Author's Note: I'M BACK!

First and foremost, I want to sincerely apologized to all of you who have been waiting for this update. The past year or so has been a long list of unfortunate events starting with the death of my computer, which was only matched by my brother LOSING MY EXTERNAL WITH MY BACKUPS. Forget about the 6 or 7 chapters I had written for this fic – I lost 95% of ALL my writings. Shortly after, some personal tragedies came up and I stopped writing altogether ("What seems to be the problem?" asked the psychologist. "I can't write anymore" – I wish I was kidding but that's a direct quote).

To make matters worst for this fic, as a few of you guys pointed out, there is such a thing as Braille Go. I too had stumbled across it a few chapters into my research, and decided to ignore it since it didn't really work with my story. But as more people pointed it out coupled with my growing writer's block, the more I started to consider calling the whole damn story quits.

Which leads me to my next point: THANK YOU. I won't list the names since if I add the reviews with the PMs it's quite a substantial bunch, but you guys are the main reason I'm back. I hate this chapter, mind you, but the drafts for the next two are looking good, so I'll hopefully be updating with better chapters soon. All recommendations are welcomed given that I'm rewriting the whole damn thing.

Oh! And I also posted chapter 1 of a new fic, so please be sure to check it out.

Enjoy!!

Chapter 9a:

Hikaru barely left his room the week before the beginning of the insei classes. Only the top students in the class were allowed to participated in the pro examinations, as Touya has pointedly explained, and it would take a very consistent streak of wins for an unknown new insei to make it on his first try. And for Hikaru, waiting for another year was simply not an option. He diligently played against Sai at every possible opportunity during that week, taking breaks by letting the ever-eager ghost play online. He tried his best to learn as much as he could from the lifetimes of experience of his companion. With every humbling defeat, he was reminded just how powerful Sai truly was.

"Hikaru, Akari is here!" yelled out his mom and he swore under his breath. Insei classes started tomorrow and he didn't want any distractions keeping him from playing Sai.

Play Akari. Suggested Sai, smiling wisely. Playing against me all the time will only make you frustrated. I'm sure she'll help you relax. Besides, playing teaching games can be as challenging as real matches. By now, Hikaru knew better than to contradict Sai when it came to Go, and reluctantly complied.

"Am I interrupting?" asked Akari as she stepped into the room. He could hear her fidgeting. Feeling guilty for his previous thoughts, he moved to reassure her with a smile.

"Let's play a game Akari. You can put down as many stones as you like" He heard her snort and announce her 6 stones. Not good enough, he quickly decided, summoning up his mental goban and beginning the game. He felt the knots in his shoulders loosen at the familiar sound of stones against the wooden goban. With his daily mental and online Go with Sai, the board was rarely used, but the history behind the piece and the resounding power behind each clack made him relax. It seemed Sai found the sound all too nostalgic as Hikaru felt an overwhelming wave of emotion distract him from the game.

This is the sound that crafts the Hand of Go, and it holds the memories of the generations that have lived and died in its search. My lifetime, Torajirou's, and now yours, Sai whispered, thanking kami again for giving him this third chance at life. And perhaps for the first time since he'd returned, he wondered how long it would last.

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Chapter 9b:

His mother insisted on taking him to his first day of insei classes. It was as close as he'd gotten to going to a real school since the accident, and the part of her who'd longed to drop him off at middle school was compensating by dropping him off at the Go Institute.

"Now you listen here, Hikaru" she began. Despite his disability, he knew she was waving her finger at him. She always did wave it when she nagged and, as Akari had confirmed a week ago, she kept the habit even if he couldn't see it. "Be careful in there. Don't let any of the kids bully you. Don't be overconfident either, use your walking stick. And please, call me if you need anything. You did bring your cell phone right? And your lunch money?"

"Yes mom" he said, slightly amused at her fretting. It was his first day, not hers!

All parents are like that, explained Sai. My uncle kept checking over my robes the first time I went to teach the emperor.

Sai, I hardly think going to an insei class is anywhere near meeting the emperor, argued Hikaru, grinning slightly at his somewhat archaic friend.

Nervous? Asked Sai, wondering why his own ghostly limbs were shaking.

Nah, I have good company, remember. replied Hikaru, and the ghost felt his worries leave him. 'This boy is strong' Sai reminded himself. 'He will make a fine go player'

"Settle down everyone," said a voice Hikaru assumed belonged to the insei professor. All the new students had been forced to wait around the lobby until they were called up. From the voices Hikaru could gather, there were no more than 5 to 7 new students.

"It is my honor to welcome you to the insei program. We apologize for the delay, but there are some special circumstances this year for which we needed to make some additional preparations" Hikaru felt himself wince at the accusation. The man continued: "While the last adjustments are being made, I will go ahead and give you a general rundown. Insei classes meet every afternoon, at 3pm sharp. Insei games are played on a 1 hour time slot, though you are encouraged to play on your own as well whenever possible. Following games, you are expected to discuss with your opponent on ways to improve as well as contribute to the discussions of your classmate's games. A group of volunteer pros and experts will be looking over your games and will lead the class in formal presentations once a week. For today, you will each warm up by playing three games against current students of different skill levels. Though you are all starting in the C league, the results of these games will influence your subsequent levels. Are there any questions?"

"When are the pro exams?" called out Hikaru, not wanting to beat around the bush. He heard a few gaps and chuckles at his question.

"There's no need to think about that just yet," said the professor, clearly amused. "There's no rush for any of you to make the pros just yet, not to mention that you still have a long journey within the insei classes before you are eligible to participate. Now, if there are no further questions..."

"So, when are the exams?" repeated Hikaru, becoming annoyed with the professor. "And what are the requirement to be eligible to participate? I though the point of being an insei was to take the exam"

"Not...quite" said the professor, his tone dry and clearly irritated. "Insei classes allow the gifted students to take the exam while promoting their developments as Go players. If you must know, the exam period begins four months from now, and though some new members have been able to rise in the ranks among inseis to enter the pro exam preliminaries, none have ranked high enough to skip this stage. Moreover, though you are all here because you are clearly talented, a truly gifted student possesses a degree of patience and humility which unfortunately is not measured in the insei examination" The insult couldn't have been any clearer. Hikaru allowed himself a snort, but chose to remain quiet. After all, he'd gotten his answer, and he really couldn't claim to be either patient or humble. Sai and Akira reminded him of this constantly.

"Now, if you will all join me upstairs, we will begin your games." Hikaru felt the small group shuffling forward and he hesitantly followed the sounds of the students, forcing himself to remember where the elevator was as he kept his walking stick closed.

But your mother said..., began Sai, disapprovingly.

I'll take it out upstairs, replied Hikaru. There really is no need now and I'm more likely to cause someone to trip than to fall myself. Fortunately, once out of the elevator upstairs, a male voice he could not identify called out his name, sparing him the awkward moment of having to ask the annoying professor where to go next.

"Shindou Hikaru" called the voice. Hikaru raised his hand in reply. "Ah, there you are. Your game will be held in a different room." The man placed his hand on his elbow and led him away, for which Hikaru was eternally grateful.

"I must say, your circumstances are rather extraordinary," said the voice "My name is Shinichiro Isumi. I'm an insei as well, from the A league. I was asked by the professors to help you while you got used to this system."

"Is the guy I'm playing any good?" he asked, beginning to summon up his mental goban as he prepared for the match before him. His guide laughed.

"I don't like being arrogant, but I'm good enough," replied Isumi with a smile. "And don't think I'll take it easy on you... this is my last year as an insei so I can't afford to lose." Hikaru felt himself smile, liking the easygoing nature of the boy instantly. Eventually the stopped and he heard Isumi slide a panel door open.

"This room is usually only used for private tutoring session, but no one uses it during insei classes so you'll probably come here often enough for your games. That said, you'll be expected to join in the main room for full sessions. Here, let me show you where your side of the goban is located." He edged Hikaru by the arm to the proper sitting area. Hikaru let his fingers feel the goban before him as he struggled to straighten himself if in the right direction.

"Now then. I will keep track of the kifu and place the stones for both of us" explained Isumi. "By regulations of the Go Institute which, by the way, had quite a headache dealing with your case, any move you voice will be decided as final. Similarly, any move I place even before voicing my moves counts as final. In official games should you become a pro, there will be someone in the room making sure I voice exactly what I placed. For now, you'll just have to take my word for it". Hikaru nodded, not at all concerned about any cheating by the boy before him.

"Games are also played with a timer," continued Isumi, causing Hikaru to raise an eyebrow. Though the rest of the rules were nothing more than business as usual, Hikaru had never played with a timer. "If you stretch your arm to the right, you should feel it." Hikaru obeyed and, small incident with the goban aside, he found it soon enough. "You need to click on the button closest to you at the end of each turn. For now it doesn't matter much given that I don't mind pressing it for you if you are having trouble, but in an official game you will be in charge of your own timer. They are always in the same location relatively speaking, so just try to find it before each game starts. The witness during official games will also warn you every twenty minutes into your game, as well as your opponent's current time at each interval. For now, I'll call them out."

"Have the rest of the students been warned about me?" Hikaru finally dared ask, worried that everyone had been forced to learning these special concessions for him.

"I'll be in charge of most of these details for all of your matches today" said Isumi. "I imagine eventually everyone will get acquainted with your unique playing style." The boy stopped for a moment, and then dropped his voice before adding: "If you ask me, I think they are treating today as a test run. You don't have to win today or anything, but they need to see you can keep up as an insei otherwise..." his voice trailed on, and Hikaru felt his fists clench. "I'll probably be your toughest challenge today since I'm in the A league. You'll go against Fuku from the B league next followed by Honda from the C league. So just pace yourself, take it easy, and do your best"

"Don't worry, I have no intention of losing" declared Hikaru boldly, which earned him an amused smile from his opponent and an amused reprimand from his ghostly companion.

"Onegaishimasu"