The noon sun beat down upon the land as summer hit in full swing and Kano and Alice were doing their best to keep cool. Kano was seated at their table reading a book while Alice was busying herself with their bedding. For some reason, the bedding needed to be washed daily after the two admitted their feelings to each other. She smiled and shook her head while she sighed in contentment. Finally, this was the life she had dreamed of when she was younger. Lazy days with the man she loved and a home that was hers. All of the things she did around the cottage was a labor of love and even Kano had begun construction on a separate room as well as upgrading the roof from thatch to actual wood. He had been continuing his study of magic and was becoming more adept at its control. Sometimes, like today, they would have visitors.
Kano looked up at the stunning figure at the door and smiled warmly. "Come on Red, don't stand on ceremony."
The woman grinned and strode pridefully to the table and was about to take a seat when she was pulled over and onto Kano's lap. She tried to resist, or at least she made it look as if she was. Yet when she settled herself, she did not get up from her seat instead she squirmed a little bit just to tease him more. "So, have you figured any of this out? I would help, but arrays are not my thing."
Kano nodded as he studied a random diagram, "Well, after I started reading this, I noticed that this graveyard has an array already and I think its a defensive array. Within the week I should be able to reinforce it a bit and maybe keep the dead down and rogue Necros out. See here? The memorial in the center of the yard is actually a focal point for the array. All of the power is drawn from there and returns to their. So, all I have to do is fix a few lines here and here and it should come back up a bit."
The red headed priestess nodded and simply kept staring at him as he talked, she had no clue about arrays and actually cared not a bit about them. That serious, studious expression though, now that she could follow. Sneakily, while he was not paying attention, she snuck a kiss on his cheek which stopped him cold and he even stuttered as he tried to find the words. Li na snickered at the door as she stepped in and gave a thumbs up to Nastalia. "Sister, good job. We finally found a weakness of his. All we have to do is interrupt his thoughts and he can't speak his honeyed words."
Kano placed his hand at his heart and gave her an aggrieved look, "My beautiful Li'er, I only speak such honeyed words to you because they are true!"
Li an shook her finger at him and her face turned a beet color of red as she tried to form words of retort. "You! You! Shameless! You have a beauty taking care of your home and one on your lap, yet you still have the nerve to say such to me!"
She was unable to manuever quickly enough as Kano used this opportunity to grab her hand and pull her over to him as well. Finding herself sharing his lap, Li na was only able to mutter to herself even while a strange warm feeling flowed forth from her heart. "Whose your Li'er. No one said you could be so familiar with me." Her words were only audible to the the man whose lap she occupied and the woman next to her, eliciting small chuckles from the both of them.
When the laughter faded, Kano noticed that something was different. "Hey, what happened to Whisper? She used to follow you two around like a puppy or overprotective sister." The two ladies looked at each other and did not speak immediately.
"It's ok that she tried to kill me. I have ways of protecting myself." Kano laughed as he suddenly appeared nearby, an exact duplicate of himself. The two Kano's waved at each other before the second faded away.
"Well, it seems your study of magic has improved, but you were dead. I prepared your body for final rest." Nastalia looked at Kano with a serious look, her face clearly asking him for the truth.
"Not yet. I have a couple of secrets I have to keep, even from the three of you." He stated plainly, though with a heavy sigh and shake of his head. It was clear to the three of them that he did indeed want to tell them something, but for some unknown reason could not.
"Are you in trouble? Is it your teacher?" Li na asked as she uncharacteristically grasped his hand in concern.
Kano laughed as he wrapped the suddenly gentle monk tighter to his chest. "No, no, well, kind of. Not in trouble but Bill is one of the reasons I can't speak. Think of it more out of duty. As soon as I am able, I promise I will tell you. Each of you." He slowly and rather unwillingly removed himself from the two women and stood while stretching. Taut muscles creaked and groaned as he brought himself to his full height. All three ladies took in the sight of this Adonis, he was considered above average height on earth, but here he was almost a giant. Only Kalsie and Uthgerd were close to Kano in height, though he still beat Kalsie by a slight margin while Kalsie was slightly taller than Uthgerd. Laughter and mirth filled the air as Kano finished his preparations to strengthen the array around the graveyard.
Miles away from the joyful cottage, a man sat in his office as he stared at a certain spot on his wall. It glowed with Arcane light as numerous symbols slowly faded from view. "Soon. It will be soon, and finally the filth will be swept from our Lord's sight. Darkness will fall..."
***
A young brunette woman sat behind her own desk as she glared at the screen of her laptop. A sigh of frustration mixed with a small growl as she flipped over some physical files and notes she had made. "Really, K-baby... really?" The numerous files were labeled with various names, Ruolan, Margeret, Tiffany. These were the women that had successfully harvested the fruits of her own cultivation and labor. Sarah had spent years pulling Kano out of his angry and cold shell, making him human and vulnerable. Time spent treasuring him as a human being and as a friend, only to have these vultures come in and steal it away. "I feel like the stupid one for doing it... maybe I should have just made him promise to be with me alone."
She rubbed her forehead in frustration and glanced over what she knew. It was certain that the other women knew of her and her sister, but if they did anything it would hurt Kano and Vicky, not her. She remained confidant in her knowledge of the man and was concerned for him and his happiness. With another sigh she picked up her phone and tapped at a little kitty icon. In the city of San Francisco Ruolan's phone rang and her screen lit up with a photo of a roaring tiger.
"Ru? Who is it?" Tiffany looked over in confusion as she saw the strange screen.
"The Tiger." She replied as she slid her finger across the screen to answer. "Yes?"
"As a future sister, shouldn't you be a little nicer?"
"No. I'm not falling for that idiot." Ruolan continued to deny her attraction as she pressed the button for speaker phone. "What do you want?"
"Simple. My K-baby's birthday is coming up. I need you to keep the others away from him that night. Make sure he gets duty or something!"
It was Ruolan's turn to rub her forehead. This idiot was going to be the death of her, she was certain of it. "Why is it my responsibility to play nanny?"
"Because he is mine and I know you want him for yourself too. Try to deny it, but I can tell he likes you, he is just too scared to admit it because he doesn't want to hurt you. And if you don't want me to blow the lid off of everything you will do your part. I know him, you can't resist him either. I'm the one that built him up for years! I helped mold him into the fighter he is. The lover he is! All of it is due to me keeping him from losing his humanity after countless trials!"
A sigh could be heard over the speaker before she continued in a gentler tone. "Between his mother and I, we made him vulnerable to women. My career will take me away from him for long periods and long distances. I long ago plotted to keep him with my sister just to keep him for myself when I came home. I've already spoken to Kazuko about... some things. She is willing to help. But, it is up to us to keep him safe from other bitches. Tell little wolfie next to you that if she wants in, she better get with the program."
Tiffany froze in shock, how did this teen know about her? Let alone that Ruolan was in her home?
"Shocked? I bet you are. I'm going to be an investigative journalist bitch. You may be an IT guru, but I'm more ruthless and decisive. The minute I figured out that my K-baby was different than before I made a choice. That choice is that he is mine no matter what! I am willing to go all scorched earth and burn every bridge to keep him! So remember that. Also know this, if we as a team can keep him fat, dumb and happy, well, wouldn't that be better for my K-baby? As long as the women around him only want whats best for him, then I really can't complain too much."
"So that's what this is? Just you trying to put us in place?"
"Showing the two of you just who's boss bitch."
Sarah let the words hang in the air before she continued on, "Now then, we won't be able to make his birthday. School calendar being what it is. Make sure the old hag can't do anything either. I've got Mama-san in my corner begging for babies."
"She will be happy with whomever the winner is. Just because you have an edge at the moment with her does not mean she won't switch sides if Kano does." Tiffany could not help herself as she grew angrier and angrier as she listened.
"Oh, so little wolfie shows her fangs finally. At least that explains why he likes you, at first I thought he was swayed by your figure, except if it was just that then plenty of women would be involved."
Ruolan waved her hand at Tiffany whom was about to explode. "Sarah is trying to show you her begrudging acceptances. You should know that Kano will only go after certain types of women with certain personality traits, regardless of looks." She then mouthed at her, I'll explain later.
"Little Ru is right. So, like I said. Get with the program, sister. Or be left behind. Little Ru, Mama-san is aware of the Thanksgiving plans and I have already prepared a plan for my sister. So you are good for now. As far as the cougar goes... I'm not sure yet. I need to see my K-baby in person before we can proceed with things on her end. Anyway, Ciao!"
The beep turned the room silent as even Leanna was stunned at the forceful air that had come from the small box on her coffee table. This young woman was truly driven, and a little obsessed with the man that her friend liked. "That girl crazy." Ruolan nodded and looked at Tiffany.
"So, apparently due to the Tiger's interference during their childhood, he is only truly interested in women similar to the two sisters. You and Vicky are similar to his mother, quiet and gentle yet ready to explode in fury when angered." Full of pride in yourselves... just like me.
"Margo is closer to Sarah in temperament. Driven, ambitious, prone to single-minded obsessiveness when something catches their eye. As you have just heard. It seems the Tiger has already begun to pull us together against the cougar."
The two women thought quietly to themselves while two others were scheming against each other from a thousand miles away.