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'Before you go, Kachina, there's one thing I want to ask from you,' Mualani said to Kachina, kneeling down so she could look her in the eye.
They only had a few minutes to say their goodbyes before Kachina was sent to the Night Warden War. Mualani wanted to make the most of it.
'Geez, Mualani.' Kachina looked embarrassed. 'Of course I'll be careful!'
'I know that, silly!' Mualani playfully poked Kachina's shoulder. 'It's something else. Something... Something I've been wanting to ask you for a long time.'
Kachina felt herself getting worried. What could that be? Bad news? She wrinkled her nose. Could Mualani have... found someone?
'I...' Mualani blushed. 'Can I caress your ears?'
'What?!' Kachina almost yelled, full of surprise. Caress? That sounded so... so romantic! Why did Mualani phrase it like that? 'Well...'
'I can't? Ehe, sorry.' Mualani looked sad. 'Sorry, I shouldn't have asked.'
'No, it's... It's fine,' Kachina assured her, patting her arm.
'Really?!' Mualani pulled her into a tight hug, putting her head on Kachina's.
'Urk!' Kachina reacted, startled. But Mualani's warmth and scent calmed her down. She always smelled so nice, Kachina thought, of sweet flowers, and hot springs, and ...
Mualani moved her hands up across Kachina's back, sending a shiver down her spine. Then she put a hand each on Kachina's large, fluffy ears.
'Kachina, you're so cute~' Mualani whispered in her ear, her hot breath on Kachina's head.
Slowly she stroked the fur on the outside of Kachina's ears, moving her thumbs from the bottom to the tip and back. Then she put her whole hands on the ears and squeezed gently, all the while stroking the soft, tiny hairs.
'Kachina, you're so soft~' Mualani gave a moan of pleasure. 'I wanna fall asleep on your head. Hey, how about you become my pillow?'
'How about no?' Kachina grumbled. 'I want to be a hero, not a pillow!'
'Mou...' Mualani pouted. 'Then, better get my money's worth!' She buried her face between Kachina's ears and rubbed then against her cheeks. Her long twintails tickled against Kachina's legs. She put her nose in Kachina's ponytail and sniffed.
'Ahh...' Mualani sighed with delight. 'You're just as healing as a hot spring. No, even more.'
She moved her mouth to the inside of Kachina's ear and blew softly, making Kachina tremble all over and shriek a little in surprise.
'Mualani...' she murmured.
'Ehe~' Mualani pulled Kachina's left ear down and gave it a small kiss. Then she kissed her right ear and nuzzled it.
'Ahh~ I wish I could do this every day...' She giggled. 'Why don't we do this every day, Kachina?'
'We don't live very close together,' Kachina mumbled into Mualani's chest.
'Hmm, true.' Mualani nodded, then pulled Kachina's ears together and kissed them again.
'But!' Mualani moved her head back and looked Kachina in the eyes. 'I had a thought. Kachina, how about we get married? Then we'd be together, right?'
Kachina looked down and said nothing. Being married to Mualani? That... Might be nice? Someday? At least it was better than being a pillow.
'Well, whaddya say?' Mualani asked.
'Attention to the five winning candidates, please gather at the balloon that will take you to you destination,' an announcer suddenly sounded through the stadium.
'I've gotta go, Mualani,' Kachina said, feeling a bit relieved. She wrestled herself loose from Mualani's hands. 'My teammates are counting on me.'
'Uehh... Kachina, you'll come back, all right?' Mualani stood up. 'Come back so you can become my pillow, err, I mean, wife, when you're older.'
'Geez, Mualani, you weirdo! You're thinking way too far ahead!' Kachina turned around and hurried towards the balloon, where her teammates were already waiting. But then she stood still and shouted over her shoulder. 'You just wait, I'll come back and be a great hero! See you in a few days!'
Then Kachina ran away, hoping her teammates wouldn't question why she was red in the face and somewhat out-of-breath.
'I'll wait for you, Kachina!' Mualani yelled at her friend as she flew upwards in her balloon. With a smile, she stared until the balloon disappeared behind the stadium walls.
She couldn't wait for her hero's return.