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Oh, Gods...(Candira and Razgriz)

Katsumi crossed her arms as she tried to digest the information being thrown at her. Her brow furrowed in concentration as she frowned. It wasn't like she had no expertise when it came to spirits and the like, but she was at a bit of a loss here. She'd never actually experienced anything on this level spiritually--at least not to her knowledge.

"Shinigami," she repeated softly. That made more sense than some lame-brained transfer student excuse. As for how she had managed to garner the attention of a god, let alone one of the more powerful gods in mythology, she wasn't quite sure. And what did that really mean?

Mai wasn't buying it, but she knew she wouldn't get a better answer than what she had gotten. No mere shinigami could inspire that kind of fear in a demon of that caliber. Her charm may have been near useless in battle as the demon had said, but it would have bought them some time. For a demon like that to do as it did...

"I would appreciate it if you would tell me about the connection Bishamonten has to my daughter. What do you mean by she attracted his attention? What does he want with Katsumi?" She narrowed her eyes, her motherly instincts and protectiveness kicking up into high gear.

"Njord...if you were supposed to be watching over me...where did you really go? Why did you leave your post?" Something about it hadn't set quite right with Katsumi since he'd left. Why would a guardian leave his post? "Is that why those dogs have been following me around?"
 
Njord couldn't help but smile as Mai responded to the fact that her daughter had caught a god's eye; no doubt something like that would instill a sense of concern in any parent worth their salt. No doubt Katsumi was curious, and he just snickered a little. "Sorry, B-man...Cat's out of the bag" he laughed internally; oh, how he was going to be livid, but that was too damn bad.

"If I might, I'd like to answer Katsumi's questions first...They tie into yours, Miss Sango, so please don't feel as if I'm deflecting." he replied, turning to the young woman and stating, "You would be right; my hounds watched over you in my stead. I went to speak with Bishamonten about those demons you encountered...As well as the ones you didn't. As I mentioned, there were those with less-than-pure intentions that learned of his interest in you, and wished to take you for themselves in only to spite him. I left to discuss potential alternatives, as well as to gather more information about those who would dare try to harm or kidnap you."

Sitting up straighter now, "And Miss Sango? What I'm about to say might sound like a bad joke, or even a slight at the very real danger your daughter just witnessed. Please be assured that I am quite serious when I tell you this: Bishamonten has expressed his interest in having Katsumi as his bride, and wished her to be watched over until the day he could come down and face her personally."

Pausing for a few moments to let that sink in, he then stated, "As you can imagine, a god visiting the physical plane is very uncommon and can have disastrous consequences if not properly managed. Most of all if they desire to meet with a single person. And as much as I've witnessed your strength grow, Katsumi...As of now, you are simply incapable of even standing near him. His presence alone would, literally speaking, crush your soul beneath its weight."

Pausing for another few moments, he finished with "Simply put, he respects the time and energy she puts into being herself, as well keeping herself so well on the straight and narrow...As the mortal saying goes. And for this reason, I hope you can understand why I was not as forthcoming with this as one might expect."
 
Katsumi had so many questions. All of them immediately left her head as Njord's told her that one of the most famous gods in Japan wanted her of all people as his wife. Her eyes went wide in shock, her lips parted in silent shock. If she hadn't been seated already, the slightest breeze would have been able to knock her off her feet. What?!

Mai managed to move past the shock quickly. "Let me get this straight...Bishamonten wants to marry my daughter because she is so straight-laced. Because she tries so earnestly to be herself?"

If anything, Katsumi had been struggling her whole life to be what Mai and Otoya wanted in a child. She wasn't sure Katsumi had every really wanted anything for herself before. Archery and martial arts were clubs that encouraged discipline and gifted the girl with strength and grace, but had she always been interested? Mai couldn't remember, and as she glanced at her visibly shaken daughter, it became clear to her just how selfless Katsumi really was.

Her sense of duty, familial and otherwise we're so strong...but that might well have been what was putting her in so much danger now. Her daughter would be taken from her, and she absolutely wanted to say she wouldn't allow it, but she was powerless to stop any of it. She clenched her fists and asked, "What happened today is because he loves her? Why isn't he protecting her instead of you? I am sure you are quite capable, but can he not protect her from afar?"

Katsumi finally blinked, trembling a bit. "If you're a shinigami, who is the sister you brought back with you?" She frowned, thinking back over all the strange things that had happened to her since Njord's arrival. All of it was making more and more sense. She knew that her mother's questions were probably more important, but she had her own puzzles to put together.
 
Njord only nodded; had this issue not be so pressing, he would have been rolling laughing at the obvious shock Katsumi was experiencing. "Yes." was all he said to Mai's question; what else could be replied? That was pretty much all there was to it.

Again though, Njord would choose to answer in descending order, starting with Katsumi's question first. "The sister I introduced was another Shinigami, one that as you saw, we often quarrel. Hence why the professor had to tear us apart, before things got ugly. However, she is extremely skilled in operating under cover. I had asked for her assistance to look into whoever was sending those demons after you, because that is what she does best." Of course, only a half-truth; he'd had to fake losing genuinely to get that braggart off his lazy ass. But still, Connie was extremely good at getting things done behind the scenes. And keeping his hands squeaky clean even if there was no doubt it was him.

Next came Mai's question, "I'm afraid, Miss Sango, that even the lowest of Bishamonten's subordinates are simply too powerful to be near your daughter without causing irreparable damage. And again, strong as she is, her spirit would not survive contact. Being who Shinigami are, we have much better control over our influence." He then held up his arm to showcase the bracelet, arm covered in that silvery, life-like chain tattoo as he added, "Even with this, it takes considerable discipline to limit how much our auras can influence the living." Of course...His little gem there was definitely more about restricting all but the smallest vestiges of his strength. Something Katsumi would know about firsthand.

"And if you think about it....He is protecting her by having one such as myself do it. Like you said, I am capable and he is aware of that." he then added, pausing for a second. But to help put her fears at ease, Njord then threw in his own promise, one that neither D nor B would see coming. "If it will help you sleep, young lady...Allow me to assure that you do have final say in whether or not you accept his proposal. Just because he is approaching you does not mean that you must accept."

"Brother...Think about the gravity of what you've just said." he then heard D warn him, Njord's expression hardening ever so slightly, "Well, it's true; there's little doubt that she and likely even her mother think it's inescapable. No one deserves to feel trapped. And if little B-man's got a problem with it, he can take it up with me. And tell him, if he's not currently listening, that if he does try anything to dissuade her from rejecting him I'll personally shove my foot where the sun doesn't shine."
 
Mai had her suspicions that the "shinigami" wasn't being completely honest with her, but she had no way to make him tell the truth, and it wouldn't do to earn Bishamonten's wrath, no matter how justified she may have been in her anger and protectiveness. As she pondered the news that her daughter had caught a god's eye, Njord dropped quite a bomb.

"I can say no?" Katsumi asked quietly. A moment ago the entire room seemed dark and oppressive, but now there was glimmer of hope. Bypassing all of the information about her lack of spiritual strength and resistance, Katsumi went straight for the solution offered to her. But then, there was always a catch.

"Even if I said no, I don't really have much of a choice. They would all still come after me, wouldn't they? I either say yes, or they get me, right?" Katsumi frowned and put her head in her hands. This was so not what she had in mind for her future.
 
"Actually you do." Njord corrected her; this was why relationships between gods and humans were so damn difficult, he thought. Gods were powerful yes, but they were essentially just like humans in the sense that they had their societies, their own tales and their own desires. But because of the power of the deity, mortals felt like anything they did that might displease would earn nothing but wrath.

And unfortunately...the actions of a few spoiled the image of the rest.

"I can understand feeling powerless to resist. Rest assured, young lady. I will do my best to protect you until you become powerful enough to defend yourself. And if I might be so bold, the fact that you didn't crumple under that demon's presence shows how far you've come." he then told her; and he would defend her as much as possible. And at some point, her power alone would be able to deter the lower castes of demons from even approaching her.
 
"That's not really the point. The point is that because I have attracted the attention of Bishamonten, my life is irrevocably altered. I will never not be a target of demons and I'll have to spend my whole life looking over my shoulder, fighting stronger and stronger foes until I wear out. Or, gods forbid, they come after my family or friends."

She sighed and rested her head in her hands for a moment, feeling just how powerless she truly was. "No matter how strong you get, there's always someone who's stronger. Someday my luck will run out. And what happens if I say no? What if I get in over my head or fall into a trap? If I ask for help from the god I turned away, will he come to my aid every time?"

She really didn't like having to rely on people like this. The fact that Bishamonten was interested in her at all made her a target for life, whether she accepted his love or not. She shook her head and looked up at Njord.

"Much as I appreciate your offer to protect me and am flattered that I managed to draw the eye of a god, I hope you can understand how difficult this is for me. My entire world has shifted. As much as I can understand the logic of what has happened, accepting it is another thing entirely, and I just don't think I can handle anymore right now. Please forgive my rudeness, but I'll excuse myself," Katsumi said, quickly standing and leaving the room.

Mai frowned as she looked after her daughter as she went up the stairs. As painful as it was to admit, her daughter had a point. The entire family was now in jeopardy--and so were her friends, as evidenced by today's little fiasco. She turned critical eyes to the man before her and crossed her arms.

"Please excuse her. And I'm afraid you'll have to excuse me too. Not a single part of me believes that you're a mere shinigami. I can sense that much from your power alone, and I'm sure that if you're in service of Bishamonten as you claim, you power is somehow being repressed. I don't know who you really are, but it seems I have no choice but to ask for your continued protection." Mai frowned and watched Njord carefully, wondering just what his connection to her daughter really was.

"Understand that you're asking a great deal from a very young woman who is not fully aware of her own spiritual powers. Please try to keep in mind that we humans adapt slowly to things we don't fully understand. We're not very good at accepting things beyond our reasoning. Katsumi is a special girl. Talented and intelligent. Her sense of duty is very strong. Because she was such an obedient child, we never really worried much. She hasn't even rebelled in her teenage years like we expected. And now, this weight has been put on her shoulders..." She sighed, her heart aching, looking very much a mirror of the daughter she was trying so hard to protect and defend.

"Please, be careful with her, whatever she decides."
 
Yes, Katsumi seemed to have grasped the severity of the situation and Njord could see that it was weighing quite heavily on her. Not that he blamed her in the slightest, especially how wisely she was speaking. But B-man would not be denied, apparently, no matter how much D or him voiced their objections to the matter. But eventually his brother also caved, and now came about the current situation.

He didn't mind having to protect someone that dearly needed it, but needlessly jeopardizing a family's safety was absolutely unacceptable to Njord. Something he mused on as the young girl left the room; he didn't even so much as twitch when she did. He knew she needed time alone to process this, to understand what exactly was going on.

"Are you happy now? I warned you about revealing this to her at this stage" he then heard D say, Njord mentally growling "And let her keep wondering why she's being targeted? Sorry, but someone in her situation deserves to know everything that's going on. Everything" He added that last part with a bit of heat, his brother D stating "I would advise you not to get too testy with me; I don't like the situation either, but this is the best way. She will become a major player in the events to come."

But before Njord could retort, Mai turned her attention to him; he could see it in her eyes. The worry, the hurt...And it got to him. Especially after she requested his continued protection and careful treading.

"Miss Sango, understand that even if it means I myself must perish, I will do absolutely everything I must to ensure the safety of Katsumi. Not just her, but her friends and family as well. I realize this is a lot to take in, and I find no fault in your feeling lost." he then replied, mentally kicking himself for having to spew such nonsense. If only he could tell her who he really was, maybe that would put her more at ease. She already smelled his bull from a mile away and recognized his aura was beyond that of their 'Death Gods'.

"If there's anything I can do to aid you, you need only ask." he then said; given that it was more than likely she would lose her daughter regardless, the very least he could do was see if there was anything he could do on his end to help ease the burden.
 
Katsumi couldn't calm herself. Nothing she had ever experienced could have prepared her for what happened today. She was having a particularly difficult time understanding everything. So, she set to work on tearing apart her bedroom so she could clean it and bring order to her small space. The noise was expected, so Mai thought little to nothing of it when she heard a few things downstairs.

"It would put my mind at ease if I knew who you really were, but I don't suppose you are in a position to reveal that. Your pledge of loyalty is comforting, but only so much. I don't know you, after all. What I would like to know is what connection you have to my daughter? Why do you seem to care so much about a human girl you don't even know very well?"

She played with her tea cup now, needing something to do with her hands, not really wanting to partake of the tea that had gone cold at this point.
 
"Because I believe in the freedom of choice." he responded simply, adding "To be truthful, the Shinigami do not serve the Higher Gods as most people believe. We are an order all to ourselves, only wishing to maintain the balance of this fragile reality we all know. I do not know Katsumi, but I do know that those who would try to take her pose a very real danger. Not just to you or her, but the integrity of everything we hold dear."

At this Njord's hands came to rest over her own; she would feel a rather prominent warmth, not a chilling cold from spirit of death. "I care about your daughter because as you just said, she's a strong woman, and I feel she deserves every chance she gets to make her own way through this life. And I was actually begged not to tell you any of this, but wouldn't you be curious to know? Wouldn't you *want* to know? Especially if it's something that can affect everything about your life?" He was running out of things to say by this point, as he didn't know how else he could word it without explicitly stating who he was.

"At the very least, I promise that I will stay close. I am a Shinigami, and you would be surprised how much weight our word holds when we declare an oath of protection to a soul in danger." he then added again, hoping to utilize any vestige of ignorance to make her feel less suspicious.
 
Mai closed her eyes and took a deep, steadying breath. Katsumi was her beautiful, sweet little girl, and now she was forced to become a warrior--not because she enjoyed martial arts, but because she needed to know how to defend herself. Well, at least she could handle humans. That much she could probably stop worrying about. As she pondered all of this, Njord's curiously warm hands reached out to her and she looked up.

He was really a terrible liar. But then, isn't that what you want when a man is interested in your daughter? She sighed, utterly defeated as she was forced to accept her fate.

"Thank you for telling us this much, at least. I do wish you could tell me the whole truth, but I'm sure you have your reasons. If you really want to protect Katsumi, her choice and all, I ask that you be patient. It's going to take awhile for all of this to sink in. Right now, she's in her room furiously cleaning because she knows that storming off to the outside world isn't safe--there's too much beyond her control. She will try to avoid you, I'm sure, but she won't stray very far."

Mai stood and pushed in her chair, looking at their strange guest. "There's little I can do to protect her, but if I can provide assistance, let me know. Now, I think perhaps we've said enough today...I have quite a few things to figure out myself. My husband, for instance, will have a hard time with this if I tell him everything. Perhaps you should talk to whoever it is who begged you not to tell us any of this."
 
It was indeed ridiculous that he couldn't speak his true name; if a damned human could see he wasn't just some spirit of passing, then why the secrecy? Of course, he already knew D's answer to that. It would just make things worse and add even more stress to her knowing who she was; even worse so given that she reacted exactly how his brother predicted she would. Down to storming off to clean her room.

Worse how, he wondered, but still...At the very least, he would keep his real identity a secret. But he would tell it to her in time.

"I can only imagine how hard this must be for her; as I said though, I will do everything I am able in order to ensure Katsumi and her friends remain safe." Of course he did plan on having a serious talk with B and D; he *knew* this would get ugly, and even D had said could he intervene more directly he would stop B from taking even a slight interest in her.

Sadly, order and chaos rarely played so nicely with each other.

"If I do think of anything, Miss Sango...I will be the first to let you know." was all he said to her, watching her as she watched. He knew that she knew he was lying about her name, but hopefully she would see the truth in his promise.



Elsewhere, another threat to her friends was about to take its place in this world...This time to a particular someone that wanted Njord in not-so-pure ways.

The young woman slept, a shadow - formless but non-intimidating - standing just next to her bedside before a tendril snaked out and painlessly slid into her ear, the rest of it following suit and vanishing inside her mind. Infiltrating whatever dream she was currently having and slowly beginning to twist it for its own entertainment.
 
Mai nodded and checked the time. "If you wouldn't mind, I need some time to process this, too. Could you please leave?" It wouldn't be long before Otoya was home and she would have to try to explain everything to her husband. It might be best if Njord was there, but she wanted very much to be alone, and she doubted the behemoth would go too far away from Katsumi at this hour.

---

Katsumi, meanwhile, had reorganized and cleaned almost every bookcase in her room. She had torn the sheets off of her bed moments ago only to remake it to military standards--she even passed the quarter test. The potential bride started to replace the pillows in order when she stopped and just sat on the bed, staring into space as the last vestiges of control left her and the reality of her situation really set in.

Her freedom was gone.

She had no one to turn to but a shinigami who didn't appear to take anything seriously outside of a fight and his pack of loyal dogs. Well, they also appeared to be loyal to her, so she couldn't really fault them. Oddly, imagining their giant furry faces really helped and comforted her. She sort of wished she could be with them now.

She felt tears sting the corners of her eyes as she tried desperately to hang on to her strength, but she'd been through too much to handle today. To her complete and utter humiliation, she began to cry in defeat, angry at herself for being so powerless against even her own emotions. It was going to be a long night.

--

Kumi crouched on the roof, sad for what had happened to Katsumi. She rather liked Sango as a student. She had been bright and caring and fun to talk to. Though she could see why Katsumi appealed to Bishamonten, she had to agree with her master that there was a reason mortals and gods never really came together. She cast a barrier around the house that would keep out evil spirits and demons, adding yet another layer of protection to the girl who so desperately needed it right now. It was a familiar feeling for Kumi--being all too vulnerable to the world around you.

Of course, things were different now than they had been when she had first started serving her master. She had grown stronger and wiser and more resilient over the millennia. Katsumi needed time and whatever comfort she could have. She certainly hoped that someone would come to her aid soon. For now, all Kumi could do was watch over the house in Njord's place. She felt like she needed to do it, more than it really needed to be done. That poor girl was going to need to reform the entire way she viewed the world and Kumi sincerely doubted that Njord would be sensitive enough to realize he wasn't being careful enough with Katsumi's fragile psyche.
 
Being who Njord actually was, the anger Katsumi felt was all too familiar to him: They both were the same, wanting to control their own fates. And given her status as a mortal, she was at a severe disadvantage. Powerful as she might become, the problem was that she simply had not reached that point yet. And Bishamonten had definitely jumped the gun on this one, unnecessarily placing Katsumi in harm's way.

Not only her but her family as well.

"Yes...I should probably leave regardless; seeing me will only stress her out further right now." he then said, standing up and adding as a final statement "If you happen to see Katsumi this evening, do tell her I am sorry things turned out this way." And that was all he said, before he left through the front door, the sound of his motorcycle taking off down the road. Great timing, too, because Otoya walked through the door about half an hour later, completely unsuspecting about what news he was going to receive.

And the Swede revealed to be not a true Swede soon reappeared on the roof next to the woman overwatching the house with him. Though he wouldn't stay long, just enough to make sure there were no immediate threats in the area.

"I know D is going to be upset with me, and you probably are too...But you know damn as well as I do that she deserved to know, and I'm not going to apologize just because B-man wanted to be selfish. We *both* told him this was going to turn out ugly; and it doesn't matter how much the Underworld knows about me, there's always going to be someone that thinks it's a hoax. That thinks it's a lie to scare them off; all this secrecy does is make the fools more brazen." he then said to Kumi off-handedly, openly showing his displeasure at the whole situation.
 
Kumi frowned as Njord's made his way to the roof. She could feel the emotions Katsumi was wrestling with from here, and the sheer irritation emanating from her friend told a rather depressing tale. As he went on the defensive, she came closer, listening to his very valid points. When he finished, she hugged him.

Her embrace was gentle and comforting, and she tried her best to convey that she was on his side and Katsumi's side. When she pulled away from him, she smiled wryly.

"You talk too much, you noisy giant." She patted his arm and looked at the stars, her black and blue hair blowing in the breeze. "Everything will be fine. No matter how broken it seems now. We're all upset, you know? Even D. He's just irritated he has to deal with an overly excited Bishamonten. It masks his true displeasure. But we all want what's best for her. Somehow, we'll make it all right. After all--two of us are gods."

She smiled again, a bit half-hearted this time and turned her attention back to Njord. "It's just that I can hear her heart cry out. She's going to be off her game for quite awhile."

--

As she heard Otoya's car, Mai pulled herself together and got out a bottle of sake. They were definitely going to need it. When he came in she welcomed him more passionately than normal, wishing she could selfishly have her husband help her forget everything. Unfortunately, she knew all too well that she needed to tell him something unbelievable and devastating.
 
Leave it to Kumi to try and make everyone feel good; though truth be told, he was glad for it. The work he and his brothers did was by no means an easy one, especially when gods decided to pull stunts like this. And truth be told, he was starting to feel a hint of his old self - one he tried to keep at bay as much as possible - surface as his agitation temporarily rose.

Giving a weak smile, he could only reply, "Yeah, I suppose it will; still, why couldn't B go after another deity? Someone like Athena? Last I checked, she was still available..." Of course, he knew the Greek woman would never stick herself with someone like B. Much as the mortal's myths about her were true...They were so very wrong about her being an overall do-gooder. She loved causing a bit of havoc here and there, and would often get in fights with Ares just to push his buttons and work the rust off. He smirked a little wickedly as he recalled the playful bouts he'd had with her: Boy, was Hera pissed off at him and her for the destruction to Olympus' gardens.

All he knew was that tomorrow was going to be a strange new day...And even though he didn't say it, he was going to make sure Katsumi stayed safe.



Katsumi would find that nothing much of spiritual significance would happen the next day, and Njord would do his best to give her the distance she needed while she worked through this. This wasn't something he could do much to help her with, after all. Just be there for her if she needed it.

And soon enough, the family was seated around the dining table; her father Otoya looked quite perturbed but mostly was concerned for the well-being of his daughter. And while he felt pride in knowing his Katsumi was worthy of Bishamonten's divine attention - after all, very few could claim to have a god interested in one's child even if others would have no way of actually knowing - he still could see the conflict in her. Being a lawyer, it meant reading body language was something that he had learned to do to pick up on subtle details that words might hide. And being a father, he didn't care for those that would cause his own flesh and blood this much trouble. It cause his heart to ache, to wish to banish this trouble for the young woman who had done nothing wrong except perhaps be too good of a person. For being a law god, Bishamonten surely had to be breaking a few by waiting to confront his daughter to propose.

And for a few minutes, he said nothing...But eventually, once he felt she was better settled in, he then said, "Katsumi...I can't even begin to imagine how you might be feeling. But if there is anything you would like to say, anything that I might be able to do to help you, just ask."
 
Katsumi went through the motions, feeling a bit numb to the world, oddly quiet around her friends, who seemed concerned but decided not to press the issue. It seemed like she needed more time. She kept to herself, executing every duty perfectly--like a robot.

Even the hounds at the shrine could sense that she wasn't herself and tried to respect that. Still, she smiled at them and pet them when they arrived and gave her affection. They didn't jump at her as much, but she felt pretty tired. It was appreciated.

Mai watched her over daughter with a heavy heart--well aware that Katsumi was suffering in silence, trying to work through the problem. She asked about her day timidly, doing her best to not pressure her daughter. The teenager gave perfunctory answers and seemed much less like herself than normal. Dazed and unfocused since receiving the news and realizing just how little she could do about any of it. It was devastating. And all she could do was observe. At least the dogs around her daughter seemed to be helping. And now that she knew they were protecting her, she had no problems with their appearance.

At the dinner table, Katsumi looked up at her father with dazed eyes. His offer to help and listen gave rise to the anger and tears she had tried so hard to repress all day.

"Help? There's no helping. What are you gonna do, dad?" she closed her glassy eyes and shook her head, biting her tongue. "I'm sorry. That was uncalled for. I just...I feel so powerless. And now all of you are in danger just because I exist." Her voice cracked and she shook her head. "I know it's not my fault. The logical part of my brain knows that. But I can't seem to move past the emotions yet. I'm just so angry and sad...I don't know what to do anymore. I know I have to be stronger than this, but I just..."

She broke down here and started crying again, cursing herself for being weak. She had to pull it together soon, or she was definitely going to get them all killed.
 
As his daughter began to break down - undoubtedly due to the stress that came from hearing this news about a god whose shrine she helped tend to having interest in her - Otoya did the only fatherly thing he knew how: He moved to sit beside her and embrace her caringly, his arms about her shoulders and a hand stroking her hair just as he used whenever she was frightened as a child. He instantly forgave her for her outburst, knowing that she was right but also knowing that it was probably the weight of this burden that made her lash out like that.

"Katsumi, there's no shame in feeling this way; as I said, I cannot imagine the burden this places on you." he said to his daughter gently, honestly broken up over seeing his little Katsumi so angry and upset. And knowing that there was nothing he could actually do to ease her pain, to soften her worry, made it all the worse for him. Placing a fatherly kiss to the top of her head he then gently grasped her shoulders and looked at her, his eyes watering as he added,

"Katsumi...You have always been my special girl, whether or not Bishamonten took an interest in you or not. I'm so proud of you and everything you've done. And no matter what happens, your life is your own. You *are* strong, stronger than most children I have seen these days. Never forget that, Katsumi."
 
The understanding her father showed as he cradled her like a little girl made her feel simultaneously better and worse. Still, she was happy to know that someone loved and cared for her so much in the face of such staggering odds. She cried into her father's chest, letting him stroke her hair for awhile before he took her by the shoulders.

She looked up at him, puffy eyes and slightly runny nose, helpless as she had been as a child and he told her that she was strong. She took shallow breaths to try to calm down and steady herself and closed her eyes to try to pull herself together. After a moment, she was a little more collected and nodded at her father.

"Thank you, daddy."

Mai smiled softly and came to sit on the other side of her daughter, handing Katsumi some tissues. "We'll always be there for you, dear. Even if you don't want us there."

Katsumi hugged her mom and dad and took a moment to really just try and forget her problems and just take comfort from the two people who had always been there for her.
 
And while Katsumi received tides of love from her parents, a certain young lady would get her own treat tonight.

*CUE DREAM*

It was another day at school, the sun shining brightly as their class period came to an end. And given that it was around noon, it naturally meant a lunch break for the students. Again, Njord was seated around with the students of the class, the same group of ladies that had invited him to dine with them the first time. But this time, the substitute teacher was absent. Not surprising given that she was but a temporary professor, having already moved to another posting.

"Ah, it's so nice to be outside! I still don't understand how you all do it! Even in Sweden, the children get a specified break where they don't do anything but run around and play for a good half and hour! Helps drain their energy so that they can focus on studying later! Besides, the little monsters need their freedom" the Swede commented laughing, leaning against the tree and helping himself to a rice ball.

"Ami...I don't know how you do it, but these are just about the best damned things I've ever eaten! You'd make any man proud to call you his wife!" he then said in his usual crude but honest way of complimenting people.
 
Ami blushed in her dream, pleased as could be that her crush enjoyed her cooking so much. He was so different from everyone else. Different and handsome...and that body? Oh, my. That he was showing interest in her had her heart racing, and she was so excited that he was thinking of her like a prospective wife!

"Oh, it's nothing, really! I'm so happy that you like it! Please, have more," she said, offering him a huge bento box. "I'd be happy to make this for you each day."
 
"Every day? Ami, I'd get fat as a whale if I got to enjoy this every day! Not I would complain, because it's your cooking!" Njord joked, gently taking the oversized and overstuffed bento. "Seriously though...Who wants to share? Big as I am, even I can't finish off of all this! Bahaha!"

Lunch went on, and at some point Ami would find herself pulled into his body, a massive muscular arm holding her close to him. "Oh wow...I think I'm going to pop if I try to eat another bite." Njord mused contentedly, looking at the lovely young woman as he asked her shamelessly in front of all her friends, "So hey, Ami...After school, I have nothing to do. How about you and me go see a movie? You choose, I buy...How's that sound?"
 
Ami blushed furiously as he at lunch and pulled her so very close. She blinked a few times as his eyes locked with hers, that mature face enchanting her as he asked her on a date. Her whole face lit up, every part of her filling up with joy.

"Really?! That sounds like fun," she said, blushing deeply, her friends all swooning with jealousy.

Things like this never happened to Ami. She never really expected Njord to go for her, but she still tried. And it looked like her efforts had finally paid off.
 
"No, silly, I just offered the most beautiful girl in the school a date for no reason." the Swede joked, going so far as to give her a kiss on the cheek. Something that seemed to make her friends burn even greener with envy.

"I'll meet with you after school though; we gotta sit through one of Otome's lectures first..." he groaned, clearly showing his displeasure of the classroom.

*Later that day*

Having finished school, Njord had Ami climb up onto his bike before gunning off towards the nearest theater. It wasn't a long drive, and despite his daredevil antics at the school itself, he knew how to handle his machine quite well. And before either of them knew it, they were waiting to purchase tickets.

"Hey, Ami...Since you treated me to such an excellent meal, let me get the movie for us. It's the least I can do...But what do you want to see? What's something you like?" he then asked, seeming all too sincere in his query towards her.
 
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