Aishiteru Means I Love You

Lexington arranged the web cam to get a good shot the room. The face of a woman with long blonde hair came on screen. She smiled. "This is the first time you've seen me without my mask." she acknowledged.

"From now on," said Goliath. "There will be no need for masks. We have all received your invitation, Hunter, and will accept."

"In that case, call me Hunter no more. My name is Robyn. After I marry, it will be changed to Robyn Monmouth." Robyn was as every bit a feminist as the next modern woman, but she felt no use in keeping the Canmore name.

"Very well, Robyn." said Goliath. "I feel I should tell you, our clan has grown since our last encounter. One of our number now has a mate and two hatchlings. Another is...being courted."

"The invitations said you may each bring a guest." Robyn reminded him.

"Daaaaaad!" yelled Nashville as he entered the room. "Alex took my...who's the blond lady?"

"And who's this fine young lad?" asked Robyn.

"This is Brooklyn's son, Nashville." said Goliath.

"Hello." Nashville waved at the screen.

"I didn't think he'd have a son this old in only three years." Robyn couldn't figure how a gargoyle could have two children in less than three years. The last hatching was only three months ago.

"Very long story." said Goliath. "We'll tell you when we get to Ishimura."

"Well, he is a cutie!" said Robyn, causing Nashville to scowl. He hated being called "cute". "If his parents are fine with it, I'd like to make him a junior usher."

"What's a junior usher?" asked Nashville.

"OH, it's very simple." said Robyn. "You would hand out programs, escort the junior bridesmaid- I'm thinking a nice girl your age named Izumi who speaks English pretty well- and basically just look cute."

"I don't wanna look cute."

"Alright, how about...youthfully handsome?"

"I could live with that."

"My brother and sister have also returned to the clan." said Goliath.

"Coldstone and Coldfire?" Robyn nodded. "Actually, I have a mission for them in New York, should they choose to accept it. I will send the information to them tomorrow. Is Lexington there?"

"I'm here." Lex got from behind the camera.

"What's that thing on your shoulder?" she asked.

Lex noticed the red ring on his shoulder. On the way back, he and Staghart had gone at it again and Staghart had gotten carried away and bit Lex on the shoulder. "Uh, what thing?"

"That red mark on your shoulder. Looks like a bite."

"It's not a bite. It's...a computer rash." A stupid lie, but the best he could come up with.

"Right." Robyn said with a smile. "Dingo is off picking up a friend from the airport, but he wants to know if you're taking up his offer to be a groomsman."

"I'm thinking about it."

"Lexington, I know you have reason to be angry with Harry." said Robyn. "But, if you'd known what he's been through in the past year, you'd forgive him. If he's ready, he may tell you about it. He's giving you this honor as a token of peace and friendship."

"What exactly would I have to do?"

"You'd simply show guests to their seats before the ceremony and escort one of the bridesmaids down the aisle. Speaking of which, where is Angela?"

"I think she's out in the atrium with...." Lex heard Angela and Broadway's laughter as they approached. "Oh, here they come." Angela and Broadway entered the room laughing, their arms around each other. Angela's hair was mussed up, with her new ornament hastily stuck in it. Her clothes were suspiciously rumpled. Broadway had grass and dirt stains on his knees and a bite mark on his neck.

"Hello, Angela. Hello, Broadway." said Robyn. "I'm Robyn. It looks like that computer rash is catching." she said with a quirked eyebrow.

"Uh...oh, you mean this?" Broadway pointed at the bite on his neck. "Ah, there was a rabid squirrel outside! Yeah! That's why I got claw marks on my back too." Goliath looked like he was going to be sick.

"So, Angela." said Robyn. "I see you got the hair ornament I sent you. Are you interested in being my bridesmaid?"

"I will accept this honor." said Angela. "I hope we can learn to be friends...Robyn."

Robyn smiled at being called her real name from someone she had once thought an enemy but now just might be a friend.

The next evening, Goliath was saying good-bye to Hudson. "Are you sure you want to stay behind, old friend?"

"Ach, with Coldstone and Coldfire doing this mission for Robyn, someone's gotta watch over Tachi, make sure the badduns don't burn down the city and see that Bronx and Fu Dog don't have a wild party while you're all away."

In the nursery, Katana was having trouble saying good-bye. "I won't be very long, Tachi-Chan." she told the infant gargoyle. "Mommy and Daddy just have to attend a wedding and we'll be back soon, I promise."

Brooklyn touched her shoulders. "Katana, we both agreed we wouldn't linger."

"For ten years, Brook-Chan, she was never away from me."

"And now, it is time to let her go." Brooklyn took the baby in his arms. She had her eyes closed and was curled up on herself. Brooklyn stroked her tiny horns. "It will be alright, Katana. We went through this with Nashville, remember?"

"When he learned how to walk and how to glide, yes." she agreed. "But not this young! Tachi will miss me. She'll think I abandoned her."

"Katana, she keeps her eyes closed half the time!" Brooklyn laughed. "Hey, sweetie," Brooklyn crooned to his daughter. "Do you want to open your eyes for Mommy and Daddy?" Tachi opened her small, copper toned beak in a toothless yawn and blinked her eyes. They were light brown and almond shaped. "She'll be fine." Brooklyn said, laying her in her crib. "Owen already has nearly two years experience taking care of a baby. And Coldfire told me she was really looking forward to helping take care of Tachi while we're away. She never got to hold her own hatchling, you know."

Katana frowned. "And what does a robot know of caring for hatchlings?"

"She isn't just a robot, Katana. You know that. You also know that hatchlings belong to the whole clan."

"I know, I know." she sighed. "Still...it's so hard to let go." She stroked her daughter's beak, short and curved like a lovebird's. "Are you sure that formula will be good for her?"

"It's not going to kill her."

"It seems like an unnatural way to feed an infant. Maybe...maybe we should take her with us. She won't take up much space."

"Katana, airplane cabins are highly pressurized. Adults and big kids like Nashville can handle it, but it's torture for small children." Brooklyn smiled. "Even more torture for the adults who have to hear the kid cry! Katana, please, let's not keep everyone waiting."

"Let me sing her one last lullaby, and we can go."

"Alright. Just one."

Katana stroked a wispy black hair on her daughter's head and began to sing a song she heard on the radio that seemed appropriate. "So kiss me and smile for me. Tell me that you'll wait for me. Hold me like you'll never let me go. Cause I'm leavin' on a jet plane. Don't know when I'll be back again. Oh babe, I hate to go."

"Uh, Katana?" said Brooklyn. "The person who sings that song isn't really leaving a baby."

"I know, but I'm singing this song!" She continued to sing. "Every place I go, I think of you. Every song I sing, I sing for you"

"When I come back," Brooklyn sang with a smile. "I'll bring your teething ring!"

They both sang the chorus to her once more before leaving.

On the tower, Staghart was filming the skyline with a small camcorder. "What are you doing?" asked Lexington.

"Xanatos let me borrow one of his cameras to make a travel log for the folks back in London. Getting a little flavor footage right now. Did you know that Andy Warhol once filmed the Empire State Building for six and a half hours straight and made a movie out of it? He called it /Empire/."

"Sounds pretty boring."

"It was."

"C'mon, we're meeting the Xanatoses at LaGuardia. They got a private jet."

"Beats traveling Federal Express." Staghart zipped the camera into its case.

Eight gargoyles and two humans boarded the plane. Elisa and Xanatos showed the gargoyles how to fasten the seat belts. "Isn't Fox coming?" asked Broadway.

"Good evening, this is your captain speaking." Fox's voice came over the intercom. "Flight attendant David will now demonstrate emergency procedures." Xanatos stood at the front of the plane. "The emergency exits are located at either side of the cabin." Xanatos pointed them out. "In the event of depressurization, oxygen masks will drop from the ceiling. David will show you how to correctly wear one." Xanatos demonstrated how to put on an oxygen mask. "In the event of a water landing, your seat can be used as a flotation devise. Please relax and enjoy the flight." Fox could then be heard giving a heavy sigh. "God, I need a coffee and some cunnilingus!"

Xanatos pulled off his oxygen mask and went to tell his wife she still had the intercom on.

"Don't forget the coffee!" yelled Broadway. The already tittering gargoyles were now laughing.

"Hey, Dad, what's cunnilingus?" asked Nashville.

"You're asking him?" Katana snarked.

"Uh...it's a kind of sugar!" lied Brooklyn.

"But...Xanatos didn't get any sugar." said Nashville. "He just pulled off his mask and went inside the cockpit. Why's it called a 'cockpit' anyway?"

"Because...um...." The engines started to roar. "Oh, look! We're starting to take off!"

Once they were in the air, Goliath, Elisa and Angela spoke of their time in Ishimura. "I think what I remember most about Ishimura," said Elisa. "Is that I got to take a bath and change my clothes for the first time in weeks!"

"I remember how delicious the food was." said Angela. "And the way it was prepared! Japanese hibachi grilling is like a show. The cook juggles, he makes a little fiery volcano and cuts everything up lightning fast. Now that we have time, maybe Kaze can give me a few lessons."

"Who's Kaze?" asked Broadway. /Please be a girl, please be a girl..../

"Oh, he was a gargoyle in the Ishimura Clan who prepared the food." said Angela. "He's a sumo wrestler too and very sweet, even if he didn't speak much English. He dedicated a battle to me. It was very nice of him."

"He dedicated a what to you?" Broadway already did not like this Kaze person.

"A battle." said Angela. "After dinner, Kaze and some other Sumo put on a match for us. Just before he entered the ring, he said something in Japanese and bowed to me. Sora told me he was dedicating the match to me. As I recall, he won."

"Uh-huh." said Broadway. "Then what happened?"

"Well, then Sora did a dance for us." said Angela. "These two other gargoyles named Shinju and Yuri played the flute and...what was that lute thing called again?"

"A shamisen." said Elisa. "Hey, Angela, remember the look on Kai's face when Yuri tried to play 'Stairway to Heaven' on her shamisen?"

Angela laughed. "Was that what it was called?"

"So, did this Kaze ever talk to you again?" asked Broadway.

"He didn't speak much English." said Angela. "But, he tried, using Sora as our translator. He wanted to know about Avalon and I wanted to know about Japan. After that, we were all kidnapped by that Taro person and we were all fighting for our lives, so there wasn't much time for talk."

"And then what?"

"And then, it was pretty much time for us to leave. Sora did tell me that Kaze wanted to know if I could stay longer, but I...."

"Why would he want you to stay longer?"

"Well, why wouldn't he?" Angela folded her arms as her eyes flashed red for a moment. Broadway stumbled for words. "I'm going to go sit with Nashville, so I can have a conversation with someone mature!" She undid her belt and stalked away.

"Jalapena, I fucked up, didn't I?" asked Broadway. Elisa sighed, then nodded.

Angela slumped into the empty seat next to Nashville. Lexington and Staghart had turned their seats to face him and had pulled down the tray table on the wall to play Magic the Gathering. "Want us to deal you in, Angela?" asked Lex.

"Deal." she said. Lex dealt seven cards to her. She looked at her hand and said "I accept."

"Here." Staghart offered her a bottled water like the one he was drinking from. "Stay hydrated."

"Thanks." She opened the bottle.

"Hey, Angela?" asked Nashville. "What's cunnilingus?" Staghart did a spit take.

"Napkin?" offered Lex.

"Uh...why do you ask me?" Angela asked, her face going fuchsia.

"Mom said Dad wouldn't know and he didn't seem to." said Nashville. "He said it was sugar, but I think he's makin' stuff up. Air Elemental." Nashville put a card into play.

"It's um...something," Angela said as Lex played a Wall of Stone card. "That a man does for a woman."

"Like the dishes?" Staghart tried to hide his laughter behind his cards without much success.

"Staghart," said Angela. "I believe it's your play now."

"I believe I'll pass." he giggled.

"Alright," said Angela. "Then I'll play Erosion."

"Sounded like you and Broadway were having an argument." said Lex.

"He's being stupid and jealous over some male I haven't seen in two years and met before I ever knew him."

"Angela," said Lex. "Don't take it too hard. It just means he cares."

"That may be." said Staghart. "But if he loves her, he should trust her."

"Hey!" said Nashville. "Are we gonna play cards or are we gonna talk about mushy love stuff?"

Brooklyn whispered to Katana. "Come to the bathroom with me."

"Can't you go yourself?" she asked, putting down the suddoku puzzle she had been working on.

"C'mon, honey." he whispered. "Let's do something we haven't been able to do in a while."

"You can do the laundry when we land."

"Well, now you're just being a tease." He played with a strand of glossy black hair.

"Brook-chan!" she whispered. "We can't. Nashville is here."

"He's playing cards. He won't notice a thing."

"I don't want everyone knowing what we're doing."

"We're not that loud. Look, count to 100 and meet me in the bathroom, OK?"

She smiled. "OK."

After Katana was pretty sure everyone was too wrapped up in their own activities to notice she was absent, she went to the bathroom. Brooklyn was waiting for her, naked save for his eye patch. His cock was already stiff and wanting. He fairly pulled her inside the small room before locking the door.

Even embraced, the small room was a bit small for two. Brooklyn Picked Katana up and sat her on the sink, opening her kimono. She sighed as he kneaded her firm breasts, covered in silky, pale blue skin. He lapped at an erect nipple. A tiny drop of milk seeped out. So very sweet. He hugged her and nuzzled her neck as she grabbed for him. He ran a caressing hand over the slight curve of her belly and reached her folds, rubbing her clitoris until she gasped and moaned, her talons starting to dig into his shoulders. "Careful." he told her. "I don't want to have to explain why I have claw marks on me." She took her hands away and leaned back on them. Brooklyn smiled at the erotic image of his mate leaning back, exposing herself as her yellow kimono fell from her shoulders. "I'll show you that I know what cunnilingus is!" He parted her folds and lapped at the moist, lavender flesh.

Katana leaned back against the wall as her mate licked her. She couldn't help uttering a few grunts and whimpers as pleasure seared through her. She knotted up her obi and used it as something to bite down on to silence her cries. His hair tickled her thighs and his hands ran over her torso. She used her tail to stroke his back, encouraging him. Then, it started to happen. As the licking increased, the hot pleasure boiled inside her. It became hotter and hotter, more exciting until she felt like she was going to boil over like a pot of rice. Even around the obi, she let out a high pitched keening as she came. Brooklyn lapped at her juices until she kicked him away.

"It tickles after a while." she said. "Why do you not do that more often?"

"It's the beak. I'm always afraid I'll hurt you with it."

"You could never hurt me, love." She stroked his hair. "Now, let me do something for you."

Brooklyn's knees nearly buckled as her beak accepted his length. Her tongue licked and lapped at him, swirling about him. The tip teased at his slit, making him gasp and dig his talons into the formica of the lavoratory. He grabbed his leather belt and clenched it in his beak, determined not to shout to loudly. He stroked her hair as she gulped and sucked on him. The pleasure filled him, then doubled, then tripled, then peaked until he couldn't hold back anymore. He nearly bit his belt in half as his orgasm exploded. Katana swallowed all she could and licked him clean. Brooklyn took her hand and helped her stand up. "I love you so much, Katana!" he said, embracing her.

"Aishiteru, Brook-chan." she whispered to him.

Nashville suddenly realized his parents were missing. "Where'd Mom and Dad go?" he asked.

"Oh look!" said Staghart, pointing out the window. "St. Louis!"
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A/N: "Leaving on a Jet Plane" lyrics by John Denver. When female singers cover this song (Chantal Kreviazuk, Mary Travers, Liza Minelli) they often sing "I'll wear your wedding ring." Also, it's true. Andy Warhol did make a movie (if you can call it that) made with approximately six and a half hours of nothing but footage of the Empire State Building. He looped the film so that the film is actually a little over eight hours long. It just felt longer. Also, I must confess, I don't know how to play Magic the Gathering. I just looked at a YouTube tutorial and a card price guide for card names. Weisman's radio play featured Angela and Nashville playing a game that sounded like MtG, so I had them play that. If anyone has suggestions on how to make that scene more realistic, feel free to let me know.