Chiba Family Robinson
Chapter Four
By Antigone and Moon Klutz
Antigone@lunap.com and lunap@lunap.com
Rat: g/pg, depending


    Antigone's eyes widened in horror as she stared straight ahead. 
'This had better a good one,' she thought, 'because the last time Klutzhad a 
'plan' I ended up upside down in a coconut tree singing 'My Friend'sLove'...
     MK had the grace to blush.  "Come *on *, don't you trust me?" shedrawled.
     'Kami-samma I hate it when she acts all 'would-I-ever-do-that?''
Antigone thought, but sighed.
     "Alright Klutz-chan, make it good, dazzle me!" she sighed.
     Klutz's eyes lit up.  "Okay, so first I was thinking we could just
sort of lock'em in here, but then I realized that was a really bad
plan.  Then I thought, hey, we could just do the whole Lady and The
Tramp thing, but how would I get them to eat like that, so then Ithought -"
     "Klutz!" Antigone finally interrupted.  Klutz looked up.     "Yeah, Antig?"
     "What's the *real * plan?" she asked finally.
     Klutz looked exasperated.  "To ask Aisyle for help of course, and
have Eltrut and Igasu to act it out of course!  Meanwhile, I happen to
have a tub of double-chocolate fudge triple-chip brownie-cake icecream
sitting around in my freezer, and a can of whipped cream, so we canrelax!"    
     "Klutz, I dunno… why don't we… Hm.  Can I think about this for a
moment?"  Antigone paused, then sat down with a chocolate Popsicle tothink.  
     …     …
     Klutz let her eyes wander back to Usagi and Mamoru, who seemed to
be trying to talk, but looked somewhat uncomfortable.  Standing up and
brushing off her tribal leader pants, she walked over and plopped down
right between them.  "So, how's it going guys?" she asked.
     Usagi smiled.  "This is really good chocolate Klutz!" she said
with a grin.  Klutz smiled as well, it was hard not to around the girl.
     "Thanks!"  Then, turning to Mamoru, "And Mamoru-san, you seem
happier now.  Out of that bad mood?" she asked.  Mamoru gained the
tiniest tint to his cheeks, but managed to answer calmly.
     "Well, chocolate does that to people." He said, shrugging.
     "Among other things…" she added.  Mamoru nodded.  "Good friends
are the best medicine, that's what I always say!"  Antigone looked up
at that point.
     "No it's not, you always say that chocolate is the answer to any
problem Klutz!"  Antigone said, laughing.
     "Hm, yes, well, that's true too…"  
     Antigone sighed, and walked over Usagi.
          "It is time to go?" the blonde seemed upset.  'It's just thatI'll 
miss stuffing my face with chocolate.' Usagi thought.  'That's all.'
    "You are the Megumi.  It's up to you when we leave, Usagi-chan. But 
it should be some time before sundown."
    Usagi bit her lip.  Now what was she supposed to say?  If she said 
she'd like to stay for a bit, her companions might mistakenly assume itwas to 
stay in Mamoru's company. But of course that was just plain stupid.  
    "We should wait for Arat." Usagi finally decided.  "In fact, why 
don't I go bring her some chocolate, now? That might make her feelbetter."
    "Sure, " Antigone agreed.  "You'll need someone to escort you to 
the med. hut, though, right Klutz?"
    Klutz, looking at Antigone in a way she apparently thought wasn't 
obvious, said, "Gee, Mamoru can take her.  After all, didn't you tellme 
Arat always wanted to meet him?"
    'Great,' Mamoru thought sullenly, 'Just what I need, to meetanother 
drooling fan-girl.'  But for some reason he couldn't figure out 
(scholarship boy over here...!) he agreed to take Usagi to see herfriend.
    As the two walked off with a bundle of the sweet confection for 
Arat, Antigone turned to Klutz.
    "You know intra-tribal protocol demands the Drufs have some part in
this match-making scheme of yours you know." she said.
    "Hmm... do you think you can get them all to agree to it?"
    "Honestly? No."    "What if..."
    "...you and an escort or two and Mamoru come to our Oen Anul* festival?  
It'd work to see you at such an important Druf holiday, and then perhaps 
they can see Usagi and Mamoru together and once I have the approval of 
my tribe, the match-making can do full-swing....Klutz are youlistening?"
    Klutz was watching Usagi and Mamoru walk along, alternating between
talking quietly, laughing and arguing. Then Usagi grabbed his hand and 
pulled him along.  He followed like a patient older brother, not even 
sweat-dropping.
    "Stage one." Klutz murmured to herself. "And to think, they got 
there by themselves."
    "So...I feel like everyone's staring at me." Usagi said as they 
walked along the dirty roads between huts.
    "*You* feel that way?!" Mamoru asked, shaking his headincredulously.
    Usagi nodded, not noticing Mamoru's annoyed expression.
    "Mamoru-san!" A not-so-young woman came up to greet him. "You came 
out the temple! Hallelujah, we were beginning to worry."
    Mamoru sweat-dropped. "Good morning, Arodnap-san.  I'm feeling 
better thank you..."
    She smiled at him and Usagi and continued on her way, calling, "Now
remember I need to interview you later!"    "Interview?" Usagi asked.
    "For some book or story or something she's got in the works. I'mnot 
sure." Mamoru looked decidedly uncomfortable as some more girls approached.
    "Usagi-chan, hide me!" he said, only half-joking as they called to him.
    Usagi looked up at him, giving him a Look. "I don't think it's 
possible to hide behind someone a foot shorter then you."  Then she
said quietly, "You really don't like all this 'god' stuff, do you?"    Mamoru
shrugged awkwardly. What did she want him to say? He didn't want to
sound ungrateful for Klutz and all the people here.  They had done so
much for him.  But still...he didn't want the admiration of all those
girls.  He just wanted... 'I forbid you to finish that thought'. his
mind commanded.  So instead, he concentrated on answering Usagi'squestion.
    "Do *you*?" 'Good one, Chiba! Number one rule to being evasive: 
always answer a question with a question.'
    Usagi stretched her mouth into a smile. "Of course! I love it! I've
never had some many admirers in my life.  I wish we could stay hereuntil 
White Day!**"
    "You *would* feel that way, wouldn't you?" Mamoru said, trying to 
feel amused at her comment but somehow failing miserably.
    "Yup! Nothing better then people who love to be around you, no 
matter what!" she grabbed his hand, "Let's go Mamoru, the chocolate is 
melting!"  
    She pulled him along the paths, and he scrambled to keep up crying,
"Wait! Usagi! You don't know the way!"
    Usagi just giggled in response. "Yell left or right!"
    Mamoru gaped for second, "Oh Shimatta! I don't know the way,either..."
    They stopped running, but Usagi didn't let go of his hand.  She 
didn't seem to notice, so Mamoru tried to pretend he didn't notice,either. 
     Eventually, they stopped in front of a hut that Mamoru thought
might be what they were looking for, namely because it was larger than
most, and had a red cross-shape painted on it rudely in some sort offood-dye.
     "Usagi-chan, I think this is it."  He said, pausing.  Usagi looked
at the hut, and then back at Mamoru.  
     "How do you people know these things?" she wondered aloud.
     Mamoru chuckled.  "Probably because it has the sign for the Red
Cross on it Usagi." He pointed out.  Usagi blushed.
     "Oops.  I guess that would make this the place, huh?  Well, let's
go in already!"
     They stepped inside the hut, which somehow resembled a long house
made of bamboo, and looked around.  To their right was a counter with
something that looked like a bell made out of a small coconut, and the
words 'Ring for Medical Attention' carved in beside it.  Mamoru and
Usagi looked at each other and shrugged.  Mamoru reached out and tapped
the coconut three times, and it made a strange ringing sound.  A moment
or two latter, a girl popped up behind the counter, wearing a nametag
that read 'Iluzal'.   
     "Hello and welcome to the Ddmuf Medical Center.  My name is
Iluzal, and I'll be treating all your serious, semi-serious and just
plain annoying physical and mental problems today.  Since neither of
you appear to be seriously injured and you're both gods of our
respective tribes, why don't you have a seat over there and fill out
these forms?"  She said in one long breath, holding out two forms on
bamboo clipboards while pointing them towards two chairs.
     "Um, actually, we're just here to see Arat."  Usagi spoke up.  
     Iluzal looked surprised.  "Well then, it wasn't very smart of you
to ring that Cocoa-bell.  See, the writing says to ring for medical
assistance, and if you don't need medical assistance, you shouldn'tring it."
     "Uh…" Mamoru had a feeling this could take awhile, and decided to
intervene.  "We do need medical assistance… You see, we needed the
assistance of a medical trainee such as yourself to show us where Arat
was, so we could give her this chocolate and visit her for awhile." 
Iluzal blinked and put the forms away.
     "Oh, well in that case, please, follow me." She said, and began to
lead them down a row of beds to the very last bed, where Arat wasresting.  
     "Arat!"  Usagi called, running towards the girl, and plopping down
on an empty bed next to her, "How're you?  Mamoru-baka and I brought
you some chocolate!"  she exclaimed.  Arat smiled at Usagi.
     "Usagi-san, so nice of you to visit me.  Who's Mamoru-baka?  I've
only ever heard of a Mamoru!"  She replied, eyeing the chocolate Mamoru
was carrying.  
     "Oh, I just call their Mamoru-san Mamoru-baka because he can be
such a baka sometimes, but they're the same person." She said, pointing
at Mamoru, who was now trying to set the chocolate pile down somewhere
before he sat down next to Usagi.  Finally just leaving it on the
ground within arms reach of the girl, he held out his hand and smiled.
     "Kon-wa, I'm Mamoru, you must be Arat." He said with a smile. 
Arat smiled back for a moment, eyes glazing slightly.
     "Hai…."  She murmured.  "They were right…" Finally shaking that
off and realizing Nayr probably wouldn't like that, she shook his hand
and smiled.  "Kon-wa Mamoru-san.  Arigatou for the chocolate, we all
know how much you love it."  Mamoru sat down beside Usagi on the bed
and listened quietly for the most part while the two girls talked. 
Finally, Arat looked up at Mamoru again.
     "Mamoru-san, would it be too much trouble to get me a drink from
the Knird* Hut down the road?  I'm really thirsty." She asked.  Mamoru
nodded, knowing Arat probably wanted to talk to Usagi alone for a
moment or two, and left.       
    "Thank you for bringing me the chocolate and letting me meet Mamoru-san."
    Usagi nodded, smiling, "Yeah it was my idea.  Well, actually, Klutz-san 
thought of me bringing Mamoru, but *I* thought of the chocolate.  And you 
like that better anyway, because anyone would, because all Mamoru does is 
talk about boring stuff and call people names so I'd personally rather have 
chocolate, too....what?"    Arat stared. "When do you breathe?"
    Usagi blushed. Arat laughed, "Don't worry, Usagi-chan, I think it'scute. 
Really.  Pass me some chocolate?"
    While they munched, Arat mumbled through a mouthful of chocolate, "Did 
Klutz-chan tell you about the moon ceremony coming up?"    "Mm-mm. What's that?"
    "Well, it's a pretty big deal.  Basically it's a semiannual event, and 
there are many activities and a huge celebrate and feast."
    "Feast?!  Sugoi!! I'm there!"
    Giggle, "Well, of course you'll be there, silly.  It's because of you 
that this year's ceremony is going to be the biggest ever.  We are even
inviting the Ddumfs.  That is, if it is ok with you."
    Usagi reached to grab more chocolate, "'Course. Why wouldn't itbe?"
    Arat shrugged, "Because Mamoru-san, or 'baka' as you so lovingly call 
him, would be there.  We don't want him there if you two are going to fight, 
because it would be *extremely* bad for the tribes to see their gods fight."
    "Fight with Mamoru-kun? Me?!"  
    'Does she practice that innocence?' Arat wondered. "Do you two get along 
better now?"
    Usagi shrugged. "He's the only other 'outsider' on the island.  It might 
have made him tolerable.  For now.  He hasn't even called me Odango atama in 
a while.  So as long as he doesn't act up, I'll be fine."    Arat nodded.  
    "It's just that he's so *weird*, ya know?  I mean, he actually *likes* 
schoolwork, and he so serious.  And he really needs to loosen up a bit. And, 
no one should be that sure of themselves. It's scary."  Usagi made a funny 
face, eyes swirling up in her head.
    Thoughtfully, Arat responded, "It just sounds like he's very different 
from you."    "We are almost opposites." she agreed.
    Just then Iluzal popped into the room, "Visiting hours are almost over!  
Although most patients wouldn't be allowed to keep chocolate, I'll makea 
simple exception in Arat's case, considering she is  wounded in the legand 
not sick, per se.  But she stays here tonight, until she can walk tomorrow.  
So that means that it's time for all little gods and goddesses to go back to 
their respective temples."
    Mamoru smiled as he walked in behind Iluzal. "I got this same lecture 
about ten seconds ago." he handed Arat a strange green drink.
    "Hmm!  'Clearly Okoan'**! My favorite!  Thank you!"  Arat unscrewed
the lid and took a deep drink.  "I'm so glad Klutz liked this stuff
enough to get a lot of it made… Don't know why the Drufs seem to
dislike it so much…"
     Mamoru smiled.  "Come on Usagi, let's let Arat get some rest, we
need to go leave, it's almost time for all the little gods and
goddesses to be in sleep, like er, that crazy lady at the countersaid…"
     Usagi nodded and followed Mamoru out the door, waving to Arat
before they left.
     "I think we should head back to the temple, see what Antigone and
Klutz have to say, it's to late now to be heading back to Druf
territory."  Usagi nodded in agreement with Mamoru, and they walked in
silence until the temple came into view.
     It was not however, as they had left it.  There were strange
colored flowers and vines covering everything, confetti and decorations
were everywhere.
     "What the…?"  Mamoru wondered aloud, before walking inside with
Usagi at his side.  Inside, the Ddmufs seemed to be following a girl
who looked like Mako-chan's instructions on decorating the temple, from
the inside out.
     "That's right, hang them just a little higher.  And remember, I
want those roses perfect, ya'here?  Hey, Heemyb, do we have any Ispep*
in the fridge?"  she asked another girl.  'Heemyb' shook her head no.
     "Gomen ne Okam-chan, it's still in the cooler back at the KnirdHut."  
     It was at this time, that Mamoru decided to step in.
     "Er, excuse me ladies, I may be new here, but…what are you doingin here?"  
     Okam-chan turned around then and her eyes bugged out of her head. 
She opened and closed her mouth several times while Usagi tapped her
foot in annoyance.  Okam then proceeded to circle Mamoru for a momentor two.
     "Wow, I've made a lot of clones in my life but, eshk…"  she
mumbled under her breath before apparently regaining her senses and
extending her hand.
     "Konbanh-wa Mamoru-san, Usagi-san.  It's an honor to meet you. 
I'm Okam-chan, head of the SMCP, which doesn't need to be explained at
this time.  My team and I are decorating the temple for the upcoming
festival, in honor of Mamo-chan.  Sorry about this, but we'll be out in
a few minutes."  She then saluted him, making Mamoru blink and look at
Usagi questioningly. 
     The look was wasted though, because Usagi looked…er, well, not
upset, but more…seethingly-Arodnap-on-a-spell-check-rage-mad.  
     Some Ddmufs nearby recognized to infamous expression and backed 
away quickly, sweat dropping and shaking.      Klutz cringed.  
    Antigone laughed out loud, trying to cover her mouth with her hand. 
This was just too great!  'Go Usa-chan!' she thought.
    Attack first, ask questions later.  That was Usagi's theory when it
came to jealousy.  "Why the heck do you mean, festival?!  FOR HIM?" she
jerked her thumb in Mamoru's direction, rolling her eyes and comically
stretching 
her face into a look of complete disgust.  "Why?!  How is that fair?! He's 
just such a baka, anyway, and this is starting to look a LITTLE toomuch like 
my daydream--"
    Okam-chan frowned a little, throwing Klutz a questioning look.  
    'First season.' Klutz mouthed back, grinning.  Heemyb squealed a 
little and clapped her hands.
    Mamoru sweatdropped, watching them suspiciously. Usagi was still in
her tirade but he interrupted her, asking the girls, "What is this
'first season' stuff you keep whispering about?  Is it some sort of
time of year for your people, what does it have to do with us?"
    Distracted, but still sulking, Usagi crossed her arms and allowed 
herself to fall silent.  She kinda wanted to know, too.
    In an effort to distract Usagi from her shouting spell a little 
longer, he continued to ask the questions plaguing him.  "How do youall KNOW so 
much about us?  And out of all the people in the world, why Usagi andme?"
    Stares.  Silence.  Antigone was kneeling on the floor by the wall,
apparently overcome with uncontrollable inaudible laughter.
    "And *why* do you call me 'Mamo-chan' sometimes?  No one has ever 
called me that in my entire life!"
    Antigone shook her head, laughing so hard her stomach hurt.  "Oh my
goddess... you... you two have *no* idea, do you?"
    Klutz sweatdropped, mortified.  "You are being rude, Antig!" she hissed.
    Nodding, the shorter girl stood up and walked to Mamoru's side, 
putting her hand on his shoulder and glancing at him apologetically,still 
giggling a little.  "Gomen nasai, Chiba-san.  Don't worry. You'llunderstand 
someday."    The tension broke and the Ddmufs went back to decorating, planning,
and eyeing Mamoru with glints in their eyes.
    "C'mon Usagi-sama, it's time to go back to the camp," Antigone
said, delicately because the girl was still fuming.
    Glancing at the people swarming his temple, giggling like 
schoolgirls and drooling over him when they thought he wasn't looking,
Mamoru grabbed Usagi's arm, "Take me with you." He only half-joked.
    Usagi glared at him.  
    "Um... see... you...Chiba ...-san..." Antigone muttered as she 
forcefully pulled Usagi out of the temple and out into the world. Looking 
over her shoulder, Usagi stuck out her tongue at Mamoru as he watched her leave.
    The young man sighed.  'I want to go home.'
...more soon guys!  Er...welll...after finals/exams that is. ^^;;
MK and Antig - feed back = no death threats from us and our swords. ^^ 
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