I hesitated for just a moment outside Amaya's door. There was a brief temptation to sneak in and wake her up the same way she liked to do to me, but it passed quickly. As close as our friendship was, it still felt a little creepy to sneak into a woman's room while she slept.

  Not to mention, I wasn't sure what kind of training she might have gone through to defend herself against intruders. While it was unlikely I could get hurt, my goal was to make her happy, not give her an adrenalin rush.

  Levitating a small wooden box and a breakfast tray behind me, I knocked softly. I listened through the door as the rhythm of Amaya's breathing changed from sleeping to nearly silent. I knocked again to make sure she knew what had woken her.

  "Yes?" Her voice was soft, and only a little sleepy.

  "It's Cai. I brought you breakfast in bed." I called, smiling as I pictured her pleased expression.

  "You may enter."

  I opened the door and stepped slowly in. Amaya was half crouched on her bed, one hand reaching under her pillow. She was once again in her black tank top and loose black pants. Come to think of it, every time I had seen her in sleepwear, it was something that could accommodate quick and immediate action. Just one more piece of a puzzle that was starting to make sense now that I knew her secret.

  Amaya relaxed the moment she saw it was really me. She pulled her hand out from under her pillow and flopped back down, her black hair falling loose around her. I stepped forward with a grin, bringing the tray floating toward her.

  "Good morning sleeping beauty! Happy birthday!" I moved to the edge of her bed as she sat up with a smile. Before I could deliver her breakfast however, she reached to her nightstand and grabbed a brush. Thrusting it into my hand, she turned around and held her hands out expectantly.

  I arched an eyebrow, but only chuckled before floating the tray into her hands. It seemed she had been prepared. Adjusting to sit behind her, I began brushing her lustrous long hair while she ate.

  As I worked, I absentmindedly began to hum one of her favorite songs from when we were kids. She glanced back and gave an approving nod with a cute, "Mmm" of encouragement. I laughed and grabbed a piece of rice off her face, prompting a slight blush before she turned away again.

  After she finished eating, Amaya reluctantly took the brush back. Setting it to the side, she turned to face me, her dark eyes expectant.

  I sighed theatrically. "Fine, I guess you can have it now." Holding out a hand, I caught the floating object that had been waiting all this time. It was a small box made of dark polished wood about the size of a baseball. I had only rested a couple of hours last night before getting to work on the enchantments for this gift.

  I held out the box, which Amaya accepted with a smile and a bow. She gently opened the lid, before slowly reaching within to retrieve the beautifully polished metal wrist cuff. It was small and delicate looking, with a setting for an onyx gem on the side. Her dark eyes widened, and she used one delicate finger to trace the intricate lines etched along the surface.

  "It's draconic," I said, gesturing to the runes. "They're runic enchantments to add durability, as well as resistance to mental attacks. The onyx stone on the side is a mana battery. Once there's more aether on the Material, it'll recharge itself automatically. For now though, I'll have to infuse it every now and then to keep it functioning."

  It had taken a while to decide what type of present to get for my friend. I knew I wanted to enchant something for her, both for her protection and for the sake of making her something personal. However, Amaya didn't wear much jewelry. As a kunoichi she even avoided things like a necklace or earrings, as they could just tear or get in the way in a fight. This metal cuff however could even be used as a small defense, so long as the enchantment lasted.

  Amaya's eyes grew moist and her pretty mouth dropped open slightly as she glanced between me and the cuff. Finally, she leaned forward to rest against me, her head tucked under my chin and her small hands clutching my shirt.

  "Thank you Cai. I will treasure it forever." Her voice was soft, and had more emotion than normal.

  I hummed and wrapped my arms around her slender figure. I squeezed her gently for a while, just enjoying having her close. I was glad she was coming back with me. Somehow, when she was near, I always felt like everything would work out in the end.

  After some time, I stood up and tried to subtly adjust my pants. Grinning down at my best friend, I offered her a hand to help her up. "Come on Amaya-hime. We have some time before we leave for the festival. Since it's your birthday, you can pick what we do today. I might even let you win a game or too." I winked and left her to get ready.

  Downstairs, Aunt Akari was just sitting down to eat the breakfast I had left out for her. We exchanged greetings and I sat down at the table with her. As expected, Aunt Akari was dressed for her early morning workout, with a tight shirt and yoga pants.

  "I have all of the paperwork for your inheritance prepared. There are several things for you to sign when you're ready." She said in between bites of egg.

  I nodded appreciatively, "Thank you for everything Aunt Akari. I didn't realize how badly I needed to come back. I…" I hesitated, tapping my finger on the table for a moment before continuing. "I'm hoping that you'll come stay with me, or at least somewhere close. I've been doing all this so I could protect you, and I can't do that if I'm across the world. Besides, if you're close, you'll be able to cultivate off the aether from my spire. I could come here, but I don't think it's ideal."

  My words came out quickly as I tried to present my arguments for having her move. I didn't think she would be adverse to moving, she did so all the time after all. It was simply difficult to get her to move at anyone else's pace. I understood now that she was looking at a much bigger picture this whole time, but I wanted her to hear all of my arguments before she made up her mind.

  My aunt tilted her head thoughtfully as she considered me. She chewed slowly as she ran scenarios in her head. Finally, she nodded, "I will move to Miami soon. There are still some things I have to take care of here before I can go. It's difficult to prepare for such a nebulous threat, but I intend to try."

  I grunted, "Tell me about it. I don't know whether to expect large kaiju attacks or swarms of monsters. There might be an occasional rift, or several every day." I gave my aunt a serious look as I continued. "One thing is for sure. The danger that is coming will be massive. Even if the only thing that happens is that magic is introduced to the system, everything will be thrown into chaos. One of my biggest concerns is how the world governments are going to react."

  My aunt nodded along thoughtfully, her black ponytail swaying. "That's a valid point. I'm glad that you're taking this so seriously. What are your plans for handling such things?"

  I leaned back in my chair, levitating my aunt's dishes to the sink as I considered her question. "I have some people that I hope to enlist before everything hits. A lawyer, a political advisor and a media star. I want to be prepared to win over public sentiment, and to slow down government aggression if necessary." I shrugged, "Honestly, I'm not as connected as I would like to be. The people I'm considering are mostly unknowns, and that's added to the fact that I don't even know what I'll be up against."

  Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

  "You forgot to mention an aunt who is among the best assassins in the world, and a best friend who is a trained kunoichi. If I can get the intelligence network of the Kagehira to cooperate, you'll have a fairly large advantage." My aunt stood as she finished speaking, moving towards the door. "We can discuss your plans in more detail later. Have fun with Amaya today." She winked, a mischievous expression on her face as she left.

  ****

  The Mito Ume Matsuri was in full swing when Amaya and I stepped out of the station. Plum blossoms, in every shade of pink and white, decorated the park, scenting the air with a delicate sweetness. However, all of that was a little difficult to pay attention to with Amaya standing next to me.

  She’d chosen a yukata of deep indigo, almost black, embroidered with tiny silver plum blossoms that trailed up the sleeves and around the hem. It highlighted the deep black of her hair and made her dark eyes seem even more intense. I let my gaze linger a moment too long, catching her eye and earning a playful smirk.

  "Enjoying the view, Cai?" she teased, adjusting the obi around her waist.

  I chuckled, smoothing down my own hakama. I’d opted for a simple black with a subtle grey wave pattern. “Merely appreciating artistry, Amaya,” I replied smoothly, offering her my arm. “I'm just curious how many men's hearts you'll ruin tonight.”

  She nodded as though my suggestion was a forgone conclusion, and hooked her arm through mine. “They will have to regret later. There are games to be won.”

  Amaya wasn’t kidding. She immediately dragged me towards a wanage stall, where you tossed rings onto bottles. She didn’t even hesitate at the distance, just stepped up and effortlessly landed three rings in a row. The stall owner blinked, clearly not expecting such accuracy.

  “Not bad,” I said, stepping up as she collected her prizes —a packet of colorful goldfish crackers and a small, intricately painted fan.

  “Something of this level is nothing.” She smirked, challenging me. I took aim, focusing on the slight breeze and adjusting my throw accordingly. Three rings. Three bottles.

  “Hm. I suppose not,” I conceded, earning a small chuckle.

  “Perhaps… you two are a little too good at this game?” The stall manager stammered. I had to concede the point, and only took a small box of crackers as my prize.

  We moved on, conquering every game we tried. Ring toss, goldfish scooping, shooting galleries —nothing could stand against our combined skill. It was almost… disappointing. We weren't trying to use any enhanced abilities, just applying focus and technique. Still, we had plenty of fun competing and teasing each other.

  "Hmm…" I said as I stared at a mountain of plushies offered as a prize. "You don't actually want to take any of these do you?"

  Amaya merely raised an eyebrow as she looked at me.

  "Really? You want to take one just for the cliche?" She continued to stare, so I shrugged. "Fine, pick out whichever one you want. I'll win it for you."

  She gave a firm nod of approval before moving to examine the prizes. She picked out a small, blue blue bird that I quickly won. That was followed by a chibi version of a dragon, which I heroically presented to her.

  “Just in case you start to forget how cute I am, you can look at this little guy and remember.”

  Amaya rolled her eyes, but took the plushie and hugged it close. “That will not be a problem,” She mumbled, though I pretended I didn't hear.

  The food stalls were a whirlwind of aromas and activity. We sampled takoyaki (octopus balls), and ikayaki (fried squid), and finished with warm taiyaki (fish-shaped cakes) filled with sweet red bean paste.

  “That was way too much food,” I grumbled as I rubbed my full stomach. “I don't know how you stay so thin eating like that.”

  “Rude,” Amaya said, glaring playfully and snagging the last piece. “I do not eat much. You are just too...” She gestured at me up and down. "That."

  As the sun began to set, we walked towards a small hill overlooking the park. It was a bit far from the main fireworks display, but offered a small amount of privacy with fewer people gathered around.

  I laid out one of the blankets I had purchased from a stall, taking the other to wrap around our shoulders as we watched. Amaya sat close to me, her thigh touching mine. She kept wiggling, and I could easily tell there was something on her mind.

  "What is it, Amaya? You know you'll feel better if you just tell me."

  She looked at me for a long moment, seemingly building up her courage. "Cai, what do you think of me as a woman?"

  I felt a spike of anxiety at her words. I wasn't clueless. I knew where this was going. I just hoped it didn't end in disaster.

  "I think you're beautiful, clever, and capable. I have a great deal of respect for you, and honestly, I'm always happy when you're near." I was completely honest with her, though my heart was beating heavily in my chest. I knew it was time to tell her about Ash and Yume, and if I was right about how she felt about me, it would hurt her. I desperately didn't want to hurt her.

  Amaya's expression grew animated as she smiled, and her face turned redder than I had ever seen it. "Thank goodness," She spoke softly, unable to meet my eyes. "I have felt… For a long time I have felt the same way about you. I like you Cai. Will you go out with me?" She bowed her head, and I thought I could almost hear her heart thundering in her chest. This was going to suck.

  "I… I like you too Amaya." She caught her breath at my words, but I forced myself to continue. "But… I don't think you will want to go out with me. I have something more to tell you."

  Amaya looked at me, a rush of emotions playing across her normally stoic face. The most prominent of those being worry, almost fear. Her voice was even softer when she spoke. "Is it Ash or Yume? You said you have a bond. You're in love with one of them aren't you?"

  I shook my head, then nodded and shrugged. "Yes, with both."

  "Both?"

  "Yes, both. They confessed to me together, and I accepted them both. The bond we have allows us to feel each other's emotions. Honestly, I don't think I would be able to live with the pain if one of us was left heart broken and jealous forever."

  Amaya stared at me for a long time, the fireworks in the distance illuminating her beautiful face. Her eyes searched mine thoughtfully, and I was having trouble reading her.

  Finally she said, "And you like me as well?"

  I nodded helplessly. "I do. I don't know if it's my dragon instincts, or if I've always been this way, but I'm afraid I'm a very greedy man. Even so, I won't let it interfere with our friendship. I—"

  Amaya put her hand over my mouth, stopping me mid sentence. "Very well, I accept. You will have to find a way to bond me as well though. It would be unfair if they got to be so close to you and I did not."

  I blinked. "Eh?"

  "I said I accept."

  "Uh… I see. Are you sure? That doesn't seem fair to you. You could have any m—"

  A look of anger and revulsion crossed her face as she stopped me from speaking once more. "Disgusting. Do not even finish that sentence, for I will not hear it. If you do not wish to love me, then that is your choice, but there will be no other for me." She took a deep breath, and her face grew calm. "I have loved you since we were children. I have sworn my blade to you, even before I knew what you were destined to become. Do not insult me by telling me I do not know what I want."

  I sat there, stunned for a moment. My mind split on its own, both instances trying to work over time to complete the emotional calculus of what she'd said. Perhaps I really was overcomplicating things. As Ash and Yume once told me, it was better to act than to live with the regret of not knowing.

  Finally, I bowed my head. "You're right. I'm sorry. I don't have the right to decide what you want. If that is me—if it's truly me that you want—then I have no right to complain. Instead, I will devote my time to making sure you don't regret your choice." I looked back up, meeting Amaya's dark eyes. I took her hands in mine, "Amaya, I have liked you since we were children. Will you be my girlfriend?"

  "Yes!" Amaya grinned wider than I had ever seen before leaping into my arms.

  Gently, I cupped her chin and tilted her face toward mine. Slowly, our lips met, and I felt as if the world held its breath. The soft lips of the beautiful woman in my arms felt like heaven. All conscious thought left me as my reality broke apart and rebuilt itself. Amaya, my childhood friend and first crush, was kissing me.