Sakura looked around the shadowy dance floor she was on, scanning for Ataru. She felt a surge of disappointment that she couldn't see him, then shook her head angrily to try and force down that disappointment.
"Hello Tomobiki!"
As Sakura pivoted toward the source of the cry the crowd surrounding her gave a whoop in response. Looking to a nearby stage, Sakura saw Shinobu wearing a variant of her school uniform, only with a far shorter skirt and a half top that fully bared the girls midriff.
"So," Shinobu called into the microphone she was holding. "Who loves you, and who do you love?!"
"ATARU! ATARU!" the crowd chanted excitedly. Sakura took a deep breath, then exhaled as she realized she had been about to join in with the chant.
"Yeah!" Shinobu called excitedly. "Do you want to show him that love?" As the crowd screamed incoherent agreement she pressed on, "Do you want to have all his loving back?"
Sakura glanced around for possible exits, not noticing how her own head was bobbing in affirmation.
"Do you want to prove that you've got what it takes to join his harem?" Shinobu called to even more enthusiastic yells from the crowd. "Well come on up!"
Sakura saw the stage grow large, and then realized that she had had rushed forward with the rest of the crowd before realizing what the dream Shinobu was asking.
"Sakura-Chan!" Ataru called as he lightly landed on the ground, looking around. He froze staring at Lum who was hovering behind him, dressed in a gorgeous white wedding dress.
"She must be here somewhere," Lum commented as she looked around.
". . . That outfit ..." Ataru murmured staring at Lum.
Lum flushed with pleasure at the undercurrent of appreciation in his voice. "Of course, Darling! I intend to take you back at the ceremony."
"Assuming we can find Sakura." Ataru commented as he looked at the jumbled mix of landscapes and structures filling the world around them.
"I'm sure you can do it!" Benten called cheerfully from where she was suddenly snuggling against Ataru from one side.
It took Ataru half a second to get over his shock and hug the space biker with a call of "Benten-Chan!"
Lum took a full second to overcome her surprise at Benten's appearance, then another half second to realize that dream Benten wasn't getting angry with Ataru for the embrace, even returning it and squealing with delight as Ataru's hand slid down to her ass.
"Darling!" Lum's anger surged. For a moment that anger fought with the huge surge of love toward Ataru she'd been feeling from the moment the dream had started. As she floated down, her anger faded despite Ataru's continued fondling of her best friend.
With a brief surge of annoyance Lum grabbed Ataru from behind and pulled him out of Bentens grip as she flew upward. "If this is about marriage, Sakura's got to be at ..." She paused looking down, "One of those churches..." She said, considering the long road lined with dozens of churches.
Sakura stood on the stage in a bikini, holding a microphone. The idea of bolting came to her mind again, but the memory of that one girl's condescending look kept her where she was. Glancing at Shinobu again, she took at breath and started talking.
"List Moroboshi's good points you say? He's an incredibly annoying young man with excessive lustful thoughts." She declared in annoyance. Her mind suddenly flashed to her first meeting with Ataru, and words kept flowing. "But the first time we met he was definitely very worried about my wellbeing. There's a lot of real concern beyond just desire in him."
With every statement, her expression softened and she talked quicker and easier about Moroboshi's virtues. With every virtue listed the feeling of love and desire she had struggled against since the first dream washed over her stronger and stronger.
Fri Mar 30 03:23:11 2012