Story: Urusei Yatsura In Your Dreams: Succumbing

Continues from here.


The audience's attention had fallen entirely upon her. Kyoko hung in the back, idly examining her nails with the aura of one who had already won. Hardly. Sakura began to recite the poem she had constructed, a poem she called "Boundless".

The vast and endless vacuum of space
May stretch for perhaps infinite length,

'Tis not enough to contain his strength

Of wit and beauty and charm and grace.

Nor could it fit his infinite perversion either, but somehow that didn't seem like it would fly in the poem. Sakura bit her lip and tried to avoid looking back up at the statue. She knew that if she looked back up she’d have to fight every feeling it was awakening in her.  She would have to keep fighting a battle she was realizing she didn’t want to win.  Fight to keep herself from sinking into the joy and comfort of these strange and wonderful new feelings. Her head turned almost without her noticing and she sighed in relief at the sight of his face. So tall and proud. So smart, wise and courageous. She spoke the rest of the poem staring at him, feeling herself slipping away into new and exciting feelings of bliss.
 
The glorious Moon each night will rise,
Majestic, round, steady and sure,
Yet that grand beauty is no cure

For how lost I become in his eyes.

Lost was the right word. She was trapped in this strange dream, her every effort to leave somehow countered. Her every resistance crumbled. Fight this! Sakura, you are a miko! Behave like one! Banish this illusion before it overtakes your senses and -

The Sun shines upon the Earth, so we trust

It to give us life and heat,

But that warmth cannot possibly compete

With our great and mutual lust.

L-Lust? For Moroboshi?! No! That was so wrong! So naughty! So very naughty...

I find myself awake at night

Staring at the ink-black sky,
And then I ask myself, O, why
These feelings I used to fight.
Sakura bit her lip and tried to avoid looking back up at the statue. It was winning. She was... being beaten. Losing herself to these strange and wonderful new feelings. Her head turned almost without her noticing and she sighed in relief at the sight of his face. So tall and proud. So smart, wise and courageous. She spoke the rest of the poem staring at him, feeling herself slipping away into new and exciting feelings of bliss.

There is one thing I know is true
About the vast, dark depths of space:
They cannot ever hope to face

Sakura sniffed in happiness, and walked towards the statue before saying the final verse. These feelings that she used to think of as false, being forced upon her by the influence of this place and this contest... she accepted them. Accepted all of them. Her arms wrapped around the statue as best she could, and she whispered the final line.

My boundless love for Ataru.

The audience broke out into thunderous applause, but Sakura did not notice. She was content remaining here, holding even a fascimile of her one true love. The only way she could be more happy than this would require the arms of the real deal around her, his lips alternating between sweet nothings and soft kisses upon her skin. Ataru Moroboshi. Even the name had a sort of poetry to it now, she could see it...

"That was a beautiful poem," Shinobu said, wiping a tear from her eye. "There can be no question! Miss Sakura is the clear winner! Give her a round of applause, ladies! This lucky lass how gets to join Ataru's exclusive harem! How do you feel?"

Sakura's response was to rub her cheek against the statue and make a small noise that sounded rather a lot like "squee!"

===

Lum had never really noticed how comfortable it was to be carried like this before. Snuggling into her darling's back, she felt a safety and warmth that she never ever wanted to leave. Him coming back to carry her rather than simply running off and leaving her behind showed how much he cared for her. Even if he never said it. She knew. She could feel it.

Suddenly and without warning he was gone. Lum landed hard on the concrete below her, causing her eyes to snap open in an instant. For whatever reason she didn't quite feel so tired anymore, and - Huh? This street was empty! Where had all the churches gone?

"Darling?" she called, rising up into the air with renewed vigor. "Where are you darling?"

Ah-ha! There he was, walking arm in arm with Shinobu! The little snake! Lum swooped down, feeling the lightning crackle between her fingers. Oh! He had this one coming! Going on a date with his ex-girlfriend behind her back?! She cast out the lightning, and -

And it passed right through them, as though they were never even there.

Lum scowled and tried again. Same result. Okay. This time, she landed right in front of them in the middle of the street and <i>they walked right through her!</i> Like she wasn't even there!

"I'm so glad Lum disappeared," Shinobu said. "Now we can be together, just like we should be."

"That's right," Ataru agreed. "She simply didn't know how to share. It's so much more fun without her being around."

"Darling!" Lum declared, stomping her foot, but not a sound was made. She stomped again. Nothing. No sound. She could feel the ground, but - What was happening?

"Hey there hot stuff!" Benten said, walking right up to the happy couple and <i>kissing Ataru full on the mouth!</i> Right in front of Shinobu! But - but the girl didn't even react! If anything, She seemed rather happy about this development! All Lum could do was stare in shock, bent over, jaw slack and her arms hanging down in front of her.

"The rest of the girls are all gathered together," Benten said when she broke the kiss. "It's kind of a shame Lum had to disappear like that, but if she couldn't learn to share like the rest of us... Well, it's her loss!"

Those last words echoed in Lum's head. Learn to share. Learn to share Ataru. Over and over again, sometimes paraphrasing it. Don't keep him to yourself. Don't hog Ataru...

The next thing she knew, Lum was back on his back, her eyes still closed. Had she nodded off? What an odd thing to do in a dream. She couldn't exactly remember what she'd been dreaming about, but never mind that. For now, she intended to enjoy the closeness to Ataru and appreciate his act of kindness in coming back for her rather than leave her alone in this dreamscape.

"Let's try this church," Ataru said, prompting a giggle from Lum. Oh yes! A church! Soon enough the two of them would wed. She knew he'd come around eventually. All it took was a little time... But why was she so sleepy again? It probably didn't matter if she couldn't remember it. What mattered now was that Ataru was taking them to a church to get married, and they'd be so happy together from that moment on. Lum decided that she would even let him keep chasing girls. It made him so happy, and him being happy made her happy. After all, he had more than enough love to go around. Ataru was simply that kind of person.

The doors creaked open and so too did Lum's eyes as she peered over Ataru's shoulder into the church. There was a woman at the other end in full bridal gear, a dazzling white dress and clutching a bouquet of flowers. The woman was positively glowing, a radiant angel patiently awaiting her husband to be.

"Found you!" Ataru cackled. "Miss Sakura! Let's get married!"

"Of course my love," Sakura replied. "All three of us. You, me and Lum."

Those words had a rather transformative effect upon the atmosphere in the church. Sakura remained the constant, standing serene and calmer than either of the other two had ever seen her. Ataru immediately stumbled over losing his balance in mid-air. Presumably an assault of dream logic. As for Lum herself... It was like she'd suddenly gotten a booster shot to the heart. It was pounding in her chest. Furiously. She rose to her feet filled with an energy that had been lacking before. A smile had stumbled onto her face. Upon looking at Sakura's serene expression, Lum felt intoxicated. It made sense. The three of them. Married.

Ataru picked himself up off the floor, dusted himself off and Lum simply took his arm. "Let's go darling," she said, drunk in anticipation. "She's convinced me. Let's get married. All three of us."

Apparently her smile was rather contagious as evidenced by the expression on Ataru's face. The two of them walked towards the altar and a bright light filled the air. Brighter, brighter with every step they took and Lum realised that they were in the process of waking up.