A kiss from the hunt
— Wow, it's so beautiful here. You chose well, the menu is great!
— I never make mistakes. I think this is the time to apologize for what I did when we met again. I apologize from the bottom of my heart.
"It's okay. That served a good purpose. Even with my memory loss, my body still remembers your touch. It's kind of intimate, but when I shower, no matter how much the water burns me, my fingers feel cold."
"Don't worry, you're just like that. When we were together on cold, rainy days, your body was always cold. I didn't mean we did things, you know? Understand?"
The atmosphere was simple and calm, without much activity. The table near the window was occupied by Hana and Shizuko. The two enjoyed a good meal. Hana had pasta with a little chili. She used chili for courage, its heat helping her speak.
Shizuko was enjoying shrimp stroganoff. The sweet sauce slowly went down her throat, contrasting with her fast-beating heart—she couldn't hide it, the shrimp breaking into the dish so abruptly.
"My coffee is very good, I chose Arabica beans." Cassandra pressed a hand to her face. "How are you two doing there?"
"Bourbon grains." She ran her hand over her face to tuck back a loose strand. "Where are our spies?"
"Amélia and Margarida are at the mall playground." His lips curved as they touched coffee. "It's quite clever of the Eunuch to use his roots to gather information, especially from Apollo's Giant friend."
"This meeting was a good idea. It's a great way to see the skills of our squad members."
Cassandra's expressions were as much controlled by the bitterness of her coffee as by what she could hear of Hana and Shizuko's conversation, which could be simplified and exemplified by a car trying to catch its own tail. Even so, Cassandra and her brother hoped for a good encounter; victory depended on it.
"Are you having fun, my daughter?" Amélia held her hands tightly on the railing. "I always brought you here whenever I had the chance."
"Human mother, this is a mission, not a joke!" she swam among the balls. "Thank you for bringing me here, mother! And thank you, Eunuch, for choosing this very place."
"Don't act like a man, you're a brother who likes to see his sister having fun." He bent down and threw a ball back into the pool. "When this is all over, it would be nice for you, Margarida, and I to see a movie at the mall, don't you think?"
— It would be amazing, Mom! — he submerged and went to meet his human mother. — but for that, we need everything to go well.
Her hands met her mother's, her eyes towards the restaurant, it seemed like everything was starting to work out.
— You were incredible fighting Cassandra. Not even Alessandro could do what she did.
"It was all luck. You know, I started to feel a fondness for Cassandra. A cuckold telling how she was cuckolded moves anyone. Just for the story, I'd let her talk to Mamoru, without any physical contact, of course."
"Is it disrespectful to Cassandra to laugh at your joke? I don't care. Very good. Speaking of Mamoru, it's very likely he never wanted to transform so I wouldn't lose any more memories of you."
—a great brother. But I'm kind of mad at him, how can he not know your sister? No matter how much his memories of me were erased, I'd get over them in no time if I met you again.
The plates after more than 10 minutes were placed aside, not completely empty, but with little food.
Hana no longer needed the pepper for fuel until she switched to water. Her tongue burned intensely. Her sips were like her heartbeat; it was beating fast. The speed at which the water was transported to the stomach carried blood to the body at an incredible speed.
Hana no longer needed the cream to keep quiet; she could naturally hold a conversation with Hana. The memories hidden in the shadows of her mind were illuminated, but she didn't care, as the light Hana spoke was brighter than the sun itself.
"They're getting along so well." Heleno let out a sigh. "Even with no memory of her past, Shizuko continues to smile; that's unique."
"The doubts that filled Shizuko's mind were replaced by something better than answers," he emptied his cup. "That fight really did serve a purpose, besides awakening my Styx retinue."
"It's very likely that, if everything goes well, Shizuko will awaken hers." He smiled. "You gave Hana what Mamoru told you to keep, didn't you?"
The most beautiful night possible, the night in yellow, a great circle that so bright could take all the insects to it, from the most beautiful butterflies, moths, of course the same ones that rose a little higher than the ground were eaten by a hungry black mare.
"So everything's going well?" Mary took off her suit-like coat. "Gaia, it's hot today. Maybe all this heat is coming from Hana."
"What a night! It looks like Lampon will be satisfied with these beautiful little animals." Marengo stood on tiptoe to take off Mary's hat. "Are you thinking about Eugene?"
— Yes. My mother already has the money. They should be leaving for the surgery in a few days.
"Honey, if today is a day of rest for the young people, the adults shouldn't worry." He threw himself forward to kiss Mary.
Her golden curly hair reached the sky, held back by the long chains of her black braids. In a second, Mary pulled Marengo into the cabin and locked it. The mare whinnied, but her whinny was nothing compared to the murmurs that would rise from the carriage and drift through the winds.
"Everything's going great." Eunuch ran his hand over hers. "Mommy, how about we go have coffee with the twins?"
"Are you sure everything will work out?" He held his daughter's hand tightly. "I was going to ask if you're ready to go to war, but I already know the answer."
"Human mother, I love you so much!" She walked out the door and hugged her mother. "Your warmth feels so good!"
"Well, thinking about it, the date you were going to arrange with Shizuko turned into a reunion between people who love each other very much. Just like you came with my daughter." He placed his daughter on his lap. "Let's see the big kiss!"
Everyone gathered except Marengo and Mary, who were enjoying the best part of a wedding. Cassandra stood next to Margarida, engrossed in the coffee at the window in front of them, which offered a TV-like view of the scene. Heleno and Amélia chatted, engrossed.
— I think it's time.
— At the time of what?
— Thinking it could be another time, the atmosphere is so good.
— Then I do!
A truly subversive moment, a singular singularity. For the two young women, it was a scene from a good Mexican soap opera; for the two who no longer believed in love, it was the perfect moment to intertwine their fingers and regain faith in humanity.
The all-important box fell to the floor, opening. Hana quickly turned around to grab the ring inside. The hunter became the hunted. Shizuko turned her body toward Hana, prey already willingly seized by love, surrendering. Shizuko took advantage and pulled the body of her prey. Instead of biting her prey's neck, she sucked it, bringing her mouth to meet her prey's, and snatched the breath from her prey, smearing red lipstick all over her face, delighting like a lion.
— fsssss... Fsssss... — he attacked again. — I remembered everything, Hana. — He placed it on his own chest. — Now I know who I was and what I have become. Thank you, Hana.
"Damn it, don't make me cry." He fell back. "I missed you, little scissors." He wiped his mouth. "You scraped me."
"If you're there." He took the box from Hana's hand and took the ring. "Hana Takeuchi. Will you be my companion for the rest of your life?"
"Of course, Shizuko." She leaned close to Shizuko's ear. "What's your name again?" Shizuko whispered and slipped the ring on Hana's finger. "Absolutely, Calisto Karyatis!"