Chapter 5. A Long Dilemma
    Long got up from the couch and walked over to the kitchen to watch Shina pull some pancake mix and a pan out of some cupboards. He took a seat at the bar as she set the pan on top of a burner on the oven and read the directions on the box of pancake batter.
     "I would also make some beacon or something," she offered. "but I'm sure you're going to say it's too greasy."
     "You are right." He shot a smile in her direction but she was turned away and didn't see it. She lighted one burner and put the pan over it before hastilly pouring the batter and some water into a bowl. She beat the mixture furiously until it was completely smooth. Her back was turned to him as she focused on her work and Long could not help but think that there was a reason. "Shina, I hope you're not mad at me."
     "You said you weren't ready..." She mused, thinking over the words in her mind. "What is that supposed to mean? What kind of an answer is that? What does that even have to do with feelings?"
     "I just... I'm not sure about anything right now Shina." he said, searching for the right word to explain his feelings. "It may seem strange, but I still feel guilty about my past."
     "What does that have to do with us?" she demanded, turning around to face him. She felt that he was ignoring the question, either that or trying to avoid it. This made her more than a little bit angry.
     "It does have something to do with the fact that I can't... I don't know how to explain this..." he shook his head in frustration at his failure to explain himself.
     "Look," she said, stepping back and looking him in the eyes. "all I want to know is what your feelings for me are."
     "Uh..." he was painfully aware of her gaze as he looked away.
What am I going to tell her? Can I really lie to her? I don't want to...
     "Long?" she walked up to him and used one hand to lift his chin until they were eye to eye once more. "I'm not going to play games! All I want is the truth. If you don't like me then just say it! Don't say something like you're not ready or I'm not your type! Do you have any idea how many people say that!?!"
     "I'm sorry Shina." Long honestly replied. "I wasn't trying to make up an excuse. I'm just very bad at expressing my feelings." She gave him a critical glance and then lowered her hand and stepped back a little.
     "Try again then."
     "Feelings... right..." Long brushed through his bangs nervously.
Shina... could you handle the truth? Should I chance it? I probably should lie... "Shina, I think..." I cannot bring myself to do this, if I told her that I didn't like her it would be an outright lie... "I think it's a little too early for that. Do you think we could just take our time? Be friends for awhile?" Wait, now I'm right back where I started. Damn.
     "There you go thinking again... but I guess you're right. We have only known each other for a few days really, not even a whole week. Do you want to get to know me better first Long? Before you decide? Is that it?"
     "Yes." he lied, recognizing what seemed to be his only way out of the situation. However he countered the lie with a truth, "I do want to spend more time with you."           
     "Oh." she said, a little startled by his admission. She smiled and the turned around to the sink and dipped her hand into the water. Then she sprinkled a bit on the pan to see if it was warm enough to cook the pancake batter. The water hissed and popped when it hit and she picked up the mixing bowl full of batter and poured two good sized pancakes onto the pan. "I guess we could go somewhere today... I was thinking of taking a day off work."
     "You usually work on Saturdays?"
     "Yeah, but I think maybe I could use a break today."
     "That would be good, in fact I had meant to take a trip to the mall, would you mind going there?"
     "Guess not, not my idea of a perfect date, but hey, we're not dating right?"
     "I don't think friends date... correct me if I'm wrong."
     "No, you're right." She opened a drawer and shuffeled around a bit before pulling out a spatula, then she went to the cupbords and got out a plate that she set next to the oven. She slightly lifted the end of one pancake with her spatula. "These are almost done, don't know about you but I like them a light golden, my dad likes 'em halfway burnt." Long chuckled at the remark.
     "As long as they're not burnt they're fine with me." he replied. "This is actually the first time I've had homemade pancakes, last time was at a restaurant."
     "Long, can I ask you something?"
     "Certainly, what is it?" She turned her head over her shoulder to look in his face.
     "Did I come on to you too strong?"
     "Hm?"
     "Most guys say that I come on too strong," she explained angrilly, turning her face back towards the pancakes. "as if they're supposed to make all the moves."
     "I don't think so."
You are fine Jannu, I am the problem. "You are simply following your instincts right? There's nothing wrong with that."
     "Yeah..." she agreed. "but I guess I'm just too much for most people. You know? Most guys feel threatened by me. I guess I just wanted to make sure that you didn't... you don't do you?"
     "Threatened is too strong a word, perhaps a bit intimidated." he replied shyly. "But I wouldn't let that keep me from liking you."
     "Thanks." she said, shooting him a smile before flipping the pancakes over.
     "Em... Shina?"
     "Yes?" she dropped the spatula, figuring the pancakes would be okay for a minute and walked over to look into his face.
     "I hope you won't mind me asking you a personal question but... uh..."
     "Well I won't know until you ask me Long."
     "Right. Well... exactly how much um, 'experience' have you had with other men?"
     "Oh! Did I make it sound like a lot? Not much really... I've liked a few, even had a boyfriend once, but I was never in a really serious relationship if you know what I mean." She gave him a wink. "Anyway, I never have much luck. Like I said, I'm too threatening for most guys."
     "Well, they are all a bunch of idiots then." Long replied, smiling.
     "Ha, ha... that's really nice of you Long." she smiled back at him before turning back to check on the pancakes. "Yeah, they were all a bunch of losers. What I need is someone who's smart and mature..." she turned her head from her task and gave him a smile. "maybe someone like you Long."
Maybe Jannu? Long thought. You're not quite that subtle. She turned her head back to the pancakes and discovered that they were ready so she peeled them off the pan and set them on the plate. Then she got the batter and poured two more. "Yeah, I need a man, not some little boy."
     "Indeed, but perhaps what you need is a young man rather than on old one."
     "Don't you even get started on the age thing!" she turned to him and clenched her fist while shooting him a playfull mock glare, then she turned back to the pancakes. "After all it's not like you're old enough to be my father or anything."
     "I am certainly glad of that..." he replied, a sad tone entering his voice. "I have already wasted too much of my life."
     "I'm sorry Long." Shina said, using the spatula to lift the end of one pancake. She wished that she could say something comforting to him like, 'It wasn't your fault.' But he had already made it clear that he was to blame for his own fate.
     "It's not your fault, so don't worry about it." he assured her. "It was my mistake... first to become an assassin, and then waste so many years as a hermit, hiding away from everything. I should have come out long ago. I should have decided to face my fears and try to overcome them, not to run and hide. I was weak... and I am afraid that I am still."
     "But you're out now." Shina reminded him, turning to face him. "And you're doing your best to live a normal life, I can see that." she gave him a warm smile. "Even if you can't change what happened in the past, you can still change your future." A slight tinge of pink appeared on his cheeks, her words made him feel so warm inside. They gave him a courage that he didn't even know he possessed. He looked into her eyes and smiled.
     "Thank you Jannu. That means so much to me."
And you mean so much to me, Jannu. "I hope you don't mind me calling you that."
     "Hm?"
     "I just called you Jannu, again."
     "Oh? I hardly noticed. I guess I'm getting used to it." She turned back to the pancakes and flipped them over. "It's funny, I used to hate being called that... but when you say it, I like it. I guess it's how you say it. It sounds nice."
     "Well, I am certainly glad I'm not offending you."
     "Don't worry about it, if you were really offending me you would know about it." she smiled to herself. "Anyways it will be nice to get out of the house today."
     "I've heard they have a nice little Chinese place in the mall that we could stop by for lunch." Long suggested.
     "Sounds good." Shina agreed, flipping the pancakes onto the plate and adding two more globs of batter to the pan. "So, when do you want to leave?"
     "Whenever you're ready." he replied. "Of course we'll eat breakfast first, and then maybe relax for a bit before leaving."
     "Relaxing sounds great, guess I don't do that much. It always seems like there's so little time you know?"
     "Time was never on my side either." Long replied. He sat there quietly and watched her cook the pancakes, checking on them every few minutes until they were done.
     "How many did you want Long?"
     "Two would be more than enough, I'm really not very hungry."
     "Okay." she replied. "I won't make anymore then, I'm sure Dad's already gone and there's no way that witch would eat any of my cooking anyway. That reminds me... What reason do you think she had to... uh..."
     "She was interrogating me I believe. Looking for information to share with your father."
     "Right. Well... hmm..."
     "She seems to be quite taken with him."
     "You don't have to tell me that, if I didn't know any better I'd think she put him under some kind of spell." She set up plates for both of them and set butter and syrup on the counter before handing Long his plate and then taking a seat next to him. "Do you know that they're leaving tomorrow?" she turned to look at him for a moment and then poured syrup over her pancakes. "Dad told me when we had that talk, they're running off to his apartment in Paris." She cut a bite off of her stack and ate it before continuing. "He says he's got some kind of business over there but I don't buy it."
     "I see..." Long replied, spreading a little bit of butter on his pancakes and taking a bite. "So, you believe he is leaving you here so that he can spend more time with her?"
     "Yes." she admitted, taking another bite. "You know what though? I really don't care. I needed some time away from them anyway."
     "True, perhaps a little time to your self will help settle the tension. So you will have this house to yourself then?"   
     "Yeah, maybe I'll invite you over again."
     "As long as your father's not here I don't think I'll mind another visit." The two looked into each other's faces and shared a smile before returning to their breakfasts.
     "I guess being friends won't be so bad." she muttered, cutting herself a bite of pancake and stuffing it into her mouth.
     "I can tell that you are still dissapointed." Long informed her.
     "I'm just really impulsive." she replied, shrugging. "That's what I am told anyways. When I have feelings I act on them right away, I don't think about it much first, or wait..." She turned to look at him. "And you... You think things over a little too much, don't you think?" She poked his arm playfully with her fork before pulling back to gaze into his face, looking for an answer. 
     "Perhaps so..." Long admitted, thinking it over. "But if that is true then it is only because I feel that I cannot afford to make any more mistakes."
     "Oh... sorry I asked. I didn't want to bring back any bad memories or anything..." He looked into her face and smiled.
     "It is alright Jannu. None of it is your fault."

     They strolled casually down the tiled floors of the crowded shopping mall. People brushed past in couples and groups as they passed a clothing store. Long gave it a half interested glance, but did not stop to look into it any further.
     "Is there anything in particular that we're looking for?" Shina asked.
     "Not really." Long replied. "The leather jacket in that window looked nice, but it is probably too expensive for me."
     "Would you mind if I took you somwhere then?"
     "Certainly not. You have a favorite store?" She chuckled mischievously.
     "You might say that..." She grabbed his hand and tugged him towards the left. "Come on, it's this way." They walked through the crowded halls and past five or six more little shops before stopping at a place with a neon lighted name posted over the entrance. Upon walking inside Long glanced about the store, curious about the many different kinds of T-shirts that hung over the left wall. To the right was more clothing, and a little rack that carried what looked to be spiky dog collars. There were also more display cases in the middle of the room that contained obnoxious stickers and all kinds of jewelry for body piercings.
     "This is the coolest store ever." Shina stated, leading him over to the wall covered with T-shirts, glancing over the array for a few moments. Then they moved on, she took him over to the other side of the room where she examined one of the objects that looked to be a dog collar. She took it in her hands and walked up to the counter where a purple haired guy with several face piercings greeted them.
     "Is this real leather?" she asked, handing him the object. He took it from her and gave it an uninterested glance before replying.
     "Probably not. It doesn't say, so it is probably some type of plastic."
     "Aw darn." she complained, taking the thing and putting it back on the rack. Then they walked over to a display case to look at the obnoxious stickers. "How about that?" she asked, pointing at one that said, 'You've been a bad boy... Go to my room!'.
     "I have no taste for that sort of thing." he replied, honestly disturbed by it. She giggled to herself.
     "I'm sorry, it is too much for you? I thought it might be, but this is the only store I actually enjoy going into." She grabbed his hand and lead him back over to the wall covered in T-shirts. "I have this one." she confessed, pointing to a shirt that said, 'Damn right I'm good in bed- I can sleep for days!'. "I don't wear it much though... only when I'm just lazing around the house."
     "I see..." Long replied, shaking his head and trying to look away from the thing.
     "This is really bothering you isn't it?" she asked, looking up at him. "Losen up a little Long. Are you always so uptight like this?"
     "I'm afraid so." he answered. "I honestly don't find any of these things... humorous, if that's what they're supposed to be."
     "They're just for fun." she replied, shrugging. "But if it really bothers you so much we can leave."
     "If you don't mind I would appreciate it."
     "Alright." she agreed, leading him out of the store. "But someday you're going to enjoy this stuff just as much as I do."
     "I beg your pardon?" he said, giving her a critical glance as if he were asking if she were serious about it.
     "Is that really such a horrible thing?" she wondered. "One day you will understand how silly you sound Long." He shook his head.
     "For my own sake I hope you are wrong." She just laughed and lead him on through the crowded mall.
     "There's not really much else here I can stand to look at for long." she commented. "Except maybe the electronics... you really need something in your room Long, that thing's barren. Why don't we get you a CD player?"
     "I guess it wouldn't hurt to look." he replied.
     "That's the spirit!" she said, slapping him on the back. Then she garbbed his hand and lead him in the direction of the electronics store. "It's this way, it's halfway across the mall though." They walked to the end of the hall, going straight on into the next one. After several minutes of walking through it they turned right and came to a little electronics store. Shina pulled him through the isles until they found a bunch of boom boxes playing music.
     "Once you get the money up, what you really want is one of these." she explained, pointing to something that costed over $150 and had lots of buttons and two large speakers on either side. "It's got radio, cassette, and a three CD changer. Not to mention the awesome quality of the sound."
     "It sounds nice..." Long replied, looking up at the confounding array of buttons, knobs, dials, and displays. "but it there anything a little less expensive?"
     "Hmm..." she glanced into his face. "Maybe what you need is a portable CD player." She grabbed his hand and they walked down a few isles before stopping in front of a display full of the little round objects. "You can get a really cheap one for $20, but if I were you I would spend at least 50 and get something that lasts. You don't have much spending money I guess?"
     "Not a lot." he agreed, shaking his head. "What is so great about these CD players anyways?"
     "They've got better quality sound than cassettes and they last longer." she replied. "You don't have any CD's do you? I'm gonna have to get you a couple then, no use having a CD player without any CDs to listen to."
     "Maybe I should just get a radio." Long suggested. He scratched his head, confused about the new technology.
     "Guess that's what happens when you hide away from the world for years." Shina reminded him. "Seriously though, I wouldn't mind buying you a few. It's for a good cause after all."
     "Hey, Shina!" A voice called from across the store. They turned to their sides to see Yugo walking towards them, behind him was Kenji, Uriko and Alice trailing behind their favorite men.
     "Oh, hi Yugo." Shina replied, looking up at the tall boxer. "How are things going?"
     "Uh, not really great." he admitted. "I never realized how much work it would be to try and lead people." he glanced down to where Kenji stood at his side. "I have had a little help though."
     "Hey, Master Long!" Uriko called, recognizing her martial arts master. She raised one sleeve-covered hand into the air and waved at him from behind Kenji. "What are you doing here Master Long? I never thought I'd find you in a mall..." Long looked at the boy in front of her and recognized his face.
     "You are that assassin..."
     "Aren't you an assassin too?" Yugo asked. Tension filled the air as several people got into their fighting stances.
     "Master Long's not an assassin!" Uriko yelled at Yugo. "He's a Martial Arts master! He was my teacher..."
     "His name is Kenji." Shina told Long. "He was brainwashed by Tylon..."
     "He beat me up ten years ago!" Yugo complained, pointing at Long. "But then... that night about a month ago, you saved Shina's life didn't you? I don't understand..."
     "I told you he's a Martial Arts Master!" Uriko shouted. "He's a hermit, or was a hermit... but if you were still a hermit then you wouldn't be here, right Master Long?"
     "I'm confused." Ailce complained.
     "I was an assassin once..." Long admitted. "But I quit about three years ago..." he glanced into Yugo's face, thinking that it looked familiar.
     "I'm sorry if I attacked you." Kenji apologized, walking up to the Marital Arts master and nodding respectfully. "I was brainwashed, apperently. And I didn't know what I was doing."
     "That's very brave and responsible of you." Long offered, grasping the other's hand and giving it a firm shake. 
     "Were you brainwashed too?" Kenji asked.
     "No." Long replied.
     "Why were you an assassin then?" Yugo demanded. "Did you
enjoy killing people?"
     "Yugo!" both Alice and Shina yelled simultaneously. Long sighed and shook his head.
     "Will you please forgive me if I do not wish to discuss the past in the middle of an electronics store?" Long mumbled.
     "Well..." Yugo looked back and forth between Alice and Shina. "I guess I can put the past behind me too..."
     "What a bunch of silliness." Uriko complained. "We're all on the same side now, right?" Yugo, Long and Kenji nodded their heads. "Then there's nothing to worry about."
     "I'm bored." Alice complained. "Why do you always want to look at electronics Yugo? Why won't you ever come shoe shopping with me?"
     "Aw come on Ally, shoe shopping is for girls."
     "I wanna go shoe shopping!" Uriko agreed. "I want some new sneakers."
     "There's no way I'm going." Yugo said, crossing his arms stubbornly. He looked down at Kenji. "How about you?"
     "I guess I could go..." Kenji replied, scratchig his head while thinking about it.
     "Come on Kenji!" Uriko exclaimed, grabbing his hand and dragging him away. "It'll be fun."
     "Why won't you come Yugo?" Alice pleaded, a soulful look in her eyes.
     "Are you kidding?" Yugo asked, lifting an eyebrow. "I'm staying here with Shina and... the assassin guy..."
     "My name is Long."
     "I thought you had a short name." Yugo pretended to be confused.
     "No, Long is my name." he explained.
     "And now you're starting to sound like Yoda."
     "You idiot!" Shina yelled, punching him in the side. "If you were to spell his name it would be L-O-N-G, got that?"
     "I'll see you later Yugo." Alice said as she waved goodbye, then she ran off to find Kenji and Uriko.
     "Finally I am free!" Yugo exclaimed, stretching his arms into the air. He turned to Shina. "You have no idea how hard it is to get rid of her! She's such a pest!"
     "How long has she had a crush on you now?" Shina wondered.
     "Oh, it seems like forever!" Yugo replied, thinking about it. "Must've been ever since she moved in next door. I mean, she's a nice girl and all, but I really don't like her quite as much as she likes me..."
     "That's no surprise." Shina replied. "The way she's always following you everywhere you go and hanging off you like..."
     "Please don't remind me." Yugo groaned. "Anyways... what are you here for? I was just taking some time off my work to get out, don't get to do that much anymore."
     "I was trying to convince Long to get a CD player." Shina replied.
     "Oh, him." Yugo said, looking over at Long as if he'd forgotten that he was there. "What's with the two of you anyways? I mean he saved your life... and then what?"
     "I ran into him, literally, one day." She shrugged. "And we just became friends, that's all." She turned towards Long. "Sorry Long, this is Yugo, he's the son of one of my dad's old friends... we've known each other for awhile."
     "Hm. Okay..." Yugo replied, turning to look at Long. "And what made you change your mind about being an assassin?" Shina and Long exchanged a glance.
     "Uh, well..." Long began, nervously stroking one hand through his bangs.
     "It was my dad." Shina interrupted. "You know how bossy he is."
     "Oh him?" Yugo said, a knowing glint in his eyes. "Yeah, no kidding. He didn't really give me much of a choice either. So... Long is a Chinese name, isn't it?"
     "Yes." Long replied.
     "I thought so, Kenji, Alice, Uriko and I are all Japanese. Not that we personally have anything against the Chinese but you know what the general Japanese sentiment is toward the Chinese people..."
     "I am aware of it." Long nodded.
     "What about French people?" Shina teased. "Guess I'm okay as long as we're not in the United Kingdom...."
     "What are we all doing in the U.S.A. anyways?" Yugo asked. "Not that I mind taking a business trip to California but... it seems like everyone's here. Why? I mean, besides hanging around your bossy father, which is why I'm here."
     "I'm hanging around him too." Shina replied. "And Long has been here ever since that incident about a month ago."
     "I guess we're all hanging around to make sure that's settled." Yugo admitted. "I told Ally and Uriko they could go back home, but Ally wouldn't leave me of course, and as long as she's here Uriko stays too. Think she's got some strange crush on Kenji, poor little guy, hope it's not as bad as the one Ally has on me."
     "Busuzima's Japanese too right?" Shina asked. "So why not build an evil lab in Japan rather than here?"
     "I think they had one in Japan too." Yugo said. "But Gado just happened to be able to trail them to this one, maybe because the leader was here... wonder who Gado hired?"
     "I know." Long mumbled.
     "Oh really?" Yugo asked, raising an eyebrow. "How do you know?"
     "Because..." Long left the sentence unfinished as he studied the other's face, wondering if he should answer.
     "Oh," Shina muttered, a thought coming to her mind. "you mean Jenny, right?"
     "She is a spy." Long explained. "A pretty good one too, I had wondered how Uriko found me in those mountains..."
     "What?" Yugo exclaimed. "You mean that hooker looking lady that follows your father around all the time?"
     "Yeah, that's her." Shina admitted. "But you already know what I think about her, Yugo, so..."
     "Yeah, too bad for poor old Gado... can't even get some without somebody complaining."
     "Yugo." Shina muttered angrilly, glaring at him.
     "What? It's true isn't it?"
     "I hate hearing people talk about my father that way!" Shina yelled at him.
     "There's nothing wrong with being a horny old man." Yugo said defensively. "There are plenty of horny old men in the world, when I get old I'll probably be a horny old man..."
     "I will never understand you young people." Long said, shaking his head.
     "I'm not that bad!" Shina defended.
     "I didn't say
you were." Long said, implying that he was only talking about Yugo.
     "Aw come on!" Yugo complained. "You were young once too Long, don't tell me you never imagined you could see through the clothes of one of those cute Chinese chicks."
     "Such scurrilous talk..." Long grumbled angrilly.
     "What does that mean?" Yugo interrupted.
     "It means that you're being a pervert." Shina replied, glaring at Yugo. "Anyway, are we just going to sit here and talk all day? Why don't we go do something?"
     "I probably shouldn't go to far from the girls," Yugo thought out loud. "even if Kenji is with them."
     "Why don't we go catch up to them then?" Long suggested. "I was thinking about exchanging a few words with my student."
     "You go over there then." Shina replied, winking at Long.
     "I don't want to go." Yugo complained.
     "I wasn't talking to you!" Shina explained to the confused wolf zoanthrope. "I was telling Long that I want to stay here for a bit!"
     "Sometimes I really hate my name." Yugo replied, shaking his head. "Well, I don't really want to go into a  shoe store, would you go and check on them for me Long? Just go and see how they're doing, and maybe when they're done we'll all go get some lunch or something. Sound good Shina?"
     "Sounds good to me." she replied.
     "Do you know where they went?" Long asked.
     "Oh yeah, Ally always goes to a shoe store that's just a few shops down from this one." Yugo informed him. "It's to the right, you can't miss it if you're looking."
     Long gave them both a nod before he turned and wound his way out of the electronics store.
     "So Yugo... how are thing's really going with Alice?" Shina asked, figuring that the shoe store was not his only reason for staying.
     "Uh well, it's like it always is." he replied. "I like her really, she's a good friend, she's just obsessed with me."
     "Yeah, I know."
     "Sometimes I'm not sure how I feel." Yugo continued. "She likes me so much, I guess I feel a little guilty that I don't feel the same way."
     "Well it's not like you can really do anything about that." Shina reminded him. "Maybe you should just tell her to go take a hike."
     "I can't." Yugo admitted. "I like her and I don't want to hurt her feelings. Sometimes I think maybe I should just pretend to like her that way for awhile and see what happens. What do you think Shina?"
     "You're asking me? What do I know about relationships?"
     "I don't know... I guess I just wanted someone else's opinion..."
     "Yugo?"
     "Yeah?"
     "How do you know when someone likes you that way if they are trying to hide it?"
     "Hm? How should I know? Alice certainly never tries to hide her feelings for me..." he shook his head and stopped thinking about the matter. "Anyways, what did you stay here for? I thought you were gonna follow that Long guy." A sneaky smile crept over her lips.
     "I'm gonna get him something, and I really don't want him here to object."
     "Oh?"
     "You know how guys are, they're like, 'Don't spend any money on me, I should be spending mine on you.' but anyways..."
     "Oh, what are you getting him?"
     "Just a little CD player and a few CDs." she replied. "He's got nothing. Guess that's just how it is after you've been a hermit for so long."
     "I see..." Yugo trailed off. "So... how do you really feel about this guy? I mean, I don't see you going out very much at all, let alone with a guy so..." Shina rolled her eyes.
     "We're good friends right?"
     "Of course," Yugo replied. "I mean, your father's known mine since before we both were born right?"
     "Can you actually keep a secret?" she demanded, giving him a critical glance.
     "Sure." he replied, a suspicious look in his eye.

     Long exited the electronics store and walked over to the small shoe shop only a few doors down. He only had to search for a few minutes before spotting the three. Uriko was sitting back in a chair as Kenji fitted a shoe to her foot. Alice stood before a mirror giving the new shoes a critical glance. He walked over to the three and smiled down at Uriko.
     "Hello Master Long." she said, smiling back. "What's a good shoe for fighting? Probably not sneakers huh? I tried on some steel toes, but every time I kick something my toes hurt."
     "Not to mention whatever you kick." Kenji replied, rubbing his left shin.
     "He, he, sorry Kenji. I didn't know it would hurt so much."
     "Hmm, what do you think Uriko?" Alice asked. She had two differently styled shoes on each of her feet and stuck them out as she continued. "This one or this one? Or maybe the other ones I tried one a couple minutes ago...?"
     "Well..." Uriko glanced over at the shoes. "I wouldn't be caught dead in them, but the pink ones definately match your outfit."
     "Hm, you really think so?" she wondered, walking back over to look in the mirror.
     "So what're you doing here Master Long?" Uriko asked.
     "Well, if you are speaking about my move from the cave back into civilization... I decided to try and lead a normal life, if it is possible."
     "Yeah," she agreed. "seems pretty impossible sometimes when you're a zoanthrope, huh Kenji?"
     "Yeah, not to mention if you were an assassin..." he agreed.
     "But at least you were not a willing assassin." Long reminded him.
     "That's a nice thing to say Master." Uriko thanked him.
     "I still feel strange." Kenji admitted, sighing.
     "So do I." Long added.
     "Ahh!" Alice shrieked, standing by a display shelf and holding a shoe box in her hands. "Can you believe the price tag on this!?! This is crazy! Who would pay anything over $60 for a pair of shoes!?! I'm going with the pink ones."
     "They suit you." Kenji mumbled.
     "Kenji, be nice." Urike whined, play kicking him in the shin.
     "Ow!" Kenji cried, wrapping his arms over it protectively. "That's the one you kicked earlier!"
     "Oops!" Uriko squealed, holding one hand over her mouth. "Sorry."
     "Sis..." Alice joked. "You're supposed to make them cry out in passion, not in pain."
     "Oh brother." Kenji grumbled.
     "Not that you would know about that from experience." Uriko teased, sticking her toungue out at her sister.
     "So Uriko..." Long began. "How are things? Is you mother doing well?"
     "Oh yeah." Uriko replied, smiling. "She's doing really great, thanks again for teaching me Master Long. You know that after I found my mother and Alice we saw that creep Busuzima, but I took care of him!"
     "Hey, I helped!" Alice interrupted.
     "Aw, you were out after the first round!" Uriko complained, getting up from her seat and punching at the air. "I punched him and kicked him and then threw him across the room! Pow! I beat the crap out of him! Mom was so proud, you should've seen it Master Long!" Long chuckled happily to himself.
     "I'm sure it was wonderful." he agreed, smiling. "I am proud of you Uriko, you have turned out to be quite an opponent."
     "Yeah." she replied, smiling back. "But I never could have done it without your help Master Long."
     "It was my pleasure to train such a fine student." he returned, giving a slight bow.
     "Aw, thanks Master Long." Uriko replied, blushing a bit. "Yeah, one day... I'm gonna be a force to be reckoned with you know?"
     "I am certain of it." Long concurred.
     "Me too." Kenji added, rubbing his leg. They all burst into laughter at that and kept laughing for a few minutes.
     "You know, you're got some really nice manners." Alice complimented Long. "Do you think you could teach them to Yugo?" They all laughed heartilly at this too for a few minutes.
     "Hey guys!" Yugo's voice traveled down the hall, he and Shina jogged right up to them, the latter carrying a shopping bag from the electronics store. "What's so funny?"
     "Sis just asked... ha ha... Master Long... he he... if he would teach you some manners Yugo." Uriko managed to say.
     "Hey, that
is a good idea!" Shina agreed.
     "Aw come on Ally," Yugo argued. "you don't want me talking like him. That wouldn't be any fun at all."
     "I think he's got a point." Kenji stated.
     "Yeah, Yugo would sound really funny if he started to talk like Master Long." Uriko added. "No one would take him seriously."
     "Fine." Alice acquiesced. "I guess I'll just have to keep putting up with him."
     "Or you could just get fed up with me and leave." Yugo sarcastically suggested.
     "That'll never happen Yugo." she replied, smiling at him.
     "So anyways guys," Shina cut in. "I was thinking about treating everybody to lunch, who's hungry?"
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