This is a NEW STORY!

Well, the sequal to be exact. The sequal to Life Across Waters! :)

I'm happy to be posting again, and even more so because I'm able to let Saori run free in my head and stuff!

Nice to see you, to see you nice!

Peace!

"Mai!" shouted my younger cousin, Cali, running towards me. "Come on! Your dads waiting to take you home!"

I huffed and closed my book. Can't anyone let me read in peace?

I stood up, smoothed out my pleated skirt, and tossed my hair behind me.

"I'm coming." I said, but she obviously didn't hear me as she ran in, grabbed my hand, and started tugging me.

"Come ON!"

"Get off!" I growled, brushing her arm off of me, she glowered, and gave me a shove. She was only a year younger than me, but she was at least two feet shorter. So I was five foot five, and she just about reacher three foot two.

She really did look like she should be in elementary school, not middle school.

On the other hand, don't let her shortness, her blond hair and sparkling blue eyes deceive you. She's as fierce as a tiger when she fights.

Her dad is called Mitsukuni, and though he is only my dads cousin, they're as good as brothers, which makes Mitsukuni as good as an uncle. Cali's mum is called Ayaka, and she isn't very tall either. And looking at pictures, Mitsukuni used to be able to sit atop my dads shoulders... not any more, he had a growth spurt in his early twenties... just ten years late, and is now up to my dads shoulders.

Funny thing, isn't it?

I started walking out of the room, and looked up fondly at the sign just outside:

'Third Music Room'.

This was the room in which my mum met my dad years ago, when they were both teenagers.

Saori and Takashi. My mum and dad.

This used to be their hang out place, but now it was more of my haunt, my chill out place... but it did get regularly interrupted.

I mean, when you have two younger cousins that always HAD to interrupt, then you rarely found it peaceful. There was Cali, and her twin brother Kanie who always ran in when I was half way through homework or a book.

But I'll admit that I love them, and wouldn't be much without them.

And while I'd been thinking about my extended family, I hadn't noticed that Cali had grabbed my hand again, and was now dragging me through a crowded hall of people trying to get out to get home.

"Cali, slow down..." I said, warning her, because she did have a tendency to hurt herself. Especially in crowded, public places.

"I'll be fine, I'm being careful." she called back over the rabble, turning to look at me.

"Yes, but you're not looking where you're going!" I said, speeding up, hoping to catch her around the waist to halt her.

"I know where I'm going! Have a little faith." she laughed, closing her eyes while she giggled.

Then I saw a huge third year high school boy walk in front of her, and she didn't notice, and crashed into the back of him.

"Shit..." I muttered, catching her as she toppled over backwards, and pulling her away as the guy turned around.

Everything went silent, and everyone started to grind to a halt to watch.

It was one of the kids from class D. One of the thugs.

Crap. Crap. Crap.

"What the fuck?" he growled, glaring at us. I heard Cali whimper and the huddled into me as best she could.

"She tripped. It was an accident." I said bluntly, pulling my mask on to make myself look apathetic. A trick I'd learned from my dad.

"Like I give a shit..." he muttered, then he stared at me. "You're that chick in class A aren't ya'?"

I nodded mutely.

He grinned.

"So, you're the one my brother wants to shag."

The mask crumbled.

"What?" I snapped, picking Cali up and nudging her to the side.

"Yeah, he said you look like a good shag, and your mums a milf too."

Did he just bring my mum into it?

"Take it back." I snapped, clenching my fists, feeling my cheeks heat up.

There were mumbles from the audience, and a few of the jerks cronies laughed from the back.

"Nah, I think if your mum looks anything like you, she is a milf."

Aaand... I snapped.

I launched at the guy, slapping him in the face, which ticked him off, so he tried to punch me.

"No one ever tell you that you're a puff if you hit girls?" I taunted, trying to wind the guy up as much as possible. He just growled, and aimed again, so I ducked, rolled and stood quickly, then hit him square in the top of his back.

He staggered off slightly, then turned and kicked, sweeping me off my feet as I was caught off guard, and making me land on the floor.

He guffawed, then spat on me, calling me a slut.

So... time for other maneuvers.

I grabbed a book from my satchel and threw it in his face to distract (as well as slightly injure) him. He went to hit, but I easily blocked it as he wasn't quite aiming for me, and I crossed it with a punch to his right cheek.

He yelled and took a step backwards, lowering his fists in shock, so I took the opportunity to clap my hands hard on both sides of his face simultaneously, thus dizzying him.

He swung again, another blind jab, so I blocked with one arm, and punched him in the gut with the other. A body shot if you will.

His right arm was blocked a second before, so he swung his left fist at me, which I knocked away, and then swung my right elbow up to his face, slamming it into his back jaw, weakening it, then punched it properly to fracture it.

As he was staggering back, I gave two more body jabs to his stomach and then kicked high, dislocating his jaw entirely.

Finally, I aimed a powerful kick to his diaphragm, probably leaving a hemorrhage.

He fell, and I stood above him.

"I'm no slut." I spat, stepping over him to leave, picking my book up, and pushing my way through the crowd.

"Someone take him to a doctor, but I don't suggest an Ootori hospital, as when the situation is explained, my uncle may just lethally inject him."

-x-x-x-x-

"Sorry I'm late dad, someone held me up in the corridor." Flashing a smile and attempting to slide into the car, but he stopped me.

"Were you in a fight again?" he asked, rubbing his temple, knocking his glasses askew.

"No, you told me no more, so I didn't." I said defiantly, but I knew it was no use, dad was always able to see through my lies.

"Maybe a little one, but he'll recover!" I cried, again making to get in, but he held me back once again.

"What year is he in, how long will it take for him to recover, and why?"

"Third year high school, Class-D, physical recovery... six weeks, psychological recovery about six months. And the want to spit on me and call me a slut again, none."

"He spat on you and called you a slut?" he asked, and I knew he was suddenly pissed off because his nostrils flared. Dads one sure telltale 'I'm pissed off' sign.

"Yeah, and he said mum was a milf."

"Where is he?"

"In there, probably waiting for an ambulance." I said, nodding towards the school and unable to hide my chuckle.

"What exactly did you do to him?"

"Dislocated jaw, a few broken ribs, a few fractured ribs, and a diaphragm hemorrhage. Possible internal bleeding, but I don't think it could be that bad."

"He'll be fine then." he muttered sarcastically.

Nevertheless, he walked to the other side of the car, and got in, so I mimicked the action... only I didn't have to walk around.

"So, where are we going?" I asked happily, chucking my bag onto the backseat and checking my reflection in the small mirror on the passengers visor.

"Looking at the new house. Mums at home with Hatori before you ask."

"I wasn't going to." I chuckled, relaxing into the soft leather seats.

He just tutted and then laughed himself.