-A/N - So I have finally gotten off my lazy butt and finished this chapter. After rewriting how many times! Rrg… Sorry for the long wait. Next chapter should get up soon if I am to meet my deadline.

Daibakuhatsu Daigaku

Chapter 12

…And a Happy New Year?

Friday, December 3, 9:49 AM

Hakodate, Japan

Kichinkyo Building, Women's dormitory

"What…?" Kagome didn't even try to stop small tears from sliding their way down her cheeks, stinging harshly against her cheeks. "…S…Sunset Corp…?"

Hushed silence fell over the other side of the phone. Kagome's mother taking in a ragged, desperate breath. "…yes…," She sighed gently over the phone. "We both know it won't be long now."

Slowly slipping down against the door of the floor bathroom, Kagome gasped for a breath to quell the severe ache now stripping down the strength of her heart. With each inch she slipped down, her heart slipped equally, deeper into anguish and darkness. "Y-yeah," She sniffed at her nose, rubbing her eyes with the sleeve of her light blue sweater. "Maybe a few months…"

"We'll find a way to get you at the end of the school year, unless something else happens…"

"Wait…" Kagome suddenly came to a terrible realization. To a full realization of what her mother and family was doing.

Leaving.

"You mean…! But what about Ji-chan! He can't go through that with his age! And Sota will loose all of his friends! And you-"

"I know, dear." Her mother said in a gentle but definitive tone. "But at least by taking this risk, we'll have a chance at staying out of a labor camp. If we stay in Tokyo much longer, we'll be arrested."

Kagome knew this was true. But truth is often a very bitter thing. "I know, but, leaving the country-!"

"Shshhh…" her mother said over her cell phone, her eyes slowly becoming moist.

"Mama!" Kagome griped her cell phone tightly to her ear, gripping the handle of the door up above her for some sort of support. "I don't want you all to die! I'll be all alone! Please, don't so this!"

"Shshhh…" Her mother took hold of her phone with two hands, her heart in pain to know of what she was putting her own daughter through. "Shshhh…. It's okay, Kagome… It's okay…"

"…Mama…"

"I'm holding you right now, Kagome," Ms. Higurashi cooed softly. " We're both under the Goshinboku. I'm hugging you."

Kagome clinched her eyes shut, trying to keep her voice to speak. "I-I'm… I'm hugging you too."

"It's spring time. The tree blossoms are falling down around us."

"Sota i-is coming up the shrine steps… h-he's carrying his soccer ball with him…"

Ms. Higurashi breathed out hard, a beading tear slipping out of her eye. " F-father is mumbling something new about a cursed well…"

Kagome managed a small, choked laugh at that. Her grandfather was always doing that. "A-and my father is there, and he's saying something about the stock exchange…"

"You didn't forget to watch any of the home movies, did you."

"N-not one…" Kagome sighed, wiping her wet cheeks with her wet sleeve. "Is Sota awake?"

"Yes, hold on…"

Kagome waited for a moment for the phone to be handed over to her younger brother. She didn't ever think that this would ever happen, that this curse would come back to haunt all of them. She should have foreseen it; especially with what had happened last night. However, government bugging systems were on a different level than this. With the government, she and her family could get stuff done about it behind the scenes. But that wasn't the same with this now…

"S-sis?"

"Hi Sota!" Kagome knew he was crying just as much as she was by the tone in his voice. Normally she might say something about him acting like a man, but it didn't really matter at this point.

"A-aren't you c-c-coming with us too? You can't stay in Hokkaido-"

"Yeah, I'm coming. I just have to wait a little bit before I leave, that's all. Otherwise e-everything could go wrong."

Her brother managed a choked sound of accordance.

"…I do love you Sota."

"I love you too, Kagome."

"… Can I talk with Ji-chan?…"

Sota cried but laughed simultaneously. "No, he's s-still asleep. We had to carry him out here."

Kagome did laugh at that. "Okay… take care, buddy, okay?"

"Yeah."

"You gotta be strong for everyone now. Be the man you are."

"O-okay…" he sniffed in a childish way.

Hold on to your innocence, brother… Kagome swallowed hard, trying to regain control over herself. "Can I talk to Mom now?"

The phone quickly changed hands.

"Kagome?"

"…Y-Yeah…?"

Her mother was silent for a moment. "I need you to promise me that you will always have someone you can trust with you until you're back with us, okay? Don't ever let yourself be alone."

"I-I know." These might just be the last words she ever said to her family. Kagome knew, after being trained for this her whole life, that she would have to one day take this leap of chance. But she never imagined how much her heart would snap and shatter when it actually happened. "You'd better go now…"

"Yes… I love you, Kagome."

"I love you too, Mama."

She turned off her phone.

Now she was on her own.

For five months… I have to stay for five months. Stay safe for five months. Stay sane and silent for just five more months…

Sango was still asleep in her room, knocked out by the massive hangover from Miroku's date, for which Kagome had yet to attain the information about. She wouldn't be much help right now.

Silver locks flicked across her mind and eyes.

I guess he is the best option right now…

She stood up, slowly carrying herself over to the sink and turning on the warm water. Kagome dipped her hands under the stream of liquid comfort, shuddering as the heat radiated through her body. Lifting her face up to look at herself through the mirror, Kagome began to splash the water over her face, desperate to get rid of the evidence of her pain. She had to be an actress now. She had to be strong. But most of all, she couldn't afford to be alone. And a half-demon protector might just be her only chance of survival.

She stared at her reflection. Inuyasha is… an awkward friend, I suppose… she thought, wringing her sleeves of her tears. …maybe more…

"…If I ever get to see him after all of this… I'm going to have to apologize…"

---

10: 31 AM

Hakodate University Cafeteria

Inuyasha watched with wary eyes as his roommate entered the all but deserted campus cafeteria, whistling to himself as he reached for a tray. He briskly walked down the small counter, piling portions of the cold, nutritionally meager food onto a paper plate, and with a small leap snagged an apple from a bowl on a higher shelf. Egg glop plopped on with merriment, rubbery sausages bounced on with glee, for all he needed now was a very merry Christmas Tree!

Or Mistletoe.

Or disgusting magazines.

Or something much worse.

He eased down into a chair next to Inuyasha , kicked his feet back on a nearby seat, and stretched his arms out behind his head. "Man, it's nice in here when there is only a few people…" he said with a beaming smile plastered on his face like it had been hot glued on.

"What did you A: do, B: Drink, C: Snuff, D: Smoke, or E: All of the above last night/ early this morning?" Inuyasha asked wryly.

Miroku opened his mouth in fake shock. "Me? You think I might abuse drugs of some sort?"

"No, I have no doubt in my mind that you would, and do. I'm worried as to what you might have done while under the influence of those drugs."

Miroku smiled slyly, waving his hand at his friend. "Don't worry Inuyasha, all I had was Sake last night."

This half demon was not convinced. There was something else. Besides, it was Miroku: he was BOUND to do something dirty/ illegal. It was an unwritten law. "That's just it. You did something, Miroku, and I'm going to find out what."

"I'm telling you, I have done nothing wrong!"

Inuyasha leered at him. "Did you put plastic frogs in my underwear drawer again…?"

Miroku rocked back in his chair with laughter, all of the way to the point that he had to shoot forward to keep from making the chair fall over. "Aww man, that was a classic…"

"IT WAS NOT!" Inuyasha shot up and slammed his fist on the table. "NOW SPILL; WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?"

"I've done nothing." he said incredulously.

"How about giving Sango a hangover?"

Both Miroku and Inuyasha shrieked and jumped a meter or two away from their current positions, flaying backwards and flipping over another chair and table, respectively.

Kagome rolled her eyes. "Sheesh, some half demon; can't even hear someone walking up to him…"

Inuyasha's ears twitched. At this point in time, everything that had happened last night was pushed aside for later retribution. "What was that…?"

"Nothing. Just me being a jerk." Kagome said calmly, a small smile escaping her lips as she sat down at the two men's table looking over at the counter with food. "Hrm… maybe I should get something to eat…"

"Sango has a ha-hangover?" Miroku might have been a pervert, but he was not a dumb pervert. "Um… How is-"

"I'd suggest you'd hide a good four hours prior to her sober hood."

Inuyasha stood up slowly, staring at Kagome intently. What the…?

Miroku gulped, bringing his chair back up from the floor and taking a seat. "How bad did it get?"

"Well when she finally got in at three-thirty," Glare. "She started vomiting and then rambling about a wonderful/dismal date and snow mobiles and pink bunny rabbits."

"Kagome," Inuyasha said intently. " You're hair looks funky."

Miroku slapped his forehead.

Kagome sighed and clawed at her well groomed hair. "I suppose I'll have to get a new shampoo then."

"Hey Kagome," the half demon began. "I'm thinking of giving people cigars for New Years. Want one?"

Miroku's eyes bulged as big as dinner plates. "YOU'RE WHAT!"

"No thanks, but I appreciate the offer." Kagome scratched her neckline nervously, fraying small strands of her sweater. "Um, I'm going to get some food."

Miroku waited until after the woman had left before he whirled around at his roommate in a frenzy. "WHAT, ARE YOU NUTS? CIGARS! DOWN PLAYING HER HAIR! DO YOU HAVE A SUICIDE WISH!"

Inuyasha leered down. Gotta change the subject… quick, quick… quick, dammit!… ah- ha! "Ironic you're saying that after what you did to Sango."

"E-uh-errr…" Miroku's open mouth slowly slid shut.

- - -

8: 52 PM

Dasunoshi Building, Men's Dormitory

Inuyasha knew something wasn't right with Kagome. After knowing her for only five months, he still knew a good bit, and that she would never back down from a fight. Especially with him. The whole episode with finding a ton of government bugs in her room… that was something that she would have gotten a bit more wary and doubtful of things, most likely trying to have something done about it behind the scenes.

He sat at the kitchen table, staring at his lap top light screen, his stomach growling, his mind racking. Maybe something I said?… Should I apolo-

He interrupted that thought with a violent shake of his head. Since when did he think of sentimental things like that? Since when did he care if something like that was his fault?

Since a few weeks ago, baka.

Shut up, brain.

You don't use me all that often. Maybe if you listened every now and again, things would turn out better, neh?

I said shut up.

You thought shut up.

No, I said-!… Inuyasha made a funny face. Am I really having a conversation with myself?

Yep.

"GAAAAAAAAAAH!" Inuyasha kicked back away from the table, overturning his chair and having his head crack soundly against the linoleum floor. "… ow…"

Miroku popped his head in the room. "Got a concussion?"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "I'm a half demon."

"That's not an answer."

"That's; I'm a half demon, as in I don't get concussions."

"Feeling prickly, are we?" Miroku raised an eyebrow. "Would that have to do with you racking your brain over the little New Years' gift you got from a certain human?" he said it so very nonchalantly that Inuyasha might not have noticed the small, thin present Miroku had slowly raised into sight.

"Huh?"

Miroku leaned against the door frame, turning the gift, gilded in red and gold paper, over and again in his hands. "Yes, this gift just so happened to be slipped through the mail slot while you were in the bathroom…" he leered slyly over at his roommate. "Wanna take a guess as to who sent it?"

Inuyasha already knew Kagome had sent it; it emanated with her fragrant scent. But, being slightly uplifted by the gift, he decided to humor Miroku a little. "Um… Rin."

"Nope. Try again."

"How about… Kaede?"

That sent disturbing thoughts through Miroku's perverse mind. "Ugh, I'm glad I'm saying no. Keep trying."

"Oh, I know. Sango must have sent me an adult toy."

Miroku's grin faded. "And they call me a pervert. No," he flicked the gift over at his roommate. "It's from Higurashi Kagome, baka."

Inuyasha caught the gift in his right hand, secretly taking in a deep whiff of her scent.

"Don't open it till midnight; we still have to clean this place up."

"No, you do." Inuyasha said, laying the gift on his chest and shutting his eyes, setting his hands behind his head. "I'm not a very religious person. You knock yourself out with Buddhist stuff."

Inuyasha opened one eye to give an arrogant look at his friend, only to discover that Miroku had swiped the small package. "HEY!"

"For one, the new year celebration is a Shinto practice, not Buddhist. And if you're not going to recognize it's existence as a holiday, then you won't get anything affiliated with it. You want your present, you have to work for it."

Inuyasha growled as he pushed himself off the floor. "Slave driver…"

- -

9:34 PM

"MIROKU, WHY AM I DOING ALL THE CLEANING!" Inuyasha roared, shoving his cob-web covered broom angrily at the perverted college student. "YOU'VE BARELY DONE ANYTHING AT ALL!"

Miroku, sitting comfortably on the couch with a small barrage of New Year's gifts on his lap, smiled impudently. "I did my share of the work earlier; all that is left is for you."

"THE HELL YOU DID ANY WORK!" Inuyasha pointed at the floor with his broom. "THE DISHES ARE EVERYWHERE, THE LAUNDRY BASKET IS OVER FLOWING, AND THE BATHROOM SMELLS LIKE DEVIL SPAWN! JUST WHAT DID YOU DO!"

"For your information," Miroku responded calmly. "I just so happened to have cleaned half the dishes and put them back in their places, the dark load is in the washing machine down the hall, and you were the one who used the bathroom last."

"NU-UH!"

"Yu-huh." Miroku waved his hand at the cupboard across the room. "Take a look for yourself."

Inuyasha marched over to the other side of the room to where the cupboard, sink and mini fridge were, yanking open one of the cabinet doors and whirling around. "SEE! IT'S EMPTY!"

"You didn't even look inside, Inuyasha. Either that or you did, but you just desperately need to see an eye doctor."

The half demon turned around and, sure enough, there was approximately half of the plates and bowls. He stared at it for a moment before grumbling and stalking down the hallway with his broom, kicking the satchel of white clothes on his way.

- - -

11: 20 PM

Kichinkyo Building, Women's Dormitory

Sango twirled her ramen around and round in circles, glaring at the community oven on the girl's floor. She wasn't acting impatient for the meat that was cooking inside the device. Oh no. She was far too cunning for that. She knew that being upset at an inanimate object would only temporarily make her feel better until she lashed out and realized that she would have to pay for damages.

However, mortals on the other hand… they did not come with a damages contract.

"Miroku, you slimy, disgusting, selfish, lecherous, sickening, son of a-"

Beep! Food was done.

Sango snorted and blew some of her bangs away from her face, shifting her weight in her rolling chair so the wheels turned towards the kitchen appliance. Slipping on the brown oven-mitts on the counter, she yanked open the door and latched onto the small glass cooking dish, pulling it out and dumping it on the stove top. "Kagome!" She called down the vacant dorm hallway. "The beef is done! Don't Forget the Laptop!"

"Okay!" Kagome called back, a fake smile on her face. From the funny look Ayame was giving her, she knew that it wasn't convincing enough. I guess my acting is a little rusty…

Kagome grabbed onto the bag holding some plastic plates, cups, and chop sticks in one hand, her other hand grasping the jug of commercial green tea. She slowly attempted to put the jug into her other hand and reach for Sango's new lap top, but Ayame grabbed it first, "I'll take this, okay?"

Kagome nodded. "Yeah, thanks."

"I don't think Sango's father would be very happy if he had to go out and get a replacement new years' gift for her so soon."

-

11: 23 PM

Dasunoshi Building, Men's Dormitory

Inuyasha peered over his shoulder at his roommate. Yep, Miroku was officially entranced with the Baywatch Season Two movie set that his step-father sent him. Creepy family… At least it's happy though.

He slowly slinked out of the main room and began quietly making his way down the hallway. The gift for him was being 'guarded' (Sheesh) in Miroku's room until after cleaning was done and after midnight. Well, it was… close to Midnight… technically. New Years was a little less than an hour… So, I could just round up to twelve o'clock and say it's midnight… Then there is nothing wrong with me opening the present. He thought, the door to Miroku's room creaking open.

Inuyasha looked around the somewhat clean room for a moment before glimpsing the small gift on Miroku's desk. Ah, the power of loopholes.

Taking a small glimpse over his shoulder to double check he wasn't followed, Inuyasha snatched the parcel up in his hands. He turned it over from one side to another, childishly guessing as to what was inside. It's too small for a book or anything, unless it was all on one piece of paper. Maybe it's some yen; that would be nice and helpful. Yen is something' I can't say no to. Or maybe cigarettes? No, she's already ticked that I smoke in the first place…

Inuyasha's face screwed up. When was the last time I smoked anyway…? Oh well, whatever. Let's see what's in here…

He lifted up the gift wrapping paper and popped open the small plastic container underneath it. He tipped the small container over above his hand, so it's contents would spill out into it, shaking it a bit to get the item dislodged.

Two, jet black chopsticks plunked onto his hand.

His jaw went slack.

- - -

11: 26 PM

Kichinkyo Building, Women's Dormitory

Kagome stood in a daze, butchers knife in hand, slowly slicing thin pieces of beef to be used in the new years' ramen.

This wasn't normal. At home, Christmas was often celebrated, but it was mainly just to get everyone hyped for the real stuff. For New Years. This was when you were with family, watched all of the festivals and caravans of people walking down the street with costumes on, prayers at the temples, cleaning the house drunk (a specialty of her uncle), and giving pretty packets with money in them to happy children. She'd make the traditional rice cakes, but she couldn't get a hold of any rice. Or most other types of food: The entire district of Hokkaido had pretty much shut down now because of the encroaching snow.

At New years… Kagome slowly turned her head around, looking the image on the lap top screen of Rin talking away on the web cam, her friends all huddled around the computer, blankets over their shoulders, hot mugs of the green tea in their hands. … You aren't supposed to be scared. Of weather, or politics, or plague… just… anything. It's time for joy…

She dumped the small pieces of meat into the bowls of ramen, grabbing all of the chopsticks on the counter and dumping them on the tray with the food. …And this isn't joy…

"Okay," Kagome said, her back still away from her friends so she could get a believable face on in time. "It's time for ramen!"

"Ooh, yay, yummy food," Sango said feverishly, scooting over in her chair to let her friend in at the table. She quickly took a bowl and pair of chopsticks and took a taste. "Ooooooooooooh… WARM yummy food…"

"Let the drool fest begin!" Ayame called out, shooting her hand up in the air in glee. After a moment it caught a draft and zipped right back under the blanket. "Before my drool freezes."

Rin gave an odd look over the web cam. "Ew… That's gross Ayame."

Ayame, with a big slurp of her ramen, sat up tall and proud in her chair. "At least I'm honest."

"Selectively honest." Rin retorted.

"Oh shut up."

Kagome clapped her hands together and grabbed a hold of her chopsticks. "Either way, let's eat up!"

"Yesh." Sango said, her mouth half full of a beef slice. "Ah, Ayame, how's you're re-education of Koga going?"

"Would be better if he hadn't been flirting with some little brat in the dorm lounge."

Kagome snickered, along with the other girls, but slowed to speak. "Maybe you're misinterpreting what he's doing. I mean, we all know he's a flirt, but it's playful. Not like Miroku's-"

"May he rot in hell," Sango chimed in before taking a swig of her tea.

Note to self; warn Miroku not to leave dorm for the next thirty-six hours. Kagome thought. p.s. Remind him to CALL Sango in the next thirty-six hours. "um… ukay…" She cleared her throat. "Not like Miroku's lechery…"

Sango slammed her cup down on the table. "That disgusting, vile, debilitating, abysmal, infuriating little maggot!"

"This sounds promising on the dirt scale," Rin smiled, leaning closer over he keyboard. "Do tell."

Sango's eyes were down, glaring at her bowl of food, a slight growl audible from her throat. "Bloody jack-ass asks me out on a date, takes me on some fairy tale romantic dinner place with all the works and then he slips concentrated sake into my soda just to-" Her hands gripped at her scalp. "AAARGH!"

"Eh?" Kagome didn't recall that part. "He slipped sake into your drink? When did I miss this detail?" She asked, pushing away a memory of her uncle.

"I dunno…" Sango said. "I might not have added last time you asked me. I was still in a hangover state."

"Hrm. Good point." Kagome looked at her friend, trying to think of some sort of explanation. Miroku for one wasn't so low as to drug a woman like that. He may be a lecher, but he wasn't a creep. Not only that, but before she scared the hell out of him this morning, he seemed perfectly happy and fine about the situation. No worries or doubts… This was not adding up.

But that would have to wait.

"Aack! Kagome!" Rin yelled through her computer, her face slightly flushed. " I just remembered! BBC News comes on in a minute!"

That's right! Kagome would have stood from her seat from adrenaline if it were not too cold to do so. Rin is in the Korean Union! They have freedom of the press! "Oh , thanks Rin! Will you turn the web cam on your T.V. when it comes on?"

"Sure, it should be any minute now." Rin looked away from the camera for a second, shouting something in Korean to someone not in view. "Sorry mother was calling for cold gel. I'll get it to her right after the news starts."

"Cold gel?" Ayame asked after swallowing a bite of ramen. "Isn't that used for burns?"

"Er, more like for my mother's bunions."

A resonant ew echoed around the table.

"Oh that's nothing!" Rin exclaimed. " My Father has-"

Ayame put her hand up to the web cam on the lap top. "Please Rin, we're still eating."

"Oh, heh heh, sorry." Rin looked off the screen again and yelled some more. "Okay, the news is starting. I gotta go get my mom her stuff." Rin said, turning her web cam at the family television.

"Whoa." Sango said. "Nice T.V."

"Tis super plasma." Ayame added.

Kagome leered at her two friends. "Shh." They returned to their food and watching the computer screen.

"Good evening, I'm Jeong Chin-mae for BBC news in Busan, K.U." The News anchor said in a news anchor tone, dressed in a usual button down shirt, tie and jacket.

"That's a fun name to say, Jeong." Ayame said randomly. "Jeong, Jeong…"

"That's his last name Aya. Shh." Kagome was getting a little annoyed now.

"At the top of this news hour, we have some startling news from the United States of America, where our correspondent Buk-Jul Shin is stationed in the city of New York. Shin, can you tell us what is going on there?"

The t.v. shot switched to a Korean woman, standing in front of what appeared to be some sort of park or plaza with a lot of tall buildings in the background. "Thanks Chin-mae. As you all know by now, the Cascadian civil war has now been raging in the States' northwest region for several months now, and the capitol of the defacto nation, Seattle, has been under heavy barrage from government forces based in the states of Montana and Wyoming."

"For our viewers," Chin-mae's voice came over the set. "Can you roughly tell us where Montana and Wyoming are?"

"Yes, Chin." She said, clicking a small receiver in her hand. A map popped up of the country, zooming in on the western sect of it. "Now this region in blue spans from the northern parts of the state of California, shown in green, taking in all of the states of Oregon, Washington, and Idaho, some parts of Montana, and up into Canada a good fifty miles north of Vancouver; that all is the Cascadian Region. The rest of Montana and Wyoming are shown in red." The colors came up accordingly on the map. "It should also be noted that most of all of this land is rugged mountains terrain, which is why some of the generals involved in the Afghani-American War are also assigned to this whole ordeal. However-"

"Shin, I hate to interrupt you, but there is more pressing news to get to our viewers. Now what is this massive change in the whole ordeal?" Chin-mae asked.

Making a very small disgruntled sound, Shin continued on. "That is the main reason I have this map up, Chin." The map zoomed way out, all of the way to the midway isle chain and the Aleutians. "We have now officially gotten word that Cascadia is not the only region fighting for independence now."

Kagome's mouth slightly opened in shock.

"The BBC has received official documents of cession from the now defacto nations of Alaska, Hawaii, and Texas. It is also highly suspected that the states of Louisiana, Arizona, Maine, Florida, and California are moving in the same direction, with the state-union of Missouri and Arkansas, self-named Ozark, thought to soon secede after the New Madrid Earthquake disaster last year that was never addressed by the ruling party of President Frederick Belston. It is believed that the lack of aid that was delivered to Seattle from it's earthquake years back was the start of it's desire to break apart, and the massive grudge and distrust from the people of New Orleans that has been brooding for decades has stirred the sectarian violence in the region…" She took a breath, the camera now on her face, instead of the camera with all of those highlighted states. "I do believe that it is safe to say that this is in fact the beginning of the break up of the United States of America."

Only one thing could come to Kagome's mind. Sunset Corp… This is why they are acting now…

The T.V. went back to Chin-mae, who looked startled at the least. It took him a moment to regain composure, glancing at the sheet of paper he held in his hand. "Well, uh… thank you Shin. Please let us know if anything else develops on that in this half hour."

"Sure thing, Chin."

Jeong cleared his throat, before looking at the camera. "Um… Today in the, uh, in the European nation of the Netherlands, on a lighter note, there is a new bill going into parliament…"

"Oh kami…" Sango stared at the computer screen, letting her chopsticks plop against the table.

"I've been to Hawaii before… To think that it is going to be a nation in it's own…" Ayame began.

"There's no one left now." Kagome said coldly, staring straight at the pc.

The other two girls looked at her. "What?" Ayame asked. "What do you mean?"

"Now there isn't a single country that will help Japan out of the mess it's falling into. We're going to have to solve this on our own."

- - -