That's the way it began, we were hand in hand.

[greenthumbchick]

Who: Dot and Satsu
Where: Weatherly Park
When: Tuesday, December 1st, after school

Well. If nothing else, to Satsu at least, this was the 'first date'. She'd asked Dot to accompany her for a walk through the park, and she hoped and prayed that she got the point across that she meant it as a date. Prettying herself up as best she could, Satsu wore a long, blue, strapless summery gown, with black sandals, and just enough makeup to accentuate her already exotic looks. After telling Dot where to meet her, Satsu stood by the oak tree by the entrance to the park, waiting...

Dot smiled and waved as she made her way over to the park entrance. "Hi! Sorry to keep you waiting!" Looking Satsu up and down carefully, Dot grinned. "You're going to climb a tree in that? Lucky for you it's not a windy day."

"Can't say I was planning on climbing anything..." Satsu laughed, blushing a little. "But if that's what you'd like... I guess I could try."

Dot grinned. "Well, I like climbing trees, but if you're not dressed for it, I really don't recommend it."

"As long as we're spending time together, I honestly don't care what we're doing." Satsu still felt that odd combo of excited, butterflies-nervous, and slightly scared. "So... while we walk... mind if I hold your hand?"

Dot smiled. "Go right ahead!" She held out her hand.

Satsu let out an audible sigh of relief. If this was ok, the girl had to understand this was a date, right? RIGHT??? Anyway... the Japanese potential took Dot's hand sweetly, giving it a gentle squeeze as they began to walk slowly. "I have to admit... this makes me feel like a little girl again."

"Really? Howcome?" Dot peered down at Satsu. "I bet there's lots of pretty parks in Japan."

"There are. Honestly, they're so beautiful... I think someone who loves the outdoors as much as you do would be brought to tears by some of them." Satsu smiled at the memories, grudgingly feeling just a slight bit homesick. "But in those parks... you aren't there. I mean... without sounding corny, being out with you makes me feel like some shy kid going on her first date."

Dot smiled. "I've always wanted to go there." She took back her hand, then wound her arm around the other girl's shoulders. "I like being out with you, too."

"Tell ya what..." Satsu looped an arm around Dot's waist, so they could walk more comfortably. "If this all works out as well as I'm hoping? One day... I'll take you there. I promise."

"Hey, wait a minute. You're the one that knows what she wants, so why are you the one with all the 'if'?" Dot smiled. "I wouldn't be here if I didn't want to be. I've never dated a girl but I think I'm hanging in there."

"You know what I mean, goofball." Satsu basically was trying to distance herself from her feelings until she knew that Dot knew for sure what she wanted. "So... I was thinking about something you said when we had our 'talk'."

"Oh? I said a lot of things, which one in particular did you mean?" Dot had to fight the urge to hold her breath.

"Well..." The Japanese girl purred sweetly. "You said that while you wanna take this all super slow... that you wouldn't exactly hate it if I *did* give you a kiss. So... yeah. Just storing that info away for a little later."

Dot smiled. "Yes, I did say that, didn't I? Like I said, it's not about who I'm kissing, just that the kissing has to feel right. I have to feel like that person is the one I'm supposed to be kissing."

Dot grinned, adding, "There's also a million forms of kissing, so, there's plenty of time to ease into the whole thing, don't you think?"

"I'd have to agree." And with those words, Satsu leaned in quickly, and placed a sweet, closed-mouth, puckered-lips kiss on Dot's lips. Nothing sexy... just utter sweetness.

Dot blinked, a little stunned. It was done almost as fast as it started, so she didn't have time to react. Reflexively, she hugged the other girl to her, then sighed. "Oh, um. Oh. That was nice. I ..I liked that."

"Don't worry... that's it for now." Satsu smiled and hugged her right back.

Dot hugged back. "I bet this is gonna look funny to people who aren't us."

"Luckily for me, at least... I got past worrying what others thought a few years ago." She shrugged and for just a moment, looked a little guilty. "But... I never stopped to think that it might matter to YOU. And... wow. I'm really sorry."

"Sorry for what? I just mean, it's not every day you see people stopped dead still and hugging on a park path. I don't care what people say -- I've been doing my own thing for years, after all," Dot assured her.

"Alright. I just... I don't want to ever make you feel I'm trying to push anything on you, is all." Satsu knew that when she saw someone or something she wanted... she grew very determined. And she did NOT want to scare the girl away.

Dot smiled and hugged again. "Oh, well, thank you very much for saying so."

"It's just how I feel. Look... I come on strong sometime. I can't help that, it's how I was raised. I see something I want, and I fight until I get it." She looked and sounded more cautionary than apologetic about it. "I just never want to be that annoying person you can't get rid of, you know?"

"Oh, I know. I don't want to be the clingy one either. So, I guess what I mean to say is, since we're talking of trust, I might not know how to date, but I do know when I don't want something. Okay?" Dot ruffled the other girl's hair. "Oh, I don't want us to get all mopey-serious straightaway. i figure there's plenty of time for that later!"

"Seriously, there are MORE than enough angsty people in this city already..." Satsu laughed and nodded.

Dot nodded. "Oh, like most everybody at the Sunset?"

"It's like people watched The Crow just one time too many, and now think the key to being cool is to be all dark and mysterious." She paused there, and sighed. "Or Batman. I guess he was doing it before the Crow... but Batman just isn't QUITE as angsty, you know?"

"Didn't Batman's parents die, making him an orphan with a mission?" Dot grinned. Dot had started them slowly wandering again, then stopped suddenly. "Ooh. I think I wanna climb that tree." She pointed a little ways ahead.

"You and your ADD are so totally adorable." Satsu walked with her, leading her to the tree in question.

"Shut up, I do not have ADD. I told you I wanted to climb a tree today, didn't I?" Dot smirked.

"You did say that. But I'm also convinced that a shiny quarter would stop you in your tracks." She loved the banter between herself and Dot, this thing they had where they could tease each other incessantly, and neither would take offense.

"You are being mean to me. Maybe that's how you do things, hm? Get the confused girls to like you, then you're just mean all the time." Dot hmphed, and boosted herself up into the tree.

"Oh hush up before I grab your butt and make it look like I'm just helping you into the tree..." Much to her surprise, Satsu found that there was much amusement in watching Dot eagerly climb a tree.

Dot waved cheerily down at Satsu. "You can't tease me when I'm up here."

"You can't be serious." The raven-haired girl crossed her arms and gave a mock-sneer. "Dress or no... I can get up there in SECONDS and tease you some more."

"Oh, totally serious. I can just keep climbing until your mean words can't reach me!" Dot grinned, then offered a hand down.

Satsu giggled and took her hand, quickly scurrying up the tree after her. "You are SO cute. I have to have pretty much the coolest kinda-sorta-girlfriend in the world."

"Then I suppose that means I have the coolest pushy-because-she-wants-to-be-with-me girl ever, too!" Dot settled back against the trunk of the tree.

"Oh. My. GOD." Satsu just stared, slack-jawed, at Dot. "Am I really pushy?!" Yeah, panic-time. "I don't mean to be!"

Dot frowned. "Oh, nono! No, you're not! Didn't we just determine that you're not, and that I wouldn't let you be -- oh, crap. You're not pushy!" Weighing the chance of falling versus the desire to comfort, Dot decided to climb down from the tree. "Okay, come on down here so that there's no danger of us falling out of a tree!"

Laughing to herself, Satsu skillfully dismounted from the tree, flipping backwards to her feet with frighteningly minimal effort.

"Show-off! I was going to hug you to try and apologize for miss-speaking, but now I'm going to sulk instead!" Dot grinned.

"You don't need to apologize, Dot. I told you... I'm just antsy because I'm afraid of doing something stupid." She shrugged and sighed deeply. "It's just... like I said, I don't know many people here yet. And the last thing I want is for people to think I'm so crazy lady who just obsesses over you."

Dot grinned, weakly. "You're worried about doing something stupid? I'm more worried than that! Let's ...let's just sit here, hm?" She sprawled out on the grass, under the tree.

With a swift nod, Satsu gracefully dropped into a sitting position, about a foot away from Dot. "Alright... what's on your mind?"

Dot laughed. "Anything you want. The weather? Things you like to do! Um..." She repositioned herself so that her head was resting on Satsu's shoulder. "Ah. That's better, isn't it?"

"Much better, yes." After a few silent moments of just... thinking, Satsu finally spoke again. "Well.. I like to work out. It's sort of my release. I work out, I train... I figure... if my calling is to be tough... who am I to resist?"

Dot nodded. "Mmhm. I spent a LOT of time outdoors back home, but I'm not doing that so much, not since we got here. I'm really looking forward to getting my garden started again." Struck by something the other girl had said, Dot asked, "Is there someone that is working with you, or do you just work out all by yourself?"

"Oh, just a few friends. It's sort of... we motivate each other." She didnt want to LIE to the girl, but she wasn't sure how much Dot knew. So for now? Rather than lie... she just left out big details.

Dot nodded. "At least you have friends to keep you invested."

"That I do..." She hated this... she couldn't hide this if she didn't HAVE to. She reallllly didn't want Dot to eventually accuse her of lying or being untruthful at all. "So... you ever notice anything... unusual about this town?"

Dot nodded. "You mean like the vampires? I've only heard a little bit...someone we know was attacked by one, and I guess one of the regulars at Sid's IS a vampire."

"Oh god... so you know they exist and all that?" Satsu felt a heavy weight lifted from her there...

"Well, I have it on very good authority that they do, but I've never seen one. Still, I trust these people to tell me the truth," Dot said, shrugging.

"Alright... ever hear of a Slayer?" Satsu felt like the world's lamest person even asking her this stuff... but she knew she had to.

Dot shook her head. "No...should I have?"

"Alright. Don't think I'm crazy, because I swear this is the truth." She felt ridiculous already... "I'm telling you this because I don't ever want to lie, or hide anything from you. Basically... there's one girl. In the world. She has super strength and speed and stuff... and she fights all the vamps and demons, etc."

Dot nodded. "Hm. Really? It makes sense that there's got to be someone to stand up to the vampires, after all."

"Well... in case something happens to that girl... there are a bunch of others. Potential Slayers. If the Slayer dies... one of those potentials becomes the Slayer." Satsu shrugged and gave a quirky grin. "I'm one of the Potentials."

"Oh..I see! So that's what you're training for..are you nervous? How'd you find out that you were one of them?" Dot was, once again, content to talk into Satsu's collarbone.

"The person who trained me in japan... he came to my parents' house when I was 11... and he told them about it. They were so proud... they basically made it my life. Luckily, I liked it, or I would have been WAY resentful." Satsu laughed and nuzzled Dot's head softly.

"I can imagine that made it easier for everyone, yes," Dot nodded.

"I was brought here as a favor, actually." Satsu shrugged again, and sat back a bit. "My watcher in Japan was good friends with one out here... and apparently the one here felt her Potential needed a friend who she'd get along with but who'd also help keep her in line."

Dot laughed. "So you're like ..training wheels for another supergirl?"

"Sort of... I mean, basically, our watchers thought we'd get along well, and figured I could help with her training." She still hadn't been introduced to Buffy, but was hoping it would go well.

Dot nodded. "That sounds good. Like, a workout partner! I'm sure you'll get along great, since you'll already have supergirl in common..."

"Right now I think I'm more worried about if YOUR friends will like me. They seem really important to you..." Satsu sighed and stretched slightly. "I want to make a good impression..."

Dot nodded. "They are good boys. I think they'll like you!"

"I'm still getting used to being out here -- I'm sure you know what that's like. Juice and Kyle are some of the first people I met, and they were nice to me right away." Dot reached up and rested her hand on Satsu's head.

"That's great... sort of how I feel about you and Nica. You guys were the first to really welcome me to the town, and because of that I always feel so comfy around either of you..." Satsu said, completely identifying.

Dot chuckled. "I ...don't think Nica likes me very much."

"Nica can seem... rough, I know. But she's a good soul." Satsu smirked and ruffled Dot's hair playfully. "Besides, *I* like you. And really, who's cooler than me?"

Dot laughed. "Just ..when there was that problem at the Farmer's Market? It made me so mad that everyone was bringing fire and guns..the people there didn't have fire or guns."

Dot frowned, still leaning into Satsu's shoulder. "We, um, we fought about that. She thinks I'm some wimpy hippie, but I'm not. I'll fight when i have to, but I hate that there has to be fighting. Does that make sense?"

"It does. I wish we lived in a world where nobody HAD to fight. Everyone is entitled to an opinion. I... dont have one." Satsu laughed, knowing that she had no right to one. "I wasn't here yet, so I really don't know everything."

"I tried to make up. I think it ..kinda worked, maybe. It isn't like she and I hang out all the time, anyway.So no, I don't really see us hanging out, she and I." Dot ran her fingers through Satsu's hair, lightly.

"Well... the good part there is that it's better to be on peaceful terms than to have an enemy." Satsu grumbled. "Especially since enemies are NOT a good thing to have in this place."

Dot nodded, and sighed. "I'm finding that out. Not directly, but still, ugh."

"Nobody's ever going to hurt you, Dot." Satsu wasn't being romantic, nor being dramatic. She was merely stating a fact. "Because I'm not gonna let them."

Dot blushed, even though Satsu couldn't see it. "That's how I feel. Hell or high water, anybody that wants to hurt someone I care about will have to deal with me. I might not look like much, and I'm no fighter like you, but I can still fight."

"So..." Satsu looked over at Dot, just smiling sweetly. "I know I'm going to regret asking this... but aside from The Bronze and Sunset... is there ANYWHERE fun to go in this town?"

Dot laughed, and shook her head. "I think the park is fun. i think the Farmer's Market is fun. I guess I'm the wrong one to ask, huh? I love the Sunset, but the Bronze? The Bronze is okay, I guess."

She smiled. "Maybe we could go to the mall, or to the movies. I haven't been to see a movie since i got here."

"That would be great! I love movies. Shopping could be fun too... you could help me pick out a few new outfits or something." Satsu felt oddly comfortable around Dot, like they;d known each other for years.

Dot smiled. "Outfits, hm? That could be fun! I've never been much of a shopper, really."

"You ever skateboard?" Satsu asked, knowing how much Dot loved to do things outdoors. "Cassie's been trying to teach me.. that could be fun to do together..."

Dot shook her head. "I like outdoor things, but I think I'd just fall off of one of those. Maybe you'd have it easier, huh? What's that like, anyway?" Dot peered curiously at Satsu. "Oh, Cassie! I haven't seen her around in ages, but we had a nice little chat one day after I just got here."

"She's a sweet girl. She and Rachel have made me feel SO at home here." Satsu paused, hearing Dot's question. "As for what it's like? Oddly, it's not too different from anyone else. You feel... this odd, almost natural surge in confidence, this feeling like you can do anything."

"Can you? I noticed you showing off, earlier. You couldn't just climb out of the tree like normal, you had to be all fancy, huh? When did you find out? Was it scary? Did anybody treat you differently?" Dot resettled herself, resting her head in Satsu's lap.

"Well... as I said, my parents were very good about it. Nobody else knew, actually. My watcher was VERY adamant that I seem like a normal girl to everyone else." Satsu gave a snarky little smirk. "And I wasn't showing off. That had nothing to do with anything supernatural. That came from years of working out and learning agility exercises."

Dot laughed. "Okay, okay. If you say so. Does that mean your parents are always asking you to fetch things for them around the house, since you're so flexible and all?"

"My parents are so traditional..." Satsu laughed, blushing a bit. "Honestly? They're the sterotypical Japanese couple you see in movies."

"Oh? Like how?" Dot smiled. This was an excellent way to spend an afternoon, really.

"They wear traditional clothing, mother is very much obedient to father. Things like that." She rolled her eyes there... she loved her parents, but still found some of their traditions a bit antiquated.

'Oh, but the traditional clothes are pretty, at least." Dot smiled. TV had taught her that much, at least.

"Well, I must admit I look DAMN fine in a kimono." Satsu grinned proudly, striking a playfully 'supermodel' pose. "Plus, I cook some mean Japanese meals."

Dot clapped. "That all sounds lovely! What else shall we do today?"

"I'm pretty open about it, really." Satsu truthfully could have cared less what the two girls did... as long as they got to know each other better. "Just keep dazzling me with conversation, and I'm happy."

"Dazzle, hm? Okay, then. What would you like to know?" Dot stroked the other girl's hair, idly.

"Well, what's your family like? What do you do when you're bored and at home?" She felt kind of ridiculous, but blushed and kept going. "I wanna know all about you."

"Well, my mom and dad are..mom and dad. They're nice. They don't hassle me too much. We have a dog named Ellie. She's a big goofy spazdog. I..honestly, I don't spend a lot of time at home, lately. I've been spending a lot of time at the Sunset. Though, when I do spend time at home, I like tp spend it outside." Dot smiled. "I have a whole notebook full of garden ideas."

"You would absolutely DIE if you saw my parent's home." Satsu nodded emphatically. "My mom has... about the most unbelievable garden ever. It's actually been photographed for several magazines in the Tokyo area."

"Ooooh, really....do you have them with you? I'd love to see the pictures, at least!" Dot grinned. "When the season turns around again I'm going to get to work planting my plot in the backyard. Maybe I will be inspired!"

"I don't have any here, but I can have my mother send me some pictures, or one of the magazines. Gardening is pretty much her passion. She'd LOVE you, girl." Satsu laughed, just picturing the squeal that would come from the woman's mouth if she found out her daughter was semi-dating a girl into gardening. "She'd probably want to teach you all her secrets."

"In the spirit of ..cultural exchange, I'd have to accept! I'm really looking forward to the Farmer's Market opening up again. I love it down there, it's the closest thing to a garden center they've got in this town." Dot smiled. "I love growing things."

"Well..." Satsu thought for a few moments, and finally grinned. "Tell you what... when I go back to visit, which will be either over Christmas break or at the end of the school year... if you'd like, you can tag along."

"...This Christmas break? Wow, that's coming up fast! I'd LOVE to go! The end of the school year might be better, since I'd have to try and arrange for time off at work and all...but I really wanna go!" Dot hugged Satsu, implusively. "Ask me more questions!"

"Alright..." She took about a minute to think of a few, but then took Dot's hand and gave it an adoring squeeze. "Ideally... what will your life be like in 5 years?"

"Hm. Ideally I'll be in school somewhere else. I wanna study horticulture somewhere pretty, but I'm not sure where. How about you? What's a supergirl gonna do when she grows up?" Dot ruffled Satsu's hair, then combed out the mess with her fingers.

"Part of me really wishes I was The Slayer..." Satsu loved it, the fighting, the adrenaline, the knowledge that she's helping those unable to help themselves. "But I also know that would mean the death of an innocent girl who's just trying to do the same thing. But if nothing else... I wanna help people. Maybe be a policewoman, or a professional bodyguard or something."

Dot nodded. "Helping people..that's a good thing. People die every day, no matter what we do, I know. "

"Another one..." Satsu looked into Dot's eyes, brushing a hand over the girl's hair. "What's your full name? I know Dot isn't your actual first name... but you havent told me what it actually is."

Dot blushed, but only a little. "Dorothy. I used to get all kinds of crap when I was little. I still get shivers down my spine whenever I hear it at home. That's when you're in trouble, you know? BIG trouble is the full name. Dorothy Jane Champa will still send me scurrying for the hills."

"You are the cutest thing ever." Satsu giggled, and without really thinking about it, leaned in and placed a sweet, innocent kiss on the other girl's lips.

Dot was startled, but didn't pull away. That would be rude, after all. She did blush, right down to the roots of her hair.

Satsu pulled back, then. She nibbled her own lip a little, and sighed. "Shit. I'm sorry... I swear that wasn't planned..."

Dot shook her head, hair over her face. "No. It's okay. Unexpected, but still okay. I haven't run away, now have I?"

"Hm. Very true." Satsu giggled (a rarity... she laughed often... but rarely giggled). "I'm suddenly picturing my mom being her typical self... 'OH SATSU! YOU HAVE SUCH CUTE AMERICAN GIRLFRIEND! SHE SO PRETTY!'... she's one of those mothers who tries so hard to be supportive of her daughter's dyke-ness, that she suddenly tries to turn every girl I hang out with into my girlfriend."

"At least she's trying, right? Would you rather she not try? It could be worse, she could be awful about it all..." Dot trailed off, thinking. "Now, I think my parents would just treat you like another friend and not be fake about it. You know?"

"Oh, believe me I'm not complaining. I love my mother more than words could express." She laughed and quickly made that known. "If I ever complain about my mother... just assume I'm sick or something."

Dot nodded. "I understand. I feel the same way. I love my parents and my big spazzy dog. So..isn't it hard, being all this way away from them?"

"I miss my family badly, I wont lie." She pointed to her right arm, which bore multiple tattoos along her bicep and shoulder. "These markings are Japanese symbols for love, family, and devotion."

Dot reached out and ran her fingers over each symbol. "Those look old. Did they hurt?"

"Yeah... but in a good way, as sick as that sounds." Satsu felt a little morbid uttering those words, but she meant them. "Sometimes... certain pain can be good."

Dot laughed and shook her head. "Hm, so do you have a little leather outfit in your closet along with your sailor suit, is that what you're telling me?"

"No leather, and how the hell did you know about my Sailor Saturn outfi... aw shit. You were kidding." Satsu scowled, not meaning to let that out.

Dot laughed. "Maybe I was, and maybe I wasn't." She tapped the other girl's frown with her fingertip. "Smiles are better. Try one of those."

"Aw, come on. How can I NOT smile when you're around. It's like trying to sad at Disneyland." Satsu laughed again, trying her damnedest to NOT lean in for another kiss.

Dot smiled. "There we are. Much better."

"More questions! You can't be frowny then either!" Dot tapped the other girl's nose with her fingertip.

"Main question I have right now..." Satsu smiled brightly at Dot. "Would you mind horribly if I kissed you again?"

Dot grinned. "No. But, I also have a counter-question to your question! Is the pace really going to be a problem for you, if I say yes?"

"Not at all." She really meant it. She would have a hard time moving slowly... but would make herself do it if it was what Dot needed. "I told you before... I'm going to ask you things. Because I don't know the exact pasce you want. But it's not like if you say no to anything I suggest, I'm gonna cry and complain."

"Crying is in the same league as frowning, you know. Smiling is much better than either of those things, and smiles are what I would rather see." Dot smiled, and then pressed her own fingers to her lips, then rested her hand lightly on the other girl's forehead.

"Dot... you really, really are something else, you know that?" Satsu gave the smile Dot seemed so fond of again, and hugged her. "C'mon... let's walk while we talk."

Dot got to her feet, reluctantly. "It's awfully comfortable right there, but it seems a shame to waste a good park visit by not walking."