Hopeful text message (attn Izzy)

[fryn]

"It doesn't sound weird," he replied. "Ok, maybe a bit. We-ell, quite a lot really." He threw her a grin, adding, "But then this is you we're talking about!" He laughed when she threw him a mock glare and he knew she realised he'd been teasing her. "Seriously, it isn't weird, Izzy-chan..." He frowned slightly. "I should stop calling you that... The 'chan' part. We are more than just friends, hai?" It no longer applied and had he been back home in Osaka he would be using just her first name by now and dropping the honorific.

He peered over into the back seat. "Yes, you have a blanket," he assured her. "So we can have a proper picnic in the top room of the lighthouse. I won't let the ghost hurt you... Izzy," Takumi added in a low voice. Bold words and ones he wasn't sure how he intended to see through should the ghostly woman make an appearance.

He settled back to enjoy the drive, glancing once or twice out to sea but for the most part poerfectly content to look at Izzy.

The lighthouse soon loomed ahead and the headland in that one area was lightly swathed in a thin mist. THe sun had already started to set, casting an orange hue over the entire scene. It did indeed feel spooky and he gripped Izzy's hand as they stepped out of the car. "We don't have to go inside," he said. "If you don't want to. Besides, the window might have been locked by now." Unlikely, though, as the leaflet he'd pushed between the latch had probably escaped notice.

[Izzy Chen]

Izzy glared at Taki at his teasing, although the glare was not real. She tried, but Izzy could not keep a smile from her face, "Like I said its a different kind of first date. I blame you by the way. Ever since you came into my life, I have become more daring and less shy." She told him in a happy tone that said thank you, "Its a compliment really. I have been needing to break my shell." She admitted. Usually Izzy would have passed on the first light house opportunity and then passed on this one, however, now she was willing to say yes. Izzy just nodded as Taki talked about dropping the 'Chan' part. "I hope we are more then friends....I want to be." She admitted with another blush.

Izzy stopped the car, when the lighthouse came into view. She had felt Taki's eyes on her for most of the drive, which brought a smile to her face "Are you scared?" Izzy said with a laugh, "Perhaps its you who does not want to risk seeing the ghost of the woman who haunts the light house." Izzy said laughing as ahs poked Taki's chest lightly. "I honestly don't mind just sitting on the beach on the blanket. I just thought the light house would be a daring adventure."

Izzy got out of her car and closed the door. She opened the trunk to reveal the bag of food and the blanket. "Although I admit the idea of being alone and seeing ghost makes me think about that one dream I told you about." Izzy finally remembered the dream, at the feeling of deja vu set in. The picnic was not in the dream, but still. Although Izzy never had fully explained the dream to Taki. She smiled and kissed him once more on the lips. She was getting more bold with kissing him.

[fryn]

Takumi listened closely as Izzy spoke and his eyebrows rose when she apportioned blame onto his shoulders. He grinned happily when he saw how much she liked her new and braver persona although he would have still liked her regardless of her courage. "I am honoured to have been able to help you break your shell," he replied in a formal tone, adding, "What is a shell? Like a lobster has? I don't really know that term," he admitted with a wry laugh.

"But yes. Chan would infer we are just friends. Like I would call Ezzi and Fallon chan. Thad maybe but he's more otouto. Little brother. It's hard to explain what the words are that Nihonjin like to use but for people close... like we are... you just use their given name.

He scowled - in a completely fake manner - when Izzy teased him about him being the one too scared to go inside the lighthouse. "Me? Frightened? Of course I am!" he replied. "It wasn't your neck she breathed down although I still think that was you playing tricks on me. Come on. Let's see if we can open that window."

He was happy enough, though, for a slight delay while they shared a kiss and for a few heartbeats he forgot all about their planned adventure. "You taste of strawberries," he stated. "No... some other fruit. I like it," Taki added in appreciation.

He took over carrying the blanket and Izzy's bag of food before leading the way around the back of the building and throwing her a grin he reached for the window.

"Sugoi!" he breathed. "This is your last chance to back out..."

He watched in surprise when Izzy shouldered past him - and vanished through the open window. He blinked... and then followed suit.

They made their way up the spiral staircase to the uppermost room, not having thought to have brought flashlights with them and so their progress was slow and cautious. At the top, though, the setting sun easily lit the lamp room and the view was nothing short of spectacular.

"It's better than the last time," Takumi said. For one, they were alone.

[Izzy Chen]

Izzy just smiled at Taki's question about a shell, "Well the shell I have is more metaphorical. It just means that I am coming less shy then I use to be, and that is a good thing." She explained hoping it worked, "But yes a lobster does have a shell, but its a real one." She said with a light laugh. "I have much to learn about your language, and I would love for you to teach me. Perhaps I can help with your english and you help me learn japanese. I can also teach you Korean if you want." Izzy offered.

She just smiled, a big smile, "It was not me....and if it was I will never tell." She whispered as they headed to the light house hand in hand. She looked at the indow when Taki gave her one last chance. She decidec against it and slide through with ease. Izzy waited for Taki to join. Then she laced her fingers through his and followed him closely in the dark as they made their way up the tower, "In retrospect, this is creepier without flashlights."

Once up there and the blanket was on the ground, Izzy sat down and took out some food and chop sticks. She offered Taki a dumpling. "I like it better too. Plesantly scary, but it does not seem as if I am the one the ghost wants. I bet she is particularly fond of you." Izzy said with a grin, "After all it was your neck she breathed down. I am just thankful possessions are not real." Although just the thought caused Izzy to shiver.

[fryn]

Shell. Takumi stored that word - and its other use - in his rapidly expanding vocabulary library. Not that he'd probably have a use for it but it was still filed safely away. "You would teach me?" he said in pleasure. "English... *and* Korean?" He smiled and nodded 2 or 3 times. "Hai and I will teach you some Japanese. I will teach you how to say 'please hug me and kiss me'," he said with a wink.

He still wasn't sure if Izzy had been the one who had done the neck-breathing and her refusal to confirm or dent it only added to the mystery and compounded his uncertainty. It would have been forward of her, though, and the Izzy back then had been far more shy. That fact alone made him err on the side of the spirit woman instead but perhaps this evening they'd find out for sure.

"Possessions are real," he declared. "In my culture we believe in the presence of 'oni'. Oni are creatures from Japanese folklore... demons, devils or monsters. But more often than oni are heard stories of fox spirits. I remember my obaasan... my grandmother - telling me a tale when I was small. Her brother had visited his sensei's home down near Nara when he pulled out a scroll, yellow with age, from among several in a wooden box. They were the densho, the written teachings of a school of sword-fighting. One passed down in his family for many generations."

Takumi leaned closer to Izzy as he told the story that had been passed down to him all those years ago. His voice had dropped in volume and timbre, making the hushed words all the more eerie.

"If you were to unroll and read most of them and you would find explanations of how to fight battles. Ways to use a sword. How to protect from your enemy. Others would speak of how to build a fortress or ways to predict weather for battle. But one densho wasn't like the others. This scroll was... different."

Outside the wind started to pick up across the headland, whipping the wave crests into a foamy whiteness that matched the rapidly darkening clouds as they scurried across the equally darkening sky.

"This last densho was filled with chants to invoke Marishiten, the Goddess of the Pole star, who has the power to make the warrior's intentions and strategy masked from his enemy. Chants to invoke a restful sleep so that a samurai would be ready to face battle the next morning. But further down the scroll was written a complete guide for the rituals of kitsune-gami... fox-spirit possession. Servants of Inari, fox spirits are sly and full of hatred for man. They will force you to do things you wouldn't normally wish to do. Even kill someone... or yourself."

He leaned even closer, his breath glancing over Izzy's cheek and making her hair flutter slightly.

"Perhaps this woman is really kitsune-gami..." he finished with a half grin as he took the offered dumpling. If he'd hoped to scare Izzy into moving closer he might just have succeeded.

[Izzy Chen]

Izzy laughed, "I am sure you teaching me to say that is more for your benefit then my own." Izzy smiled as she gave him another quick kiss. Taki was definatly something. She thought he was a shy sort or soft spoken guy, but no. In fact he seemed bold, and brave. Two traited she admired. "I think I am going to enjoy learning to speak japanese." She said softly. Izzy started to eat as Taki spoke of spirits and told his story.

All that could be heard as Taki spoke was the wind whistling and the waves crashing. The room was dark, and eerie. As Taki leaned closer, Izzy felt his breath followed by a shiver. She scooted very close to Taki by the time the story was over, she was practically on Taki's lap. "I hope that is not true. Remember the dream I told you about. It was the night we came here. The night we explored." Izzy began.

"I dreamt I was possessed by her spirit. It was very creepy. Everything was so vivid. I was in this room and by that window. I could feel her body inside mine, her thoughts. I took a step and fell from the window. A shadow grabbed my hand and pulled me safely up. The spirt was still inside me when this happened and she called the name of the man she had been waiting for. Then the man, who was still masked, I could not tell who it was, well we kissed in the dream, and then the spirt left me, and the guy had been possessed too and the spirit left him. They were reunited and happy." Izzy told Taki.

"Finally the kiss ended and the man was revealed. That's when I woke up. Please don't think I am crazy. It was just a dream, but a scary dream." Izzy explained to Taki. The guy.....was you...you were in my dream, you saved me...or the spirit inside you did. Even I have trouble believing the dream I had. It was so real." Izzy eyed Taki waiting for him to speak. She hoped he did not find her crazy for having such a dream.

[fryn]

"I saved you?" Takumi grinned. "Sugoi! I didn't know I was that brave but am glad I did it... Even if only in your dream." He peered closely at Izzy. "And we kissed?" The grin deepened. "That part at least is real, hai?" he said with a wink. "But I don't think the woman's spirit means to harm us... if she exists, that is. I don't feel any menace here. Or the last time... Even when I felt that breath. But if she should appear I will keep you safe, Izzy anata. I promise."

Takumi placed a hand over the left side of his chest as he gave Izzy his word, trying to make her see how serious he was. Given the content of her frightening dream - not the kiss part, of course, but the rest! - perhaps a return to the lighthouse hadn't been one of his best ideas. Then again, if Izzy was to see that it had been merely a dream and not reality perhaps coming back was the best way to put her worries to rest? In hindsight his ghostly tales of spirit possession might not have been all that bright but he could hardly retract his tale now.

Instead he snuggled closer and slipped one arm securely around Izzy's shoulders. The wind continued to howl around the tall structure but inside the lighthouse the atmosphere was most definitely warm and cosy!

"Sooo... when can you come and meet my parents? And Hashi. You have to meet Hashi. Oh and Ginger. Did I mention I am cat-sitting?"

[Izzy Chen]

"I knew you would likes the kiss part." Izzy let out a small girlish giggle. "I believe you. I feel safe with you, its the only reason i agreed to return to the lighthouse. I believe you when you say the spirit will not harm us." Izzy could not help but feel safe in Taki's arms. He just had this way of making her feel so calm even in one of the most scariest places. With the winding singing outside and the waves crashing against the rocks, and no light except the light of the moon, this scene could be quite scary, but right now it was more romantic.

"Cat sitting? How did that happen?" Izzy gave a smile. That was Taki. it did not surprise her he would be cat sitting. "i can meet them whenever you want. I have no job, so I am very flexible. Besides my brother wants to meet you too, so I will have to introduce you. Right now he is in protective mode, but it will change once he meets you."

Izzy was well aware she only said her brother and not her mother or father, and that was because meeting them was next to impossible to be honest. It would not really work out, even if someone tried. Her mother was here one moment and gone the next and her father lived in Korea. "I know Jett will like you."

[fryn]

Takumi snuggled even closer, glad to share his body warmth with Izzy. "The cat... Well, kitten to be true. I met a girl... Lace," he went on to explain, telling Izzy about the rusty-hued cat Lace had been looking after. "We thought it better that one of us took the kitten into our home and Lace said she wouldn't be able to do that and so..." He shrugged slightly. "It's unlucky to be unkind to cats in my culture and so I knew my parents wouldn't mind. Dare met us and we bought a lot of things for Ginger." He laughed. "Lace came up with its name."

"But how about on Sunday... After the bowling? You could perhaps come back with me for dinner and I will then iontroduce you to Hashi and Ginger as well as anime. I have a lot of anime and some of them also have English subtitles so we can maybe watch some. If you like anime, of course! Then after that I could take you home on my Vespa and meet Jett although I have seen him in school... Just have not spoken to him."

He passed Izzy her soda. "Sooo... what else do you have planned for the weekend, Izzy? On Saturday I am to meet with Dare and Evan and play some music. I think Lace will be there and if you have nothing else planned you would also be most welcome. If Lia is still free then we were supposed to check out the area south of here but I haven't seen her to be able to check. She may have changed her mind. We could all 3 go but we would need to use a car as I don't think we can all get on my scooter," he finished on a laugh.

[Izzy Chen]

Izzy enjoyed the closeness and the warmth, cause she did shiver a few times. The wind made the room awfully chilly. At least Izzy hoped that was the wind, cause despite the warmth, another chill ran down her spine, but for some reason that was not due to the wind. Izzy just ignored it and leaned against Taki for more warmth with a soft smile on her lips. She felt nervous at the talk of meeting his family and Taki meeting Jett. Her eyes drifted for a moment to a far corner of the room and focused on a spot on the wall as a brief sense of worry came over her. Just as soon as it came it was gone, which was good.

"I am so jealous. I have always wanted a kitten or a dog. But my mother does not like animals, so Jett and I were denied." Izzy explained. It was also that her mother was never home, so who would take care of the dog, when Jett and Izzy had been left with a sitter her mother hired for months at a time, or her mother would take the kids with her. No way they could have any animals. Although now, perhaps they could have one or two. "I cannot wait to meet Ginger. I like the name." Izzy said with a light laugh.

"Saturday afternoon i have to go dress shopping with my friend Cat. She is getting married and I am in the wedding. So its bridesmaid dress shopping for me and wedding dress shopping for her." Izzy explained, "But other then that Sunday is perfect and I am free all weekend. I would gladly love to drive south, but the idea of us on your Vespa is cute. It would just be a tight fit." Izzy said joking and laughing. "But just a warning, Jett might not wait until Sunday. I apologize in advance if he finds you and interrogates you. Jett will like you, but upon first meeting he might act like a protective older brother...."She warned Taki.