make it up to you when I return. And do not forget." He gripped her neck and licked her ear. "I will be deprived of having you in my bed for four whole days so I will suffer just as greatly as you, if not more so." "You're not helping your case," she groused. "I am sorry, my love." His fingers began working at the knot that held her kimono jacket closed. When her robe was open, he bent down on his knees and began probing the cleft between her legs with his tongue. "That's not fair!" Angela moaned. "I never said that I was fair," he said between licks. Throwing off his own robe, he hunched forward and began to take on size as his skin was replaced with fur. Standing to his full height, he pinned her against the wall and allowed her weight to slide her down his hard shaft. Slamming her head against the wall with each thrust, he licked the side of her face with his rough tongue as the cream boiling in his balls threatened to explode. "I will make it up to you upon my return," he promised again. Fighting to control himself, he began flicking her nipple with his long, rough tongue as she raked her nails down his back in the throes of her first orgasm. "You'll tear me apart!" she panted, twining his mane through her fingers. Sinking his fangs into her neck he felt her vaginal muscles constrict again as she came and his animal snarls filled the air as he bathed her insides. He let her tight walls milk his cock until he dropped to his knees, dizzy with pleasure. When he pulled out of her, a stream of white liquid pooled by her ankles as the huge load he had released trickled out of her bruised pussy. When he had cleaned his bite marks, he carried her back to the bed and covered her lovingly with a blanket. "I have to clean that mess we made," she barely managed to get out. Getting dressed, Noboru shot her a wicked smile. "Leave it. To remind you of me while I am away." "I don't think I'll need reminding," she purred, snuggling into the sheets with a satisfied smile. While she enjoyed her afterglow, Noboru wiped away the evidence of their quickie, more out of consideration for Genzo than anything else. His cell phone announced that his people had arrived and he opened the door to let three men in. Two were dressed in black suits. The other was Genzo, who was attired in cargo pants and a black T-shirt. As the men in suits took Noboru's things, he pulled Genzo aside. "I'm sorry to have to impose upon you like this on such short notice, but there was no one else I could entrust her to." Genzo bowed his head. "You honor me with your confidence in my abilities, Noboru-donno." "Until I return, my home is yours to use as you please. I only ask that you try to interact with her a little." He noticed Genzo stiffen at his request. "She's a very social creature and it would sadden her if you didn't at least try to be cordial." "I'll do my best to do as you ask." Patting him on the shoulder fondly, Noboru slid on a pair of shoes. "Try to have a little fun, Genzo. She's actually wonderful company." He bowed again. "I wish you a safe trip, Noboru-donno." Noboru's heightened sense of hearing picked up the regular breathing pattern that indicated Angela was asleep. "Tell her I said goodbye." "I will do so." When Noboru had left, Genzo wrinkled his nose in disgust. Although the penthouse was huge, almost twenty thousand square feet, every inch of the place reeked of sex. "Eh?" Looking down, he saw a tiny kitten rubbing itself against his cargos and bent down to pet it. "[Konbawa, ichiban]," he said softly. The animal was so tiny that he could comfortably hold it in one hand. When it rolled onto its back and looked at him imploringly, his face broke out into a small smile and he stroked the soft fur along its belly. The little cat closed its eyes and rumbled happily. When she'd had her fill of attention and moved away, he made his way to one of the spare rooms and dropped off his bag. After setting up his laptop and charging his cell phone, he changed into a pair of shorts and went to the refrigerator to get a drink. Pouring himself a soda, he sat on the couch that seemed to have been fucked on the least and sighed. This was going to be the longest week of his life. "Noboru? Baby, are you still here?" Her drowsy voice floated down to where he was sitting. Shaking his head, he had promised Noboru that he would relay his goodbye and as insipid and over-indulgent as it seemed, he would do just that. Climbing the stairs to his bedroom, Genzo stopped in his tracks when he saw that she was completely naked under the sheets, which had bunched up around her waist, showing ample expanses of skin. Fortunately her back was turned to him. Looking down at the ground he cleared his throat awkwardly and said, "Noboru-sama has already left for the airport. He wished for me to convey his apologies at not being able to say goodbye personally, as he did not wish to wake you." Screeching in surprise, she snatched the covers up to her and Genzo winced at the shrill sound on his sensitive ears. "Fuck, Genzo! Don't scare me like that!" Her use of foul language never ceased to amaze him. "My apologies, Angela." Turning, he descended the steps as she stared at his back, wondering what had just happened. __________________________________ doshta: what is it (Japanese) shoganei na: can't be helped (Japanese) konbawa: good evening (Japanese) ichiban: little one (Japanese) __________________________________ Wrapping up her work week, Angela found that oddly enough, she was beginning to get used to Genzo's ever present figure in her waiting room and it almost became routine for her to open the door and let him know that she was finished for the day. When they entered the condo, she was amused to see her kittens make a beeline for Genzo. "Hey!" she said indignantly. She was able to catch the smallest glimpse of a smug smile on his lips as he reached down to greet the cats. "I'm going to take a shower," she huffed. She shot a displeased look at the purring trio before disappearing into the bathroom. When the door had closed, Genzo waited until he heard the water running before he picked up Yang and rubbed his forehead affectionately against hers. "[Kawaii], Yang-chan," The diminutive silver tabby snuggled happily against him, her eyes closed as she purred like a dump truck. Tucking her under his arm, he walked into the kitchen as the other two followed hopefully in his wake. "Are we hungry?" he queried over his shoulder. A chorus of plaintive meows made him laugh. Angela came out of the bathroom to find Genzo reclined on the sofa with Yang purring on his shoulder, playing SoulCalibur IV. "You like video games?" She never would have guessed. "Only fighting games," he said distractedly, his forehead creased in concentration. "[Kso!]" he swore as he lost a round. Angela grinned. For a moment, he sounded just like every other young man she knew. "Wanna play?" "[Nani?]" For the first time, Genzo smiled at her, although it was a fairly condescending smile. "Why bother?" "I'm actually pretty decent at SoulCalibur," she shot back. "Just because I'm a girl doesn't mean I can't run with the big boys." "Very well. Would you prefer a handicap?" His smug attitude was beginning to get on her last Korean nerve. Walking into the kitchen, she pulled out a large bottle of sake and two ceramic cups. Plunking it down in front of him, she sat down and challenged, "No handicap, we play best two out of three. Loser takes a drink. You game?" Figuring at least it would be amusing to see her drunk, he nodded. "[Ikkuzo]." Grabbing a controller, she waited for Genzo to select the Versus Mode and scrolled until she found her character. "Good old Yun Seong," she said, pushing select with determination. "That is your character of choice?" he asked skeptically, choosing Mitsurugi the samurai. "I will beat your pathetic Japanese ass into the ground with a Korean character any time you feel up to the humiliation." She noticed that he still sat lazily on the couch. It was obvious he didn't consider her much of a threat. When the match began, she lost the first round in order to get him comfortable and crushed him in the second and third. "Yun Seong wins!" the announcer declared. She held up two fingers in a victory sign. When she stuck her tongue out at him and handed him a shot, he scoffed, "Beginner's luck," and drained the cup. "Again." When she spanked him a second time, his irritation began to show more clearly. Flashing him the biggest shit-eating grin she could muster, she punched her fist in the air and crowed, "[Dae han min gook manseh!]" before passing the sake to him. Picking Yang off his shoulder he apologized, "[Gomen], Yang-chan," before sitting up more attentively. "Finally taking me seriously, eh, Genzo?" He snorted dismissively, took a shot, and cracked his neck. "I am just surprised that you are not half bad. I am done going easy on you now." "Promises." Two rounds later, "Yun Seong wins!" Angela punched her fist in the air, crowing, "Ushyaaaaaaaaa!" "[BAGA!]" he shouted at the screen as Angela handed him another shot. Stretching with obvious satisfaction, she delicately set down her controller and batted her eyelashes innocently at him. "Well, that was fun. You were a halfway decent opponent, I suppose. Let me know if you ever want a rematch," she simpered in a sickeningly sweet voice as she stood up. Genzo was glaring murderously at the TV screen, gripping the controller so tightly that his knuckles had turned white. "Sit down," he growled between clenched teeth. "Genzo, I really don't think that's such a good id –" "I SAID SIT!!" Angela meekly picked up the controller and regretted starting up with him. She wouldn't have minded letting him win if it hadn't meant that she had to drink, and she never drank, ever. An hour later, the bottle was empty and Genzo was pounding his fist on the ground, howling in frustration, which under normal circumstances she would have found hilarious if he wasn't quite so drunk. "Uh, I guess the Playstation is broken," she fibbed in an attempt to salvage his wounded male pride. "[Sonnah...]" he muttered, slumping over in defeat. He covered his head with his hands despondently, still prostrate on the floor. Pouring him an enormous glass of water, she ordered, "Drink it." He looked at her with bleary eyes. "Eh?" "You're going to have a nasty hangover in the morning once all that alcohol dries out your brain. Drink it." Waving her away with an annoyed look, he crawled back onto the couch to nurse his bruised ego. "How could I be beaten by a woman?" he wondered mournfully out loud. "Don't feel too bad, Genzo. I had nothing but male friends when I was growing up. Playing video games was all we did." When he looked at her in surprise, she showed him both her thumbs, which were heavily calloused from hours of game play. "Whose Playstation do you think that is?" When he realized he had been playing on her console, he gave her the first genuine laugh she had ever heard since meeting him. Relaxed now, and no longer so serious, she actually enjoyed his company. She'd never imagined that she would be playing video games with him much less having so much fun. It reminded her of her college days. "You are a strange woman, Angela," he said with a smile. "Yeah, so I'm told." Moving over to him, she offered him the water again. "Come on, Genzo, please?" "Hai, hai, hai." He obediently emptied the glass. Taking the empty glass from him, she noted, "Genzo, we've spent almost a whole week together and I don't know anything about you." His guard lowered by the sake, he grinned amiably at her. "What would you like to know?" "Well, for one, how did you meet Noboru?" His eyes took on a faraway look. "I grew up in a village of shinobi that was blood enemies with another ninja clan. They ambushed my village one day and almost everyone was killed. Noboru found me and infected me in order to save my life. I have been in his service ever since." "Wow." So that was why he took Noboru's requests so seriously. "Any girlfriend? Boyfriend?" He gave her a sidelong glance at the fact that she would even suggest that he could be gay. "I have no girlfriend right now." "Why not?" "I do not meet many women in my daily life," he said matter of factly. Angela petted Yang who had returned to lounge on Genzo's chest. "That's a real shame. You're such a good man." She didn't notice the surprised look he gave her at her observation. "Hey, Genzo?" "Hai?" "What is it exactly that you do on the computer all day?" "Would you like to see?" When she nodded, he pulled his computer onto his lap and opened a few files. When he turned the screen to face her, she saw the most beautiful illustrations. There was even one of Yang, who was his obvious favorite. "You're an artist?" she asked excitedly. "Mm." "It's amazing work, Genzo!" He beamed with pleasure at her compliment. Walking to one of the boxes from her apartment, she pulled out one of her portfolios from college. "I used to do quite a bit of art as well." Genzo looked over the sketches. "You are quite talented," he remarked with genuine admiration. "I find that it is more convenient to do my art on a graphic tablet now." "I wish I could learn to use one of those," she said wistfully. "I'm an idiot with computers though." "If you wish, I can show you," he offered. "Really?" He nodded. "Genzo, that would be fucking spectacular!" He laughed. "You swear quite a bit. That is unusual for a woman." She blushed. "Well, I did tell you that I grew up around boys. Believe it or not, I belch too." "[Majideh?]" He looked at her with new appreciation. "May I have a demonstration?" "No way, Ninja-Boy." She enjoyed the shocked expression on his face at being called that. She was determined to make that his new nickname from that moment forth. The more it annoyed him the better. It was nice to finally get a reaction out of him after he had been pushing her buttons all week. "Not just yet anyway." Genzo yawned and she took that as her cue to go. "Get some sleep. We should do something fun tomorrow." Smiling drowsily, Genzo turned on his side and was passed out in seconds. Bringing an extra blanket, she covered him and studied his face as he slept. He looked peaceful, friendly even – a stark contrast from the imposing exterior he presented. Curling up in their bed, she was about to fall asleep when Noboru called. "Hello?" she whispered. "How is my angel surviving without me?" The sound of his deep voice caused her whole body to tingle. "Barely. I miss you so much." There was a pause on his end. "Why are you whispering?" "Genzo's asleep," she explained. Noboru's rich laughter filled her ears. She sounded like a concerned mother trying not to wake a sleeping child. "[So-ka]. How are you two getting along?" "We're managing." She kind of liked the fact that Genzo had opened up to her but she would keep it as their little secret for now. "I am heading out to Narita now. I should be home by tomorrow afternoon." His voice lowered as he added, "I have not had any release since I left you and I am extremely hard for you right now. I cannot wait to taste you and make you scream before I cum inside you." "Noboru, don't torture me like that," she pleaded. She could already feel her thighs becoming sticky. "I will see you tomorrow, then. I love you." She hoped he could hear her smiling. "I love you too, Noboru." Sighing, she hung up and slipped her fingers between her thighs. [Damn him], she thought. Resisting the urge to play with herself, she licked her fingers and decided that if he was waiting that she would as well. Downstairs, Genzo's head jerked up as the smell of Angela's arousal wafted into his nostrils. Without his being aware of it, his cock had stiffened at her scent. When he finally noticed his raging hard on, he was horrified and tried to will it to go down. Eventually it did, but only after she had fallen asleep and her excitement had abated. He turned over to see Snotty staring intently at him from the coffee table. "What are you looking at?" he growled guiltily in Japanese. The cat simply cocked his head to one side and hopped up the stairs to join his mistress. Rolling his eyes, he turned over and fell asleep. __________________________ kawaii: so cute (Japanese) kso: shit (Japanese) nani: what (Japanese) ikkuzo: let's go (Japanese) The Rising Sun & The Morning Calm Ch. 11 dae han min goo man seh: long live the great Korean republic (Korean) gomen: sorry (Japanese) usya: alright (exultation of victory, Japanese) baga: idiot (Japanese) sonnah: it can't be (Japanese) maideh: really (Japanese) __________________________ Spreading her lips with his fingers, he marveled at how wet she was. Leaning in, his mouth watered at the smell that arose from between her legs. He felt his cock rear up, impatient to claim her and release its stores inside her heat. He heard her voice beg, "Please, I need it now." Licking his lips, he flexed his tongue and slid it inside her as she let out a series of delectable moans. Her fingers scratched at his scalp as she swiveled her hips to meet his mouth as he caressed her wet flesh. The taste of her drew his animal to the surface and he felt his hold on the beast dissipate as he watched her breasts rise and fall under his efforts. Pulling her lips wide apart with his fingers, he ordered, "Cum in my mouth," before latching onto her clit. As he sucked on her pleasure center, she rode his tongue, trying to push his head impossibly deeper into her sex. "Genzo, I'm so close!" she cried. He moaned into her pussy, putting her over the edge and she painfully clutched at his hair as she drove his face against her again and again. As she recovered from her intense release, he stood up and felt her warm fluid drip off his face as her scent permeated his senses. Unable to restrain himself, he felt his skeleton elongate and his flesh expand as his animal triumphantly freed itself. He stared hungrily down at the naked female, barely a third his size. Seeing his amber eyes fixed on her, she spread her legs and parted her lips for him, welcoming his attack. Roaring, he grabbed her tiny body and pushed her onto her side. Raising one leg with his arm, he knelt and slapped the head of his cock against her pussy, enjoying the wet sound it made as it teased her. Painfully hard, he greedily stuffed his entire shaft into her unwilling cunt and nearly came on the spot at the vise-like grip of her walls. Flexing the muscles of his ass, he tortured her with his oversized organ until she began squeezing him tighter. As a scream erupted from her lips, he pulled out and began jacking himself off. "Angela, [ikku]," he groaned, before blasting her face with his cream. ______________ ikku: I'm coming (Japanese) The Rising Sun & The Morning Calm Ch. 12 If you've enjoyed the story, please leave a comment or two, which I will take as indication that people wish the story to continue ^ ^ _______________________ Angela awoke early the next morning feeling extremely parched. Throwing aside the blanket, she wondered where the cats were, as they usually liked to sleep on her. Throwing on an oversized T-shirt from her medical school, she peered over the ledge in front of the bed to see that the kittens were draped over Genzo in various forms of repose. Yang was sleeping on the pillow next to his shoulder, her head resting on his neck. Yin had arranged herself so that her head was tucked between his chin and chest. Snotty was comfortably curled up in a ball on his crotch. Doing her best not to make a sound, she crept downstairs with her digital camera in hand and snapped a photo of the scene, chortling under her breath. Genzo continued to sleep, one arm slung over his eyes, snoring softly with his mouth slightly open. At the sound of the shutter, Snotty awoke and when he saw Angela, he stretched and began to roll playfully on his back, requesting tummy rubs. When he got up, his movements had apparently had an effect on Genzo's morning wood, as it stood up and twitched a few times under his loose shorts. Transfixed by the movement, Snotty watched it for a moment before pouncing on it, his claws extended. Genzo nearly catapulted all three cats off of his body when he sat bolt upright with an angry roar of pain. Not wanting him to be embarrassed, Angela had ducked into the nearest bathroom before he could see her and turned on the shower full force to cover up the sounds of her laughter. From outside, she heard his voice thunder, "[Konnoyaro]! Which one of you did that?" and she had to smother her face with a towel as she cracked up. Deciding to take a shower, she forced herself to get it all out, not wanting Genzo to know that she had witnessed the whole thing. Glaring at the three pairs of frightened eyes that looked up at him from underneath the couch, Genzo, rubbed his groin, scowling. Fuck, that had hurt, especially since he was stiff. He could only pray that Angela had gotten into the shower before hearing him shout. Five minutes later, the bathroom door opened to let out a cloud of steam and she walked out drying her hair. "[Ohaiyo], Genzo," she said from behind a curtain of hair, just in case she had the need to smile. "[Ohaiyo]," he muttered gruffly. [Back to his usual sunny self again], she thought with chagrin. "I'm going to make breakfast. Would you like some?" "I will join you." Chucking the towel over a chair, she tried not to giggle when she saw that he had a throw pillow over his lap. Rummaging around in the kitchen, she pulled out some staples and began frying some eggs. Setting the food on two plates, she placed them on the table and called out, "Come and get it!" Genzo, his erection now tamed, rubbed his hand sleepily over his hair and sat down heavily in a chair. When she pushed the plate in front of him, he was surprised to find that he was actually quite hungry and when she nodded, he dug in. "Thank you." "Noboru's flying in today." His glass of orange juice paused just before it touched his lips. "[Nani]?" "Noboru called last night to say that he was on his way to the airport." She chewed a piece of toast, wondering why he looked so shocked. Frowning, Genzo mumbled, "I never received a call from him." "He probably figured I'd tell you," she reasoned. "Perhaps." They ate together in silence. Unable to resist, she casually began, "So, I uh, saw that you and the cats have been spending a lot of time together lately." His food halfway to his mouth, Genzo froze. Shit, had she seen him hard? Setting down his fork, he attempted to look neutral as he asked, "What do you mean?" Angela pulled out her digital camera with a smirk and showed him the photo she had taken. "Cute, huh? I couldn't pass up the opportunity and I grabbed a quick shot before hopping in the shower." Too busy being relieved to be angry, he nonetheless scowled at her and finished his meal, muttering something in Japanese about not respecting people's privacy. "Genzo, let's go out today." "Eh?" he said through a mouthful of food. She leaned forward on the table and propped her chin up on one hand. "I'm getting a serious case of cabin fever. I haven't been out of this building for even a cup of coffee since last weekend. I need some air." Genuinely feeling bad for her, it had been hard on him too to be cooped up for so long. He sat back in his chair and looked at her. "What would you like to do?" "I don't know." Her face brightened. "Let's go sit on the lakefront. You know, behind the aquarium? I can pack a little lunch or something." It sounded safe enough. "That would be fine." "Woah, woah, better curb that generous streak there, Ninja Boy," she teased. "Ninja Boy?" he growled. "Ah ah ah, temper, temper." She wagged a finger in the air. "It would be unfortunate if Ninja Boy had to lose face because pictures of him sleeping with kittens were to surface on the Internet." His eyes narrowed in warning. "You would not dare." Leaning over the table even further, she shot him an evil smile. "Try me." He noticed for the first time that she had freckles. It added to her playful appearance. "Do not push your luck," he warned. "Or what?" She sat back and crossed her arms smugly. Ignoring her statement, he walked over to the bathroom he had been using and stripped. He would never admit it to her face, but she was starting to grow on him. As he brushed his teeth, he couldn't help smiling when he thought back to how she had pwned him at SoulCalibur and shook his head, chuckling a little to himself. In spite of himself, he was actually having fun spending time with her. It had been such a long time since he'd had female company. Stepping into the shower, he remembered being woken up by her scent. It was the first time he could smell just her and not her mixed with Noboru and he was stunned to discover that he liked it. Just thinking about the aroma caused his cock to swell and in seconds he was fully erect. His memory of the dream he'd had of her drew a stream of precum from his head. Unable to help it, he stroked himself and memories of happening upon her while she was half naked heightened his pleasure. Suddenly the image of him sliding his cock in and out of her came into his mind and he sprayed the bathroom wall with his cum. Leaning against the wall with one arm, he tried to catch his breath as he watched his spunk slip down the tiles. This would not do. He couldn't be lusting after her -- she belonged to Noboru, and he'd entrusted him with her safety. Finishing his shower, he figured at least his libido would be under control until Noboru returned home. ______________________________ konnoyaro: why you little (Japanese) ohaiyo: good morning (Japanese) nani: what (Japanese) When he'd finished getting dressed, he saw that she had packed a bag with a blanket and some sandwiches. "Ready?" "Hai." Laughing excitedly, she caught him off guard when she grabbed him by the arm and dragged him out the door. Her eagerness to get outside was all too obvious as she kept hopping up and down as she watched the elevator's digital display with wide eyes. Realizing how her new life had actually imprisoned her in many ways, he felt a genuine surge of pity for her and understood why she tried so hard to be friendly with him. For the moment, he and Noboru were all she had, but she never complained, not once, and she had always been kind to him. He found himself wishing that he had been a bit nicer to her when they had initially met. "Genzo, you okay?" She looked at him curiously. "What?" He snapped out of his reverie. "Yes I am fine." It was a gorgeous day and Angela was smiling from ear to ear as they made their way to the cement walkway behind the Shedd Aquarium. "Ever been?" she asked, inclining her head towards the building. "No." She was taken aback. "Not even once? Why not?" "Why would I?" he asked back. Shaking her head sadly, she sighed. "Okay, next time Nobu goes out of town, we're taking you to the aquarium." It was cute how she felt sorry for him. "If you wish." They sat down after spreading the blanket and she closed her eyes, enjoying the cool breeze that floated in off the lake. Rubbing the back of his head awkwardly, he said, "[Ano], Angela?" "Hm?" Her eyes were still closed. "I am sorry if I was...unkind to you before." She opened her eyes to look at him and her face broke into a wide smile. "Oh, Genzo, that's very sweet of you. It hasn't been easy on either of us being forced on each other like this, huh?" "It is not so bad," he admitted diplomatically. "I have only one request." She tilted her head. "What's that?" Putting his palms together in a pleading gesture he asked, "Please, do not call me Ninja Boy in front of anyone else." Giggling, she laid down on her back and put her hands behind her head. "Deal." Leaning back on his arms, Genzo felt more relaxed than he'd remembered in a while. Part of him wished that Noboru could have stayed longer in Tokyo. The thought of returning to his empty apartment for the remainder of the weekend suddenly didn't appeal so much to him now. ______________________ ano: um (Japanese) ______________________ After a leisurely day outside, Angela was content to return home and wait for Noboru. Learning that they were about evenly matched at Street Fighter, Genzo had agreed to play her and they were in the middle of some very serious trash talking when Noboru opened the door. "Hello?" Noboru was amazed to find the two sprawled in front of the TV on their stomachs like children playing video games. "Baby!" Dropping her controller with a happy squeal, she jumped into his arms and received a heated kiss as she wrapped her legs around his waist. "Oh I've missed you!" she purred between hungry pecks. "Wait for me in the bed," he murmured when he finally tore his lips from hers. "I will be up shortly." After gently sucking on his lower lip, she released him and eagerly bounded up the stairs. "You must be anxious to get out of here," he said to Genzo in Japanese as he hastily began removing his shoes. "Oh...yes. It has been a rather long week." Genzo could smell their frank excitement and it bothered him. Shrugging off his jacket, Noboru grinned appreciatively. "Don't worry about being polite. Get out of here and enjoy the rest of your weekend. I'm sorry if I don't stand on ceremony, but it has been three days." His fingers impatiently began loosening his tie. "Of course. Thank you." He set about packing his things as Noboru tore up the stairs two at a time. He involuntarily winced when he heard Angela shriek in surprise. "Nobu, Genzo's still here!" she protested, giggling. "Genzo does not care," he growled urgently. Another loud squeal followed. "My shirt!" Noboru's laughter floated down to his room. "[Bokuno] Angela." "Oh, god, you're so big and hard!" "Open your mouth." It had never bothered him before to hear Noboru fucking. In the long time that he had known him, he knew that Noboru had a sizable libido and they'd had women in front of each other in the past. Now, as he heard Angela sighing Noboru's name and the loud sounds of flesh slapping against flesh, he realized that it stung him to hear them coupling. He tried his best to ignore them, but they were getting louder and louder as they reached their peak. "Nobu, I'm going to cum!" she whined. "Do it," he ordered harshly. Her scream pierced the air, as did Noboru's groan of release as they feverishly fucked through their orgasms. When the commotion had died away, Genzo realized that he had been frozen in place, his fists clenched. Hurriedly throwing the rest of his things into his bag, he slid his feet into his sneakers and left the penthouse. Panting raggedly, Angela raised her head when she heard the door shut. "I can't believe you fucked me while he was still here," she gulped between breaths. "You liked it. It aroused you to know that he was listening." Noboru kissed her damp forehead and basked in the afterglow. She giggled, still high from her orgasm. "Maybe a little." His eyes still closed, he asked, "So the two of you made it through the week without killing each other?" "Miraculously, yes." She stretched languorously, enjoying the tingle in her toes. He stroked the skin along her side with one finger as she arched her back. "Give him time. Genzo will learn to become more comfortable around you." He looked at her when she giggled again. "What is so funny?" "Nothing." _____________________________ bokuno: mine (Japanese) _____________________________ "Noboru?" Angela walked in and looked around, not seeing him anywhere. "Baby, you there? "[Gotchi]," he called from his study. She found him scanning several computer monitors, wearing a pair of black silk pajama bottoms and nothing else. Angela took a minute to admire how tasty he looked. Sometimes it was hard for her to decide if she liked him better clothed or naked. His blue eyes warmed as he turned the chair to face her. "How's the market in Tokyo?" she asked with mock seriousness. "Tenuous," he grinned, holding his arms out to her. "How was my angel's day?" He kissed her playfully as she slid into his lap. "Weird." She wrapped her arms around his neck and frowned. "Nobu, something's strange about me." "Other than your delightfully irresistible sex appeal?" he joked, stroking her thigh. It was so difficult to have a complete conversation with him, especially when she could feel him growing hard under her. "Yes, other than that," she laughed. His expression became serious and he waited for her to continue. "When I see my patients now, it's strange. I feel what they're feeling. I mean, therapists are usually empathetic but I feel their emotions and I feel them strongly." A flicker of surprise lit Noboru's eyes. "You are experiencing changes after only a week?" "That's unusual?" She wondered if this was cause for concern. "Typically the infection begins to show effects in months." He tilted his head and smiled. "My angel is quite unusual indeed." "I don't understand, how is this symptom part of my changing?" Noboru rubbed his nose in her hair, enjoying the smell of her scalp. "As a psychiatrist, I'm sure you've observed that animals and young children are very sensitively attuned to the moods of others." Nodding, she waited for him to go on. "Because you are now much more aware of your primal nature, you've fallen back on your intuition and senses as opposed to using higher cognitive functions. Animals rely on instinct and feelings. Often they are not incorrect. You are simply experiencing a return to a more natural way of being." She had to admit that it made sense. After all, intellectualization was a potent defense mechanism. "Why do you think I'm developing symptoms so quickly?" Noboru leaned his cheek against hers. "I cannot answer that question as of yet. Would you mind providing me a sample of your blood? I can have my research team analyze it for any unusual abnormalities." She looked lost in thought. "I guess that's fine." Sensing her distance, he began kissing the sensitive skin under her jaw, breathing, "Have you found your new skill helpful in your work?" She closed her eyes at his touch and pressed herself further into his lap. "I have," she moaned. Noboru was just about to shred her blouse when her cell phone rang. Recognizing the ring tone, he bared his canines in displeasure and possessively tightened his grip on her. Shooting him a warning look, she opened up her phone and mumbled, "Hello, Ken." "Yeah, I wanted to say thanks for calling. Oh wait, that's right, you didn't call!" he snapped. Angela somehow managed not to scream when Noboru suddenly picked her up, threw her down on his chair and began removing her panties. She looked at him with horror, shaking her head with pleading eyes. Smiling lasciviously, he nodded and lifted her legs onto his bare shoulders before pressing his face deep between them. "I'm sorry...Ken." She struggled to keep her voice even as he licked her clit with broad, firm strokes. "What the fuck, Angela. How long have you known this guy and already you're fucking him?" Under his anger she could still discern hurt. "We agreed when we broke up. It was only sex and nothing more. We were always free to see other pe-EE-ople." She glared at Noboru who only chuckled as he inserted two fingers into her and began curling them against her g-spot. "So how serious is this guy? And who was the other asshole in your office?" His fingers were pushing her to the brink and all she could do was pant as she slid up and down his fingers. "He...I...oh god..." "Angela, are you...are you fucking him right now?!" he demanded incredulously. Snatching the phone out of her hand, Noboru didn't hang up, but placed it on the ground. Sliding off his pants, he pulled her legs open and shoved his cock into her waiting hole. "Say my name," he whispered in her ear. God she was close. "Nobu, please, I can't." "You will scream my name and he will hear you beg for it or I will pull out right now," he hissed under his breath. "Any questions he has will be answered when he hears how you are a slave to my cock and will do anything to have it inside you." "Angela? Angela! Are you still there?" Ken's irate voice could still be heard. Yanking her roughly against him, he hissed, "Tell him! I want him to know that you are my eager plaything." When he began flicking her clit, she felt it start and cried out, "Nobu, oh god, fuck me, please! Make me cum!" Snarling triumphantly, he ground his hips into hers and thrust violently, groaning as his own orgasm overtook him. Her screams punctuated his pleasure. She ran her fingernails down his back as she felt his cum propelled into her. As he came down, he noticed with satisfaction that Ken had hung up. "I doubt he will be calling again," he smirked. "Problem solved." "You are so evil." Her body was still humming from her release. "I know." ---------------------------------------------- gotchi: over here (Japanese) ____________________________ "Genzo, wanna grab lunch?" "Certainly." Stowing away his computer, Genzo ran a hand over his hair and stretched. "I really need to get you a more comfortable chair." She felt bad that he had to squeeze his large frame into the cramped seat. "[Daijobu]," he said with a smile. Smiling back, Angela actually really liked having him outside the door and she got the feeling that he liked being around her as well. "What do you feel like, Ninja Boy?" Genzo stood to his full height and loomed over her. "Careful," he warned, but the playful way his eyes danced gave away that he wasn't serious. "How much time do you have?" "'Bout a half hour." "Anything is fine. Shall we eat outside?" "Great idea. Let me grab my purse." Ten minutes later, they were sitting outside of her favorite bakery. "The chicken soup here is unbelievable," she advised him. Opening his container of soup, Genzo smiled, but something behind her made his expression change. "[Masaka...]" She felt the jolt of adrenaline that passed through him and wondered what had made him so nervous. Turning around, she saw a Japanese man with short hair, dressed all in black, his eyes covered with reflective sunglasses. "Uehara-kun, [sashiburi-dana]." His tone was overly familiar and it was obvious that Genzo was not at all pleased to see him. "[Atchi ni itte], Genzo growled. "Not before you introduce me to your charming companion." He peered down at Angela with a toothy smile and she felt her skin crawl. Something about him felt strangely and horribly familiar. The Rising Sun & The Morning Calm Ch. 12 Grabbing her arm, Genzo forcefully pulled her out of her seat and marched her out of the outdoor seating area, heedless of the stares he was drawing. Pulling her into a bookstore, he scanned the street to see if the man had followed them. "Genzo, what's going on?" This was really starting to freak her out. "We must get you back to your office without his knowing that you work there," he muttered, still canvassing the sidewalks with his eyes. "Who is he and why is he so dangerous?" She tried to peek out the window to see if he was still there. Genzo said nothing, but when he felt it was safe, he briskly walked her back to her building using a different entrance. As they rode the elevator to her office, he turned to her, his brows furrowed. "We had hoped that this would not happen." "For the last time, who is he?" "That," Genzo intoned, "was Noboru-sama's brother." __________________________ daijobu: it's alright masaka: it can't be sashiburi-dana: been a long time atchi ni itte: get lost __________________________ When she returned home, it was obvious that Genzo had already apprised Noboru of the situation as he was pacing when they walked through the door. Before she could even take off her shoes, he grabbed her and hugged her tightly. "I am so relieved that you are alright." "Noboru-donno, forgive me, I should have done a better job of keeping her out of his sight." Genzo bowed deeply, angry at himself for letting Noboru down. "No, no. It was no fault of yours," he sighed. Cupping her chin in his hand, he looked at her sadly. "We must tread carefully from now on, my angel. Saburo is a twisted man, and he has only become worse with age." Turning to Genzo, his voice took on a harsher note as he said, "Call Daisuke and get him to send more people to surveille the city. I do not want Saburo to catch me off guard like that again." "[Huh]!" Lowering his head, he left for Noboru's study. Angela buried her face in Noboru's chest. "I remembered him. Not his face, just a feeling. He scared me, Nobu." Noboru could feel her fear and tried to sooth her. "I would never let anything happen to you." She felt calmer, wrapped in his arms. "Thank you." She smiled as he tightened his arms around her. Pulling away from her, he handed her a cellular phone. "What's this?" "I arranged a new account for you, billed in my name. Use it when you need to call those close to you, to protect their identities. For all other calls you can use your own. I wish to take precautions to ensure that Saburo cannot hurt those close to you." He flashed her a faint smile. "I have already taken the liberty of putting my number in there." "That's very sweet of you, Noboru." She kissed his cheek. "Thank you." "It is the least I can do," he said with regret. Putting his hands on her waist, he stroked her hair. "Can you arrange some time off in a month?" "I suppose so, why?" "I must go to Tokyo for a month in order to settle some business affairs. I do not feel comfortable leaving you here, even though I know that Genzo and my men are very capable." He took her hand and kissed her palm. "Will you do this for me?" When he asked her like that, how could she refuse him? "Of course I will." He hugged her with relief. "Thank you." Feeling very tired and hungry, she kissed him again. "I'm going to take a shower before dinner." After he heard the water running, Noboru joined Genzo in the study. "It's taken care of," Genzo informed him in Japanese. "Good." Noboru leaned forward with one arm on the back of his chair and did a once over of the monitors. "When we leave for Tokyo, you are to come with us." Genzo stared at the ground. "Noboru-donno, perhaps there is someone else who would be more adept at carrying out your orders. I have already failed you once-" "[Kudaranei]," Noboru interjected. "You are my right hand and there is no one else I would trust more with my life. Or hers." "I am honored by your request and I will gladly accompany you to Tokyo." Standing up, he bowed and bid Noboru goodnight. As he left their building, he cursed himself for having let down his guard. What was worse, the fear that he felt upon seeing Saburo was not just for Angela and Noboru. Part of the fear was his own. He had been worried for Angela in a very personal way. "[Baga], you can't protect her by being this way," he chastised himself out loud. Somehow he needed to find a way to be more objective about her safety, but spending almost every day with her was not making that easy for him. Perched on the roof of another high rise, Saburo watched Genzo leave his brother's building and smirked. Taking off his glasses, the light from the street below caused his retinas to glow eerily before he crept back into the darkness. "[Oni-san], I see history repeats itself," he said gleefully to himself. "[Moratta!]" __________________________ kudaranei: ridiculous baga: idiot moratta: you're mine __________________________ The Rising Sun & The Morning Calm Ch. 13 If you're enjoying the story, please drop a comment or vote and I'll take it as indication that I should keep on writing. __________________________ "I don't know about this," Angela muttered uncertainly, biting her lower lip. "Maybe we should take them." Her face was lined with guilt as the kittens played unaware in front of her. Noboru sighed as he watched her undergo separation anxiety from her three babies and attempted to set her at ease for the umpteenth time that day. "They will be just fine and I promise that my people will take excellent care of them while we are gone. Now come. If we stay any longer, we will miss our flight." He tapped a finger on his wristwatch for emphasis. "[Hayaku-shiro]." "I just feel like I'm being a bad mommy for abandoning them." Snotty sidled against her leg and then flopped on his side for tummy rubs, his grey paws neatly curled up against his chest purring cheerfully. "See? Now I have guilt!" Kneeling to pet him, she threw him a pleading look and cried, "Oh, can't we just bring them with us? They'll all fit in a single carrier." Pushing her forcibly out the door, Noboru looked over his shoulder at Snotty and threatened in Japanese, "I will get you for this." Snotty simply continued to look at him innocently from his upside down face. Once in the elevator, Angela continued to fret, wringing her hands together in worry. "[Shinpai-shinai-deh, kanajo]," he reassured her. "The [koneko] will be fine." "I guess I'll feel less bad about it once we get on the plane," she muttered dolefully as they stepped outside. Opening the car door for her, he got in after her and closed the door. "I cannot wait to show you Japan," he effused, taking her hand excitedly. After more than four hundred years, he would finally take her to his home. It felt like no time at all had passed since he had promised to take her so long ago and he softly kissed her wrist. "I'm sorry, Noboru, I don't mean to be a wet blanket." She cuddled up next to him and he contentedly rested his head against hers. "It's just that this will be the first time I've left them for more than a couple of days. I'm just worried they'll be upset when I don't come back. I don't want to traumatize them." "I am sure that I can devise some means of helping you to relax," he said absently as ran his hand along the inside of her thigh. He smiled when she laughed finally. Playfully swatting at his hand she reminded him, "[Yohk shim boo rhee gee mah]! Didn't we have sex twice already today?" "Once. The shower does not count as neither of us came that time." His blue eyes looked at her hungrily. "Baby, I'm still a little sore from earlier," she wheedled, even as she began to get wet. "I wasn't planning on using that part of you," he said, pushing her hand down the waistband of his suit trousers. Her fingers found him hot and throbbing. "Make me cum," he growled. Getting on all fours, she pulled down his zipper and eagerly freed his cock. Wrapping her lips around his head, she began teasing his foreskin the way he liked. Breathing heavily, his fingers stole under her skirt into her panties and he began gently circling her clit. Shivering, she slid her lips down until her nose brushed the stubble of his pubic hair and began to bob her head. "[Kimochi-na]. You suck me so well," he groaned as he fingered her. Angela was grateful for the tinted windows, as her dripping pussy was level with it, offering a nice view of her wet slit. Suddenly, she felt him twitching in her mouth, which was her warning that he was close. Taking his fingers out of her, he licked them clean before gripping her head in both hands and forcing his cock deep into her throat as he emptied himself again and again. He smiled, sated, as she slid her lips off his softening cock with a loud slurp and sat back gingerly on her heels with a flustered look. "Nobu...what about me?" Her clit was still tingling from her lack of release and her pussy felt achingly empty. "You are too sore," he said blithely, tucking himself unceremoniously back into his pants. Stretching with a satisfied smile, he patted her thigh. "Nobu!" She squirmed uncomfortably in her wet panties. His kissed her lips, still wet with his cum. "If you are very good, perhaps I will take you in the bathroom once we are airborne." He enjoyed her growls of frustration and stifled his urge to laugh as she glared murderously at him. __________________________________ hayaku-shiro: hurry up (Japanese) shinpai-shinai-deh: don't worry (Japanese) koneko: kittens (Japanese) kanajo: girlfriend (Japanese) yohk shim boo rhee gee mah: don't be so greedy (Korean) kimochi-na: feels good (Japanese) __________________________________ Upon arriving at O'hare, they met Genzo at the international terminal. He was waiting there with another Japanese man who appeared to be in his early thirties. The two men bowed deeply as Noboru approached them. "Noboru-donno. Everything is ready," Genzo informed him. "[Yosh]." Turning to the other man, he said, "Shinnosuke, may I present Dr. Angela Baek," Noburo said, indicating her. "Angela, this is Yoshizawa Shinnosuke, another of my most trusted aides." "I am honored." He gave her a bow and threw her a roguish smile as he straightened up. Unlike Genzo who was so serious all the time, Shinnosuke's demeanor had a slightly mischievous air to it. Only slightly shorter than Genzo, Shinnosuke sported a glossy black faux-hawk and was dressed comfortably in a pair of stylish bootcut jeans and a black tank top that accentuated his broad shoulders and narrow waist. An elaborate dragon tattoo graced his left arm all the way up to his shoulder. On his feet, he wore black steel toed combat boots and a large pair of DJ headphones hung around his neck, making him look like he belonged behind a set of turntables rather than working for Noboru. "Nice to meet you," she smiled at him. For some reason, Noboru seemed to prefer only to employ very large, very handsome Japanese men. Not that she was complaining – they appealed to the aesthete in her. Genzo was wearing dark jeans and a black button down shirt that must have been custom tailored for his large upper body. More than a few women shot the pair admiring glances as they passed by. Paying no attention, Genzo shouldered his carry on bag and gestured to the security checkpoint. "[Dozo]." As they were getting settled in their seats, Angela began to feel flushed and started fanning herself with a magazine. "Excuse me," she said as she pulled over a flight attendant. "Could I please have a glass of ice water?" When the stewardess returned, Noboru looked at her curiously as she gulped down the water and then asked for another. "It's so hot in here," she explained as she got her second cup, downing it as quickly as she had the first. He put a hand on her arm and peered into her eyes with concern. "[Daijobu]?" The cabin temperature was only seventy degrees by his estimation. "Yeah, I'm just warm. Don't you feel it?" She removed her jacket and suddenly Noboru got a whiff of something that he couldn't place. Apparently, so did Genzo and Shinnosuke, as they both looked up from what they were doing. Glancing around, they shrugged at each other and returned to their activities. Noboru couldn't explain why, but he suddenly began to feel uneasy. Angela's cheeks were extremely flushed and her pupils looked unusually wide but she seemed to relax a little as the water she drank cooled her. Breathing a sigh of relief, she looked at Noboru and grinned sheepishly before looking out the window. Trying to shake the nagging feeling plaguing him, Noboru leaned back in his seat and told himself that everything was fine. _______________________________ yosh: good (Japanese) dozo: this way {Japanese) daijobu: are you okay (Japanese) _______________________________ Four hours into their eleven hour nonstop flight to Tokyo, Angela began to fidget uncomfortably. "[Doshta]?" Now Noboru was definitely concerned. Undoing her seat belt, she mumbled, "...so hot...can't...breathe...need to use the bathroom..." As she walked past Genzo and Shinnosuke, again they raised their heads and watched her stumble towards the bathroom. The two looked at each other as if silently asking what was going on and then at Noboru who shrugged as if to say he was just as puzzled as they were. Throwing cold water on her face, she tried to steady herself against the ledge of the sink but it didn't seem to help. Her skin felt tight and tingly and she found herself regretting not finishing what she and Noboru had started in the car. Under her tank top, she could feel her nipples were swollen and sensitive and the thought of Noboru abusing them with his teeth almost made her knees give out. Taking several deep breaths, she tried to think clearly but her head felt fuzzy and thick. All she could think about was the need to have him inside her. An impatient knock from outside startled her out of her stupor. "Hey, what's taking so long in there?" an annoyed passenger demanded. Sliding the door open, she slipped out, whispering, "Sorry," and headed back to her seat. When she sat next to Noboru, his sense of olfaction was assaulted by the chemical signals that were pouring off of her skin. Looking over at his two friends, he saw their eyes glaze over and Genzo even bared a fang as they sat staring dumbly at the seat in front of them. [Shit! Had she gone into heat?] he wondered with panic. He hadn't anticipated this change for at least another two months, even considering her accelerated pace, but his fear was confirmed when he observed Genzo and Shinnosuke snarl menacingly at one another before looking shocked by what they had just done. Fuck, this was going to create a lot of serious problems. Most of the people who worked for him had been given the infection at their request and for the most part they were all male. If what he was seeing in the plane was only the beginning of her estrus, there was going to be a great deal of trouble once they landed in Tokyo. The other passengers on the flight would be unaware of her condition, but given their heightened senses, the seven hours until they landed suddenly felt like seven years. His ruminations were interrupted when she covered them both with a blanket and began kneading his crotch. "Noboru, please, I need you," she whispered into his ear. "I'm so hot for you. Fuck me." Unable to resist the pheromones she was exuding, his cock strained against his trousers as he struggled to keep his focus. To make matters worse, Genzo and Shinnosuke both jerked up their heads and actually began sniffing the air audibly, searching for the source of the odor. The passengers behind them, wondering if something was wrong, began sniffing as well. Trying to control himself, he attempted to pry her hand away from his aching balls. "Angela, stop it," he hissed. "Don't you want me?" she whimpered, putting his hand to her breast. His cock jerked violently in his pants, demanding to be released as he felt how swollen her nipples were. "I do, but now is not the time. [Yamiro]!" He had to suppress the urge to moan out loud when she slid his hand between her legs. Her skirt and doubtlessly the seat underneath her were soaked. "Please, I can't take it," she begged silkily in his ear. "I won't be able to wait until we land." Her voice held him immobilized and without realizing it, his legs carried him to the bathroom nearest them as he dragged her behind him. Oblivious to the stares of disapproval thrown at him, he pushed her into the cramped stall and leaned her against the sink. Locking the door, he hastily undid his pants and roughly shoved her skirt above her waist. She was so aroused that her inner thighs were coated in a thick wet sheen, the smell of which nearly forced him into his animal state. Straining to suppress his primal nature, he began stabbing her pink center with his cock and covered her mouth with his hand to drown the sounds of her excited moans. Thrusting rapidly, he came painfully and quickly inside her, his sac pumping out thick spurts as she joined him. Her cunt squeezed his cock greedily, pulling every last drop of his cum into her before they collapsed panting against the counter. As he cleaned the both of them off, he was unsettled to see her eyes flick up to meet his still full of hunger and lust. "More, Nobu. I want more!" She knelt and took his cock into her mouth and he stared in disbelief as he felt it fill with blood and harden again. "[Shinjimasen]," he croaked. Within seconds, he was swollen and ready. A wave of fear washed over him and he marshaled what small willpower remained and pulled up his pants. Wetting her face with cold water, he tried to arrange her clothes in some semblance of decency and led her back to their seats. When she reached over to massage his groin, he snatched the blanket from under her and covered them both. Her activity safely hidden, she continued her advances, suckling on his ear, whispering how she wanted him to do all sorts of filthy things to her. "I'm still soooooo wet, baby. Take me again. I need more, so much more. I know you want it too, you're so close, I can smell it." Grabbing his hand, she slid his fingers into her and began humping herself against his hand." Noboru looked into her eyes and felt what he imagined a deer must have before it was run over by a truck. Her brown irises were almost invisible, her pupils were so dilated. Whatever attractants she was releasing had him teetering right on the brink of a second massive orgasm, and he realized that if this didn't stop, he would cum right in his pants. Jerking his hand away, he wiped it on the blanket and called to Genzo. "[Oi!] Genzo!" Still in a haze, Genzo said nothing and continued to stare blankly ahead of him. "[Baga!] Snap out of it!" he barked. Blinking a few times in confusion, Genzo finally registered that Noboru was talking to him. "[Nanda]?" "Pass me your sleep aids," he hissed in Japanese. "[Hayaku]!" As if coming to his senses for a moment, Genzo passed him a bottle of clonazepam and Noboru removed two before handing it back to him. After requesting a glass of water, he put the pills in her mouth and ordered her to drink. A half hour later, she was finally sound asleep and the smell of her gradually became less potent. As the effects faded, Noboru gave a sigh of relief as his rager calmed down. Shaking their heads, Genzo and Shinnosuke were mortified to find that they had been sporting very impressive hard-ons underneath their tray tables. "[Kso!]" Shinnosuke swore, looking up. "What the fuck just happened?" "We have a problem," Noboru announced in a tight voice, regarding his sleeping mate. "A very serious problem." _________________________________ doshta: what is it? (Japanese) yamiro: stop it (imperative, Japanese) shinhimasen: I don't believe it (Japanese) oi: hey (Japanese) baga: idiot (Japanese) nanda: what (Japanese) hayaku: hurry (Japanese) kso: shit (Japanese) ________________________________ Mercifully, Angela slept all the way back to his loft in Tokyo. Setting her down on the bed, Noboru nervously ran his hands through his hair as he paced the floor. His two travel companions watched him in silence, not daring to say a word, waiting for him to speak. Finally, he stopped and sat down next to her, his face in his hands. "She's gone into heat," he said woefully. "And the intensity of it is more than I had anticipated." Shinnosuke and Genzo looked at each other and blushed furiously – a first in Noboru's experience. "I suppose the two of you were not immune?" he asked wearily. "[Gomen-nasai], Noboru-donno, I don't remember anything while it was happening." Genzo couldn't bring himself to look Noboru in the eye. "[Ano], me too," Shinnosuke admitted awkwardly. He kept his eyes fixed on the floor. This was going to be very complicated. The only people that he felt stood a fighting chance against his brother were those who were now carriers, but if he left one man to watch her, he would be unable to resist her need to mate. If he left a group of men to watch her, they would inevitably fall upon each other, if the display between Genzo and Shinnosuke were any indication. "What am I going to do?" he groaned. Taking out his phone, he resumed pacing and called his nearest facility. "Send someone over here right now. I need a blood analysis and this is highly confidential, sensitive material!" He paused as the person on the other end said something. "I know it's three o'clock in the morning! Wake somebody up! Ima!" he shouted. His conversation was interrupted by Genzo's loud exclamation of, "[Nandakorya?!]" "Uh, Boss, you might want to come take a look at this..." Shinnosuke's voice was laced with concern. Closing his phone, Noboru strode over to the bed where Angela was coming out of her drug-induced sleep. "What?" "Look." Genzo pointed to her face with a look of trepidation. Turning his gaze in the direction Genzo had indicated, Noboru hissed out loud and recoiled when she sleepily opened her eyes and smiled at him. Her irises were lavender. __________________________________ gomen-nasai: I am sorry (Japanese) ano: um (Japanese) ima: now (Japanese) nandakorya: what the hell (Japanese) The Rising Sun & The Morning Calm Ch. 14 Thanks for the comments and votes! Keep 'em coming as it speeds up the posting process =)... __________________________________ Noboru could hear his heart pounding in his ears as his pulse began to race. This wasn't supposed to be happening. Something had gone terribly wrong. Though she was still half asleep, her scent quickly began to fill the room, and out of alarm, Noboru ordered the two other men outside to wait for the lab technician. No sooner had he closed the door behind them, when she jumped onto him and began kissing him hungrily. Primed by her scent, he became erect so quickly that he actually felt faint from the sudden diversion in blood flow. Peeling off her clothes impatiently, she looked at him with a predatory gleam in her lilac eyes that nearly caused him to shift forms out of sheer lust. Lying on her back, she invitingly spread her legs for him and began kneading her breasts. "Noboru, fuck me, please, I need you so badly. My pussy is so empty without you." Unable to refuse her, he shed his suit robotically as she turned onto her stomach and lifted her ass, presenting her slick, shiny labia to him. Taking her hips roughly with both hands, he was about to slide into her when she snarled and without warning flipped him onto his back. Positioning herself above him, she rammed her hips down on his cock so swiftly that both Genzo and Shinnosuke were startled by Noboru's hoarse groan, even from outside the room. "Suck my nipples," she crooned and he obediently took a swollen nub between his teeth and pulled on it. "Oh fuck! Yes!" He'd never seen her look so wanton, as she bounced furiously on his swollen cock, cursing and growling. Without initiating it, he involuntarily slipped into his animal form. His skin exploded in white fur as his skeleton attempted to stretch fast enough to keep pace with his shift in mass. The pain of the rapid transformation caused him to gnash his fangs together and she groaned her pleasure as his cock stretched her even further. "Oh shit, I'm so full!" "Angela, please, I cannot-" Screwing his eyes shut Noboru threw his head back and came harder than he'd ever cum before. Shinnosuke was about to break the door down when Genzo grabbed him by the arm and shook his head. "Oh god, yes, shoot your hot milk inside me!" Her lips pulled back in an ecstatic smile and he was shocked to see fangs where her canines had been. "Fuck I'm gonna cum!" With a snarl, she bent down and sank her new teeth into his neck and as his blood flooded her tongue, she screamed into his neck as she came, causing Noboru to erupt inside her again mere seconds after he had finished his first. Unable to move he simply lay underneath her, shaking uncontrollably as the aftershocks rocked through him. Unable to wait any longer, the two men flung open the door to see their boss lying in a daze in his animal state with his tongue lolling out of his muzzle, a gaping bite wound slowly closing on his neck, his eyes glazed and his breathing ragged. Still squirming on top of his leaking cock was Angela, except she looked quite different now. Sliding off of her spent lover with a prolonged sigh, she narrowed her eyes and licked her bloody lips in anticipation when she spotted Genzo and Shinnosuke staring at her in shock. Though her face and hair remained the same, her ears were now situated atop her head and her body was covered in white fur except for her breasts, abdomen and crotch. What stunned them the most was the long white tail that twitched impatiently behind her. As Noboru's cum slid down her furry thigh, she crawled forward on all fours and displayed her swollen sex to Genzo, looking at him teasingly over her shoulder. "Come on, big boy," she purred. "I know you want it." Powerless to stop himself, Genzo knelt down and undid his jeans, pulling out his cock. Wiggling her hips against the tip, she looped her tail around his waist and tried to pull him closer. The loud purring noise she was making was oddly hypnotic and he was about to bury himself in her cunt when two men stormed into the room wearing gas masks. Angry at being interrupted, Angela bared her claws and hissed at the intruders. One of the men carefully aimed a tranquilizer gun at her and shot a sedative dart into her thigh. She growled and then succumbed to the sedation as the narcotic took effect. Throwing each of the men a gas mask, the muffled voice of the gun wielder barked, "Put this on." As he came to his senses, Genzo realized with horror that his pants were down and quickly pulled them up over his erection. When his neck wound had completely closed, Noboru tried to sit up, but fell back on the bed, his head pounding. "Stay down, Boss," a familiar voice ordered. "I think your blood pressure was a little high there and you're really lucky you didn't have an aneurysm." Noboru started at the sound of his voice. "Ryuzo?" The owner of the voice placed a mask over his face and covered his body with a blanket. "It's under control, Boss. Just take it easy for now." Donning some gloves, he placed a tourniquet around Angela's arm and inserted a vaccutainer. He drew five vials of blood before releasing the tourniquet and loaded them into a metal container fitted with circular slots. "We should have some preliminary results for you in a couple of days. Until then, I'd recommend that you keep her on respiratory isolation. If you don't have a negative pressure room here, we can always outfit one for you at the lab." Jerking his head at his partner, the two left as suddenly as they had come. Shinnosuke lifted Angela's unconscious body off the floor and laid her next to Noboru, who did a double take when he saw what had happened to her. "[Masaka]!" Genzo stared at the two of them, wracked with guilt. "[Sumimaseng!]" He dropped to all fours and bowed, his forehead touching the floor. "I have betrayed my closest friend and benefactor. I am not fit to remain in your service." "[Daijobu], Genzo," Noboru said softly. "It was not you. Get up." "I should have been more in control," he berated himself. "Do not be so hard on yourself." He turned to look at the sleeping figure next to him that slowly reverted to a completely human appearance. "At least we have a short term solution figured out." __________________________________ masaka: it can't be (Japanese) sumimaseng: please forgive me (Japanese) daijobu: it's alright (Japanese) __________________________________ Angela awoke feeling simultaneously exhausted and famished. [Where am I?] she wondered, as her eyes focused on the unfamiliar surroundiings. "You are awake." She turned to see Noboru seated in a chair next to the bed with his feet propped up next to her, his arms crossed over his chest. "Why are you wearing a gas mask? Where are we?" "We are in my home in Tokyo. You do not remember anything?" He was disturbed to see that her eyes were still the color of amethysts. "No." Sitting up, she felt a pain her tummy as her stomach growled loudly. "Nobu, I'm really hungry, can I get something to eat?" Walking over to the door, he said something to someone outside and a few minutes later returned with a tray of pastries and a large carton of orange. Ravenous, she tore into her breakfast as he watched her quietly. Finally he asked, "What is the last thing you do remember?" "I dunno, falling asleep on the plane." She opened her juice and began gulping it down. "Nothing else?" "Nobu what the hell is going on? I wake up in a weird place, you're wearing a fucking gas mask for god's sake, and I don't remember a damn thing! Would you kindly explain what the fuck is going on?" "You've been asleep for two days," he said quietly, his arms crossed. "That's not funny." "No it certainly is not." Throwing her pastry down, she'd had it. "Alright, out with it. What is going on?" Without answering, Noboru handed her a mirror. "What the fuck?!" She dropped it as if it had scalded her. "Why are my eyes all purple?" "I do not know." Sensing that she was not in heat at that moment, he tentatively slipped his mask off. Strung out from everything that had happened since meeting him, she burst into tears and began crying like a little girl. At the sound of her sobs, Genzo ran into the room. When she saw that he was wearing a mask as well, she wailed, "No, not you too!" and sobbed even harder. "It is alright Genzo. I will call if I need you." Bowing slightly, he shot Angela a worried glance before slipping out of the room. Getting into the bed next to her, he tried to soothe her by hugging her to him. "I don't even know why I'm crying!" she sniffed. "I'm so confused!" "I know," he murmured sympathetically. "Your emotions are unstable because you are in heat." Abruptly her sobs ceased. "I'm in WHAT?" "Animals, especially dog and cat species undergo estrus. I believe that is what has begun in you." He rubbed her shoulder softly, hoping it would calm her. She sniffled and hiccupped a few times as she tried to control her breathing. "Is that why m-my eyes are all p-purple?" "It may be, though they have yet to change back to your usual color." Angela settled into his arm, feeling drained. "Why were you all wearing masks anyways?" Noboru smiled wryly. "The signals you give off when you are in heat are very powerful. You could literally drive a man out of his mind." "If this were any other situation that would be really cool, but I get the feeling that you guys think of this more as a liability." Feeling a little better, she reached for a muffin then stopped. "Wait, why did you bother mentioning cats?" He hoped making light of it would soften the blow. "Because apparently that's what you are, my little one." Smiling, he playfully added, "A very pretty one too, I might add." Her lavender eyes were so wide that he could practically see his own reflection in them. "I turned into a cat?" "Well, not a complete cat," he corrected. "You gave me one hell of a ride last night, though." He pulled the collar of his shirt aside slightly to show her the faint scars she had given him. Angela felt her jaw drop. "I did that?" Noboru laughed. "Indeed you did, and you nearly gave me a heart attack when you did it, I came so hard." Frowning, she took another bite of her muffin. "Well, is it over? I mean, you don't seem to need the mask right now." "Unfortunately, it may last a while. I suspect the reason you are less amorous right now is because the change required a great deal of energy and you have not eaten in a while." His eyes flicked down to the food in her hand before meeting hers again. Suddenly afraid, she looked at him with fearful eyes. "What are you going to with me?" she peeped. She looked so scared and helpless that he couldn't help it and burst out laughing. "Do not worry. I do not plan to chain you to the bed." He paused. "Well, perhaps later, but for different reasons," he joked. Polishing off the orange juice, she sighed and sat back. "Nobu, I'm scared." He kissed her affectionately and pinched her cheek. "That is understandable, but do not worry. Everything will be alright. This simply has to run its course." "[Yak sohk heh]?" She held up her pinky finger. "[Yakusoku-des]," he grinned, linking his pinky with hers. "Now eat up and get some rest. Genzo and Shinnosuke are here if you need anything." He began to stand. "Where are you going?" she cried, grabbing his arm. "I have business meetings I must attend, but I will be back tonight to spend time with you." Patting her hand, he kissed her on the cheek affectionately. "Okay," she conceded glumly. "She seems to be too weak to be of any real danger to any of us at the moment," Noboru told Genzo as he shut the door behind him. "Just be careful and have a low threshold for wearing the masks." "[Huh]!" As he got into his private car, Noboru prayed that she would spend most of the day asleep, or at least until he was able to get home. His cell phone rang and he answered, "[Moshi moshi?]" "Boss, it's Ryuzo. If you have a minute, you might want to stop by the lab. I have something to show you." _______________________________ yahk sohk heh: you promise (Korean) yakusiku-des: it's a promise (Japanese) moshi moshi: hello (on the phone, Japanese) _______________________________ Getting out of bed, Angela opened the door to the room she had been staying in a peeked outside. A few of Noboru's people milled about and to her dismay when they noticed she had come out, they all reached for their masks. Now she knew how lepers felt. Dejected she looked for a bathroom to take a shower. Watching her look so sad, Genzo felt terrible for her and longed to comfort her in some way. As she showered, he spoke with some of the other men at the loft and they agreed that at the slightest hint that he needed help, they would intervene, otherwise, he would leave the mask off in order to give her a sense of normalcy. After she had returned to her room, Genzo knocked on the door. "Who is it?" It pained him to hear the spark gone from her voice. "Genzo. May I enter?" "At your own risk I suppose," she moped. Walking in, Genzo saw that she had not even bothered to comb her wet hair and was sitting in an ill-fitting sweatsuit. "I thought you might like some company." She hung her head. "You're not worried that I'll try to jump you or something?" "I will deal with that problem when it arises," he said with a smile. "Are you hungry?" "No, I never want to see another pastry as long as I live," she griped. "How do you feel?" She laughed humorlessly. "Usually I ask that question." She hugged her knees and blurted, "I miss my cats." Tears welled up in her eyes and spilled down her cheeks. Feeling absolutely wretched, she began weeping again. "Genzo, I'm all fucked up!" Sitting next to her, he put an arm around her shoulders fraternally and gave her a hug. "You have not had an easy time these last two months," he agreed sympathetically. He smiled when her arms wrapped around his waist to hug him back and pulled her closer, enjoying how she fit in the crook of his arm. "Thanks, Genzo," she sniffed. "God, this is worse than PMS! Some vacation." "How about some music, then?" Taking out his laptop, he put on an electronica song. Angela perked up a bit. "Hey that's really good!" He grinned at seeing her brighten. "Do you like it? It is Shinnosuke's own composition." "Shinnosuke makes music?" she asked incredulously. "He is quite good at it too." "Any good dance clubs around here?" He looked at her with interest. "You like to dance?" "Love it," she said with a half smile. "I feel like I can just totally let go if the music is good." "You should have Shinnosuke take you dancing. He is quite good. If I am Ninja Boy, he is B-Boy." She finally laughed openly, even if it was at his expense. "[Oi], Shinnosuke, come in here!" He poked his head through the door. "[Nani]?" Angela was relieved to see that he had taken off his mask as well. "She likes your music," Genzo informed him. "[Honto]?" He came in and sat down cross-legged on the ground. "I am flattered." "You should be a deejay," Angela suggested. "Your music is really good!" "[Domo]," he grinned, inclining his head. "She likes to dance as well," Genzo added. "You should take her some time to the clubs in Roppongi." "It would be my pleasure," he smiled graciously. Looking at the two men sitting with her, she felt so grateful for their company. "Thanks, guys. I feel a lot better." Genzo looked at Shinnosuke impishly. "Do we have a Playstation 3 around here? She is pretty scary at SoulCalibur." "[Maji]?" Shinnosuke stood up. "I will see what I can find." ________________________________ honto: really (Japanese) maji: no way, really (Japanese) ________________________________ Entering the lab, Noboru looked around until he spotted an older gentleman sitting in front of a centrifuge. "Ryuzo, what have you found?" The gray-haired man turned to face him. "Some very interesting things, Noboru-sama." Pulling out some papers, Nakamura Ryuzo showed him some results. "It would appear that the two of you have MHC's that are very compatible from genetic perspective." "MHC's?" "Major Histocompatibility Complexes. It is what gives a person a specific immunological profile. MHCs are why only certain people can receive organs from specific donors. If the MHCs are too different, the body will recognize the organ as foreign and attack the donor tissue, resulting in rejection. Your woman on the other hand, has MHCs that combine quite favorably with yours. If you were to have children, from an immunological standpoint, they would be genetically superior to either of you alone, inheriting two vastly different, but complementary types of immunity." "What does that mean with respect to the infectious process?" he asked. "It is hard to say at this point," Ryuzo admitted. "We need to run more tests, but it seems that she also has an abundance of the specific T-Cell marker that the virus likes to employ in order to infect cells. If the infection is spreading more efficiently, she will likely show more signs of the change." "Is that why she is progressing so quickly?" Noboru's blue eyes scanned the sheet that Ryuzo held. "It very well could be." A small glimmer of hope rose within him at this information. "Is it possible that because she is progressing so rapidly that this estrus will also pass quickly?" "Possible, but there is no way to tell for certain." Ryuzo placed a hand on Noboru's arm in warning. "You must be very cautious around her when she is stimulated. The chemical signals she gives off are potent stimulators of norepinephrine, epininephrine, testosterone, dopamine, and intrinsic opioids." "Meaning what?" "She will stimulate all the neurotransmitters and hormones that are involved in excitement, pleasure, aggression and addiction, which is why you and your men are so affected by her." He gave him a warning look. "Quite an explosive cocktail." Noboru's brow furrowed with concern. "That is not a good combination for a group of men living in the same space." "Which is why I suggest using extreme caution." He looked at Noboru gravely. "It is possible to damage the brain with too much pleasure," he warned. "Well, on the bright side, if we can isolate the pheromone that causes this, we have a wonderful treatment for people with boring sex lives," he noted dryly. "If they don't have a massive stroke first from the strain to their bodies." Ryuzo deadpanned back. "Duly noted." _______________________________ After a long day of meetings, Noboru was exhausted and looking forward to passing out. Entering his apartment, the men he'd chosen to watch Angela sat around, some reading, some playing cards. Genzo and Shinnosuke were seated in front of their respective laptops, the only two not wearing masks. "I did not get any urgent phone calls, so I assume things were relatively quiet?" Both men stood up and bowed. "[Hai]. She has spent most of the day asleep," Shinnosuke reported. "Good. You men get settled for the night and I'm going to try and get some sleep." Opening the door to Angela's room, he grinned when he saw a pile of stuffed animal pillows in cheerful colors piled around her on the bed. Shooting Genzo and Shinnosuke an amused look, they both shrugged. "She looked like she needed cheering up," Genzo pointed out in a pragmatic tone. He was so grateful to the both of them for taking the initiative and it made him feel less badly for having to be away so much of the time knowing that they were concerned for her emotional well-being. "Goodnight, boys." Getting undressed, he slid into bed next to her and spooned her body. "[Sarang-heh]," he whispered before falling asleep. The Rising Sun & The Morning Calm Ch. 14 __________________________ sarang-heh: I love you (Korean) __________________________ "[Nani]?" Nobu felt odd as he woke up and sucked in his breath sharply when he felt something warm and wet on his cock. Looking down he saw Angela on all fours enthusiastically sucking his dick. "Oh good, you're awake," she literally purred before returning her attentions to his hard on. Despite his growing sense of dread, he was rock hard. "Please, come back to bed," he pleaded. Her eyes practically glowed in the dark room. "I haven't seen you all day and I missed you," she pouted, rubbing her slit along his member. "I missed...you as well...would you like me to hold you?" He reached his arm out to draw her closer and yanked it back when he felt fur beneath his fingers. "No, I want you to fuck me senseless," she hissed. Plunging his cock into her, she moaned when again his primitive drives took over and he turned, the sound of his bones snapping alerting his men to the fact that he was awake. Outside the room, Genzo heard the noises coming from behind the door and grabbed his mask. "Oi, Shinnosuke, I think he's in trouble again." Donning his own mask, they waited to see if Noboru would need their help. His mind numbed from the surge in his testosterone, he threw her onto her stomach and snapped his jaws around her neck. A wail that sounded very much like a cat moaning in heat began deep in her throat and filled the air. Spurred on by the noise, he fucked her tiny body like a man possessed, each vicious thrust drawing an animal grunt of pleasure from her as she gripped him possessively with her vaginal muscles. Arching her back, she stroked his sensitive balls with her tail and he released her neck, screaming as he came so painfully hard, he saw stars floating before his eyes. She greedily thrust back on him, stroking him beyond what his sensitive skin could tolerate and he tried to pull out of her but she clung to his cock stubbornly. "I'm not done yet, baby," she cooed. "And you're still soooo nice and big. Oh I love how you fill me up!" "Genzo," he barely managed to gasp before blacking out. Without waiting another second, they burst through the door and Genzo whispered an apology as he planted a dart in the fleshy part of her ass. Snarling at the sting, she fought the sedation but eventually fell under its effects and relaxed her vaginal muscles enough for them to pull Noboru out of her. As they carried the pair back to the bed, they both resumed their human appearance. "She could really kill him," Shinnosuke observed with a look that was a strange mix of concern and awe. Minutes later, Noboru opened his eyes to see everyone staring down at him with worried expressions. "What happened?" Again when he tried to sit up, the pounding in his head worsened. Wincing, he put his hand to his head and noticed Ryuzo sitting next to the bed, rolling a vial of blood between his fingers. "They called me when you passed out," he explained ruefully. "Is she alright?" She slept next to him, obviously sedated. "She's fine." Ryuzo looked at the carpet, then back at Noboru. "You know, you could just keep her sedated most of the time until this cycle passes. "No, I could never do that to her," he muttered, pulling the blanket higher on her shoulders. "It's a dangerous game you're playing, Boss," Ryuzo reminded him. "You may heal fast, but remember, you can still die." "And what would you recommend?" he snapped testily. Ryuzo leaned back and sighed. "As far as I see it, if you don't want to keep her sedated until this thing rides out, you only have two options. The first is that if she were to have her ovaries removed, that would likely solve the problem, but I doubt that you're thrilled with that idea." "You would be correct in that assumption." Though he wasn't certain he wanted children at this point, he certainly didn't want to close himself to the possibility. "I'm not going to have her spayed. The second?" Ryuzo knew he wouldn't like this option any better than the one that preceded it. "There is the distinct possibility that by sedating her and depriving her of the satisfaction of mating that you may actually be retarding the pace of her estrus. The only other possible option that I can see is that you allow her to satisfy her needs as often as she requires until it is finished. You cannot deny her what is written into her DNA." Giving him a moment to digest the information, Ryuzo waited patiently for his answer. "I want everyone out of the room with the exception of Ryuzo, Genzo and Shinnosuke," Noboru ordered through gritted teeth. His anger all too apparent, the other men hurried out the door. "Is there no other way?" His head fell into his hands. "It usually does not succeed when one tries to suppress an animal's most inborn drives," Ryuzo commented quietly. "Can you do this?" "I cannot remain by her side to ravage her every waking minute of the day, if that is what you mean!" Ryuzo looked at him with a grave expression. "You cannot be the one to do this." All three men looked at Ryuzo. "What?!" Crossing his arms, he looked sagely at his friend. "Noboru-sama, consider this, you've been with her only twice since she entered the cycle and look what it did to you. If you tried to keep her satisfied during this period, I would conjecture that you would rapidly tire of the activity. Once she has returned to her senses, she will be wounded by the fact that you are loath to touch her." This was getting worse and worse by the minute. "What would you suggest then instead?" he asked with resignation. "You have to put it out of your head that any of this is under her conscious control. What is happening is purely biological, nothing more, thus, so is the solution. It says nothing about the bond between the two of you. That being said, we can approach this scientifically and measure different parameters to track the progress of the process. We will take the perspective that this is nothing more than an experiment." "And what 'parameters' would you propose we measure?" he asked warily. Ryuzo put the vial of blood in his bag. "Hormones vary on a diurnal cycle, meaning that their levels vary at different times of the day. For example, growth hormone is mostly released at night during sleep. I would advise that we draw blood regularly, once in the morning, once in the evening and a few times after she...finishes. We will also need to track how often she engages in the activity, how long each session lasts, how often she achieves release, how often her partner achieves release, and the refractory period between each session." It was difficult for Noboru to hear him talk about her in such a detached manner but he could appreciate the intention behind it. Thankfully the weekend was approaching, so it would give him some time to adjust to the idea. "I will ask her what she wishes to do and leave it up to her." Ryuzo stood up and bowed. "[Sorudewa]." and left, motioning for Genzo and Shinnosuke to follow him. Lying next to her, Noboru stroked her hair and hugged her tightly. "What have I done to you?" he whispered sadly. ___________________________________ sorudewa: well then, in that case (Japanese) ___________________________________ Feeling exhausted, Angela rolled over in bed to see Genzo watching her intently. "Are my eyes still purple?" she mumbled. Chuckling, Genzo nodded. "Great. Fan-fucking-tastic." Her stomach growled noisily and she became acutely aware of how hungry she was. "Genzo, could I trouble you for something to eat?" "What would you like?" She thought for a moment and said, "A really big steak." Laughing, Genzo told her, "I will find you one immediately." Trying to sit up, she rubbed the sleep from her eyes. "Where's Noboru?" "He had a series of meetings scheduled today. He will return in the evening to see you." He grinned. "Until then you must make do with Ninja Boy and the Karate Kid." "Karate Kid?" She started laughing uncontrollably. "What, Shinnosuke?" Genzo's face became overly serious. "You should not laugh, Shinnosuke is a seventh degree black belt and can crush you with his little finger," he warned. Winking at her, he promised, "I will be back with some dead meat." Giggling, she stretched and walked to the bathroom, trying to ignore the glances that Noboru's men snuck when they thought she wasn't looking. As she brushed her teeth, she stared at her eyes. If it wasn't so goddamn weird, she might have been pleased, as they actually were quite pretty. Turning on the water, she stepped into the spray and nearly fell when a wave of dizziness swept over her. Figuring she was dehydrated, she allowed her blood pressure to adjust and took a quick shower. An hour later, she was happily gnawing a sixteen ounce filet while Genzo and Shinnosuke were talking shit as they played Tekken. Every now and again, they would glance over their shoulders to see if she was okay and she beamed at them as she destroyed her steak. It was like having two brothers watching over her and at that moment, she felt more like her old self. When the last of the steak was gone, she laid down. Deducing that she wanted to sleep, the two men stood up to leave. "No, just stay and play the game," she said, waving for them to sit back down. "I just don't want to be alone while I sleep," she admitted. Smiling sympathetically, they turned down the volume and recommenced playing. Noboru returned later that evening not looking forward to the conversation he was going to have. Genzo and Shinnosuke were both puttering about on their computers when he entered the room. "May I have some privacy, please?" Bowing, they stood up and departed the room. Sitting on the bed, Noboru gently shook Angela awake. "Hi, honey," she murmured sleepily. "Did you just get home?" "Yes. Angela, there is something that we must discuss," he said softly. The dire tone of his voice woke her up instantly. "What's wrong?" Taking her hand in his, he smoothed her hair before beginning. "I have spoken with my researchers and there is some speculation that allowing you to fulfill your mating instincts will help bring you out of heat faster." She tried to rub some of the sleep out of her eyes. "So what exactly does that mean?" "It has been suggested that we...supply you with the means to satisfy your needs." Even talking about it made him nauseous. "You – you mean you want me to screw other guys?" She drew back in horror at the idea. "I am giving you the option. I am not thrilled with this course of action either but I also cannot watch you suffer so much. If this could hasten the completion of your estrus, I am willing to go through with it." "Wh-why can't you just do it?" she cried, tears welling up in her eyes. "I am afraid your demands may be more than a single man can meet," he explained with a faint smile. "And I do not want sex with you to become an obligatory task that you won't even remember. I want to enjoy our lovemaking as it has been. You only have three weeks before you must return to work, and you cannot see your patients in this condition." He was right about that. "I don't want you to get bored of sex with me, but I don't want to sleep with other men. What if you hate me for it?" She buried her face in his neck and began to sob. Rubbing her back soothingly, he kissed her cheek. "There is a difference between sex and what we do. It is only sex. I know that your heart belongs to me. I will learn to live with whatever happens, so long as you will stay with me." She stared at him, her violet eyes luminous with her tears. "I love you and only you. I belong to you. I don't want anyone else!" "I know," he murmured, not doubting the fierceness of her feelings for him. "Promise me one thing then," she said, hesitating. "Anything." "When I'm in my right mind and not some sex-crazed maniac that you'll be with me, sleep next to me until this whole awful mess is over." She looked at him pleadingly. "I will be here when your mind clears," he promised. Clinging to him, she whispered, "Nobu, I'm scared." "I am here. I will not leave you. I waited so long to find you again. This is a small price to pay for the time we will enjoy together." Bringing her lips to his, she kissed him feverishly. "Make love to me, Nobu. Make me sigh the way that only you can." Throwing her back on the bed, he eagerly removed his clothes and began licking her earlobe as she writhed under him. "You are mine," he growled in her ear. "You will always be mine." "Oh god, yes," she practically sobbed. Lowering his head between her legs, he spread her wet folds and teased her clit with his tongue before diving into her lips. Her taste filled his senses and his cock twitched impatiently as he brought her slowly to orgasm. The alteration in her taste signaled to him that she was ready and pulled his tongue away, replacing it with his cock. Holding her head in place, his blue eyes locked her lavender ones and she screamed, staring into his eyes the whole time. He kissed her passionately as he fucked her, running his tongue over her lips and neck. "To whom do you belong?" he demanded with a cruel thrust. "To you," she moaned. "I want to hear my name on your lips as I cum inside your deliciously tight pussy," he ordered. His words ignited a massive orgasm and she screamed his name at the top of her lungs. Snarling, he came, filling her with so much hot, sticky fluid that it spewed out of her as fast as he ejected it. When he had finished, he gathered her into his arms as she wept openly. "[Sarang-heh]." "[Sarang-heh]," she echoed, kissing him through her tears. When she was asleep, he called Ryuzo. "She has agreed. Make the necessary arrangements and perform whatever tests you must. I do not wish to hear the details. I only want to know if her condition is resolving. Is that clear?" "Perfectly." Hanging up, he went into the living room where his right and left hands were. "I want you to round up five or six discreet and trustworthy individuals to...keep her occupied when she feels the need to mate. Ryuzo will give you specific instructions regarding the information he needs recorded. I am entrusting the two of you to oversee the process in my absence, as I know the both of you are concerned for her welfare." Sighing, he added," Any questions?" Out of respect, the pair kept their expressions inscrutable after he had finished speaking. "None," Genzo replied with a bow. "We will see to it." "Tomorrow, call me when she is...more herself." He turned and walked back into the bedroom, praying he'd be able to get some sleep. ______________________________ The Rising Sun & The Morning Calm Ch. 15 Genzo and Shinnosuke both agreed that the strangest thing Noboru had ever asked them to do in all the long years they'd known him was to find stud service for his woman. Off the tops of their heads, they conjured up four or five men who would be professional about the task and instructed them to be at the loft by eight o'clock in the morning. Ryuzo would join them there in order to draw the necessary labs, as well as to set up a camera so they could monitor her activity without being in the room. He also made it very clear that each volunteer was to use condoms at all times and everyone was to wear masks. That morning, Noboru reluctantly left the building while Angela was still asleep, not wanting to know who was involved in the "experiment". When Ryuzo had finally set up all his equipment, he went into her room at exactly nine o'clock to draw the first blood sample. Timing and dating the vial, he left Genzo and Shinnosuke to oversee things while he ran the specimen at the lab. For the first few hours, she simply slept. Around noon, she woke up hungry and had something to eat. The next two hours she spent showering, then playing video games. Uncertain as to exactly how they would know if she were ready, they sent a random volunteer into the room to read a newspaper and waited by the monitor. Another hour passed where she paid the man no attention. The sound of the front door announced Ryuzo's return. "So? What happened?" he asked as he slipped a gas mask on. "Not a damn thing," Shinnosuke drawled through his own mask. "We've been sitting here for the last five hours and she's been a good little girl." He grinned. "Maybe we just need to point a camera at her and she'll get all shy." "Funny," Ryuzo said flatly. "Oi, [matteh]!" The men turned their attention to the screen and saw that Angela had set down her controller and was now watching the man in the room with more interest. He pretended not to notice her and kept his eyes on his newspaper. "How could anyone want to screw someone wearing one of those things?" Genzo muttered. "It could be one of those weird fetish porns," Shinnosuke joked. "You would say that," he snapped, rolling his eyes. "Oh, hey, check it out." Angela walked over to the man and began undoing the buttons of his jeans with lightning speed. "Note the time!" Ryuzo barked. Genzo tapped the time into the spreadsheet on his laptop and waited. Pulling off her clothes, she stood naked in front of the stranger and pulled his jeans off his hips, which was then followed by his shirt. Pushing him onto his back on the bed, she planted her face on his cock and began to suck his meat, while he fucked her with his fingers. As she got close, she began to buck on his hand as her orgasm started. "Note the time of the first one," Ryuzo hissed. Genzo complied, his tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth. As she came, her appearance began to alter, as her skin became furry and a tail grew out of her lower back above the cleft of her ass. "Physical shift occurred at 14:42," Ryuzo dictated. Smiling she bared her teeth and pressed her breasts against the mattress, lifting her ass high into the air, her tail beckoning to the man. Lining up his cock with her wet lips, he began stabbing her with short rapid strokes. Yowling, she pushed her hips as far back as she could as he fucked a second orgasm out of her. "Number 2." Genzo obediently noted the result. It was obvious from the tense look on the first subject's face that he was not going to be able to hold out much longer and when she screamed for him to fuck her, he groaned and shot his load into her as she howled in rapture. Trying to calm his breathing, he pulled out of her and tried to back away but she suddenly pounced on him, knocking him to his back. Caught off guard, they could see him struggling to disengage from her, but with an evil smile, she raised her hand, extended her claws and slashed the tubing of his gas mask. "Shit! Get him out of there!" Shinnosuke bellowed. Within seconds, her chemical attractants had permeated the mask and the man growled as he slipped into his wolf habitus, the spent condom tearing as his enhanced penis quickly regained its stamina. They left the second man in the room as they dragged the first out, drooling and snapping his jaws. "Interesting. Something about her scent decreases the refractory period in her partner," Ryuzo mused. "Could be the increased Norepinephrine." His eyes suddenly lit up with an idea. Looking at the first man who was recovering from his experience, he narrowed his eyes. "Shinnosuke, call the lab and have my assistant bring 50 mg individual tabs of Sertraline." He turned and input the time that the first man had come. Looking at the monitor, he saw that Angela was already vigorously riding the second man. He logged four orgasms this time before her partner finally lost it and shouted for him to get out of the room while the third volunteer entered. He'd barely recorded the time the second session had ended when she had her lips wrapped around the new partner's cock, sucking him to a rapid erection. Lying on her back, she spread her labia and crooked a finger at him. Scrambling on top of her, he rolled on a condom and slammed his dick home. Throwing her head back she clawed his back and then bit down on his neck as her seventh orgasm ripped through her. The third man didn't fare as well as his predecessors and came shortly after. "Shit, he only bought us ten minutes," Ryuzo griped, trying to keep up. "Get the fourth guy in there now!" The remainder of the afternoon and early evening was spent recycling the various men as she used each one for her pleasure. When she finally passed out and resumed her human form, Genzo breathed a sigh of relief. It had been like watching pornography for five hours without being allowed to jerk off and he as well as the other men who were spectating all felt a bit on edge, with the exception of Ryuzo, whose clinical demeanor remained unflappable. "How the hell are you so calm after watching this fuck fest?" Genzo demanded in a strained voice. "I took care of things before I got here," he replied in a practical tone. "Fuck, my balls are blue," Genzo muttered. "Get her blood sample. I need ten minutes alone in the bathroom." Getting up from his chair, he limped off painfully towards his room. Angela's harem wasn't faring too much better. Though all five men considered themselves to be quite virile and took great pride in their stamina, none of them could walk straight by the end of the evening. "Shift and heal, idiots," Ryuzo reminded them condescendingly. Embarrassed, they took his advice and in a few minutes they were back to baseline. "Next time do it between takes," he added with exasperation. Handing each of the men a tablet, he directed them to swallow. "What are those?" Genzo asked when he had returned from relieving himself. "Sertraline tablets," he said matter of factly. "More commonly known as Zoloft." "You gave them antidepressants?!" "[Baga], haven't you seen all those commercials warning about sexual side effects? Serotonin inhibits orgasm. By tomorrow, each of those guys should be able to go at least two hours before they can even start thinking about getting off." When Genzo shot him a dubious look, he crossed his arms. "It's a common treatment for premature ejaculation." Genzo gave himself a mental reminder to ask Angela about it when she was feeling better. Grabbing his sample, he informed them that he would drop it by the lab and return in an hour. Hearing his cell phone go off in his back pocket, Genzo picked up. "Noboru-donno. Yes. She seems to be resting. We have no way of anticipating that, but it doesn't seem likely at this point. Yes, he's gone back to the lab. Of course." Hanging up, he pocketed his phone again and cracked his back. "What did the boss want?" Shinnosuke asked, handing him a beer. "He's coming back. Just wanted to know if it was all clear for him to return." He popped the tab open and took a long drink. "Fuck, man, if I came sixty-seven times in one day I'd sleep for a week!" He took a swig of his own beer and shook his head in disbelief. "Yeah, well, don't mention any of that when he gets here." They drank in silence until Genzo finished his can. "We better get her showered. Last thing we want is her smelling like an orgy when he gets home." "Good idea." They walked into Angela's room where she was completely passed out on her bed. "Poor thing," Shinnosuke sighed. _____________________________________________ matteh: wait (Japanese) _____________________________________________ "[Okari-nasai], Noboru-donno." Genzo bowed as Noboru entered the loft. "Arigato." He looked apprehensively at her closed door. "How is she?" Genzo smiled. "Better. She had something to eat and seems to be more relaxed." [Perhaps this wasn't such a horrible idea after all], he thought with guarded optimism. He opened the door and his face softened when he saw her snuggled against one of her new animal pillows, her face relaxed, dressed in Hello Kitty pajamas that made her look ten years younger. Stroking her cheek, he softly greeted, "Hello, my kitten." "Noboru?" She blinked sleepily at him and smiled. "Oh, I missed you today, Sweetie." Putting her arms around him, she hugged him affectionately, and Noboru was delighted to sense that she was more her old self. "Do you remember anything about today?" His blue eyes anxiously searched hers. Smiling, she shook her head. "Thankfully no. I'm just so tired. All I want is to fall asleep next to you." "I would be more than happy to oblige," he smiled, kissing her cheek. "[Shistoreh shimasu]," Ryuzo's gravelly voice interrupted. "Evening blood draw," he explained. Angela held Noboru's hand as Ryuzo took a small vial of blood. "[Domo]. Rest, Angela." Bowing to Noboru, he left. "Are you okay?" She looked at him with concern. "I mean, considering all the wierdness that's going on." "Not completely, but I am happy to see that you are feeling better," he told her honestly. "I guess that's not so bad," she mused, snuggling closer to him. She yawned again. "Baby, I'm so sleepy." Pulling the blanket over her shoulders, he kissed her again. "Sleep. I will join you in a moment." "Okay." Her small voice was barely audible as she fell asleep again. Ryuzo was having a word with Shinnosuke when Noboru came out of the room. "Should have preliminary data by tomorrow morning, Boss. In the meantime, keep a mask handy and if you do end up having intercourse with her, jot the time, session length and number of peaks." "Arigato, Ryuzo." _______________________________ okari-nasai: welcome home (Japanese) shistore-shimasu: please pardon the intrusion (Japanese) _______________________________ Though he had planned to spend their first weekend in Tokyo showing Angela around the city, Noboru looked for ways to keep himself busy while she was in heat. After Ryuzo had arrived and he'd shared a pleasant breakfast with her, he got into his car and ordered the driver to Kichijoji. Knowing that she was going to be engaged all day in sex with men that were not him made him restless and he needed to burn off some of his aggression. Getting out of the car, he went up the stairs of an older looking building until he entered a large room with a hard wood floor. "Noboru-donno, to what do we owe this unexpected honor and pleasure?" A young man dressed in plain black cotton kimono robes with white hair almost as long as his bowed deeply in greeting. "Good to see you again, Takeshi," he smiled. "How is the dojo faring?" "Fortune has been kind to our establishment. We thank Noboru-donno for his kind interest in our humble school's progress." He lowered his head in deference. "Humble?" The corner of his mouth turned in a sly smile. Hirosugi Takeshi Kuemon Yoshida was one of the most sought after Kenjutsu instructors in the world and his dojo never wanted for a steady supply of would-be disciples. "It is I, Takeshi. Let us dispense with the false modesty." "As my lord wishes," he smiled back. "How may we be of service to my lord?" Takeshi had been one of the men loyal to him prior to his infection. When he learned of Saburo's treachery and Noboru's condition, he had insisted on joining him. Though it was unknown to the Japanese history texts, it was Takeshi who had shaped the legendary samurai Miyamoto Musashi into the hero that he became, and though the [Hyōhō Niten Ichi-ryū] was credited to Miyamoto, it was in fact first developed by Takeshi himself. With the level of tension he was experiencing, he needed someone he could spar with without concern for his opponent's safety. As the only other man to have beaten Miyamoto, Takeshi was an ideal choice. "I find it necessary to discharge a great deal of excess energy. I wonder if you would spare the time to spar with me?" Takeshi cast his eyes downward and curled his lip into a muted smile. "If it pleases my Lord Noboru, who are we to refuse him?" "[Yosh]." Tying their hair back, they both armed themselves with two wooden swords and faced off. Bowing, Takeshi raised his [shinai] to Noboru, who did the same. With a cry, Noboru lunged at Takeshi, his bare feet pounding the hardwood. His movements were countered swiftly, as Takeshi deftly defended against his blows and avoided contact with his weapons. For an hour and a half, [daito] snapped against [shoto] as the two men fought to land a strike. Running towards each other, both samurai let out a shrill battle cry as they brought their [daito] down on their opponents' shoulder at the same time. Breathing heavily, Takeshi smiled placidly and lowered his sword. "It is an honor to have taken Noboru-donno to a draw." He bowed again. "No, the honor is mine," Noboru objected. "Domo, my friend." "We look forward to the next time Noboru-donno graces our dojo with his presence." "Take care, Takeshi." Descending the stairs, he got into the car and said, "Lab." _______________________ Hyōhō Niten Ichi-ryū: two sword method of kenjutsu kenjutsu: traditional Japanese sword fighting Miyamoto Musashi: legendary samurai famed for never losing a fight yosh: well done (Japanese) shinai: bamboo sword in kenjutsu daito: larger bamboo sword in kenjutsu shoto: smaller bamboo sword in kenjutsu _______________________ Twenty minutes later, he found Ryuzo at his workbench. His geta clacked sharply on the tiled floor as he walked towards him. "What have you found?" "Some very interesting information indeed," he reported. "Go on." "I compared the samples of her morning blood draws. There was a pronounced drop in the level of estrogen and androgens between the two days. The level also drops sharply when she has achieved orgasm." He swiveled his computer screen so that Noboru could see the graph he'd begun plotting. "As you can see, the levels are still high, but if the decline continues at this rate, she could return to normal levels in as little as ten days." "[Dakkara], it is working?" He studied the graph. "It would appear so. You must bear in mind, however, that this is a tentative projection based on only one day's worth of data. Still, based on these findings, it supports the theory that depriving her of her need to mate would only lengthen the duration of her condition." Noboru dropped his head and gave a sigh of relief and resignation. "Then it must continue." "I'm heading back to the loft to check in with the boys. I'll call you when she's...calmer." "Please do." Suddenly feeling exhausted, he decided he could do with a shower and rest. _________________________ dakkara: then, so _________________________ True to Ryuzo's prediction, the serotonergic effects of the sertraline prevented Angela's partners from achieving orgasm, which translated into fewer interruptions in the data gathering process. It took the first subject three hours before he finally came. "I think I'm going to be sick," he mumbled as he was carried out of the room. The second man looked like the last thing he wanted to do was be in the room with her, but Genzo roughly shoved him through the door and she coaxed his unwilling cock to participate with her tongue and soon he was pounding away at her pussy, desperate for release. Screeching and clawing up the carpet in a long series of almost uninterrupted orgasms, she stroked his turgid member until she finally fell forward exhausted. The unfortunate volunteer continued to thrust maniacally into her limp body, trying to relieve the excruciating pressure in his balls. "Oh for fuck's sake!" Shinnosuke kicked open the door and dragged him out by the scruff of his neck and the man shifted almost immediately to relieve his blue balls. Genzo had to smother a snicker when he saw the pained expression on his furry face. "At least we're saving money on condoms," he quipped. After her post-coital blood sample had been drawn, they moved her to the bathtub and gently washed her worn body. After dressing her in her Hello Kitty pajamas, they laid her in bed and Shinnosuke left to get a steak while Genzo called Noboru. "Most encouraging," Ryuzo noted with satisfaction. "She was sated after four and a half hours and came only sixty times." "ONLY sixty?" Genzo sniped, closing the phone. "In her case, it is an improvement. I need to get something to eat. I'll be back at ten for her evening draw. [Ja-na]." "Crazy old fucker," Genzo muttered as he left. Going into Angela's room, he brought her a bottle of coke and sat down next to her. "I am here for your appointment." "Appointment?" She gulped down the coke, enjoying how cool it felt on her throat. "Yes, you made an appointment with the hair stylist, remember?" he joked. "Yes, definitely pigtails today," he said knowledgeably after appraising her hair with mock seriousness. Wielding a brush, he untangled her hair and put them up in two messy, lopsided pigtails. "Hm, this is harder than it looks," he admitted with a frown. "Ta-da!" Shinnosuke swept in with a hot steak. "Dinner is served!" Angela clapped her hands like a happy child at the sight of the steaming plate. "What is the matter with your hair?" he asked with a puzzled expression. "[Uruseh-nah]!" Genzo snapped. "Let us see you do better!" Angela began cracking up at his indignant scowl when Noboru walked in. "What is so funny?" He became quiet when he saw her hair. "Eh?" "Shinnosuke..." Genzo warned as he opened his mouth to say something pithy. "Nobu!" She held her arms out to him, smiling from ear to ear. "Hello, my kitten." He hugged her and was grateful to see her relaxed and smiling. "How was your day?" "Don't remember any of it," she said honestly through a mouthful of steak. "How do you feel?" He tried to straighten her pigtails, which made Genzo harrumph while Shinnosuke snickered. "Better now that you're here." She took another pull on her coke. "Any news from Ryuzo?" Noboru sniffed her skin and was relieved when he smelled only soap. "The preliminary findings are actually quite encouraging." "Really? So I'm getting better?" "It would seem so." He paused. "Do you think you are getting better?" "Well I'm not crying one minute and angry the next anymore, that's kind of nice," she reflected, spearing another piece of filet. "Did you eat dinner?" "I did." He opened his mouth anyway when she held out a forkful of steak to him. "[Oishii]." "Noboru-donno, what exactly did Ryuzo find?" Genzo asked in Japanese, not wanting to upset Angela with the details. "So far it's working. He said if her hormone levels are any indication that she could be back to normal in-" "UUUUUUUUUUUUURRRRPPPP!!!" All three men turned and stared at Angela with their mouths hanging open, especially Noboru, who was closest to her when she belched. "What? Everybody does it!" she said defensively. The Rising Sun & The Morning Calm Ch. 15 "How does such a big sound come out of such a tiny woman?" Shinnosuke wondered aloud in Japanese. "[Tsugoi-yo]..." Genzo whispered in an awestruck tone. Noboru rubbed his ear vigorously with one hand. "I think my kitten has made me deaf." Angela stuck her tongue out at him in rebuttle. "I am going to have a word with the men for a moment. When I come back, what would you like to do?" "Can the four of us watch Seven Samurai together?" she ventured excitedly. "Of course." He kissed her and stood up. "Try to be a lady." "Years to late for that," she sighed, patting her full tummy. Noboru closed the door behind him and actually smiled. She looked like her old self again. He could tolerate the absurd solution to her problem for a little longer and not seeing her so emotionally labile was comforting to him. Giving a few last instructions to his men, he took a copy of Seven Samurai from his DVD library and returned to the room. "I'm so excited to watch this with you guys!" she squealed. "This is one of my all time favorite Kurosawa films!" "Which samurai is your favorite?" Shinnosuke asked. "Kyuzo. He's silent but deadly. No -- Heihachi. He's so funny. No -- Kanbei, cause he's just The Man. But I like Kikuchio too. Oh I can never decide! I like them all for different reasons!" She grabbed a hippo shaped pillow and flopped onto her stomach. Genzo shrugged, unimpressed. "It would be better if there were [shinobi] in it. We ninja are so much cooler than samurai." "Is that right, Genzo?" Noboru asked, arching a brow. "Well, except for you, Noboru-donno," he added smoothly. Angela giggled at Genzo's save. Doing his best to push away the doubts in his mind, Noboru cherished this rare moment of normalcy in his life as he started the DVD and lay down next to her. _____________________________ ja-na: see you (Japanese) uruseh-nah: shuddup (Japanese) oishii: tasty (Japanese) tsugoi-yo: amazing (Japanese) ____________________________ Four days into the experiment, Angela's hormone levels continued to decrease and Noboru finally felt that he could rest easy that the ordeal was over. Ryuzo was even hopeful that she would finish the estrus by the end of the week. After two hours of data collection, she was napping when Genzo knocked on the door. "[Gomen]. I wanted to show you something." Sitting up in bed, she yawned. "What's that?" "[Mitteh]." He opened his laptop and Angela recognized Noboru's study. "Oi! [Hajimeteh]!" One of the men looking after Noboru's condo popped into the screen. "I don't get it." Smiling, Genzo nodded at his webcam and the man lifted Snotty into the viewing window. "Since you missed your cats, I arranged a visit." Snotty mewed at being awkwardly held by the stranger. "[Tsugi]." The first man exited the frame and a second sat down holding Yin. He waved her tiny white mitten at the camera and her face bore a look of irritation at being put on display in such an undignified manner. A third man brought Yang in front of the camera. "Yang-chan," Genzo called to her softly. Hearing his voice, she pricked up her ears and meowed. Wriggling out of his hands, she took off and her captor shrugged at the camera and walked out of sight. Closing the laptop, he looked over at Angela and was alarmed to see her crying quietly, her head resting against her knees. "[Doshta]?" he asked, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Genzo, I'm so worried!" she sobbed. "I worry all the time now!" "About what?" He tried to pat her back soothingly. "How could Noboru still love me after what I've done these last few days?" She swiped at her face with the back of her hand. "I feel so guilty for what I did and I can't stand feeling this way!" He let her lean against his chest as she cried. "It is not you, and he knows this. Your body is not under your control right now. Both of you are doing this so that it can be over faster." "But how could he not hate me for doing this?" She put her arms around his neck and wept on his shoulder like a child. "He'd never tell me if he was upset with me. What if he never wants to touch me again?" The very thought made her sob even harder. "Why would he not want to touch you?" Genzo asked softly. It felt so good to hold her, to know that she trusted him with her feelings and insecurities. He couldn't help taking in the smell of her bath soap mixed with the salty scent of her tears. She seemed so tiny and fragile in his arms. "Would YOU still want to touch me if you knew I fucked a bunch of random guys?" she hiccupped mournfully. Hell, he'd watched her fuck those guys senseless every single day for almost a whole week and he still got himself off fantasizing about her every night. If she offered herself to him when she was no longer under the influence of her mating instinct, it would be difficult for him to refuse her. "Noboru loves you a great deal. I know he has felt terrible for what you have gone through and because he infected you, he feels responsible for your distress. I think that he hopes that doing this will help make things right for you, and if it does, he will not regret it." "I'd never blame him for this." Her lilac colored eyes blinked up at him under a film of tears and he felt his heart catch in his chest for a moment. "Perhaps not, but he worries about it, in the same way that you worry he will not wish to be with you. He knows that you remember none of this, that what you do is not of your own volition and that it does not undermine your feelings for him in any way." He wiped her face gently with his palm. "[Shinpai-shinai-deh], Angela-chan." As soon as he said the words, he wished he could take them back. He had never addressed her as --chan before. It was far too familiar, too personal, but she seemed not to notice his slip and only hugged him tighter. "Thanks, Genzo. For everything." Letting out a shaky sigh, she leaned her head against his thick chest. "I'm so glad you're here." Pulling her more securely to his side, he rested his chin on her head as she calmed down, feeling not a little guilty about the fact that he was enjoying it so much. ______________________________________ gomen: sorry (informal, Japanese) mitteh: watch (Japanese) hajimeteh: begin (Japanese) tsugi: next (Japanese) doshta: what's the matter (Japanese) shinpai shinai deh: don't worry (Japanese) -chan: familiar version of san, used usually in personal situations: _______________________________________ Ryuzo had finished plotting the day's results on his graph and was preparing to head home. "Aiko, I'll be back in a half hour with the evening sample before I go to bed. Start running the assays and add the data to the graph when it's done being analyzed." "Hai," the thin woman nodded. After he had dropped off the latest blood sample, she prepared the assays and felt her cell phone vibrate in her pocket. Glancing at the display, her eyes widened when she saw who had called and she exited the building and waited anxiously by the back entrance. "[Konbawa], Aiko-chan." She had to stifle a small scream as a pair of yellow eyes floated in the darkness in front of her. "Na-Nagamori-sama!" He could hear her heart hammering away in her chest. "So, what news do you have for me?" Saburo stepped out of the shadows, a sinister smile on his face. "Everything that I discovered is in this file," she whispered, handing him a USB stick. "Excellent. How was your last visit to the oncologist?" He flashed her a predatory grin that showcased his pointed teeth. "It's a glioblastoma," she said, trembling. "The neurologist gave me about three months." "Nothing cures an unresectable brain tumor like the Nagamori Virus," he laughed cruelly as he unbuttoned his shirt. "Thank you for the information, Aiko-chan. Though my brother apparently is ignorant of your usefulness, I on the other hand am not, and I always keep my word. Give me your hand." Quivering with fear, she extended her hand and Saburo sniffed her wrist. "[Kampai]," he quipped, before he slipped into his wolf habitus and sank his teeth into the flesh of her palm. Grimacing, he spat her blood out in disgust -- he could taste her cancer in it. Shrinking back to his human form, he dressed himself and reminded her, "Remember who you work for now, [kanajo]," before being swallowed up by the shadows. Sinking to her knees, Aiko looked at the bloody tooth marks in her palm and brought her hands to her face, lamenting, "Oh god, what have I done?" __________________________________ konbawa: good evening (Japanese) kampai: cheers (Japanese) kanajo: girlfriend, girl (Japanese) __________________________________ When Noboru and Angela had turned in for the night, Genzo said goodnight to Shinnosuke and went to his own room. Getting undressed, he decided a hot shower would help him relax and stepped into the tub. For a few minutes, he simply stood under the spray, lost in thought as the water ran over him, torn between his loyalty to Noboru and his burgeoning attachment to his woman. It ate away at him that Noboru's unconditional trust in him was what continually pushed him closer towards her. He'd kept himself isolated and withdrawn for years since the loss of his family so long ago in the raid on his village. To suddenly spend so much time with a woman after being alone all those years had kindled something in him that he'd never thought possible. And to have to watch her rut with one man after another again and again was pure torture. He envied them the chance to bring her pleasure, to touch her body and to taste her. No matter how many times he masturbated, it still left him throbbing to have to watch her on the monitor. The shower stream felt painful on his sensitive cock and he began to stroke it, fondling his balls as he pumped his fist back and forth on his stiff shaft. He thought about how she looked when she shifted, how inviting her fur looked and how it contrasted with the naked skin on her breasts and belly. He wanted to feel the softness of her skin under his hands as he stretched her wide with his dripping cock. The thought of watching his thick meat slide into her tight, wet cunt brought his testicles right up against him as he painted the shower tiles in front of him with what felt like endless stream of cum. Feeling dizzy and lightheaded, he stumbled to his bed without even drying himself off and was out within seconds. ______________________________ "By tomorrow night, it should be over," Ryuzo predicted, a note of satisfaction in his voice. "Thank god, I don't know how much more of this I could stomach," Noboru replied gratefully. He greatly looked forward to having his lover back in his possession. "Two more cycles and then the change to her reproductive system should be complete, and you'll never have to worry about this issue again. [Omedeto], Noboru-sama." He ran both hands through his gray hair. "I am in your debt, Ryuzo. We'll -- " His sentence was interrupted by a crash as one of the women in the lab fell backwards and began shaking uncontrollably. "Aiko?" Ryuzo shouted. Her eyes rolled back into her head as her limbs alternately stiffened and shook. The smell of her urine filled the room as she lost control of her bladder. "My god, she's having a seizure!" Placing a pencil between her teeth, he shouted to the nearest person, "Call an ambulance, now!" ______________________________ omedeto: congratulations (Japanese) ______________________________ Ryuzo paced the floor of the waiting room as he waited anxiously for the neurologist to emerge. "What is taking them so fucking long?" he growled. When he saw the doctor, he ran to him and grabbed his white coat. "[Sensei]! What is wrong with Aiko?" The doctor attempted to calmly remove his hands from the lapels of his coat. "The CT scan shows that she has a large brain tumor that has spread from one hemisphere of her brain to the other -- a GBM." "GBM?" he parroted. "Glioblastoma Multiforme. It is a brain tumor that is often unresectable, and it kills within a very short period of time. The tumor is what is causing her seizures, one of the most common ways that this cancer presents." He lowered his eyes. "I regret to inform you that she will likely not live beyond three months." Falling heavily in to a chair, Ryuzo couldn't believe what had happened. "She has three months to live?" he echoed. ________________________________ sensei: doctor, teacher ________________________________ Holding Angela in his arms, Noboru was about to fall asleep when he heard her sniffling. "Angela, are you crying? "No," she sniffed. "Liar," he said gently. He turned her on her side so that he could see her face. "What is bothering you?" "What isn't bothering me?" She leaned her head on his chest. "Nobu, I miss you. I've hardly seen you since we got here. It -- it makes me wonder if you still even want me anymore." Her voice shook as she said the last sentence. He tilted her chin up so that she had to look at him. "Do not ever doubt that I want you. I do desire you." "But what if you never want to make love to me again?" Her lip began to quiver as she continued, "What if you're repulsed by me after this is all over?" He kissed her tear-stained cheek and rubbed his nose against hers. "I have not been able to make love to you in almost an entire week," he reminded her in a slightly pained tone. "I can assure you, making love to you is the foremost focus of my thoughts." She didn't appear to be comforted. "How could you possibly be okay with the idea that I was...with other men? How could you still want to touch me?" "Angela, I can see how much this bothers you and I doubt that you would care if you did not love me. We will deal with the unexpected and," he pushed her hand down until her fingers encircled his rigid cock, "I can promise you that I will still want you." Comforted, she shed happy tears as he kissed her lovingly. "You don't have to make love to me right now to prove anything. I believe you." Lying on top of her, he began pulling down her panties. "Thank you for taking the pressure off me. I believe I will indulge myself anyway." "Noboru, are you sure? I -- " "[Shik keu lupp ddah]," he whispered as he palmed her breast in one hand. "Nobu," she moaned, moving her hips against him. He needed her. He needed to be inside of her. Guiding his cock into her, he smiled to himself as she drew in her breath sharply and let her feel him pulsing inside her. She was so wet, and there was no question in his mind that she wanted him. Leaning on his arms, he moved inside her with slow, deliberate strokes, all the while keeping her violet eyes fixed on his blue ones. Having him make love to her while he stared at her so intensely caused her to quiver and as he felt the first contractions of her orgasm begin around him, he brought his mouth down hard on hers and kissed her roughly, muffling her scream. His mind began to slip as he fell deeper under the sway of his desires and she whimpered as she felt him grow even larger inside her amidst the snaps of cracking bone. She ran her fingers through the luxurious fur along his back and shoulders as he pinned her down, nearly crushing her with his increased weight. The lack of air was beginning to make her dizzy when her haze was broken by the sharp pain of his fangs puncturing her neck. With a week's worth of sexual frustration pent up inside him, she could feel how tight his balls clung to his body and she was caught off guard when she came again. Noboru released her neck when he felt something warm on his lower body. Looking down, he saw that she was in fact ejaculating and when he realized what the clear fluid was, he nearly stopped breathing as his testicles contracted painfully. Angela watched, half conscious as Noboru nearly seized on top of her and the head of his cock swelled tantalizingly inside her right before the first torrent of his cum burst out of him. Pistoning his cock into her so hard that the headboard crashed against the wall repeatedly, he let out a cry so loud that even he was stunned by it. His head was still swimming when Genzo and five other men ran into the room. Seeing his primal form between her legs, they assumed the worst and were about to separate them when he raggedly gasped, "[Daijobu], she's herself right now." Hoping that he was aware of what he was doing, Genzo motioned for the others to follow him out of the room. As Noboru returned to his regular size, he saw that she'd soaked a sizable portion of their sheets. "What happened?" she asked between breaths. Leaning down, he sniffed her cum and grinned devilishly. "You ejaculated for me," he growled with delight. "I've never squirted before," she mumbled in surprised. "I thought...I peed on you when I came." "You are full of surprises, my kitten," he laughed softly as he pulled her nearer to him. "Please don't leave me," she begged in a small voice. "I wouldn't survive it if you did." "Neither would I," he murmured. Her happy tears on his skin filled him with warmth and he stroked her lovingly until she gave in to sleep. ____________________________________ shik keu lupp ddah: so noisy, be quiet (Korean) daijobu: it's alright (Japanese) ____________________________________ Saburo and eight of his men sat in the waiting room, waiting for Dr. Kurokama to see them. Suburo twirled the USB stick Aiko had given him around his finger and laughed to himself at the thought that she was two floors above him on the oncology unit. Apparently during her last seizure she had hemorrhaged into her tumor and was now in critical condition, which was good for him -- one less loose end to be concerned about. "Nagamori-sama, [dozo]." Dr, Kurokama opened the door to his office for him. Saburo made himself comfortable in one of the chairs and steepled his fingers. "How is my little friend faring?" Having the head of the Neurosurgery Department in his pocket had its uses. "She's comatose at the moment. Even if she comes out of it, she doesn't have much time left." He leaned forward and folded his hands together on his desk. "How can I help you today, Nagamori-sama?" "I need you to perform a very specific procedure on myself and my men. I trust it can be done discreetly and without the requirement of general anesthesia." "Please, continue." Leaning back in the chair, Saburo asked, "Is it true that the first cranial nerve can grow back if damaged?" "It is," Kurokama confirmed. "The nerve ascends in many fibers through the cribiform plate in the skull before synapsing on the brain's olfactory center. Often they are sheared in head trauma but many people experience partial nerve regeneration and some return of their sense of smell." "Excellent. I want you to shear ours." The surgeon looked at him as if he had not heard him correctly. "I'm sorry, could you-" Saburo grinned, flashing his canines. "I want you to sever our olfactory nerves." "Nagamori-sama," he said uneasily. "Are you asking me to perform an elective first cranial nerve ablation?"" "That's what I like about you, Doctor. You catch on fast," Saburo retorted dryly. "How soon can you arrange it?" "Are -- are you sure this is something you want? There is the possibility that it will not regenerate and you will permanently lose your sense of smell." "I am confident that I do not need to concern myself with that eventuality. Now, as I said before, how fast can you set this up?" Still in shock, he tried to regain his composure and admitted, "I could do it as early as tonight." "Excellent. [Sorudewa]." Saburo stood up and peered over his sunglasses at the physician who tried to suppress a shudder at seeing his yellow eyes. "We will see you this evening, and," his voice took on a warning note, "do not keep us waiting." The Rising Sun & The Morning Calm Ch. 15 _________________________________ dozo: this way (Japanese) sorudewa: in that case, if that is all (Japanese) _________________________________ "Hopefully she'll only need an hour," Ryuzo muttered as he set up his spreadsheet. [Please, let it be true], Genzo silently hoped. "So, Noboru-sama will return tomorrow night?" Nodding, Genzo turned on some of the monitors. "His deal in Saitama shouldn't keep him any longer than that." "Oi, [oyaji]!" Shinnosuke walked in with some take out. "You ordered the bento-box special?" He playfully tossed him a package. "[Baga]," he snorted, catching the box. "Is my [katsudon] in there?" Genzo could practically hear his stomach growling. "Yeah, yeah," Shinnosuke shot back, chucking it towards him. "So who's the unlucky victim tonight?" "Ryuzo's letting all of them go," Genzo said through a mouthful of pork cutlet. "She's been getting tired after shorter periods of time so he discontinued the SSRI." "I bet that was music to their ears," he laughed, opening his own meal. Finishing his dinner quickly, Genzo decided that it might not be a bad idea to jack off before they set about monitoring her sexual activity. "I'll be back in a couple of minutes," he said. "Take a few more, it might help," Shinnosuke smirked. "Fuck you, Shinnosuke," Genzo snapped as his friend chuckled. Closing the door to his room, he opened his fly and pulled his dick out. Fuck, he was already at half mast. Lying down, he imagined himself as one of her partners while he lubricated the tip of his cock with the precum that was already leaking out. He shivered slightly as he thought about her on her knees, begging for him to fuck her. The thought of looking into her violet eyes as he forced his length into her throat made him even wetter and he massaged the slippery fluid all over his shaft. He wanted to blow his load into her mouth and hear her swallow everything he gave her. Then after he made her cum, he'd allow himself to explode inside her before pulling out and cumming all over her face, tits and belly. The image of him rubbing his own spunk into her breasts as she begged for more brought him to the edge and he tried not to cry out as thick spurts of his cream flowed over his fist. When his breathing had returned to normal and his pulse was back to a regular pace, he cleaned himself off and returned to the living room. "[Kse]!" Shinnosuke said as he scrunched up his face and waved his hand under his nose. "Must have been a big one, I can smell it from over here!" "[Urusai]!" "Whatever man," he drawled casually. "I'm off for my turn. See you back in a bit." Wiggling his eyebrows, he walked jauntily out of the room. Genzo went to check on Angela, but not before pulling his mask over his face. She was lying on the bed, napping. "Angela?" When he neared the bed, her eyes suddenly snapped opened and her pupils dilated. Sitting up, he felt a wave of fear as she began sniffing the air and brought her face closer and closer to his right hand. When she smelled the scent of his cum still lingering on his hand she grabbed it and began sucking on his fingers. "So good," she purred. "Give me more." Despite the fact that he'd just gotten off and was wearing a mask, his cock was achingly swollen as she ran her warm tongue between his fingers. "Oi, I..." Releasing his hand, she pulled her t-shirt over her head and pressed her breasts into his chest. She felt him sway slightly on his feet and began petting his cock through his jeans. "Oh, Genzo, is that for me? It's so nice and hard." Slipping out of her underwear, she slipped two of his fingers inside her and began stroking them. "Doesn't that feel good?" Her arousal was beginning to drip down his palm. He almost didn't recognize his own voice when he heard himself call out to Ryuzo. He pulled Genzo away as another man drove his sheathed prick into her. "I have to go to the bathroom," Genzo stammered. Locking the door behind him, he tore off the mask and brought his fingers up to his nose. The smell of her wetness made his cock throb painfully and he tasted her on his hand. As soon as her juices hit his taste buds, he groaned as he erupted in his jeans. Not willing to waste a drop, he cleaned his fingers hungrily and then reluctantly washed his hands. He nearly jumped out of his skin when Shinnosuke knocked on the door. "[Nani]?" he hissed. "Uh, Ryuzo thinks you should sit this one out," he said simply through the door." "Thanks. Now go way." He waited until he heard the door close and sighed. The only thought that brought him some solace was that by tomorrow night this would all be over. __________________________ oyaji: old man (Japanese) kse: stinks (Japanese) urusai: shut up (Japanese) nani: what (Japanese) The Rising Sun & The Morning Calm Ch. 16 (Sorry to all for the delay. Work has been an absolute bitch. But, thanks to all those who wrote and again, please do drop a comment or two. Cheers!) __________________ Saburo was rapidly tiring of hearing his men complain about their anosmia. Since they had returned from their procedure, it had been one comment after another. "I can't even taste the wasabe in this," a man named Kintaro griped as he threw his chopsticks down in disgust. "Why don't you put all of it in your mouth at once, then? Maybe that will help," Saburo suggested testily. At the irritated edge to his voice, they all fell silent and avoided his gaze. "It's only temporary," he snapped. "Try not to whine like little babies about it." "But Boss, how can you be sure?" another named Mikio ventured timidly. "[Bakkamei]," he snapped. "The information I received told me as much." They did not appear to be convinced, but he had to concede that their concern was understandable. They relied heavily on their sense of smell and to be without it was tantamount to being blind. It left them vulnerable in a way that they were not used to being. "Fine, since you won't stop your sniveling, I'll explain how I know, but if your piddling little brains can't understand it on the first try, I refuse to repeat myself. Got it?" "We'll listen," Kintaro replied meekly. "According to the data from Aiko, the test subjects," he paused to snicker at the euphemism, "were given 50 mg of an antidepressant. Now these medications can take up to eight weeks to work, but they experienced the effects almost immediately, which means their brains processed the change faster than normal. This likely means that our sense of smell should also return quickly, but I don't want you shifting so that you can heal until after we have her safely in our midst. Is that understood?" Everyone nodded mutely. "Good. Now that that's settled, the next man I hear complaining will have to worry about a lot more than not being able to smell for the time being, if you get my meaning." They all nodded in unison. ________________________________ bakkamei: fool (Japanese) ________________________________ "Shinnosuke, I'm hungry," Angela pouted. "You are always hungry," he chuckled, rolling his eyes. "And do not think that your trick will work to distract me. I find it no coincidence that I am winning 8 – 6." Angela laughed and paused their game of Tekken. "Wait, wait," she said slowly. "Ah, here it comes." At that moment, a loud growl escaped her stomach and she grinned pleadingly. Shinnosuke made a theatrical attempted at looking scared. "Wow, [kowai!]. Did you want another steak?" Her lavender eyes lit up at the mention of it. "I do! Will you get one for me?" "[Mochiron, jo-sama], he said with a courtly flourish. Putting down his controller, he stood up and stretched. "I will be back in twenty minutes or so." "Where's Genzo?" she added, not looking away from the round she was fighting. "I haven't seen him all night." "[Ano] Genzo is...indisposed. [Ja-na]!" He seemed to be in quite a hurry to leave for some reason. Noboru would be away until tomorrow night, and she had mixed feelings about his not being in Tokyo. Auspiciously, her phone rang. "Nobu?" "Hello, kitten. [Genki-deska]?" "Mm, [genki-des]." It was good to hear his voice. "I was wondering what you would like to do first when I get back?" She could hear the smile in his voice. "I don't know. What would you recommend?" "Personally I would recommend that we lock the door and hide away from everyone for about three days while I make up for lost time," he half-joked. She laughed at his suggestion. "We could do that." "There is also a very nice hot spring outside of Tokyo that I think you would enjoy. After I've had enough [manko] of course." "Anything sounds fine. I'm even okay with just a normal dinner and a movie." "Whatever you wish. I will see you tomorrow. [Sarang heh]." "[Sarang heh]," she echoed. After fifteen minutes of playing Samurai Shodown, Shinnosuke returned with her dinner. "Here you are," he said grandly. "You're the best, Shinnosuke." ______________________________ kowai: I'm scared (Japanese) mochiron: of course (Japanese) ano: uh (Japanese) ja-na: see ya (Japanese) genki deska: are you okay manko: pussy (Japanese) sarang heh: I love you (Korean) _______________________________ Genzo couldn't decide who would be more relieved when this ridiculous situation was over, Noboru, Angela or himself. Grateful that tonight was to be the last night of her estrus, he was looking forward to things getting back to normal. Not wanting a repeat of the previous nights events, he deliberately skipped his prophylactic wank and decided that he could suck it up for one more day. He heard Ryuzo outside ask, "Whose turn is it to get dinner tonight?" "That would be me," Genzo replied gruffly. "Lucky you," Ryuzo said dryly, tossing the car keys in his direction. Genzo caught them neatly in one hand. "I'll have my usual." "Me too," Shinnosuke added. "Just be sure you wash your hands before you handle my food," he threw in as a joke. Glaring at him from under lowered brows, Genzo silently mouthed a warning to Shinnosuke who grinned innocently and flashed him the peace sign. After taking everyone else's orders, he left to go pick up the take out. Actually he was grateful that it was his turn. More likely than not, he would miss most of the fucking. ___________________________ Half an hour later, Angela was busy humping away at the one partner who was present for the evening while the others sat around drinking beers and waiting for their food. "Another half hour should do it," Ryuzo said. He'd packed up all the equipment the night before, figuring it was no longer needed. "Noboru-sama will be much relieved." Outside the apartment, Saburo and his men were preparing to ambush the people in Noboru's loft. "They won't be able to smell us coming because of the masks," he reminded them. "Aim for the tubes and they'll be so busy fighting each other that it shouldn't be too hard for us to take the girl. [Chunbi]?" They all shifted in preparation of their entry. "What the hell is taking that idiot so long?" Ryuzo grumbled out loud. Hearing a knock on the door, he assumed it was Genzo and opened the door ready to give him a piece of his mind when he found himself staring up at a man in hybrid form. "[Nanda]?" he managed to sputter before the creature tore the tubing off his mask. Others rushed in and began doing the same while Saburo kicked opened the door to her bedroom. When her scent permeated the room, Noboru's men all began to shift and started sniffing hungrily for the source of smell. When they saw Angela on all fours with her belly pressed to the ground and her ass in the air, their cocks all rose as they scrambled towards her. Bumping into one another, they began to snarl and growl at each other and within seconds an all out brawl had begun between the eight men who had been charged with watching her. Seeing that they were distracted, Saburo's men grabbed Noboru's naked mate and placed a cloth steeped in chloroform over her nose. When she had gone limp, they wrapped her in a sheet and ran out of the loft. Throwing her hastily into the backseat of the car, Saburo lifted the sheet to inspect her face and leered at her unconscious form. "[Yosha]," was his only comment. ________________________________ chunbi: ready (Korean and Japanese) nanda: what (Japanese) yosha: well done (Japanese). ________________________________ When Genzo arrived back at the apartment, he knew right away that something was terribly wrong. Running into the loft, he saw everyone lying on the ground, naked with their masks off, dead to the world. Seeing that Angela wasn't in her room and smelling her musk in the living room, he realized that she had either fled or been taken from the apartment. Praying he wasn't too late, he ran to his room and hurriedly changed into all black. Grabbing the pouch that housed his weapons, he leapt out her window down to the ground below and began frantically searching for her scent trail. Finally locking onto it, he allowed it to lead him as he ran. "[Onnegai]," he begged, "please still be okay." _______________________ onnegai: I beg you, please (desperate, Japanese) ________________________ "You can do whatever you want with her, with the exception of cumming in her pussy. That nicety is reserved for myself." He shot his men a warning look as they circled her excitedly. "Do I make myself aboslutely clear?" "[Huh]!" they chorused. "Good. Be sure to clean her thoroughly when you are done. I don't want her to be sloppy when I take her." Leaving the room, he turned on the digital camera and sat down on a sofa to observe their activity through the mirrored glass. The minute she was released and smelled their excitement, she fastened her lips around the nearest cock and began sucking loudly on it while spreading her dripping lips with her fingers for anyone who would take her. Sliding on a condom, Kintaro grabbed her hips and shoved his cock into her hard as she thrust back on him with a moan of satisfaction. When the others neared, she grabbed a penis in each hand and began jerking them off even as her mouth and tongue worked the first man's dick. Smirking, Kintaro slid his thumb into her anus, causing her to let go with her lips as all three men sprayed her face with their cum. She screamed as she peaked around him and he slapped against her until he shot his own raging load. While the first four caught their breath, the other two each took an end and one put his cock in her mouth as the second stuffed his member unceremoniously into her asshole. Their friends stroked themselves back to rigidity as they watched her squirm between them as she was pumped full on both sides. When he'd creamed in her mouth and on her face, the other man turned her around and lifted her hips higher so that Mikio could fuck her pussy. Ramming himself inside, he grabbed her breasts and cruelly pinched her nipples as she bucked against them. The feeling of having both her holes stretched so tightly ripped another scream from her and the two groaned in unison as their cum shot into her. Kintaro lay on his back and stuffed his cock into her leaking anus while another buried his in her slit. The two that had just cum each latched onto a nipple and began sucking and biting while a fifth man ordered her to suck him. She eagerly swallowed his cock and the five of them gratified themselves as the sixth man stroked himself between her breasts. Saburo pulled out his own erect prick and began pleasuring himself, enjoying the slippery feeling of his precum on his hard shaft but he wanted to be at his largest when he took her, stopping just shy of cumming. He watched and smiled as each man came, half the group inside her, the other half on her. She greedily swallowed whatever she could catch with her mouth before she howled her own orgasm. Her fur was horribly matted with their combined fluids and she twitched her tail impatiently, displeased with having her orifices so empty. Noticing that his men actually looked winded he ordered them to have her cleaned and paused the recording for her return. Even from the basement of his home, he could hear her thrashing in the water, begging for more and saying all sorts of lascivious things, attempting to entice his men to fuck her. When they finally dragged her downstairs and threw her into the room with him, she looked more presentable. Angela immediately set about clawing the door, not having gotten her fill, but she stopped suddenly when she saw Saburo watching her. Even in her lust-crazed stupor, she realized he was dangerous and her instincts switched to the only other primitive need as great as her mating instinct – the need for survival. Saburo laughed, a sound that caused the fur along her neck and back to stand up and she snarled warningly at him. "What is the matter, pretty kitty?" he asked in a wounded tone. "You do not want me?" She answered by releasing her claws to their full extension and lunging at him. To his surprise, she was faster than he had given her credit for and managed to catch his shirt on the end of one nail. This was going to be more fun than he'd predicted. "Oh, do you want me to undress?" he drawled. "All you had to do was ask, kitten." Leering, he slipped into his animal habitus and she experienced a very real surge of fear as his clothes split at the seams and fell in tatters off his body. What frightened her even more was the prominent erection between his thighs. "Does kitty like what she sees?" he growled, narrowing his yellow eyes. When he took a step towards her, she began backing away but was stopped when she felt her back touch the wall. Frozen by fear, she cried out when he grabbed her and tried to force her on all fours. "I can see why my brother likes you, Pussy," he sneered, stroking her snatch with a clawed finger. "Care for some milk?" He howled suddenly when she whipped her head around and sank her fangs into his hand. "You little cunt!" Pulling back his arm he backhanded her face, sending her to the floor. The force of his blow had broken the skin but it began to repair itself as she tried to stand up. "You will pay for that," he promised as he flexed his fingers threateningly. Her eyes widened in fear at the sound of the joints cracking. Barreling towards her, he knocked her onto her back and began wrenching her legs apart. "After I kill you, I will be sending my brother a souvenir of our encounter so he can see you screaming with your pussy full of my cock. What do you think of that?" He jerked his head to the camera hidden behind the mirror. Not wanting him to touch her, she slashed at his eyes, momentarily blinding him and she took the opportunity to jump on his back and began biting him repeatedly. With an angry roar, he reached behind him and tore her away from his back, flinging her against the wall. The plaster cracked as she hit and she let out a wail of pain upon landing on the floor. "You really should just make this easy on yourself," he advised, standing over her. "Keep teasing me like this and I will only fuck you harder." He stroked his penis for emphasis. "Fuck you," she hissed before biting down on his ankle. Enraged he brought his claws down and slashed open her back, forcing her to let go. When she arched her spine in pain, he grabbed her by the throat and held her in the air. Worn from fighting, lack of air and blood loss, her fingers slackened their grip on his hands and she slipped back into her human form, her stamina totally spent. She was bleeding profusely and Saburo realized he would only have a few minutes to use her before she died. "So much for foreplay," he scoffed in Japanese. ___________________________ huh: yes, sir (Japanese) ___________________________ The scent trail ended at a small inconspicuous looking house and Genzo peered inside to see six men drinking and talking loudly amongst themselves. When he heard them chatting about Angela and what they'd done to her, he knew that he had the right house. Not wanting to cause a disturbance, he decided to use his ninjitsu talents in favor of shifting to his animal form. Unable to smell him, the men inside were completely unaware of his presence outside. Removing six throwing stars from his side pouch, he jumped noiselessly through the open window before throwing the stars at the stunned men's chests. Lauching them with precision, their poisoned tips bored straight into the cardiac muscle of their hearts. Unable to shift as they immediately went into arrythmias, they would have gone into cardiac arrest had Genzo not swiftly beheaded them all. Trying to steady his breathing, Genzo removed the stars from each headless corpse and replaced them in his bag. Listening closely, he heard the sound of fighting coming from down below. As he approached, Angela's scent became stronger and he silently slipped down the stairs until he saw her through the window hanging limply from Saburo's giant fist. She was still barely moving when he dropped her, but he balked when he saw the deep lacerations in her back. Urgently shedding his clothes, he hoped he wasn't too late to intervene. Saburo examined the battered woman at his feet and ran his tongue over his muzzle. "After four hundred years, I finally get my turn." Snickering, he chuckled, "Better late than never, I suppose." The thought of violating his older brother's precious life mate brought him to an exquisitely painful erection and he stroked her sex appreciatively before spreading her lips. Opening his mouth, his tongue stole out and began flailing against the soft flesh, wetting her and part of him thought it a shame that he couldn't taste her really. He was throbbing now and taking his cock in his hand, he placed its head at the opening. Before he could actually insert himself, a crash and an enraged snarl from behind him caused him to whip around before he was bowled over by a mass of grey and white fur. Momentarily stunned when the air was knocked out of his lungs, he stared into the amber eyes of his attacker. "You are lower than an animal," he growled from between his bared fangs. "At least I'm in touch with what I really am," he smirked, before throwing him off. Genzo landed lightly on his feet and rose to his full height. As one of the tallest carriers, in his de-evolved state he stood about nine and a half feet high and his naturally large build translated into an enhanced body that was formidable to say the least. "I will enjoy this, Saburo," he vowed through slitted eyes. "Come and get me, Uehara-kun" Saburo jeered. Realizing that he didn't have much time, Genzo tried to be careful of how he used his energy. Every blow and each bite had to be precise and deliver as much damage as possible if he were to finish in time to stop her from exsanguinating. Charging at him, he attempted to get his jaws around Saburo's neck but succeeded only in biting down on fur before Saburo slashed his chest. "[Kso]!" he swore. Saburo grinned smugly at the sight of Genzo holding a hand to his healing chest. "I guess my brother will get to see his woman defiled and his right hand killed when I send him the video file," he laughed. "[Konnoyaro! Moratta!]" Vaulting his body off the ground, he purposely rolled past Saburo before sinking his teeth into his Achilles' tendon and with a triumphant snarl, he tore the tendon off his leg and spat it out. Though it had already begun to heal, it would be a few minutes before Saburo could actually bear weight on that leg. Realizing he had precious few seconds to spare, Genzo brought him to the ground with a sweep kick and brought his teeth together on Saburo's throat. For the second time in his life, Saburo aspirated on his own blood as he gasped desperately for air. Taking advantage of the distraction, Genzo threw Angela over his shoulder and ran out of the house into the night, but not before grabbing his weapons and destroying the video camera. "[Korroshteh], Genzo," Saburo sputtered before he lost consciousness. _______________________________ kso: shit (Japanese) konnoyaro: why you little (Japanese) moratta: you're mine (Japanese) korroshteh: I'll kill you ________________________________ Back in Noboru's loft, Genzo assessed the numerous wounds that Saburo had inflicted on Angela and his mind reeled at the extent of her injuries. If she were still in her feline state, she would have healed within minutes, but as she was now, she would die if her lacerations weren't closed in time. Without a second thought, he cradled her body against his and began licking her cuts, hoping that he had intervened in time. The Rising Sun & The Morning Calm Ch. 16 He tried not to think about how good she tasted on his tongue and told himself that it was only her waning pheromones that caused his cock to rise, not his own lust. Slowly, the injuries sealed and began repairing themselves. She was still very pale – she had lost a great deal of blood – but he knew that she was no longer in danger of dying because her scent returned and overpowered the sensitive nerve endings in his nose as he fought to keep his mind clear. He felt her stir in his arms. "Ow. What?" She tried to raise herself up but lacked the strength. "Shhh, do not move," he ordered softly. His warm tongue slowly glided over her skin. At the sound of his voice, she turned and started. "Genzo? Is that you?" She'd never seen him other than in his fully human state and she gave a small squeal at the sight of the gigantic grey beast behind her. His voice, though deep in everyday life was now so low that even as he whispered, it boomed. His yellow eyes regarded her with recognition. "Hai." He continued to gently clean her with long, sensuous strokes. "What happened to me? I don't remember anything. Why am I so sore all over?" She looked at herself and paused. "And WHY am I naked?" "Saburo attempted to kill you," he explained bluntly between licks. She shuddered at the sound of his name. "And you – you saved me?" "Hai." Angela furiously racked her brain trying to retrieve any recollection of the evening but found nothing. "Genzo, I'm so cold," she wailed as she shivered under him. "You have suffered quite a bit of blood loss," he explained, wrapping his large frame more tightly around her. The sudden warmth from his body felt welcome on her chilled skin and she snuggled into his silky charcoal-colored fur. Using one of his sharp claws, he punctured the skin above his external jugular vein. "Here. Drink." "I can't do that!" she shrieked. "How could you even suggest such a thing?" He bared his teeth at her and his eyes narrowed to yellow slits. "Do not argue with me! I refuse to deliver you to Noboru-donno dead," he snarled angrily, his baritone vibrating through her. Realizing that it wasn't Noboru he was concerned about, she climbed atop his massive body and began suckling the wound in his neck. As his blood filled her mouth, she could taste his emotional state. He was excited, nervous, aroused and nurturing all at once. She felt herself warmed from the inside as she drank from him and could feel her strength return. The sensation of her teeth latching onto the skin of his neck caused his already hard cock to drool and when the smell of his arousal reached her nostrils, her pupils dilated as she began to feel the effects of her renewed energy. The realization that his body was providing sustenance for her felt wonderfully intimate and his low growl of pleasure triggered a lengthening of her canines. Her lust began to return, her last mating session having been interrupted and she moaned with pleasure as she drank greedily from his neck. The sound of her voice in his ear drew a loud rumble from deep inside his chest and he began to feel lightheaded from his desire as she began stroking his broad chest sinuously with her hands. Feeling energized, she pulled her head away from Genzo's neck. Looking with appreciation at the massive beast underneath her, she felt her skin tingle the way it did before her fur emerged. In his animal form, Genzo was at least three times her size and his body was covered in lush grey fur with the exception of his face, chest, hands, and feet, which were pure white. The thick muscles on his body stood out in sharp relief and she watched with pleasure as he tensed and shuddered at her touch. Behind her, she could feel the wet tip of his cock twitch as she teased it with her own sopping sex. Lifting her hips, she sat on his shaft and ran her slick lips back and forth his thick, veined length and he arched his back at the warm, slippery sensation. Turning around, she licked his swollen glans, tasting herself and him, and felt him tremble underneath her. "Angela, [yamiro]," he protested weakly. The smell of his sex effectively turned off her frontal lobe functioning and she sucked his cock like a woman dying of thirst. All the while, her arousal fell in wet drops onto his face as he struggled to control his animal. "Lick me, Genzo," she begged him. "I want to feel your hot tongue licking my cunt. Taste me. Make me cum." Unable to resist, his tongue stole out and tasted what had fallen on his muzzle and the man in him was forced out entirely by his beast. Parting her cheeks with his clawed hands, he drove his tongue deep inside her, tasting every inch of her tight walls. The first of her orgasms nearly caused him to cum in her mouth, as she released a spurt of sweet, salty juice onto his tongue, but she gripped the base of his cock and squeezed, preventing his release. He groaned in frustration into her cunt, setting her off again and she tightened her grip around his shaft. When the last of her spasms had subsided, she straddled him and rubbed his throbbing head against her lips. "No," he pleaded, still fighting his instincts. "You cannot do this." "Yes, I can," she snarled, as fur sprouted all over her body. Cuddling his balls with her tail, she let herself sink onto his length and began to ride him. The feeling of her tight, velvet strokes against his skin was agonizingly blissful, far better than he could ever have fantasized and the smell of her fluids coated his muzzle, driving him mad. "Genzo, it's so fucking good!" she moaned. "You're so big, I can't even fit all of you inside me!" His hands gripped her hips unbidden and he guided her thrusts, feeling the dull ache in his balls that promised a painfully forceful release. "You've wanted this, didn't you?" She stared into his golden eyes as she fucked him. "You've been wanting to ream me out with your beautiful fat cock." "Hai," he rasped desperately. He clenched his teeth as she arched her back and bounced faster along him. Her lips curled in a playful smile. "Do you still want me to stop?" she asked in a teasing voice. The forceful thrusts of his hips were answer enough. Digging his claws into her flanks, he managed to strain, "[Yaminai-deh]." Enjoying his torment, she rode him harder. "Do you want more?" His strokes only became more urgent in response. "[Motto]." "You bad, bad boy!" she cooed. "Have you been dreaming of fucking me while I was with Noboru? Have you been stroking yourself to sleep thinking of me?" She slapped her hips against his and he groaned deliciously for her. "I...I need..." Helpless, his hands stole up to her breasts and she pushed his claws into the sensitive flesh as she began to speed up her thrusts. "Oh fuck! Hurt me, Genzo, I want to feel your claws in me. Mark me! Sink your claws into my skin!" Hearing her call out his name in the midst of her pleasure caused him to wince in pain as his sac jerked against him, preparing to eject its warm cargo. "Angela, [hanaseh]!" he begged as he fought the pressure in his testicles. "I cannot hold back any longer. I am going to cum!" She laughed, a soft musical sound that only inflamed him further. "You want me to stop, but you're squeezing my tits so hard? I don't think you want to stop. I think you like the idea of shooting your hot cum inside my cunt, don't you?" Her tail caressed his swollen balls pointedly, causing him to clench his fingers, drawing blood from her skin. "Say it, Genzo! I want to hear you say the dirty thing you want to do to me." "Angela, [onnegai], I need cum inside you! I beg you, let me cum!" he gasped, as he hovered tantalizingly close to the edge of release. "Oh god, I'm going to cum! Genzo, I want to feel your hot cum fill my pussy! Fuck me! Fill me up!" Her high pitched keening filled the air as she clawed bloody furrows into his chest, her walls rippling around his shaft. Feeling her tighten, Genzo was nearly blinded by the torrent of pleasure that came crashing over his senses. Thrusting furiously, he pounded her with hard savage strokes and let out a strangled roar of "[Ikku]!'" as he painfully rocketed the first jet of hot semen into her. She rocked and bucked on his cock so forcefully that the copious spurts of his cum ran down his shaft and spilled over his balls as he slid in and out of her ravenous cunt. Exhausted, she slumped over his chest. Gasping for air, he briefly panicked at the enormity of what he had done before his mind went completely black. __________________________ yamiro: stop it (Japanese) yaminai-deh: don't stop (Japanese) motto: more (Japanese) onnegai: please (desperate, Japanese) ikku: I'm cumming (Japanese) The Rising Sun & The Morning Calm Ch. 17 (Thanks for reading, and apologies for taking so long to resume the story but I hope it was worth the wait. Don't forget to leave a comment or two!) ________________________________________ Angela awoke to find herself naked on the floor with Genzo behind her, also with nary a stitch on. Her head throbbing, she tried to remember what had happened but her mind came up totally blank. Looking at Genzo, she observed that the skin around his neck was crusted over with dried blood and wondered how he'd been injured. As she got to her wobbly feet, she felt a rush of something warm slide out of her. Glancing at her leg, she stared in horror when she saw the milky fluid running down her thigh onto the floor. She knew by the smell that it was semen, and it wasn't Noboru's. [Oh, god, did I sleep with Genzo?]" she thought with fear. She tried to force her brain to remember but nothing surfaced. Kneeling next to him, she saw that his face was paler that usual and there were dark circles around his eyes. "Genzo! Oh god, Genzo, wake up!" she begged, shaking him. His eyes twitched, but didn't open and he let out a weak moan of protest at being jostled so roughly. Wondering where the hell everyone was, she was startled when the door flew open and Noboru burst into the room. He froze when he saw her nude, bent over Genzo. When the smell of Genzo's ejaculate reached his nostrils, he roared in fury and shifted so quickly that his suit exploded into tatters around his expanding body. Pulling his lips back, he bared all his teeth and grabbed Genzo by the neck, pulling him into the air until his feet dangled inches from the floor. "Nobu, stop it!" Angela pleaded. "[Uruseh]!" he growled threateningly. Looking up at Genzo, he tightened his grip on his throat and snarled in Japanese, "I never thought you capable of such betrayal! Why should I refrain from killing you?" "My lord..." he gasped weakly. "Saburo..." At the mention of his brother's name his grip slackened and Genzo crashed to the ground choking. "What of him?" Noboru demanded. Holding his neck, Genzo coughed and continued, "He took her...I followed...tried to kill him, but she was losing too much blood...had to provide..." Angela put a blanket over him and cradled his head. "What is he saying?" He knew his brother. If he had gotten a hold of Angela, he had meant to kill her. Noboru could only surmise that he had rescued her and used his body's own resources to keep her alive. "[Onnegai, yurusenei], Noboru-donno," Genzo whispered before blacking out. "Genzo!" Angela hugged his head and cried as she held him. Though he realized that he owed Genzo a profound debt for having saved her, he couldn't stand the sight of her touching him so tenderly. Ryuzo and Shinnosuke ran into the room at the sound of their voices. "Noboru-sama! [Daijo-]" Shinnosuke stopped midsentence when he saw the scene in front of him. He turned his blazing eyes to Angela. "Put something on," he snapped, before storming out of the room. Frightened, Angela did as he ordered before putting a pillow under Genzo's head. Returning to his usual appearance, Noboru threw on a robe and began angrily pacing the room. "Would you care to explain what happened?" he spat sarcastically. Shinnosuke was about to say something when Ryuzo cut him off and stepped forward. "Saburo somehow found out about our situation. He chose to attack when we were about to begin the last set of data collection. I don't know how but he knew to target our masks and we all lost control of our senses. Genzo was not in the apartment at the time and must have returned to find us fighting amongst ourselves. When he saw that Angela was missing, I can only assume that he set off in pursuit." "[So-deska]?" Noboru stared out the window, still fuming. Ryuzo felt compelled to continue. "My lord, at the risk of speaking out of place, what Genzo did was not volitional. Her last mating session was interrupted and if he was exhausted from defending her, as well as from his loss of blood, there was no possible way that he could resist her advances. I am willing to wager that she has no recollection of any of this." Noboru gripped the windowsill so tightly, his knuckles turned bone white. "I suppose I should be grateful to him." "Shinnosuke, go check on Genzo," Ryuzo suggested. Nodding, he returned to Angela's room to see her trying to support his head so that he could drink from a glass of water. "What did you do?" he couldn't help blurting out. "I had to try and save her," he croaked. His neck was still sore from being strangled but he lacked the strength to shift. "Do you remember anything?" Shinnosuke's earnest eyes searched his anxiously. "Beyond healing her cuts and giving her blood, no. Nothing after that," he lied, hoping that his friend would not sense his discomfiture. "Shinnosuke, will somebody please start speaking English and tell me what the bloody hell is going on?" Angela set the water glass down and waited. Taking a deep breath, he explained, "Apparently Saburo attempted to kidnap you last night. He paralyzed us and took you away. Genzo pursued him and brought you home but you were injured and he gave you blood to keep you alive. He remembers nothing after that." She looked sadly into Genzo's half-closed eyes. "You saved my life?" "Your babies need their [ka-chan]," he attempted to joke. "So Ninja Boy came to the rescue." Feeling so grateful to him, she held his head to her chest and wept softly. "Oh, Genzo, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to bring this on you." "I will deal with the consequences," he said weakly. Though he couldn't recall the last time he'd felt so awful, a warmth spread inside him at being so close to her. He closed his eyes as he felt her tears hit his face and listened to the beat of her heart, strong and steady within her chest. A streak of possessive pride coursed through him as he knew that it was his blood sustaining her. The sound of someone clearing their throat caused them to turn around. Leaning against the doorframe, Ryuzo said, "I have one last blood draw to perform." Kneeling next to Angela, he efficiently filled a vial and then left the room without preamble. Turning his face to hers, she looked into his bloodshot eyes. "Is Saburo dead?" "I do not know," Genzo answered honestly. "I hope that he is." Shinnosuke regarded his friend with sympathy. "Rest, Genzo. I will be back shortly." Torn between wanting to see Noboru and not wanting to leave Genzo alone in his condition, Angela began to fear that irreparable damage had been done to their relationship. "Genzo, can you change to heal faster?" "I do not have enough blood right now to tolerate the metabolic demands of the change," he replied faintly. "Otherwise, I would have done so already." He looked so frail. "Is there anything I can do to help?" "[Daijobu]." He met her eyes and added, "Go to Noboru-sama. I know you wish to speak with him." Angela shook her head emphatically. "Genzo, I can't leave you here alone like this." "I will be fine on my own. You do not need to stay. I do not mind if you go." His lips turned upwards in a small smile. She looked at him with sadness in her eyes. "Liar." She could feel the hurt and worry inside him, and not just about Noboru's anger. He averted his eyes in shame and she knew that she'd been right. "Angela, I do not know what to say. I..." "Don't say anything." She gently smoothed his hair with her hand and he closed his eyes for a moment at her touch. Even though there was nothing sexual about the act, it obviously had a profound effect on him, and she felt him gently turn his head into her hand. Her heart sank as she realized that he truly was in love with her and how the guilt born of those feelings weighed heavily on him. Looking up, she saw Noboru walking out the loft. "Noboru!" Her only answer was the sound of the door closing behind him. She forced herself not to cry, but a few stray tears stole down her cheeks. "[Gomen-ne]," Genzo said softly. Trying to keep her voice steady, she wiped her eyes. "It's not your fault. If it weren't for you, I'd be dead. I owe you my life." "You do not owe me anything. I do not regret what I went through to bring you back." He sighed. "I am afraid that I will no longer be allowed to watch over you. Noboru-sama is understandably angry with me and even if he were not, I cannot be as...objective as I should be." "Would you rather not have to be around me?" She would have understood completely if he preferred it that way. Turning his head, he looked at her with his soft brown eyes and answered, "No. But it may not be possible or safe for me to be your guard." "Why don't we cross that bridge when we get there?" She felt horrible. The man had risked his life to save hers and what did he get in return? His closest friend was furious with him and all she could do was offer a paltry verbal gesture of appreciation. "Sleep, Genzo. I'll stay until he comes back." His features softened at her words and she felt his body relax as she stroked his hair soothingly. As he drifted off to sleep, he found himself wishing that Noboru would not return until much later. ________________________ uruseh: shut up (Japanese) onnegai: I beg you (Japanese) yurusenei: forgive me (Japanese) so-deska: is that so (Japanese) ka-chan: mommy (Japanese) daijobu: okay (Japanese) gomen-ne: sorry (Japanese) _________________________ Noboru ordered his driver to cruise around the city. He didn't care where he went so long as it was not back to his home. Running his hands over his face, he tried to get his emotions under control but the image of them naked and Genzo's semen running down her leg made him want to kill someone. Until now, it had been easy for him to pretend that she hadn't slept with anyone else. He'd never seen it and no one had ever spoken about it. It had never been a true reality for him – until tonight. The intellectual side of him knew that if not for Genzo, Angela would have died horribly, but he felt betrayed and hurt in the worst way and part of him wanted very much to kill Genzo. What if she was in love with him too? The very idea made him sick and he tried not to think about it. He knew it hurt her that he left so abruptly but he couldn't look her in the face, especially with Genzo there, cradled in her lap. Thinking he could really use a drink, he told the driver to stop off at a local bar that he sometimes frequented when entertaining his clients. Going inside, he sat at the bar and ordered a scotch. He was halfway through it when a familiar smell caught his attention and he hoped that it wasn't who he thought it was. "Nagamori Noboru! Back in Tokyo and not a word of hello?" a female voice pouted behind him. "[Konbawa], Kaori," he replied half-heartedly. "Won't even turn around to say hi. I see some things never change," the voice said with a hint of annoyance. Sighing inwardly, he turned to face her. "Is this better?" he asked flatly. "You know, I don't know why I waste my time on you, Noboru. You never were particularly nice to me, even though most of the men I meet would give anything just to sit next to me," she huffed. "Go find one then. [Dewa]." He turned back to the bar. Minamoto Kaori was not a woman who tolerated being ignored well. One of the top-billing actresses in Japan, she was used to being fawned over and indulged, which was probably the main reason she'd been attracted to Noboru in the first place. The two had met at a charity function and she was immediately drawn to his ice blue eyes and reserved charisma. After much scheming she had been able to worm her way into his life through their mutual love of sex. Believing that he had grown to care for her, she'd made the mistake of demanding a commitment on threat of walking out. She was stunned when he didn't bat an eyelash and cut her loose without a second thought. She'd tried for a few years to re-enter his life but he always managed to avoid her. Somehow it didn't stop her from trying and apparently today was no different. "Noboru," she purred, "won't you at least buy me a drink for old time's sake? Don't be so rude." "If I do will you leave me be?" he asked dolefully. "Oh, Noboru-kun, have one drink with me and I'll leave you to sulk on your own." She had no intention of doing that but it would buy her some time to try and change his mind. "Fine." With a look of resignation, he ordered a white wine for her and continued to stare at his glass. She looked at his profile and could have kicked herself for being so stupid all those years ago. His full lips reminded her of how he'd brought her hours of pleasure between her legs. He was the wildest and most adventurous lover she'd ever had, and he'd essentially ruined her for all other men. Crossing her legs to reveal an ample amount of thigh, she leaned forward to accentuate her cleavage. "Don't be like that," she pleaded in a baby voice. "Don't you think about me even a little? We had a lot of fun together as I recall." She started to slide her hand towards his inner thigh but let out a small yelp when his hand shot out and gripped her wrist warningly. "Don't get any ideas, Kaori. I already have someone," he growled menacingly. Her eyes narrowed with jealousy. "Who is she?" "That is none of your business." Finishing his scotch in one gulp, he set the glass down on the counter firmly and got up. "Good night." "[Bakka] Noboru," she seethed at his retreating figure. "We're not done yet." ______________________________ konbawa: good evening (Japanese) dewa: in that case (Japanese) bakka: idiot (Japanese) ______________________________ When he returned home it was almost four o'clock in the morning. Noboru found Angela sleeping on her bed. Genzo still lay on the floor where he had collapsed, but she had placed a pillow under his head and covered him with several blankets. Turning his attention back to her, he wanted so much to lie next to her, to tell her how much it frightened him to think that she could have been taken away so suddenly, but he couldn't. Not while Genzo was in the room. Sighing heavily, he walked to the master bedroom, which he hadn't slept in since arriving. Thinking she'd heard a noise, Angela sat up and picked up faint traces of footsteps from down the hall. Careful not to wake Genzo, she quietly padded over the room where she could see a light was on from under the door. Knocking softly, she waited to see if it was who she thought it was. When Noboru answered the door, she nearly burst into tears when she met his blue eyes and she couldn't think of a single thing to say. She just stood in front of him as her eyes brimmed with tears, waiting for him to do something. She looked so tragic, standing in his doorway, as if she were waiting for him to send her away. He was taken aback by the fear he felt emanating from her. "Would you like to come in?" She nodded mutely, afraid to speak. "[Sa]," he said, opening the door wider. Walking slowly into the room, she still said nothing, wringing her hands over and over as she waited for him to tell her what she could do. "I am...sorry that I left so abruptly. I needed to get away for a moment." Again, she nodded. Not knowing what else to say, he suddenly found himself asking, "Do you wish to be with Genzo? Do you care for him?" His words faltered for a moment as he thought of how often he had been away from her and how Genzo had been alone with her during those times. "Do you...love him?" She shook her head vehemently, causing her tears to slide down her cheeks. "No," she whispered. "I only love you." She meant it, he could feel that much. That was the root of her fear. That she would continue to love him and he would no longer love her. "You honestly remember nothing of what happened?" Her lower lip shook. "No! I'm just as shocked as you are, I swear!" Again, he believed her, much to his own relief. Walking to where she stood, he slowly took her in his arms and she had to stifle a sob of relief as she hugged him tightly. "[Gomen], my angel. This has been most difficult on all of us, has it not?" She kept her face buried in his chest and refused to look up at him. "Please don't leave me," she begged. "I don't want to live for a long time if you can't share that life with me." She broke down and wept at the thought of being abandoned by him. Holding her close, he gently kissed the side of her face and tasted the salt of her tears. "I will not leave you, [ichiban]" he consoled her. "As long as you know that it is me that you truly want. But if you wish to be free of me, I ask that you tell me honestly and I will respect your wishes." She hugged him so tightly that he gave a little gasp. "I don't want anyone else. I want you." She suddenly pulled away from his chest to look at him. "Please, don't hold it against Genzo. I understand that you're angry and that's fine, but don't blame him for what happened. He couldn't control it any more than I could have, and he's beating himself up over what happened even though he can't remember. You're the most important person in the world to him and he'd never knowingly violate your trust. He saved my life, Nobu. We can't forget that." "We can talk about it further tomorrow," he promised. He could feel the question she was afraid to ask. "Would you like to sleep here with me tonight?" "Yes." Her voice was so slight he barely heard her, but the relief that she felt was all too obvious. "Come, then." Getting into bed, he held her to him and she calmed feeling him next to her again. "Please do not be upset with me if I cannot...be with you in that way for a short while. It does not mean that I do not love you. I simply need time to learn to – to learn to live with what has happened to us." It broke her heart to hear him say that, but the psychiatrist in her told her that his hesitation was perfectly normal, given the circumstances. "I understand. Whenever you're ready." "[Sarang-heh], Angela-chan." He nestled his face in her neck. She smiled through her tears as she felt his beard tickle her and she smelled his familiar scent. "[Sarang-heh], Nobu." _________________________ sa: come (Japanese) gomen: sorry (Japanese) ichiban: little one (Japanese) sarang-heh: I love you (Korean) _________________________ Genzo awoke with a throbbing migraine and winced as the bright sunlight hit his sensitive eyes. Stumbling off the floor, he pulled the shades down before noticing that Angela wasn't in her bed. Momentarily panicked at the thought that someone had taken her yet again, he wrapped a sheet around his waist and went into the living room. It was eerily quiet and feeling extremely agitated, he knocked on Shinnosuke's door urgently. "[Fuzaken-nah]," his sleepy voice snapped. Opening the door, he looked at Genzo's sheet-clad form and said, "Feeling better?" "She's not in her bed!" he blurted out. "[Nani]?!" Sticking his head out into the hallway, he saw that Noboru's bedroom door was closed. "[Matteh]," he said, going down the hall. Knocking quietly, he called, "[Ano, sumimaseng, Noboru-sama]?" After a brief silence, Noboru's voice came through the door. "[Doshta]?" "Is Angela-san with you?" "[Hai]." "[Gomen nasai], I saw that she was not in her room and I wanted to make sure that she was alright." He flashed Genzo a thumbs-up. "[Daijobu]. Go back to sleep, Shinnosuke." "[Hai]," Returning to his room, Shinnosuke nodded at Genzo, who said nothing and returned to his own room to put some clothes on. After throwing on a pair of boxers and shorts, Genzo got into his bed and tried to ignore the pounding in his head. His brain felt like it two sizes to big for his cranium. Remembering the previous night, he attempted to shift and was relieved to find that he could do it long enough to relieve the migraine. Too exhausted to keep the form any longer, he slipped back as soon as the pain had stopped. He was starving too. The loss of blood made him crave meat. He smiled absently as he thought about how Angela had eaten nothing but steak since she'd arrived in Tokyo but the smile vanished as he thought more on the previous night's events. The Rising Sun & The Morning Calm Ch. 17 He remembered everything, every detail. Part of him wished he could forget in order to alleviate his guilt, but another part of him wanted to keep the memory as alive and clear as possible. The images of her mounted on his cock, greedily thrusting herself onto him almost felt like a dream. He couldn't recall cumming so hard in his life. Faint traces of her scent lingered on his face and his cock roared to attention. Pulling out his aching shaft, he replayed the images in his mind, bringing himself to climax almost too quickly and he winced in pain as he blew his first wad onto the ceiling. The second and third spurts landed on his chest and abdomen and he shivered as he finished milking the last few drops out of himself. Feeling dizzy from the after effects, he stumbled to his bathroom and began to clean himself off. Glancing in the mirror, he scowled when he saw how drawn and pale he looked before turning on the shower. ________________________________________ fuzaken-na: quit fucking around (Japanese) nani: what (Japanese) matteh: wait (Japanese) ano: um (Japanese) sumimaseng: excuse me, pardon me (Japanese) doshta: what is is it (Japanese) gomen nasai: I am sorry (Japanese) daijobu: it's alright (Japanese) ________________________________________ The shrill sound of the intercom suddenly jarred Noboru awake. Tired and annoyed after a strung out evening, he called out, "Oi, Shinnosuke! Get rid of whoever it is," before turning over and wrapping an arm around his sleeping mate. Cursing under his breath at the insistent buzzing, Shinnosuke pushed the talk button. "Who the hell is this and what do you want?" "It's Kaori. I want to speak with Noboru," the haughty voice demanded. Shinnosuke rolled his eyes. "[Jodan janei]," he shot back. Switching tacks, he grinned impishly and said, "Do you have an appointment?" "Which one of his hired help is this?" she snapped irritably. "If you don't have an appointment, I'm afraid I can't let you up," he simpered. Letting go of the talk button, he chortled as she swore up a storm on the other end of the intercom. "You listen to me," she screeched. "I am not going to stop ringing this buzzer until I see Noboru so open the door this minute!" Grimacing at the shrill sound of her voice, he was about to tell her to fuck off when Noboru walked out in his bathrobe. "Let her up." After a moment's pause, he smirked, "Maybe seeing Angela will make her go away." [It's your funeral], Shinnosuke thought wryly to himself as he pushed the door lock. When she'd come to the door, Shinnosuke opened it to a series of murderous glares but as soon as she saw Noboru her features melted into an ingratiating smile. "Noboru, so good to see you again," she cooed in a lilting voice. "I'm sorry I can't say the same," Noboru remarked dryly. She shot another look at Shinnosuke who was smirking with obvious glee. Composing herself, she smiled angelically at him and said, "There's a high profile event tonight for the opening of my new movie and I don't have a date." "Pity." At that moment, Genzo came out of his room and when he saw who was there his expression was a curious mixture of trepidation and contempt, much like the face someone would make upon discovering a cockroach on their floor. "Hello, Genzo," she greeted him sweetly. "Anyway, I thought it would be delightful to get dressed up and sip champagne with all the celebrities. Just like old times. Why don't you join me?" Her eyes abruptly moved over his shoulder where she could see that Angela had come out in her own robe brushing her teeth. Surprised for a moment, she looked at Noboru, her toothbrush still in her mouth. "Who's that?" With a mouthful of foam, it sounded more like, "Whodatt?" Smirking, Noboru indicated Kaori and said, "Angela, may I present an old acquaintance of mine, Minamoto Kaori. Kaori, this is my significant other, Dr. Angela Baek." Angela took one look at the competitive look on her face and knew exactly what she was after. "Uh huh," she noted flatly as she continued to brush her teeth. "Noboru, I'm an acquaintance? I seem to remember you calling me some very intimate names when I pleasured you all those times." She smiled evilly and shot Angela a challenging look. "Apparently it wasn't that memorable for him," she snapped sarcastically through the bristles. Kaori glared at Genzo and Shinnosuke who both began snickering. "She's rather plain," she said, looking Angela up and down. "I'm disappointed, Noboru. I expected better from you." "Yeah, Nobu's funny like that," Angela shot back. "He actually prefers women with half a brain, although it looks like you're endowments were in a different part of your body." She gestured to her boobs then walked to the nearest bathroom and spat loudly while Genzo and Shinnosuke tried to stifle their amusement. Kaori's mouth fell open in indignation. "How dare you! Do you know who I am?" Angela threw a glance over her shoulder at Genzo and Shinnosuke. "Can somebody please tell this woman who she is? Apparently she's forgotten." Both men actually snorted out loud at the enraged expression on Kaori's face. "[Konno...]." Looking imperiously at her, she informed her, "I happen to be one of Japan's most famous actresses." "Not famous enough, apparently. I've never heard of you." Even Noboru smiled at that one. "Are porn stars considered actresses in Japan?" Genzo smothered another laugh while Kaori stared daggers at him. Trying her best to ignore Angela, Kaori walked over to Noboru and pressed her breasts against his arm. "So anyways, how about tonight?" Noboru was about to repeat himself when he heard Angela snarl, "Get your filthy hands and your saggy tits off of him!" He looked down at her in surprise at her territorial tone. "Or what?" Kaori challenged, standing over her. She was at least five inches taller than Angela. "I didn't know you liked Korean girls, Noboru. Isn't that a bit beneath you?" Insulted, Noboru stepped forward to demand that she take her snide comment back but was stopped by Angela when she put a hand on his chest. "Don't worry, Baby. I got this." Turning to Kaori, she gave her a saccharine smile and said, "I think it's time for you to leave now, Kerry." Genzo and Shinnosuke nearly lost it when they heard her deliberately mispronounce her name. "You little shit," she hissed. "Don't you tell me what to do-" She suddenly found herself on her back as Angela threw down her toothbrush and pounced on her. Bent over her and perched lightly on her hands and feet, Angela stared into her wide eyes and hissed, "[Namen-nayo], bitch. I'll only tell you this once more. Noboru's mine, get it? Now get the fuck out of here before I forget my manners and do some redecorating on your face." She bared her canines for added emphasis. Hoping to salvage some of her pride, she stood up straight and blew a kiss to Noboru. "Let me know if you change your mind." "Door!" Angela growled, cracking her neck pointedly. When she'd exited the apartment, Genzo and Shinnosuke both began howling with laughter, trying to use each other for support in order to keep from falling over. "Oh, I've been wanting to tell her off for years!" Shinnosuke gasped in Japanese between chortles. Picking up her toothbrush, she turned to Noboru. "Sorry, Nobu. I guess I was a little – " Her sentence was cut short as he grabbed her and kissed her ardently. Fumbling towards his bedroom, he began hurriedly pulling her robe open. The rage he felt from her when Kaori touched him had caused his cock to rise and when she attacked her and threatened her like an animal about to kill its defenseless prey, he was instantly rock hard. "You wanted to kill her," he panted, never pausing in his efforts to get her naked. "I did," she moaned between hungry kisses. "And if she fucking touches you again, I will!" Her possessive behavior confirmed for him that she truly did love him as did her desire for him as their hands roamed over each other's bodies. The lust she was experiencing for him was almost overwhelming. When she reached down to stroke him, he slipped his fingers inside her and found her dripping. Overtaken by the need to reassert his possession of her, he threw off his robe and allowed his animal to take complete control. Angela looked up at the monster drooling in front of her and then to the stiff leaking cock swaying between its legs. Feeling hot all over, she lay on her back and let her head dangle over the side if his bed. Kneeling in front of her, he slid his meat into her mouth, smearing her face with precum in the process. She opened her jaws as wide as she could to accommodate him and he groaned with pleasure as his sensitive head hit her throat and palate. Grabbing her breasts to hold her down, he rocked his hips cruelly until his cream spewed from the sides of her mouth. As she gasped for air, he turned her so that her legs hung over the bed and began lapping up the salty fluid streaming from her slit. As he tasted her, he felt his penis stiffen as it filled with blood and soon he was aching for release again. Picking her up by her hips, he threw her down on her belly and hiked up her hips. Lining up his cock with her pouting labia, he rammed himself all the way inside her. The shock of the pain mixed with pleasure caused her to begin changing forms and he watched with satisfaction as she was covered by fine white fur. Her tail flailed wildly and gripping it by the base, he yanked it up, keeping her hips raised as he fucked her. "Nobu, I'm so hot..." she mewed. Her small body wasn't designed to take him in this state but he didn't care anymore. All he knew was the delicious sensation of her tight hole stretching over his rager. He yanked her tail again by the base and she yowled as the change in height caused his balls to slap against her clit and she screamed as she clenched down on him almost painfully. "Cum for me, [kaneko-chan]," he commanded, fucking her harder. He felt his cock and balls suddenly bathed in warm fluid and he could smell her cumming. Unable to hold out any longer, he let go of her tail and latched onto her neck with his teeth, drinking the heady adrenaline-laced blood that burst into his mouth. Still suckling, he pounded her cervix furiously as she came again and howled as he shot load after rampaging load into her quivering pussy. At the sound of their combined screams, Shinnosuke shook his head in amusement. "I guess this means things are more or less back to normal," he shrugged. "I suppose it does," Genzo said quietly. "I suppose it does." Shinnosuke had been friends with him long enough to sense the conflicting emotions in his words. Placing an arm around his shoulder fraternally, he joked, "You look like shit, my friend. Let's get something to eat." Managing a small grin, Genzo nodded. "[Domo], Shinnosuke." _______________________ jodan janei: you gotta be kidding me, don't joke (Japanese) konnoyaro: why you little (Japanese) namenayo: don't fuck with me (Japanese) kaneko: kitten (Japanese) domo: thank you (very grateful, Japanese) The Rising Sun & The Morning Calm Ch. 18 Thanks to those who wrote and left comments. And for those who asked, yes, Genzo does have his own storyline coming up. Please vote and comment. I love hearing from you all! _________________________________ "Minamoto-san, there's someone here to see you," Kaori's assistant informed her through her dressing room door. "I'm busy," she snapped as the makeup artist fussed over her. "He insists that you will want to speak with him. He says his last name is Nagamori." Her face brightened and she sat up straighter in her chair. "Send him in at once!" Impatiently shooing away the makeup person, she smoothed down her hair and quickly undid the top button to her blouse. "Come in," she called at hearing the knock. Her face registered surprise, then annoyance when she saw that it was not Noboru who had come in to see her. "I think you have the wrong room." Hopefully the stranger would take the hint and get out. He was extremely seedy looking. "I think you might want to listen to what I have to say," he rasped. She cringed at the sound of his voice. It sounded like he was trying to speak with a throat full of razor blades. "What could you possibly have to say that could interest me?" She involuntarily shuddered when he smiled at her from behind his mirrored sunglasses. "You were eager to speak to me when I said my name was Nagamori." Sitting down in a chair without waiting for the invitation that would never come, he removed a bottle of a protein drink from his jacket and began drinking it. She didn't know how much more of his voice she could tolerate. "Yes, I had you mistaken for someone else, sorry." "Not quite." He grinned, and she started back at the sight of his teeth. "I am Nagamori, but I am Nagamori Saburo. I am Noboru's younger brother. That being said, I wonder if you would be interested in a means of becoming closer to him." As he knew she would, she went for the bait. "What do you know?" He smiled again. "Meet me at this bar at ten o'clock tonight." Handing her a card, he finished his protein shake and stood up. "Do not be late." When he left the room, Kaori allowed herself a shiver of disgust. It would be difficult to tolerate being in the same room with him again, but if he truly had a way to make Noboru hers, she had to at least hear him out. "Five minutes, Minamoto-san," her assistant's voice called. Putting it out of her mind for the moment, she gave herself a satisfied once over and walked onto the set _________________________ Sitting in a dark booth in a far corner of the appointed bar, Kaori impatiently looked at her watch and wondered what the hell she was doing. "Baga," she scowled. Taking her purse, she was about to get up when she felt someone slide next to her, effectively blocking her from leaving. "Going somewhere?" Saburo said, leering. At least his voice was less raspy than it was earlier in the day. "You kept me waiting for ten minutes!" she shouted irately, her face twisted with ire. "I have a good mind to leave right now." "Not interested in how to keep your face and body looking exactly how it does now?" he asked with a raised brow. He took a sip from another protein shake that he produced from inside his coat. His words caught her attention and she briefly forgot to be angry. "What did you say?" "I know a way that you can keep your good looks even when you are an octegenarian," he repeated. "How?" "Before I show you, I need something from you. A...sign of good faith, as it were." It was unnerving how he smiled at her from behind those reflective sunglasses. Who the hell wore sunglasses at night anyway? "Fine. What did you have in mind?" she asked warily. "Come with me to my home. I must show you what my solution is, but it is a heavily guarded secret and I do not wish to divulge it in public." He waited for her answer. Even though she knew he was not to be trusted, the promise of such long lasting beauty was too good to pass up. "Alright, but this better be worth it." "Oh, I promise it will be," he laughed. [For me, it will, in any case], he thought to himself. "[Dozo]." He beckoned for her to follow him. A taxi dropped them off at a simple house just outside of Tokyo. His accommodations were spare and he opened a door for her. "Follow me." She did as he asked and found herself in a basement area that was larger than the house above that was more lavishly furnished. A marble fireplace had a fire going and the furniture was simple but tastefully expensive. A large bar stocked with every possible liquor and spirit stood on the far wall of the room. In the center of the space was a large four-poster bed, fitted with black sheets, framed in stainless steel. Taking off his jacket, he strolled to the bar. "May I offer you a drink?" "Vodka martini," she said blithely, trying to look unimpressed – and unafraid. "Alright, so I gave you my gesture of good faith. Now tell me what this secret is!" He laughed inwardly. Her impatience would be her undoing and she clearly had no idea who it was who held the upper hand there. As he passed her the martini, he asked, "What would it be worth to you if I told you that you could live forever and stay eternally young?" She narrowed her eyes and looked at him suspiciously. "A great deal. How is this possible?" His grin seemed to glow like a Cheshire cat's in the dark. "I will show you, but you must promise me something." "What is that?" "You will not discuss what you see with anyone. Ever. Not without my express permission." He leaned on the bar and added, "I don't like unnecessary attention drawn to myself. I know you are a prominent media figure and I would like to know that my secret will not be leaked to the public." "Fine," she agreed. "Now quit stalling and show me." Walking up to her, he grinned as she took a step back. Bending his head, he removed his sunglasses and looked in her eyes. She gave a small scream when his yellow eyes looked up at her. "That is only the beginning," he chuckled. Her face showed even more alarm when he began removing his clothing. "Don't worry," he grinned. "I'll only touch you if you ask me to." Standing back, he enjoyed the growing horror in her eyes as he changed his appearance. Starting backwards, she shook in front of the giant black wolf that held her in its sights. Without realizing it, she urinated on herself from fear. The creature laughed and rumbled, "[Daijobu]." Taking a large claw, he pierced his own skin and tore open a long gash on his arm, causing her to scream again. Looking closer, she watched in fascination as the wound sealed itself and vanished. Had she not seen him do it, she would never have known that he had hurt himself. Walking to the bed, he picked up the robe lying on the blanket. Shrinking back to his usual height, he kept his back to her as he put the robe on. "So there you have it." "[Tsaiko]," she whispered. Suddenly feeling the cold wetness of her urine on her leg, she flushed and looked around for something to dry herself with. Walking to a door on the side, Noboru opened it and reached in for a towel. Trying to maintain some semblance of dignity, she stepped out of her soiled underwear and dried her legs. "If I have this ability to live forever and stay looking like I do now, will I look like you?" "No, we can control which shape we take. If you don't care for it, you never have to use it. Personally, I enjoy it quite a bit. If you require healing, you have to assume this form, but barring injuries from trauma, you'll never be vulnerable to infection or cancer ever again." Putting his hands into the pocket of his robes, he let her consider his words. "So how would I...become like you?" she asked. Her fear gradually retreated, replaced by curiosity and greed. "The condition is passed when bodily fluids are exchanged when the carrier is in the animal form." "So...you're saying..." She nearly vomited when she understood what she would have to do. "You'd have to sleep with me." He smiled triumphantly. "Like I said earlier. You don't have to do anything you don't want to do. In fact, I can call you a taxi right now and you can go home and forget you ever met me. I'll never trouble you again. It's completely up to you." The idea of touching the man was noxious, but she couldn't deny what she'd seen with her own eyes. "I'll stay looking exactly as I do now?" He had her. "Yes." His smile went from ear to ear as she began to undress. "[Matteh]," he stopped her. Lying on his bed, he took of his robe and took his cock in his hand. "Do it slowly. I want to enjoy this." She tried to suppress her disgust as she slowly undid the buttons of her silk blouse and let it drop to the floor. Reaching behind her back, she unclasped her lacy black bra and it joined her blouse on the ground. Finally, she hooked her thumbs into the waistband of her skirt and pulled it down, standing naked in front of him. "Satisfied?" "Not completely," he answered silkily. "Come here." He continued to work his meat as she approached him. Pointing his cock in her face, he ordered, "Suck it, and mind your teeth. If you get any ideas, remember, I'll heal, but when I have, you'll be dead." Shaking, she knelt and took his stiff prick in her hands. Licking the fat head, she tried not to recoil when a warm stream of his precum landed on her tongue. "Take it all," he growled. Leaning forward, she opened her mouth and caressed his shaft with her lips. Gripping her neck, he forced her further down his length until she felt her tonsils touching his glans and gagged. He responded by pushing her down even further, enjoying the stifled cries of objection as they vibrated through his cock. "The faster you make me cum, the faster I'll be out of your mouth," he suggested. Concentrating on controlling her gag reflex, she took him as deep into her throat as she could and rocked back and forth on her knees. "Veeerrrry good," he sighed. "It won't be long now." Grabbing her head, he forced her nose into his pubic hair as he sealed off her oropharynx with his head. Unable to breathe, she fought to pull away but he held her to him with an iron grip as he rocketed his spunk down her throat. When he had finished, he released her and she coughed as she tried to catch her breath. "How dare you! I-" Her sentence was cut short as he slapped her face with his still hard dick. "[Urusai]!" he thundered. She shrank back in fear, his cum streaking her face where he struck her. "You'll get what I promised you, but I intend to enjoy myself fully." Looking down at her cowering form, he murmured, "Do you wish to leave?" She shook her head, whimpering. "Good. Now get on the bed." He loved how she looked horrified that he was still fully erect. "On your back and spread those legs nice and wide for me. Hold your knees up to your chest." Blushing she did as he said, keeping her eyes fixed on the ceiling. Looking down at her shaved labia, he smiled cruelly. "[Ora, ora], I see someone likes being taken against her will." Shoving two fingers inside her cunt, he pulled them out shiny with her juices. She tried not to cry at the humiliation. "Let's have a taste, eh?" Kneeling at the foot of his bed, he let his tongue lengthen and began to collect her secretions. "[Umeh]," he moaned. She tried not to take pleasure in his strokes, but his tongue was a perfect combination of firm and gentle. She heard him laugh when she moved her hips to give him more access. "So you like it eh?" He slipped his tongue into her pussy and licked the walls from the inside as his upper lip sucked on her clit. Her secretions became more copious and he greedily sucked every drop. When he felt her quivering, he pulled out his tongue. "What are you doing?" she cried, her pussy agonizingly empty. "Do you want me to continue?" he sneered. "Yes!" Her wet lips were shaking with need as she contracted her muscles, waiting for him. "Say what you want, whore." "I want you to eat my pussy!" she screamed. "Such a good slut," he praised her. He flexed his long tongue and drove it deep into her and began massaging her g-spot as he resumed his attention to her clit. Clenching down on his tongue, she shrieked as she came in waves around him. He sucked furiously on her clit, nearly overwhelming her with pleasure and he stood up, pleased at the sight of her twitching on his bed with her eyes glazed. "We're not done yet." Taking advantage of her post-coital stupor, he pulled her to the edge of the bed and flipped her onto her stomach. Securing her hands and feet with leather thongs, she was now bent over his bed at the waist with her legs spread wide. She looked up to see that they were facing a large mirror that offered a perfect view of what would happen on the bed and she began to regret agreeing to his offer. As if able to read her mind, he said, "Now it's time for me to keep my end of the agreement." She tried not to look as he changed into the black monster but looked up in fear when she felt something thick and heavy smack against her backside. Throwing a frightened glance over her shoulder she stared in terror at the black club he was stroking. "No! There's no way that will fit!" she screamed. "I change my mind. [Hanaseh]!" Baring his teeth in an evil smile, he snarled, "Too late," and skewered her in one thrust. Her pain was obvious from her agonized screams and he enjoyed her entreaties to stop. Ramming his full length into her at a cruel pace, he licked his thumb and watched her face when he let it rest at her anus. "No! Not there!" She strained ineffectually against her bonds. He made no answer and simply shoved his large thumb into her ass. She cried out in pain as both her holes were overstretched and abused. "You little slut," he growled. "I think you're enjoying this. Look how you're staining my sheets!" Unable to tear her eyes away from the mirror, she felt a heat spread through her body as the large animal behind her fucked her mercilessly. "Ready to cum so soon? You greedy cockwhore." At his calling her that, she grabbed the sheets in her hands as she came hard on his cock. The painfully snug fit as her cunt stroked his throbbing meat brought him to release and he roared as he bit down on her shoulder and pumped her full of his semen. Pulling out of both holes too quickly, he grinned at the loud, wet noise as she wept into the mattress. Thick clumps of his sticky cream slid down her legs, mixed with some of her blood and her asshole gaped from being tortured with his large thumb. Walking over the side of the bed, he spat on her shoulder to aid the wound healing. "Look up," he instructed. She lifted her tear-streaked face in the direction he was pointing and saw a large black dome above the bed. "I made us a little movie of our encounter," he sniggered. "In case you decide to go back on your word. I'm sure a sex tape of Minamoto Kaori engaging in animal sex [cosplay] would fetch a high price from the tabloids. "You're a monster," she sobbed. "A rose by any other name, my dear," he shrugged as he undid her bindings. "Bathroom's over there, if you want to get cleaned up. I'll be in touch." Getting dressed, he left the room. Hearing the door close, she stumbled painfully to the bathroom and turned on the water. Sitting down, she let the water run over her as she cried piteously, her sobs echoing off the tiled walls. The water ran pink as it mixed with the blood and semen leaking out of her and she sat there with her arms hugging her knees for almost an hour. ___________________________ dozo: this way daijobu: it's okay tsaiko: amazing matteh: wait urusai: shut up ora ora: well well umeh: tasty hanaseh: let me go cosplay: costume play, dressing up like anime, video game or movie characters, popular in Japanese pop culture ____________________________ "Guys! Come on! Assholes and elbows!" Angela shouted impatiently. "I've never heard a woman swear so much," Sinnosuke remarked in Japanese. "You get used to it," Genzo told him. "I don't even notice anymore." It was Friday afternoon and Noboru had promised her that when he returned from his meetings that they would all get dressed up and go out. Having been unable to check out the shopping, Angela was eager to get something to wear for when they hit the clubs. Shinnosuke had a couple of good friends that spun at the more underground establishments and she was looking forward to a long night of dancing. "I want to go someplace that sells fun clothing." Shinnosuke grinned. "I know just the place." Angela was surprised when they got off the train in the red light district. "Uh, I didn't mean that kind of fun." Shinnosuke laughed. "Do not worry, Angela. I know what you meant. Leading her past some seedy looking establishments, they went through an unassuming-looking door and down into the basement where they were greeted by loud drum n' bass. A huge smile spread over her face when she saw the merchandise on display. "It's perfect!" The entire store was a trove of the latest avant-garde fashions with some of her favorite old standbys as well. While Shinnosuke went to go say hello to his friend behind the turntables, Genzo watched as she gleefully rifled through the various racks and stacks of clothes. The price tags nearly gave her a heart attack, but Noboru had given her his credit card and told her to enjoy herself. "Get something nice for me," he joked, sliding the plastic into her waistband. After trying on several different ensembles, she knew she had the right one when her two chaperones tongues hit the floor. Giggling at the thought of Noboru's face, she couldn't wait to go out. At about ten, Angela was finishing getting dressed while Genzo and Shinnsuke waited. Shinnosuke was wearing a pair of army green khakis that pooled around his black platform sneakers. His belt had a large silver buckle that actually was the hilt of a knife, the blade hidden in the leather. A black sleeveless mock neck accentuated the V of his wide shoulders and the taut muscles over his stomach. As a finishing touch, he'd applied a little eyeliner. Genzo wore a simple white V neck t-shirt that seemed almost spray-painted onto his upper body with a pair of faded bootcut jeans and silver tipped steel toed boots. Angela liked the idea that the she would be partying with undoubtedly the three hottest guys in the club. When they got to the place, a long line had already formed under a flickering neon sign that simply read the Chinese character for "heaven". Angela enjoyed the looks they got from the patrons waiting in line as they bypassed them all. Shinnosuke greeted the bouncer with a familiar handshake and he lifted the rope, allowing them inside. Descending a long flight of stairs, they walked into a large room pulsing with light and aggressive deep house. Noboru had ordered bottle service and they made their way to a VIP lounge that stood on a platform in the middle of the dance floor. Encased on all sides by thick glass walls, patrons entered and exited through metal staircases that began on the upper level. The idea was to allow them a full view of what was going on without being crowded by the partygoers. Angela smiled at how the waitresses all wore white hot pants, white platform sandals, white tank tops and sported wings. In sharp contrast, the DJ booth was painted in black, lit with blood red lights and the man inside wore motorcycle goggles on his forehead with bright red lenses. Two bright LED lights mounted on either side of the goggles danced as he moved his head in time to the music he was spinning. "He's using vinyl!" Angela squealed with admiration when she saw him pull out records from one of his many crates. "Yes," Shinnosuke said proudly. "Here we are old school." She stared in wonder at the electric joy he coaxed from the turntables. "He's amazing!" she said, awestruck. "This music is fucking insane!" The Rising Sun & The Morning Calm Ch. 18 "His name is Akio. Would you like to meet him?" "Hell yes!" Shinnosuke motioned for her to follow him and led her into the DJ booth. Akio let a track play on his own as he hugged Shinnosuke, clapping him loudly on the back. "Akio, this is Angela Baek. Angela, may I introduced you to Shirakami Akio." "A pleasure, Angela-san," Akio said with a bow. "How do you like the music?" "You are simply unbelievable! I can't believe you're not touring the world!" she exclaimed. He should be showcasing his talent to the world in Ibiza instead of being hidden away in Tokyo. "Arigato. I will actually be spinning some of Shinnosuke's music later when there are more people." He shot a smile at his friend who flashed two fingers at him. "What does your name mean?" she asked. "It sounds so cool." He grinned. "In keeping with the theme of the nightclub, my last name Shirakami means "white" and "god". Loosely translated, Akio means 'glorious man'." "How appropriate," she smiled back. "You are a god on those turntables. But if you are the white god, why is your DJ booth in black and red like the devil?" "It is my sense of irony," he said with a laugh. "What manner of name is 'Baek'?" "It's Korean but the Chinese character means 'white'." Akio raised his eyebrows with pleasant surprise. "Well, welcome home, white angel. You should be right at home in Heaven." Shinnosuke caught sight of Noboru sitting down at their couch and gestured for Angela to come back. "It was very nice to meet you," she told Akio. "The pleasure was all mine, [utskushi ojo-sama]," he bowed. "I almost don't want to ask," Angela said to Shinnosuke, "but how old is Akio?" "A little older than me," he replied. "And how old are you?" "Two hundred and fifty seven." He laughed at her shocked expression. "[Ikkuzo]. Noboru-sama has yet to see you in your new finery." The dance floor was already filling up with enthusiastic club kids who cheered appreciatively at Akio. His head cradling his headphones against his shoulder, he beamed and punched his fist out in a hello to his fans. All around the VIP cage, bodies moved to the hypnotic beat of the music. Genzo looked up hesitantly and stood as Noboru sat down. "[Konbawa], Noboru-sama." Sensing his anxiety, Noboru smiled. "[Daijobu], Genzo. I am not angry with you." Letting out a huge sigh of relief, Genzo was about to ask how his meetings had gone when he noticed Noboru's eyes widen, indicating that he had seen Angela. Noboru stared at the woman who descended the staircase. She wore a dress of silver latex that hugged her curves and accentuated her perfect nipples and smooth mons. Her breasts were pushed into inviting globes by the corset front and her legs were encased in stiletto heel vinyl thigh highs. Her long hair was piled high on her head in loose curls but what drew his attention the most was the metal and rubber collar she wore. Extending from her clavicles to just below her jawbone, the whole thing was made of polished stainless steel with the exception of the rubber that lined the top and bottom. Solid stainless steel cuffs hung from her wrists, the O rings clearly glinting in the strobe lights. Attached to the front of her collar was a long silver chain that she held delicately in her hands. She was enjoying Noboru's reaction to her entrance. He was still in his work attire, which was fine with her, as she always thought he looked divine in a tailored black suit. Slinking over to him, she lifted a leg over his lap and straddled him, wrapping the chain behind his neck to pull him closer. Leaning in to kiss him, he brought his open mouth eagerly to hers but she pulled back at the last minute, letting her tongue out just slightly to flick his lower lip. Snaking her fingers through his long hair, she pushed her breasts into his face and felt his hands encircle her waist as he pulled her to him and buried his face in her chest. Playing with her nipples, he teased them until they stood stiffly under the thin rubber of her dress and he licked the cleft between her breasts as she nibbled on his ear. Suddenly pulling away, she pushed him roughly against the clear wall and leaned over him, her arms braced on either side of him on the glass. Her movements were beginning to attract attention as the people dancing near them watched her display. Swiveling her hips, she swayed in time to the music, pushing her breasts into his face, pausing here and there to nip on his lower lip. Noboru watched her, his lips slightly parted and closed his eyes with a loud groan as she cupped his erection aggressively. "Does this excite you, Nobu?" she pouted. "[Hai]," he barely managed to say. Sliding her hands over her breasts and down her stomach, she took one of his hands and led it between her legs. She smirked as she felt his cock jump in his pants when he found she wasn't wearing any underwear. Allowing her juices to collect on his finger, she pulled them back out and began licking each one lingeringly, watching his face all the while. His breaths were coming in short, shallow pants and when she pressed her palm into his warm groin, she moaned when she felt that he had soaked through his clothes with his precum. "Nobu, you're all wet," she cooed. Unzipping his fly, she gently extricated his cock which instantly swelled to its full size upon being freed from its tight confines. At this point, Genzo and Shinnosuke decided to give them some room, as well as to find their own female entertainment. Sliding her lips over his oozing head, she undulated her hips to the music, drawing sounds of frustration from him. Growling angrily, he yanked her forward by the chain of her collar and deftly slid the chain through the o rings on her cuffs. Pulling it tight, she suddenly found that her arms were pinned against her back. "That's better," he hissed, before shoving his eager cock greedily into her slit. The onlookers outside watched as she rode him, her breasts bouncing with each thrust. The music began to take on a fevered pitch and Noboru felt his testicles begging to release the pressure that was mounting inside them. Extending his fangs, he sank his teeth into the soft flesh of her corseted breasts and began drinking. When she felt his canines tear into her skin, as the song's buildup finally came to a thundering climax, so did she. Watching her gyrating on his lap in public caused him to bite down even harder as he groaned his release. He managed to get her off once more before he shot his last spurt of cream. Breathing raggedly, she let her forehead rest on his as they tried to calm their racing pulses. "Where's your driver?" she panted, her breasts heaving. "Down the street," he responded. His eyes went wide as she gave his cock a squeeze with her inner muscles. "Tell him to get over here," she purred. "I want to fuck you in the car and then I want you to lick my pussy until I pass out." Fumbling as fast as he could to get himself back in his pants, he grabbed her wrist and led her out of the nightclub as his spent fluids ran down the inside of her vinyl heels. No sooner had they gotten in the car, she was on her hands and knees lapping at the salty cum that stained his suit trousers. Pulling the fly open, she extricated his cock and began cleaning their combined stickiness from him, sucking him back to stiffness. "You have no idea what you have gotten yourself into, [ichiban]," he snarled at her, as his animal threatened to overrun his senses. Narrowing the lilac orbs of her eyes, she submissively pressed her front to the seat and hissed, "Show me." _____________________________ utskushi ojo-sama: my beautiful lady ikkuzo: let's go konbawa: good evening daijobu: it's okay _____________________________ Still in the club, Genzo scowled in frustration as he scoured the club for something suitable to vent his raging lust on. Shinnosuke was off in one corner, making out with one of the cocktail waitresses, his hand down the front of her hot pants. It was obvious what he was doing when she threw her head back and convulsed on the bar stool. When her shuddering had stopped, Shinnosuke pushed her onto her knees and began bobbing her head on his cock, the motion causing her wings to flutter on her shoulders. Now even more frustrated, he began using his sense of smell in order to locate a receptive female. His gaze fell upon a pretty young woman who was dancing off to the side, ignoring all the requests to dance from the numerous men who approached her. He could smell her sweat and that she was nearing fertility. Walking up behind her, he gripped her hips and pulled her back against his chest. Somewhat taken aback by the action, when she turned and saw his intense expression, she paused for a moment, but continued to dance against him. Slowly he began sliding his hands over her hips and ass, pausing now and again to cup her breasts and he could smell her arousal clearly. He knew she was ready for him when she ground her ass into the hard bulge of his cock. Pulling her away from the foray, he dragged her into the men's bathroom and threw her into a stall before locking the door behind them. She stared at him, her lips slightly parted, breathing rapidly, her cheeks flushed. Pressing her into the wall, he kissed her roughly, slipping his hand under her short skirt. He found her to be wet and began to play with her as she tore away at his belt and button fly. Lowering his jeans, she gave a small gasp at the monster that sprang forward before grasping it with both hands and sucking it hungrily as she stared up at him watching her. Grabbing her, he flung her around so that her arms were braced on the wall and hiked up her skirt. Pulling aside the crotch of her panties, he began licking the clear syrup that coated her inner thighs. Under the skillful ministrations of his tongue, she came almost instantly and he needed to release his frustration. Ripping a condom package open with his teeth, he sheathed his cock and after parting her lips, he rammed himself in until he felt her cervix resist any further invasion. Taking her clit between his thumb and forefinger he played with the sensitive nub until she screamed her pleasure again and this time he cried out as well when the first stream of his cum exploded inside her. He fucked her brutally until his balls felt completely drained and finally feeling satisfied, he pulled out of her. Buttoning his pants, he watched her silently as she pulled her skirt down and smoothed her hair. Smiling shyly, she blushed as she leaned forward to plant a flirtatious kiss on his lips and he felt her slip something into his hand before running out of the stall. Looking down, he saw that she had slipped him a business card and laughed out loud. He'd just fucked Tanaka Rie, one of the most popular J-pop stars in the industry and she'd put her cell phone number on the back. Still chuckling, he pocketed the card and went out to find Shinnosuke with a different angel on her knees sucking his cock. Feeling more relaxed than he had since arriving in Tokyo, he ordered a drink and waited for Shinnosuke to finish. ______________________________ The Rising Sun & The Morning Calm Ch. 19 Don't forget to vote or leave a comment. Hopefully you like how the story is progressing! And my apologies for being away for so long. _______________________________________ "I can't make it in today. I feel like shit." Kaori shivered and sank deeper into her blankets. "But, Minamoto-san, we can't shoot the scene without you," her assistant's nervous voice stuttered over the phone. "Well then you'll just have to wait, won't you?" she snapped before slamming her phone shut. This was ridiculous. It was a typical hot summer day outside and she was buried under three blankets, her teeth still chattering. For the last four days, she'd been experiencing severe chills, fever, muscle aches and weakness nonstop. On top of that, her appetite was terrible and bright light hurt her eyes. If this was a flu, it was unlike any flu she had ever had before. Wondering what the hell was going on, her thoughts were broken by the buzzer of her apartment intercom. Still covered in the blanket, she walked the aching steps to the plastic box and depressed the button, croaking, "Who is it?" A disturbingly familiar chill crept up her spine as the last voice in the world she wanted to hear greeted her. "Kaori-chan. [Konichiwa]." Attempting to keep the fear out of her voice, she retorted, "What the hell do you want?" "Haven't heard from you in a few days," he drawled idly. "Not going to invite me in?" She heard him tut-tut disapprovingly in the background. "What have you done to me?" she demanded angrily, momentarily forgetting her fear. "Temper, temper," he admonished. "What seems to be the problem?" "The problem is that I feel like shit all the time and you had better be able to explain why!" "Well, how can I answer that question if I can't see what's happening to you, [neh]?" She could picture the infuriating smile on his face. He had a point. She wrestled with the decision to let him in or not to, conflicted between wanting to know what was wrong and not wanting him anywhere near her. "I'm waiting..." his voice reminded her. Needing her questions answered, she swallowed her misgivings and buzzed him in. A minute later, her skin crawled as she heard him knock on her door. Taking a deep breath to steady her jangled nerves, she opened the door and attempted to look as unafraid as possible. "So? Is this supposed to happen?" He studied her drawn features and cocked his head to one side, contemplating her presentation. "Odd," he said nonchalantly. "This is the first time I've seen someone react like this." "You don't know what this is?!" she shouted hysterically. Saburo ambled over to her couch and sat down without bothering to take off his shoes. "Nope," he shrugged carelessly, as he looked around her apartment. "Nice place you have here." Resting both arms along the back of her sofa, he grinned at her from across the room. Kaori began to panic. "What am I supposed to do about this?" She gestured frantically towards her weakened body. "How should I know?" he asked blandly. Realizing she had let him into her home for nothing, she tried her best not to completely break down in front of him. "Why are you here?" "Maybe I thought you missed me," he sneered. He was so repugnant. "I didn't, so you can leave." Saburo feigned a wounded expression. "Such a lack of gratitude." Clucking his tongue, he shook his head and stood up. "I'll show myself out, shall I?" Sauntering past her, he waited until he was some distance away from her apartment before swearing in displeasure. This was an unexpected and quite unwelcome turn of events. He hadn't anticipated that her infection would manifest as an actual illness and at this rate, there would be no possible way to use her period of estrus to his advantage, if she even made it that far. His wretched brother would be departing Tokyo in less than two weeks with his woman, leaving little time for him to exact vengeance. The only thing that brought him a scant amount of comfort was that at least if Kaori died, it would be one less loose end with which to concern himself, so in the end, nothing was lost. Stumbling shakily into her bathroom, Kaori leaned against her sink as a wave of dizziness overtook her. Putting a hand to her head, she felt something brush against her skin and let out a small scream as a large clump of her hair fell onto the floor. "No! What?!" Touching her scalp, her breath came in rapid gulps as more and more sections of her hair joined the strands on the tiles. "What...what's happening to me?" Suddenly feeling like she needed some air, she ran to the nearest window and threw it open and thrust her head out into the breeze. After a few minutes, she attempted to collect her thoughts and felt chilled again. Withdrawing from the window, she willed herself not to touch her head, lest any more of her hair fell out and returned to her couch. Retreating into her nest of blankets, she closed her eyes and let sleep overtake her. When she woke, it was dark outside. Sitting up on aching joints, she winced. The skin felt stretched and tight over her cheeks. Getting to her feet, she lurched to the bathroom and flipped the light switch. When she saw her face she couldn't even manage a scream. An angry, red set of what almost looked like scales covered her cheeks and forehead. Not sure what it was, she scratched at one of them and yelped in pain as it came away from the others. From the spot it had vacated, a thin line of blood began to drip onto the marble countertop. Desperate, she grabbed a jar of facial cream and began slathering it over the rough surface. Shaking, she slid to the floor and huddled into a corner, wondering for the first time in her life if she was going to die. _____________________ neh: right / eh _____________________ Hearing the sound of Ryu shout "Haddoken!", Angela knew she had a text message. Noboru raised one eyebrow over his shoulder at her message alert, chuckled and went back to sleep. Looking at her clock, she saw that it was about 2AM. Flipping open her phone, she saw that it was from her sister. It simply read, "Call me. Need to talk." The message was uncharacteristically serious. Usually her sister sent her lighthearted funny texts. Dialing her number, she waited anxiously for her to pick up. "H-hello?" her sister's shaky voice answered. "Linnsa? What's wrong?" "Oh, [Unnie]!" She began to cry. Angela sat up in bed at the sound of her tears. "Linnsa, talk to me! What happened?" "Richard called off the engagement," she sobbed. "Oh no, honey!" No wonder she sounded so heartbroken. "I'm taking some time off work. I can't be at the hospital the way I'm feeling." She sniffled, "I was wondering if I could come stay with you? I just don't want to be by myself right now." Not knowing what to say, Angela admitted, "Sure...but...uh...I'm not in...the country...right now." "Huh?" "But that doesn't mean you can't come see me," she hastily added. "Look, don't ask any questions, just book the first nonstop to Tokyo and email me your flight info. I'll explain everything when you get here." "Are you sure?" Her voice showed her hesitation. "Totally. I'll be waiting for you when you get here," she promised. "I love you." "Love you, too. I'll see you tomorrow." When she'd hung up, she saw that Noboru was wide awake looking at her with concern. "[Doshta]?" Angela sighed and hugged him. "That was my little sister. Her fiancé just called off their engagement. The wedding was supposed to be in two months." His brow furrowed. "How is she faring?" "Not well." That was a major understatement. "She met the guy in college and he's the only guy she's ever dated. She took a job in Cali just to be near him and she basically took the job because it paid well. She's spent the last eight years of her life planning her future with this guy and he called off the whole thing." She rolled on top of Noboru and pleaded, "Can we find her some place to stay while she's here? I don't want anything bad to happen to her." "Of course. Would you prefer I put her in a hotel or with one of my men?" He stroked her back at the distressed expression on her face. "Actually, I think it would be better if we got someone to look after her." Noboru thought for a moment. "I could put Genzo in an apartment and have him guard your sister." She couldn't help smile at his suggestion. "Poor Genzo," she mused. "Stuck babysitting these troublesome Baek girls." Thinking about it for a moment she added, "You know, maybe it'll be good for him to get away from us for a little bit." Her partner smiled smugly. "Why do you think I suggested him?" Laying her head on his chest, she hugged him tightly. "I hope she's going to be okay." _______________________________________________________ unnie: formal title for older sister from her younger sister (Korean) _______________________________________________________ Genzo surveyed the apartment Noboru had leased for Angela's sister and himself. A spacious two bedroom by Tokyo's standards, it was situated in a trendy part of Shinjuku not too far from Noboru's loft. Grabbing his keys, he headed to the garage. As he drove towards Narita, he gave an ironic laugh at the fact that he was again looking after a woman for Noboru. Angela had briefly filled him in on her sister's situation and personally requested that he watch over her. Not that it wasn't nice to have a reason to get away – he just couldn't help wondering if they wanted to get him out of their hair as well. At the terminal, he looked at the image Angela had forwarded him on her cell phone and scanned the newly arrived passengers for her sister. A young woman wheeling a red luggage roller almost as large as herself looked around furtively. She looked like the photo but she was barely five feet tall. From the photo he had assumed she was taller. Walking over her to her he asked, "Linnsa Baek?" "Yes?" She looked startled when she saw him materialize next to her. "I am Uehara Genzo. I have been sent by your sister to bring you to Tokyo." He finished his sentence with a deep bow. She stared up at the big Japanese man. "Uh, okay." "Please, come with me." Timidly, she nodded and followed behind him. Though she was so petite, she walked fast and kept pace with his long strides. Feeling bad about her luggage, which was almost bigger than she was, he took it from her without saying anything and let her walk with her arms free. In the parking lot, he opened the door for her and ushered her into the car. As they drove down the highway back to the apartment, she stole a glance here and there at him. The silence awkward, she finally asked. "How do you know my sister?" "I am employed by her significant other," he replied curtly, his eyes never straying from the road. "My sister's dating this guy now?" she asked incredulously. Genzo shot her a look out of the corner of his eye. Maybe it would be better to play the ignorance card. "I will let Angela-san explain. It is not my place to speak of such things." They continued in silence for a few miles. Thinking he should say something more to her, he informed her, "I am to stay with you during your time in Tokyo. Again, your sister will explain why, but it is at her request that it has been arranged this way." Linnsa looked totally confused. "I don't understand." Genzo tried to give her what he intended to be a friendly smile. "Do not worry. Everything will be fine and your sister is most anxious to see you." She settled back in the seat and tried not to worry. "Thank you...Genzo, was it?" "[Hai]." He looked at the road and smiled again. "If you require anything, you need only ask me. I will obtain whatever you need." ________________________ At the apartment, Angela nervously paced back and forth as she waited for her sister to arrive. "Angela, please calm down. They will be here soon enough," Noboru told her. She had asked that he be there to meet her sister, knowing that there would be a lot of questions. "I know, I know. It's just that...well...I'm kinda nervous about you meeting her." Noboru raised a brow, a puzzled look on his handsome face. "[Nazeh]?" "My sister is a bit...on the conservative side," she said slowly. "I don't know how she's going to react to my suddenly taking up with you like this." "I suppose we will find out. She is here." He looked at the door. "What?" She hadn't heard a doorbell. Sure enough, no sooner had he said it than the lock turned and Genzo opened the door. "Unnie!" Running to her sister, Linnsa threw her arms around her and began sobbing on her shoulder. Hugging her tightly, Angela tried to sooth her. "Oh, sweetie! You've had such a rough time. Come in here and let's get you settled." Wrapping her arm around her shoulder, she led her into her room. Genzo bowed his greetings and sat down on the couch. "I see you had no trouble finding her," Noboru observed in Japanese. "The picture she sent me helped a great deal." He paused before continuing, "They look nothing like each other." "[So-ka]? I didn't get to see her face really." Inside her room, Angela just sat with her arm around Linnsa as she cried. "Just like that, he tells me it's off! No reason, no warning, just all of a sudden, that's it!" She sobbed even harder. "I don't understand! I thought we were going to spend the rest of our lives together. Now what am I going to do?" "I'm so sorry, Linnsa. I'm glad you took some time off though. How long do you have?" "About three weeks." She wiped her eyes. "How long have you been in Tokyo?" "About two weeks," she replied. "I suppose you're wondering about the reason." "Sort of," she sniffed. "Do you want me to tell you about it or would you rather just rest?" She sighed. "To tell you the truth, I could use a distraction." Angela took a deep breath. "Well, it's kind of a crazy story..." __________________________ nazeh: why (Japanese) so-ka: is that right (Japanese) __________________________ Noboru and Genzo were wondering how long the two women would remain cloistered in the room when they heard the door open and they walked into the living room. Noboru noticed that Linnsa was eying him warily. "Linnsa, this is Nagamori Noboru. Noboru, this is my sister, Linnsa." "An honor," he bowed. She looked at Genzo and pointed. "Is he infected too?" Noboru stared at Angela in disbelief. "You TOLD her about that?" "She's my sister. I tell her everything," she said in a matter of fact tone. Turning to Linnsa, she nodded. "Yeah, he's one too." Facing Noboru, she put her hands on her hips and marched up to him. "And just what were you planning on doing with my sister?" she demanded suspiciously. Both men tried not to laugh at the tiny girl glaring up at them. "Her happiness is my foremost concern. I wish nothing but what is best for her," he answered honestly. Linnsa studied his face looking for any signs that he was lying, but found none. Looking at her sister and seeing the happy expression on her face, she took her hands off her hips and grudgingly warned, "Well, you do anything to make her cry and I'll kick your ass into next week." "I see the temper runs in the family," Noboru joked. "I will do my best to keep my ass out of harm's way." "Unnie, are you going to stay here tonight?" She went to Angela for another hug. "If you want me to of course I will." She looked at Noboru who nodded sympathetically. "Call me tomorrow when you are free. I will speak with you later." Walking over to her, he kissed her lightly on her lips and murmured, "[Sarang-hae]," before leaving the apartment. "You taught him that?" Linnsa asked. "Actually believe it or not, he speaks better Korean than either of us." When her sister looked at her quizzically, she said, "It's another long story. If you want, I'll tell you all about it." ____________________________ sarang-hae: I love you (Korean) ____________________________ Returning home, Noboru was about to go to sleep when his buzzer rang. Pressing down the button, he queried, "Who is it?" "Noboru, it's Kaori-" Sighing, he cut her off, "Kaori, really, I don't have time-" "Noboru, please! I need your help. I think I'm dying!" She sobbed at the last sentence. Her voice sounded sincere, devoid of her usual haughtiness or entitlement. "Wait down there. I'll come to you." When he walked into the lobby, he didn't see her anywhere. "I'm outside," she called in a thin voice. Walking out to where she had huddled herself in a corner, he was startled to see how ill she looked. Her skin was unhealthily pale, except for her face, which was covered in red plaques, and dark rings had formed under her eyes. A shawl was wrapped over her head, obscuring most of her features otherwise. Trying not to be obvious about looking, he asked, "What happened to you?" She looked up with stricken eyes. "I – I was infected." "[Nani]?" Then he suddenly understood what she meant and his eyes narrowed in anger. "Who?" "Your brother," she admitted, cringing at his enraged expression. Hearing her mention Saburo, he regarded her with suspicion. "He sent you here?" "No," she denied. "He doesn't know I'm here and he made me swear not to tell anyone what he did, but..." She looked furtively around her, "Noboru, I'm really scared!" She was telling the truth, and as much as he thought it was a fitting reward for her foolishness, he pitied her. "Do the best you can not to be seen and go to my lab facility. Ask for Ryuzo. If you tell anyone about this, I swear-" "No, no! I'll do as you say!" Shooting him one more apologetic look, she skulked away. Shaking his head, he opened his cell phone and dialed Ryuzo's number. "Oi, it's me. I'm sending someone over for you to look at." __________________ nani: what (Japanese) __________________ "[Okashina]," Ryuzo muttered, examining the ill woman. "I've never seen this type of reaction before." He looked at Kaori with concern. "How long ago were you infected?" "About a week ago, I think," she estimated. "It's so hard to think clearly right now." Taking out a tourniquet, Ryuzo bound her arm and inserted a needle into her antecubital vein. As the vaccutainer filled with blood, he looked over his shoulder at Noboru, who was watching with his arms crossed. "She shouldn't be this ill, and certainly not so soon." "Why is she reacting this way to the virus?" he asked, never taking his blue eyes off her ashen face. "[Wakarimaseng]," the older man admitted. "I think we may have to call a physician to see her. Who would you recommend?" Noboru removed his cell phone from his pocket and flipped it open. "I'll call Dr. Nakamura. I'm fairly sure he can be trusted." "I'll run all the tests that I can for now." "[Yosh]. I will let the doctor know where to be." _____________________________ okashina: strange (Japanese) wakarimaseng: I don't know (Japanese) yosh: good (Japanese) ______________________________ Linnsa had finally fallen asleep, exhausted from both her long flight and crying all day. Pulling the covers securely around her shoulders, Angela sat next to her at the edge of the bed and sighed. Hearing someone behind her, she turned to see Genzo standing stiffly in the doorway. "How is she doing?" "About as well as any woman whose life has been suddenly turned upside down," she remarked, glancing back at her. "We must speak." She raised a brow at the seriousness of his voice. "Is something wrong?" "You could say that," he answered dryly. "Noboru-sama wishes to see you. If you go down the street, a car will be waiting to take you to him. I will look after your sister." "Sounds serious." "He prefers to be cautious, that is all," was the matter of fact reply. The Rising Sun & The Morning Calm Ch. 19 The Rising Sun & The Morning Calm Ch. 20 A short chapter, but a prelude to more of a focus on Genzo. There won't be much sex in that chapter, so this one will have to do. Please do leave comments. I tend to take that as a sign that I should continue writing. ________________________________ Entering the Shinjuku flat, Noboru quietly closed the door behind him as Angela exited her sister's room. Putting a finger to her lips, she whispered, "She's still a bit jet lagged and just fell asleep." Coming closer, she saw the perturbed expression he wore and felt uneasy. "What is it? What's wrong?" Her discomfort grew when he walked wordlessly to her and took her in his arms. "Okay, now you're really scaring me." "Kaori is dead." She wasn't sure if he'd said what she thought he had. "What?" "[Shinjata]. She is dead, Angela," he repeated. Stunned, she sat speechless for a moment, thinking back to only a few days before when she had nearly clawed the woman's eyes out. It didn't seem real that she was gone. "What happened?" Leaning his chin on the top of her head, she heard him sigh, "The infection caused a mutation that apparently killed her – Ryuzo mentioned something about an autoimmune process, but the details escape me." "How could something like that work so fast?" Remote memories from medical school told her that autoimmune diseases took years to develop, and Kaori was dead in only a few days? "I do not know. Ryuzo is looking into the matter. I trust that we will have some answers shortly." He stopped speaking for a moment. "This has never happened before. I simply hope that for the moment this means that Saburo has failed in whatever his design was to harm us." Rubbing her arm soothingly, he added, "Tend to your sister. We will do our best not to think about this right now and in a few days, we can spend some time alone together, if your sister is alright with that." "Okay." She hugged him and tried to put Kaori out of her mind. __________________________ shinjata: died (Japanese) __________________________ Linnsa awoke and looked at the nearest clock which read 5AM. Her sister was snoring softly next to her. As she shifted her position, Angela sleepily blinked a few times and looked her. "You okay, Linnsa?" she asked softly as she stifled a yawn. Looking into her sister's eyes, Linnsa was momentarily stunned as she had forgotten that her sister now had lavender irises. "Oh, uh, yeah, I think. I was really tired, I guess." Angela propped herself up on one elbow. "You want to talk some more?" "Yeah, I would." Getting comfortable again she sighed. "So, are you guys, like, going to get married? I mean, you've only known him a couple of months, how do you know that this is for the long term?" "I know it seems so sudden, but he really does just want me as I am. It's nice not to feel like I have to change. I can always just be myself around him. I've never had that before. I can't explain it better than that." Laughing, she mused, "He even knows I belch like a sailor and he doesn't care." Linnsa smiled. "So how are you going to break the news to Mom and Dad? You know how picky they are." "I figure I'll introduce them to the idea slowly." She chuckled. "Not as if Nobu and I have to worry about time." Her sister's expression suddenly became sad. "What?" "How are you going to explain your extended life span to Mom and Dad? I mean, they're bound to notice that neither of you are aging. And the rest of the family? It's going to be hard to keep this a secret." Her sister had a point. She hadn't really given much thought to how she could integrate her new life into her family's. "I guess after a while, Nobu and I may have to disappear. Fake an accident or something maybe?" "That's going to really be hard on Mom and Dad," Linnsa observed sadly. "And that means that I would have to go along with it and not see you anymore. Won't you miss them? Not only that, you'll be alive and watch all of us die off." "Well, you could live a long time, too. I can help you with that." Sighing, Linnsa shook her head. "I'd never want to live forever." Angela felt the sadness from her sister and hugged her. "Look, I don't know what's going to happen, but I don't have to worry about it right this second and I don't want you to worry about it either. You have your own stress to deal with." "So tell me about this, what's his name, Saburo? He's the reason we're stuck here, right? I mean, how scared should we be really?" Unsure of how much of the truth she should tell her, Angela didn't want her sister to be scared in addition to being depressed. "He hates Nobu with a passion and apparently he knows Nobu's soft spots. If he knew about us, he'd use it as a way of getting to Nobu and he knows it. He worries about me, and now you, all the time. That's why Genzo's here." She grinned. "He's quite the badass, in case you didn't know. As long as we're here, we're totally safe." "I don't think I like the fact that this relationship is so dangerous," Linnsa complained with a frown. "I know. I hated it too, at first, but I can't imagine not being with him anymore. I trust him and given time, you will too. He's a really great person." Linnsa had never really approved of Angela's boyfriends in the past and Angela knew this. "Are you sure he's not just some playboy like the others? I mean they really didn't treat you well." "You saw how he is with me." She had to admit, for all intents and purposes, Noboru appeared to be extremely considerate and affectionate towards her sister. "Are you missing Rich?" Saddened by the mention of his name, Linnsa felt the tears coming again. "I just keep wishing he'd tell me that this was just nerves or something and that we were going to keep on as planned." "Do Mom and Dad know yet?" "No, I haven't broken the news to them. Daddy's going to be hella pissed." She sniffled a few times and wiped her nose, reminding Angela of when they were children. A soft knock caused them to both start a bit. "[Ano], is everything alright in there?" "He heard us?" Linnsa whispered incredulously. "Yes I did, Linnsa-sama," was the flat reply through the door. At Linnsa's expression, Angela couldn't help giggling. "We're good, Genzo. Thanks." Turning to her sister, she smiled triumphantly and said, "See? Nothing gets past him. Told you he was a badass." Outside the door, Genzo smiled at her compliment and went back to his room. __________________________ ano: uh (Japanese) __________________________ For the next three days, Linnsa spent most of the time asleep, trying to adjust to the fifteen hour time difference. When she was awake, she was usually in her room with her sister. Genzo could almost always make out the sounds of her crying. Noboru had dropped by periodically to check on the women, but never tarried too long, wanting to give them privacy. Also, the post mortem tissue studies from Kaori were taking up quite a bit of his time. After 72 hours, he figured he had been understanding enough and invited Angela out to dinner. "You sure you'll be okay for a couple of hours?" Angela looked anxiously at her sister. "I mean, I don't have to go." Linnsa nodded. "I'll be okay. I've kept you away from Noboru for almost three days. I'll bet he misses you." "Well, if you change your mind and you want me here, just call me, and I'll come right back," she promised. "I will. Go have fun." Hugging her sister, she shooed her out the door. When a few minutes had passed, she ambled over to Genzo. "So, give me some dirt on this guy." "Dirt?" Genzo echoed, not understanding what she meant. "Tell me what he's like. I want to know what kind of guy my sister is involved with." "Noboru-donno is one of the most honorable men I have ever known." He couldn't understand the unsatisfied look she gave him at his assessment. "Care to be more specific?" she asked drily. "I am not exactly sure what else to say," he replied honestly. "If it is because you are concerned, I can say that I think they are a good match for one another. I have known Noboru for many years and I have never known him to love anyone the way he loves your sister. He believes that she is the reincarnation of his first love and if this is true, he has waited four centuries to be with her again." Even Linnsa had to admit that was impressive, even if she found the whole reincarnation bit to be a tad unbelievable. "Aren't you kind of biased, though? I mean you work for him and all. Of course you're not going to say anything bad about him." "When asked for my opinion, I give it," he staunchly replied. "My loyalties do not interfere with my ability to be objective." Linnsa felt that maybe she had pushed his buttons a bit too much. "I didn't mean to offend you, Genzo. I'm sorry about being so nosey." Genzo watched as she walked back to her room. These Korean women certainly were an interesting lot. ______________________ Taking the train a few stops away from the apartment, Angela found Noboru's car waiting for her and eagerly got inside. Sliding next him, she gave him a peck on the cheek and asked, "So where are we going for dinner?" His blue eyes swept over her face and he smiled. "I have reserved a room for us at a hotel. I will have room service sent up." "Sounds nice," she agreed. "I've missed you," Angela pouted as he put an arm around her waist. "How are you feeling?" Knowing exactly what she was referring to, he waved his hand dismissively. "I do not intend to allow that matter to spoil our evening. How is your sister doing?" He began planting small kisses slowly on her neck. "She seemed to be doing a little better today." She tipped her head to one side to allow him more room to move. "I feel kind of bad leaving her with Genzo." "I suppose I would feel bad as well if I had not missed you so much," he said in her ear. The sound of his voice raised a storm of butterflies in her stomach and her breath came in small sighs as he began to nibble and suck on her neck, his beard tickling her skin. "Are we there yet?" she asked impatiently. "Not yet," he said between bites. "Is someone in a hurry?" "You're not?! Oh god!" She involuntarily squeezed her legs together as he pinched her inner thigh. "I am quite unhappy about the fact that I am not able to see you as often as I like," he grumbled against her neck. "I have had to wait almost three whole days and I intend to take my time tormenting you." "You're so evil." She shook when his nail scratched the crotch of her lace thong right over her enlarging clit. He laughed in her ear, and the sound made her eyes roll to the back of her head. "By the end of tonight, kitty-chan, you will do anything I say in order to obtain a release." He stopped speaking for a moment to allow his lips to hover agonizingly close to her ear before whispering, "Anything." Shivering, she wondered if it was possible for a person to cum from the sound of someone else's voice alone. At that moment, she was pretty damn close. When she felt the car slow, she eagerly looked out the window. "Are we here?" She looked puzzled when the building they stopped in front of didn't look like a hotel. "Where are we?" "My company's headquarters," he told her, as if it should have been obvious. "Why are we here?" "I wanted to show my lovely doctor where her lover was based. Do you not wish to see where I work when I am in Tokyo?" His face took on a slightly wounded expression that contrasted with the playful sparkle in his eye. "Of course I do, but do I have to see it NOW?" she wheedled. Her impatience was delightful. "[Ikkuzo]," he said, holding out his hand to her. The building was extremely modern in its architecture and the elevators were completely transparent. Everything was done in stainless steel, black marble and glass. It reflected his tastes quite well. Entering the elevator, they got on with a few salarymen in business suits. Turning to Angela, he bent her neck to the side and slid her hair off her shoulder. He felt her stiffen and smiled. Beginning at the juncture of her shoulder and neck, he began licking his way up to her ear. He tried not to laugh as she struggled to remain calm, but he knew that as soon as his tongue touched her earlobe it would be over. "Nobu, stop..." she whispered. Ignoring her, he slid his tongue up to her ear and began licking the inside, causing her to jerk in his arms. Her face burned scarlet as the salarymen glanced at her out of the corners of their eyes and she tried to squirm out of his grip, but he held her firmly in place. "[Doshta]?" he asked innocently. The wet sound of his tongue as it probed her ear was driving her crazy and she bit down on her lip to try and stifle her moans. Her attempts were less than successful as the businessmen tried to keep their eyes glued to the digital display and not on the obviously aroused woman next to them. "This isn't appropriate," she stammered between licks. "Is it not?" He began sucking on her earlobe and as he knew she would, she let out a loud moan and though she wanted to die of embarrassment, she couldn't tear herself away from his mouth as he snacked on her ear. She was even more horrified when his hand dipped into the décolletage of her dress and began fondling her breasts. The salarymen were doing a less discreet job of trying to avoid looking at them. "Please, you can't..." she begged. "If you want me to stop, then say so," he breathed into her ear. He gave her nipple a vicious tweak that caused her to cry out. "I love how you moan for me. I could listen to it all day and never tire of it." He continued to torture her breasts. "You have not yet told me to stop," he reminded her. Angela wondered if the men in the elevator would ever get off. "I...you...we can't..." Her brain was slowly shutting down under his touch. "No? I suppose that means I am allowed to continue. Very well, then." Holding her in place with one hand firmly on her tit, he let his other hand lift up the hem of her dress exposing her lace panties to the middle aged men in the elevator. "Oh my god!" She nearly fell as her legs gave out underneath her but he kept her standing as he slid his fingers into her pussy. "You realize, they have missed their floor," he murmured in her ear. He stroked her enough to tease her but not fast enough to bring her to orgasm. He could almost taste her desperation for him as she began riding his fingers in front of the other men. "Where is your modesty now?" She raised her arms above her head and grabbed his hair, panting heavily, needing his mouth on hers. "Nobu, please...faster." He pretended not to hear her and resumed sucking on her ear. "If you could only see what the sight of you is doing to those men. They are all hard for you. I can see their cocks clearly tenting through their pants. They are all wishing that they were doing what I am doing to you now. They are all imagining what it would be like to slide into your tight pussy. Does this excite you?" She was nearly sobbing with need as she tried to fuck his fingers. Suddenly the doors opened and he removed his hands from her as if nothing were out of the ordinary and led her out of the elevator. Smelling the clear slickness that coated his fingers with appreciation, he licked them one at a time before kissing her harshly. Tasting herself on his lips sent her hands to his pants as she tried to undo his belt buckle. Grabbing her wrists with one hand, he wrenched them away and glared down at her stonily. "Never without my permission, Kitten" he warned. "I will only punish you longer if you do that again." He walked her into a large office and marched her through a set of double doors into what appeared to be a large conference room. The huge floor to ceiling windows offered a gorgeous view of the city. A large oval conference table that had to be at least fifty feet across at the longest point dominated the room and the walls were fitted with enormous flat screen monitors. Grabbing her by the waist, he threw her onto the black marble surface and climbed on top of her. Taking the waistband of her panties in either hand, he tore them down the middle and flung them in wet heap on the table. "Do not think of touching yourself without my say so," he growled, before he lowered his head between her legs. She moaned in frustration as he parted her labia slowly and took a moment to observe how wet she was. Clear ribbons of her fluid began dripping off her thighs onto the shiny surface of the marble. "I'm going to leave your ruined panties here," he said after a quick taste. Her cunt quivered at his statement. "I also intend to leave your cum on the table so that I can smell you tomorrow when I am in a conference." He began stroking her clit softly. "Think of how hard you will make me as I sit in front of all these important people." "Nobu, please! I can't take it!" she pleaded. "Let me cum!" "Not yet." He began tasting her with long, slow strokes, loving how her salty essence exploded on his tongue. She was always so wet. No matter how many times he fucked her, she was always dripping for him and it made his cock hard without fail every single time. She thrashed underneath his mouth, tortured at being held right at the edge of release. Removing his tongue with a loud last kiss, he forced her onto her knees. "Take out my cock," he ordered. Crawling forward, she did as he said and sighed out loud at the sight of if his weeping erection. "Use your mouth," he said harshly. Only too happy to comply, she cleaned every last drop of precum hiding between his head and foreskin before sliding his entire length between her lips. She let him go every now and again to lick his balls, and as they jerked under her tongue, they brought more sweet fluid for her to taste. Feeling his own need for release, he turned her around and allowed himself a minute to feast his eyes on her drooling pussy before he slid some of the fluid up to lubricate her ass. "No! What-" He slapped her ass so hard that the sound echoed off the walls. "[Urusai]!" Taking a remote in his hand, he turned on the monitors and Angela was startled to see themselves on the monitors. The screens were so big that there was a very good chance that the people on the street could see what was displayed on them. Adjusting the camera angle, he focused in onto her backside and she could see him playing with her anus. When he had sufficiently wet her hole, he took his cock and began forcing it inside her rectum, while pushing two fingers into her cunt. She watched, shaking as he invaded both her holes from three different screens and clamped down on him, eliciting a loud groan of pleasure. When he was fully buried inside her, he began fucking her as he growled, "I am going to cum in your ass, but you will not cum and I have changed my mind. We will go to dinner at the hotel's restaurant where you will not have any underwear to prevent my semen from running out of you. I cannot wait to see you wet your chair." Because he ignored her clit, she could only hump him in vain and continued to beg. "The thought is very appealing to me. Fluid leaking from both of your openings. My cum from your ass, your cum from your pussy. What will the staff think?" "I hate you," she sobbed, as he frustrated her further. "This is cruel!" "Yes it is," he laughed. His smile vanished as his cock swelled in preparation of his eruption and he cried out as he filled her bowels with his thick ejaculate. Taking his fingers out of her, he cleaned the entire surface of his hand which was soaked with her frustration. With a satisfied sigh, he pulled out of her to see her looking over her shoulder at him with wild eyes. "Now?" Nonchalantly getting dressed, he shook his head. "Perhaps after dinner...if I am feeling generous." He smirked at her crestfallen expression. The Rising Sun & The Morning Calm Ch. 20 ___________________ ikkuzo: let's go (Japanese) doshta: what's the matter (Japanese) ___________________ Her torment continued in the ride over to the hotel. Kissing her sensuously, he spread her pussy and she felt him insert something hard. "What did you do?" She squeaked as a shot of vibration hummed inside her. His blue eyes laughing, Noboru held up a tiny remote control. "It has three speeds," he smiled. "That was the lowest one." "But why are you putting it in me now-" Her eyes went wide as she realized what he intended. "Noboru, no-OH!" "That was the next setting," he chuckled. He leaned in and kissed her parted lips. "I love how your flush brings out your freckles," he said fondly. Palming the remote, he put on a carefree face and said, "Well, all that activity has made me hungry. How about you?" She gave him a dirty look and was promptly given another jolt. Laughing, he held his hand out to her as they got out of the car and asked, "What would Pavlov say?" "I think he'd say you're an ass," she shot back. "Temper, temper, Kitty-chan," he clucked before pressing the button. Noboru smiled pleasantly at her as she jumped and was rewarded with a fake grin. The maitre d' sat them at table in the center of the restaurant. Noboru had specifically requested a table that would put some distance between Angela and a bathroom to hide in. After being seated, he scanned the menu indifferently and without looking up asked, "Has my cum started leaking out of your ass yet?" He said it as if he were discussing the weather. Her face flaming, half out of embarrassment, half out of anger, she said through clenched teeth, "Not yet." Noboru shrugged. "The night is early. I think at least seven courses should do it, as hungry as I am." He grinned sweetly at her and snapped his fingers for the waiter as she fidgeted next to him in the booth. "You know, I have half a mind to pull this fucking thing out of me right now," she fumed at him. She was beyond grateful that most of the patrons didn't speak enough English to understand their conversation. "It makes me hard to hear you use such filthy language," he replied, wiggling his eyebrows. "But I am afraid that it will be difficult for you to make it across the floor to the restroom if I continuously stimulate you at the highest setting, don't you think?" He grabbed the nape of her neck and jerked her head down so that it was level with his mouth. "Not only that, if you should disobey me, you will have to get yourself off tonight, and I know you want my thickness inside you when you cum." Releasing her neck, he petted her thigh affectionately. "So, what would you like for an appetizer, my love?" "I'm not hungry," she said flatly. Again he shrugged, nonplussed. "Very well. I will order for the both of us." The way his eyes danced with merriment annoyed the piss out of her. Had she not needed him so badly, she would have pulled the stupid thing out, thrown it on his plate and jerked off in the bathroom, but he knew her too well and she was stuck. "[Chu shteh]?" he prompted, leaning his face towards her. When she glowered at him defiantly he pushed the button again and she pecked his cheek obligingly. "Thank you." "You are SO very welcome," she hissed sarcastically. After the salad and soup courses were finished, he took a sip of his wine and observed the color as he swirled it in the glass. "I would enjoy it very much if you dropped your napkin and then sucked my cock for me on your way back to your seat," he suggested absently. He tried not to laugh out loud when she bared her fangs at him. After shooting him one more venomous look, she dropped her napkin and made a big show of distress. Going under the table, she freed his hardening prick and began nuzzling it. When she took him between her lips she heard him say something to the waiter in Japanese and prayed that he wasn't aware that she was under the table. His hand popped up in front of her face and he snapped his fingers impatiently. She snarled with him still in her mouth and he petted her head approvingly at the sensation. Finally, he motioned for her to come back up. "Did you find your napkin?" he asked with concern. "I did, thank you," she snapped. "So kind of you to be concerned." "I think my kitten has earned a reward," he joked. With that, he set the remote to the fastest setting and let it run. The change in her expression was delicious for him to watch. He sipped his wine as her face first showed annoyance, then relaxed, then began to color as her breathing became more rapid. By the way she smelled he could tell she was almost there and he turned off the motor to her bullet. "Nobu!" she cried out. Clapping her hands over her mouth, she looked around mortified at the patrons who turned to stare at her after her outburst. "[Sumimaseng]," she bowed apologetically. Giving her a few hard looks, they resumed their dinners. She turned to face him, her eyes livid with anger and was surprised when he kissed her softly. "You do realize that I will make this up to you when we get upstairs, do you not?" His smile was genuine and devoid of any humor. Blushing at how well he pushed her buttons, she looked down and nodded quietly. "I think we can ask for the check," he said with a smile. "If we get hungry afterwards we can always order room service, no?" He actually did laugh out loud at the look of joy and relief that spread across her features. Holding up his arm, he requested the check and when they left, he felt his cock jerk when he saw the cleft between her cheeks outlined in puddles of cum on the seat. ____________________ chu-shteh: kiss, please (Japanese) sumimaseng: I'm sorry (Japanese, formal) ____________________ As they rode the elevator up to their room, she wondered why he made no attempt to touch her. They were the only two in the car. When they had reached their floor, he held out his elbow with a gentlemanly flourish and she took it, unsure of what he was planning next. Arriving at the room, he opened the door and she was astonished at the luxury of the room. Before she could even get a look at everything, he threw her over his shoulder and carried her to the king sized bed. Throwing her down, he began kissing her and she kissed him back with an excitement that she hadn't known since she was in high school, making out with him hungrily. Pushing her onto her back, he grinned evilly at her as he shifted the nail on his index finger into a claw and hooking it into the V of her neckline, tore her dress open in one fluid motion, leaving her completely naked. "Noboru!" "I will buy you another one," he said without concern as he began manhandling her breasts. "I enjoy unwrapping presents, in case you have not noticed." Happy that he was finally being rough with her, she had forgotten about the vibrating bullet until it began to hum insistently inside her. Pulling it out, the metal surface was covered with her cum and spreading her legs wide, Noboru slowly slid the bullet into her anus. As it stimulated the nerve endings in her rectum, he parted her lips and began drinking the liquid that had been dammed up inside her by the toy. Taking a mouthful of it, he kissed her and forced her mouth open and she screamed into his lips at how much there was. Watching her face, her open mouth streaked with her own juice, he began finger fucking her towards orgasm as he watched. Overwhelmed by the sensations after being deprived all evening, she began digging her nails into her breasts and groping them roughly as she felt her first orgasm begin. Clamping down on his fingers, she screamed until she was hoarse as her cunt sprayed his hand in warm jets. Unable to hold back, he undid his zipper and pulled out his cock and punched into her wet hole, setting her off again and she drove her fingernails into the muscles of his ass as he zealously fucked her through her second gusher. "My kitten, you have ruined my slacks," he growled. "Can you not control yourself better?" At his admonition she squirted again, her claws extending into the meat of his backside. "Good, kitten,"' he groaned, "show me your animal." He was dangerously close to cumming. His sac twitched and jerked painfully, his balls rebelling against having to hold back the flood of sperm fighting to erupt. Slapping himself painfully against her, he began whispering all sorts of vile things in her ear, both in Japanese and English and the raw sexual edge to his voice caused her to shift completely into her feline state. Seeing that she was ready, he snarled threateningly at her as he loudly slipped into his lupine form amidst the sounds of breaking bones and tearing fabric and came instantly as her cunt fought unsuccessfully to stretch over his rapidly expanding cock. Letting out an animal scream of release that literally shook the walls, he poured his liquid heat into her pussy as she came. When the last drop of cum had been coaxed out of him, he grimaced as he slowly pulled out of her and looked at her unconscious body. Her violet eyes stared unseeing at the ceiling, her tongue hanging slightly out of her mouth, resting against her fangs. Her snowy fur was slick with sweat and he began to lovingly clean her as she slowly came to. Coming out of her sex coma, Angela looked down at the white beast that was gently grooming her. When his bright blue eyes met her own, she smiled. Pausing, he covered her tiny body with his own much larger one and petted one of her fuzzy ears with his clawed hand. "[Aishteryu]," came the rumble from deep within his throat. "[Aishteryu]," she repeated, licking his muzzle. The icy orbs regarded her fondly as she nestled against him with a contented yawn. Noburo watched as her body shifted back to her fully evolved state as she slipped into a deep sleep. His thoughts were jarred by the sudden ringing of his cell phone. Changing forms, he wrapped a robe around himself and opened his phone. "Ryuzo," he said quietly, as he pulled a blanket over her, "this must be important for you to be calling me at this hour." "Noboru-donno, there has been a most...interesting discovery." There was something uncharacteristically unnerved about Ryuzo's tone. "What is wrong?" "As you know, I have been running some tests on the samples we collected from Kaori." "And?" There was a pause on the other end. "I would rather tell you in person," he replied. "What I have discovered, I have not told to anyone else, and I am not certain that you will wish me to reveal this. In fact, you may tell me to destroy all evidence that led to this finding." His curiosity was definitely piqued now. "Can it wait until morning?" "Of course. I will await your call." "Good night, Ryuzo." Shutting off his phone, he tossed it idly on the bed and wondered what Ryuzo could have discovered that would cause him to sound so shaken. Something that sounded like a cross between a snore and a purr brought his attention back to the present and he lay down contentedly next to Angela. _____________________ aishteryu: I love you (Japanese) The Rising Sun & The Morning Calm Ch. 21 Thanks for reading, and again, comments are appreciated. _______________________ Walking by Linnsa's room, Genzo could make out the sounds of her quietly crying into a pillow. "Linnsa-sama," he knocked. "Are you alright?" The crying stopped, followed by a few attempts to calm her breathing. "How did you know I was crying?" she asked sheepishly through the door. "Our senses are enhanced by the infection," he reminded her. "Oh yeah...I forgot." She sniffed a few times but said nothing else. "Do you wish to talk?" He strained to hear her response as she'd become very quiet. Finally after a long silence, she spoke up. "No, but thank you." Her voice sounded so small. "If you change your mind, I will be outside." "Thanks, Genzo. I appreciate it." Walking into the living room, he pulled out his graphic tablet and began to do some sketches. He was engrossed in a particularly good drawing when he heard the haunting strains of a violin fill the apartment. It was melancholy, but filled with passion. He didn't realize until a minute had passed that he had been holding his breath as he was listening. It went on for about fifteen minutes before it finally stopped. Knocking on her door again, he tentatively called, "Linnsa-sama?" She opened the door, violin in hand. "Sorry, Genzo, was it too loud?" "No, it was...beautiful." He looked down at the tiny girl in wonder, "Where did you learn to play like that?" She smiled at his compliment. "I've been taking lessons since I was five. I find playing the violin is very soothing when I'm stressed out or upset." "You have a great talent," he said with admiration. Gently laying her instrument back in its case, she smiled again. "Thank you. That's very kind." There was something very fragile and delicate about her that invoked his protective side. "When were you to be married?" She looked down at her left hand where the engagement ring still was. "In a few months." "I am sorry if I am being rude by asking," he interrupted himself with a frown. "It was not my place to ask. Please forgive me" Sitting on her bed, she looked at the ring for a moment and then slid it off her finger. Placing it in one of the compartments in her violin case, she shook her head. "No, it's not rude." "May I come in?" He looked at her hesitantly. Putting her hand to her forehead, she gave an embarrassed laugh. "Oh, now who's being rude? Of course you can come in. There's no reason you should be standing in the doorway." As there was only a bed in the room, Genzo sat in front of her on the floor, crossing his legs under him. She gave him another faint smile. "You sit like a samurai would." "I am not samurai, I am -- " "[Shinobi]. I know. Unnie told me." Genzo looked at her curiously. "Why do you call her that?" She looked puzzled. "Call her what?" "By her formal title. You do not use her name?" She thought about his question for a moment. "Well, wouldn't you call your older sibling by their title?" "My situation is slightly different," he replied. "In the first place, I was born in Japan. Secondly, I am over three hundred years old, so I was raised to speak that way. According to your sister, the two of you were born in America." Linnsa shrugged. "I don't know. For me, that IS her name. It would be weird for me to call her by her first name. My parents were just uber traditional I guess. I never really gave it much thought." She tilted her head to one side and looked at him. "Do you have any family?" "I did...once." "What happened?" When she saw his face darken, she put up her hands and added, "You don't have to tell me if it's too private." "No, it is fine." He looked up and was a little surprised to see that she had freckles as well, but while her sister's skin was slightly darker, hers was fairer in tone. It reminded him of porcelain. "Do you know anything about Japanese history?" "Only as it relates to Koreans," she answered. Thinking back to his past experiences, he felt a pang of regret for the history their two countries shared. "In the period before the Meiji Restoration, many Japanese clans were at war with each other. Despite the fact that Toyotomi Hideyoshi managed to subjugate many of the [daimyo], and Tokugawa Ieyasu afterwards, the shogunate grew weaker with every progressive generation and the feudal wars continued. My village was composed entirely of shinobi, involved in a blood feud with another ninja clan. I had three brothers, and I was the youngest. One day, the rival shinobi clan attacked our village and everyone was killed." Her eyes widened at the awful story. "And you survived because of Noboru?" "Yes, if not for his aide, I would have been dead many years ago." His story saddened her. "Is that why you're so devoted to him?" "Hai." "I'm so sorry, Genzo." She felt genuine sympathy for him, which he hadn't expected. In fact, he was shocked to find that her sadness for her own situation was pushed out of her mind and she felt mostly for him at that moment. "It was a long time ago," he said indifferently. "Do you think about it a lot?" It sounded like a simple enough question but for some reason, he'd never thought about it. When he tried to assess if he had, he saw for the first time in over two centuries that he hadn't thought about it much at all. After he'd healed, he simply immersed himself in serving Noboru, not realizing that it had served to distract him from mourning the loss of his family. "I...suppose I have not." "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring up bad memories." She hadn't meant to rehash a past that he had kept hidden away. "No. It is alright." He paused and looked at her thoughtfully. "You and your sister ask very interesting questions. Is that a family trait?" She laughed -- a real laugh. "I don't know. No one's ever said that to me before." He smiled at hearing her laughter and then became serious again. "May I ask you about your situation?" "Why not?" Sighing, she tucked a strand of hair behind her hears and Genzo noticed how tiny her hands were, almost the size of a child's. His own hand could easily conceal hers. "So I started dating this guy in college. He was actually the resident assistant in the dorm where I lived. We went out for a long time and then we started talking about, you know, long term plans. I'd never had a boyfriend before him and I was his first girlfriend. So I thought everything was great. We had to do long distance for a while and that was hard. I took a job at a hospital out in California so that we could be in the same city for when we were married." "And what happened then?" She looked as if she would burst into tears at any moment. "I'd been there for a year and we were looking to buy a house, planning the wedding. I was working like eighty hours a week so I didn't see him much and when I did I was so tired. He was a little distant, but I thought that was because I was so overworked. I'd been really bogged down with work for the last two months and I was just wrapping up and he just...called off the engagement." How awful for her. He couldn't imagine being discarded in such a callous manner. "Why?" "That's the worst part," she admitted miserably. "I don't even know why. He just called it off and said that his heart wasn't in it." She attempted to wipe her tears as casually as she could. "He did it over the phone, too." "Coward," he muttered. "What?" She looked up at the anger in his voice. "I said he is a coward," Genzo repeated forcefully. "You do not deserve that." "How do you know what I do and don't deserve?" "I know you deserve better than that," he stated emphatically. Her expression brightened a bit. "Thank you, Genzo. That's very sweet of you." Her stomach growled loudly all of a sudden and they both laughed. "Are you hungry at all?" "I could eat something," he agreed. "What would you like?" "Any good steak places around here?" She was put off when he started laughing. "What's so funny?" "The two of you are most certainly sisters," he chuckled. "I know a very good steakhouse not too far from here." "Just do one more thing for me, if I could impose on you," she asked shyly. "And what is that?" "Please stop calling me '-sama'?" He grinned again at her request, having heard it before. "As you wish." ______________________________ daimyo: Japanese feudal warlord ______________________________ It felt good to get out of the house again, and even though she thought she would be pretty down while Angela was away, it was actually nice to spend time with her taciturn bodyguard. As they sat down at their table, she looked at him and blurted, "I'm really sorry you had to get stuck babysitting me. You must have a million other things you'd rather be doing." "I was not stuck," he noted pleasantly. "It was a request by your sister. If I truly did not wish to accept, I would not have." Her face broke into a smile. "You're a really sweet man, Genzo. Thank you for taking me out for dinner." "If you can eat as much as your sister, then it will be well worth it for the show," he laughed. "And how!" Linnsa picked up a menu and her face fell. "It's all in Japanese." "Not to worry. I can answer any question you may have." "Do they have filet?" Her eyes lit up hopefully. "[Moichiron]. How do you like it?" "Medium well, au poivre if possible," she grinned. "Your sister prefers it more bloody." He smiled and looked over the menu. Her face showed surprise. "That's new. Must be the infection I guess." When their food arrived, she clapped her hands happily in the same child-like manner that her sister did and ate almost as ravenously. Occupied with carving her meat, she spoke without looking up. "So why don't you have a girlfriend, Genzo? Aren't there any nice Japanese girls around to infect?" They certainly were blunt, these Korean girls. "I do not meet many women in my daily life." "Don't you get lonely?" She shoveled a piece of steak into her mouth. "What do you do for fun?" She paused to chew. "You DO have fun, right?" He thought about it. "I practice my ninjitsu. I also enjoy drawing." "You'll have to show me sometime." Horking down another bite, she said, "I'm sure you already know this but my sister's a pretty good artist." "Are you artistic as well?" "No." She started cracking up all of a sudden. "What is funny?" Still chortling, she finally managed to explain, "I couldn't draw a stick figure with a ruler and a pen tied to my hand. My sister is the artsy talented one. I'm the boring one." Genzo frowned at her self deprication. "That is not true, you play the violin so well." "Yeah, well, I was always more of the studious one. And my sister does too, by the way, play the violin, that is." "And you chose to be a doctor as well?" Her smile slipped away. "Yeah, us two successful sisters. It all feels so pointless right now, though. Actually I kind of wish I had studied more literature in school. I hardly ever have time to read." "Can you not go back to school to study these things?" "What would be the point? It's too late now." She pushed her remaining meat around her plate listlessly. "That is not true. If you harbor the virus then there is no issue of time." "But I don't have the virus, Genzo. Who's going to give it to me, and even then, I don't want to live forever only to have my sister in my life. That seems kind of pointless too." He realized two things upon hearing her response. The first was that he had made the statement thinking that if she wanted the virus, he could transfer it to her. The second was that what she had described was pretty much how the last two centuries of his life sometimes felt. Not knowing how to answer her, he simply said, "You are right. It was foolish of me to suggest that. You would know better than anyone what is waste of time for you or not." She put a hand on his arm. "Oh, Genzo, I didn't mean it like that. Your idea would be great if it meant that I had someone to be with. It's just that I don't." Her hand looked so small against his arm and he found himself wondering about her. No, that was foolish. He'd moved from one sister to the next? As if she'd have him anyway. "I am sorry that you have had such a difficult time." She sat back and looked at her plate. "Yeah, well, I'll figure something out. I don't really have a choice do I?" She yawned suddenly. "You are tired." "Combination of jet lag and food coma." Linnsa looked at her watch. "I shouldn't ask her to come back tonight. I know she wants to spend time with Noboru." "If you would be overly sad without her, she will want to know," he urged. "That's true," she conceded with a smile. "But I'm so tired, I think I shouldn't have a problem sleeping." "Very well. But if I catch you crying to yourself again, I will have to call her or she will be very angry with me for not doing so." Looking behind him, he caught the eye of his waiter and motioned for the check. "Would you like a doggie bag?" "How did you know?" she blinked sleepily. "Intuition," he laughed, unable to help himself. _____________________________ moichiron: of course (Japanese) _____________________________ When they returned to the flat, Linnsa kicked off her shoes and stretched. "Good night, Genzo," she yawned again. "Thank you so much for dinner and the company. I had a really nice time." "Please tell me if you need anything." He paused and his voiced softened. "I truly mean this. If possible, I would prefer to be helpful to you." She smiled and he felt her gratitude. "I promise. If I need anything, I'll come find you." Waving, she went inside her room. Turning into his own room, Genzo found that he had actually enjoyed spending the evening alone with Linnsa. It made him angry to think that her fiancé had hurt her so badly. Hoping that she would be able to get some sleep, he got undressed and was soon out like a light. _________________________ "Genzo! I do not have time to argue with you. Leave now!" "[Oni-san], I cannot run while you and the others stay!" Uehara Kyuzo drew his sword and whirled around to face his youngest brother. "I am your eldest brother and you will do as I say!" he barked. Looking outside into the thick of the fighting, he saw one of their other brothers Manzo trying his utmost to fend off the Takeda ninja who had overrun their village. He fought valiantly until another shinobi ran him through with his katana. "MANZO!!" he cried. Looking one more time at his brother, he shouted, "I do not wish for all of us to die in vain, but if you do not survive then we will have fallen for nothing. You must live, Genzo. You must survive!" Letting out a shrill battle cry, he threw himself into the melee. Refusing to sit back and let his brothers place their lives on the line for him, he grabbed his twin katana and ran to help. Ryuzo, the third brother, grabbed him by the shoulder and threw him against a tree. "You never listen!" he roared. "We told you to get out of here! We can't hold them off properly if we're forced to worry about your safety. [Itte]!" Slicing through men left and right, Kyuzo looked up momentarily to see Ryuzo speaking with Genzo and screamed, "[Bagayaro]! Run! I-" Before he could yell anything else, his head flew off his shoulders as one of the Takeda ninja sliced through his neck. "[ONI-SAN!!]" Genzo shrieked. His attention drawn to Genzo's scream, another of the Takeda ninja aimed his sword and ran towards the distracted Genzo. "[DOKKEH]!!" Ryuzo leapt between the charging ninja and his brother. The attackers sword pierced right through him and into Genzo's abdomen. Crying out in rage, he split the man in half down the middle with one stroke of his sword. As the blood drained out of his punctured aorta, he pitched forward, taking the sword with him. Genzo held his bleeding abdomen with one hand as he stared at his brother's dead body. As fast as he could manage with his stab wound, he began to run. As he struggled to escape, he could hear the Takeda shinobi pursuing him. His lungs burning and his lower belly in pain, he finally fell to the ground, spent. Hearing the sound of hoofbeats, he looked up to see a man in a white kimono riding towards him on a charcoal black horse. As he neared, he saw that the man's eyes were blue like the cloudless sky. Wondering if it was a demon spirit come to fetch him to the afterlife, he watched as the man dismounted and drew his sword. Drawing the blade from its scabbard, he aimed it and charged. Assuming that his time had come, Genzo closed his eyes and waited for him to strike. He heard the sound of metal slicing through flesh and tensed, but he felt nothing and the noise was behind him. Raising his head to look behind him, he saw the man in white kneeling on one leg, his sword held out behind him, the dead bodies of the marauding shinobi collapsed by their severed heads. Wiping the blood off his katana on one of the dead, the stranger smoothly returned his sword to its scabbard with a sharp click and walked up to him. "Who are you?" Genzo whispered. "I will explain later." He had an arresting voice, commanding, yet reassuring all at once. Unable to manage a reply, his head fell forward on the ground as he faded from consciousness. _____________________ oni-san: older brother (formal Japanese) itte: get out (Japanese) bagayaro: idiot (Japanese) dokkeh: get out of the way (Japanese) _________________________ When he awoke, it was dark and the man in white was feeding a fire next to him. "[O genki deska]?" His blue eyes almost seemed to glow in the firelight. "I am alive?" he coughed. Remembering his wound, he felt his abdomen but found no trace of his wound. Confused, he raised his eyes to look at his rescuer. The man's lips turned up in a smile. "It would appear so." Handing him a wooden bowl of water, he asked, "What is your name? "Genzo. Uehara Genzo." He took a sip of the water, then quickly drained the bowl. "[Yorushku-na], Uehara-kun." Bowing his head he introduced himself. "Nagamori Noboru." "I don't understand," Genzo mumbled. "How is it that I am still alive? By rights I should have bled to death." "Yes, another few moments, and you would have been beyond saving," Noboru confirmed. His hand continued to search for the cut he had received. "What...there was...I know I was hurt..." "I promise when you are stronger, I will answer those questions." He looked up in surprise as Genzo began to sob angrily. "[Doshta?]" "It's my fault," he wept. "It's my fault that they're all dead!" Clenching his fists, he beat the ground in grief. "Who is dead?" Noboru asked softly. "My parents, my three brothers," he cried. "They all died to save me! They told me to run! I didn't want to! I should have stayed and fought!" "They must have loved you very much," he mused. "All their lives weren't worth mine!" he shouted. "I can't live with the idea that they sacrificed everything for me!" "Do you wish you were dead?" His companion's blue eyes watched him calmly. At his question, he suddenly felt exhausted. "I...I don't know. At this moment I wish I were." "And how would your departed family members feel if that were to have been the case?" "They would be heartbroken," he admitted, his shoulders slumped forward. "[Sorudewa], if you truly love them and wish to honor them, you must continue to live," Noboru reasoned. "Live for what?" he demanded angrily. "To wander the world in mourning until I die alone?" Noboru stirred the embers in the fire. "I once felt as you did when I was in a similar situation." "And what did you do?" "The only thing I could do. I lived, and I learned to find other meaning." He paused and stared into the heart of the fire. "My old life died, so I built a new one in its place." The Rising Sun & The Morning Calm Ch. 21 Genzo stared at the fire mournfully, suddenly feeling drained. "I don't know if I can do that." "You feel that way now, but I promise you that feeling will pass." Pulling some wild game off the fire, he handed it to Genzo. "For now, you must eat and regain your strength, Uehara-kun." Taking the spit from him, he looked into the flames, anger distorting his handsome features. "I will hunt down every last one of the wretched Takeda shinobi and make them suffer tenfold for what they have done to us." "If that provides you with a reason to live for the moment, then embrace the anger. But first things first. Food now, vengeance later." To make his point he raised his own piece of game and took a bite. Following his example, he bit into his meat and was rewarded with a smile. Though he knew nothing of this man, he felt strangely safe and at ease around him. "Nagamori-[donno]..." "Donno is a bit much, Uehara-kun," he laughed good-naturedly. "[Domo arigato, gozaimasu]." He set his game down and bowed with his forehead low to the ground. "Thank me by getting well," Noboru laughed, motioning for him to get up off the ground. "And Noboru will do just fine." _______________________________ O genki deska: are you alright (Japanese) yorushku-na: pleased to meet you (Japanese) doshta: what is the matter (Japanese) sorudewa: in that case (Japanese) donno: title for lord (Japanese) domo arigato gozaimasu: thank you (ultra formal, Japanese) _______________________________ Linnsa awoke to the sound of Genzo speaking with someone. Not sure if Angela and Noboru had returned, she tiptoed out of her room and down to Genzo's, but she didn't see any sign of her sister or her boyfriend. As she listened to him, she realized he wasn't talking with anyone at all -- he was talking in his sleep and from the sound of his words, it was not a pleasant dream. He kept on repeating, ["Oni-san! Yurusenei! Yadda! Tasukete! Yamiro!"] Opening the door to his room, she knelt down next to him and shook him. "Genzo, Genzo wake up. You're having a nightmare." Suddenly sitting up, he screamed, ["Onnegai! Tasukete!"] before grabbing Linnsa in a bear hug. Not knowing what was going on or if Genzo was even aware that she was there, she waited to see what would happen. Holding her tightly to him, she felt his body wracked with heartbroken sobs as he cried like a child, clutching her desperately to him. Concerned for him, she put her arms around him and began stroking his back soothingly. "Shhh, Genzo, it's okay. It was just a dream. It's okay now. You're alright." He held her without saying anything. When his breathing calmed, he lay back down, but to her surprise he took her with him. When she tried to pull away, he pulled her closer and buried his head in her neck stubbornly. There was something profoundly trusting about the way held her, as if she comforted him from whatever it was that had upset him so greatly and she felt a strange peacefulness in being there with him asleep around her. Pulling the covers over them, she snuggled into his side and smiled when he pulled her tighter to him. The soft regular pattern of his breathing eased her into sleep. ________________________ yurusenei: forgive me (Japanese) yadda: I don't want to (Japanese) tasukete: help me (Japanese) yamiro: stop (Japanese) onnegai: I beg you (Japanese) ________________________ [What the hell is poking my back?] Linnsa wondered. She looked down to see a large arm around her waist and remembered what happened the night before. Her face flushed when she realized what exactly it was that was poking her back. Trying to put some distance between her and his erection, she inched towards the edge of the bed but was yanked back into place. It jerked against her back when she bumped it. She couldn't help giggling when Genzo scrunched up his face and made a noise of annoyance when she tried to move again. He sounded like a child unwilling to give up his teddy bear. Seeing that he was still sound asleep and wasn't trying to be fresh, she eventually was able to ignore it and went back to sleep. Genzo awoke confused to find someone lying next to him. He nearly fell out of the bed when he realized it was Linnsa. When he also realized he was wearing nothing but his white boxer briefs and was packing some very impressive morning wood he actually did fall out of the bed with a loud crash, landing on the floor in a tangle of blankets. "Genzo, you okay?" she called sleepily from above. "H-hai. I am fine." That was a lie -- he wasn't fine. He was confused and practically naked -- not a good combination in any situation. She yawned and blinked sluggishly as she peered over the edge of the bed. "How'd you sleep?" He hurriedly arranged the blanket on the floor over his lap. "Very well...I think..." Linnsa smiled at his discomfort. "You don't remember anything do you?" "Ah...that is correct." "You had a bad dream, Genzo. I heard you talking to yourself in Japanese and I think you had a night terror or something. You seemed really upset and you looked like you needed a hug, so I stayed until you calmed down." She giggled a little. "Your arm is pretty heavy though so I couldn't get back to my room. We ended up having a little slumber party." "Oh," was his lame response. He prayed that he wasn't blushing. "Well, I'll let you get back to sleep." She got out of bed and rubbed her eye with a sleeve-covered hand. "Wake me up when you want to go get some breakfast." Scratching her tummy absently, she shuffled out of the room with a pleasant wave, yawning. When he heard her close her door, he got back into bed and wondered what the hell had just happened. He honestly didn't remember anything, not even having a nightmare. How could he not remember her joining him in the bed? And there was no way that she hadn't felt his pecker pressing against her. Groaning, Genzo covered his face with his hands and contemplated the possibility of dying of embarrassment. How was he going to look her in the face? On the other hand, she hadn't seemed at all discomfited by his actions and was nice enough to act like nothing was amiss. She was actually quite sweet. He grinned when he thought of how she looked as she sleepily left his room. There was something so honest and innocent about her. She had a purity about her that was almost nonexistent in the present day. Still feeling tired, he got back into bed and could smell her hair on his pillow. Putting his head in the spot where she had lain, he inhaled her clean fragrance and felt oddly comforted by it. Putting his head directly where she had slept, he fell back asleep surrounded by her scent. ______________________________ Someone was knocking on his door. "[Nani]?" "Genzo, I'm sorry to bother you, but I'm kinda hungry," Linnsa's tiny voice pleaded through the wood. Looking at the clock, he saw that it was almost one in the afternoon. No wonder she was hungry. Throwing on a pair of jeans, he flung open the door. "[Gomen]!" he burst out apologetically. Here he was supposed to be looking after her and he'd been allowing her to quietly starve for the last few hours. He noticed that she was staring at him somewhat peculiarly. Looking down, he'd forgotten to put on a shirt. Though Angela probably would not have batted an eyelash, Linnsa looked at him with a look that bordered between being shocked and embarrassed. "Ah, I am sorry again!" Closing the door, he threw on a t-shirt and stepped out. "I am...ah...not used to having female company. Please forgive my rude behavior." He bowed nervously. Linnsa started giggling at how anxious he was. "It's okay, Genzo. Relax." Though she hadn't expected him to come out shirtless, even she had to admit, the view was nice. He was well muscled without an ounce of body fat in excess. "Give me a moment to shower and I can take you anywhere you like." "Okay." Holding up her palms, he could almost hear her thinking [Relaaaaaaaaax...]. Showering quickly, he gave Angela a call and asked if she wanted to join them for lunch. At the restaurant, Linnsa pored over the menu with a determined expression while Genzo attempted to act as nonchalant as possible given the fact that they had just spent the night together. He was about to take a sip of water when he nearly lost his grip on the glass at the sound of Angela's voice. "And how are my sister and Ninja Boy getting along?" she asked playfully, sliding next to her sister. "Ninja Boy?" Linnsa echoed, looking up "Yeah, that's my pet name for him," Angela cooed as she watched the corner of his lip pull back over his teeth in annoyance. "As you can see, he loves it." "That's really funny!" Linnsa laughed. "Ninja Boy!" "Angela..." he growled warningly. Ignoring him, she hugged her sister. "How are you doing? Feeling any better?" "I'm trying not to think about it," she said honestly. "But Genzo's been great company. I hope you didn't have to twist his arm too much to take care of me." "Nah, Genzo's a real sweetheart. Just don't tell anyone, because he has a reputation to protect." Angela grinned at him sweetly from across the table and he gave her a sarcastic smile in return that was probably as close to saying "fuck off" as he could manage. "So what do you want to do today?" "I don't know. Want to watch some movies or go shopping?" "Whatever you want, little sis. You call the shots." Linnsa turned to Genzo. "Are you coming with?" "Of course. Your safety is my foremost concern." "Uh, okay, but I meant more for fun," she explained. Lowering his head, he smiled. "I am honored to have been invited." When their lunch came, Genzo used the opportunity provided by their conversation to observe the two women interact. Though they looked very different, there was definitely a similarity in their mannerisms and speech that betrayed their relationship as sisters. He was surprised to see that at times, they often communicated with only looks and giggles, as if reading each other's minds. A sudden pang of sadness cut through him as he was reminded of how he no longer had siblings. At the change in his mood, Angela looked up from her conversation. Unnerved by her perception of his melancholy, Genzo made a show of being very absorbed with eating his lunch. Standing up with a satisfied stretch, Linnsa patted her belly contentedly and remarked, "Where's your wolfman? I thought he was going to join us." Genzo shot her an odd look at her characterization of Noboru. "He had something come up that he said he had to deal with right away." Angela laughed before adding, "He tends to do that a lot. ________________________ nani: what (Japanese) gomen: sorry (Japanese) ________________________ Noboru was in the midst of changing into his suit when his cell phone rang. From the ring tone, he knew who it was and he answered it immediately. "Noboru-sama, I hope I didn't wake you," the familiar voice over the phone apologized. "It's fine Ryuzo. I take it you have important information for me. Where did you wish to meet?" "Your biotech contacts in Seoul -- are they reliable?" An odd question all of a sudden. Often times in Korea, everything was for sale if the buyer was paying the right price. "I'm not sure. I would like to think so, but I do have to bear in mind that the economy is still bad there." "Then I guess we must ensure that the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing. I will need for you to arrange for one of the labs there to help with some very intricate sequencing." "Sequencing of what?" "I will tell you that after I answer your previous question, donno. Can you meet me at the bar that was formerly the Red Dog?" Ryuzo was never one for melodramatics, so his secrecy was very curious indeed. "Very well. Can you be there in thirty minutes?" "I am already here." _________________________________ Noboru pushed open the door to the nearly empty bar that was the appointed meeting place and saw Ryuzo sitting in a booth near the back of the establishment. Sitting across the table from him, he removed his sunglasses and looked at him expectantly. "So tell me this news that requires so much security to even speak of." "Before I tell you," he said quietly, "I must have your word that you will not react overtly to what I am about to tell you." "You have it. Now tell me what you know." "Noboru-donno, the analysis of the genetic material taken from the late Minamoto's tissue samples have shown an interesting change in her DNA." "That being?" "As you know, the virus that confers our condition rewrites DNA to some degree. Somehow, it rewrote hers to attack the body's own tissues. There are specific promoter sequences that have been rendered active that had previously been dormant." Still not quite understanding where this was going, Noboru asked, "So what does this ultimately mean?" "There is one more thing that I did not mention. Out of curiosity, I infected cultured cells from various carriers with the altered strain from Ms. Minamoto. What was strange was that the cells from every donor, all unrelated I might add, all reacted in the same exact manner. "Which was?" "Though they continued to carry antibodies to the virus, analysis of the genetic material showed no trace of the alterations seen in those who are carriers." He shook his head in disbelief. "If I had not run an assay for the antibodies, I could not have distinguished between the cells of these carriers or those who have not been infected." Noboru had to remind himself that Ryuzo, having predicted his reaction, had warned him not to react so severely. Trying his utmost to keep his voice low and even, he managed to say, "Her variant of the virus undoes the infection?" Ryuzo looked at his friend and replied, "It is for all intents and purposes...a cure." "[Usso]!" His thoughts immediately ran to Angela. After everything she had gone through, after all he had made her endure, what if she would want to return to her previous life? The thought of losing her again caused him to clench his fists on the table so hard that even Ryuzo noticed the pale color of his knuckles. "No one else knows about this?" "No. That is why I asked that further research be done abroad, to decrease the likelihood that Saburo will discover what we now know. With further analysis, we-" "Destroy all your findings," Noboru ordered through his teeth. "Noboru-donno, I understand the sensitive nature of this material but I do not think it advisable to do so until we have ruled out the possibility of using this antivirus as a weapon against your brother." Shaking his head emphatically, Noboru growled, "This is too dangerous to trust others with. I will not have it turned into a weapon against ourselves." Realizing that something else was driving Noboru's judgment, Ryuzo backed off and nodded. "May I ask one favor?" "What is that?" "Will you permit me to delay the destruction of the results and samples for twenty four hours. This is a great deal of information to ponder over and I think it would be best if you took some time to consider the ramifications of this finding." Over the years, Noboru had come to rely very heavily on Ryuzo's counsel and he grudgingly relented. "I will give it one day." "[Domo], Noboru-donno." ___________________________ usso: no way (Japanese) The Rising Sun & The Morning Calm Ch. 22 Thanks for those who were nice enough to comment. It's usually the best encouragement I have to keep writing. Please let me know if you liked the story. I'm always curious as to who's reading. Again, not much in the way of sex here, but for everyone who's been asking about Genzo, he's the primary focus. _________________________________ Returning back to the apartment with many bags in hand, the three kicked off their shoes and fell back onto the couch. "My feet are soooo tired," Angela griped. "Me too," Linnsa agreed. "Thanks for carrying all those bags, Genzo." Feigning irritation, he simply grunted, causing both girls to giggle. "Are you hungry at all, Lins?" "I could eat," she grinned. Turning to Genzo, she smiled. "Genzo, could I impose upon you to go grab something for my sister and yourself?" Standing up, Genzo gave another little bow. "What would you like?" he asked, looking at Linnsa. She laughed. "Surprise me. I've given you enough trouble for one day." "I will return shortly," he promised. When he'd left and was presumably out of earshot, Angela eagerly scooted onto the couch next to her sister and whispered, "So what do you think?" "Huh? What do you mean?" Her sister blinked, genuinely perplexed by her question. Rolling her eyes, she jerked her head at the door. "What do you think of him? He's pretty cute, huh?" "What?!" "Come on, Linnsa. Don't you think Genzo's nice?" Angela wiggled her eyebrows for emphasis. Linnsa narrowed her eyes at her sister. "Unnie, are you trying to set me up with him?" She looked coyly at the ceiling. "Maaaaaybe. What's wrong with that? You're single, he's single, you're cute, he's cute – the list goes on and on." Sighing, she said, "It's too soon after Rich. I need some time. Plus I don't know really know anything about him." Suddenly she thought back to his night terror and blushed slightly. "Ohhhh, there's something you're not telling meeeeeee," Angela needled. "Come on, spill." "Promise you won't say anything?" "You know me. Now spill!" Not knowing the best way to relay the story, Linnsa decided on the straightforward approach. "Last night I heard Genzo having a nightmare and when I went to check on him, he was screaming like he didn't know I was there." "And the good part is?" "Unnie!" "What?! Quit stalling!" Angela was literally on the edge of her seat. "Well, I tried to soothe him, but he sort of fell back asleep without letting go of me. I tried to get up but his arm is so heavy." Linnsa looked down at her empty ring finger. "I think I embarrassed him. He didn't remember any of it." Trying not to laugh, Angela put on a serious face and said solemnly, "Don't worry, Ninja Boy will never know." At the last sentence, both of them began cracking up uncontrollably. "Well, considering that you two did sleep together, it's just something, you know, to consider." A knock at the door interrupted their conversation. "Who is it?" "[Konbawa]," Noboru's voice greeted. Getting up, she opened the door for him. "How were your meetings today, Big Dog?" "The room smelled nice," he joked as he kissed her cheek. "I don't get it," Linnsa said as the two of them started laughing. _______________________ konbawa: good evening (Japanese) _______________________ Walking back to the flat, steak take out in hand, Genzo smiled to himself and hoped that she would not mind the same meal twice in a row. Linnsa was so different from her sister. There was a gentle quality about her that contrasted sharply with her sister's hard-headed feisty attitude. He found her demeanor quite peaceful to be around. She inspired a calm in him that he had long forgotten, or thought he had forgotten. It was nice to have had the opportunity to get to know her and his smile disappeared a little when he thought about her returning to the United States. Stepping into the living room, he announced himself with a light knock and saw Noboru's face answer the door. "[Konbawa], Noboru-donno." Noboru gave him a welcome smile. "Come in, come in." Sitting on the couch next to Angela, he looked at Linnsa and asked, "Since our esteemed friend has returned to keep you company while you eat, would you mind terribly if I borrowed your sister for the evening?" Grabbing her steak, Linnsa busied herself with getting herself set up to eat. "Nope. You two have fun. Just don't keep her out too long, or I'll have to turn you into [boshing tang]." "Lucky for you she has that steak, Nobu," Angela jibed. Genzo looked perplexed as he watched the three of them burst into laughter. After Angela had hugged her sister goodbye, he queried, "What is [boshing tang]?" Linnsa grinned evilly. "Dog soup." "Oh." In spite of himself, Genzo began laughing as well. They spent the next few minutes without exchanging words. Genzo tried his best not to look too much at her and would discreetly avert his eyes if she looked up. Feeling awkward with all the silence, Linnsa asked, "So, did you ever go back to find the people who ransacked your village?" "Yes." When he didn't pick up on what she thought was an obvious follow up question, she added, "Well, what happened?" Feeling himself stiffen a little at the question, he replied, "You do not need to concern yourself with such things." He didn't relish the idea of her knowing how he had exacted his revenge. "Let us simply say that I repaid them in kind." "I guess it would be really hard to forgive someone for massacring your whole family." Genzo found himself recalling the events leading to the fulfillment of his revenge. After he had completely recovered from his wounds, his first target was the village that was the home to most of the Takeda. He intentionally had picked the night of a new moon so that there would be little, if any light. Stalking quietly into the outskirts of the village, he waited and watched as people entered and left their homes, unaware of his presence. One of the shinobi walked a few feet in front of him and he was the first to be taken. Covering his mouth so that he couldn't scream, Genzo smiled at him while in his human form, then shifted, enjoying the sheer terror in the man's eyes and he watched him grow. Between his fangs came a barely recognizable rumble, "[Shinnei...]." "Genzo?" Her steak-filled voice snapped his attention back to the present. "[Nani]?" "You looked so far away. What were you thinking about?" He'd never shared his memories of exacting vengeance, not even with Noboru. There wasn't really any point as he saw it. What was done was done, retribution had been paid, there was no sense in dwelling on it, but he suddenly realized the longing he had to share his pain as well as his satisfaction with another. "I do not wish to perturb you with my thoughts," he said softly. "They are quite...morbid." His voice trailed off at the end of the sentence. Linnsa looked into his face and found herself feeling so sad for him. "Did you want to talk about it?" He did. But he didn't want her to see him as some sort of bloodthirsty animal. Given her innocence, hearing of that evening would probably sicken her to no end. "I am grateful for your offer, but I do not think that it would be a pleasant experience for you." His ambivalence was palpable. Torn between curiosity and concern, she heard herself say, "Tell me what happened." "You do not wish to know how many I killed," he quietly warned. "How many?" She couldn't help being curious. Genzo hesitated before responding, "I killed the entire village. There were probably about a hundred and fifty villagers that comprised the Takeda clan." Linnsa's eyes went wide with alarm. "I warned you that this would be disturbing to you. We should end this conversation." "No, no. Please, go on." Swallowing his misgivings, he watched her hug her knees the way her sister did when she was uncomfortable. "I remember every face. I remember every second of how I made them suffer. Men, women, children. I would not be satisfied until they were all dead and there was no remnant of their clan left or any hope of a future generation." "Oh my god..." Linnsa's hand flew to her mouth in horror. "I did not stop there," he continued, feeling his anger gaining momentum. "I spent the next two years hunting down anyone who had even the remotest blood ties to the Takeda [shinobi] and I killed them as well, though not as slowly." Suppressing a shudder at the pleased smile that played about his lips, she simply asked, "Did you feel relief after you'd finished?" "I am not sure." He hadn't thought about these events in so long, that he honestly could not remember whether or not he'd felt vindicated by murdering his enemies. "I know that from the day my family was killed until the day I knew I had slain the last of the Takeda, all I thought about was avenging their deaths. It was the first think that I thought of when I awoke and the last thing I thought of before I slept. It gave me a sense of purpose, something to look forward to and a reason to keep going." "So what happened after the last one was dead?" His shoulders slumped as he realized that he'd been floating through the past three centuries, living but with an emotional deadness that he'd become better and better at ignoring. At least, he had been good at denial until he had met these two sisters. "In the end, it did not return my family to me. Though I am grateful to Noboru, I do wish sometimes that he had let me join them. I had hoped that releasing my rage would also alleviate the pain of their loss. But, it did not." To his shock, he felt tears stinging his eyes. Embarrassed at such a display of weakness, he bent his head to stare at the ground, hoping she hadn't noticed. Suddenly he felt her tiny arms around his neck as she hugged him tightly. Though so small, she was strong, and he found him returning her hug. Burying his face into her chest, he could no longer hold back the tide of emotions that he had suppressed for so many years and he began to sob in earnest. Linnsa felt her heart breaking for the man shaking like a child in her arms. "You poor thing," she whispered, stroking his hair softly. His night terror now made sense to her. He had been reliving their deaths. "I'm so sorry for what happened to your family, Genzo." His only response was to simply hold her tighter as he gave in to the sadness. "I watched my three brothers die...I was not able to stop them...I was unable to save my family." He felt physically wracked with pain as he tried to curl deeper into her lap. She simply held him as he grieved It was strange to see such a big man look so fragile. "You've been all by yourself for so long. I can't imagine what that's like. You must feel so alone." Feeling something wet on his head, Genzo looked up to see that Linnsa was actually crying softly for him. Seeing her tears slowly streak down her face, he felt a sudden rush of emotion that he had never experienced before. Though he couldn't explain why, for the first time since his infection, he felt safe. He leaned his head on her shoulder as his breathing calmed. Feeling awkward, he released her and avoided her gaze. "I apologize for my behavior and the discomfort I have caused you." Linnsa couldn't help a sad smile when she saw him cough awkwardly. "I'm glad you told me. You deserve to have someone to share this with." Looking up at her, he felt his embarrassment melt away. "I have never shared this with anyone." "Really?" "[Hai]. Not even Noboru-sama." She leaned forward and hugged him again. "Well, I'm glad to be the first." Straightening up, she remarked, "You must be exhausted. It's been a long day." Both shy and embarrassed, he couldn't help commenting, "I am...afraid to sleep. I have nightmares about that night." Grinning, Linnsa joked, "Are we having another slumber party?" Laughing, he nodded. "If you would not be too uncomfortable, I would appreciate your company very much." "Alright." Getting to her feet she headed to her own room. "I'll be back after I brush my teeth." Not wanting her to feel uneasy, he changed into a pair of pajama bottoms and a plain T-shirt. As he was turning down the blankets on his bed, he heard her voice behind him announce, "Let the party begin!" Somersaulting onto the bed, she grabbed a pillow and began badgering him with it. Grinning at her impish antics, he reached for the nearest pillow and lightly smacked her back. "You can do better than that, Ninja Boy!" she taunted, swatting at his head. "Ninja Boy?!" he snarled. "I hate that name!" Grabbing her by the waist, he held her up in the air like a baby before plopping her down on her back and tickling her mercilessly. In seconds, she was giggling uncontrollably and gasping for air. "Stop! Stop it! I can't breathe!" "What was that?" he teased, pretending not to have heard her. Her arms were thrashing as she wriggled in his grip. "I yield! I yield! Uncle! Uncle!" Confused he let go of her. "Why are you calling for your uncle?" Trying to catch her breath, she huffed, "It's...just...an express...ion." Taking a deep breath, she added, "Wow, now I'm definitely tired." "[Dozo]". Genzo motioned for her to hop in and waited until she was settled before he slid in next to her. "Good night, Genzo," Linnsa yawned. "Good night, Linnsa," he echoed. As she fell asleep, he watched her face, imprinting it in his memory. Reaching out, he ran his fingers over the freckles that speckled her cheeks. "Mm?" She sleepily blinked her eyes half open. "Ah, [gomen]! I was looking at your freckles." "Oh. Okay." She snuggled back into his pillow with a contented sigh. He was amazed at her ability to fascinate him so. Everything about her, from her diminutive size to her playful, innocent nature inspired a feeling of happiness in him. Pulling her closer to him, he smiled when he heard her whimper at being jostled. Without thinking, he bent his head towards her and kissed her. "Wha-". Taken by surprise, she stirred in his arms. "Genzo, what-" "Linnsa-chan," he murmured, not stopping. He felt her stiffen in his arms, but she didn't push him away. Tentatively she began to return his kisses. At her acceptance of his advances, his kisses became more heated and he gripped her more tightly. Feeling him hardening against her, she extricated herself from his grasp and pulled away, flushed. "[Gomen!], he apologized again. "I-" She stopped his sentence by putting her fingers to his lips. "I'm not mad, Genzo, but both of us are kind of in emotionally vulnerable places right now. I don't want to do something impulsive because I'm hurting and maybe the same is true for you, but I think we should be careful." Simultaneously frustrated and relieved, he nodded in agreement and willed his rebellious cock to quiet itself. When he was sufficiently calm, he spooned her and kissed her gently on her cheek. "Good night, Linnsa-chan." Rubbing his hand affectionately, Linnsa bid him sweet dreams. _______________________ konbawa: good evening (Japanese) shinnei: die (Japanese) nani: what (Japanese) dozo: this way (J gomen: sorry (J _______________________ "Genzo, what are you doing?" At the sound of his older brother's stern tone, an 18 year old Genzo turned around. "[Doshta, oni-san]?" Manzo grunted in disapproval as he watched his brother practicing with his throwing stars. "The way you flick your wrist is incorrect. There is a reason why your blades are not hitting their marks precisely." Taking hold of his brother's wrist, he demonstrated the proper form. "Do it again." Following his brother's instruction, Genzo flicked his wrist as he was shown and his brother laughed triumphantly when the star landed smack in the middle of the painted wooden target. "[Arigato, oni-san]," he grudgingly acknowledged. "[Baga]," Manzo chided, tousling his hair. Not wanting to let his brother have the last word, Genzo aimed another star at his brother's retreating back and used his newfound skill to land a star right in his brother's left buttock. "[Yattah!]" he shouted with glee. "[Itteh!]" was his brother's enraged response. As he pulled the star from his behind, Genzo took this as his cue to run. "[Nigetteh] you little bastard!" Manzo roared. "You should be proud that your tutelage has benefitted me so much!" he taunted over his shoulder. As Genzo sprinted away from his brother, who was rapidly gaining on him, he saw his other brother Ryuzo off to the side, sharpening his katana. He was about to run past him when Ryuzo stuck his foot out without looking up from his work, sending him sprawling. Leaping on top of him, Manzo began boxing his brother's ears. Trying to dodge the blows, Genzo shouted to his other brother, "What was that for?" "You think you can get away with anything because you are the youngest and our parents' favorite," Ryuzo drawled carelessly. "I for one am quite tired of your pranks and that was for the stunt you pulled last week filling my scabbard with tree sap. It took me three days to get my katana out. Take your punishment like a man." He snuck a satisfied glance out of the corner of his eye at the boy as he howled in protest and allowed himself a chuckle. ______________________ doshta: what's wrong (Japanese) oni-san: title for older brother (Japanese, formal) baga: idiot (Japanese) yattah: I did it (Japanese) itteh: ow (Japanese) nigetteh: run (imperative, Japanese) ______________________ When Genzo awoke, he was startled to see Linnsa watching him attentively. "Good morning, Sunshine," she grinned. "So uh, what were you dreaming about? You were smiling the whole time." Feeling compromised again, Genzo tried to clear his mind and remember his dream. "I dreamed of my brothers." Turning to Linnsa, he explained, "This is the first time I have had a pleasant dream about my family. Thank you, Linnsa." "Oh, I'm sure it had nothing to do with me." She gave a little squeal of surprise when he grabbed her in a bear hug. "It had everything to do with you," he smiled, squeezing her again. "Thank you, Linnsa-chan." "You're welcome." Unsure of what to do with his growing affection, she didn't want to hurt his feelings either but was silently grateful that her sister was coming over. He would have to be a little less obvious. "Breakfast?" His smile never left his face. "[Moichiron]." _________________________________ moichiron: of course (Japanese) _________________________________ When Angela arrived, she was shocked to be greeted at the door by Genzo. Actually, it wasn't so much Genzo as it was the smile that he was wearing. As she headed over to her sister to give her a hug, she asked, "What, is someone spiking the water with Prozac?" "It's a long story," her sister said conspiratorially. An eyebrow went up at the answer. "Ohhhhh! You better not keep me waiting long," she warned, wiggling her eyebrows. "[Unnie], shut up!" Linnsa laughed, not a little awkwardly. "So you want breakfast? I want diner food." Angela screwed up her face. "I'm not sure I want diner food. Wanna [kai bai bo] for it?" Linnsa made a face in return. "You know you always win!" "[Kai bai bo]?" he repeated. "Rock paper scissors," Angela clarified. "Oh," he nodded. "You mean [jyang ken]." "No, [kai bai bo]," Linnsa challenged goofily. Grinning, he made a fist. "May I join?" "Where do you want to go for breakfast?" Angela laughed. "I do not care. I simply wish to play," he smiled. It was strange to see Genzo in such a good mood. Angela knew that somehow her sister was involved. "Okay." The two women made fists and raised them in preparation. "Kai bai-" "[Jyang ken]," Genzo said pointedly. Laughing, Linnsa said, "OK fine. [Jyang Ken]!" The Rising Sun & The Morning Calm Ch. 22 Angela had chosen paper while both Genzo and Linnsa had selected scissors. "Fuck," she swore. "Diner it is, then." Genzo turned to face Linnsa. "[Sa, jyang ken]." When he had chosen rock and she had chosen paper, Linnsa hopped up and down in place and clapped excitedly. "I never get to win!" "Well at least we weren't betting on [Dekopin]," Genzo remarked. Both girls looked at him curiously. "What's [dekopin]?" Angela asked. "It is a form of punishment," Genzo explained. "If you lose, the victor takes his middle finger and flicks the forehead of the loser very hard." "Or HER middle finger," Linnsa cackled. "Eh?" "Bend down, Genzo, it's [dekopin] time!" she ordered, giggling. Glowering, Genzo muttered, "Usually it is best two out of three." "Too bad you're playing a Korean," she pointed out. "Now, capitulate!" Trying to suppress his mirth, Genzo kept his face serious as he bent forward and winced as she planted a surprisingly forceful flick to his forehead. "[Itai]," he hissed. Both sisters began laughing hysterically at his expression. "Can we go again?" Angela asked between giggles. "I want a try." "I will not be kind if I win," Genzo warned with a growl. "Okay, maybe later," she relented, smothering another chuckle. ______________________ sa: okay (Japanese) dekopin: Japanese punishment where the middle finger is flicked onto the forehead against the thumb. The intention is to inflict both the pain and humiliation of defeat. ______________________ As they drove to the diner, Genzo remarked, "It has been a long time since I have received [dekopin] from anyone." "How long?" they both asked in unison. Genzo chuckled, it was so cute. "Over three hundred years ago." "Cool!" Linnsa laughed. "I got to break the dry spell!" At the diner, Angela and Linnsa put their heads together over a menu, deciding what they wanted to split. "Japanese portions are so small," Angela groused. As they rattled off the list to Genzo, he shook his head in amazement. "How can two such tiny women eat so much?" He received a pair of stuck out tongues in reply. "Hai, hai, hai..." he grumbled good-naturedly. Linnsa stood up and announced, "I have to pee. Be right back." Angela laughed at Genzo's amazed expression. When her sister was out of earshot, she leaned across the table and slyly asked, "So, anything you wanted to share with me?" She tried not to laugh as she watched his face go red and then felt bad for embarrassing him. "I just want you to know that I'm rooting for you, Genzo." His eyes flicked up in surprise to see a sympathetic smile. "I'm hoping she comes around, too. You'd be a pretty awesome brother, I think." Genzo smiled back gratefully at her support. "Just one piece of advice. Go slow. She's not like us." Suddenly she sat back and continued speaking as if she had not spoken out of the ordinary, "...so maybe I'll go meet Nobu later on tonight. Hey, Sis, have a good pee?" "Epic," Linnsa joked. "Where's our food? I'm starving." Preoccupied as she was with looking for the waiter, she missed the conspiratorial smile Angela shared with Genzo. _____________________ At the temporary apartment, Angela announced her need for a nap with a loud yawn. "You two kids going to be okay alone here?" Genzo nodded, seemingly unaware of the implication in her question. Her subtlety was not however lost on her little sister and Linnsa scowled at her obviousness. "Okay, wake me up when it's time to eat dinner. I'm gonna use your room, Lins." Linnsa turned to Genzo, again feeling apologetic. "You don't have to stay here," she stated. "I'm sure there are other things you need to be doing." "I have been charged with your care and I intend to perform my duties until they are no longer required of me." He ended his sentence with a little bow. "You can drop the formalities now, Genzo. At least if you're going to be all dutiful speak casually." "[Gomen]. I will try." She laughed at how stilted it sounded. "You don't talk to women a lot, do you?" "Is that a..." Genzo racked his brain looking for the proper English word, "...rhetorical question?" Linnsa cover her mouth, not wanting to wake her sister with her laughter. "You are so funny!" It pleased her to see his eyes crinkle with amusement. When she had calmed down, she asked, "So how come you've never had a girlfriend? It's hard to believe you've been around for like three centuries and haven't found anyone." He was quiet while he thought about her question. "You are right. It is hard to believe that in all this time, I have not found a companion." "Do you want one?" Genzo remembered his fiasco with her sister and felt a bit guilty. He surprised himself when he heard his voice answer, "I do long for one. Very much so." Linnsa could tell by the look on his face that he had not intended to give that answer. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have gone there." "I have never thought about these things until I met you and your sister," he mused thoughtfully. "You are both so strange to my experience. I cannot recall meeting two kinder people." He chuckled softly. "I envy Noboru the good fortune of having met your sister. I would say that I envied your fiancé but it seems that he is far too stupid to appreciate the importance of what he threw away." "Genzo, that's completely unfair!" Linnsa retorted, louder than she had intended. "You have no idea just as I don't what drove him to do what he did. Don't you dare pass judgment on Richard. You don't know the first thing about him!" Angry tears were slipping down her cheeks and Genzo felt terrible for what he had just said. They sat in silence for a while, as Genzo furiously tried to think of what to do to remedy the situation. Handing her a Kleenex, he quietly muttered, "You are right. It was not my place to make such a judgment. I suppose its makes me angry when I see good people hurt. I am sorry, Linnsa." Sniffing a little, Linnsa accepted the token of his apology and wiped off her tears. "Thanks, I guess. I'll take it as a backhanded compliment. I just wish I could have some closure on the matter." He couldn't explain why, but he wanted so badly for her to smile, and not only just to smile, but to smile because of him. She looked so small and helpless to him. Silently, he cursed himself for being so inexperienced in the art of courtship. "Is there anything that I can do? I am uncomfortable with seeing you so sad." "Oh, I could use a hug right now," she sniffled with an embarrassed laugh. Only too happy to comply, Genzo tried to keep his expression as neutral as possible as he held her to him. Reminded of the previous night, he liked how she fit it the crook of his arm. "Would a steak make you happy?" he asked with mock seriousness. "It might." He could her the lilting smile in her voice. As he released his hold on her, Linnsa's cell phone began to ring. "Unavailable?" Curious, she answered, "Hello?" "Hi. Can we talk?" Her face went ashen. "Richard?" Genzo narrowed his eyes at the mention of his name but attempted to keep his temper in check. "Why are you calling me? Why can't I see your number?" "I thought if you saw my number you wouldn't pick up," the voice explained. "I called your roommate and she said that you were in Tokyo. Is this true?" "And if it is?" Her anger began to get the better of her. "I just want to talk. Can we do that please?" "Fine, talk then," she spat back. "I meant in person, Linnsa." She laughed without an ounce of humor. "Well, the distance is a bit of a problem, don't you think?" "I'm in Tokyo, actually. I flew in a couple of days ago." "What?!" There was a sigh on the other end. "Look, I'm not even sure what the hell I'm doing but it's important that we talk in person. I mean, I came halfway around the world so I could see you." Almost afraid to ask, she did it anyway. "Did you still want to call off the wedding?" Genzo couldn't help listening in on the conversation, though Linnsa seemed to be unaware, having forgotten about his enhanced hearing. The man on the other end was quiet for a moment before he said, "We need to talk. After that, you may not feel so bad about my decision." "Fine, then. We'll meet. Where-hey!" She shrieked in surprise when Genzo grabbed the phone from her hand and closed it. "What the hell do you think you're doing?!" "You cannot meet with anyone unless it is first discussed with Noboru." His tone was clipped. "Don't you dare tell me what I can and cannot do! Stay out of my business. This is something I have to do." She tried to pry the phone out of his fingers but the man had an iron grip. "Leggo!" Genzo felt his anger rising to meet hers. "There are things that are happening that you do not understand. It is not prudent to simply rush out there because you feel like it." Unable to open his fingers, she began punching his arm angrily. "Easy for you to say," she shouted back. "How the hell would you know? It's not like you have any feelings!" Her comment stung him deeply, deeper than he had imagined anyone's words could. Suddenly he heard behind him, "What is going on? I thought you two said you'd be fine!" "You tell that overgrown ninja to give me back my phone!" Linnsa demanded. Angela turned to Genzo, who was almost snarling aloud. "What the hell is happening?" Not giving him the chance to speak, Linnsa acidly explained, "Richard is in Tokyo and he wants to meet to talk. This asshole is saying I can't go anywhere until your boyfriend gives me say so. This is nobody else's business but mine and I am going to get some answers so give me the goddamn phone back!" Her entire body was practically shaking, she was so upset. [Now I know how Noboru feels] Angela thought ruefully. "Linnsa, I know you're angry and scared right now, but Genzo is right. It's not safe for you to be running out there until we know for sure that you two can meet safely." "What, you're going to take his side too?!" Storming into her room, she slammed the door pointedly. "I'm sorry, Genzo." He always seemed to get the short end of the stick since she came into his life. "That was totally unfair for you." A small cracking noise snapped him out of his daze and he realized that he was clenching Linnsa's cell phone so hard that the case was being crushed. Not wanting her to be any more angry at him than she already was, he eased up on his grip and was grateful to see that it was still working. "I will tell Noboru-sama and he will decide what is best." He heard the shower in Linnsa's room turn on and sighed. "When she is finished, I will apologize to her." Knocking gingerly on the door, Angela opened it a crack and tentatively called out, "Lins?" There was no answer. At first, Angela figured that she was being ignored, but as she was about to leave she realized that something about the shower sounded strange – as if the water were hitting only tile and not a body that was moving. Darting back in, she opened the door to the bathroom and found that Linnsa wasn't in the bathroom. "Oh, no, you didn't!" she prayed. Going to the corner, she saw that the window had been opened and her sister had fashioned a rope out of her bed linens that ended about six feet above street level. Panicking, she ran out and shouted, "She's gone! She went to meet him anyway!" She shrank back for a moment when she saw the fury on Genzo's face. The voice that spoke was full of barely containable rage. "I will find her and return her. Stay here." As he was about to leave, he asked, "What is her fiance's last name?" "Hollis, but why-" "[Arigato]. I will return with her shortly." The door rattled on its hinges from the force he used to close it. Had he not controlled himself, Angela was sure the door wouldn't still be functional. "Please, God, let her be okay," she begged. ____________________________________ gomen: sorry (Japanese) ____________________________________ Genzo was unsure what he would feel more when he found her, gratitude that she was okay or a fury at her stupidity. The two women shared the disconcerting habit of disappearing on him while he was on duty. Calling some of their contacts around Tokyo, he asked that anyone who had rented a car to her fiancé be reported to him. He figured at least that would give him a place to start. He also tried to find out if anyone by that name had used a credit card or registered at a hotel in Tokyo. A few minutes later, he hit pay dirt when he was informed that the man was staying in a nearby Hilton and had rented a car not far from the hotel. Presuming he would catch them there, he headed for his car. Night had fallen when he reached the hotel. Parked across the street, he watched carefully for anyone who remotely resembled Linnsa. Out of the hotel's underground garage, he saw a car stagger out and nearly turn into the wrong lane. Checking the make and model of the car, he realized it was the rental loaned to her fiancé. His erratic driving gave away the fact that he was [gaijin]. Thinking it would not be too hard to tail them, he set off in pursuit. __________________________________ gaijin: foreigner __________________________________ "Thanks for meeting me, but why do we have to be driving?" Richard asked quizzically as he weaved onto the road. "I'm having a hard time with this driving on the other side of the road thing." "I don't have the luxury of explaining," Linnsa replied. "Now, what was it that you wanted to tell me?" They were approaching the outer limits of Tokyo and the roads were becoming smaller and more sparse. Richard appeared to have difficulty in starting, opening his mouth to start and then closing it juse as soon. Unable to wait for his explanation, Linnsa burst out, "For God's sake, just say it!" "I cheated on you." He winced after he said it, trying to keep his eyes on the dimly lit road. Linnsa blinked, not wanting to believe what she had just heard. "You what?" "It was only a few times, but I couldn't go through with the wedding and not tell you. It's been eating me up for months. I'm sorry!" Unable to stop herself, she began beating him with her fists. "You asshole!" she screamed. "You fucking worthless asshole! Who was it?! Who is she?!" "No one you know," he said, trying to dodge her blows well enough to drive. "Linnsa, you have no idea what it was like for me. You worked all the time, and when you weren't you were exhausted, I just felt like there was no room in your life for me-OW!!" "Why-didn't-you-just-tell-me?!" she shouted between slaps. "Owowow, you never seemed to have time! I was feeling more and more lonely and it just sort of happened and the closer the wedding got, the worse I felt about it." He turned to face her as her punches dwindled. "I never meant for it to go like this, but I mean, would you still want to marry me knowing what happened? I'll do it if you still want me. Can you forgive me?" Linnsa felt like she was going to choke on her own tears. "Richard, I-LOOK OUT!!!" Jerking his head back into the road, Richard saw that they had veered into the right lane and were heading straight for a collision with an oncoming truck. "Oh shit!" Swerving, he turned in a wide arc, narrowly missing the truck, but as he came almost full circle, the car twisted and flipped, barreling down the road right into Genzo's view. "[Jikshyo!]" The world went silent as the two cars slammed into one another, and in his haste, forgetting to wear the seat belt, Genzo hurtled forward out of the windshield and over the wreckage. After hitting the pavement, he rolled over a few times and lay still. _______________________ jikshyo: shit (Japanese) The Rising Sun & The Morning Calm Ch. 23 Thanks for reading. Comments are appreciated as I like to know who's reading my stories. And for those of you who are only reading for the sexy bits, this doesn't have that much so if you plan on voting low because of that, please don't. Otherwise, enjoy! _______________ Stumbling up off the ground, Genzo winced as the nerves in his arm announced that his limb was broken. It took a few moments for him to get his bearings and he looked around his surroundings in confusion. Seeing no one in the immediate vicinity, he stripped and changed into his animal habitus, his arm healing within seconds. Suddenly he remembered -- Linnsa! Fearing the worst, he ran to the crumpled cars and tore away at the ruined metal. He scoured the mangled remains of the two cars praying she was still alive. Finally he spotted her small hand peeking out from under a crushed door. Wrenching it away, he was horrified to see that a shard of metal had gone straight through her chest, pinning her to the rubble. Letting loose an angry howl, he drove his claws through the surrounding wreckage and tore it apart, giving him room to pull her out. As he did, he noticed that her fiancé had not fared as well, his head crushed in by the impact. Likely he'd been killed instantly. When the last of it was gone, he cradled her gently in his arms and ran into the trees to lay her down. Her arms and one leg were broken, she was badly bruised and he didn't know if she was suffering from internal hemorrhaging. Not only that, her right lung was rapidly filling up with blood as she gasped for breath, coughing up bright red clots. "Linnsa, [shikai shyero]!" he begged. His mind raced to devise a means of saving her but she was so severely injured that only one option presented itself. Without hesitation, he pulled aside the blood stained collar of her shirt, bit into her neck and then immediately began cleaning the wound to repair it. When he had finished, he winced as he pulled the sharp metal spike out of her body. A torrent of blood spilled out of the hole in her chest and she coughed in pain. A spray of red escaped her mouth and she was in danger of choking. Panicked he attempted to seal the wound with his mouth, desperately licking her chest wall. To his relief, the injury began to repair itself, but she was badly hurt internally. Lifting her head, he tried to rouse her. "Linnsa? Linnsa-chan! You must wake up, now!" When she made no movement, he felt his breath catch in his throat and his voice cracked as he begged her, "Not again. Please, do not do this to me again! You cannot die. Please..." At his entreaty, she half opened her eyes and tried to focus on his face but saw only a blurred image. Overjoyed, he continued, "Linnsa, listen to me very carefully. You are very seriously hurt and in order to keep you from dying you have to take some of my blood, do you understand?" A flutter of her eyelids was the only indication that she had even heard what he'd said. Biting into his radial artery, he held his wrist to her mouth. As his blood spurted into her mouth, she gagged and tried to fight him, but he held her head firmly to his arm and pinched her nostrils shut. Unable to breath, she began to cooperate and soon she was warming. The bones in her broken arm began to knit themselves together and her breathing became less labored, indicating that her lungs had cleared themselves of the blood that had collected there. Feeling faint, he took his arm away and applied pressure to the artery to stop the blood loss. After five seconds of constant pressure, he flexed his hand without bleeding and gathered Linnsa into his arms. Trying his best not to jostle her, he ran as fast as he could to bring her back to the apartment. __________________ shikai shyero: hang on (Japanese) __________________ Noboru was doing his utmost to keep Angela from falling apart at the seems with worry but she shook uncontrollably in his arms, crying and unable to calm herself. He was almost beginning to lose hope when Genzo burst into the apartment, nude, bloody and barely able to stand. Both Noboru and Angela breathed a sigh of relief when they saw the unconscious Linnsa held up in his arms. "Is she okay?" Angela scrambled over to them, trying not to imagine the worst. Using his last ounce of strength to place her gently on the couch, Genzo collapsed onto the floor with a muffled thud. "Genzo!" Angela turned to see Noboru scoop up her sister and carry her into her room. Not knowing what to do, she intentionally shifted in order to have enough strength to pull Genzo onto the couch and then returned to her human form. Running to her sister's room, she briefly watched as Noboru placed her in the bed and grabbed a blanket to cover Genzo with. Feeling terrible that she couldn't sit with him, she nonetheless bolted back to her sister after covering him. Noboru was already sponging off the dried blood on her face and neck from a basin of warm water. "[Daijobu]," he assured her. "She is alive and mending. She will not die." The water in the basin was rapidly reddening as he cleaned her wounds. When he got to her neck, he almost dropped the sponge when he saw the faint teeth marks but was grateful that Angela had not noticed his reaction. Sinking to her knees, Angela rested her forehead against her sister's mattress and sobbed with relief. "Oh, thank God," she kept repeating. Calmed by Noboru's promise, she went back to check on Genzo. Limply sprawled across the couch, he was horribly pale and his breathing appeared slow and labored. Shaking him gently, she cried, "Genzo, can you hear me? Say something, please!" Mumbling incoherently in Japanese, his voice faded. He was too exhausted to even speak. Angela looked up at Noboru who was watching him with his lips tightly pressed together. "Why doesn't he just change so he can heal?" she cried. "Because he has depleted the majority of his metabolic resources in order to heal another," he answered grimly. "What do you mean?" Noboru hadn't really considered what it must have been like for his friend to revive Angela, but seeing him now, barely hanging onto consciousness, he understood now what a great debt he owed him. "He saved your sister in the same way that he saved you." Remembering their earlier conversation, a grim realization surfaced and her eyes widened in alarm. "No, he didn't!" "She is a carrier now," she heard Noboru's voice behind her. "It was the only way Genzo could have saved her life if it was in danger." Angela looked from him to her sister's room and back at him again. "No," she whispered. "How can you be sure? How do you know?" "She bears the scars of his teeth on her neck." Noboru knelt down next to her and put his arms around her shoulders as she started to weep. "He would not have done it if he had been given any other choice." "It's not that I doubt that," she sobbed. "It's just that I don't know how she's going to take this news. He may have saved her life, but I don't know if she would have preferred...this. Richard's dead -- I mean, he must be, otherwise Genzo would have brought him back, right? For all I know, she may have preferred to die." She buried her face in her hands to muffle her cries. "Are you not glad she did not die?" Noboru asked her gently. "Of course I am!" She threw her arms around him and hugged him hard. "But I don't know if that will be enough for her." Noboru held her as she gave into her tears and heard Linnsa stirring in the bed. "She is waking up." Moving over to the bedside, Angela hastily wiped off her tears and touched her sister's face. "Linnsa, can you hear me?" "Unnie," she croaked. "I hurt...all over my body." "What's the last thing you remember?" She licked her cracked lips and tried to think. "Rich had wanted to meet up...he flew in...wanted to talk today...we had a fight...That's all I...can remember." "Well, you're alive and you're going to be okay," she said shakily. "How'd I get back here?" she asked, wincing as she tried to sit up. She looked down in alarm at the large bloodstained hole in her t-shirt. "What happened to me?" "Please try to rest. Genzo found you and brought you back here," Noboru informed her. "Is...is he okay?" "Genzo will be fine," he said reassuringly. "No," she protested weakly. "Not him. Richard." Outside, Genzo tried to pretend that he had not heard what she had said but her words sent a lancinating pain through his chest. "Rest for now. We will speak more when you are feeling better" Leaving Angela with her sister, he went back into the living room where Genzo was trying his best to sit upright. "Stay down," Noboru ordered. "You'll feel faint if you keep trying to sit up. I imagine you gave up quite a bit of blood tonight." Genzo lay back and put an arm wearily over his eyes. "She's alive. That is all that matters." Noboru studied his pale features with concern. "What happened?" "Her worthless ex from the United States came here wanting to speak with her. I advised her against it but she went regardless. They drove off in a rental car and I followed them. Something happened and their car veered out of control and ran into mine. Her injuries were too severe -- I couldn't think of anything else to do to save her." "[Wakatta]. I'll send a few more people here so that you can recuperate without worrying too much." "[Domo]." He walked a short distance away and thought of something. Turning around, he said, "One more question. Do you regret what you did?" A pause followed his question. "No, I don't regret what I did." The pained edge to his voice was not lost on him. "What do you regret?" Genzo sighed and turned his face away. "That I'm happy her boyfriend didn't survive." Noboru raised an eyebrow at his admission. "[So-ka]." He took his arm off of his eyes and stared at the ceiling before adding, "She'll hate me even more now." His voice was heavy with sorrow and defeat. "Try not to think on it for now. Ryuzo will be here to tend to your wounds and hers. You could do with a good meal and a sound sleep. We will deal with whatever happens tomorrow." As he prepared to check on Linnsa, his phone rang. Almost as if on cue, it was Ryuzo. "[Hai?]" "The twenty four hours are up, [donno]. You still want me to go through with it?" He'd completely forgotten about the possible cure with all that had happened that night. Again, Ryuzo's astute suggestion proved to be useful in the end. "No." He glanced again towards Linnsa's door. "Keep it confidential, but don't destroy it. I need you here though as soon as possible. Genzo and Angela's sister are both hurt. Bring Dr. Nakamura if you can reach him." "[Hai]." "[Hayaku], Ryuzo." ___________________________ wakkata: I understand (Japanese) so-ka: really (Japanese) hayaku: hurry (Japanese) ___________________________ Ten minutes later, Ryuzo arrived with Dr. Nakamura in tow, as well as several other people. The doctor went to examine Linnsa while Ryuzo attended to Genzo. "You look like shit," he muttered as he helped Genzo into a seated position. "Nice to see you, too," Genzo shot back weakly. "[Itai-tai-tai]," he winced as Ryuzo inserted an IV needle. "[Uruseh]!" Opening a foam container, he pulled out a unit of packed red blood cells and connected Genzo's IV to the bag. "I'm going to give you three units." It had been Ryuzo's idea that they should bank carrier blood in the event of an emergency. In the other room, Angela watched as the Japanese doctor examined her sister, but all he said was the occasional "Mm, mm." Removing his stethoscope, he smiled at her and said in heavily accented English, "She is weak from blood loss, but she is healing well. All she needs now is rest." Putting his instruments back into his satchel, he left the room. Angela, satisfied for the moment that her sister was now well out of harm's way, left her to rest and returned to the living room. Ryuzo was running his second unit of blood and watching Genzo intently. "Change your hand," he ordered. Grimacing, Genzo managed to turn his hand into a white paw for a few seconds before losing control of it. "You might need a third unit," Ryuzo observed. A knock on the door was followed by Shinnosuke's face. "Is it safe to come in or is everyone grumpy?" he joked in Japanese. "Why don't you come in and find out," Ryuzo growled. Noboru laughed when he saw Shinnosuke put his hands up in a placating gesture. Ambling over to Genzo, Shinnosuke patted his shoulder and clucked, "You need to really get out of this annoying habit of saving women in distress. I think it's becoming hazardous to your health." "I don't think Angela has any more sisters, so I'm probably safe," Genzo retorted. "Speaking of which, do I actually get to meet this little sister?" He walked over to Linnsa's room to sneak a peak. "[Wah, kawaii-des]!" he observed appreciatively. "You always get the choice jobs," he said with a laugh that was cut short when he saw Genzo bare a canine. "Was it something I said?" His color began to return after the third unit was finished. Sensing that he was feeling better, Noboru suggested in Japanese, "You can return to my loft and rest there. It's probably quieter than here." "No. I would prefer to stay-". Genzo saw Noboru's surprised expression and added, "If you don't mind, [Donno]." Obviously worried about Linnsa, Noboru simply nodded his consent and turned to Ryuzo. "So, now that you have time to play with these new findings, what do you suggest?" "I've already sent the virus to our counterparts in Seoul for sequencing. I am quite certain that we can use this new strain in order to rid you of the problem of your brother." "I'm concerned about the possibility of this being used against us," Noboru stated. "How do we know that no information will be leaked from the Seoul facility?" Ryuzo smiled. "Because they have no idea what it is they are doing. I've arranged for different parts of the work to be done by different groups. Unless all groups meet and happen to reveal what they are working on, it is unlikely that they will ever figure out what the work is that they are doing." "[Yosh]." As if reading his thoughts, Ryuzo ventured, "Did you wish us to save the virus for the sake of your mate's sister?" "Yes, but I am hoping that I won't have to tell either of them of the existence of a cure." "I understand. As it stands right now, you and I are the only two who have any idea such a thing exists." "[Domo], Ryuzo. Go and get some sleep." _______________________________ itai-tai-tai: ow ow ow uruseh: shut up wah: wow, or woah kawaii: cute yosh: good donno: lord domo: much thanks ______________________ When the others had left, Genzo walked softly to Linnsa's room to see how she was doing. Though bruised, he could tell that she was healing well. "Angela, may I speak with you?" "Sure." She followed him out and into his room. When he gestured towards a chair, she sat and waited for him to sit on his bed. "Her boyfriend did not survive," he began. "I would have saved him as well, but he was already dead when I found him. I know she has already asked for him." "I know you didn't have any other choice, Genzo," Angela said sadly, realizing he had heard her sister's comment. "I can't thank you enough for saving her." His shoulders slumped. "She will hate me more once she discovers that he is dead." Looking up, he asked, "Is there no chance that she could come to accept living with the infection? She still has you to keep her company throughout her life." Not wanting him to be upset, but not wanting to lie either, she debated on what to tell him. "I hope that she can adjust to the idea of living for so long, but I don't know if she can. I had brought this up with her earlier and the idea of living forever really didn't appeal to her." Genzo thought back to their conversation at the steak house. "Yes, she mentioned that to me as well." Feeling pity for him after such an ordeal, she hugged him and promised, "Whatever I can do to help the two of you, I will." "[Domo], Angela." ________________________ Linnsa awoke and gave a low moan of pain. She had a terrific headache and body was sore from head to toe. "Unnie?" Jerking her head up from where she had pillowed it on her arms, Angela smiled as she saw her sister sit up. "Sweetie, you're up!" "What happened?" Linnsa asked, wincing as she touched her forehead. "You went to go meet Richard." "I don't remember anything after that." Taking her hand, Angela informed her, "Genzo followed you to make sure you were okay." "How the hell was he able to find me?" she asked in disbelief. Angela smiled wryly. "I told you he was good. Apparently the car swerved out of control and all three of you ended up in an accident. He dug through the wreckage to find you and brought you back here." "Wha-what happened to Richard?" When her sister avoided her gaze, Linnsa began sobbing hysterically. "No! He's not dead! It's not true! Tell me it's not true!" "He tried to save him," Angela explained, trying to hold her. "He was already gone." "How-how is it that the two of us are okay then if it was such a bad wreck?" she hiccupped between sobs. Suddenly her eyes moved to the door where Genzo and Shinnosuke were standing. As the realization dawned on her, she felt anger replace her despair, and grabbing the clock nearest her, she threw it with surprising force as it shattered inches away from Genzo's head. Unflinching. he stood waiting to see what she would say. "Get out! What the hell have you done to me?! You had no right! You had no fucking right!" "Honey, he was only thinking of you and me. There was nothing else he could do. Would you prefer that he left you to die?" Her attempts to calm her sister were in vain as Linnsa continued to throw whatever was nearest her in the direction of Genzo's face. "I don't care!" She was shrieking now. "I don't want to live like this!" Collapsing onto the bed, she sobbed into her pillow. "I hate you! I wish you'd just left me for dead!" Angela mouthed a silent apology to Genzo who wordlessly left the room. Shinnosuke followed, and though Genzo's face betrayed no emotion, he knew his friend well enough to know that he was on the verge of exploding at any minute. The tension was no less evident to Noboru, who could feel the emotion simmering under the stoic exterior. "Genzo, go out and get some air," he instructed. "[Donno], I-" "That is an order," he clarified gently. "[Hai]." Exercising a supreme amount of willpower, Genzo slid his feet into his shoes and left. After a nod from Noboru, Shinnosuke followed shortly behind him. As he walked briskly away from the building, Shinnosuke trotted after him and tried to slow him down. Whirling around to face Shinnosuke, Genzo hissed, "Leave me alone." "So you can go off? I think one Nagasaki was enough." He looked down at both of Genzo's clenched fists. "Let's go help you burn off some rage, eh? Gym?" Letting out a long, slow breath, Genzo acquiesced and the two headed in the direction of Takeshi's dojo. __________________ Upon letting them in, Takeshi took one look at Genzo's face and knew exactly why the two had come. Inwardly, he was grateful that he hadn't scheduled any students for the day. Motioning them in, he slid the doors shut and hoped that they would be able to keep the noise to a minimum. As Shinnosuke pulled his clothes off, he prayed that Genzo was still somewhat recovering, otherwise he would be in a world of pain soon. His eyes melted from brown into a hazel then an emerald green, signaling the beginning of his transformation. As his skeleton lengthen and he gained mass, a sable colored fur began to cover his skin and he shook himself much as a dog would after a bath before standing to his full height. Unable to wait, Genzo had already shifted and though they were only a few inches apart in height as humans, he still had a good foot on Shinnosuke in their hybrid form. Trying to manage as best a smile as he could considering he now had a muzzle, Shinnosuke reminded him, "Uh, try not to forget I AM your friend..." His ears flattened against his head when Genzo cracked his neck and snarled menacingly. "[Kso-]". The Rising Sun & The Morning Calm Ch. 23 Letting loose an angry roar, Genzo charged Shinnosuke who just barely managed to leap out of the way. Realizing that he had not in fact made contact, Genzo dug his claws into the varnished wood floor in order to gain better traction and leapt again at Shinnosuke. Covering his face with one hand, Takeshi cringed at the damage that had been done to his dojo floor in less than ten seconds. Reasoning that his best strategy was to try and wear him out, Shinnosuke continually ducked and dodged his grey friend, but this only seemed to fuel his irritation. "Get over here!" he growled. "I like you Genzo, but I don't like you THAT much-". His sentence was cut short as he nearly missed a swipe from Genzo's claws. He could hear the air hiss from the speed of his strike. "[Oi]!" Not expecting the sudden head butt Genzo delivered, Shinnosuke fell backwards and was able to look up just in time to see his grey opponent leap across the floor and was bowled over. Trying to regain his footing, Shinnosuke found his center of balance and threw Genzo off his back, sending his friend flying into one of the support beams. At the force of the impact, the beam cracked and nearly broke in two. Climbing out between the broken fragments, Genzo shook his head for a moment before launching himself on Shinnosuke again. Going down on all fours, the sable wolf crouched and waited just until the right moment and when the momentum was right, he grabbed the other by the arm and threw him into a display that held various wooden [shinai]. Trying to keep a neutral façade, Takeshi tried not to think about how long it would take to repair the damage Genzo was raining on his dojo. After what felt like an eternity for both Shinnosuke and Takeshi, Genzo finally slipped back into his human form and began getting dressed. Shinnosuke was not so much worse for the wear with only a few cuts and bruises. Genzo on the other hand was sporting a lovely black eye and a split lower lip. Sheepishly, he bowed to Takeshi in thanks. "[Gomen nasai], Takeshi," Shinnosuke said, not a little embarrassed at the havoc they had wreaked. "Do not worry. I have not taken a vacation in over three hundred and fifty years. Perhaps this is a signal that it is time." He bid them goodbye and began to systematically assess the damage. _______________________ kso: shit (Japanese) oi: hey (Japanese) shinai: wooden swords gomen nasai: I'm very sorry (Japanese) _______________________ When they returned, Noboru took on look at Genzo's black eye and tsk-tsked with amusement. "[Kusai!] You both might want to clean up," he suggested. "How is she doing?" Genzo inquired. "She is still quite upset, but not as hysterical." Thinking that was the best he could expect for now, Genzo nodded and headed into the shower. He winced as the warm water hit his skin and felt the puffy laceration on his lower lip. It would be a few hours before he felt well enough to change to speed up the healing process. Outside, Noboru and Shinnosuke continued to converse. "Arigato for wearing him out." Shinnosuke laughed. "[Wah, kowai!] I think we owe Takeshi a few [hyaku man] yen for the mess we made of his dojo. Noboru smiled. "I'll see to it." In her sister's room, Angela was attempting to feed her sister some soup. "I don't want any," Linnsa said stubbornly. "It doesn't matter if you want it or not, you need it. Now don't make me get one of those guys in here to hold you down while I feed it to you." Linnsa scowled at her sister. "You wouldn't..." Angela scowled right back. "Try me." Throwing up her hands, she shouted, "Alright fine! Gimme the damn bowl." Shooting her sister a few dirty looks, Linnsa began eating. When Angela was satisfied that her sister had eaten at least half, she took the bowl from her. "So, what did Richard say? Did you ever find out why he called it off?" When her sister didn't answer, she added, "Well?" "He cheated on me," she replied mournfully. "That was the reason he called off the wedding." "He did WHAT?" Angela almost felt good about the fact that he was dead and quickly reminded herself that that was distinctly unchristian of her. "Why?" Sniffling, Linnsa tried not to cry again. "He said I never had time for him and he didn't feel like he was important. It was my fault he cheated." "Oh that's a load of horseshit!" Angela spat. "He could have talked to you about it way before it happened." "Maybe I made sure I was never around for him to talk about it," Linnsa mumbled. "Well would you really wanted to have married him if this sort of things was going to happen?" "No, but if I were a better girlfriend maybe he wouldn't have done it." Sighing, Angela sat next to her sister. "You know, it's all very well and good to do the whole woulda shoulda coulda game, but just because he's gone doesn't mean that he was a saint and this was all your fault." Her sister sat silently looking at the floor. "Look, I know you're upset that he's gone. Way too much has happened to you in too short a time for you to not feel overwhelmed, and I love you when I say this, but you were really way too hard on Genzo. He saved your life!" "Did I ask him to save it?" she snapped venomously. "Oh right, I was unconscious and unable to speak!" "Think about how the family would have dealt with you dying. I know I couldn't handle it. I'm not sure I wouldn't have done the same thing if I were in his shoes." "I don't want to live forever!" she sobbed. "All alone." "You don't have to be alone. You'll have me. And Genzo really cares for you. You're the only person I've seen who's been able to get under his skin." "We don't know anything about each other," she objected. "How the hell can he even know he likes me? And even if he does, I can't just replace Richard right this second. Maybe we'd hit it off, maybe not, but even if we did, the two of you aren't enough to make it worthwhile for me to be here forever! This is ridiculous, he only met met two weeks ago." "You're a pretty great girl, Linnsa. I think your heart won him over." Linnsa's expression showed no signs of softening. "Look, I know you're hurting over what happened with Richard and that you're trying to make sense of his death, but it isn't fair to Genzo that you take it out on him. He's not the one who cheated on you and he certainly wasn't the one who nearly got you killed. In fact, he's done nothing but be kind to you since you got here and, in case you hadn't noticed, despite the fact that you're being so cold to him, he hasn't left because he needs to know you're okay and is worried sick about you." Her sister averted her eyes in guilt. After a long silence, she sighed and admitted, "You're right. I haven't been fair to him and I have been taking out all my anger on him, but I still feel like I didn't have a choice in the matter." "What if I'd done it?" "Huh?" "Would you be just as mad if I did the same thing because I couldn't lose you?" Angela shot her sister a sad smile. She thought about it for a moment. "I'm not sure." Blowing her nose, she looked at Angela. "Can you ask Genzo to come in so I can talk to him?" A huge smile broke across Angela's face. "Of course I will!" Walking to the living room, she sat down on the couch where Genzo was drying his hair and said, "Linnsa wants to talk to you." When she saw the clouds gathering over his brows, she hastily added, "She's being a lot more sensible now. I think she wants to tell you that she's sorry." His expression softened and became hopeful. "I will speak with her." Getting up, he strode over to Linnsa's room and knocked hesitantly. "Linnsa? May I enter?" "Come on in, Genzo. I promise not to throw anything at you anymore." She let out a gasp when she saw his battered face. "What happened to you?" Rubbing the back of his head awkwardly, he shuffled his feet and replied, "I was trying to rid myself of excess energy. You were not the only one who was more than a little upset by the events of the previous evening." "Oh. Do you, uh, want to sit?" She motioned to the empty chair. "Thank you." Sitting across from her bed, he waited to see what she had to say. "Listen, I'm really sorry about what I said and how I acted. You didn't deserve how I treated you. My sister had to remind me how nice you've been to me since I got here and she's right. I'm sorry if what I said hurt you." Genzo smiled, relieved that she didn't loathe him. "I am glad you are not so angry." "Please, I hope you can understand that I appreciated your good intentions, but I don't know how to adjust to my new situation. I know you only did what you thought was best under the circumstances, but it's disturbing not to have had a choice and I can't help feeling...violated." "I do understand." She hadn't expected that. "You do?" "[Hai]. I told you before that Noboru-donno did the same thing for me when I was close to death, and during the brief times that I have thought about the loss of my family, I also regretted the long years that stretched endlessly ahead of me." She tried to keep her voice even. "So if you understood, why did you do it?" His tone softened further. "Because at the time, the only thought that I had was that I could not bear to watch you to die. Forgive me for imposing my decision onto you like this." She wished this could be easier and didn't know what else to say at this point. "Well, I guess that's all I wanted to say at this point." It was an awkward way to end the conversation but his concern for her and his feelings towards her were unnerving. Wanting to spare her further discomfort, he took his leave after a brief nod of farewell. As he entered the living room, Angela pounced on him. "So? What did she say?" "She did what you said." Hugging him suddenly, Genzo was nearly knocked over at her unexpected gesture. "Thank you. I owe you twice over." Feeling somewhat comforted, he hugged her back, grateful for her support. ________________________ kusai: you stink (Japanese) ________________________ At his office, Noboru motioned for Ryuzo to sit. "So how do you think we should proceed?" "We need to ensure that this will actually have the desired effect before we attempt to use it." Steepling his fingers, he continued, "We need to find some proverbial guinea pigs." "Saburo's men?" "Exactly" "And how will you ensure that we can protect our workers from the effects of the antivirus?" "We will have to take the same precautions as those who work with the HIV virus." Noboru frowned. "This sounds to be very dangerous." "Perhaps, [Donno], but this is the only weapon we have so far that would tip the scales in our favor." He thought about it for a moment. "If we find that it works, what then?" "I think we should let it slip that you plan to go to Seoul with Angela because you figure it will be easier to evade Saburo there. Hopefully this will lure him into following you and when one of our Korean associates locate him, we can use our new creation without risking unnecessary harm to our Japanese contingent." "Very well. I will send the women on ahead first. I wish to be here to monitor your tests." "As you wish, [donno]. ______________________ Examining her injuries, Angela's sister marveled at how quickly she had recovered. "Sorry I ruined your vacation," Linnsa said dolefully. "All you've done for almost a week is babysit me in my foul mood." "After everything you've been through, it's the least I can do." Their conversation was interrupted by her cell phone. Linnsa watched her sister, unable to hear who was calling or what the person was saying. "Yeah...okay...what?...why?!...are you sure this is a good idea?...why can't you tell me anything more specific?" She let out a groan of frustration. "Okay, okay, okay. I'll let her know." "What was that all about?" Linnsa asked curiously. "Well, you're going to get the full tour. We're going to Seoul tomorrow morning." "Seoul?! Why?" "You got me. Noboru wouldn't tell me. This whole thing apparently is supposed to be very hush-hush. I've learned not to ask anymore. It doesn't seem to get me anywhere." Linnsa still looked bewildered. "So what does this mean now?" "It means we better start packing. Our flight is tomorrow morning." ___________________ Still tired from recovering from her accident, Linnsa decided to turn in early. Angela joined Shinnosuke and Genzo in the living room. "Did he tell you why we have to displace again?" "Neither of us have been inform of anything other than when and where to be tomorrow," Shinnosuke replied. Genzo nodded by way of agreement. A sudden realization made Angela feel sick to her stomach. "Oh no, do you think she'll go into heat about the same time I did?" No one had really given it any thought, as most of their focus had been on the fact that she had narrowly evaded death. "Well, if she does at least she should be out of her heat in a week," Shinnosuke suggested. Horrified, she was barely able to keep her voice down. "There is absolutely no way she is going to go through what I did! If I was squeamish about it, she's going to be lucky if she can refrain from puking at the idea." Genzo was unable to even imagine the horrible sight. Remembering what it was like to see Angela taken by so many, he was amazed by the fact that though it had not bothered him to watch her, the idea of even one other man laying so much as a hand on Linnsa kindled a fury within him that must have been readily apparent to the others. He looked up to see Shinnosuke regarding him with trepidation. "Your eyes have gone yellow," he pointed out tentatively. "[Nani]?" When he saw Angela looking at him with concern, he took a few deep breaths and willed his temper to cool down. She had sensed the surge of protective emotions from him and wasn't sure who would be more upset if her sister went into heat -- Linnsa, herself, or Genzo. "No," she vowed. "I don't care what Ryuzo has to dream up or sequence or what have you, she is not going to be put through that!" Shooting them both pointed looks, she added, "Not a word of this to Linnsa. She's been through enough as it is." By their nods she saw that there was no disagreement on that point. Angela watched as Genzo walked in the direction of her sister's room. Opening the door noiselessly, he sat in the chair next to her bed and looked at her face as she slept. In the dim light, he could see the healthy pink flush on her cheeks and smiled briefly but he couldn't help thinking about the possibility of Angela's concern coming true. "[Gomen], Linnsa-chan," he apologized quietly. ______________________ nani: what (Japanese) gomen: sorry (Japanese) ______________________ As they made their way to the gate at Narita, Linnsa pulled her sister closer to her and hissed, "Why does he keep looking at me like I'm going to spontaneously combust?" Angela looked behind her and saw Genzo duck his head, having heard her question. "He's worried about how you're feeling. He puts a high premium on your opinion of him, you know," she explained, hoping that that was a satisfactory answer. Turning to Genzo, Linnsa's face relaxed a bit and she tried to give him a reassuring smile, but still was quite wierded out by his odd behavior. Shinnosuke glanced furtively at his friend as he dropped off the group at their terminal and thought back to the original flight to Tokyo. Granted it had only been a few days, but he knew firsthand the trouble Linnsa could cause if she entered estrus in the near future. ______________________ The Rising Sun & The Morning Calm Ch. 24 While Shinnosuke headed back from the airport, Ryuzo knocked on the door to Noboru's office. "[Donno], may I show you something?" "Certainly." Noboru leaned forward to get a better look at the tiny object he placed on his desk. When Ryuzo removed his hand, he saw a small silver object that looked like a miniature .50 caliber bullet but only a few millimeters wide. "What is this?" "It's the delivery system," Ryuzo explained. The pointed tip is to allow easy access into deep tissue. Behind it is a dose of the antivirus. This sits atop a small explosive that is linked to a remote detonator. The molecular biologists in Seoul did a good job. Fast, too." "Why a remote detonator?" "It's a precaution to ensure that even if the antivirus falls into the wrong hands, it will not result in an infection unless the capsule is detonated." "Very nice, Ryuzo. Very nice," he mused holding the tiny bullet between his thumb and forefinger. "Tell me how you plan on testing if this works." "I will probably be satisfied if we can cure five of Saburo's men. I'll ensure that the antivirus has worked by running genetic analyses on the men in the post-infectious period. I have also taken the liberty of adding other promoter sequences to speed the replication time of the antivirus. If the genetic analyses confirm that they are indeed no longer harboring the virus, we will confirm by having them fight to the death with one of our men. If the test subjects can still transform, then obviously the experiment was a failure. If they do not, we know that this will work, and there will be no one to warn Saburo otherwise." "Obviously you have given this a lot of thought," Noboru observed with approval. "See to it." "[Hai]." _____________________ "Ladies and gentlemen, you will notice that the captain has turned on the fasten seat belt sign in preparation of our descent towards Incheon International Airport. The current temperature in Seoul is a balmy..." Linnsa stretched in her seat with a contented sigh. "I've never flown first class before," she noted appreciatively. "It's nice having all that legroom." Her sister appeared to be staring out the window, lost in thought. "Hey, what's wrong?" "Huh?" Linnsa's voice startled Angela back to the present. "Oh, yeah, everything's fine. Just daydreaming I guess." She hoped that her sister had no inkling of the worry she was feeling. Angela couldn't be more grateful that it was a short flight from Tokyo to Seoul. _____________________ As the small party made their way to the baggage claim, Angela saw Genzo lift his head suddenly and was surprised to hear him let out a low groan of exasperation out of nowhere. "Still alive and kicking, eh, Genzo?" a deep voice asked in Japanese. The three turned to see a man who appeared to be about their age smirking at Genzo with his arms crossed. "At least your assignments are getting more attractive." He nodded towards his two charges. Though he spoke Japanese, he looked very Korean. "Fuck you, Sang," Genzo shot back irritably. "Continue trying my patience and the next thing that I'll be kicking is you." Hearing him swear at the stranger, Angela turned her eyes back to him as he bowed his head in greeting. "[Ahn young hashim nikka]?" He straightened and offered his hand. "Kim Sang Nam, at your service. It is a pleasure to meet you Dr. Baek. And Dr. Baek," he bowed again at Linnsa. "I'll stick to English though if that's easier." "You speak both languages?" Angela noted as she took it. "In the immortal words of Sun Tzu, in order to defeat your enemy, you must first know your enemy." He flashed Genzo a wry look over his shoulder as he shook Linnsa's hand before turning his full attention back to his pretty charge. "But we're not enemies anymore," Angela corrected. Sang Nam smiled conspiratorially. "When I began studying Japanese a hundred years ago we still were. For a while I had to go by the name of Takahashi." Jerking his head at the scowling countenance of Genzo, he added, "Though Genzo would probably tell you that some contention still exists between our two countries, [neh] Genzo?" "[Fuzaken-na]," he muttered under his breath. "[Kankoku-jin] piece of shit." "No love lost between the two of you, eh?" Linnsa remarked. Genzo's ire at having to tolerate Sang Nam only worsened when he saw the roguish look he gave Angela's sister. "There was none to begin with." Sang Nam gave her an easy smile which only irritated him more. Turning back to Genzo, he grinned and asked, "So, shall we make our way over to where they will be staying?" Genzo grunted by way of reply. "As always, your way with words defy description. I'll take that as a yes." _______________ ahn young hashim nikka: hello (Korean, formal) neh: eh (Japanese) fuzaken na: quit fucking around (Japanese) kankoku jin: Korean person (Japanese) _______________ As they drove into Seoul, Angela sat shotgun while Genzo and Linnsa rode in the back. "So, Sang Nam, tell me about how you met Noboru." He drove with one arm lazily draped against the window. "I was a teenager when the Japanese first invaded. Your boyfriend helped me out when I got into a spot of trouble with the [Ilbun sekkies]." Linnsa glanced over and saw the muscles in Genzo's jaw tighten. "How dare you refer to Noboru-donno with such lack of respect!" he snarled. "Look, man," Sang Nam shot back over his shoulder. "I'm not saying that I'm not grateful that our mutual friend Nagamori-san saved my life, but I don't have to act like the sun shines out of his ass like you do." Angela exchanged a worried glance with her sister who instantly read her thoughts and placed a soothing hand on Genzo's arm. "Genzo, hey, it's okay. It's not worth getting upset over." Momentarily forgetting his anger at her touch, he settled back in his seat and met her eyes. Seeing the tentative smile on her face, his own relaxed a bit and he vowed quietly to take the matter up with Sang Nam at a more private opportunity. "He saved your life too?" Angela was amazed that stories such as this even continued to surprise her. "Indeed he did. I can thank him for not looking a day over a hundred and one." He chuckled and lit a cigarette. "Those are bad for you," Angela admonished, the doctor in her kicking in. Taking a long drag, he joked, "What do I have to worry about, lung cancer?" before exhaling a plume of smoke. "Um, Sang Nam, would you mind opening a window?" Linnsa inquired softly. She and her sister both greatly detested the smell of cigarette smoke and it didn't help that she was prone to getting carsick as well. Registering a little bit of surprise at her request, he recovered quickly and flashed her a wink before opening his window a crack and throwing out the cigarette. "You didn't have to throw it out," she protested. "It's a point of principle that I honor the requests of all beautiful [agashies] I have the pleasure of meeting." Sneaking a peek at the rearview mirror, Sang Nam noticed that the vein in the center of Genzo's forehead was becoming more prominent. A look of bemused understanding began to spread across his face and he asked, "[Ski]?" "[Urusai!]" Genzo shouted, more loudly than he would have liked. When he saw the two women watching him with worried expressions, he muttered his apologies and tried to make a show of looking out the window, but Angela knew that Sang Nam had picked up on Genzo's feelings towards her sister. "Why so tense, Genzo?" he asked playfully. Not wanting a potential homicide on her hands, Angela muttered for Sang Nam to can it in Korean. At this point, Genzo figured the best strategy would be to avoid engaging him at all and he continued to stare stonily out the window for the remainder of the ride. ______________________ ilbun sekki: Japanese bastard (Korean) agashi: young lady (Korean) ski: you like (Japanese) urusai: shut up (Japanese) ______________________ When they had arrived at the place where the two women would be staying, Sang Nam and Genzo carried their luggage into their rooms while Angela and Linnsa had a look around. "Why don't you two relax and get settled in?" Gesturing to Genzo he added, "I just need a word with our esteemed friend here." Angela couldn't help giggling at how he continually coaxed scowls from Genzo. Though almost a half foot shorter than him, Sang Nam seemed not in the least bit intimidated by the large shinobi. "That's fine. Come on, Linns. Let's see if they have Eastern or Western potties." "If' it's a hole in the ground, you can count me out," Linnsa warned. "I ain't squatting to pee." Pulling Genzo outside, Sang Nam lit another cigarette. "So, how long does it look like you'll have to be holed up here?" he asked in Japanese. "I am not sure at this point," Genzo replied curtly. Taking another drag, Sang Nam flicked a bit of ash off the end of his cigarette and exhaled slowly. "What does Noboru need in Seoul? I mean, what do we have that Japan doesn't?" Genzo gave him a condescending smile. "Less stringent ethical standards for stem cell research and human cloning, if I had to make a guess" he retorted. He blew a line of smoke out the corner of his mouth and dropped the butt on the sidewalk. Crushing it under his heel, he replied, "So, I guess our friend doesn't want to tarnish his pristine international reputation by doing the work in his own labs, whatever it is." "Be careful, Sang," Genzo growled. "Whatever, man. It is what it is." Unlocking the car door, he got in and added, "Tell the ladies that I said goodbye for now and I'm around if they need me." "Good riddance," he muttered under his breath. "Super sensitive hearing, Genzo, remember?" Grinning impishly he called out, "No kiss goodbye?" and gunned the engine, drowning out the sound of Genzo's curses. _________________________ "What's with you?" Angela asked when Genzo slammed the door shut upon re-entering. She couldn't recall the last time she saw him so annoyed. "[Nan demonai]." Walking into his room, he closed the door with a firm kick. "He's not too much for communicating his feelings, is he, Unnie?" Linnsa undid the zipper on her suitcase. "That's an understatement." She watched her sister unpack for a few minutes before saying, "Although you seem to have found a way around that. He really has taken to you, you know." Linnsa paused, a half folded shirt in hand. "I know I should feel grateful to him for saving my life, but I still feel violated in a way. I never asked for this, and now that I'm unable to die, it's not like our religious beliefs will allow me to commit suicide. Now I'm stuck and I can't help but be upset with him a little still." Hugging her from behind, Angela sighed. "I know. But he did it because he cares for you. He's a good man, and I don't know...he seems...more alive around you." She turned around at this. "What do you mean?" Sitting on the bed, she replied, "Since I've known him, he's always just sort of gone through the motions of life. He does what he has to but it feels devoid of any passion or meaning. Genzo's only known you a short while, but I can already feel that you're as important to him as Noboru or me." She gave a small laugh. "And in Genzo's case, earning such a special place in his eyes is quite an accomplishment." "I AM grateful," she admitted. "But I still wish this hadn't been decided for me." Two rooms down the hall, Genzo sat down on his own bed and put his head in his hands. Both sisters had apparently forgotten that his hearing was very acute even from his ninja training but it was that much more so given their shared condition. He'd heard every word Linnsa had said and each had carved painful wounds into his mind. Gripping his head with his hands, he wished he could crush his own skull. If there was a God, such as Linnsa believed, why would He force him to live in such torment? The only constancy he had known in his life was pain and loss. Without thinking, he let out an angry cry and smashed his fist through the end table adjacent to him. The minute the door flew open, he regretted his impulsivity. "What happened? Genzo, what is going on?" Angela stared at the ruined remains of the table and then at his bloody fist. Avoiding her gaze, Genzo tried to answer casually as he picked shards of glass out of his hand. "That Sang Nam really pisses me off. That is all." Feigning calm, he changed his hand into a paw until the bleeding stopped. Angela was about to say something when she realized what was really going on and closed her mouth. "Okay, Genzo. We'll leave you alone to simmer down." When she had left, he felt a sudden wave of loneliness and found himself wishing that he too could give up his immortality. ___________________ nan demonai: it's nothing (Japanese) ___________________ Heishiro and Shinnosuke strode into Ryuzo's office as he was packing a kit for their first test subject. "What do you have there?" Heishiro asked. "A few necessities," Ryuzo answered. "A muscle paralytic, chloroform. You find us an unlucky victim?" Heishiro nodded. "I found out that he's been shacked up with this girl since Genzo last ran into Saburo. He shouldn't be too hard to find." "Good." Shouldering his bag, Ryuzo grinned and announced, "Well, let's go hunting." _____________________ Kenji leaned back on his elbows as Ritsuko sucked his cock. He especially enjoyed how she stared at him as she took all of him into her throat. After a few minutes, he decided he'd had enough of her deep-throating and pushed her off him. Taking her by the waist, he threw her face down on the floor and hiked up her hips. "[Onnegai]," she panted, presenting her wet labia to him. Happy to oblige, he slipped his cock into her and began pounding away at her. "Ahhhh, [kimochiiiiii]," she wailed as she rutted beneath him. Clenching his teeth, he moaned, "Ritsuko, [ikku]!" As he unloaded his first round, the sound of wood breaking behind him caused both of the to turn around to see three men burst into the room, Before he could get a good look at them, one had placed something over his face and in a few seconds he was out. Another did the same to his woman. As Ryuzo injected him with succinylcholine, he made a disgusted face. "The stupid idiot got his cum on my shoes." Pulling out the needle, he motioned for Heishiro to pick up the unconscious man and leaving the sleeping girl behind, they headed back for the lab. _______________________ onnegai: I beg you (Japanese) kimochi: feels good (Japanese) ikku: I'm cumming (Japanese) _______________________ Strapping Kenji to a gurney, Ryuzo made sure that he had enough succinylcholine and chloroform to allow him to work unimpeded before loading an ampule into the special gun that would implant it into the test subject's arm. Taking the left deltoid, he held the tip of the gun to his shoulder and heard a hiss as he implanted the antivirus capsule. "[Tsugi]." Shinnosuke handed him a small remote and when he hit the detonator, he saw Kenji's shoulder spasm as the antivirus was released into his body. "Now we wait." _______________________ tsugi: next (Japanese) _______________________ Kenji awoke to find himself in a strange room with only a large mirror. When he tried to sit up, he found to his surprise that he was strapped into some sort of table. Confused and afraid, he attempted to shift, but was shocked when nothing happened. Not understanding, his head jerked up as he heard a door open. He watched a man he had never seen before walk in wearing only a pair of boxers. The hair on the back of his head began to stand, as the man took off the boxers and began growing. From behind the one way mirror, Noboru, Shinnosuke and Ryuzo watched as Heishiro finished his change and stood up. Narrowing his yellow eyes threateningly, the grey hybrid bared his fangs and stood over Kenji, growling. "He is not breaking free or changing," Noboru observed with awe. "You are sure he had been infected?" "[Hai]. We ran assays on the antibody and he came up positive." Noboru nodded. "Let him loose and see if he fights." Leaning forward, Ryuzo pushed a button that was connected to a speaker in the room. "[Hanaseh]" he ordered. Slinking to the side of the gurney, Heishiro slashed at the leather straps on all four extremities as if they were made of tissue paper and almost laughed as the man scrambled to a corner and cowered, shaking. "Fight," he snarled. When the man made no move, he raised a clawed hand and brought it down with surprising force onto the man's chest, clawing four deep furrows into the flesh. Yelping in pain, the man ran to the door, banging in a futile attempt to get it open. "I have seen enough," Noboru said with satisfaction. "Heishiro, kill him." Kenji's eyes went wide as he heard the order and before he could cry out, the room spun and he was looking up at his own headless body as it sprayed jets of blood from the empty stump. "Finish your trials and call me when all have been successful," he ordered. "Then we will let Saburo know of my travel plans." _______________________ hanaseh: release [him] (Japanese, imperative) _______________________ In their hotel room, Angela and Linnsa had both finished getting cleaned up when they heard a knock on the door. "Who is it?" they both asked together. "Sang Nam." "Give us a second." Angela opened the door and Sang Nam stood leaning against the doorway with a box of pastries in his hand. "Thought you might use a snack." "Any chocolate ones?" Linnsa asked, perking up. "They are ALL chocolate," Sang laughed. "Ooh! Gimme gimme gimme!" Angela grabbed the box from Sang Nam and she and her sister proceeded to examine the contents with great interest. "Where's the happy ninja?" Sang Nam inquired mischievously. Almost as if on cue, Genzo walked into the room, a sour expression on his face at seeing the other Korean there. "Aw, no smile for me?" Angela couldn't make out what Genzo was saying under his breath in Japanese, but she was sure that it wasn't anything good. Turning back to the women, Sang Nam flashed a smile at Linnsa and asked, "So, no [nam ja chingoo] for the pretty [agashi]?" "[Nam ja chingoo]?" Genzo repeated, not understanding. "Boy foh-ren-doh," Sang Nam drawled lazily in a Japanese accent, turning his eyes back to Linnsa. "Uh, Sang, that's kind of a touchy subject. I really wouldn't go there if I were you," Angela tried to warn, but the damage was done. Looking back at Linnsa who looked as if she suddenly wanted to cry, Sang Nam's demeanor lost all mirth. "[Mee yan heh], Linnsa. I meant no disrespect. I was just trying to make light chitchat." "It's okay," she replied, but her lower lip began to shake a little and she ran into her suite to hide her embarassment at crying. "Linnsa, are you okay?" Angela followed her into her room to sooth her. "Oops," Sang Nam mouthed with an uncomfortable expression. "Oops?! Linnsa-san has been through a very hard few days. That was the worst question you could have asked her, you imbecile!" Genzo thundered. "Hey, calm down, man. I thought you Japanese were supposed to be the level headed ones while us Koreans had the tempers. It was an honest mistake." Taking advantage of the fact that both women were out of earshot, Genzo decided to talk shop. "How many people have you got watching the area?" "About ten for now. That was all I could pull together on such short notice." "I suppose that is adequate for the time being." "So glad you approve," Sang Nam said sarcastically. "When's your boss getting here?" "He will call when he is ready." The Korean's cavalier attitude was so irksome. "Fine. Let me know." No longer in a joking mood, Sang Nam didn't bother with a goodbye before taking his leave. The Rising Sun & The Morning Calm Ch. 24 _________________ Saburo was fuming. There was barely a week left before his wretched brother and his mate returned to the United States. The sound of one his men's voices interrupted his malcontented ruminations. "Boss, have you seen Kenji or Masahiro anywhere?" a short man named Shohei asked. "No, why?" "I can't get a hold of them. It's been a few days and usually they return my calls but neither have gotten back to me. I went by that girl Ritsuko's place, but no one was there. It doesn't even look like she lives there anymore." That was strange. Picking up his phone, Saburo called each one in turn and was greeted with a prompt for a voice mail message. Leaving each one an order to call him on pain of death, he figured that would give them motivation enough to call him soon. "Maybe Hiroshi knows where they are." Hiroshi tended to spend a lot of time with Masahiro as they both had a fondness for gambling. He was also very good about always answering his phone, which was why Saburo was surprised to hear his call go straight to voice mail. "Hiroshi never turns off his phone," he muttered with a frown. "What is going on?" "[Shiranei]." Wondering if something else was going on, Saburo called ten more men, deliberately choosing those who were prompt about calling him. Seven returned his calls or picked up right away. After six hours, three had not gotten back to him. "Six of them are MIA?" Shohei shrugged, not knowing what to make of it. __________________ shiranei: I don't know (Japanese) __________________ Noboru watched through the video monitor that was linked to the digital camera mounted in the ceiling of the room that contained the remaining five test subjects. Ryuzo had suggested waiting a couple of days to see if they reacted differently to the virus. Interestingly, one was reacting much in the way Kaori had, showing various manifestations of autoimmune attack on his body. The other four were trying to stay as far away from him as possible, under the misperception that this was the result of some sort of contagion. Though the door that locked them in was not particularly thick, none had transformed in the past 48 hours to try to break free. "I think it is safe to say that the antivirus and the delivery system are both a success," Ryuzo observed. "I would agree. [Tsugoi]." The hapless test subjects had no idea who had brought them there or where they were but the one thing they did know was that they couldn't take their hybrid forms any more. Noboru could smell their fear. "Get as much information out of them as you can. After you kill them burn the bodies. Throw Kenji in with them, as well. I am going to join Genzo in Seoul." Ryuzo watched him leave the room and turned back to the video monitor. "Heishiro, go get them to talk." Nodding, Heishiro left to enter the room. On the screen Ryuzo saw him enter and heard him say, "Now, we can do this the hard way or the easy way. The easy way is that you tell me exactly what it is I need to know and in return, I kill you quickly. If you hold on out me or I suspect you're lying, the reward will be an exquisitely slow and painful death. Is this clear?" All five men nodded, their frightened faces assuring their cooperation. "Good. You can begin by telling me the names, numbers and addresses of every one of your friends that you can think of." Obviously Saburo had a flimsy command over their loyalty as they all began speaking at once, so that Heishiro couldn't get the information down fast enough. After Ryuzo was thoroughly satisfied that they had extracted all the information they had, he made good on his promise and their headless bodies soon joined Kenji's in the incinerator. Catching Noboru as he was walking out of the building, Saburo handed him a small case. Opening it, Noboru saw the dart gun and five bullets each with a small push button detonator underneath. "Each bullet corresponds to a detonator, so if you miss the first time, you must use the second detonator that corresponds to the second dart, and so on." "I had better not miss, then." "We have also been able to obtain quite a lot of information on the specifics of Saburo's contact network. It will make things considerably easier to eradicate his supporters." "I leave you in charge of seeing to that. I will call when I have cured my brother." "Do you wish us to render the others mortal as well?" "That is fine, so long as you are the only one who knows about the anti-virus." "Understood." __________________ tsugoi: amazing (Japanese) __________________ Sang Nam arrived the next morning with Noboru who had wished to check up on Angela and Linnsa before attending to the days business. "I have missed my [tenshi]," he smiled. "[Tenshi] has missed her [oni] as well." Smelling his aftershave as he kissed her hello, she wished that he didn't have to leave. "You still can't tell me why we're here?" Nuzzling her cheek affectionately, Noboru realized how long the few days apart they had spent felt. "No, [ichiban]. But, my hope is that when my business is done, we can return to some semblance of normalcy." He smiled brightly and changed the subject. "Later tonight, come to my suite and we will have dinner together." "Right, we'll have dinner," she purred coyly. Stifling a groan, Noboru gently pushed her away from him before she began getting ideas and blew her a kiss goodbye. "Where's Linnsa?" Sang Nam asked. "She tends to stay in her room most of the time." As Genzo closed the door behind Noboru, she added, "But at least we're too far up for her to try to make a break for it." As Angela chatted with Genzo, Sang Nam crept over to Linns's room and knocked softly. "Linnsa? It's Sang Nam. May I come in?" "Sure," her voice answered through the door. Opening the door tentatively, he poked his head in. "You must think I'm such an insensitive jerk," he began with a sheepish smile. As he watched her replace her violin in its case, he realized he had entered just as she had been ready to play. "I'm sorry. You were in the middle of something. I'll leave you be." "That's alright." She paused for a moment. "You don't really have a Korean accent," Linnsa noted curiously. "I've been speaking English for a long time," he responded. "How long have you been playing?" "Since I can remember. My sister and I were really young when we learned." She gestured for him to sit. "Do you play any instruments?" Sang Nam slid into a chair and shook his head. "I always tell myself I'll take the time to learn a new talent, but it seems like every decade I find a way to procrastinate." HIs tone changed to one of seriousness. "I truly am sorry for the comment I made the other day. I had no idea you'd been through so much in such a short period of time. When your sister told me what had happened, I felt that much worse for what I said. I know how awful it feels to lose someone you care about." "What do you mean?" "Well, it's a long story. I'm sure you have better things to do with your time." Curious, Linnsa waved her hand. "Please go on. Now you have my curiosity piqued." Sang Nam looked down at his hands and gave a rueful laugh. "I suppose after being so clumsy the other day, it's only fair." It was strange for her to see him actually acting so serious. Linnsa had pegged him as someone who was always in a lighthearted mood. "When your sister's boyfriend helped me out almost a century ago, it was because I'd gotten into a scrape with the Japanese." "What happened?" "The occupation was a rough time in our history. We couldn't speak Korean and we were at the mercy of the whims of the Japanese colonizers. They treated us like second class citizens. I remember when I was a boy, they'd barge into our houses and just steal whatever they wanted." He laughed bitterly. "They even killed my dog for its meat and fur. That was really hard to watch, but my father made sure that I never said a word." "I can't imagine what it's like to live like that," Linnsa remarked with sadness. "It really wasn't living. You never knew what would happen one day to the next. Anyway, the last straw occurred when I was about seventeen. There was a girl who lived in my town that I'd grown up with and she was almost like a sister to me, that's how close we were. Well, she grew up into a beautiful young girl, and I told her that when I finally made something of myself that I wanted her to marry me." "What was her name?" Linnsa couldn't help asking. "Hee Yan." He paused. "I haven't said that name for many years. We were walking to her home one day when we ran into some Japanese soldiers. They started being really...disrespectful, if you get my meaning. I told her that I would distract them to give her time to run." "Did she get away?" Nodding, Sang Nam sighed. "Unfortunately, I wasn't so lucky. They shot me six times and left me for dead." Linnsa recoiled in horror. "What happened?" He gave a half-hearted smile "Noboru found me and revived me." "Did you ever find Hee Yan?" "I had to lay low in order to not risk getting her or my family in trouble. By the time I felt that it was safe to re-emerge, she'd assumed I was dead and had married someone else." The idea that the person he had loved had found solace with another sent a pang of familiar sadness through her. "I can imagine how it must have felt for you," she said with sympathy. "Thank you." Some of his cheerful air returned when he saw her smile at him. "I'll leave you to play." As he was about to exit the room, he winked at her over his shoulder and added, "I was about to go have a cigarette, but your smile seems to have taken that craving away for the moment." He was surprised to see her blush and quickly duck her head. Genzo looked up from his conversation with Angela when he heard Linnsa playing her violin and was caught off guard when he saw Sang Nam leaving the room with a bemused smile on his face. He didn't know why, but an uneasy feeling stirred in the pit of his stomach. ___________________ tenshi: angel (Japanese) oni: demon (Japanese) ichiban: little one (Japanese) ___________________ The Rising Sun & The Morning Calm Ch. 25 Apologies for taking so long to update. Again, keep the comments coming. It usually inspires me to write ^^ _________________________ It had been almost four hundred years since Saburo had known real fear, but the last few days reminded him that he had not forgotten the feeling. One by one, his men went missing without a trace. Something was happening. In the last fifty years or so since he had revealed his existence to his brother, they had constantly attempted to shrink the other's power base but there had never been such a significant reduction in numbers as Saburo was seeing now. He kept the five he could find around him at all times, just to be safe. Ryo, though at his boss's beck and call, gave him a wide berth owing to his ever increasing irritability with the current loss of control over the situation. Everyone was wondering what was going on but there were no answers to be found. His thoughts were interrupted by a call. "[Moshi moshi]?" "Ryo. It's Toshiro." "Toshiro! Fucking hell, where have you been, man? We've been looking all over for you. Everyone is disappearing and we don't have a clue as to what's going on." "I know, I had to be careful because I didn't want them to find me and I had to wait until I knew it was safe." "Where are you?" "I'm at Hitomi's. I figured I can't stay at my place in case it's been compromised." "Good thinking." Seeing Saburo gesture to him, he stated, "The boss wants to talk to you." Grabbing the phone from his hand, Saburo asked, "Toshiro?" "Yes, boss?" "Stay where you are. We're coming over to get you. Just to be safe, you're going to stay with us until we figure out what's going on." "Will do." Closing the phone, Saburo looked at what apparently was all that remained of his men and announced, "Let's go." ____________________ moshi moshi: hello (telephone, Japanese) ____________________ "Well done," Heishiro remarked as a very frightened Toshiro put his phone down with shaking hands. "You should receive an award for your acting skills." "Are you going to kill me now?" At the rate his voice was quivering it was hard to believe he'd been able to sound so nonchalant on the phone. "Not yet, but don't worry. You play your part as we discussed and I'll be quick." Shinnosuke frowned and crossed his arms. "Maybe we should kill him now. What if Saburo tries to save him?" His friend let out a loud laugh at the idea. "No way in hell Saburo is going to risk his life to save one of his minions. I bet you [man] yen that he just leaves when he finds out we're here. ____________________ man: ten thousand (Japanese) ____________________ Feeling more anxious than he had in a long time, Saburo and his party made their way to the place where Toshiro indicated he would be. "Be on guard for anything," he warned. As they neared the apartment, he raised a hand to halt them and listened closer, hearing Toshiro's voice. "No, I don't have anything to tell you! I swear!" "What do you think, Heishiro?" another voice asked. "He looks like a nobody to me," the one named Heishiro answered. "Looks like we won't get any information out of him." "Noboru-donno will be disappointed." Saburo growled at the mention of his brother's name. "Well, when he gets back from Seoul we'll give him the news. He's supposed to come back just for a few days to wrap up his work in Tokyo before he goes back to the states with his woman. Anyway, it's almost all over now. We'll find Saburo soon enough. Someone's going to rat him out eventually, especially with their numbers dwindling." "I hope you're right." So Noboru wasn't even in Tokyo! That would explain why it had been so hard to find him or any information of his whereabouts in the last few days and this was somehow connected with the mysterious disappearance of so many of his supporters. "Hey, boss," Ryo said timidly. "Shouldn't we go get Toshiro?" "No," Saburo replied smoothly. "We wouldn't want to risk our remaining numbers simply to get him back. I'm sure Toshiro would agree as well. Come, we need to find where he's staying in Seoul and get over there as soon as possible, We have less than a week before he leaves for the US." Looking out the window, Heishiro waited until he could no longer hear them before turning to Shinnosuke with a smug grin. "You owe me [man] yen. Would you prefer to pay now or later?" ___________________ "I'll just be on another floor. Sang Nam and Genzo will both be here and you'll totally be safe as long as you don't leave the hotel room." As she stepped into her heels, Angela looked at her sister with concern. "You sure you're okay with my going to Noboru's?" "You should go see him," Linnsa said softly. "Don't make the same mistake I did of not paying enough attention to him." Angela grabbed her sister by both arms and shook her gently. "You are not allowed to think that way. You can't make someone cheat. It wasn't your fault!" Her tone softened as she continued. "It's easier to think well of him and miss him now that he's gone, but you have to remember, it wasn't what you thought it was." Hugging her sister, she said, "Love you," before exiting the room. Noboru was staying several floors up. Knocking on the door, no one answered. "Nobu, baby? You in there?" When she received no response, she gingerly opened the door and looked inside. A smile broke out over her face when she saw the lights were dimmed and a table had been set with nice linens and candles. Stepping softly into the bathroom, a large jacuzzi tub was bubbling merrily and the smell of the bath salts inside tickled her nose delightfully. A sudden creak from behind her caused her to start and she whirled around. "Nobu? Is that you?" Again no answer. Feeling somewhat nervous, she immediately banished the thought that perhaps Saburo had found out where they were staying and looked around. Suddenly, Noboru rushed in front of her in his half animal state on all fours. Snarling menacingly, his back was arched and the hair stood up on his back, making him appear even bigger. Not understanding what was going on, Angela felt a rush of fear as he began circling her, his jaws dripping with saliva. Without thinking, she took a small step back, which only caused his muzzle to wrinkle further as he showed more teeth and his snarl took on a much more threatening tone. "Nobu, what are you doing?" Without answering, he leaned back on his haunches and pounced on her. Knocking her onto her back, he grabbed her and threw her onto her belly. When she felt his teeth sink into her neck, she was about to let out a loud scream, when his large white hand covered her mouth. Holding her immobile, he began to shred her dress off of her back, leaving bloody welts where he broke the skin. He knew he was frightening her, but the smell of her fear, of her genuine fear, incited the predator in him. Nudging her knees apart forcefully, he rammed his cock against her still dry hole. Taking care to only inflict a minimal amount of pain, he slowly worked himself into her and as he did, he felt her moisten. A yowling filled his ears and he felt fur spring up under his fingers as she shifted, approaching orgasm. He watched as she clawed the carpet underneath her and as her tail thrashed above her head he felt the dull throbbing begin in his balls. After not coming in a few days, he wasn't going to last long. Ramming himself fully into her with a final thrust, he worked her hips against his shaft as he came, growling in her ear as he did. Triggered by the sound of his lustful groans, she bathed his cock with her cum as she came. Breathing heavily, he released her neck and pulled out of her to look with satisfaction at her thoroughly fucked body. He grinned when she shot him an annoyed glance over her shoulder, her ass still high in the air, dripping with their combined juices. "Why'd you have to scare me like that?" she snapped. "I did not wish for things to get boring for you," he said with a smirk. "And you have no idea how good your blood tastes when you are frightened of me. Besides, you did not seem to mind." He sniffed the wet spot she had made on the carpet for emphasis. She simply glowered at him. "Would you like a nice relaxing soak before dinner?" he asked innocently. "No." "Too bad." Against her protestation, he picked her up by the waist and jumped into the jacuzzi, displacing a great deal of water. Shaking himself dry, he grinned at her as she sputtered in indignation. Brushing the wet hair out of her eyes, Angela glared at him. If he had a tail, it would have been wagging, he looked so pleased with himself. Unable to stay mad at his boisterous enthusiasm at seeing her, she laughed and said, "Now it smells like wet dog." It really was rather comical to see a large white wolf sitting in the middle of a jacuzzi. "I seem to have dropped the soap," he remarked, his tongue hanging out the side of his muzzle. "Would you help me find it?" "Not on your life, [ggeh sekki]" _______________ ggeh sekki: son of a bitch (Korean) _______________ Linnsa came out of her room for a glass of water and saw no one at the suite. The door to Genzo's room was slightly ajar and he was asleep on his bed, his graphic tablet still on. He must have fallen asleep in the middle of a sketch. Sang Nam was nowhere to be found, but given that his cigarettes were not out on the coffee table, she assumed he had stepped out for a smoke. Padding gently into Genzo's room, Linnsa knelt by the bed and examined his sleeping face. He looked sad and she felt a pang of regret for how she had treated him. Her eyes dropped to the graphic tablet and curious to see his drawing skills, she pressed the standby button and the screen gradually came into view. Suppressing a gasp of shock, she saw a portrait of herself playing the violin. It was elegantly done, with flowing lines and it looked exactly like her. She wondered if this was how Genzo saw her. In the picture, she looked sad and delicate, but the way she held her violin was firm and commanding. Though it was only half finished, it was still a beautiful piece. She couldn't understand why it was that she refused to accept the idea that Richard had been unfaithful to her. Looking at Genzo, she thought of all the times that he had shown her nothing but genuine concern and wondered why she displaced her anger at Richard's actions onto him. Her sister was right, Richard had been the one to cheat, but Genzo was the one she punished for it. Yet, despite the fact that she had basically ignored him since the accident, she knew he chose to stay close to her. For the first time, she noticed that he was quite handsome, despite the fact that she typically was not attracted to Asian men. Reaching out one hand, she touched his cheek, remembering how he did the same that night he first kissed her. The creases in his forehead smoothed at her touch and he slowly opened his eyes. The look changed from one of sleepy satisfaction to surprise in seconds. "Linnsa!" he stammered, still not fully aware of what was going on. As she continued to simply look at him, his eyes traveled down to his tablet and he saw that she had seen his portrait of her. Not knowing what to say, he did the only thing that occurred to him to do and threw his pillow over the tablet and averted his eyes. "It's beautiful," she told him softly. "Is that how you see me?" She was so lovely, kneeling on the floor, her face level with his on the bed. "[Hai]." Linnsa tilted her head to one side. "Genzo, why do you like me so much? You don't even know anything about me." Getting up off the bed, he sat down next to her on the floor. "You make me believe that there is still good in this world, something worth protecting. I feel...alive when I look at you." Her eyes dropped to her lap. "Genzo, I'm so confused. I mean, I feel bad for what happened to Richard, I feel guilty for getting close to you..." Hoping that she would not be angry with him, he pulled her into his lap and wrapped his arms around her. To his delight, she leaned her head against his chest and allowed him to rest his chin on the top of her head. He felt her heart beating steadily and thought back to the accident. "I am sorry for what I did, but after losing everyone that was dear to me, I could not bear the thought of losing you as well. It was selfish of me, but I could not watch you die." It was maddening trying to sort out the conflicting emotions she was experiencing. Though she still thought of Richard, it felt strangely right to be held by him. It felt familiar and safe. "I'm afraid of the future," she whispered on the verge of tears. Tilting her chin up to look at him, he gently wiped away the first few tears that had spilled over and held her cheek in his large palm. "I used to feel the same way, but that stopped after I met you. My life has meaning again." His heartfelt admission caused her to cry in earnest and Genzo kissed away her tears, almost scared to believe that she was allowing him to do so. "I'm sorry I threw a clock at your head," she sniffled. Unable to suppress a laugh, he hugged her tightly and kissed her again, only this time, she twined her arms around his neck and returned it without reservation. "Linnsa-chan," he whispered happily. "Ahem." They almost flew apart at the sound of Sang Nam's awkward cough. "Genzo, you old dog," Sang Nam chided, before going back to the living room. Mortified, Linnsa bolted out of his room into her own. "Sang, has anyone ever told you that your sense of timing is fucking lousy?" Genzo spat in Japanese. "Anything I can do to help, Genzo," he shot back with a wicked grin. Crossing his arms, he added, so why is it I can't even flirt yet you get to handle the merchandise? Didn't you learn to share when you were a kid?" He clucked his tongue in disapproval. Not having anything pithy to throw back, Genzo simply snarled in reply and slammed the door shut to his room. ___________________ "[Ohaiyo]." "Mm?" Angela awoke to feel Noboru pressing his front to her. "Uh oh..." "You take such a long time to awaken, [ichiban]," he groused. "I have been up for almost an hour." "And how long have you been awake?" she joked. "The same." He settled his morning erection between the globes of her ass for emphasis. "Can I at least brush my teeth first?" Angela pleaded. "I will give you ten seconds." Realizing he wasn't kidding by the way he was grinding away at her, she threw off the covers and sprinted into the bathroom. She'd barely had enough time to spit into the sink when he strode into the small room and grabbed her by the waist. "Hey!" "That was twelve," he noted as he began yanking off her thong. Lying on his back, he positioned the seam between her legs directly over his face and inhaled deeply before pushing her hips down to his lips. Sliding his tongue over her cleft, he watched from underneath her as she arched her back and thrust her nipples upward as she swiveled atop his mouth. Within seconds, he tasted the salty tang that he had been waiting for and began eating her in earnest. Angela groaned at the loud slurping sounds he was making as he drank from inside her. "Baby, I'm going to come!" she moaned. He responded by digging his nails into her flanks and flicking her clit with his tongue. The rough sensation of his beard against the sensitive skin of her vulva triggered her orgasm and she rode his face desperately as the pleasure swept over her. When it had finally passed, she limply slipped off his face onto her side. His erection now bordering on painful, Noboru grabbed her head in his hands and kissed her roughly. Her senses were filled with the smell of her sex that had saturated the hairs in goatee. Pushing her ankles next to either side of her face, he slapped his cock against the still sensitive opening before filling her with one stroke. Fucking her at a furious pace, the cords in his neck and arms strained under his skin as he injected her with his semen. Breathing raggedly when he had finished, he rolled off her and lay on his back with a satisfied smile. "You can go back to sleep now," he said grandly with a yawn. "I feel so used," Angela replied wryly as he fell back asleep. _____________________ ohaiyo: good morning (Japanese) ichiban: little one (Japanese) ______________________ Angela knocked on the door to her sister's room and heard a muffled, "Come in." Entering the room tentatively, she saw Linnsa lying in bed curled up in the fetal position. "Lins, what's the matter?" "Cramps," she answered between her teeth. "Oh. You retard," she chided. "All you need is a few ibuprofen." "Yeah, I know." Linnsa sat up to help herself to the bottle Angela had procured for her. "Is it that time of the month?" "Nope, just PMS," she scowled, swallowing the pills without any water. She grimaced as they went down. "I'm in a foul mood. I've been cycling back and forth between being really pissed off for no reason and wanting to cry for no reason." Flopping back onto the bed, she pulled the blanket around her shoulders and frowned. "How was your date?" "Nothing out of the ordinary," Angela smiled, thinking back to the night before. Linnsa knew by the look on her face that her sister had a fun night. "I won't ask." "So anything exciting happen last night?" The blush on her sister's cheeks spoke volumes. "Hey, hey! You better not hold out on me." Linnsa grinned shyly. "I saw him napping in his room and he was in the middle of drawing a picture of me when he fell asleep. He woke up while I was looking at him and then...he kissed me." Her face flushed again as she recalled, "And then Sang walked in on us so I just ran." Trying hard not to laugh, Angela covered her mouth and waited a few seconds before speaking. "So, what now?" "I don't know!" she answered with frustration. "I don't know what I want. I feel bad about Rich, but Genzo is really sweet, but then I get reminded of what happened after the accident and I'm all messed up in the head." "Well, you going to go outside? He's probably been wondering what you've been thinking since it happened." Sighing, she nodded. "I guess I should. Poor guy. He sure knows how to pick 'em," she laughed. Angela couldn't agree more. __________________ Genzo was trying his utmost to appear anything but impatient for Linnsa to come out. Since their kiss earlier, he'd been unable to think about anything else. Remembering her acceptance of his affection, it had been a long and restless night. He could have killed Sang Nam for spoiling the moment, wondering what else might have happened had they not been interrupted. No, Angela had said that Linnsa was a great deal more conservative than she was. He groaned inwardly at the thought of not being able to claim her. It was strange to have marked her but not consummated with her. Since the accident, he could feel himself becoming more and more possessive despite the fact that all she had done was allow him to kiss her. He'd awoken with a massive hard on and immediately began stroking his cock while fantasizing how he would take her if she gave him the chance. She was so tiny, he was sure that they would be an exquisitely tight fit. From what Angela had told him, it appeared she was a virgin as well. The thought of being the first and only man to ever have her was all it took for him to bathe his chest in his own cum. Despite the massive orgasm he'd just had, he could feel the ache in his crotch as his cock voiced its restlessness. Genzo almost wished she would go into heat, if it meant he could have her. The idea of being inside her day and night was not at all unappealing. Finally, his patience was rewarded as Linnsa joined Angela at the table in their suite. Unsure of what to do he maintained his distance, but something was different about Linnsa. Her scent which was rapidly becoming familiar to him seemed...he didn't even know how to describe it. Not stronger, not better or worse, but he couldn't place his finger on what he was smelling. The Rising Sun & The Morning Calm Ch. 25 Angela watched Genzo as his eyes followed Linnsa's every move. There was a subtle what could almost be termed hunger in his demeanor as he tracked Linnsa's movements. Momentarily she feared that her sister had gone into heat, but that was not possible considering it took her a few months to go into heat and even that was considered fast. Not only that, Sang Nam seemed no more interested in her than at any other moment since meeting her. So what was it that had Genzo so riled up? Wondering if she should give them some privacy, she asked Sang Nam to drive her out to pick up something to eat. Flashing a bemused grin at Genzo, for once he said nothing and simply motioned for Angela to follow him. Seeing that they were now alone in the room, Linnsa kept her gaze fixed to the tabletop, not sure how to proceed. She could feel Genzo's eyes on her and was somewhat discomfited by the intensity that she felt. Not that it was all bad. She'd never had a man respond so strongly to her and it was flattering to say the least, but there was something about the forcefulness of his feelings that put her on edge. Her compassion winning out, she took her coffee cup in hand and joined Genzo on the sofa. "I guess we both feel a little weird, huh?" she said lightly with a smile. Scratching the back of his head awkwardly, Genzo gave an embarassed laugh. "Indeed." They sat next to each other in silence, avoiding eye contact. Nervous, she meant to place her coffee mug on the end table by the sofa but accidentally placed the cup too close to the edge and she let out a cry as it fell to the ground. There was a crash as it smashed against the hardwood floor. "Oh no," she muttered as she bent down to clean up the mess. Genzo's head jerked up when he heard her draw her breath inward with a sharp hiss. "[Doshta] - I mean - what is wrong?" Looking down he saw her holding her palm where a ceramic shard had lodged into the skin. A thin line of blood dripped from where it had entered. "Great, that's just great," she spat through gritted teeth. "Hold still," Genzo ordered, taking her hand. She was momentarily distracted when she noticed how enormous his hands were compared to her own. As he reached for the jagged piece he felt her try to withdraw her hand from his grip. "I said to hold still!" he told he firmly. Shocked by the sternness of his voice, Linnsa meekly forced herself to refrain from flinching as he removed the shard from her skin with surprising gentleness. "Oh, that wasn't so bad," Linnsa mused with surprise. "Stings like crazy though." Holding her hand in both of his, he stared at her palm for a moment and hesitantly asked, "May I? I can fix this for you if you like." "Huh? How?" "If I clean your wound while in my animal state, it will heal momentarily." His expression was pleasantly expectant. She'd forgotten about the infection. There really wasn't much to remind her of it, considering everyone around her stayed in their human form. Her curiosity getting the better of her, she asked, "Can you tell me a bit more about this...change in states or whatever it is you call it?" "Eventually, you will learn to control it and change at will, but in the animal state, your body is much stronger and heals faster than when in your purely human form. In time, you will find that all of your senses will become sharper. You will also be free of any and all illnesses." Almost afraid to ask, she did so anyway. "What do you look like when you, uh, change?" Genzo smiled wryly. "I am much larger in size and have grey fur and yellow eyes." She couldn't imagine his being any more jacked than he already was. Figuring it couldn't hurt to see, after all her sister appeared to have no problems with it, she nodded and said, "Well, if you think it will help, go ahead and do what it is you think will help me." "Give me a moment," he requested, going into his room. Not wanting to ruin a perfectly good T shirt and jeans, he stripped to all but his boxer briefs and returned. "Do you wish to see what the change looks like?" he asked, unsure if she would be frightened by his metamorphosis. Curiosity won over caution and she nodded. "Sure, why not?" He didn't know why, but he liked the idea of her seeing him in his other form. Hoping that she would not regret her choice, he knelt on the ground and heard her gasp as he began to grow. His skeleton snapped as the bones lengthened and rearranged while grey fur covered his skin. Sickened by the sounds of crunching bone, Linnsa had covered her face with her hands so she had missed most of the change. When she finally peeked out from between her fingers, she saw a giant grey mass crouched where Genzo had been and her mouth fell open as he stood to his full height, the tips of his ears lightly grazing the ceiling. From between the rows of jagged teeth she heard an impossibly deep voice growl, "Are you alright?" "Genzo?" she whispered in disbelief. "Do not be frightened," he assured her. "I would never harm you." He took a step towards her and saw her back away. Stopping, he allowed her a few moments to really get a good look at him. It was kind of funny to see a grey wolf walking upright and wearing a pair of black boxer briefs. Finally the absurdity of the situation got the best of her and all of a sudden Linnsa began laughing uncontrollably. The look of seriousness and confusion on Genzo's face only added to the comical picture and she laughed even harder. "I do not understand. What is funny?" "I don't know, this is just all too much!" she chuckled, her laughter waning. Feeling relieved that she did not seemed frightened of him any more, he took a tentative step towards her and smiled inside when she held out her tiny hand to him, still grinning. Seating her in his lap, he took her palm and gently began lapping the blood that had dried there. The sound of her giggling filled his ears as his tongue tickled her skin. He thought it the most pleasant sound he had heard in years. As promised, Linnsa saw the skin seal until there was no trace of any cut. "No way!" Despite the fact that her hand was now healed, Genzo showed no signs of stopping. As he continued licking, she cautiously reminded, "Uh, Genzo, I think I'm good now." Still not stopping, she heard a rumble from deep within his throat, that had he been a cat, she would have sworn he was purring. Calmed by the noise, she reached up and ran her fingers through the thick fur of his mane as he continued tasting her skin. "You're so soft," she remarked with wonder. Feeling her twine her fingers in his fur, Genzo began to lick more insistently and higher up on her arm. She tasted delectable and he wanted to christen every last inch of her body with his tongue. As he reached her neck, Linnsa began to feel her discomfort return. Though she tried to gently extricate herself from him, he held onto her and began ardently licking the side of her face. She felt his hand steal across her belly and pull her deeper into his lap and for the second time she felt his turgid cock press against her. Fuck, he wanted her. He wanted to shred the clothes off her body and mount her right there in the middle of the floor. No longer thinking, his other hand reached under her shirt and began groping her breasts. "HEY!" Wriggling out of his grasp, she whirled to face him, her cheeks flushed. "I think you need to calm down," she warned him. His amber eyes glazed over, he continued to circle her as she watched him nervously. To his surprise, when he suddenly lunged for her, she swiftly blocked his arms and jumped out of reach. "Genzo, I mean it. Stop!" Her protest awoke the hunter in him and only served to increase his need to submit her. Grabbing at her again, he was shocked when she jumped high into the air and landed a roundhouse kick to his chest with unexpected force, actually causing him to stagger a few steps back. "Whatever is going on with you, you'd better snap out of it," she snarled, "because I don't want to hurt you." Exhilarated by the fact that she was playing hard to get, he crouched down on all fours, licked his fangs and pounced. *THWACK!* Stars suddenly blinded his vision, then a searing pain in his sensitive nose followed. When he could see again, he saw Linnsa standing with her legs braced apart, her fists raised in front of her, eyes blazing. He was so surprised and confused by what had just happened that he slipped back into his human form just as Angela and Sang Nam returned. "What the fuck is going on here?" she demanded, seeing her sister in a defensive fighting posture and Genzo kneeling on the ground holding his nose. "Nothing," Linnsa muttered as she cracked her knuckles back into place and went to her room, slamming the door behind her. "What did you do?" she asked Genzo in an accusatory tone. "I am not entirely certain what just happened," he replied in a daze. When he removed his hand, a small trickle of blood escaped from his nose. "Did Linnsa do that?" Angela couldn't help grinning at the wonder in his voice. "Oh yeah, forgot to tell you. Linnsa's a fourth degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do. I'd recommend not making her feel threatened." "[Tsugoi]," he whispered, a lovestruck expression on his face. Angela laughed. Go figure that Genzo would find it sexy that a woman could beat him up. "I'll go talk to her." Apparently Genzo was still so stunned by what just happened that he barely even heard her. Going into her sisters room, Angela found Linnsa applying peroxide to her knuckles. "Why is it I can never leave the two of you unsupervised?" "And why is it you always tend to create opportunities for us to be alone together unsupervised," Linnsa asked back archly. "Touche," Angela conceded. "What happened?" "I dunno. I smashed a cup by accident and he asked if he could fix my hand after I cut it. I was kind of curious what all this infection crap actually looks like so I gave him the green light. Next thing I know, he's giving me a tongue bath and trying to grab my boobs!" Angela winced at that. "Then when I tell him to keep his hands to himself, he starts attacking me! I warned him a few times, but I had to show him I meant business." Gripping the counter with her hands she shook her head in disbelief. "What the hell is going on with him?" "Well, in Genzo's defense, he wasn't trying to hurt you," Angela tried to explain. "He's part wolf, and wolves mate for life and they are extremely territorial. You're the first person in three centuries that he's had feelings for and I can imagine that in all that time, he must be really happy to have found someone he feels a connection with. As for the licking and attacking, they're hunters. He probably got turned on by your trying to get away from him." "This is stupid! He's a man with a brain. You can't expect me to believe that some wolf DNA and testosterone could lead a man to lose all reason!" "Uh, look what it does to women with just estrogen and progesterone," Angela pointed out. "As I recall, someone was having a rather difficult time this morning regulating her moods." Flustered at the fact that her sister had a point, Linnsa shot back defensively, "That - that's totally different!" "Mm hm," was Angela's only comment. "Look, he's gone from ignoring his feelings to opening the floodgates. He's bound to be a little intense." "A little?!" she echoed incredulously. "He looked like he was ready to eat me!" Angela laughed as her sister did not even realize the double meaning what she'd said had. "He's in love with you and you bring out the animal in him. Take it as an extreme form of a compliment." "Gives a whole new meaning to 'beating them off with a stick'," she muttered dryly. "Why can't I just find a normal guy?" "Oh come on, Linns, that would be too boring for you." ___________________ tsugoi: cool, amazing (Japanese) ___________________ Noboru decided to check on Angela and her sister. As he entered the suite, he was surprised to see Genzo was holding an ice pack to his nose. "What transpired here?" "Apparently our little [agashi] is a fourth degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do," Sang Nam explained with amusement. "Genzo found out firsthand." "And how did this information come about?" Noboru was doing his utmost to keep the amusement out of his voice. Linnsa's profound effect on Genzo's mood was nothing short of astonishing. Embarassed, Genzo mumbled, "[Nan demonai]." "Sang, could I have a moment with Genzo please?" "Sure. I'm curious to find out how good Angela's little [dongsaeng] really is. I bet I could give her a run for her money." Both he and Noboru turned abruptly when they heard Genzo growl suddenly. "What is with you, man?" Seeing Noboru incline his head, Sang Nam took it as his cue to leave. "Genzo, I am a bit concerned. I've never seen you act this way before," Noboru said tentavtively. "What is happening to you?" "She feels something for me, and all I can think about is making her mine," he replied sheepishly, a deep red coloring his face. [That would explain his reaction to Sang Nam], Noboru thought. "It seems difficult for you to control yourself. You've never been so...distracted." He paused as an idea flitted across his head. "Do you think she's going into heat?" "No, I seem to be the only one affected by her," he answered half sourly, half relieved. Noboru turned his eyes to meet Angela's as she came into the room. "What is going on?" "My sister's ovulating," she explained with a woeful small smile. "I think that's why Genzo is being such a naughty boy." "[Kso]," both men swore in unison. "Well that would explain why she smells differently to me," Genzo surmised. "Is she angry again with me?" "I think she's a bit confused and unsure of what to do with our animal instincts." Genzo groaned in frustration and buried his face in his hands. "I keep making a mess of things. Is being in love meant to be this difficult?!" Angela did her best not to chuckle at his distress, but Noboru's unease only continued to mount at seeing him so turned over. "Genzo, I am worried about your ability to be objective in your duties. Not that I am unhappy for you that you have finally found something that makes you feel so wonderful, but it has been so long and the experience seems to be quite intense." Looking up at his friend with concern, he asked, "What do you wish me to do?" His voice was edged with concern. This was going to be difficult. Taking a deep breath, Noboru replied, "Perhaps it would be best if you had some time to process all that has happened. If Linnsa is currently fertile, I am concerned about your potential reactions to her." The sound of Linnsa and Sang Nam's combined laughter floated out of her room and Noboru's jaw clenched slightly when he heard a low menacing growl escape Genzo's throat. "Case in point..." "[Donno, onnegai]," Genzo anxiously stammered after snapping to. "I will not allow this to affect my behavior any longer." His voice softened as he added, "Please, do not send me away." Observing his longtime friend with unease, Noboru couldn't bring himself to refuse. "Thank god this will pass in a few days," he mused. "If I survive this, I will," Genzo muttered, returning his hand to his bruised nose. __________________ nan demonai: it's nothing (Japanese) agashi: young lady, little miss (Korean) dongsaeng: younger sibling or younger person (Korean) kso: shit (Japanese) onnegai: please, I beg you (Japanese) The Rising Sun & The Morning Calm Ch. 26 Hello everyone and thanks to those who commented. Not much in the way of sexy bits in this chapter but hopefully you enjoy it nonetheless. Please keep the comments coming. They usually spur me on to write. ^ ^ ________________________ Genzo awoke and made a small face when he felt an ache at the bridge of his nose. Touching his face tentatively, he was about to change shape to relieve the soreness when he remembered what had caused his injury and couldn't help the smile that flitted across his lips. Deciding not to advance the healing process, he almost savored the dull tenderness as he thought back to the previous afternoon. His memory of her glaring defiantly at him with her hands poised in front of her face ready to strike sent a sudden rush of blood south and his already prominent morning wood reared up in frustration. "[Kso]," he groaned. He wasn't sure just how much more of this he could take before he totally lost control of himself. But that wasn't an option. He couldn't risk being sent away from Linnsa. Especially with Sang Nam constantly flirting with her every chance he got. His lips curled back over his teeth in a jealous snarl. Not wanting to begin the day ruled by his feelings, Genzo banished Sang Nam's face from his mind and returned his thoughts to Linnsa's more appealing visage. Taking his cock in his hand, he attempted to mentally recreate the events of the last day and as he focused on her scent and the way in which she eluded his advances. It didn't take long before he let loose what felt like a week's worth of semen with a strangled cry. Watching it ready to drip off the ceiling, he sat up with a start when there was a sharp knock at the door. "[Nani]?" Noboru's voice had a tense quality about it. "Genzo, [doshta]?" Flooded with sudden embarrassment and anxiety, he pulled his sheets over his hips. "Ah, [nan demonai]..." he stammered. Noboru sighed, lowering his hand from the door. Every instinct in his body told him that allowing Genzo to stay in Linnsa's presence was a foolhardy move, but his compassion won over his misgivings and he prayed inwardly that he would not regret it. "Why don't you come out and have something to eat?" "[Hai]," was the chagrined response from behind the door. Throwing on a pair of jeans and a simple T shirt, Genzo ambled into the living room feeling more unsure of himself than he had in a long while. Sitting down at the table, he scanned the living room but saw no trace of either Linnsa or her sister. Or Sang Nam. [Good riddance], he thought to himself Pouring himself a large glass of water, he paused in mid sip when he heard footsteps behind him and turned to see Sang Nam stroll into view, wearing the usual half smile on his face that Genzo found so irksome. "[Ohaiyo], sweetheart. Not happy to see me?" He was about to tell him to go fuck himself when Angela's voice called out from Linnsa's room. "Sang, you got it?" Grabbing Angela's purse, Sang Nam fished around with the tip of his tongue sticking out of his mouth before pulling out a small bottle of Advil. Shaking it victoriously, he threw it up in the air and caught it deftly in one hand. "Yep," he replied over his shoulder. "I've got it." "What is going on?" Genzo asked, concern furrowing his brow. "Our pretty charge has a headache," Sang Nam informed him. "So naturally, I'm coming to the rescue." He flashed Genzo a peace sign and another annoying grin. "Angela has a headache?" Sang Nam laughed and shook his head. "Wrong sister, my friend. Our OTHER pretty charge." Turning on his heel, he sauntered out of the room. "[Ja na]." Irritation creasing his face, Genzo was about to rise from his chair and follow him when he felt a hand on his shoulder exert a gentle but firm pressure indicating that he was to stay seated. Looking up, he saw Noboru with his lips pressed together. The look he gave was enough for him to can any thoughts of protest. Kneeling next to Linnsa's bed, Sang Nam removed two pills and handed them to her. "Here." She took them and again swallowed them without any water. "Unnie, this is worse than any headache that I've had before." "You think it could be a migraine?" her sister asked. Angela felt sorry for her if she was in fact suffering a migraine, knowing firsthand herself how debilitating they were. "I don't know. I've never had them before." She tried feebly to massage the pain out of her head. "Well, if the Ibuprofen doesn't work in twenty minutes, I'll get you some Imitrex. That usually does the trick for me." She sat next to her sister's reclining form and brushed her bangs out of her eyes. "Sang, can you close the curtain?" Linnsa requested. She stopped covering her eyes with her fingers as the room darkened. "May I enter?" Noboru peered into the entryway of Linnsa's room. "I think she's having a migraine," Angela explained. "It looks like a pretty bad one." "It feels like somebody drove two giant ice picks behind my eyes," Linnsa mumbled through gritted teeth. As he stepped into the room, Noboru felt something he couldn't explain but the one thing he did know for certain was that it was not good. Angela must have sensed his concern because she suddenly looked up from Linnsa and studied his face. Something wasn't right. "We must return to Tokyo immediately." Hearing her sister groan, Angela walked over to Noboru and marched him out of the room. "Okay, Nobu, enough is enough! You drag us over here without telling us why and now just as quickly and for no apparent reason you want us to go back?" "Angela, please-" "No! Linnsa's not feeling well and this is not a good time for us to be just dropping everything and running around!" Looking at her, standing with her hands on her hips, Noboru stepped towards her and pulled her to him. "My love, have I ever given you reason to distrust my instincts?" Angela grudgingly conceded, "No, you haven't." "Then may I ask you put faith in my judgment and do as I am requesting?" Sighing with frustration, she looked into his earnest blue eyes. "Do you have any idea what it's like to be constantly shuffled around with absolutely no idea where or why?" "No," he admitted honestly, "but I do not doubt that it is very upsetting for both you and Linnsa." "God, it was fine when it was just me, but now I've dragged Linnsa into this mess!" "It is for her safety that I believe we must return." Swallowing her misgivings, she nodded and opened the door again. "Linnsa, I'm sorry, but we have to go." "Can I just have an hour to let the Ibuprofen kick in?" she pleaded. "I wish we could, Sweetie, but this is important," Angela apologized. Clenching her teeth, Linnsa muttered, "I don't know how much more of this I can take." "Noboru-[donno]?" Both Noboru and Angela looked up at Sang Nam's use of formal Japanese. "What is it, Sang Nam?" "I'd like to ask your permission to accompany you back to Tokyo until you've discovered what the problem is." "Why?" "I can't explain it," Sang Nam replied. "It's just an instinct that I have that I should stay with you." There was no humor or mirth in his voice. He was being absolutely serious for once. Though he knew Genzo would have major problems with this, logic reminded him that having Sang Nam there would be advantageous due to the fact that he was not someone that his brother was familiar with due to his being Korean but he spoke fluent Japanese. "You may accompany us." He felt Angela's incredulous stare on his back. "I need someone around to be objective about this," he said softly in response before walking back into the living area. "Genzo, I need you to obtain five tickets on the next flight back to Tokyo. See to it." Though he was used to simply following orders without questions, he surprised even himself when he heard his voice say, "Why five tickets, [donno]?" "Because Sang Nam will be joining us." Before Genzo could protest, Noboru put his hand up to quiet him. "I know how you feel about this, Genzo. But Sang Nam has his uses and with your current state of distraction I think we can both agree that his objectivity is greater than yours." Attempting as best he could to reign in his mounting fury, Genzo nodded and went to do what was asked of him. _______________________ doshta: what's wrong (Japanese) nan demonai: nothing (Japanese) ohaiyo: good morning (Japanese) ja na: see ya (Japanese) _______________________ Noboru's intuition had proven correct and he felt a sense of déjà vu as he watched Linnsa's discomfort increase as more time passed. Her headache was worsening by the hour. Despite all the analgesics and migraine medication she had taken, nothing seemed to have any effect in relieving the agonizing pain in her head. "How much longer until we land?" Angela asked with fear etched on her voice. "Twenty minutes. We'll start our descent soon." Noboru hoped that his words didn't betray his concern. "Unnie, make it stop! It hurts so much!" Linnsa begged. "Why is this happening to her?" Angela froze as a dark possibility cut through her thoughts. "Is she going through what happened to Kaori?" "It is difficult to say, but I do not think so." He wasn't sure who he was trying to convince more, her or himself. The thought that such a thing could happen hadn't even crossed his mind. After all, Saburo's men had only showed similar signs after being injected with the antivirus. He prayed that this was not the explanation for what was happening. Seated in the aisle across from Linnsa, Genzo struggled to keep his anxiety under wraps. She looked extremely ill. Her skin had an ashy pallor and she was in obvious pain. "What is happening to her?" he couldn't help blurting. "I do not know," Noboru answered somberly. After what felt like an years, they landed at Narita and the group did their best to escort Linnsa as gently as possible off of the plane. As they made their way to the gate, she suddenly fell to the ground. "Linnsa!" Angela cried out. As Linnsa writhed on the ground, apparently in the throes of a generalized tonic clonic seizure, Noboru shouted at the top of his lungs in Japanese, "I NEED MEDICAL ASSISTANCE NOW!" _______________________ Two hours and many doses of Ativan later, Linnsa was stable enough to be transferred to the nearest major hospital. Angela sat next to her bed holding her hand as she lay hooked up to an EEG machine on the Neurology ward. She and Noboru looked up when they heard the sliding door to her room open. From his dress and manner, the man appeared to be a doctor. He bowed to Noboru and began speaking to him in Japanese that Angela was having a difficult time following. In the middle of the conversation, Ryuzo entered the room and joined in the discussion. Bowing again, the doctor left. "Well, what did he say?" "They will be coming soon to take her for an MRI," he told her. He turned away from her when Ryuzo leaned in to say something quietly in his ear. "See to it," was his reply. "What is going on?" Angela's face was lined with worry. "[Matteh]," Noboru said softly. "Let us see what the doctors say." Stifling a sob, Angela buried her face in his chest while he held her to him. _______________________ matteh: wait (Japanese) _______________________ Ryuzo stayed at the hospital the whole time, which was odd. Angela anxiously awaited the results of her sister's MRI. When the doctor returned, his demeanor was relaxed and after explaining the results to Noboru, he bowed and took his leave. Taking this to mean that all was well, Angela was about to hug Noboru when she was cut short at the sight of Ryuzo abruptly closing the door. "What is it? What's wrong?" Noboru remained silent, allowing Ryuzo to explain. "Angela-san, because of the sensitive nature of the viral syndrome we all share, we must take precautions to ensure that it is not discovered by the uninfected public." Angela nodded, not sure where this was going. "As a cautionary move, I had the MRI scans changed with a normal one so that she could be discharged to our care. We have doctors in our group who can continue to follow her." "Do you know what the MRI showed?" "No, we will have the true scans sent to us after she is discharged." "When will that be?" "Later today. The doctors have cleared her to leave the hospital." He turned back to Noboru. "The arrangements for transportation have been made. I will bring the films and the final reports to you." "Very well." "Wait!" Grabbing his arm, she turned him to face her. "How are you sure she won't have another seizure on the way back? Despite Angela's emotional reaction, Ryuzo's face never lost its cool. "We have many clinicians who will ensure that she has excellent care. You need not worry." Noboru nodded in confirmation. "Please, we must get her ready to leave." ___________________ The hotel concierge looked up from her ledger at the group of men that had somehow managed to appear unnoticed seemingly out of nowhere in front of her. As they were all Asian, her automatic assumption was that they were Korean. "Welcome to our hotel. Did you wish to check in?" she asked in Korean. When they spoke to each other in low tones, she realized they were Japanese. Using as much English as she had at her command, she began again, "Welcome. How may I help you?" Saburo disliked having to resort to such unsophisticated methods of obtaining information, but seeing as how his network had shrunken pretty much down to the men immediately next to him, he had little choice. "I was to meet my brother here at his suite, but I was hoping to surprise him. Can you tell me which room he is in?" "And what is his name?" "Nagamori Noboru." Her eyes scanned the guest roster on the computer in front of her. "I do not see him as a registered guest." Saburo felt the bile rising in his throat. Had they been given the wrong information?" "Wait a moment," she said, snapping him back to attention. "He checked out earlier this morning unexpectedly." A stilted "Thank you" was all Saburo could manage. As they walked out of the hotel, he angrily placed a cigarette in his mouth and swatted away the outstretched lighters immediately proffered by his men. After lighting it, he took a long frustrated drag and blew out the smoke between tightly pressed lips. Had Noboru somehow gotten wind of their following him? If so, where had he gone? Back to Tokyo or somewhere else? There was no way to know. "Uh, what do you want to do now, Boss?" one asked timidly. "[Kso]. We'll go back to Tokyo for now." Fuck, he was running out of time. If his brother got back to America it would be impossible to get to him. __________________ kso: shit (Japanese) __________________ Mercifully, Linnsa had stayed largely asleep on the ride back to their rented apartment. As Sang Nam pulled the blanket up more securely over Linnsa's shoulders, he felt eyes watching him and looked over his shoulder. Leaning on the doorframe, Angela observed him quietly, her arms crossed over her chest. "Not to sound hostile, Sang, but why are you here?" Looking at Linnsa's sleeping face, he answered honestly, "I don't know. I can't tell you what made me feel like I should come with her." "I think we can surmise why you're here." "What?" Angela relaxed her arms and gave Sang Nam a maternal smile. "You said 'come with her'. You didn't say come with 'you', meaning us as a group." He hoped his careless tone belied his discomfort at her comment. "Quit being a shrink, Angela." "I don't think one needs to be a shrink to read your motives," she shot back dryly. "Take Genzo, for example." Sang Nam raised a brow. "Is that what this is about?" "This is about my trying to protect my sister during an emotionally trying time. After everything she's had to endure, Linnsa's in a very vulnerable position right now. Things need to be less complicated for her – not more." He grinned. "Is that how you see me? As a complication?" "I hope that you won't be." "And Genzo? He's not a...complication?" As if having timed it perfectly, Genzo appeared in the doorway looming over Angela. Seeing Sang Nam kneeling at Linnsa's bedside, he threw him a hard glare. Angela could hear the low snarl beginning in his throat above her head. No doubt Sang Nam heard it too. "Something the matter, my friend?" At Angela's venomous look, Sang Nam stood and stepped away from the bed. "Why are you here anyway?" Genzo glowered. Sang Nam was about to return a pithy remark but held his tongue. "I just want to make sure that she's okay." "We have that covered," Genzo retorted, sneering. His patience was wearing thin "Is that right? Maybe it's just me, but you seem more than a little preoccupied lately. I'd even go so far as to say you're getting sloppy." Clenching his fists, Genzo was about to charge Sang Nam, when Angela put a firm hand on his chest, warning him to control his temper. "Don't." "Unnie?" The tiny voice startled all three of them. "Linnsa?" Genzo rushed to her side as she covered her eyes with her hand, the bright afternoon light hurting her eyes. "How are you feeling?" "My eyes hurt. What happened?" No one had noticed that Sang Nam had left the room and returned with a face towel soaked in cool water. Folding it neatly, he placed it gently over Linnsa's eyes, ignoring Genzo's angry scowls. "Alright, both of you, get out," Angela ordered the two boys. "But-" they both began. "No buts! Out, now!" Hanging their heads like contrite school children, they did as they were told. "Hey, Linns. Are you feeling better now?" "A little." She touched the compress Sang Nam had made for her. "What happened? I can't remember anything after getting off the plane." "You had some pretty bad seizures once we landed," she recounted, hoping the news would not be too upsetting. "But they got you patched up and discharged you." "Seizures?" She nearly sat up but Angela made her lie back down. "Where the hell did that come from?" "I'm not sure, but I think the headaches might have been a warning that the seizures were coming. All your labwork came back normal and they did an EEG which was negative so they let us take you home." "Did they scan my head?" "Yeah, but we don't have the results back yet." Linnsa turned her head to her sister, a quizzical look apparent even from underneath the towel over her eyes. "They discharged me without even reading the MRI? That doesn't make any sense." Sometimes Angela wished she wasn't a doctor too. "Don't worry. We'll get the results soon. Ryuzo is coming over with it any minute now." "Who's Ryuzo?" "Oh, you probably don't remember him. He works for Noboru. I think he's a molecular biologist or something." Patting her sister's hand, Angela reassured, "Don't think about it and just rest." Linnsa yawned, still feeling the effects of the Ativan. "Okay." Angela joined the three men after closing the door to her room. "Ryuzo is coming up with the MRI film now," Noboru said simply. "He is already here," Ryuzo corrected, opening the door. Producing a large manila envelope, he pulled out the familiar black negative with multiple views of Linnsa's brain. "I had it read by one of our clinicians." "What did they find?" Angela's grasp of neuroimaging had all but disappeared since her medical school days. "Do you see the areas around the central sulcus?" "Yes, those are the sensory and motor cortices. So what?" The depth of the gyri are abnormally pronounced. There are strange T1 and T2 signals in the occipital lobes and the orbitofrontal cortex. It is almost as if the gray matter is more dense." Pulling out a second film, he pointed to one of the scans and stated, "The thalamus here also is showing increased signal and density." The Rising Sun & The Morning Calm Ch. 26 "What does that mean?" Angela was confused. Her sister didn't have a tumor and hadn't suffered a stroke. She wasn't sure whether she should be worried or not. "The doctors did not know what to make of these changes. Has your sister ever had an MRI before?" "No, she's always been perfectly healthy so there was no reason." Ryuzo frowned. "The doctors stated that a possible explanation could be found if a an old MRI could be compared to this one, but I suppose we do not have that option." Noboru felt a chill run up his spine. "Is she going into estrus?" Ryuzo ran a finger over his chin as he mused, "It does not appear that this is the case, though of course I would recommend exercising caution. Angela-san did not have these symptoms preceding her episode?" "No," he said, thinking back to the plane ride. "She mostly complained of feeling hot." They stopped speaking when they heard Linnsa's voice softly calling, "Unnie, could you get me a glass of water? I'm so thirsty." "I will do it," Genzo volunteered. He looked forward to having an excuse to be alone in the room with her. After filling a glass with water, he knocked softly on the door before entering. "Here you are." "Genzo?" She turned her head towards his voice. "[Hai]. Would you like me to help you up?" "That would be great." He sat next to her and gently took her diminutive hand, aiding her into a seated position. A sense of calm floated over him when he felt her skin on his own - he missed holding her. The compress, now more or less dry, fell off her eyes which she rubbed and squinted through before taking the glass from him. "Does the light still bother your eyes?" He found himself about to stroke her hair and retracted his hand. "Yeah, but not as much." She drained the glass and handed it back to him. He stood up to get another one as she smiled up at him and met his eyes, his face still slightly blurry to her. Before she could begin to thank him, he suddenly staggered back away from her, the glass falling from his hand and shattering on the floor. "Genzo, what's the matter?" "[Usso!] Noboru-donno!" he shouted in alarm. Hearing Genzo shouting all of a sudden sent Angela, Ryuzo, Sang Nam and Noboru bolting to their feet and down to her room. As they ran in behind Genzo, Linnsa stared at them through widened eyes, confused, holding her blanket up to her chest. "What's wrong?! Damn it someone say something!" Clapping her hands over her mouth, Angela shrieked, "Oh my God!" as she looked into her sister's eyes. They were now green. _________________ usso: no way (Japanese) The Rising Sun & The Morning Calm Ch. 27 For those who were kind enough to write...Romanization of eastern languages is a real bitch. I find myself torn between spelling the words as they are romanized or spelling them phonetically in order to give the reader a better sense of what the dialogue sounds like. Hopefully this explains some of the discrepancies you see in the text. In any case, thank you for reading. Comments are always appreciated and are a great incentive for me to write! ^ ^ ______________________________ "WHAT?!!!!" Everyone stared at Linnsa's emerald irises in disbelief. Scrambling back onto his feet, Genzo retreated closer to the others, as if they potentially offered protection from whatever it was Linssa could do, but seeing the panicked look on her face as her verdant eyes darted from person to person, he did his utmost to push his fear aside and walked slowly towards her. "Genzo! What are you doing?!" Noboru shouted. "You do not know what will happen to you!" Doing his best to remain calm, he knelt in front of Linnsa and gently took her hand. "Please, Linnsa," he began, hoping that his voice sounded more reassuring than he felt. "I must show you something." "What?! Stop scaring me and just tell me what is going on! Huh?" Unsure of why Genzo was handing her the clock next to her bed, she looked at him with confusion. He gestured for her to turn it over. Still not understanding where this was going, she did as he ordered and let out a scream of her own when she saw her eyes reflected in the mirrored chrome surface. "What the hell is this?!" "Linnsa, please, try to remain calm..." "Don't you tell me to be calm!" she shrieked. "What's happening to me? What did you do to me?!" Genzo was lost for words. "I-" Grabbing her head with one hand, Linnsa felt another headache beginning. "No! Not again!" She let out a bloodcurdling shriek when all of a sudden the clock in her other hand began to glow red and then let out an angry shower of sparks as it exploded. Taken completely by surprise, Genzo shielded his face, then after a few seconds of quiet, he peered up from behind his forearms to see Linnsa fall limply onto the bed, taking in rasping breaths. "Unnie," she gasped between gulps. Forgetting her own safety, Angela ran to her sister's side. "What happened?" "I don't...know," was all she could manage before she lost consciousness. "Genzo, are you alright?" Noboru helped him to his feet as he looked on in confusion. "[Donno], I am not sure what just happened." "Did Linnsa do that?" Sang Nam wondered out loud. Noboru turned to Ryuzo. "Do you have any idea what is going on?" For the first time in his life, Ryuzo didn't know what to make of the situation. "None." "Oh great, if you don't know then we're all totally screwed," Angela moaned. "I will draw some blood and run some tests. Perhaps I can find some explanation for her symptoms." Ryuzo motioned for Genzo to pick her up which he was all too ready to do and he effortlessly scooped up her tiny frame. Sang Nam picked up the remains of the clock and examined it closely. There was an area that showed the outline of Linnsa's tiny fingers in charred relief. "What happened to you?" he wondered softly to himself. At the sound of him muttering to himself, Genzo turned his head slightly and gave Sang Nam a sour look before leaving the room. ______________ Donno: Lord (Japanese) ______________ Blinking slowly, Linnsa saw her room come into focus, then her sister, sleeping next to her and Sang Nam dozing in the chair across from her. Doing her best not to wake either of them, she delicately made her way out of the bed and felt her stomach growl loudly. Feeling hungrier than she had in a long time, she went out to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. Distracted by her sudden appetite, she began arranging bread on a plate and piling on various cold cuts. Before digging in, she reached for a diet soda, but all of a sudden changed her mind and pulled the tab off a regular one. She could use the sugar. Diving in, she was about halfway through her sandwich when Genzo peered cautiously round the corner. Hearing her stirrings in the kitchen, he had immediately picked up on the now familiar sound of her footsteps. Seeing her seated at the table, eating a sandwich that was far too big for her tiny mouth, he couldn't help a smile. As if sensing his eyes on her, she turned to meet his gaze and narrowed her eyes, the sandwich halfway to her lips. "What do you want?" [She's back to hating me again], he thought sadly. "Nothing." Dejected, he turned and walked away as she continued to devour her snack. _______________ "I am really getting sick and tired of being poked and prodded," Linnsa growled as Ryuzo carefully glued electrodes to her scalp. "Ow!" she hissed. "Watch it, old man!" she snarled after giving him a lightning fast glare. Angela looked at Ryuzo with surprise. Her sister was normally so mild mannered. It was strange to hear her so irritable. "Linnsa, I know it sucks, but he's only trying to help you." "Fine," she grumbled. "Let's just get this over with." As the computer began recording her brainwaves, Linnsa's stomach growled again. "How much longer is this going to take? I'm starving!" "You know, normally, I'm not surprised that you eat like you have two hollow legs, but this is strange even for you," Angela attempted by means of a joke. Sang Nam elbowed Genzo in the ribs. "You sure it was smart coming along, Genzo-kun? What if she lets loose another clock bomb on you?" He chortled at the mental image and grinned when he saw Genzo grind his teeth together in annoyance. "[Urusai]!" Ryuzo barked at the two. "If you cannot keep quiet then I would be more than happy to throw you both out ass first." Linnsa actually cracked a small smile at his threat. "I'll be good," Sang Nam acquiesced meekly. "Dunno if I can make that promise for Genzo though-" He shrank back at Angela's death stare and smiled innocently. _______________ urusai: shut up (Japanese) _______________ After twenty four hours, there were no signs whatsoever of any abnormal brainwave activity. A trash can directly next to Linnsa was practically overflowing with take out containers, candy bar wrappers and soda cans. By Ryuzo's estimation, she had eaten almost ten thousand calories in a day's time and she showed no signs of her appetite abating. Smashing the trash down further with her latest addition, she scratched her itchy scalp and scowled. "How much longer do I have to sit here?" Ryuzo looked at her thoughtfully, rubbing his chin with his forefinger. "May I draw one more blood sample?" "Are you kidding me? I look like a pincushion!" Linnsa held out both her forearms which sported several bruises from the previous phlebotomy attempts. "I wish to check your thyroid function. You have consumed a very large amount of calories and I wonder if your metabolism has been affected." He prepared a needle as he continued speaking and put a hand on one of her arms. "It will only be a moment-" "NO!" Bellowing in pain, Ryuzo suddenly dropped the vial and butterfly needle as he felt a jolt of pain travel with lightning speed throughout his body. He heard the glass shatter on the floor but found that he could not let go of Linnsa's arm. Then, as suddenly as it began, it stopped. Releasing his grip, he staggered back a few steps. "No more needles, no more electrodes and no more sitting all day in this stupid lab!" Linnsa began yanking the EEG leads off her scalp, ignoring the pain as the glue took a few stray strands of hair with it. The display on the EEG monitor began to flatline, one after the other. Kicking over the trash can, she stomped angrily out of the lab. "Hey! Where are you going?" Angela called out after her. "Anywhere but here!" she huffed as she kicked the door to the lab open. "Genzo..." "I will get her," he replied, already reading her mind. Sang Nam stepped between the two of them, blocking Genzo's way. "Why don't you let me? She looks pretty pissed." Before Genzo could tell him to go fuck himself, Angela nodded and placed a hand on his chest to prevent him from following. "I think he has a point," she explained. "Let her cool down a bit." Frustrated, he left off following Sang Nam and instead began to pace the room like a caged animal. [We can't go on like this], Angela thought with apprehension. "Ryuzo, are you okay? What happened there?" "I am not quite sure, Angela-san. It almost felt like I had stuck my finger in an electric socket or something of the sort. [Okashina]." After picking up the glass off the floor, Ryuzo gave a resigned sigh and went to turn off the EEG display when he noticed something curious. "Angela-san, please take a look at this." Walking over to him, Angela looked at the readings. "What is it? Scrolling backwards about fifteen minutes, Ryuzo fast forwarded part of the recording. You notice that nothing remarkable is happening." "Mm hm. So?" "[Mitteh]." Angela watched as all the leads suddenly became chaotic before briefly returning to normal and then going flat. "What does it mean?" "I believe the epileptiform activity corresponded with your sister's outburst. This is followed immediately afterwards by the loss of signal due to her removing the leads." He scrolled back slightly. "And at the beginning of the spikes is when the activity is greatest. I think that was the moment when I felt strangely." "My sister actually caused that to happen to you?" His eyes scanned the time index of the readings. "That would be the only plausible explanation. I cannot see this being purely due to coincidence." "What the hell is happening to her?" ______________ okashina: strange (Japanese) mitteh: look (Japanese) ______________ Sang Nam walked to a dimly lit part of the hallway where she was holding her head with her eyes screwed shut. "Another headache?" he ventured softly. Annoyed, she snapped, "Wow, did you go to medical school for that keen diagnostic eye?" "No, but I watch a lot of doctor shows on TV," he joked. Grinning in spite of herself, Linnsa turned towards him. "Sorry. I'm pretty cranky." "That's okay. [Agashi] is very cute when she's angry." Reaching into his pocket he took two Advil from a small pillbox. "Here." Taking them from him, she swallowed the pills gratefully. "You always carry Advil with you?" "Depends on the company I keep," he smiled. "Beautiful ladies with headaches are a tragic combination." Linnsa eyed him cautiously. "Sang Nam, are you flirting with me?" Feigning distress, he fell to his knees. "Am I being too obvious?" Linnsa couldn't help giggling at his melodramatics. Getting up, he dusted off his knees. "You're good luck for me. Since I met you I haven't been smoking, so you'll keep the lung cancer away." "But you can't get lung cancer," she countered. "See how well you work?" He waggled his finger in the air in mock consternation. "One less nagging worry to keep me up at night." Laughing in earnest, she couldn't help but feel charmed by his attention. Her laughter was cut short by a loud growl. "[Wah!] The monster in you is hungry." Rubbing her stomach, Linnsa sheepishly met his eyes. "I swear, I normally don't eat this much." "Shall I fetch the monster another hapless victim?" Sang Nam deadpanned. "Yes, please. Preferably something that used to be breathing," she said menacingly. When she saw a brief flicker of uncertainty on his face, she chuckled and Sang Nam soon joined in when he realized she was returning in kind. "I will return with some carrion for you, [Agashi]." ________________ agashi: young miss (Korean) wah: wow (exclamation, Korean) ________________ Still pacing the room restlessly, Genzo looked over and saw that Angela appeared to be quite engrossed in talking to Ryuzo. Seeing the opportunity, he slipped out the door. The hallway was so dark, he could barely see Linnsa. He followed her scent and found her sitting hunched over at the base of a stairwell. When she heard him approach, her head snapped up and he saw her eyes glitter in the darkness much the way a cat's did when seen in low lighting. "Your sister would like for you to come back. I am sure that she will not expect you to put up with any more inconveniences today." He paused a few feet away from where she was seated feeling awkward. "Linnsa, I know you must hate me very much, but I-" Her sigh interrupted him. "I don't hate you Genzo. I mean, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't mad about what was happening to me. I guess you just make for an easy target since you don't seem to react much." He heard a small smile creep into her voice. "You make it too easy for me to get mad at you." "Could you offer advice on how I could make this more difficult?" When Linnsa realized he was joking, she giggled and felt some of her irritability melt away. "May I?" Linnsa shuffled over to make room for Genzo on the step. Even seated, he towered over her. "I was only partially joking." "Meaning what?" He suddenly felt grateful for the darkness. "It is...quite hard for me to bear when you are angry with me," he admitted quietly. Linnsa winced at the vulnerability she felt coming from him. "I'm sorry," was all she could come up with. "Please tell me what I am doing wrong." She looked up in surprise. "Doing wrong?" Genzo rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably. He never balked at the thought of risking his life but at the moment, he thought that would be preferable to trying to explain his feelings to Linnsa. "I...I seem to do everything incorrectly around you. I always make you upset." "Is this about my punching you in the nose?" Her tone was playfully light. Blood rushed into his face as he felt himself blush furiously. "I...[ano]...that...I mean..." He felt her hand on his arm. "Unnie explained it to me. At least, she explained it to me as best she could." "Explained what?" "You know, your animal instincts, why you got a little carried away." She chuckled. "I've never had to use tae kwon do to fend off a guy before." Genzo smiled at hearing her laughter. "You affect me in a way that no one has for many centuries." "Why? It makes no sense!" "Of course it does," he countered. "I am sure many men would feel that way about you. You are an exceptional woman." Unable to help feeling flattered by his sincere admission, she ducked her head downward shyly. "Oh, please." "I am only speaking the truth." Noticing that she had not withdrawn her hand, he gently played with her fingertips, not wanting her to be put off by his grabbing her hand. "You are a rare treasure in this world. I am only sorry that I am so poorly equipped to demonstrate my feelings appropriately. I suppose...I have spent too much time alone." When she said nothing, embarrassment flooded him and he stood up abruptly. "Your sister will want to know that you are alright." He felt a light tug on his sleeve from the dark. "Wait..." Allowing himself to be pulled back down to the step, Genzo felt her hands on either side of his face and nearly jumped out of his skin from the completely unexpected sensation. "Linnsa? I..." Her mouth stopped his completing the sentence. Almost afraid to believe it was happening, he tried to refrain from pulling her to him and crushing her lips under his own. If he was caught off guard by her gesture, Linnsa was no less surprised. Under her fingertips, she could practically feel him shaking and as she ran her hand up his arm, she felt the muscles tense and she found that she liked the steely feel of him under her fingers. "Genzo, why are you shaking?" His breathing was heavy as he brushed her lips with tentative kisses. "I...I am trying...to..." She drew back slightly as she saw two flashes of amber flicker in front of her but his grip on her never loosened. "I do not want....to upset you...as I did the last time." A jolt of excitement raced up her spine at his strained words. Feeling coy, she couldn't help but enjoy seeing Genzo so completely unraveled by his attraction to her. She felt desirable...and powerful. "Is your wolf wanting to come out and play?" The tightening of his grip and another amber glow answered her question. "We should go...back..." He sounded as if he were struggling to form the words into a coherent sentence. Each word seemed to drop an octave lower in tone. "Why?" Watching him squirm was so much fun. He was at the very edge of shifting and it was requiring every ounce of willpower he possessed not to rape her on the spot. "Linnsa, please stop...I will not be able to control myself..." Another pair of golden orbs shone briefly in the darkness. Though she had been frightened of his amorous attentions the first time, now she was curious to see how far his primitive instincts would take him. Bringing her face close to his again, she nipped at his lower lip. A distinctly animal growl surrounded her and she felt herself thrown back against the stairs. Leaning over her, Genzo began biting her neck while pulling her closer to him. Exhilarated by his teeth on her skin, Linnsa dug her nails into his back and heard a strange sound. Not sure what it was, she tried to move but felt a sharp pain in her neck and then suddenly realized that the strange noise was in fact the sound of Genzo's clothes slowly tearing as his body was changing. Having seen his previous shift, this one was going much slower and she couldn't understand why. Unable to restrain his expanding bulk, his jeans and shirt split open and Linnsa felt fur under her palms. His teeth now two inch long daggers, she had no doubt that he was drawing blood, but she felt disinclined to stop him. As his ruined clothes fell away from him, Genzo tried desperately to quell his lust but as her blood ran down his tongue, any part of his evolved thinking effectively shut down and his cock began leaking precum onto Linnsa's jeans. Curious, having had so little sexual experience herself, she let her hand slide down and found what felt like an arm in her hand when she realized it was in fact his penis. Wondering if they were typically this large, she stroked it gently, enjoying the soft sensation of the skin against the stiffness that lay underneath. Breathing hoarsely, Genzo grabbed her small head in his giant clawed hand, reared back his head and bit down where her neck joined her shoulder with full force. All of a sudden, Linnsa threw her arms around his maned neck and screamed, trembling all over. When he realized that she was in fact having an orgasm, he lost control and ejaculated as the lights suddenly went on in the hallway. His eyes were unable to adjust to the abrupt change in brightness and he was still cumming when he felt a cold breeze on him. Enraged at having been interrupted, he got down on all fours and snarled menacingly. As his eyes finally recovered, he saw a smoky haze and then Angela come into view. Wielding a fire extinguisher, she gave him a look that essentially said, "Don't fuck with me," and despite her small size, Genzo shrank back. Seeing that he was standing down, Angela dropped the fire extinguisher and ran to her sister and cried out in alarm when she saw her unconscious against the stairs, her neck bleeding and her clothes covered in what had to be about a gallon of Genzo's spunk. Whirling around to face him, he lowered his eyes submissively and slunk forward, gently licking her neck to repair the damage he had done. When he was finished, he slipped back into his human form and avoided looking at them. Cradling her sister in her arms, Angela glared at him. "Care to explain yourself?" ______________ ano: um (Japanese) The Rising Sun & The Morning Calm Ch. 28 Happy to say that the conclusion of this story should be coming soon. Thanks to all who commented and I hope you continue to enjoy the story. _____________________________________ Returning with food in hand, Sang Nam nearly dropped the take away container when he saw Angela kneeling with Linnsa in her arms and her blood on her clothes. Running to them, he set down the food and asked with alarm, "What happened? Is she alright? As his hand flew to her cheek, he heard an angry voice behind him seeth, "Do not touch her!" He looked over his shoulder and saw Genzo crouched on the ground, completely naked, breathing raggedly. Blood fell thickly from lips curled back against his teeth in a threatening snarl. "What did you do?" Sang Nam demanded angrily. "Stop it, both of you!" Angela barked. "Genzo, get dressed and clean yourself up. Sang, help me get Linns back to Ryuzo." Grudgingly, Genzo did as he was told while Sang Nam scooped Linnsa into his arms and followed Angela down the hall, trying hard not to breath in the smell of Genzo's semen. Opening the door with his foot, Sang nam met Ryuzo's startled gaze, unusual, as he was usually so unflappable. "Do I dare ask what just happened?" "I don't think any of us are sure of what just happened," Sang Nam answered without any of his usual humor. "But she's passed out again." Laying her across a lab table for lack of a better surface, Ryuzo turned her head and examined the bite marks on her neck. "Genzo?" was all he said as he began wiping the blood and saliva away. Angela's sigh was answer enough. Leaning in closer, he sniffed the air and raised a brow, as if confused. Then, leaning in again, he licked Linnsa's arm. "What the hell are you doing?!" Angela shrieked indignantly. "Her skin, it is quite salty," he replied, as if there was absolutely nothing bizarre about what he had just done. "So what? You taste salt in her sweat? Big deal! Is she going into heat or something? Why the fuck did you lick her?" Without losing his cool, he continued, "Angela, I can tell you that the saline content of her skin is far beyond what one would find in human sweat, infected or otherwise." Turning around, he held his chin in one hand, tapping his index finger against his lip. "I think I have a theory as to what is going on here." "You gonna enlighten us, [oyagi]?" Sang Nam said sarcastically. "[Matteh]." Pacing, Ryuzo was muttering under his breath. After what seemed like hours, he finally stopped pacing and snapped his fingers. "She has had episodes of loss of consciousness three times. The first time, she had a severe seizure. The second time was after she became upset . The third time was just now. Prior to the first seizure, she had severe headaches. After that was when we obtained MRI scans of her brain that showed those odd changes. Prior to the second episode, something strange happened to the clock she was holding when she became upset. This time, she again became upset, and I could not understand what just happened to me when I went to draw her blood, but I think I understand now. " "Explain it, please? Because I sure as hell don't." Angela walked over to her sister and licked the back of her hand, screwing up her face at the briny taste. "Holy shit, you're right!" "It is beginning to make sense. I believe the virus has caused a mutation in the way her body processes electricity." "What do you mean" "What is a seizure but a storm of electrical activity in the brain? The brain ends up utilizing massive amounts of glucose and energy whenever this happens. This could potentially explain both why she loses consciousness and why she is so incessantly hungry." "So each of these times, she's having a seizure?" "I believe so." "Then why did she pass out the first two times and not this time until after Genzo bit her?" "I would hypothesize that unlike the most recent incident, Linnsa had not eaten as many calories as she has consumed in the last few days. The depletion of energy as a result of the seizure may have been what caused her unconsciousness. The most recent time, she had been eating almost nonstop up until the point of the seizure and was still hungry." Ryuzo stopped speaking as Genzo came into the room. "Could I have a word, Genzo?" Angela asked sternly. Unable to look her in the face, Genzo simply followed her off to a corner of the lab. "What happened out there?" Shifting from one foot to another uncomfortably, he continued to keep his eyes locked on the linoleum of the floor. "She...kissed me. I think that I lost control. I tried to stop myself. I truly did." "That sounds totally uncharacteristic of her." "Which would also be in keeping with my theory," Ryuzo interjected, walking over to them. Angela looked confused and then it came to her. "You're talking about the post-ictal period, aren't you?" "Exactly. In the period immediately following a severe seizure, epileptics often experience a period of confusion or altered mentation. Her uncharacteristic behavior may be the symptom of her post-ictal state." "So why is it that the first one was so severe?" Angela wondered aloud. "My guess is that it was because her brain was beginning a massive neurologic overhaul at a speed with which her physiology could not keep up. This would also explain why her headaches have decreased in frequency and severity. In fact, I have reason to believe that in time, she will be able to control how her brain channels the activity." "What makes you say that?" Without answering, he wet some paper towels and handed them to her. "Please wipe the salt off of her skin. The clock that she held when she saw her reflection showed signs of electrical overload. It is possible that is what I experienced when I touched her." "Wait, wait." Angela shook her head in disbelief. "Are you saying that my sister shocked you?" "Much the way an electric eel stuns its prey," Ryuzo agreed. "Our bodies are capable of conducting electricity, but the presence of water and free ions in that water will promote better conductivity. Like the sodium and chloride in salt that will split into its ionic components in water. I would conjecture that prior to the discharge of electrical activity, her sweat glands have altered to secrete a hypertonic saline in order to deliver a more effective shock." "I get dormant cat genes activated and she has dormant...eel genes?" she muttered in disbelief. "What's with our screwy genetics?" "On the bright side," Ryuzo ventured, "As far as I can tell, electric eels do not go into heat." "Well, I suppose that's of consolation to everyone except Genzo." At her comment, Genzo's face went scarlet. _________________ oyagi: old man (Japanese) matteh: wait (Japanese) _________________ "May I see how she is doing?" Angela smiled wryly at Genzo's tentative attitude. "I know you're worried about her, but maybe you should let her sleep a little longer." "I will not wake her," he promised. "I will go Ninja Boy style." She had to smother a laugh at his attempt at humor at his own expense. [He really is over the moon about her], she thought to herself. "Alright. Only if you use your Ninja feet." Smiling his thanks, Genzo, true to his word, moved so stealthily that even with enhanced hearing it would be almost impossible to hear him approach. As he slowly made his way to Linnsa's room, he reached for the doorknob when Linnsa's voice called through the door, "Who's there?!" Both he and Angela started at the sharp tone of her voice. Seeing that she was awake, Genzo knocked softly and said, "Linnsa-ch-." He stopped himself before he called her "chan" and simply went with, "Linnsa, may I come in?" Angela could have sworn by her sister's tone that she was blushing. "Uh, not right now, Genzo, sorry. Could you send my sister in?" Crestfallen, he looked like a dejected 6 foot 2 inch tall puppy as he motioned for her to come nearer. "Be patient, Genzo," Angela encouraged him with a smile. He responded with a wretched I-don't-know-how-much-more-of-this-I-can-take look. Taking a seat next to her sister on the bed, she smoothed her hair and tucked a strand behind her ear. "So, Linns, how much of yesterday do you remember?" The rush of blood to her sister's cheeks told her immediately that the evening in its entirety was all there. "What is going on with me?" Her stomach suddenly let out an unhappy growl. "And why am I so hungry all of the time now?" "Well, I could tell you, but the story's kind of wild." "In that case, let me get a sandwich to eat while you tell me. That might soften the blow." Five minutes later, they had resumed their seats on her bed, only now Linnsa had a veritable picnic surrounding her. As she began eating, Angela figured there was no point in delaying the explanation. "For some reason, you and I have responded to this infection in ways totally different than everyone else who carries it." "Whaddya mean?" she said as coherently as she could with a mouthful of food. "Everyone else had wolf DNA activated and no one else other than Noboru and his brother changed eye colors. Both of us have weird eye color changes and I had cat DNA activated while you had..." Her sentence trailed off. "I had what?" She hoped Linnsa wouldn't flip her lid. "Uh, as best as we can tell, the closest thing Ryuzo can compare it to would be an...electric eel?" She cringed as she said it. Oddly enough, Linnsa just looked at her dolefully as she continued to chew. "I don't think anything you tell me from now on is going to shock me any more, after everything I've been through. So now I'm part fish, huh? Well, that would explain these." She lifted up her shirt and turned so that her sister could see her sides. "What?!" Angela drew back when she saw a strange row of what appeared to be pits in the skin on either side of her sister's ribcage. "When did you notice these?" "Just this morning when I woke up." She dropped her shirt and resumed eating as if she hadn't just shown her sister the newest freakish results of her mutation. "They kinda wigged me out at first, but when you told me what Ryuzo thought I was changing into, it kinda made sense." "Uh, how's that?" Linnsa picked up a bag of pretzels and began devouring them. "I dunno why, but I'm really craving something salty right now. Anyway, I noticed this morning that I had this really strange feeling like I knew that people were moving around even though I couldn't see them or hear them. I just...sensed it. I knew Genzo was outside my door even though I didn't hear him make a sound. I could tell he was moving slowly too." She took another handful of pretzels and crammed them into her mouth. "They must be like those things that sharks have and stuff, you know those pits that they use to sense the electrical impulses given off by living things. I forget their name." "The ampullae of Lorenzini." Linnsa laughed. "You and your Shark Week nerdiness! Yeah, so I guess that's what they're for. I'm already mentally preparing for growing scales soon or something." Angela felt so terrible for everything that her sister had been through. "And what about Genzo? He's so confused." "He ain't the only one." She blushed again. "I don't know what came over me last night. I've never been that way before, and I've never had anyone react to me the way he did. He made me feel so..." Turning red again, she shook her head and went silent. "He made you feel what?" Linnsa smiled awkwardly and looked down. "This is going to sound totally lame and stupid, but he made me feel...sexy. I've never felt that way before." Her expression turned serious suddenly. "But I'm also sort of drawn to Sang." Angela prayed Genzo was not listening in on this conversation. "I don't know what's going on with me." "Whatever it is, it doesn't seem to be life threatening and Ryuzo seems pretty confident that the worst of it is over." "Oh, well that's a relief," Linnsa joked. "Does that mean no catfish whiskers for me?" Angela laughed. Her sister was so strong, it amazed her sometimes. "Not only does he think the worst is behind you, but he also thinks that over time, you'll learn to control it at will." Tearing open another bag of snacks, she quipped, "Gives a whole other meaning to the expression 'feeling sparks flying'." __________________ Noboru sat at his desk contemplating how to bring his centuries old feud with his brother to an end. Opening his desk drawer, he removed the case that held the gun, antivirus and remote detonators. He couldn't help admiring how compactly Ryuzo had designed them. Lifting out the gun, he examined it under the low light of his desk lamp. The way things were going, he wasn't even certain that he would get to use it in the short time they had left. It made him skittish enough having Angela with him, but now with all that had come to pass with her sister, he wasn't sure that he could take any more risks. "That doesn't fire bullets, does it?" "[Nani?!]" Caught off guard, he hastily replaced the gun and snapped the case shut. Looking up, he saw Angela standing in the doorway of his study, her figure backlit by the light in the hallway. Reluctantly, he had agreed to her request to spend the night with him, but not before he had his apartment staked out by some extra hands. "I never thought you were much for handguns, Nobu." Walking over to his desk, she stood behind him and slid her arms over his shoulders. "Want to tell me what this is about?" "Why are you not asleep?" He tried to keep his tone casual. The last thing he wanted was for her to guess what he had sitting in front of him. "You weren't in bed with me, [sekki]." She nodded her head in the case's direction. "So, what's this for?" "It was something I had hoped to use to stop my brother's vendetta." Noboru pulled her into his lap. Despite being worried about the future, he couldn't help feeling his cock stir when he saw how the lilac satin of her nightie brought out her eyes. "I supposed that despite all the hard work Ryuzo put into contriving it, I will not be able to use it after all." Angela reached out her hand to open the case. "What is it?" She started when Noboru's hand darted out with lightning speed to grip her wrist. "It is dangerous. We shall leave it at that." She knew he was serious. There was no humor at all in his voice. "Why can't you use it?" "I could not risk something going awry. I would never want you or your sister to be placed in any unnecessary danger." He took her hand and rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand. "You have both already been through enough." Her eyes lingered on the plastic box. "Do you really think it can stop Saburo?" "Do not concern yourself with these things." Taking the case in hand, he was about to put it back in his desk when Angela stopped him. "What is it, Angel?" "Even if it is dangerous, maybe you should use it." Noboru wasn't sure that he had heard her correctly. "What did you just say?" "I said I think you should use it." "Angela-" Her hand cut him off. "How long has your brother been a thorn in your side? You've never had a way of stopping him before, but I get the feeling that this solution is special. If you think it will work, you have to use it." He couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Absolutely not! I will not put you or your sister in danger any longer!" "Well, keep my sister away, but even if there's a risk to me, I'm willing to chance it if it means we can stop worrying about him." "I however am not willing to chance it," he replied with finality. "Why? What is it exactly that this thing will do?" Lowering his eyes, he couldn't bring himself to tell her. "Again, to ensure your safety, I cannot answer that question." "Nobu." He felt her raise his head. "We have a lot of time left together, don't we?" Looking directly into his eyes, she softly said, "I don't want to live all that time with his shadow looming over us. I'd rather take the risk than live the rest of my life unable to do anything in public alone, always looking over my shoulder. I want to be able to take a walk with you, just the two of us. No bodyguards, no skulking around. I want you to meet my family and friends and neither of us worry about if they'll be endangered too. I don't want to live as Saburo's hostage forever. In fact, I think that would be worse than dying." She felt her breath sharply leave her chest as he suddenly hugged her fiercely. "I will not risk your life! Once was enough." "It's MY life, Noboru. I think I'm entitled to choose how I live it." Letting loose his own breath in a frustrated sigh, he took a few moments to consider what she had said. "What do you propose?" "Let Saburo find out where I am. You know he won't pass up an opportunity to kill me." "Angela!" "Send my sister away someplace safe first. Then you can use me as the bait to trap him once and for all." "Do you realize what you are asking?" Kissing him gently on the forehead, Angela smoothed back his long hair. "You only have two more days in Tokyo." "I will consider it." A smile began spreading slowly across Angela's face. Turning in his lap so that her legs dangled over the arms of his chair, she leaned into him and began planting small kisses on his neck. "You know," she purred, "I don't believe you've fucked me over your desk before." The bulge growing in his slacks told her he was game in spite of the weak, "[Tenshi], now is really not the time." "Oh really?" Digging her ass further into his crotch, she arched her back and leaned against his desk. "Pity. It gets me all hot to think of you throwing me over your desk and shoving your cock into my cunt." She felt a jerk underneath her. "Oh well. Come to bed when you're done with...whatever." As she was about to get up, she heard his low laugh before he grabbed her by the neck and roughly shoved her face and chest onto the cool mahogany surface of his desk. "It has been a few days since we last fucked, has it not?" "More than a few." Abruptly he turned her on her back and planted both arms possessively on either side of her. "You don't need these," she reasoned as she began undoing his slacks. Noboru grabbed her hands and held them down over her head with one hand while he extracted his cock through his fly with the other. "Perhaps not, but this is faster." He groaned as his penis slid into her rapidly moistening cunt. Releasing her arms, he began fucking her with such urgency that his entire desk shook from the force of his thrusts. As he pounded her, Angela was barely able to register that the plastic case was in danger of falling off his desk. Wrapping her legs around his waist, she reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Fuck me against the wall," she breathed between heated kisses. Slamming their bodies against the closed door, Noboru felt her ankles lock behind his back as he continued to drive himself into her. "I am reminded of the first time you came for me," he hissed. "My first taste, the smell of your excitement, the way your body shook when you screamed into my lips." Each thrust brought her closer to cumming. "Nobu, I'm so close," she whimpered. "Cum for me, [Neko-chan]," he snarled, letting go of his animal. As his clothes disintegrated into tatters, his enlarged cock stretched her so deliciously that she dug her fingers into his mane as she came, drenching him in her rapture. With a ragged roar, he opened his jaws wide and snapped them shut over her shoulder as he added his cum to the puddle pooling underneath them. As they both struggled to catch their breath, she rubbed her face on his damp white muzzle and whispered, "[Sarang-hae]." "[Sarang-hae]," he echoed. __________________ Nani: What (Japanese) The Rising Sun & The Morning Calm Ch. 28 Tenshi: angel (Japanese) Neko: kitty (Japanese) Sarang-hae: I love you (Korean) __________________ Hungry yet again, Linnsa came out to the living area to see Genzo and Sang Nam sitting on opposite ends of the room. Both of them looked up in interest when she entered but then shot each other wary glances. "What do I want?" she mused aloud as she opened the refrigerator and scanned its contents. "I can bring you whatever you like," Genzo offered helpfully. "What are you in the mood for?" Sang Nam asked, ignoring the acid expression on Genzo's face. "Something really salty and starchy." "I make a very good ramen," Sang suggested. "That sounds perfect!" "I'll begin my culinary masterpiece straightaway." Opening the refrigerator again, he removed eggs, tofu, and scallions and noisily procured a pan from the ones hanging on the kitchen wall. "Make two packages," Linnsa suggested. She laughed when Sang Nam held up two packages and shook them for emphasis. "I'll stay out of your way." Going back to her room, she knew Genzo was following her. It was almost as if she could feel him the same way she would have seen him had she been looking at him. Saying nothing, she let him enter her room. Not knowing what to say, Genzo noticed a small plastic picture frame on the windowsill. "What is that?" he asked, hoping to ease the awkwardness. "Oh that? It's a photo of me and my sister when we were really little." Genzo leaned closer to the photo and smiled. There were Angela and Linnsa as children, but while Angela was making a scary face, Linnsa appeared scared. It seemed so in character for Angela. "What happened here?" Linnsa started laughing. "Oh, she was always bullying me as a child. My mom always had to tell her to quit scaring me. She got in big trouble after my dad took this photo. Now it's one of my favorite pictures because it just looks so funny." "You were both very cute as children," Genzo remarked. His voice trailed off as a strange feeling of deja vu came over him. Something about the photo struck him as familiar. So focused was he on trying to remember why that Linnsa's voice snapped him back to attention. "Genzo, are you okay?" "Oh...yes. I do not know why, but I feel like I have seen this picture before, or something like it. I am sure it is nothing." Linnsa sniffed the air. "Wow that smells good! My dad always made the best ramen, but by the smell of it, Sang Nam's might be a close second." Genzo's unhappy expression at the mention of his name brought some of the discomfort back. "I guess you probably want to talk about what happened yesterday, huh?" His eyes positively lit up at her question. "I never seem to know where I stand with you," he began haltingly. "I am unable to tell what it is you want from me." Blushing, she looked away, discomfited by his earnest manner. "Yeah, I definitely send some confusing signals, right?" God, this was awkward. As if to save her, Sang Nam appeared, tray in hand. "Two orders of Kim Sang Nam special ramen, for Dr. Baek," he announced with a flourish. "Great!" Relieved to have an excuse to change the subject, Linnsa grabbed the chopsticks and began slurping up noodles, much to Genzo's dismay. "[Mashinya]?" Sang Nam inquired. "[Mashitta]!" she nodded brightly __________________ mashinya: does it taste good (Korean) mashitta: it does taste good (Korean) __________________ Not looking forward to what he had to do, Noboru called a meeting the next morning. He could no longer be sympathetic to Genzo's need to be around Angela's sister, as his self control continued to break down the more besotted he became with her. "We must try to lure Saburo to my apartment within the next 48 hours. We may now be able to remove him as a threat permanently. I will go with Angela back to the loft and we will set the trap at the office headquarters. Genzo, you and a handful of others will come with me. Sang Nam, you will stay here with Linnsa." "[Dono, nazeh]?!" Genzo couldn't believe what he was hearing. The yellow flicker that passed over his eyes warned Noboru that he had to contain him before he got out of control. Using the firmest tone he could without being unkind, he explained, "Genzo, Angela has asked that her sister be left out of this completely. Saburo knows all of you. He does not know Sang Nam and would not recognize him as being associated with me, therefore he would have no way of knowing that Linnsa was related to Angela. I am not unaware of how you feel, but please, consider that this is the safest option for Linnsa." He couldn't argue with his logic, but the idea of Sang Nam being alone with her in the apartment made him want to eviscerate someone. "[Hai]," was all he could say. "When this is over, I will call you and you are to join us back at my flat," Noboru instructed Sang Nam. He handed him a piece of paper with his address on it. which Sang Nam slid into his wallet. So absorbed were the men in their planning that no one noticed Linnsa quietly watching them around the corner. After listening to the rest of their conversation, she tiptoed back to her room and pretended to be asleep when Sang Nam came to tell her that the others would be leaving. _______________ nazeh: why (Japanese) _______________ The Rising Sun & The Morning Calm Ch. 29 Thanks to all for reading and commenting...and for sticking with this for going on three years! Please keep leaving your comments, it really gets me writing. Vinkb ____________________ Night was falling, and at his home, Saburo was not weathering the increasing desperation of his situation well. "I have to get to them before they leave Japan!" he fumed. "It will be impossible to take them out once they return to the States. Not with so many of us missing!" "How about we check his home again, Boss?" one of his men suggested hesitantly. "[Bagayaro]!" he roared back. "Do you think my brother would make it that easy for me and just camp out in his apartment?" "Well, if he's the one behind what's going on with our guys disappearing, maybe he's feeling overconfident and returned home." Saburo was about to plant his fist into the man's face, when he stopped to consider the idea. "He did leave Seoul early," he conceded slowly. "I don't know, maybe it's worth a shot," another ventured. Seeing as how they had no other plan, this would have to be their last ditch attempt or Saburo could pretty much give up on ever destroying his brother. "Very well. Let's head over there." ______________ bagayaro: you stupid asshole (Japanese) ______________ Shinnosuke knocked on the door of Noboru's study and opened the door a crack. "Noboru-dono, may I enter?" "Please." Noboru gestured towards a chair across from his desk. "I'm just a little worried about Genzo. Are you sure it's okay to have him separated from Linnsa like this?" "The very last thing I think it is is okay, but I can't put Angela's sister in jeopardy simply to spare his feelings. Until this is over, nothing can be left to chance." "But you trust him enough to have him here while we set the trap," he observed. When Noboru merely looked at him without saying anything, he muttered, "Oh no..." "Shinnosuke, I can't be worrying about Genzo while we're trying to trap Saburo. After giving it some thought. I believe we should lay our trap at the office. There are too many people here who could be hurt if something went wrong and as much as possible I'd like not to create a scene. The first time Saburo struck, he was only interested in creating enough of a diversion to take Angela. This time he is looking to kill. My headquarters are deserted at this time of night. It would be safer to go there. And no, Genzo will not be joining us" "Has he gotten the good news yet?" Shinnosuke asked, wincing. "Not yet, but I will tell him." Noboru couldn't help a small smile at Shinnosuke's sigh of relief. "What about Sang Nam? He still thinks we'll be here when it's done." "We'll let him know when all of it is over. We''ll return here when it's done so it will make no difference in the end." ______________ Across the way, Ryo had a pair of binoculars focused on Noboru's apartment. "See any activity?" Saburo demanded impatiently. "They're definitely back," Ryo reported excitedly. "Noboru, his woman and a bunch of his guys." "Fine then. We'll hit them tonight after they've gone to sleep. There are just enough of us to make us even with his group. If we can only kill one of them, focus on the woman. It would hurt just as much as killing him." He narrowed his eyes as he surveyed the last of his supporters. "I trust you will all give your last breath to see this raid a success?" A round of nervous nods and assurances followed. "[Yosh]. It ends tonight. There will be only one Nagamori left after tomorrow-" "[Matteh]!" Ryo shouted. "They're all getting ready to leave." '[Nani?]" "Everyone is going out the door...no!. Your brother is...stopping Genzo from leaving?" Saburo's brows drew together. "What is going on?" ______________ yosh: good (Japanese) matteh: wait (Japanese) nani: what (Japanese) ______________ '[Dono]! You cannot be serious!" "Genzo, what we are about about to do is probably the most singularly important task to date in my life, but in order to successfully implement this plan, I cannot leave anything to chance." Forgetting himself, Genzo loomed over Noboru, a shaken look on his face. "You don't trust me?" I'm to just sit idly here while all of you go to fight? With everything else that he had to consider, why did this have to be so hard? "I do trust you, Genzo. With my life if need be, but it has been difficult for you to maintain control lately, and if it were not of the utmost importance to me, you would most definitely be accompanying us." "[Sonna]-" Noboru placed a hand on Genzo's shoulder, gently, but with a firmness that defied any further objection. "I know this is not easy, and I will not order you to do as I say. Rather, I am asking you, as a friend, please do as I request." Unable to think of anything to say in reply, Genzo took a step back and stared at the floor, his fists clenched. "[Onnegai]..." Noboru repeated softly. At Genzo's resigned nod, he thanked him with a small bow and left to join the rest of his party. ________________ sonna: but (Japanese) onnegai: I beg of you (Japanese) ________________ "He's definitely leaving Genzo behind!" Saburo's mind worked furiously. "He can't be leaving for the States. They're not taking any luggage with them and there's no way that he'd leave Genzo behind." "Should we go investigate why Genzo was made to stay?" Ryo asked. "No." Had they had their usual numbers, Saburo would have insisted they discover the reason for Genzo's omission, but as it stood, he couldn't take that gamble with just the five of them. "We'll follow them wherever it is they are headed to right now. [Ikuzo].} _________________ ikuzo: let's go (Japanese) _________________ Linnsa had spent most of the day with Sang Nam trying to act casual despite the knowledge that her sister was somehow going to deliberately place herself in danger. Assuming no one would be so stupid as to strike during broad daylight, she figured she would bide her time until night fell. Knowing what was going to happen, she made sure to stock up on plenty of calories. There was no way for her to know how strong her ability was or if she could even control it, but if it could make a difference, she wanted to be ready to pack as much of a punch as possible. Probably owing to the fact that he was the sole person assigned to keep her safe, Sang Nam was not even the slightest bit flirtatious with her, keeping watch for anything dangerous. "So, I guess when this is over, it's goodbye then," Linnsa observed. Sang Nam was seated on the windowsill, looking out as dusk began to creep across the sky over Shinjuku. "Perhaps," was all he said. "You seem preoccupied today." He turned away from the window at her comment. "Is everything okay?" "Huh? Yeah, everything's fine." His gaze went back to the window "Because you seem like you're waiting for something." Sang Nam tried to wave it off. "No, not at all." "Well, then there's nothing keeping you from taking me to join my sister, right?" "What?!" His eyes snapped back to meet hers. Linnsa walked up to him slowly and instinctively, he shrank away from her, flattening himself against the window. "Okay, Sang, we can do this one of two ways. Either I can zap you unconscious and take Noboru's address from your wallet, or you can take me there voluntarily in which case you'd still be conscious in the event that something terrible happens. At least then you could still be of some help, instead of just passed out on the floor." Holding her palms a few inches from his ears, she looked at him with deadly seriousness and asked, "So, what'll it be?" Sang Nam glanced warily at the hands hovering just above his ears. "Anyone ever tell you that you're kind of scary?" "No, but I bet you won't be the last one. Now be a good boy get your keys." "Ah, [shi bal]..." _______________ shi bal: shit (Korean) _______________ Unable to do anything but pace, Genzo walked back and forth across Noboru's apartment. Forcing himself to sit down, he racked his brain for anything to distract himself with. Thinking back to the picture of Linnsa and her sister, he attempted to focus on trying to understand why he felt a sense of familiarity when he saw it but he came up with nothing. As he stood up, he gave a low growl of frustration when his ears picked up the sound of a pair of footsteps with which he was all too well acquainted. "[Jigao...]." He watched in disbelief as Linnsa opened the door and entered, followed by Sang Nam. "Where is she? Where's my sister?!" she demanded impatiently. "She-she is not here." A wave of anger washed over him. "Sang Nam, you were supposed to keep her away from any of Noboru-sama's known locations! Are you out of your mind?" "Listen, man. It was either I bring her here or she threatened to give me electroshock therapy. I figured that rather than let her come alone, I could at least make sure that she was safe on the way!" He couldn't help but feel relieved to see her. The day he had spent apart from her had nearly driven him mad, but he had to try to make things right. "Linnsa, please go back with Sang Nam. It is not safe here." "My sister is using herself as bait for some sort of trap and you're telling me to look after MY safety?!" "How did you know that?!" She glared up at him, breathing heavily. "That's not important. Now tell me where they went!" "Linnsa, I...I cannot." At his refusal she took a step closer to him and just looked at him for a moment before saying, "If you don't tell me where they went, I will never speak to you again." At that moment, he understood why Noboru had felt it wise to separate him from Linnsa. He was now torn between opposing requests from the two most important people in his life and his heart sank at her ultimatum. Even Sang Nam's expression registered that he thought the tactic a low blow. "Linnsa," he pleaded, "please do not make me do this." "Never...again," she repeated stonily. "Genzo, don't!" Sang Nam shouted. "She can't knock both of us out! Even if she takes one of us out, the other can still protect her! Don't say anything!" She was serious, he had no doubt of it. The thought of never seeing her or being able to speak with her ignited a desperation inside him that he had never known. As if reading his mind, she narrowed her eyes and warned, "Don't make me hate you, Genzo. Don't make me hate you for real..." That was all it took for him to break. "Linnsa, I will take you to her, but you must allow myself and Sang Nam to go with you to ensure your safety." When she nodded, he hung his head as guilt descended upon him. "Sang Nam, we must get to Noboru's office headquarters. There isn't much time." Sang Nam shook his head in resignation. "We are going to be in so much trouble for this," he muttered. As they ran out the door, he glowered at Linnsa. "Aren't you going to ask me what I want on my tombstone?" _____________ jigao: no way (Japanese) _____________ Seated at the head of the large conference table on the top floor of his office, Noboru sat with his elbows on the desk, leaning his forehead on interlaced fingers. The centuries old feud with his brother would end tonight and he needed to steady his mind for the fight that would come. Letting out a slow breath, he opened the case that held his last hope and removed first the gun, then each tiny bullet. Taking the loading clip in hand, he inserted each ampule with a resolute click, as if each round promised that much more assurance of their winning. When he had finished, he slid the clip into the gun and drove it home with a last sharp slap to the butt. Without looking up, he said quietly, "Are you certain you are ready for this?" Angela shouldn't have been surprised that he had known she was watching him from the doorway. "I'm not afraid of him," she answered. Walking over to where he was seated, she stood next to him and studied his face. In their brief time together, she had never seen him look so collected or determined. Every action he took seemed measured without waste of effort. "Let's get this over with." Surveying the empty streets below, devoid of the usual throngs of their human traffic, she remarked, "You're not too worried about drawing any attention to what's going to happen here tonight?" "I have many friends who occupy positions of importance in the Tokyo Police Department. They will see to it that the fallout is kept to a minimum." "You've thought of everything, haven't you?" He stood up and for a long time, they simply looked at each other, as if imprinting their faces in their memory one last time. Taking her in his arms, he hugged her fiercely, breathing in the smell of her hair, remembering the first time he'd lost her all those centuries ago on the shores of Pusan. "[Sarang hae]," he whispered, afraid to say anything more. "[Sarang hae]," she echoed back. Both stood there silently, unwilling to be the first to break their embrace. _______________ sarang hae: i love you (Korean) _______________ "Boss, this has got to be a trap," Ryo warned as they approached Noboru's office. "Why would they come here in the middle of the night?" "I don't care if it IS a trap," Saburo snarled. "This ends tonight. If this is my only chance for revenge, then I'll take it, trap or no trap." He gazed at the mirrored surface of the building to the lighted top floor. "Get ready to go in." ______________ Noboru waited tensely for the first indication that Saburo had arrived and when the power suddenly cut out, he knew that it was time. "Be careful, my love," he admonished. "No unnecessary risks." Pocketing the case which held the detonators, he kissed her hurriedly and left the room. Joining the others outside, he nodded to them, signalling for them to hide themselves. "[Hajime]." "[Yosh]," they murmured in unison. _______________ hajime: let's begin yosh: good, yes _______________ "Why is the entire building dark?" Linnsa shouted in a panicked tone as they drove closer to Noboru's building. "Saburo must already be inside," Genzo surmised. "It is possible that he cut the power in order to prevent security or fire alarms from being triggered." "Well hurry up and get us inside!" She didn't even want to think what was happening to her sister. "[Unnie], I'm coming," she promised. In the passenger seat next to Genzo, Sang Nam met his eyes and both had the exact same thought - both Angela and Noboru were going to be beyond pissed when they showed up. _______________ Angela was grateful that her mutation afforded her such good night vision. The only light was from the street lamps and signs outside and she would have had a hard time finding her way. Her ears pricked up when she heard something off in the distance. Dropping to the ground, she crawled underneath the conference room table and peered into the darkness. Straining, she was able to make out a few faint voices. "...split up and find her...whoever finds her first, kill her..." She shuddered at the statement, recognizing Saburo's voice. Her own heartbeat thudded loudly in her ears as she tried to calm her breathing. Noboru would be there to protect her. She had to trust him. The sound of glass crashing caused her to start. One of Saburo's lackeys had been discovered. Through the chairs, she saw a pair of legs enter the room. As it moved further from the door, she silently inched closer to it. Ready to make a break for it, she was barely able to contain a scream when a body came flying in, crashing atop the table, followed by the one who'd tossed him. From the sound of the damage being done to the wood above her, they were fighting in their animal forms. Not wanting to be crushed when the table collapsed, she bolted into the hallway. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw that one of the floor to ceiling windows now sported several holes from where chairs had been thrown. She prayed no one had been below when they hit the pavement. _______________ Noboru jerked his head up at the sound of fighting breaking out and hastily removed the first detonator from the case. Palming it, he ran in the direction of the noise and found two men in their lycanthropic states brawling atop the ruined remains of his conference table. The one on his back was Heishiro, and whoever it was on top, it was not his brother. Taking careful aim with both hands, he shot a round into his back and pushed the detonator. The attacker's back muscle contracted at the explosion and he whipped around, snarling at Noboru. Heishiro took the opportunity his distraction presented and kicked him across the room. Leaving Heishiro to finish his fight, Noboru slipped out of the room to find the next man and his ears honed in on a commotion near the elevators. Shinnosuke was grappling with black and white wolf. His opponent got in a bite to his shoulder, drawing a growl of pain. Raising his arm high, Shinnosuke raked the side of his face, taking out one of his eyes, causing him to disengage from his shoulder. Staggering backwards, the half blinded man was unable to see Noboru kneel and take aim. HIs shot landed in his left hamstring and as soon as he had fired, Noboru detonated the second round. The wolf let go of his damaged eye upon sensing the odd pain in his leg. "Finish him," Noboru ordered, before removing the third device. "With pleasure," Shinnosuke leered through his teeth. ________________ As she cautiously tried to avoid the fighting around her, Angela wondered if Saburo was in his human form or his mutated state. Still crawling, she again checked over her shoulder before bumping into something. A chill raced down her spine when she heard that unmistakable voice. "[Konbawa, neko-chan]." ________________ konbawa: good evening (Japanese) neko-chan: kitty (Japanese) ________________ After administering the antivirus to the last of Saburo's henchmen, Noboru had two rounds left. He hoped he would only need one, but the extra dose was there in case anything went wrong. His aides had fought Saburo's to exhaustion. Unable to maintain their animal appearance, they were more easily subdued in their human forms. All that was left now was Saburo but his brother was proving difficult to find. "Looking for this?" Turning around, Noboru saw Saburo standing in front of one of the window panes. With him was Angela, a knife at her throat. Saburo laughed. "History repeats itself. Why is it that you're always losing your women to me?" When Noboru took a step towards him, he clucked his tongue in warning and actually pressed the blade into Angela's neck. Even in the dark, Noboru could smell her blood. "Stop or I will kill you!" he swore. "No you won't," his brother returned smugly. "She may survive if I slit her throat but she won't survive the swan dive out of this window, even if she does shift on the way down." [Don't be frightened], he told her silently. "Saburo! This is between the two of us! Fight me, man to man. Leave the others out of this." Throwing a katana to Saburo, he then held out his own sword as a challenge to duel. Saburo sneered. "Your memory must be going in your old age, [oni-san]. I told you before I don't buy into that [bushido] crap." He kicked the sword contemptuously back at Noboru. "No, Saburo. I remember quite well," he countered. Dropping his left arm which held his katana, Noboru drew the gun and aimed a shot at his brother, firing before Saburo could react. The tiny bullet entered Saburo's chest, but in the dim light, Noboru couldn't be certain that it had in fact entered his brother's body. As he prepared to fire a second shot, Saburo looked at him and then down at the small hole in his shirt. "Really, ni-san. Bullets? You know that this will do you little good." Laughing, he began to transform and when he'd finished he grabbed Angela by her throat and lifted her off the ground. "Watch closely. I'm going to enjoy this." The Rising Sun & The Morning Calm Ch. 29 Aiming, Noboru pulled the trigger just as a shriek pierced the dark. "LET GO OF MY SISTER!" Jumping onto Saburo's back, Linnsa began pummelling him as hard as she could. So intent was she on freeing Angela that she didn't even notice the tiny sting in her side as the bullet intended for Saburo had hit her. Caught off guard, Saburo spun around and lost his grip on Angela, sending her hurtling in Noboru's direction. Also stunned, Noboru was unable to react quickly enough to catch her and instead both went careening backwards. The impact dislodged the case from his pocket containing the last two remotes and he watched in horror as it sailed across the slippery marble floor and out one of the broken windows. "[KSO!!]" Having recovered his bearings enough to reach behind him, he yanked Linnsa off his back and held her up to his face. "And who might you be?" he growled. "LINNSA!" Saburo turned to see Genzo galloping on all fours towards him, teeth bared, his fur standing on end. "[Yamiro], Uehara-kun, or I'll crush your girlfriend's skull," he threatened. Digging his claws into the floor, Genzo ground to a halt and watched helplessly as Saburo raised Linnsa higher in the air to reinforce his intent. "[Konnoyaro!] Noboru helped Angela to sit up and couldn't believe what he was seeing. "What are they doing here?" "Linnsa, NO!!" Angela's worst nightmare was playing out before her eyes. "Take me!" she begged. "Let her go and you can do whatever you want to me. Just let her go!" This was getting better and better. His brother's mate would voluntarily surrender her life and Noboru would have no choice but to watch. "Done. Come over to me and I will release this one." "Angela, no, you must not!" Noboru cried. Tears welled in her eyes and she gave him a look of sad apology. "I'm sorry, Nobu, I can't let him kill my sister." "Hurry up, I grow impatient!" Saburo shouted. As Angela stood up and began walking towards them, Linnsa turned to her and screamed, "[UNNIE], NO!" Hearing her cries, Genzo froze, finally realizing why her picture seemed so familiar to him. The girl he had carried all those years ago after she had been raped by a Japanese soldier - the one who had hung herself - Linnsa was the younger sister hugging her skirts, crying after she had killed herself. "[Masaka...]" Standing in front of Saburo, she tried to give Linnsa a reassuring smile. "You have me. Now let her go." Leaning down so that his face was level with hers, he grinned, showing all of his teeth in smug satisfaction. "You really are stupid," he sneered before grabbing her again by the throat. __________________ oni-san: title for older brother (Japanese) bushido: the way of the warrior kso shit (Japanese) yamiro: stop (Japanese) konnoyaro: why you (Japanese) masaka: it can't be (Japanese) The Rising Sun & The Morning Calm Ch. 30 Thanks for being patient. Sorry this chapter is short, but I didn't have a better place to break. As always I love hearing your thoughts. Don't forget to drop a comment or vote. The end is in sight! _____________ "You liar!" Angela managed to choke, attempting to pry open Saburo's large fingers. "Of course," he smiled. "You really believed that I would let your sister free? You're either naively idealistic or more foolish than I gave you credit for." Angela turned her tear filled gaze to her lover. "Nobu, I'm sorry," she sobbed. "I'm so sorry!" Noboru slammed his fist into the ground, not knowing what to do. He was back exactly where he was over four hundred years ago and the same horrible feeling in his stomach was as familiar as if it had been yesterday.. His lips turning up in a lewd smile, Saburo looked at Angela and said, "Get down on all fours." "[NANI]?!" Noboru's outraged roar reverberated off the walls. "I'm going to fuck you in front of my brother," he told her casually, enjoying the fury written all over Noboru's face. Drawing back, Angela spat into his face. "Why would I even consider letting you touch me? I'd rather die first!" "Because," Saburo continued, "either I fuck you, or I fuck your sister. It's your choice." At this statement, Genzo reared up and flexed all his fingers, brandishing his talons, a low snarl brewing deep in his throat. Neither Noboru nor Angela had ever seen him so incensed and even Saburo seemed to falter for the briefest of moments. "Disgrace her in any way and I will make it my life's work to ensure that you live in perpetual agony so long as your immortality holds out!" Recovering, he smirked. "I don't care about all that. A lifetime of pain would be worth destroying you, [ni-san]." He let go of Angela's neck and she collapsed on the ground gasping for breath. "Now, on your knees." Noboru felt sick as he watched her obey the order. Linnsa struggled even harder, begging her sister not to listen. "He's lying! Don't do it!" When she saw him snickering to himself, she glared at him and challenged. "Do me instead, but leave her alone!" Saburo had no intention of honoring this request either, but he found each sister's attempt to save the other amusing beyond words. "And why should I?" She met his eyes defiantly. "Because, I'm a virgin." Genzo's deafeningly angry roar momentarily distracted Saburo before he looked at Linnsa with interest. "Is that right?" "Yes, so if you're so lousy in the sack that you've been reduced to raping women, at least I won't know the difference." When he growled at her insult, she taunted, "Come on, what was your name again? Salmon-roll or something like that? Scared you're going to give a bad performance to a virgin?" Her words had the desired effect of provoking Saburo's rage and he flung Angela off the the side. "Try to escape, and I will tear her head from her body." Setting Linnsa on the ground, he stood back a few steps from her. "Let me see this unspoiled body. Remove your clothes." Unable to hide the blush that colored her cheeks, Linnsa stepped out of her sandals and then unzipped her jeans, trying to maintain her composure while she slipped one leg out and then the other. Dropping them to the floor, she then pulled her t shirt over her head. Genzo couldn't help marveling at how beautiful she looked, her eyes ablaze and her skin flushed. Her frame was so tiny, yet she was undeniably feminine. Had he been in any other situation besides the one they were all in, he would have had difficulty restraining himself. As if sensing his appreciation, Saburo looked at him and sneered, "[Washiyeru], Uehara-kun. Enjoy watching me deflower her." The suggestion drew another howl of rage from Genzo. "Remove the rest. Let Genzo see what he will never have." Her face unchanged, Linnsa never broke with his eyes as she reached behind her back and let her bra loose. "For being so small, you certainly don't disappoint," he added with appreciation. "Now quit stalling and take off the rest. Linnsa could hear her sister crying in the background, pleading with her not to do it. Hoping that her terror didn't show, she hooked her fingers into the sides of her panties and lowered them off her hips, kicking them off to the side. She stood before him fully nude, her arms crossed in front of her chest. "That won't do," Saburo clucked. Put your arms down." Summoning all of her will power, she forced her arms to drop. Walking in a circle around her, he eyed her with anticipation. "Very nice." Grabbing on of her breasts, he groped her roughly, turning her so that Genzo could see everything. "[Utskushi], don't you think?" He brought his other free hand between her legs and began fingering her. The pain was horrible and Linnsa couldn't help the few tears that welled up and ran down her cheeks. "[Dahmeh]!" Genzo thundered. "And what will you do?" Whirling her around so that she faced him, he had another idea. "See this?" He indicated for her to look down and when she did, Linnsa tried to look unafraid as she saw him stroking his very large erection. "I want you to suck me. After Genzo watches you drink my cum, then you'll suck me back to hardness and I will claim both your holes. He saw her lips move but couldn't make out what she was saying. "What was that?" She spoke slightly louder but he leaned in closer, still unable to make it out. "What did you say?" "This." Digging her fingernails into his chest wall on either side of his heart, Linnsa let her rage loose and everyone watched as Saburo jerked in place, still holding Linnsa against him. The electricity she unleashed began disrupting his heart rhythm and it began to beat erratically. Unfortunately, the high voltage also caused tetanic contractions in his arm muscles, causing him to squeeze harder. Gritting her teeth as she felt some of her ribs begin to crack, she nonetheless stubbornly dug in her nails as she discharged her anger. The two nodal rhythms of his heart finally uncoupled and he began to shrink back into his human shape finally releasing his hold on Linnsa. Tottering on his feet, Linnsa held her broken ribs with one hand, breathing hard. Ignoring the tearing pain in her sides, she spat, "Was it good for you?" and taking a running start, she high kicked his body out the window. Still twitching erratically, Saburo's naked form flew out into the night air amidst a shower of shattered glass before landing on the pavement with a sickening crack. "Fuck you, asshole," she muttered before toppling forward. "Linnsa!" Angela scrambled towards her sister, but Genzo was already there. With great care, he gathered her into his arms. "Is she-" "She's alive," he confirmed, to her great relief. "But she is very hurt. We must get her to the hospital." Noboru walked over to the window and stared down at his brother's mangled corpse. "[Sayonara], Saburo." Looking back at Genzo, he threw him a disapproving glare. "[Bagayaro!] What on earth were you thinking bringing her here?!" "[Donno], permit me to take her to the hospital first. Then I will accept whatever consequence you deem fit." His voice caught as he added, "Please, we must save her." He was right. Now was not the time. "Do it." ____________________________ nani: what ni-san: big brother (familiar) washiyeru: (she's) mine utskushi: beautiful dahmeh: stop sayonara: goodbye bagayaro: you idiot donno: my lord ___________________________ "Nakamura-sensei, how is she?" Dr. Nakamura closed the door to Linnsa's hospital room and gestured for them to move to a more private area. "She has five broken ribs and was quite hypoglycemic when she came in." "Will she be alright?" Genzo broke in without. Smiling, the doctor nodded. "You can go in and see her if you like." Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. "One more thing that we cannot figure out," he added. "There was a strange wound in her side, unrelated to her broken ribs. It almost looks as if something exploded from inside her." "[Nanda?]" Noburo exclaimed. "Nobu, what is it?" Angela began to panic when she saw his face go white. "Sensei, show me this wound," he demanded. He gave Angela a look that said to stay put and followed the doctor back to Linnsa's bed. Pulling the sheet down, Dr. Nakamura gently lifted the side of her gown so that Noboru could look. Examining the little crater he saw that it had indeed been made from the inside out and a chill ran up his spine. "Domo, sensei." When she saw him come back, Angela ran to him. "What is going on? Why do you look so freaked out? She's not going to die is she?!" Noboru was silent for a moment. Finally, he gave a sigh and stated, "We should speak somewhere safe." Despite her panicked face, he did not give her an answer regarding her sister's fate. _______________________ At his flat, Noboru sat Angela down on the edge of his bed and knelt in front of her. "My love, I must tell you something, but aside from losing you, this will be one of the most difficult things I have ever had to do." "What is so terrible that you can't just spit it out?!" She was really starting to freak out now. He sighed. Enfolding both her hands in his, he let them rest against his forehead. "You remember the strange gun you saw me with? The one I told you would be a way to stop my brother." She nodded. "I did not wish to tell you what it was for fear that you would use the knowledge to leave me once again." "What are you talking about? Why would I leave you?" He never met her eyes, but continued to look at the floor, "Ryuzo found a way to reverse the effects of the virus. Kaori's tissues provided the basis for an antivirus. To protect everyone, we told no one of this." She understood now why he'd kept the information from her. "You thought I would want the anti-virus." The thought sent a pang of loneliness through him. "After all the hardship you have had to endure because of me - you died in a former life and now, after everything that I put you and now your sister through, I knew that it would only be natural for you to wish to unbind yourself from me." "You're wrong, Nobu." Lifting his head, he found her smiling at him lovingly. "You do not-" Settling on the floor next to him, she put her face level with his and taking his face in her hands she kissed him softly, "Nobu, no matter what happens to me, no hardship could be worse than not being with you." The look of hopefulness on his face was somehow familiar to her. "[Honto]?" "[Honto]," she repeated. She nearly fell over as he hugged her tight. "Don't break my ribs, too, Nobu!" Noboru ran the backs of his fingers along her cheek, grateful that she had not decided to renounce her longevity. "There is more though, [ichiban]. Though we only tested the anti-virus on a few men, a percentage of those men showed a deterioration identical to Kaori's." Angela's sense of alarm began to return. "How long before they showed signs?" "About twenty four to forty eight hours." "And my sister somehow was innoculated?" "That is what I cannot understand," he puzzled. Each dosage was wired to a specific detonator. The devices for both her dose and Saburo's were thrown out the building during our fight. I do not know how it could have been triggered." "She used whatever charge she'd been saving up to disable him. I suppose it's possible that the high voltage current generated by her body set it off." Once again, her sister's life hung in the balance with no assurance of a happy outcome. "Don't tell her until the 48 hours are up," she requested. "I don't want her to worry for no reason." "Of course." He tightened his arm around her as she hugged him for comfort. _______________________ [ichiban]: little one _______________________ At the hospital, Genzo insisted on remaining by Linnsa's bedside. The hospital staff learned very quickly not to insist that he leave her room on pain of receiving a murderous look. Since she'd been admitted, she hadn't regained consciousness. He prayed for her to open her eyes, to wake up and let him hear her voice, but she lay unmoving, the only sound in the room the various beeps and clicks of the machines hooked to her body. Dr. Nakamura had given her a transfusion of carrier blood, but for some reason, she did not respond the way she had the first time he had healed her. Taking her hand, he felt how faint her pulse was. "Linnsa-chan, please, do not die." A sudden twitching of her hand startled him. Overjoyed that she was coming to, he looked at her but was horrified to see that her entire body was twitching uncontrollably. To add to his concern, her EKG monitor began showing erratic rhythms. Bolting out of his chair, he shouted for the doctor. His head whipped around when he heard the unmistakable sound of the heart monitor flatline. Dr. Nakamura ran into the room with two nurses. "Get the crash cart in here, right now! She's gone into asystole! Epi and atropine! We don't have much time!" "Linnsa!" Genzo shouted as he ran to her. He was stopped by Dr. Nakamura's hand on his chest. "You must go outside, Genzo. We must regain a heartbeat and we need to work fast." He felt as if his own heart were breaking as he watched him return to her side. "[Onnegai]...you - you must save her." ________________ onnegai: I beg you The Rising Sun & The Morning Calm Ch. 31 Sorry it's been so long since I've written, but I think the end is in sight. No sexy bits in this one, but I hope that you'll keep reading for more later. I wanted to focus some time on Linnsa and Genzo. Thanks again to those who have been following since the beginning and I hope you enjoy what's left :) ********** "What's happening?!" Dashing towards Linnsa's bed, Angela ran smack into Noboru's outstretched arm as he tried to bar her from seeing her sister's condition. "Leave the doctor to do his work," he told her firmly, hoping that his calm would prove reassuring to her. "Genzo?! What is it?!" Angela turned her wild gaze to his stricken face. Lost for words, he couldn't bring himself to meet her eyes. Fearing they would make an already tenuous situation worse, Noboru ushered them out into the lobby. "Calm down, both of you. Nakamura sensei is one of the best physicians in Tokyo. He knows what he is doing." ******* For two hours, Angela fought to keep herself under control. Each passing second stretched for hours as she waited anxiously for news of Linnsa's condition. The only person suffering worse than herself seemed to be Genzo. Despite the fact that he maintained a stoic facade, she could feel the fear that ate away at him. Though she felt badly for him, she also couldn't help wishing that she could shut off the flow of her empathy. Instead she tried honing in on Noboru's quiet confidence and said one silent prayer after another. Their agonizing wait came to an end when Dr. Nakamura slowly entered the waiting room. "Doctor, is she okay?" The hesitant look on his face told her all she needed to know. "No!! Tell me she's alright!" When he said nothing, unable to help herself, she fairly screamed, "Tell me!!" "We did everything we could. I am so sorry," was all he could say. "I - I don't understand, what happened?" Dr. Nakamura gestured towards the room that had been Linnsa's. "Perhaps you would like to be with her alone first. I will explain everything afterwards." "Do you want me to come with you?" Noboru asked, placing an arm around her shoulders. Angele made no attempt at an answer, staring straight ahead in shock and disbelief. Tears spilled over her cheeks, though no sounds escaped her lips. Her shaky breaths prompted Noboru to lead her into the room. "I am here, [ichiban]," he whispered softly into her ear. Pulling aside the curtain, he felt Angela jerk back as she saw the sheet pulled over her sister's face. "Angela-" "No, I can't do this!" Sobbing, she broke free from his grasp and ran out of the room. When Genzo saw her leave, he swallowed the painful lump in his throat and made his way over to the bedside. "[Donno], may I..." Noboru gave him a sad smile. "Of course, my friend. I am so sorry." He went to go find Angela and left Genzo alone with Linnsa's body. His hand shaking, Genzo pulled back the sheet, revealing her pale face. The movement had dragged a few strands of hair across her forehead. Reaching out to smooth them away, he recoiled in horror when he felt how cold her skin was. At that moment the reality of her death hit him completely and the same pain he had felt when his family was murdered descended on him. Sinking to his knees by the bed, he broke down, sobbing helplessly. "Please," he begged in English, as if she could still hear him. "You cannot be dead." He took her hand and images of her playing the violin deepened his grief. "Please come back. Even if you could not love me, I cannot bear the thought of a world without you." He felt her hand warming from the heat of his own skin and squeezed it, as if willing her to squeeze back. If not for his immortality, he would have gladly joined her. Knowing that he had little time left to say his goodbyes, he gently placed a lingering kiss on her lips but pulled back suddenly when he felt a small movement. "Linnsa-chan?" Linnsa's eyes slowly opened and Genzo was shocked to see that her eyes were no longer green, but a rich hazel color. "Genzo? Where am I? Everything looks fuzzy and my head hurts." Overjoyed, Genzo grabbed her in a hug and began simultaneously crying and laughing, loosening his grip as she made small, muffled sounds of protest at his exuberance. "Ow...Genzo, not so hard...my head..." "[Gomen! Gomen!] I will explain in a moment," he promised. "Sensei! [Hayaku]!" Dr. Nakamura bolted into the room. "[Shinjimasen]." Ordering the trauma team into the room, the doctor set about taking her vital signs and getting her hooked up to the cardiac monitor. Unable to contain himself, Genzo immediately went in search of Angela. In his eagerness, he nearly ran over a stunned Noboru. "[Donno], she is alive!" he crowed joyfully. "What?!" "I do not know how, but she is alive! She..." Happy tears streamed from his eyes. "She recognized me. We must find Angela. We must tell her-" He stopped mid-sentence when he saw her coming back to the waiting room. "Angela! Linnsa-chan is not dead, she is alive!" Angela looked from Genzo to Noboru as if the worst possible practical joke on earth was being played on her. "Don't - don't you dare do this to me, Genzo..." "No, he is telling you the truth," Dr. Nakamura confirmed coming up behind them. "Give us a few hours to get her stabilized, and then you can speak with her." He and Noboru both smiled at the sight of Angela and Genzo hugging each other amidst happy tears. ***** ichiban: little one (Japanese) gomen: sorry (Japanese) hayaku: hurry (Japanese) shinjimasen: I don't believe it (Japanese) ***** "Are you feeling well enough to have some visitors? Dr. Nakamura hung his stethoscope around his neck and smiled kindly at Linnsa. "Your sister has been worried to death about you." "If I died, I guess I couldn't blame her," she joked ruefully. "Please send her-" "LINNSAAAAAA!!" Throwing her arms around her sister, Angela began crying hysterically. "Don't ever scare me like that again, okay?!" "It's not as if I did it on purpose - OW!!" "Sorry, sorry!" Wiping her eyes with the back of her hand, Angela choked back a few sobs. "I was so scared. Thank God you're alive." "What happened to me?" Dr. Nakamura waved her question away. "We do not know for certain ourselves. When we have answers, we will tell you." "Does this mean I get to go home soon?" "Oh no! I have to resume my clinic in four days!" Angela blurted. "If the next 24 hours are uneventful and our tests return normal, then I would say you may return to the States." "Thank God." The relief was all too evident in her voice. "No offense to anyone here, but I don't think I'll be returning to Tokyo in this lifetime. Too many bad memories." Linnsa's eyes darted to over Angela's shoulders where Genzo had suddenly materialized. "Huh? I didn't sense your presence. That's weird." "Well now that the worst is behind us, I can tell you what happened," Angela reassured her. "See, we had this antivirus that you accidentally got innocculated with-" "Antivirus?" Genzo repeated. "There is an antivirus?" "Oh...oops." Cringing inside, she muttered, "I don't think I was supposed to tell YOU about that part." "Does that mean I'm not an electric eel anymore?" Linnsa asked hopefully. "Well see for yourself." Angela handed her sister a mirror and Linnsa let out a squeal of surprise when she saw her eyes were no longer bright green. "Wait a minute..." Putting the mirror down, Linnsa lifted up her hospital gown over her ribs and sure enough, the odd rows of pits were no longer there on either side. "So, I'm cured? I'm not going to live forever?" "It looks that way, Linns." "That's the best news I've heard all day, other than the fact that I came back from the dead...hey where'd Genzo go?" Checking over her shoulder, Genzo was nowhere to be seen. "I don't know." ***** Standing at the vending machine, Noboru was in the process of buying a can of coffee and trying to digest the events of the day when Genzo's voice interrupted his thoughts. "[Donno], is it true? You're in possession of an antivirus?" The canned drink clinked loudly as it fell from its assigned slot. "Yes, my friend, it's true. It was how we were able to finally put an end to Saburo's meddling." "So Linnsa is no longer infected?" "It would appear so. Ryuzo seems to think that the reason she went into cardiac arrest was because her reversion to her pre-infectious state completely disrupted her electrolyte balance. It seems her body was changing too fast to keep pace." Popping open his coffee, Noboru was in the middle of a sip when Genzo's next statement nearly caused him to choke mid-gulp. "I would like to have the antivirus as well." Coughing a few times to clear his throat, Noboru turned around. "Genzo..." "If you truly care about my happiness, if you do consider me a friend, please, make me mortal again." "You don't know what you're asking. There are many risks to taking the antivirus. What happened to Linnsa was a direct result of her accidentally receiving it. It's not simply a matter of reverting back to how you were when we first met. There are many complications that can occur and there are no guarantees of any kind. It could kill you." "I don't care," Genzo replied resolutely. "And," he continued when he saw Noboru about to open his mouth, "I understand that it's entirely possible that Linnsa can't return my feelings. It doesn't matter. I'm tired of this life and if I can rejoin my family, I'll take an early death or a natural one." "What are you two jabbering about?" Angela walked over to them. She hated it that she didn't understand Japanese very well, especially when Noboru spoke perfect Korean. "[Ahm gott ddoh ahn nee ya]," Noboru smiled. "Why do I not believe you?" she shot back warily, looking over at Genzo. ********* ahm gott ddoh ahn nee ya: It's nothing (Korean) ********* Two days later, Linnsa was discharged from the hospital and both she and Angela were scrambling to pack for their return flight to the United States. "Where's Genzo been these last few days?" Linnsa asked, sitting on her suitcase to keep it shut. "No more evil brother, no more bodyguard," Angela explained. "He didn't want to talk to me?" When she saw the smile creep over Angela's face, she blushed and snapped, "Oh, shut up!" Hugging her sister, Angela laughed. "He thought you would want some space. Your last conversation wasn't exactly a pleasant one. You remember that right? The one where you threatened to hate him forever and never speak to him again?" Linnsa lowered her eyes guiltily. "Well yeah, but...I don't have any reason to be mad at him any longer. I'm not infected any more. Is he flying with us? "Yes. He's coming back to Chicago with me and Noboru. Are you going to stay with us until you have to go back to work?" "I can, if it's not too inconvenient for the two of you. I'd like that." "Noboru feels it's the least we can do after what you've been through." "[Tenshi]," Noboru called out from below. "The car has arrived." "Time to go," Angela grinned. She was about to pick up her suitcase when Genzo stepped in front of her and silently took it effortlessly. Acknowledging Linnsa with a stiff bow, he took her suitcase as well and walked to the car without uttering a word. The ride to the airport was quiet and awkward. Linnsa snuck glances at Genzo through the rearview mirror, but he kept his eyes fixed on the road as he drove. It unnerved her more than she wanted to admit. At Narita, they were greeted by Shinnosuke and Sang Nam. "You're staying in Tokyo?" Angela asked Shinnosuke. "Yes. Do not miss me too much, [neh]?" He chuckled when she jumped up and hugged him fiercely. "Thank you for being so kind to me," she sniffled, unable to help tearing up. "[Baga], no crying. You will return to Tokyo I am sure." "No tears for me?" Sang Nam quipped. "Where are you going, back to to Seoul?" "Indeed. I never much cared for Japan. Back to [Woo Li Nah Rah Man Seh]." He pretended to be oblivious of the dirty look Genzo gave him. "Don't screw this up, my friend," he advised, nodding in Linnsa's direction. "Good luck with her though, she's really scary." "Sang, shut the hell up!" Linnsa shouted indignantly, actually quite a bit more indignantly than she had intended. When Genzo looked at her in surprise, her face colored and she tried to busy herself with getting out her passport. As they boarded the plane, Angela put her luggage away and sat excitedly in her first class seat. "I can't wait to see my babies! They must be so big by now. I hope they haven't forgotten me." "Ah yes, I will have to go back to sharing you with Snotty-kun," Noboru mused with mock seriousness. "He may be displeased about this." "And Yang will be so happy to see Genzo again, too." Angela looked over at the seats were Genzo and Linnsa sat awkwardly across from one another. "I hope those two will be okay." Luckily he had bought out the entire first class cabin so they had some privacy. As the plane approached cruising altitude, Angela reclined her seat flat in preparation for a nap and as she slept, Noboru watched the gentle rise and fall of her chest and tried to remind himself that Saburo was well and truly gone. It was still difficult for him to comprehend that he was never coming back. Then there was the matter of Genzo's request. In his luggage was a single dose of antivirus prepared by Ryuzo. Noboru had managed to convince Genzo to delay administration until they had landed in Chicago. Discomfited by Genzo's silence and reserve, Linnsa tried to think of a way to get his attention. She couldn't even make eye contact, as his head was bent over his tablet. Unsure of what else to do, she scribbled a note onto a piece of notebook paper and folded it into a paper airplane. Taking aim, she threw it so that it glided onto his tablet surface. "Eh?" Genzo glanced up and saw Linnsa make an exaggerated show of looking innocent and couldn't help a smile. Unfolding the paper, he saw her neat handwriting: -So what, you're not going to talk to me anymore? A small chuckle escaped him and he took out a pen to write his reply. He then refolded the plane and returned it to her. Unfolding it, she read: -I thought you did not wish to speak to me. Grinning, she scrawled another line and launched the plane yet again. -Now that I'm back to normal, I have no reason to be mad at you. Wanna be friends? Genzo laughed outright at that one and wrote his answer: -If you would allow me the honor, I would like that very much. Another short scribble and the plane returned to his lap: -Well, why don't you come sit next to me and we can chat. I'm running out of room. Elated by her offer, he nonetheless kept his face neutral and sat next to her. Linnsa opened her laptop and started a new word processing document. "This is easier, I think," she explained, then typed: -So what are you going to do now? -What do you mean? -Where will you go from here? -I do not know. Will you return to California? -I don't know. I don't really feel like going back just yet. Will you keep working for Noboru? -I may not. I will likely be of little use to him in the future. -Why? -He has agreed to give me the antivirus. When we land, it is my intention to take it. Stunned, Linnsa gave him a look that clearly indicated that she thought he was out of his mind. Resuming typing, she asked: -Are you out of your mind? Do you know how dangerous that is? It almost killed me! -I am well aware of that risk. -Then why would you do it? -Life is not worth living when one is always alone. Linnsa met his eyes and blushed under his searching gaze. -Did you want it because of me? Because of how you feel about me? - I would have asked for it regardless, but I would be lying if I said that living in your lifetime did not factor into my decision. -So, even if you couldn't be with me, you'd still take it? -Yes. He paused for a moment and took a breath as if gathering courage. -Does that mean you cannot return my feelings? Seeing the hesitant expression on his face, Linnsa couldn't help but feel touched. [The poor guy], she thought to herself. -I don't think that's impossible, but we know almost nothing about each other. Smiling with relief, Genzo quickly typed: -We have almost 12 hours before reaching Chicago to know each other better. What would you like to know? -Well, for starters, when's your birthday? -Do you want the year as well? -Don't be such a smart ass :P Noboru, looked up at the sound of laughter to see Linnsa and Genzo with their heads together taking turns typing on her laptop. If Genzo's cure didn't kill him, the future was looking hopeful for everyone. ****** tenshi: angel (Japanese) neh: okay (Japanese) baga: stupid (Japanese) woo li nah rah man seh: may our country live for ten thousand years (Korean, also a line from the Korean national anthem) The Rising Sun & The Morning Calm Ch. 32 Apologies for it having been so long since writing. Between working and moving it's been an intense year. Not much in the way of action after Saburo's death, but if you've wanted to see the budding relationship between Linnsa and Genzo, hopefully you'll enjoy. ***** "Babies!" Running into the living room, Angela began to cry when Yang and Snotty scrambled madly to greet her, meowing loudly and rubbing themselves against her leg. "Oh God, I've missed you guys and you've gotten so big! But...where's Yin?" she wondered aloud. "Is that her over there on the bookshelf?" Linnsa asked, pointing. Following her indication, Angela looked to the top of the bookshelf where Yin sat with her feet tucked beneath her, eyes closed. When she tried to reach onto the shelf to pick her up for a hug, Yin gave her a bored look and moved to the other end of the shelf where Angela couldn't reach her. "Oh no! She's mad at me!" she wailed. "Yin, aren't you happy to see Mommy?" As if understanding her, Yin merely turned around so that she was no longer facing everyone. "Give her some time," Noboru coaxed, not wanting her to cry more. "I am sure she will come to you." Angela simply sniffled and kept staring longingly at Yin's furry backside. "They are so cute!" Linnsa exclaimed. She started laughing when Yang jumped onto Genzo's pant leg and began climbing up his body in her eagerness to say hello. "Well, somebody missed you." Cradling her in his arms, Genzo rubbed his face in her fuzzy mane. "Yang-chan." She crooned happily at the sound of his voice and closed her eyes as he rubbed her belly. "And who's this?" Kneeling down, she giggled as Snotty continually butted his head against her outstretched hand. "Is anyone hungry?" Noboru inquired. "I will have something brought in." "Starved!" the two women chirped in unison. _____________________ As the four sat down to a dinner of Italian take out, Yang refused to be moved from Genzo's shoulder and Snotty had firmly established himself in Linnsa's lap, kneading her leg with his front paws as he contentedly slept. Angela looked again towards where Yin had secluded herself, but she showed no signs of warming up to her. She threw Noboru a sad glance and he mouthed "[guk jung mah lah]." Genzo picked at his meal not sure of how to proceed. "[Ano], Linnsa?" "Hm?" Linnsa raised her head from her plate of spaghetti. "Could I have a copy of our conversation?" "What for?" she asked quizzically. "I...ah...would like to study it further." Genzo rubbed the back of his head awkwardly which prompted Yang to begin grooming his hair. Linnsa laughed at how much Yang loved lavishing attention on him. "Okay, but there'll be a pop quiz later," she joked. "Genzo, come with me," Noboru said, gesturing towards another room. "Hai." After Genzo apologetically lifted a reluctant Yang off his neck, the two men left the women to continue eating. Opening his suitcase, Noboru removed the tiny bottle of antivirus and a syringe. For a moment, he said nothing and simply looked at the objects in his hand. "Are you certain you want to go through with this?" The sound of the two sisters laughing floated into the room. "I have never been more certain about anything. Please." Sighing, Noboru nodded and rolled up Genzo's sleeve. Drawing up a small dose into the syringe, he injected it into his shoulder muscle. "If you're alright at the end of the week, it means that you've successfully been treated." "How long until I'll know that it's making me ill?" "Two to three days." Genzo pulled his sleeve down over his deltoid and bowed his head to Noboru. "Whatever happens...thank you." "Don't think that way." Putting on a smile, he added, "Now we need to find a role for you so that you can look after Linnsa." He was rewarded with a pleased smile. __________________ guk jung mah lah: don't worry (Korean) __________________ "Are you leaving, Genzo?" "Yes. I must return to my own apartment." Linnsa's paused for a moment, then her eyes narrowed "Did you do it?" When he nodded, her worry deepened. "Don't go! What if something happens?" "Nothing will happen," he promised lightly. Inwardly, he was delighted that she seemed concerned for his well being. "You expect me to believe that? You forget who you're talking to." Crossing her arms in front of her chest, she glared up at him. "You need a doctor with you in case something happens." "I doubt you will be of much help if something does," he pointed out. "You don't know that!" "I will be fine." "Uh, it wasn't a request, Genzo." Everyone smiled at the way she sassed him. "Stay here for the time being," Noboru suggested. "As a favor to a friend who is worried for your health." "Yeah, what he said," Linnsa echoed gruffly. That elicited another set of laughs. Glad for an excuse to stay, Genzo nodded in agreement.. __________________ Six hours after returning home, as Angela got into bed to turn in, she squealed in delight as Yin finally came bounding into the bed. Nuzzling her ardently, the little white cat paced a few circles on her chest before tucking her paws underneath her and purring as if no time at all had passed. "I predicted that she would come to you, did I not?" Noboru noted with an I-told-you-so voice. When Snotty jumped onto his pillow and curled up into a ball, he rolled his eyes. "Another accurate prediction. Snotty-kun, go away." His answer was to yawn loudly and begin kneading the pillow. "Oh, my little sweetie, don't ever ignore me like that again!" As she peppered Yin's head with little kisses, the kitten closed her eyes and rumbled more loudly. Happy to have her back at last, Angela took care not to move so that Yin wouldn't change her mind and leave. Now that the two of them were alone, she asked, "How are you doing?" "What do you mean?" Angela rolled her eyes. Men could be so thick sometimes. "Uh, your brother? Gone? Any thoughts?" Noboru lay his head on the pillow and listened to Snotty's contented purrs. "I do not know that it has actually registered in my mind yet. I still feel as if I must be on my guard." "After hundreds of years of looking over your shoulder, I bet that's to be expected," she agreed. "Do you feel sad at all?" He thought about it for a moment. "No. The day you died, he ceased to be my brother." "I for one am just glad all this craziness is over. Hopefully we can start looking forward to a semi-normal life?" He just smiled at her in response. "Do you think Genzo will be okay?" "I have no way of knowing that," Noboru replied, stroking Snotty's head absently, "but I hope that he will be." "Well, if he survives this hurdle, he's got an equally bigger one to contend with." "Such as?" "The fact that Linnsa won't have sex before she's married," Angela yawned, cuddling Yin to her face. So tired was she that Noburo's wry smile went completely unnoticed as the sound of her soft snoring mixed with her kitten's purrs. ____________________ While Linnsa brushed her teeth, Genzo sat on the edge of the bed, contemplating how he should conduct himself when a soft meow broke his concentration. "Mm?" Jumping delicately onto the comforter, Yang stretched languidly on all fours and began rubbing her face against his arm. "Yang-chan," he sang softly. Hearing her name, the kitten began pawing his sleeve and unable to resist her entreaties, Genzo held her in his arms. "Would you two like to be alone?" "Eh?" He looked up to see Linnsa leaning against the doorway. "I feel like I'm interrupting," she countered with a smile. When he began to put her down, she hastily stopped him. "I was only kidding. Don't put her down, she'll be so sad." Her kindness, even for the happiness of a little kitten reminded him of why she had grown so dear to him. "Please." He motioned for her to join him. Linnsa tentatively laid on top of the bed on her stomach. Not looking at Genzo, she began petting Yang, unsure of what to say next. "I'm not gonna lie, this is really weird for me." "Of that, I have little doubt," Genzo said sympathetically. "I mean, not that I want to make you feel bad, but I feel a lot of pressure." "What do you mean?" "I don't know, I just feel like I don't want to hurt you. You've put so much into being with me. What if we don't work out?" She winced inwardly when she saw a momentary look of sadness flit over him. "I do not wish for you to feel a sense of obligation to me." "I'm so bad at this, I'm sorry, Genzo!" Linnsa apologized. "I know how you feel," he answered with a small smile. "So...". Linnsa rested her face in both hands, propped up on her elbows. "Is this how it goes? You meet someone and then you guys are bound for life?" "It sounds unusual, but remember, I have had three centuries to understand what it is I want." Setting Yang gently at the foot of the bed, she curled into a ball and covered her face with a paw as she went to sleep. Leaning on his side, also propped on an elbow, he lowered his face level with Linnsa's. "If you wish me to hide my feelings, I will do so for your comfort." Flattered at the depth of his devotion to her, she shook her head. "I'm not used to it, but I can't say that it isn't nice to have someone so into me." When he reached out to pull her to him, she didn't resist, feeling a wave of heat pass through her when her body met his. "I would do anything to make you happy," he told her softly. "I believe you," she whispered. It felt so secure to be wrapped in his arms. There was something infinitely comforting and familiar about being with him. Spurred on by her acceptance, he began to kiss her, hesitantly at first, but when she began impatiently kissing him back, they quickly became more heated. Her small sighs at his rising insistence instantly got him hard, but to his surprise, she didn't back away from him as she first had in Japan. Instead, she slowly ran the flat of her palm over his chest and abdomen, finally stroking the length of his penis through his clothes. Equally surprised and excited by her actions, he heard her make a noise of surprise as his precum rapidly soaked through them, but she never stopped rubbing, even as she continued to press her mouth into his, feeling his ragged, short breaths as she brought him pleasure. "Linnsa, please...stop...I -" "You what?" she asked with a sly smile. Without answering, Genzo arched his back and bucked his hips against her hand as he ejaculated with a strangled moan. Still cumming, he heard her marvel under her breath, "Oh, wow..." Trying to get his breathing under control, Genzo suddenly felt embarrassed to be lying on his back with a very large freshly blown wad rapidly cooling in his boxers. Linnsa's eyes were riveted to his still swollen cock. "You're so big," she mused with awe. "I should change," he muttered, not knowing what else to say. When he tried to get up, Linnsa pulled him back down. "Why? Why did you do that?" "Did you not like it?" Her brow furrowed in concern. As if to answer her, Genzo looked down at the very large stain on his crotch and grinned sheepishly, causing her to giggle. "Of course I did, but I am confused. Before, you..." "I thought maybe this would help you sleep," she replied impishly. "I couldn't have you staying up all night frustrated. That would just be...mean." She said the last word with a somewhat devilish glint in her eye which wasn't helping his erection subside. Kissing him lightly, she suggested, "Now you can go change." When he had returned to bed in fresh clothes, Genzo gathered her in his arms, relishing how her tiny body fit so neatly against his. "Why do I feel that I have gotten myself into more than I can handle?" he asked, nuzzling her ear as he spooned her. "Because you have." Her words practically dripped with smugness. "What do you wish to do tomorrow?" As sleep began to overtake him, he realized that this was what it was like to look forward to something. "Well," she yawned, "why don't you take me on a date?" The end of her sentence trailed off slowly. "[Aishteryu]," he murmured without thinking as he began drifting off. Linnsa, tired from their long trip, was already fast asleep. _________________ aishteryu: I love you (Japanese) _________________ "Angela, may I speak with you?" "Mm?" Angela lifted her head off her pillow at the sound of Genzo's muted voice calling from downstairs. Noboru was no where in sight, but Snotty had ensured that his side of the bed would not lose an ounce of heat. "Genzo, wha-" "Sssssshhhhhhht!" he hissed testily from below. Rubbing the night's sleep out of her eyes, Angela grabbed Noboru's kimono jacket and wrapped it around herself. Peering over the ledge of the loft area, she saw Genzo standing tentatively in the middle of the floor, his finger to his lips. "What is with you?" Saying nothing, he motioned for her to come downstairs. When she was near enough to hear him speak at a whisper, he looked over his shoulder at the room he shared with Linnsa before turning back to her. "I need some advice." "Advice?" "From a woman," he explained awkwardly. "Ohhhhhhhhhhh..." she whispered knowingly. "I need to know what people do when they go to a dating." When Angela laughed aloud at his use of Engrish, he turned beet red and spat, "[Urusai]!" "You-". It was so hard for her to speak without cracking up. "Y-you want to take Linnsa out on...on a...date?" She caught herself mid snort more than a few times trying to get that sentence out. "[Hai]," he growled in a tone that basically said [don't make this any more humiliating than this already is, woman]. Making every effort to stop chortling, she took a few breaths to compose herself before looking at him again. "I'm sorry, Genzo, I don't mean to laugh at you. I just never thought I'd hear you ask for advice, let alone that sort of advice." "Forget that I asked," he grumbled. Angela grabbed his arm as he turned to stomp off. "No no no, I want to help, really! I just think it's so sweet of you, and..." she paused before adding, "I want you to win her over too." His sour expression softened at her words. "Okay, get a pen and paper, you may want to take notes." Though being somewhat concrete about her instructions, Genzo dutifully obtained a pad of paper and a pen and sat down like a pupil awaiting a lesson. She had to force herself to remember that he was already feeling embarrassed and to not make it worse despite the fact that she found the situation insanely adorable. "Okay, lesson number one: pick up lines." When she saw him scrawling studiously, she sighed and raised his head up with a finger under his chin. "That was a joke, Ninja Boy." "[Konnoyaro...]" _______________ urusai: shut up (Japanese) konnoyaro: why you little...(Japanese) _______________ Opening her eyes after a much needed night's rest, Linnsa yawned and stretched luxuriously, feeling more rejuvenated than she had in a while. Propping herself up in bed, she was surprised to see she was alone. "Hello? Anyone here?" she called out. "Good morning." She looked up to see Genzo walk into the room with a tray. "I thought you might be hungry." Setting the platter down on her lap, he removed the dome off the plate to reveal a very respectable breakfast of scrambled eggs and toast. "You made me breakfast in bed?" Linnsa squealed delightedly. "[Hai. Dozo.]" When she looked up perplexed, he corrected, "Please, eat." Since her reversion back to her old self, Linnsa no longer possessed the legendary appetite she once had, but didn't want to hurt his feelings. "Only if you share with me," she said, picking up her fork. "Here." Against his objections, she spooned a small bite of egg into his mouth. "Good?" "Needs salt," Genzo retorted with feigned gravity. Giggling, she took a bite and was surprised to find that it actually tasted quite good. "These are tasty! Who taught you how to make eggs?" "I found a tutorial on youTube by a man named Gordon Ramsay," was his matter of fact reply. This only caused her to giggle harder. "What?" Putting the tray aside, she hugged him tightly. "You are such a sweet little man!" "Little?" "It's a figure of speech, Genzo," she laughed. "Come back to bed." Happy to comply, he lay down next to her and pulled her to him. Still smiling, she took a moment to just look at him. "What is it?" "You're very handsome, you know that?" It melted her heart to see him blush and look away. "Do you like it when I say that?" "Yes," he grudgingly admitted, his face buried in her neck. She could feel the heat from his blush on her skin and giggled again. "I like when you laugh," he added in muffled contentment. When he felt the blood drain from his cheeks, he lifted his head so that he could meet her eyes. "Would you like to see a movie with me?" "You are just full of surprises! What movie did you have in mind?" "I do not care." He laced his fingers into hers and smiled. "It is your choice. I was told that movies were a typical venue for a first date." She loved his style of speaking. "We could rent a movie," she suggested. "I would have difficulty watching a movie if we stayed here," he warned, his hand slipping under her shirt to the skin over her hip. Linnsa couldn't deny that feeling his hands move over her felt wonderful. "You have quite the sex drive, don't you?" "Entirely your fault," he noted as he ground his fully erect cock against her thigh. Despite feeling self conscious for not having brushed her teeth yet, Linnsa allowed him to kiss her. Seeing that he didn't seem to mind, she gave herself to enjoying his touch. Genzo rolled onto his back, pulling her on top of him as they desperately made out. To his shock, he felt her grind back with her hips and the pressure sent electric needles of pleasure through his body. Suddenly, he felt her bite down gently on his lip, whimpering. Feeling her body go rigid in his hands, when he realized she was in the throes of an orgasm, he grabbed her hips and and thrust against her, groaning as he joined her in cumming. Even though their contact was through their clothes, his release was incredibly intense and immediately, he became sensitive and had to pull away. Linnsa lay on her back, her crotch soaked with both their juices, her nipples standing straight through her t shirt, panting with a glazed look in her eyes that made Genzo's cock release a few extra jets. When her breathing had returned to normal, Linnsa blushed furiously and hastily bolted for the bathroom. After cleaning up, she came back to find him also in fresh clothes, lying on the bed watching her with a worried expression. Curling up next to him, she took his hand in hers. "Genzo, I've never...been with anyone, you know? I mean, I know you have already and...I guess I feel a little inexperienced. I always expected my husband would be the first man I ever slept with. "Does that mean I cannot have the job?" he asked her half jokingly. "Hey, man, you break it, you buy it," she joked back. He kissed her on her cheek. "I would not hesitate to 'buy' it. The question is would you want me to be that man?" "Is that a proposal?" she teased. "A proposal is a formality. Whether it is as your husband or life partner or whatever name you wish to give it, as long as I can be with you, it does not matter." "Can you be patient with me?" Genzo smiled and put his arm around her waist. "It will be difficult, but having waited for so long, I suppose I can try to wait a little longer, but do not be offended if I must disappear for a few minutes in the bathroom before we sleep." Both of them laughed at his warning. "Deal," she promised. _____________________ dozo: please enjoy (Japanese)