Chapter One

Summer's End

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Huhn. First day of senior year. Ryoko Mitsurugi and Hitomi Yuki stood a few blocks away from Daimon High, able to see the top of the pillar marking the entrance to the school.

Hitomi smiled softly up at her best friend, a coy look across her face. "Ready to see your adoring fans?"

Ryoko responded with a heavy sigh. She tossed her school bag from hand to hand, purple eyes not pulling away from the pillar. "Not really," she finally murmured. After another moment, however, she grinned, straightening her tall body. "But I can't keep them waiting, can I?"

Hitomi giggled behind her hand. "Right!" I'm so glad, Ryoko, she thought, gazing up at Ryoko. After a moment, Hitomi grabbed the samurai girl's hand, running off to school with her.

After winning the final K-Fight bout last year, Hitomi had worried how Ryoko would take to one more year. She had always been an idol – she would be like a goddess now. Ryoko had also opened up to a new array of feelings – she had cried for her first time last year, as well as her second, third, and fourth times. The end of last year had been filled with so much stress . . . to see Ryoko easy-going and smiling again lightened Hitomi's heart considerably.

The blue sky flowed endlessly overhead. Ryoko kept glancing up to the cloudless expanse. She often glanced up to the sky – the heavens? – to think. She was much closer to it than other girls were, especially after her growth spurt over the summer, which left her just below six feet (a gap she often bridged with her high shoes). The thought of that steamed her up – she was almost as tall as that damn monkey.

"Ooh!" Ryoko grunted, fists clenching as the thought flashed through her mind.

"Ow! Ryoko!" Hitomi cried as the samurai's rough hand squeezed her own tightly.

The two slowed to an immediate stop, Ryoko almost falling over as she simultaneously opened both hands, bowed in apology, moved her foot out of the path of her falling book bag, berated herself, and tried to make sure Hitomi was all right.

"Uhg – I'm such a dolt! I'm sorry, Hitomi," she said as she took Hitomi's hand gently between both of hers, making sure she had not broken any bones in her rash motion. She sighed as she did so, thoughts back to the stupid monkey. Maybe she was just a wild woman, after all. She continued her own line of quiet thoughts, taking in no further thought of Hitomi aside from the feel of the girl's bones.

Hitomi's breath caught in her throat as she looked up tentatively at Ryoko's face. She could tell that her friend had only thoughts of herself at that moment – Ryoko dedicated far too little energy to thought to manage to think about others all the time. Her face was easy to read besides, and Hitomi could easily tell that Ryoko was yelling at herself. Hitomi could tell a lot from Ryoko's face.

From time to time, Hitomi briefly fretted on something Shizuma had said – that nature had made a mistake in making Ryoko a girl. If she had not been female, she (or, rather then, he) could have been Hitomi's knight in shining armor. She never regretted knowing this female Ryoko, and never wished for Ryoko to be male . . . she just wished she could find someone like Ryoko in male form.

Ryoko's fingers soon left Hitomi's hand, and the smaller girl suddenly felt much colder. The chill of fall was creeping into the air – as was the thought that this was the last year of high school.

"Well, no broken bones, Hit-"

"Are you really going to America after high school?" Hitomi suddenly blurted out, cutting her off.

Ryoko started, looking down at Hitomi. "Well, uh, yeah," she stuttered, taken by surprise, "for a little while. For tournament and exchange programs and stuff." She put her hands on her hips, school bag still at her feet, forgotten. "I'll be back after a year or so, though."

"You won't forget about me, right?"

Ryoko stared down at Hitomi, confused. She knew Hitomi was prone to worried outbursts, but never anything like this. She could see the tears in Hitomi's eyes, tears that were usually reserved for when people were picking on the girl or threatening her friends. Ryoko ran her fingers through her bangs once, mind racing over what she could say.

"Of course not, Hitomi!" she responded quickly, waving her hands quickly for emphasis, just spewing out and doing the first things that came to mind. When she saw that Hitomi was not perking up, eyes still shining with paranoid tears, she fell quiet again, running her fingers through her hair again.

Ryoko sighed quietly, calming her body. She leaned forward a little, hands resting on her knees. She could not be a warrior acting on instincts alone with Hitomi – she had to be a great woman acting on compassion. Tatsuya had started her on this path, and she had to continue on it, no matter what. After a moment of composing herself, she took a deep breath and smiled warmly. She raised her hands and clapped them gently on Hitomi's shoulders, leaning further down to be eye-to-eye with her.

"Don't worry, Hitomi. I could never forget you – I love you too much. You are always there for me, and you always save me. I realize I'm lucky that a coarse warrior like me found someone as gently and caring as you." Ryoko lightly hit her forehead against Hitomi's and rested there. "You know one thing I'm afraid of, more than almost anything?" Ryoko paused a moment, as if expecting Hitomi to answer. When silence surrounded them for several long seconds, Ryoko laughed quietly and finished her thought.

"I'm afraid of losing you."

Hitomi swallowed hard as she watched Ryoko. She could feel a blush crossing her face as the two drew close. Ryoko had whispered one of her greatest fears to Hitomi. And it involved her. It was like some secret that was dark and immensely beautiful at the same time. It managed to draw the two best friends even closer, two butterflies drawing nearer to a dangerous but enchanting and honest flame.

Hitomi wondered if she should seize the moment and explain to Ryoko what was really on her mind.

In the distance, a bell rang, intruding on the cleansing silence comforting the two girls, and making Hitomi's decision for her. They both snapped their heads up to look towards the school just two blocks away. As the ringing faded, they shared a sigh. The double sigh caused them to look at each other, and then dissolve into a giggling fit.

Ryoko grinned as she knelt down to pick up her school bag. She slung it casually over one shoulder, where it brushed against the wrapped bokken she had strapped onto her back. She could balance being a warrior and being a woman, and she knew Hitomi could help her.

Hitomi rubbed the tears out of her eyes, smiling brightly. "Well, summer's over."

"Yeah . . ." Ryoko said, stretching her arms above her head. She then laughed and dropped her arm around Hitomi's shoulder, her other arm back to slinging her bag over her own shoulder.

"We're seniors!" she suddenly exclaimed, grinning broadly. "Let's make the most of this year, okay?"

Hitomi paused, and then nodded.

"Right!"