[Gabe Puratekuta]

_On a clear spring afternoon, a little girl was playing in the park. She was no more than five years old and she had long brown hair tied in a ponytail and large glasses. She noticed something and quickly walked over to it. It was another girl, roughly her own age, with silver hair. She was crying.
_"What's wrong?" she asked.
_There was no answer.
_She placed her hand on her shoulder. "Did you lose something?"
_Still no answer.
_As she started to walk away, she felt a tug on her arm. She looked and saw the silver-haired girl looking back at her.
_"Please.....don't go...." she said, her silver eyes tear-stained red.
_She nodded, smiling warmly, and sat beside her.

_It wasn't long before an adult came for the crying girl.
_Before she could leave, she felt something on her hand. She looked and saw a beautiful pendant.
_"....." She looked at the other girl.
_"My mommy gave it to me before I came here. But I think it would be better if you had it."
_She clenched it, then gave her a hug. "....thank you."
_She only smiled.
_Smiling back, the silver-haired girl undid her ribbon and handed it to her before running off.

* * * * * * * *

_Now, that brown-haired girl is all grown up. Her glasses are smaller and she cut her hair to a medium length, but she's still just as kind-hearted as ever. She was now a very capable witch and one of the most beautiful women in the city. She still had the ribbon. It's now tied onto her broomstick.
_She was picking herbs in the forest when she heard a scream followed by some cackling.
_"That voice sounds very familiar...." she said as she started running toward the source of the sounds. Just as she suspected, a young miko was being harassed by a woman.
_"My my, you look delicious!" She changed the miko's yukata into a schoolgirl outfit.
_"WH-WHA!?!"
_Suddenly, a bunch of ice spikes popped out of the ground between them.
_"Hey, Pervy Sorceress! What do you think you're doing?"
_"Ah, Gabe! Come to join in on the fun?"
_She waved her hand. A piko hammer appeared over the woman and smacked her head before disappearing. "Leave her alone, Kiyoko. She's too innocent."
_"Oh? But they make the cutest victims!"
_Gabe waved her hand again and two piko hammers appeared.
_"Is this how one treats their former teachers? That's mean..." Kiyoko gave her a phony sad look before changing the woman's clothes back and disappearing.
_"I'm sorry about that. She's such a she-wolf...." she said as she approached the silver-haired miko.
_"........" She didn't say anything. All she did was cling to Gabe.
_Such warmth..... "It's okay, sweetie. Let's take you back home." She whistled and her broom came to them.
_The miko shook her head.
_"What's wrong? Are you afraid of heights?"
_She nodded.
_"Okay, we'll walk." The broom then shrunk down to the size of a pen and flew into her vest pocket. "What's your name?"
_"......Shizuka."
_She smiled. "I'm Gabe." She then noticed the pendant around her neck and her eyes grew wide. That's...... "Umm, which direction is it?"
_She pointed to the east.
_As they started on their way, Gabe started asking questions. "Why were you out here, anyway?"
_"I was told that there was a ghost in this forest and was sent here to exorcise it."
_"A ghost? No, I don't think there's one here. This is, unfortunately, where a perverted sorceress lives."
_"......."
_"You don't have to worry, though. She's a good person. But, well, she just has a very dirty mind...."
_"She knew you...."
_"Yeah, well, she's also world-class magess and I was sent to train with her a few years back."
_"But didn't she try something like that to you?"
_"Of course. But not until a couple years later. I was only fifteen when I was sent to train with her."
_"Do you mind if I as why you're here...?"
_She nodded. "I was picking herbs for a healing elixir. There's a person that's very sick and the doctors can't find what's wrong with her. But the herbs here make for a great catalyst for........FUCK!!"
_"What is it?"
_"I forgot my basket...."
_Shizuka giggled.
_"How'd you become a holy maiden?"
_She suddenly stopped. "My parents died...."
_"Oh. I'm sorry."
_"It's alright. Someone helped me through it, even if she didn't know it." A warm smile appeared across her face. "What about you? "How'd you become a sorceress?"
_"Well, as it turns out, I was born with it. So my mom sent me here to be taught by my great-grandmother. And, as it turned out, I wasn't the only one. She had also taken in a girl named Motoko as her pupil, as well."

_They reached the shrine not long afterwards. Shizuka went inside for some tea. When she came back out, she noticed that Gabe was still there.
_"Why..."
_"I set up a marker by the gate. But I want to ask one more question before I go."
_"What is it?"
_"Well, I couldn't help noticing your pendant."
_"Oh, that? Someone special gave it to me."
_"I know. So, my question is: Would you like your ribbon back?" Her smile grew as she asked it.
_"What.....?"
_"Hehe! Surprised? I was hoping to see you again."
_"But it can't be...."
_"Don't recognize me? That's understandable. We met almost fifteen years ago, after all." She walked toward Shizuka. "I want to return the hug. With interest." She then gave the miko a very passionate kiss.
_Once the kiss was broken, she gave Gabe a surprised look. "Wh.......wh...."
_"Hehe! That's such a cute expression!"
_"Y.......you....."
_"Didn't you like it?"
_"Wh.....why didn't you kiss me sooner!?!" she shouted, hugging her.
_"Why not sooner? Well, I waited fifteen years to kiss the one that I love. I thought that a couple more minutes wouldn't hurt."
_Shizuka was a bit surprised by what she said. "L....love....?"
_She nodded. "What reason would I have to kiss you if I didn't?"
_Shizuka started to cry, just like when they first met when they were kids, only she was smiling. "I love you, too!" They kissed again.
_"That's not all. I'd also like to make a donation to the shrine."
_"Hm? What is it?"
_"Me."
_They laughed as they walked, hand-in-hand, into the shrine

* * * * * * *

EXTRA: A Time for Surprises

_A month has passed since that day. Gabe had gotten used to life at the shrine, as Shizuka did with someone else sleeping in her bed with her.
_One day, as Gabe returned from an errand, she saw two other people waiting for her. Two very familiar people.
_"It can't be!"
_"Hehehe! Are you surprised to see your dear mother?" the older woman asked. She had flowing blue hair and cyan eyes.
_She ran over and gave her a big hug. _"Mom!! And Motoko, too!!" She also hugged the younger woman, whom had long emerald hair along with cyan eyes and circular glasses. "What're you guys doing here?"
_"We've been looking for you."
_"What for?"
_"To give you this." Motoko handed her an envelope.
_She opened it and looked at it's contents. "A wedding invitation?"
_She nodded. "In one year." She giggled. "So, will you be there?"
_"Of course!" She hugged her again. "But couldn't you have given it to my grandparents?"
_"I was going to, but I was....persuaded to deliver it to you in person."
_"And at the same time, my mother would find out where I lived, right?"
_She, too, giggled. "Guilty!"
_The smell of fresh tea suddenly wafted through the air.
_"Speaking of which, how's Dad?"
_"Oh, he's fine. He wishes to see you again."
_"I want to see him, too."
_"Oh? Then, perhaps, since he can't come here, you and your girlfriend should go visit him!"
_"Wh-wha...?" Shizuka had a fearful look.
_"What's wrong?" Gabe asked as she walked over and gave her a comforting hug.
_"......."
_"It's okay, honey. I've been out there before. I mean, it is a little strange, but it's not so bad."
_"......."
_"You don't have to leave. There are other ways." Motoko said.
_"That's right."
_".....really?"
_They nodded.
_"So adorable~!!" Gabe's mom said as she kissed Shizuka.
_"Mother--"
_"Father--"
_"Don't kiss her!!" Although beginning slightly different, both Gabe and Motoko said the exact same thing simultaneously.
_"Wait, did you just call her 'father'?"
_"Ehehehe, yeah...." the emerald-haired woman said and laughed nervously.
_"Oops, it looks like the cat's out of the bag!"
_"Care to explain?"
_"I don't have a choice, do I."
_She shook her head.
_"Very well. After I married your father, I porked my best friend during a party. A couple weeks later, she called me saying that she was pregnant."
_".....Motoko's my sister? And her mother is Ann?"
_She nodded. "She resembles her mother, doesn't she."
_"At least it explains why she was also living with Grandma and Grandpa. How much older is she?"
_"Oh, a week. But, as with everyone else in our family, she was born a week early." She then smirked. "Say, have you two done it yet?"
_"Whaa!? No!"
_"Not even without magic?"
_"I said no. We're not ready to just yet."
_"She will be."
_"And then, you'll be able to do the things we practiced with each other oh so long ago!" Motoko said and giggled.
_Both Gabe and Shizuka looked at each other, blushing heavily.
_"Come on, honey. Let's leave them be." The left via the transport marker beside the gate.
_"So, how about it?" she said, smiling a little.
_The miko looked away. "I don't know...."
_"Come on, Shi-chan. I've proven how much i love you in practically everything except for this one. Please, before I lose control."
_She was silent for a few moments before running inside.
_Gabe followed, knowing exactly where she was going