Aishiteru Means I Love You

Dingo entered the room he shared with Robyn to find her laying on the futon, her face buried in a pillow. "Whatsamatta, sweetheart?" he asked. "Can't choose between ivory, cream and ecru?" She lifted up her face and Dingo could tell she had been crying. His heart melted and he immediately regretted teasing her. Robyn always kept a tight reign on her emotions. If she was crying, something really must be wrong. He lay down next to her and tenderly wrapped his arms around her. "Tell me what's wrong." he said, stroking her hair as she burrowed closer to him.

"Jonny is an asshole." she said.

"Tell me something I don't know, love."

"That fellow who works for Xanatos, Owen I think his name is, called not long ago." Robyn put her arms around Dingo. "The Colds did the spying I asked of them. Jonny planned on bringing well, more than one guest. Fifteen at least. And let's just say they'll find a way around Japan's gun control policy."

"Mmm...guess those hammers don't count as guns." He rubbed her back. "Love, don't worry. If your clever little plan works, we won't have to worry about them showing up. And if they do, well, what's fifteen humans against a hundred or so gargoyles? Yama could probably take the lot of them down on his own. He'd see it as his duty as best man."

"Harry, what has me upset is that I'll have to implement my plan! I was hoping Jonny loved me enough to put his hatred away for one day, but...." The tears began again. "And Aunt Fiona called. She changed her mind about coming. She said it was bad enough to have gargoyles as guests, but as members of the wedding party is just too much." Dingo rubbed her back as her body racked with sobs. "I'm sorry."

"Love, don't ever apologize for showing your true feelings to me."

"I got snot all over your shirt."

His chest did feel a bit damp. He just shrugged. "I've had worse." he assured her. "I think you need to rest a bit." He pulled her close and was delighted to feel her cuddle up to him. "Have I ever told you you're the best thing that ever happened to me?"

"I could stand to hear it again." she said.

Dingo held Robyn close to him and remembered the night he proposed. He hadn't planned to do it. If he had, it would've been roses at a French restaurant (probably in France) and the biggest diamond ring he could find.

He had not romance but vengeance on his mind that night. Pistol had attempted to kill him, Matrix had quickly calculated that allowing Pistol to kill Dingo would violate law and order. Lethal force was the logical option. As Pistol lay dying, he told Dingo everything. Mariah hadn't run away. Oldcastle murdered her and charged Pistol with the job of hiding the body. "Shoulda taken her further out into the bush." Pistol grunted. "Developers found her. Falstaff was afraid of what would happen...if she was identi..." And then he died. Dingo had just realized that his entire life was a lie. He wouldn't have to be looking for redemption if that sorry bastard John Oldcastle hadn't murdered his mother, lied about it and raised him to be a crook. The shock of the awful truth had left him catatonic for days. Matrix had tried using logic to bring him out of his funk. Robyn tried pleading. Fang used tasteless jokes, which Yama constantly punished him for. After a few days of staring at the ceiling, Dingo dragged himself out of his funk and told Matrix to saddle up, they were going to pursue law and order by administrating justice to Falstaff.

Defeating the robotic guards and breaking past the defenses of Eastcheap were old hat. He searched the inner caverns for Falstaff. He found him sharing an elaborately modified hot pool with Doll, flirting outrageously with her. Dingo crouched in the shadows, took out the cell phone he found in Pistol's pocket and called a number marked "Falstaff". Immediately, a ring tone came from the pile that was Falstaff's clothes. "Later, Doll." Falstaff said, kissing her cheek. "I might have to take this in private. Doll smiled and got out, walking away wearing only a towel. Falstaff hastily wrapped himself in a towel and fished his phone out of his clothing. He checked the ID and answered with. "So, Pistol, did you do it?" Harry shot him in the kneecap, causing him to fall to the ground with a yell.

Dingo stood over the wounded behemoth. "You killed my mother." he said coldly. "Ye're gonna pay for her life with your life!"

Falstaff only gave a heavy sigh. "I never meant to hurt you, Harry. That's why I...."

"Killed my mum? Or lied about it? You ruined my life, Oldcastle!"

Falstaff shook his head "How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is to have a thankless child!"

"I ain't ye're child!" yelled Dingo. "Never was!" He aimed his arm cannon at Falstaff. "This is for Mariah!"

"Dingo," said Matrix. "Terminating Falstaff would violate law and order."

"Shut up and shoot!"

"Only Pistol could've told you." said Falstaff. "How did he die?"

"Not well."

"Dingo!" he snapped his head around at the sound of Hunter's voice. She was there, as were Yama and Fang.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Dingo demanded.

"Trying to stop you from doing something insane." said Yama.

"Or help ya out." Fang said, juggling a lightning ball. "Y'know, whatever."

"This isn't insanity! This is justice! He's a murderer! He killed my mum!"

"He's not worth it, Dingo." Yama said, echoing words he had heard from Dingo.

"Let's do something far worse than kill him." Hunter suggested. "We'll take him in, we'll bring him to justice. Like we did with Quickly."

"It would better serve law and order." Matrix said, forming restraint cuffs for Falstaff.

The trip to Interpol headquarters had been deathly silent. Every fiber in his being wanted Falstaff dead. Dingo supposed he'd have to go back to Sydney. By now, there'd be no identifying the body. Just thinking of his mother as a dried up husk made Dingo want to cry. He hoped he could be spared the sight, but might be asked to ID any belongings found with the body. Maybe some DNA testing to prove he was her son. The only evidence he had that it was Falstaff was a deathbed confession from his accomplice. It would have to do.

At Interpol, Falstaff had been restrained to a rolling chair in a darkened room, the lights set up for the interrogation to take place. A pair of armed Interpol agents flanked him. "Do you have anything to say for yourself, Falstaff?" Robyn asked.

"Two things." said Falstaff. "One, discretion is the better part of valor. Two, the Illuminati has agents everywhere. Isn't that right, Thirty-sixes?" Suddenly, one of the Interpol agents fired at Robyn while the other ran for the door, pushing Falstaff in the wheeled chair as he did.

She was sprawled on the ground like a broken doll, pool of blood suddenly spreading underneath her. Dingo could hear Falstaff and the agents running away as he laughed. Matrix and Fang pursued. He was dimly aware of Yama calling out to him, but he seemed a million miles away. Hunter...Robyn...the most beautiful, courageous, wonderful woman he knew had fallen by the same hands that killed his mother, and he hadn't been able to stop it.

"Dingo!" Yama shouted as he slapped Dingo out of his stupor. "Shikkari shiro! Hunter needs our help!"

The sting of the slap was enough to make Dingo see reason. "Right!" He dashed to Robyn's side and picked her up.

Outside, a chopper could be heard flying away as Fang and Matrix got on board the Redemption II. "C'mon, we still catch up with him!" yelled Fang.

"We gotta let him go." Dingo panted. "Robyn, she needs help! Fang! Can you fly this thing?"

"Sorta." Fang replied.

"Sorta?"

"Well, last night I was playing /Chopper Dave/ and racked up 85,300 points." said Fang. "And I only crashed once!"

"Matrix!" Matrix disengaged himself from Dingo and took on a humanoid form. "Can you fly this tub?"

"I can interface with the controls and direct it in the desirable direction." said Matrix.

"Great. Our 'desirable direction' is a hospital! Take us to one!"

"It will require interface with the GPS locator."

"Do it!" Matrix morphed into a puddle and slithered over to the control panel. Soon, the whir of blades could be heard as the Redemption II lifted into the air. Dingo took Hunter's hands in his, alarmed by how cold they were. "Hunter...Robyn!" he called out to her. "Don't leave me! You can't leave me!"

"H-Harry...." she gasped out, barely opening her eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, it's me, Robyn!" /Don't cry. You'll just upset her./

"She needs her wound tended to." Yama reminded him, opening the first aid kit. "Hold her up." He took out a roll of gauze.

"Here, Robyn, easy girl." Dingo said gently, helping her sit.

"Ow. Ow. Ow." she mumbled as Yama wrapped the gauze around her. The wound was in her chest and bleeding profusely.

"Robyn, please, hang on!" he begged. Yama tore and clamped the bandages. Dingo let her lay back on the vinyl shelf that was being used as a bed. She looked so fragile just now. He gently took off her mask and stroked her cheek. "Open your eyes for me, Robyn. Please, anything to see those baby blues just once more." Her eyes slipped open, allowing him to see the barest glimmer of soft, robin's egg blue. "There's something I shoulda told you Robyn." he said, stoking her blonde ponytail. "A lot of somethings I shoulda told you. I have always loved you." She smiled. Her eyes were sad, even tearing up, but she was smiling. "Robyn, please, pull through. If you do...I'll marry you! How's that sound?" She smiled and nodded once, just as her eyes fluttered shut and her weak grip on his hand slipped entirely. "Robyn? Robyn! ROBYN!"

"Say," said Fang. "How many guns does it take for the U.S. to combat an enemy? Two, one to shoot 'em with and one to sell to 'em to shoot back!" Dingo wasn't even paying attention. Yama was eying him with disgust. "Look, I make jokes when I'm nervous, OK? That's just me."

"Matrix?" said Yama. "When will we arrive at the hospital?"

"At out current velocity," Matrix's voice came from the control panels. "We should be within air space of St. Hubert Memorial in approximately 5.6 minutes."

"See if you can't go a little faster." said Yama.

St. Hubert's granted them permission to land. A team of medics was waiting. They took Robyn away, never noticing the strange creatures on board the Redemption II. Dingo chased after them, only to be halted by an orderly. "She has to go to ICU." the orderly told him. "Immediate family only. Are you her husband?"

"Well, no, but I asked and she said...."

"I'm sorry, pal." said the orderly. "Relatives only. Can you give me the number for her next of kin?"

/The one in jail or the one who don't give a damn?/ Dingo thought bitterly. "N-no, no, I...she doesn't have anybody. Please, let me...."

"I don't make the rules, buddy!" said the orderly. "Just calm down, sit in the waiting room, read a magazine, we'll let you know what happens. Dingo couldn't believe what he was hearing. Read a magazine? When she might be dying? "Say, wanna tell me why you're wearing those costumes? I'm afraid we're gonna have to cut hers off." Dingo said nothing, but returned to the helicopter. Even if he was family, it was unlikely they'd let him in the O.R. Still, he could kick himself for not thinking to lie and say they were married.

It seemed like an eternity of waiting stretched before them. "Anyone wanna play 'I Spy'?" asked Fang.

"No!" Yama snapped. Dingo just sat with his head in his hands.

"Good, I'll start!" said Fang. "I spy with my little eye something shiny!"

"Is it Matrix?" Yama asked.

"Yeah!" said Fang. "You're good at this game, Yamalama!" Yama glared at him. "Your turn!"

"I spy with my little eye something stupid." said Yama.

Fang seemed to need a moment to think. He glanced out the porthole. "Well, that 1984 DeSoto is kinda stupid-looking."

"I'm goin' inside." said Dingo. "See what's up."

The receptionist wouldn't tell him much. She was in surgery and that's all she would say. Dingo slumped down in one of the couches in the waiting room. "Being a dick towards you too, huh?" a nervous man said sympathetically.

"The love of my life might be dying." Dingo devuldged.

"Yeah. Mine too." the stranger sighed.

"I'm such an idjit! I shoulda told them we were married!"

"I wish I could've." the stranger sounded like he was choking on a sob.

"Harry Montague?" A doctor with a clipboard used the alias Dingo gave the receptionist. "Your girlfriend, Robyn Capulet," (Dingo decided that even her usual alias of Robyn Corey might not be a good idea.) "she's stable."

"I can see her?"

"I'm sorry, Mr. Montague. She's still in ICU. I suggest you go home, get some rest. Maybe tomorrow she'll be well enough for the general ward."

"But I...."

"You can't do anything more for her."

The sun was coming up when Dingo walked outside. Yama would be in stone sleep. Oh, well, Fang had wings. And Matrix could pick any locks that needed undoing. It wouldn't be his first B & E.

With their help, Dingo made it through a window overlooking the ICU ward Robyn was in. She was in bed, hooked up to so many machines. The monitor beeped and the respirator hissed. "Robyn?" he whispered, touching her hand.

She opened her eyes and smiled at him. "I was in a tunnel," she said dizzily. "And a bright, warm light. Daddy was there. He looked so happy...."

"Sh...you don't have to say anything, love."

"He told me, 'Turn back, Princess! That man needs you more than I do!' And...and there was this lady there too. She was so pretty...."

"Robyn, you can tell me this later."

"She had deep brown eyes and such pretty long, blonde hair." Robyn continued distractedly. "She kept it off her face with this pink headband. She was dressed in 60's retro, but damn if she didn't look good in it! She told me 'Don't leave him, don't ever leave him.' Funny thing is, she had an Australian accent like yours. You think she might've been my guardian angel Harry?"

"Yeah, sure, Robyn." A lump formed in Dingo's throat as he recognized that description. "You got a guardian angel lookin' out for you....."

/I like to think we both do./ Dingo thought in the modern day as he and Robyn spooned up together. /Thank God that moment wasn't the last./
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The sky was streaked with orange and indigo as steam rose from the hot spring.

"Marco!" Staghart called out, his eyes tightly closed.

"Pollo!" Lexington replied, swimming just out of his reach.

"Marco!" Staghart turned towards the voice.

"Pollo!" Lexington took a step back. "And no peeking!"

"I'm not peeking!" He reached out to grab him. Lexington just barely managed to duck from his grasp. Staghart blindly moved his arms about as Lexington swam around him. "Marco!" Staghart called out.

"Polo!" Lex grabbed Staghart from behind. Staghart laughed as he turned and embraced his lover. "I say, this game is more fun than playing Batman and Robin."

"Next time, you can wear the cowl!" Lex laughed as he ran fingers over Staghart's bicep. /Damn, he looks good wet!/ The water from the onsen had caused Staghart's fur to cling to his body, showing every dip and curve in vivid detail.

"Can't. Antlers." He pulled Lex close and nuzzled him.

"Are we interrupting anything?" They turned to see a pair of naked female gargoyles. One was on the small side of medium with twisted horns like a kudu, silver-grey in color and had her black hair in a bob. The other was tall and willowy with large, back curving horns much like Kai's, pale green in color and had her long black hair pinned up on top of her head. The smaller one was carrying a sake flask and some cups.

"Listen, ladies." said Staghart, completely unfazed by their nudity. "If you're here to seduce us, we hate to disappoint, but...."

"You're gay, we know." The tall one shrugged. "My name is Yuri. This is my mate, Shinju." Shiju smiled and gave them a fingery wave.

"Mate, huh?" said Lex. "As in /mates/...right?"

"We'll show you the photos of our San San Kudo ritual later." said Yuri, gingerly stepping into the steaming water. Shinju followed her. "Shinju and I have...a proposition to make. Sake?" Shinju was pouring a cup, letting the other three float on the water.

"What's the proposition?" asked Lexington.

"Well," said Yuri. "I'll get right to it. Our clan needs eggs. Forgive me for saying so, but your clan could use some eggs as well. Understand, we're not asking you to be our mates. We just need the...material to produce eggs. We are willing to let you have three of the eggs to keep for yourselves if you like."

Lex looked over at Staghart who looked positively thrilled with the idea. "Oh, Lex, could we?" he asked. "I've always wanted to be a father. And I've seen how good you are with Alex, Nash and Tachi."

Shinju kept indicating that Lex should take the sake cup she had just poured. Lex took it. She poured one for Staghart. "Does she speak English?" asked Lexington.

"Not very well, I'm afraid." said Yuri, taking the sake cup Shinju poured for her. "Shinju! Eigo-de hanaso!"

"Wercome to the junger!" Shinju sang. "We take it day by day! If ya want it ya gonna breed but that the pice you pay!"

"And you're a very sexy girl." Yuri commented, putting an arm around her mate. "I'm afraid Shinju's English is restricted to rock and roll lyrics."

"It's still more English than I know Japanese." commented Lex, sipping his sake. "Considering how much business America does with Japan involving computers, maybe I should get lessons from Katana. Speaking of business propositions, how exactly would we go about...you know, making these eggs?"

"Oh, you don't have to mate with us if the idea really turns your stomach." said Yuri, sipping her sake. "No offense, but we'd rather you didn't. I trust you're familiar with the human concept of sperm donation, correct?"

"I think so." said Lexington. "I've heard that's how Melissa Etheridge and her mate had one kid and are working on another."

"Come to my window!" Shinju sang. "Craw inside, wait by the right of the moon...."

"The local doctor, Dr. Kimura," said Yuri. "Can help us out with all the little details. I'm sure he could provide us with storage and such." Shiju said something in Japanese. "Shiju wants to know if furry hatchlings need to be combed or anything."

"Stone sleep takes care of most grooming needs." said Staghart, leaning against the huge boulder sitting in the onsen. "But, you may need to give them a good shampooing if they get really dirty. You know how messy nippers can get while playing." He took a sip of his sake. "Oh, promise me one thing? Don't ever use your own spit to clean one of my kids. I always hated that."

Yuri translated to Shinju, who giggled and responded in Japanese. "She said 'But it works for kitty cats!'"

"Hey, wait a minute," said Lex. "Would it be a good idea for you to have eggs if you never...you know...." Lex tried to think of a delicate way to word this. "Um...never, uh, had anything, um, up there, down there....?" He knew he must be blushing.

Yuri only laughed just before translating for Shinju, who also had a good laugh. "You think because we're lesbians we never had anything 'up there, down there'?" Yuri laughed. "No, no, Shinju and I have our toys. Don't worry, the cherry's been plucked."

A flap of wings was heard as Brooklyn landed nearby. "Hey, Lex!" He shielded his good eye when he saw the two females. "Whoa! Hope I didn't disturb anything."

"Americans!" Yuri gave an exasperated sigh. "You see naked people bathing together and you immediately think it's something sexual!"

"Well, anyway, Lex." Brooklyn continued. "Something's going down at the Old Temple. Apparently, lat time they met, Yama got the worst of a fight he was in with Angela so he challenged her to a rematch. She said she needs her Mickey to be there." He smiled and shrugged. "Guess that makes Broadway her Adrianne."

Lex started to get out. "Toss me a towel." he said. "I'll be right there."

"Mickey? Adrianne?" asked Yuri.

"It's from an American movie." said Staghart. "Called /Rocky/." He started to get out. "Come on, this might be fun to watch!"