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Description
Hey, all. I think I'm finally getting at least some of my time back doing stuff on DA. I'm really crossing my fingers on the subject, anyway!

I've SERIOUSLY missed having as much time as I used to here, and I'll never say that enough. I don't know about anyone else, but it also feels like time has been slipping away far too quickly. In this fast paced world we have to deal with involving all kinds of stupidity of one kind or another -- I'm not just referring to current events affecting us all, but they can't be denied, either -- time becomes so much more important than I could have thought. That's been something I've thought about a lot, and it's a big part of what drives this story.

Time is something we can easily take for granted, and if we don't watch it, we might miss a lot. But...even if we do, even if we let the currents of our lives take us along like a fast moving river, we can find ourselves experiencing truly unique moments. Those kind of moments that will stay with us in our memory long after they came and went, perhaps for forever. Those singular moments can come in many forms. Having a blast of a night with your friends. A birthday marked not so much by how many presents you get, but how special the occasion was made thanks to friends and family. An intimate moment with the one you love that's special in ways you can't even put into words. They're moments we won't ever forget...for better or worse...and this is a story about such singular, everlasting moments.

It's a story that centers on Usagi Shiratori, the young Ninja of Adachi I haven't had the chance to show some love to for quite a while. It's also just as importantly about the most unique twin sisters you know as Asu and Esu Kima. The twins have been through a lot, as some of you Slayers fans already know, which is nearly an understatement to say! They were kidnapped in their teens and had their memories taken from them by black magic, were nearly lost forever to the scourge of slavery, saved and adopted by a heroic couple and taken to Singapore, and then their adoptive parents were taken by evil forces when Asu and Esu were only 18. The twins made a fateful journey to find their parents and figure out who was responsible, and that led to them to being taken and bewitched (yeah, again!) in Adachi...until a certain blue haired Shinobi happened to cross their paths, honestly incidentally, as Usagi, Tokiko Yamaha and her stepson Tatsu strove to save Ryozaki Yamaha from a couple of REALLY bad girls! That culminated in Asu and Esu being saved...in the process of that, they remembered everything they were forced to forget. They recalled their real family...and found out what happened to their real parents.

I know, that was a lot! For those of you who don't know the full score about the Kima Twins, just go to my gallery and search for my stories "Smoke and Mirrors", "Erica and Anessa" and "Soft Reset". That way you'll get all the deets about the Kima Twins' story so far!

Got all that reading out of the way? Awesome, now you can come back here. This story is set a bit of time after the twins were saved and had begun going to Usagi's college to earn their certification as Demon Hunters...!
---

"Moments We Won't Forget" -- Part One of Two!

--1--

One day in Adachi, a bit to the north of Demon City 7 and Chiyoda...

Usagi Shiratori, a girl full of secrets, was walking down the sidewalk of a busy street with the Kima Twins, Asu and Esu. All three girls were going to the Tokyo Future School, and stayed at the college in their respective dorms. The twins became students not long ago thanks to some creative (and highly illegal) digital wrangling on the part of the Shiratori Ninja Clan to establish Asu and Esu firmly as citizens again in the kingdom of their birth, and to ensure their enrollment in the college to complete their credit hours they never finished at a Singapore school for Demon Hunters. It helped lots that the benevolent clan had agents both in the right government offices and the college itself, of course...Usagi never told the twins anything about her clan, especially how big it was!

All three girls were keenly aware and always cautious that they were on the shit list of Boss Ieyasu Kurihara, the Boss of the Orcs, who led a far-reaching crime syndicate and slavery operation. Ever since the rescue of the twins from Ieyasu's casino, which that asshole would no doubt NEVER forgive, Asu and Esu were kind of anxious that the big Boss might go looking for them again at least to tie up loose ends. Fortunately, Usagi's basic recommendation to stay in public places and be as visible as possible seemed to be a simple yet effective solution. The girl with blue hair, who had long ago gotten used to that sort of thing, had the pure spirit and cheer to really calm and soothe the twins' quiet fears so they could focus on finishing their education as slayers of Demons. On an accelerated program to finish those hours as quickly as possible, aggressive Asu and the nerdy Esu were left more exhausted by their training than worried about any fears of Orcs at the end of each day...but there was definitely a light at the end of the tunnel in the sense they'd complete their education in a month if they kept their dedication up. The way mortal time passed so quickly, the twins might be certified as Demon Hunters before they knew it!

A month was still a long time, though, and a threat could arise any moment. It had been reasonably peaceful for Usagi and her newest friends since that wild day at The Ugly Mug...

...until this day. As the three of them walked, Usagi caught sight of the two big Human dudes just loitering and leaning against a wall about a block ahead. Then the young Ninja, who had senses FAR stronger than the ordinary, smelled them. You never, ever forget the smell of brutish Orcs, mainly because they don't like bathing. Needless to say, it wasn't a pleasant smell. As the three of them got closer to the bruisers, as Asu and Esu obliviously talked to each other, Usagi could see the aura of the Transformation spell around these two jerks. They might have looked Human at the moment, but that bad smell was coming from them. The spell that Transformed them hid even their smell from the ordinary, but not from Usagi. They were Orcs, all right. And they were both staring at the three girls.

Usagi's mind quickly worked as they got closer to the two assholes. These Orcs wouldn't have dropped the spell that Transformed them and attacked the trio right here on the street...their kind weren't THAT stupid. (Well, Usagi hoped that!) Boss Ieyasu never wanted his employees to do anything blatantly criminal in public without his direct permission. (The blue haired Ninja also hoped they didn't have that permission at the moment!) So Usagi took a chance, quietly prayed and kept walking toward the enemies...the three beauties were virtually in arm's length of the assholes as they passed...the brutes kept staring at them...

...and the trio passed by the enemies. However. Usagi sensed them disengage from the wall they leaned on and heard their plodding footsteps. Following them. Usagi thought, Well, heck! They couldn't just double back to the college; that would have aroused the Orcs' suspicions and maybe even make them think they were made. It wasn't possible for Usagi to call for help without getting the pair's attention, too. But then she remembered where she and the Twins were in this downtown area, and knew there was a solution not far away!

Usagi interrupted the twins' bright conversation and asked, "Hey, do you two feel like shopping?? I want a snack!"

Asu smiled fondly at Usagi and remarked, "Now that you mention it, I'm kinda hungry!"

Esu cooed, "Me too, Big Sister!"

Grateful, Usagi told them, "I know a store that isn't much further down this side of the street. I'll show you!" Together, the trio continued moving with a real spring in their step as Usagi kept track of the assholes behind them. Less than a block later, the blue haired girl opened the door to what seemed to be an ordinary convenience store. As the twins entered, on her periphery, she saw the two enemies stop. They were both frowning.

Usagi thought, Good. Let your pea brains work overtime to figure out whether to follow us in or not! She expected they'd have a minute, maybe, if the gods above were generous.

The Ninja entered as Esu almost cried, "I want takoyaki!" Asu said, "Meh, I want octopus jerky!" As the two began searching down the aisles, Usagi noticed there were no other customers in the store. Thank the Heavens, that would make things even simpler! The blue haired schoolgirl moved straight to the owner of the place, a man who looked unusually healthy for being over 60 years of age, who stood like a rock behind the cash register. He had kind eyes and a manner that would have made anyone easily pass him by...he seemed to be an ordinary citizen who could never make a lasting impression.

Usagi reached the counter, bowed deeply, and whispered, "Duomo, Grand Master, but a couple of transformed Orcs trailed me and my friends. They're right outside. I'm sorry, but they might follow us -- !"

The unassuming old man shook his head and said with a quiet voice, "Are they the only ones following you?" As he said that, he picked up a smart phone lying on the counter. He never liked new technology such as this, but it did at times have uses.

Usagi answered with a hush, "Yes, as far as I can tell. I'd hate to trouble you, but -- !"

The old man grunted quietly, "Iee. Clan takes care of their own, young lady." He speed dialed a number and quickly texted a unique code that only the Shiratori knew in case of emergencies. The word would quickly be sent to fellow clansmen and women in the immediate area to converge on this location. Quietly. He quickly looked at the show window of his place...one of the two Orcs was peering in from one side and trying not to be noticed. He was too stupid to succeed. The old man nodded and suggested in a normal tone, "Perhaps you can show your friends the basement!"

Usagi bowed deeply again as she said with relief, "Ah, of course! Domo arigato!" She turned and said loudly, "Asu! Esu! I'd like to show you something!"

Green-haired Esu moved quickly to Usagi...orange-haired Asu seemed a little impatient and was a little slower. Asu said, "Usagi, I was looking for some jerky!"

Usagi said warmly, "Never mind that! I'd like to show you two something if you want to have some old fashioned fun?" As she spoke, as she kept in mind the twins loved video games, the old man behind the counter moved smoothly to one side and opened a hidden hatch in the floor. It led to the basement under the store. Usagi told the twins, "Just go down here!"

Surprised, Esu asked, "To the basement??? Um, is it okay with the owner...?"

The old man told Esu, "If it wasn't, young lady, I wouldn't be showing you the way!"

Usagi urged the twins, "C'mon, let's go!" Usagi spared turning her head JUST enough...good, they were out of the line of sight of the one dumb Orc who was still trying to be stealthy. Just as long as they stayed outside and couldn't see for at least another few seconds...!

Asu, skeptical, asked, "Usagi, what the heck's down there?? I can only guess there's supplies and stuff!"

Usagi asked, "Asu, I just want to show you and your Little Sister something fun! Aren't you curious?"

Esu trusted Usagi MORE than enough to say, "Yes! C'mon, Big Sister!" She followed Usagi to the hatch as she began to climb down its ladder...

...and Asu shrugged and grunted, "What the hells!" She trusted Usagi with her life too and began to climb down the ladder after her twin. Usagi followed them, and halfway down, the hatch closed again above her. It wasn't dark down here in this basement...in fact, there was plenty of light from the lamps hanging from the basement ceiling. Asu looked around her and commented, "Yeah, this looks like fun. Boxes, boxes and more boxes!"

Usagi said with a wink, "Just follow me!" The twins followed their friend down a not-short row of boxes to the back of the basement...

...and when they got to an area that included a humble office for record keeping and such, Esu managed with astonishment, "Wow!" It was an old coin operated arcade game cabinet, the kind that were popular in arcades decades ago, and long before VR and home systems pretty much drove such places virtually extinct less than twenty years ago. This big blocky cabinet looked a lot older than that...and it was a fighting game, one with two joysticks and sets of buttons. The music was old J-Rock as the 'press start' screen and the wonderfully colorful art on both sides advertised being part of an over-the-top tournament of fighters for the fate of...well, most everything in the game's fictional universe.

Asu, a gamer girl with a nearly bottomless fire of aggression and competitive spirit, was drawn to the cabinet like a moth to a flame. She said softly, "I've got to try this out!"

Esu, totally enthused herself being a geek girl in the best sense, was hardly apart from Asu as she said with earnest, "Not without me, Big Sister!"

Asu asked softly, "You sure? I could kick your butt, Little Sister."

Esu purred, "Don't be so sure!" Then they both noticed almost at the same time: the machine only took American quarters. Yep, it was that old school of an arcade game. The green haired girl said the obvious: "Um, we need coins to play...!"

Usagi enlightened, "Look at the table on your right, girls." They both did and saw LOTS of quarters in a heap on the table. "The owner of this place always has quarters ready for guests!"

Asu asked with care, "The old guy wouldn't mind using his money?"

Usagi grinned. "Why would he mind? You'll be feeding his money to his game. Go for it!" The twins needed no more encouragement to take some quarters and started slamming them into the slots. Yes, they were both video game lovers who couldn't resist the chance to play a classic made long before they were born.

Usagi was thankful for this because her dear friends would need the distraction...to not notice whatever could be happening above. The old man who owned this place was one of the Shiratori; more than that, he was a Grand Master mage for the clan, what some in the West would call a 'gray mystic'. He knew both Light and Dark magics and spells VERY well, and ALL of them were lethal. But she had known the Grand Master all of her life, a wise man of great inner discipline who wouldn't ever go out of his way to even hurt a fly...

...but he WOULD use his absolutely fatal spells to protect both himself and those he cherished in his clan when necessary. If the Orcs stepped into the store, and just as long as no more civilians came in, the old man would deal with the Orcs. And do it quietly, as was the way of the Shinobi. Or perhaps he might wait for other members of the clan to come to support him as those dim-bulbs looked around the store, and would only get more and more confused wondering where the hell Usagi and the twins went. If the assholes were very fortunate, they'd never know what hit them. And even if they did, considering they were dealing with a master mystic, it wouldn't make any difference. More importantly, the twins would never notice...neither would anyone right outside of the store going about their daily lives. If the assholes were even more fortunate, they'd just give up and leave...but she doubted they could be that intelligent.

After some initial getting used to the game, the joy from the twins became more and more palpable as they really immersed themselves..Usagi felt joy herself just watching. The old man would open the hatch to the basement to let them know it was time to go sooner or later. (Well really, for Usagi's benefit, when the coast was clear!) Usagi hoped it would be later.

And it was...still, it felt like time passed by too darn fast.

--2--

That evening. Usagi was snug in her dorm room, cramming for a History test the next day at her humble desk...her sweet rabbit Shinobu snuggled at her bare feet as she read and took notes to help her memorize what she needed to. The girl was already a straight-A student, but like everything else, preparation meant everything. Still, Usagi tried her best not to think of her lover Tatsu, who she knew was undergoing a very secret kind of training at the moment. The girl knew he'd do well, but gods, it hurt at times to be apart from him...!

Then a ringtone sounded...but it wasn't from the phone she used normally. It was from another device she had in a secret compartment under her futon, one that was used ONLY for clan affairs. Carefully, she moved her bare feet so not to accidentally jostle Shinobu and moved to the bed. It took her a moment to reach the phone and Usagi answered, "Yes?"

A voice spoke into Usagi's ear: "Usagi, it's Tokiko." Tokiko Yamaha, stepmother of her boyfriend Tatsu. The lady was also the most influential teacher in the girl's life.

A wide smile immediately spread across Usagi's adorable face. "Tokiko-sempai! How are you?" Her brow knitted a little. "I-is everything all right?"

Tokiko answered, "I'm all right, but..." An awkward pause. "It's about the Kima sisters' adoptive parents."

Immediately, Usagi felt a great, dark foreboding. "Yes...?"

"Our brothers and sisters finished their investigations both online and in Singapore. It took them more time than I thought because they needed to be careful. And to be sure. We know what happened to their parents, and..."

"Please tell me, sempai."

There was too much hesitation before Tokiko said slowly, "...The news isn't good."

For a long moment, on her bare knees, Usagi listened silently as Tokiko spoke to her. Truly beautiful both body and soul, the girl was stunned by what she heard. It took all of her self control to simply moan, "Oh, no. N-no." The blue haired girl held her free hand to her heart as she managed, "And...and there's no mistake...?"

"No. Usagi, we...we have evidence found online confirming proof of..." From her tone, Tokiko was so outraged she could hardly bring herself to say anymore.

Usagi completely forgot all about tomorrow's test as she thought of Asu and Esu. "I...I see. Sempai...I need to be the one to tell them. Please?"

"Of course."

"And...I need to see that evidence. I..." Usagi fought the urge to cry with all of her might. "I-I might have to show them at...a-at least some of it. They'll want to know for sure, as well."

Tokiko responded softly, "Hai. Come see me tomorrow morning before your first class, honey. I'll be waiting for you."

To be concluded...
---
As much as I hate to leave things on such a note, that's where this part has to end. The second and final part of this story will be coming soon, rest assured!

Giving credit where it's due!
XNALara created by Dusan Pavlicek; XPS by Dusan and XNAaraL

Models:
Our Ninja Girl Usagi Shiratori by the certified madman ! x 1000!
Asu and Esu Kima by their creator, !
And the arcade game is thanks to ! (I couldn't resist, "Rival Schools" is one of my favorite fighting games. Still, it must be noted that using Capcom's property isn't for profit and purely for entertainment! )

Description
Hey, all. I think I'm finally getting at least some of my time back doing stuff on DA. I'm really crossing my fingers on the subject, anyway!

I've SERIOUSLY missed having as much time as I used to here, and I'll never say that enough. I don't know about anyone else, but it also feels like time has been slipping away far too quickly. In this fast paced world we have to deal with involving all kinds of stupidity of one kind or another -- I'm not just referring to current events affecting us all, but they can't be denied, either -- time becomes so much more important than I could have thought. That's been something I've thought about a lot, and it's a big part of what drives this story.

Time is something we can easily take for granted, and if we don't watch it, we might miss a lot. But...even if we do, even if we let the currents of our lives take us along like a fast moving river, we can find ourselves experiencing truly unique moments. Those kind of moments that will stay with us in our memory long after they came and went, perhaps for forever. Those singular moments can come in many forms. Having a blast of a night with your friends. A birthday marked not so much by how many presents you get, but how special the occasion was made thanks to friends and family. An intimate moment with the one you love that's special in ways you can't even put into words. They're moments we won't ever forget...for better or worse...and this is a story about such singular, everlasting moments.

It's a story that centers on Usagi Shiratori, the young Ninja of Adachi I haven't had the chance to show some love to for quite a while. It's also just as importantly about the most unique twin sisters you know as Asu and Esu Kima. The twins have been through a lot, as some of you Slayers fans already know, which is nearly an understatement to say! They were kidnapped in their teens and had their memories taken from them by black magic, were nearly lost forever to the scourge of slavery, saved and adopted by a heroic couple and taken to Singapore, and then their adoptive parents were taken by evil forces when Asu and Esu were only 18. The twins made a fateful journey to find their parents and figure out who was responsible, and that led to them to being taken and bewitched (yeah, again!) in Adachi...until a certain blue haired Shinobi happened to cross their paths, honestly incidentally, as Usagi, Tokiko Yamaha and her stepson Tatsu strove to save Ryozaki Yamaha from a couple of REALLY bad girls! That culminated in Asu and Esu being saved...in the process of that, they remembered everything they were forced to forget. They recalled their real family...and found out what happened to their real parents.

I know, that was a lot! For those of you who don't know the full score about the Kima Twins, just go to my gallery and search for my stories "Smoke and Mirrors", "Erica and Anessa" and "Soft Reset". That way you'll get all the deets about the Kima Twins' story so far!

Got all that reading out of the way? Awesome, now you can come back here. This story is set a bit of time after the twins were saved and had begun going to Usagi's college to earn their certification as Demon Hunters...!
---

"Moments We Won't Forget" -- Part One of Two!

--1--

One day in Adachi, a bit to the north of Demon City 7 and Chiyoda...

Usagi Shiratori, a girl full of secrets, was walking down the sidewalk of a busy street with the Kima Twins, Asu and Esu. All three girls were going to the Tokyo Future School, and stayed at the college in their respective dorms. The twins became students not long ago thanks to some creative (and highly illegal) digital wrangling on the part of the Shiratori Ninja Clan to establish Asu and Esu firmly as citizens again in the kingdom of their birth, and to ensure their enrollment in the college to complete their credit hours they never finished at a Singapore school for Demon Hunters. It helped lots that the benevolent clan had agents both in the right government offices and the college itself, of course...Usagi never told the twins anything about her clan, especially how big it was!

All three girls were keenly aware and always cautious that they were on the shit list of Boss Ieyasu Kurihara, the Boss of the Orcs, who led a far-reaching crime syndicate and slavery operation. Ever since the rescue of the twins from Ieyasu's casino, which that asshole would no doubt NEVER forgive, Asu and Esu were kind of anxious that the big Boss might go looking for them again at least to tie up loose ends. Fortunately, Usagi's basic recommendation to stay in public places and be as visible as possible seemed to be a simple yet effective solution. The girl with blue hair, who had long ago gotten used to that sort of thing, had the pure spirit and cheer to really calm and soothe the twins' quiet fears so they could focus on finishing their education as slayers of Demons. On an accelerated program to finish those hours as quickly as possible, aggressive Asu and the nerdy Esu were left more exhausted by their training than worried about any fears of Orcs at the end of each day...but there was definitely a light at the end of the tunnel in the sense they'd complete their education in a month if they kept their dedication up. The way mortal time passed so quickly, the twins might be certified as Demon Hunters before they knew it!

A month was still a long time, though, and a threat could arise any moment. It had been reasonably peaceful for Usagi and her newest friends since that wild day at The Ugly Mug...

...until this day. As the three of them walked, Usagi caught sight of the two big Human dudes just loitering and leaning against a wall about a block ahead. Then the young Ninja, who had senses FAR stronger than the ordinary, smelled them. You never, ever forget the smell of brutish Orcs, mainly because they don't like bathing. Needless to say, it wasn't a pleasant smell. As the three of them got closer to the bruisers, as Asu and Esu obliviously talked to each other, Usagi could see the aura of the Transformation spell around these two jerks. They might have looked Human at the moment, but that bad smell was coming from them. The spell that Transformed them hid even their smell from the ordinary, but not from Usagi. They were Orcs, all right. And they were both staring at the three girls.

Usagi's mind quickly worked as they got closer to the two assholes. These Orcs wouldn't have dropped the spell that Transformed them and attacked the trio right here on the street...their kind weren't THAT stupid. (Well, Usagi hoped that!) Boss Ieyasu never wanted his employees to do anything blatantly criminal in public without his direct permission. (The blue haired Ninja also hoped they didn't have that permission at the moment!) So Usagi took a chance, quietly prayed and kept walking toward the enemies...the three beauties were virtually in arm's length of the assholes as they passed...the brutes kept staring at them...

...and the trio passed by the enemies. However. Usagi sensed them disengage from the wall they leaned on and heard their plodding footsteps. Following them. Usagi thought, Well, heck! They couldn't just double back to the college; that would have aroused the Orcs' suspicions and maybe even make them think they were made. It wasn't possible for Usagi to call for help without getting the pair's attention, too. But then she remembered where she and the Twins were in this downtown area, and knew there was a solution not far away!

Usagi interrupted the twins' bright conversation and asked, "Hey, do you two feel like shopping?? I want a snack!"

Asu smiled fondly at Usagi and remarked, "Now that you mention it, I'm kinda hungry!"

Esu cooed, "Me too, Big Sister!"

Grateful, Usagi told them, "I know a store that isn't much further down this side of the street. I'll show you!" Together, the trio continued moving with a real spring in their step as Usagi kept track of the assholes behind them. Less than a block later, the blue haired girl opened the door to what seemed to be an ordinary convenience store. As the twins entered, on her periphery, she saw the two enemies stop. They were both frowning.

Usagi thought, Good. Let your pea brains work overtime to figure out whether to follow us in or not! She expected they'd have a minute, maybe, if the gods above were generous.

The Ninja entered as Esu almost cried, "I want takoyaki!" Asu said, "Meh, I want octopus jerky!" As the two began searching down the aisles, Usagi noticed there were no other customers in the store. Thank the Heavens, that would make things even simpler! The blue haired schoolgirl moved straight to the owner of the place, a man who looked unusually healthy for being over 60 years of age, who stood like a rock behind the cash register. He had kind eyes and a manner that would have made anyone easily pass him by...he seemed to be an ordinary citizen who could never make a lasting impression.

Usagi reached the counter, bowed deeply, and whispered, "Duomo, Grand Master, but a couple of transformed Orcs trailed me and my friends. They're right outside. I'm sorry, but they might follow us -- !"

The unassuming old man shook his head and said with a quiet voice, "Are they the only ones following you?" As he said that, he picked up a smart phone lying on the counter. He never liked new technology such as this, but it did at times have uses.

Usagi answered with a hush, "Yes, as far as I can tell. I'd hate to trouble you, but -- !"

The old man grunted quietly, "Iee. Clan takes care of their own, young lady." He speed dialed a number and quickly texted a unique code that only the Shiratori knew in case of emergencies. The word would quickly be sent to fellow clansmen and women in the immediate area to converge on this location. Quietly. He quickly looked at the show window of his place...one of the two Orcs was peering in from one side and trying not to be noticed. He was too stupid to succeed. The old man nodded and suggested in a normal tone, "Perhaps you can show your friends the basement!"

Usagi bowed deeply again as she said with relief, "Ah, of course! Domo arigato!" She turned and said loudly, "Asu! Esu! I'd like to show you something!"

Green-haired Esu moved quickly to Usagi...orange-haired Asu seemed a little impatient and was a little slower. Asu said, "Usagi, I was looking for some jerky!"

Usagi said warmly, "Never mind that! I'd like to show you two something if you want to have some old fashioned fun?" As she spoke, as she kept in mind the twins loved video games, the old man behind the counter moved smoothly to one side and opened a hidden hatch in the floor. It led to the basement under the store. Usagi told the twins, "Just go down here!"

Surprised, Esu asked, "To the basement??? Um, is it okay with the owner...?"

The old man told Esu, "If it wasn't, young lady, I wouldn't be showing you the way!"

Usagi urged the twins, "C'mon, let's go!" Usagi spared turning her head JUST enough...good, they were out of the line of sight of the one dumb Orc who was still trying to be stealthy. Just as long as they stayed outside and couldn't see for at least another few seconds...!

Asu, skeptical, asked, "Usagi, what the heck's down there?? I can only guess there's supplies and stuff!"

Usagi asked, "Asu, I just want to show you and your Little Sister something fun! Aren't you curious?"

Esu trusted Usagi MORE than enough to say, "Yes! C'mon, Big Sister!" She followed Usagi to the hatch as she began to climb down its ladder...

...and Asu shrugged and grunted, "What the hells!" She trusted Usagi with her life too and began to climb down the ladder after her twin. Usagi followed them, and halfway down, the hatch closed again above her. It wasn't dark down here in this basement...in fact, there was plenty of light from the lamps hanging from the basement ceiling. Asu looked around her and commented, "Yeah, this looks like fun. Boxes, boxes and more boxes!"

Usagi said with a wink, "Just follow me!" The twins followed their friend down a not-short row of boxes to the back of the basement...

...and when they got to an area that included a humble office for record keeping and such, Esu managed with astonishment, "Wow!" It was an old coin operated arcade game cabinet, the kind that were popular in arcades decades ago, and long before VR and home systems pretty much drove such places virtually extinct less than twenty years ago. This big blocky cabinet looked a lot older than that...and it was a fighting game, one with two joysticks and sets of buttons. The music was old J-Rock as the 'press start' screen and the wonderfully colorful art on both sides advertised being part of an over-the-top tournament of fighters for the fate of...well, most everything in the game's fictional universe.

Asu, a gamer girl with a nearly bottomless fire of aggression and competitive spirit, was drawn to the cabinet like a moth to a flame. She said softly, "I've got to try this out!"

Esu, totally enthused herself being a geek girl in the best sense, was hardly apart from Asu as she said with earnest, "Not without me, Big Sister!"

Asu asked softly, "You sure? I could kick your butt, Little Sister."

Esu purred, "Don't be so sure!" Then they both noticed almost at the same time: the machine only took American quarters. Yep, it was that old school of an arcade game. The green haired girl said the obvious: "Um, we need coins to play...!"

Usagi enlightened, "Look at the table on your right, girls." They both did and saw LOTS of quarters in a heap on the table. "The owner of this place always has quarters ready for guests!"

Asu asked with care, "The old guy wouldn't mind using his money?"

Usagi grinned. "Why would he mind? You'll be feeding his money to his game. Go for it!" The twins needed no more encouragement to take some quarters and started slamming them into the slots. Yes, they were both video game lovers who couldn't resist the chance to play a classic made long before they were born.

Usagi was thankful for this because her dear friends would need the distraction...to not notice whatever could be happening above. The old man who owned this place was one of the Shiratori; more than that, he was a Grand Master mage for the clan, what some in the West would call a 'gray mystic'. He knew both Light and Dark magics and spells VERY well, and ALL of them were lethal. But she had known the Grand Master all of her life, a wise man of great inner discipline who wouldn't ever go out of his way to even hurt a fly...

...but he WOULD use his absolutely fatal spells to protect both himself and those he cherished in his clan when necessary. If the Orcs stepped into the store, and just as long as no more civilians came in, the old man would deal with the Orcs. And do it quietly, as was the way of the Shinobi. Or perhaps he might wait for other members of the clan to come to support him as those dim-bulbs looked around the store, and would only get more and more confused wondering where the hell Usagi and the twins went. If the assholes were very fortunate, they'd never know what hit them. And even if they did, considering they were dealing with a master mystic, it wouldn't make any difference. More importantly, the twins would never notice...neither would anyone right outside of the store going about their daily lives. If the assholes were even more fortunate, they'd just give up and leave...but she doubted they could be that intelligent.

After some initial getting used to the game, the joy from the twins became more and more palpable as they really immersed themselves..Usagi felt joy herself just watching. The old man would open the hatch to the basement to let them know it was time to go sooner or later. (Well really, for Usagi's benefit, when the coast was clear!) Usagi hoped it would be later.

And it was...still, it felt like time passed by too darn fast.

--2--

That evening. Usagi was snug in her dorm room, cramming for a History test the next day at her humble desk...her sweet rabbit Shinobu snuggled at her bare feet as she read and took notes to help her memorize what she needed to. The girl was already a straight-A student, but like everything else, preparation meant everything. Still, Usagi tried her best not to think of her lover Tatsu, who she knew was undergoing a very secret kind of training at the moment. The girl knew he'd do well, but gods, it hurt at times to be apart from him...!

Then a ringtone sounded...but it wasn't from the phone she used normally. It was from another device she had in a secret compartment under her futon, one that was used ONLY for clan affairs. Carefully, she moved her bare feet so not to accidentally jostle Shinobu and moved to the bed. It took her a moment to reach the phone and Usagi answered, "Yes?"

A voice spoke into Usagi's ear: "Usagi, it's Tokiko." Tokiko Yamaha, stepmother of her boyfriend Tatsu. The lady was also the most influential teacher in the girl's life.

A wide smile immediately spread across Usagi's adorable face. "Tokiko-sempai! How are you?" Her brow knitted a little. "I-is everything all right?"

Tokiko answered, "I'm all right, but..." An awkward pause. "It's about the Kima sisters' adoptive parents."

Immediately, Usagi felt a great, dark foreboding. "Yes...?"

"Our brothers and sisters finished their investigations both online and in Singapore. It took them more time than I thought because they needed to be careful. And to be sure. We know what happened to their parents, and..."

"Please tell me, sempai."

There was too much hesitation before Tokiko said slowly, "...The news isn't good."

For a long moment, on her bare knees, Usagi listened silently as Tokiko spoke to her. Truly beautiful both body and soul, the girl was stunned by what she heard. It took all of her self control to simply moan, "Oh, no. N-no." The blue haired girl held her free hand to her heart as she managed, "And...and there's no mistake...?"

"No. Usagi, we...we have evidence found online confirming proof of..." From her tone, Tokiko was so outraged she could hardly bring herself to say anymore.

Usagi completely forgot all about tomorrow's test as she thought of Asu and Esu. "I...I see. Sempai...I need to be the one to tell them. Please?"

"Of course."

"And...I need to see that evidence. I..." Usagi fought the urge to cry with all of her might. "I-I might have to show them at...a-at least some of it. They'll want to know for sure, as well."

Tokiko responded softly, "Hai. Come see me tomorrow morning before your first class, honey. I'll be waiting for you."

To be concluded...
---
As much as I hate to leave things on such a note, that's where this part has to end. The second and final part of this story will be coming soon, rest assured!

Giving credit where it's due!
XNALara created by Dusan Pavlicek; XPS by Dusan and XNAaraL

Models:
Our Ninja Girl Usagi Shiratori by the certified madman ! x 1000!
Asu and Esu Kima by their creator, !
And the arcade game is thanks to ! (I couldn't resist, "Rival Schools" is one of my favorite fighting games. Still, it must be noted that using Capcom's property isn't for profit and purely for entertainment! )