Battler accepts Natsuhi's first offer. (Pink Trigger, Stacks -1)

As I counted down the seconds, Battler countered Natsuhi's earlier begging with some begging of his own. "C'mon, Aunt Natsuhi, just tell me what kind of dance it is! You're killing me here! I-If it's something really nasty, just tell me and I won't make you do it, for crying out loud!"

His aunt shut her eyes and shook her head wildly, her brown ponytail flapping through the air. "No, no, no!"

"Ah, whatever! We're doing it!" Battler marched over and grabbed a stack of cash, then marched over to the cowering Natsuhi. "We're doing it the hard way! You could have just told me, but now, I'm paying the money! You can't just tell me anymore, you've gotta show me!"

"Battler, that's... What would your parents think?!" Natsuhi rose to her feet again and scolded him, although I noted she had swiped the money from him.

"They'd probably laugh their asses off that I suck at bargaining so hard. Now dance!"

"... Very well. Very well..." The mother pinched between her eyebrows with her free hand as she set the money aside. "Battler, this is a style of dance I once practiced for your uncle, Krauss. You should understand that it I learned it as an intimate form of communication between a woman and her husband. I want you to give it the proper gravity it deserves. If you can agree to that, I'll show you."

"For that kind of price, I don't get to set the terms?" Battler laughed, then, seeing her grow more peeved, attempted to calm her. "All right, sure. Show me what I've gotta respect." He sat back on the loveseat and tried to get comfortable again, spreading his arms across the back.

"... This style of dance is known as <hula>, Battler. Are you familiar with it? It comes from the islands in the west..." As Natsuhi spoke, she placed the knuckles of her balled fists on her hips tentatively. Seeing that as my cue, I hit the Play button on the tape deck I'd set up beforehand, starting a tropical and relaxing ukulele number.

"..." It wasn't clear if Battler did or didn't know about it, but he seemed to be trying to pay it proper respect as he'd promised, holding an unreadable frown.

"Relax, and I'll demonstrate what I learned." As promised, Natsuhi began a practiced step, first slowly, then at a smooth clip. Her shoulders remained fixed, but her hips rose and fell with the music, the arms remaining at an exact angle in spite of it. Soon, she mixed more complicated foot movement in as well, turning her feet to ninety degree angles while gracefully and seamlessly shifting on from the balls of her feet to the pads.

"Woah! Not bad!" Battler gave her a due compliment, although I could tell this was a bit of politeness. His face showed he was expecting something else coming, or else preparing to complain how much he'd had to pay to see it.

Smiling more comfortably, Natsuhi shut her eyes, probably allowing herself to be transported to that beach from the young days of her marriage. Effortlessly, the arm movements seemed to come back to her: she accompanied her lower body movement with rising and falling arm motions, a smooth wave to the same rhythm. I had forgotten Natsuhi was, apparently, from a shrine family. She may have even had some experience in ritual dances as a young woman, before she was a bride...

Well, as a fan of Natsuhi's feet, there was some pleasure to be taken in this dance as a man, as well. Seeing her move across the floor of her mansion's room without even stockings was a rare sight. Aside from that, there was something else strange to note... With ever swish of Natsuhi's hips, a strange noise like rustling dry brush emitted faintly from beneath her skirts. More notably...

... How to say it... Well, as a man happy to spend some time staring from the darkness at Natsuhi's breasts, it was hard to miss that there was a distinct extra shape beneath the blouse of her gown. There was no way to describe it other than that she was clearly wearing a strange bra, one that didn't comfortably fit inside her clothes.

Battler seemed to notice too. In spite of Natsuhi's fine efforts to put on a captivating dance, the young man's eyes were rooted on her chest. Finally, he couldn't take it any more. "Aunt Natsuhi..."

"Yes, Battler...?" Her voice came from a faraway place, as though she had entered a trance and literally taken herself to that island across the sea.

"... What are you wearing? There's something on your chest."

Natsuhi immediately stopped, as though a spirit had possessed her body before and had just departed. "What a rude question! Hmph, I think that's quite enough for a first round."

"Oh yeah... That was supposed to be the first round, but if I pay more, I can continue, right? From those rules before... Wait, though, continue into what?"

"Don't concern yourself with it." Natsuhi sighed, stepping to the loveseat and resting on the arm of it. In that close proximity, after she'd just performed that dance in her stuffy gown, her glistening sweat would be unmissable... Probably even her scent... I was pretty jealous. "If you were to pay me another stack, I suppose I could show you the true form of this dance that excited Krauss so much back in the day... That would leave me with more money than you, however. I'd have to question your judgment."

Battler seemed to be considering it, rubbing his chin... staring at that strange garment Natsuhi was clearly hiding below her blouse...

Or was he just staring at his aunt's chest? I'd heard Battler appreciated a good rack, and, mysteriously garbed or not, Natsuhi had a nice pair.

Between curiosity, greed, and maybe a bit of forbidden lust, I was sure the young man was being pulled in a number of directions. I couldn't guess which way he'd lean.