Disclaimer: I don't own Highschool of the DEAD, Umi no Misaki or their characters. They are owned by their respective authors.
Updated for content, spelling and word usage 12/30/13
Time Trax of the DEAD
Chapter 21
7 months, 27 days till Z-Day:
The next afternoon Takashi and Nagi were sitting on the beach watching all the girls play in the surf. Saya and her mother had gone to the meeting that morning and returned at noon. After lunch the real estate man had shown up with a car to take Yuriko to see proprieties that the Grandmothers had now told him to show her.
Saya stayed and joined them for some beach time. She was wearing a cute pink two piece with ruffles. Takashi had slipped a quick picture of her with his phone while she was focused on talking to Karin about crop production.
"So if Saeko is your girlfriend, why were you slipping shots of Saya?" Nagi was asked him.
Takashi smirked, "Saya's boyfriend Kohta is in America training to shoot. He begged me to get him a picture if she got in a swim suit. It was driving him nuts he was not able to come with us."
The other boy laughed, "I bet! Well if everything works out he'll get to see her in one a good bit while living here."
"So how is living here?" Takashi asked. "I mean you said you came from Tokyo originally right?"
Nagi nodded, "Yeah, my mother was a Cape Maiden and when her time 'waiting for the Dragon God' was finished, she retired. I've never gotten the full story on whither Dad came here and met her or if she went to Tokyo and met him there. Anyway, they got married, had me, and she died when I was young. She had always told me she wanted to bring me to the island, but never got the chance to. After I turned seventeen, Dad announced we were moving here because of work. I got here, expecting him to arrive the next day, only to get a phone call telling me he had gotten tied up with a job in New York City. Every time I talked to him after that I could never get a straight answer on when he was coming. Next thing you know I was being told I was the new coming of the Dragon God."
"So how did you take getting told you were the reincarnation?"
The boy shook his head and rubbed the back of his neck, "I thought they were nuts! The only reason I went along with it was they didn't seem to mean any harm by it. The main job was to get to know the Maidens and then pick one. I can't really go into detail but I ended up falling for all three of them and them for me. Well the night I was supposed to pick got pretty crazy and some age old traditions got changed. Come to find out later on this is probably the way it was supposed to be in the first place, but somewhere along in history it changed to something…well I can't really go into that with you either. Maybe someday if all of you really do stay here."
Takashi nodded. Oddly enough he understood the boy was constrained by the religion he was the idol of.
He watched with interest as Saeko walked up the beach toward them. She was wearing a white, two piece strapless that suited her skin and muscle tone very well.
She stopped before them and bowed with a smirk on her face, "Lord Komuro, Dragon God…"
Takashi laughed as Nagi winced and said, "Oh, come on, Saeko-san; don't do that. That's one thing I do get tired of around here!"
Saeko laughed as she knelt down beside her boyfriend.
"Waa! What's this Dragon God-kun! New worshipers?"
They turned to find a short girl with light colored hair in a one piece and an over shirt standing behind them.
Nagi shook his head and laughed, "No not yet, Kisaragi-sensei. Come around here and let me introduce you, you deranged midget."
"Hey!" she exclaimed loudly as she moved around in front of them. "That's no way for you to talk to me, baka!"
Nagi waved a hand at her, "Now, now, calm down or I'll let my wives throw you in the ocean again!"
"You would too, you tyrant!" she popped off as she leaned in his face.
"Takashi, Saeko, this is Kisaragi Tamae, our high school teacher. She is a transplant from Tokyo herself."
"Konnichiwa, Sensei," Takashi and Saeko both said.
"Konnichiwa to you also! See that, tyrant!? This is how you greet your loving teacher!" The little woman shivered suddenly, looked at Nagi and asked, "She's behind me isn't she?"
The boy nodded as Kisaragi looked back over her shoulder to see the glaring face of Shizuku, the Priestess of the Sea.
"Sensei I told you to stop picking on the Dragon God or I'll give you a 'blessing' you won't forget!"
"Waaa!" the woman cried out as she ran behind Nagi, who sat crossed-legged like a stone statue. "Help Nagi-kun! She's gonna hurt me!"
"No she's not, Sensei, you know I wouldn't let her do that," he replied as Takashi and Saeko laughed at the trio.
"I'll just go over here and see…ah there's Kaito! Kaito come help Sensei!" she cried as she ran off toward a boy about their age that was walking down the beach.
"Chicken!" Shizuku called after her before kneeling down in front of them. She looked at Takashi and Saeko and smiled, "Don't think I would really hurt her, well not much, she can be irritating, but she really helped out at a troublesome time."
Nagi grinned, "Yes she did! Her major at Todai was Ancient Folklore and Culture. She moved here to teach just so she could learn about the island's traditions."
Soyogi walked from the water to sit down near Saeko. The dark-haired girl noticed her eyes kept drifting to the bag she carried her bokken in.
"You have questions for me, Soyogi-san?" Saeko asked.
The priestess blushed for a moment before answering. "Yes Saeko-san. As the Giver of Protection, I practice martial arts myself and would like to know what forms you use."
Saeko smiled, "I do not really serve one school per se. My father is a dojo master and teaches kendo to the young offspring of noble families like Saya-chan's father. His belief is we must use many different styles to be the best we can be. I would welcome the chance to practice and spar with you while we are here."
The island girl lowered her head, "I must admit to you I am mostly self-taught. I learned from dances, scrolls and books on the subject. I have never even spared with a real person before except Nagi."
"I only know what she taught me," Nagi said. "Personally I think the style is more like spear or Bo stick than anything else."
"I know!" Shizuku suddenly said. "Why don't the four of you come for supper tonight? It would make for good company and Soyogi and Saeko-san could show us a little of their art."
"We will have to ask Obasan, but I don't see a problem with it," Takashi said.
"A problem with what?" Yuriko asked as she walked up.
"Coming to supper at our place," Nagi told her.
"I would enjoy that," she replied. "To be honest I'm curious to see how a young man deals with three wives!"
000
Saya and her mother pitched in to help Karin and Shizuku prepare supper while the rest watched Soyogi run through her exercises. Saeko in particular walked around as the girl worked spinning, slashing and thrusting the practice stick with streamers attached she used.
Finally the island girl stopped to catch her breath while the other clapped.
Saeko smiled at her, "You seem to be using a mix of soujutsu and sword forms. What I really think is the original weapon was a nagamaki or something very similar."
"What that?" Takashi asked.
"It is a nihonto style sword that can resemble a naginata. The difference is a naginata is a pole-arm type weapon with the blade is affixed to the end of a wooden shaft. The nagamaki is more like a katana, a full sword blade, but the handle has a full-length metal tang on it that is as long as the blade. It was known to be the favored weapon of General Oda Nobunaga."
"I never knew!" Soyogi said. "Am I doing it right, sensei?"
Saeko nodded, "You are doing well in your forms. You really need someone to spar with to get better than you are now. If we get to come to the island, you will have plenty of practice partners though."
"Do you really think it will be useful when this comes to pass?" Soyogi asked.
"Yes it will," Takashi said. He suddenly had a distance look to his eyes. "We have to remember, the steel of the heart must be as strong as the steel of the sword." The boy shivered as he did sometimes and looked at Saeko. "You told me that on the day we died, Saeko-chan."
"Whoa," said Nagi. "The only other person I've ever seen do that is Rinne."
Takashi shrugged his shoulders and smiled at Saeko, "Why don't you show them some of your form?"
"Oh please!" Soyogi said.
Saeko nodded and drew the wooden sword from its bag. She stretched lightly before walking to one side of the open area. She quickly went from a relaxed position to moving through katas as Saya had seen her that day at the dojo. As she flowed across the grass she got faster and faster before she finally slowed and stopped sword high. She lowered the wooden blade and went through the ritual of sliding it home in its make-believe sheath.
"That was cool!" Karin said from the doorway of the house where she, Saya and Shizuku watched.
"You truly seem to be a master, Lady Busujima," Nagi told her.
The girl nodded as Takashi walked over, took her hand and they touched foreheads for a moment.
They turned toward the gate, as they heard someone 'squeak', to find Rinne and her grandmother standing there. Rinne had her hands clasped before her and bounced a couple of times before blurting out, "Kawaii! Kawaii! The husband must calm the wife from her battle trance!"
"Husband? Wife?" Saya said. "Rinne-chan those two aren't married!" Then it hit her how red and embarrassed the couple were. She focused on their body language and how their hands were clenched together tightly. "Oi! What's this!? Are you holding something out on me, Busujima!?"
"A…ah…well, Saya-chan," the older girl stuttered slightly. "It was decided last Saturday. Father and Takashi's mother have agreed to an engagement for now."
"Congratulations, you two!" everyone exclaimed as Saya stood open mouthed and stunned.
"Maybe in the future you can have your ceremony at the shrine," Nagumo-san said.
"Oh, the Dragon God can perform weddings?" Takashi asked with a grin.
"Huh? What!?" Nagi exclaimed as the others laughed.
"No, no," Nagumo-san replied. "All marriages on the island are civil ceremonies, but most do a hand-fasting at the shrine or a place they are fond of with friends and family around them"
Saeko blushed, "I think I would like that. What do you think, Takashi?"
"I think it doesn't matter as long as you're with me," the boy replied.
"Well that's in the future for now," Nagumo-san said. Looking to Karin she asked, "How is supper coming, Karin?"
"Almost ready, Obaa!" the short haired girl replied.
The older woman's gaze fell next on Nagi. "May I speak with you for a moment, Dragon God?"
The boy nodded and followed her up the stairs that led to a roof terrace.
"Everything is just about ready so please come in!" said Shizuku.
000
Supper was a happy affair, Nagi sat at the head of the table with Nagumo-san at the other end. The Tokyo visitors were on Nagi's left and his wives and Rinne on his right. They had mostly finished and were sitting with tea when Nagumo-san spoke.
"So Takagi-san, how many people do you think you would bring with you?"
Yuriko smiled, "My husband is a noble and so he has responsibilities to his retainers. At this time we are thinking about three hundred and fifty to four hundred men, women and children."
"I see," the older woman said. "What kind of skills could we expect?"
"We are very versatile in that respect," Yuriko said. "Laborers, mechanics, office personnel and service personnel like cooks, even some medical personal." She stopped for a moment before starting again, "I'm not going to hide anything from you, Nagumo-san. We will have many people that are able and willing to fight to protect their friends and families. There will be highly trained professionals from the police and military with training in all manner of weapons. Like Saeko-san and her father, many are also martial artists and can train other people as well as fight. We intend to bring some vehicles, but we know once fuel is gone they will not be of use. I hope to acquire stocks of clothing, dry goods, food, weapons and ammunition to protect ourselves and those that host us."
She stopped again and looked around the table, "Let me be clear. We are not invaders. We will be willing to put our people to guard the safety of this island for the future of all of us. Two of our party is high ranked police. Minami Rika is the chief of the First Squadron in the prefecture police and an expert sniper in the Special Assault Team. The other is Miyamoto Tadashi, a Chief Inspector in the prefecture police. There are others, such as Miyamoto's wife, which are retired officers." She sat back and sighed, "I understand if you do not want such a force here, but I can assure you we would abide by the rules of your land."
Nagumo-san smiled, "If we did not think you would, we would not be having this discussion, Takagi-san. I am pleased to tell you the Grand Mothers have decided to allow you to become residents of our island. We have had people doing extensive research into your backgrounds since last night and like everything we see."
Yuriko laughed lightly and took Saya's hand, "That is a great relief for me to hear, Nagumo-san."
The older woman nodded, "Tomorrow I will go with you to look at the homes and buildings you were interested in today. As we talk and I learn more how you wish your clans to be, I may be able to advise you on locations more. How long were you planning on staying on the island this trip?"
"I gave us four days here to learn what we could before we moved on to the next site. I can extend that though and cancel the rest of the trip. Our only limit then is getting back in time for school to start."
"About that," Nagi said as he leaned forward. "Obaa, I made a promise to the girls last year, that someday I would take them and show them Tokyo. If this is to come to pass, it needs to happen soon. I know there are rules about them leaving the island, but…well what do you think?"
Nagumo-san thought for a minute, "Really the reasons for them not leaving the island are gone now that the Dragon God has come, but Tokyo is a dangerous place and I would worry about all of your safety."
Yuriko cleared her throat, "What if they come back with us and stayed at our home? We have a very large mansion and I'm sure Saya and the others would be more than happy to go places with them."
"We would be willing to do that," Saya chimed in. "Plus it would give them a chance to meet the others in our group."
"They would have protection, Nagumo-san," Saeko said. "We are all training hard learning to defend ourselves."
"I would hate to have them impose on you, Takagi-san," the woman said. "But that would be a good way for them to experience Japan before the end. Things need to be seen and remembered for stories to be told later on. If the Dragon God agrees, I will put them in your care."
The three island girls sat stunned as the discussion unfolded.
"I never thought we would really get to go!" Karin said.
"What would we do? Where will we go?" Soyogi asked Nagi.
"Don't worry, I've got plenty of ideas and I'm sure our new friends will not let us miss out," he replied. He then looked at the priestess of the sea.
"Shizuku, are you alright?"
The young woman looked to her husband, "I must admit I'm a little scared. We have never been farther than Hontsu before. You've always told us how crowded and busy Tokyo is."
"What's Hontsu?" Saya asked.
"It's the big island seven kilometers east of us," Nagi said. "It has much more tourist trade then we do and there are several large hotel resorts as well as a big shopping district. Do you remember what the population is, Obaa?"
"It's the height of tourist season, so currently around seven thousand. Twenty-five hundred islanders with about eighteen hundred outlander workers, the rest are tourists. In the off season there are around forty-five hundred people total. Many workers leave when the tourists do because they're not needed."
"And what is the current population of Okitsu?" Saya asked.
"Twelve hundred or so islanders with maybe four hundred outlanders," the woman told her.
"Hmm, you have three de-salinization plants and power is run by windmills and solar," the pink-haired girl said to herself. "I need to run some numbers on what the loads might be adding four hundred more people."
"Obaa, what about the damaged windmill?" Soyogi asked.
"It really doesn't lower our power capacity, but we really should get it fixed," the older woman said.
"Is there a problem?" Yuriko asked.
"Not really," Nagumo-san told her. "Several years ago one of the mills got damaged in a typhoon. With the population declining it was not a real concern since it was more a backup than anything. We got the new blades, but some of the other parts were out of stock at the time and have never been ordered again. I will get the person over the power plant to look into it and see where we stand."
"Please let me know if I can be of assistance," Yuriko told her. She turned to her daughter, "Saya-chan, I think you should look over Hontsu Island tomorrow and include it in your analysis."
"Okay Mama," the girl replied.
"Karin, are you free tomorrow? Can you go with us?" Nagi asked his youngest wife.
She nodded, "I've already taken care of the oldsters that need help this week, and there are no crops coming in, so I can go."
Nagi nodded, "Good. Then we will go over about 9 am and give ourselves a day to look around."
"With that I think we should head back to the resort," Yuriko said. "Thank you all for a wonderful meal and I hope we can have many more together like this."
"By the will of the gods, may this be so," Shizuku said.
000
After arriving back at their rooms, everyone got baths ready for bed. Saeko came out of hers to find Yuriko already lying down, but Saya was nowhere in sight. Stepping onto the veranda, she could see Saya sitting near the edge of the deck looking out to sea.
She walked over and asked, "Saya? Is something wrong?"
The other girl was quiet for a minute before speaking, "So you're engaged, Busujima-san? I'm supposed to be your best friend, is there some reason you didn't want to tell me?"
Saeko knelt down beside the pink-haired girl and put her hand on her arm. "No Saya-chan, there was not. Everything happened so fast and we were so busy I had no time to talk to you alone. That is all. I did not mean to hurt your feelings."
"So when did this happen?" Saya asked, still not sounding convinced.
"Saturday," Saeko told her. "My father and Takashi's mother made the decision after she caught Takashi and I in bed together."
Saya's eyes went wide and her head swiveled around to look at the other girl, "You did WHAT!? WHEN!?"
Saeko lowered her head, "It was after the false alarm Saturday morning. Rika-san and I found Takashi collapsed in his living room. When he came to I got him to rest on his bed with his head in my lap. He dozed off and I got sleepy, so I lay down beside him. When we woke up we were cuddling and I told him I was ready to move forward, so…we did. Afterwards we were talking, really I think we were about to make love again, and his mother walked in the bedroom door."
"Boy I bet that went over well!" Saya said.
"Needless to say she was upset, since she did not know me and thought he was still with Rei."
"That baka!" Saya exclaimed. "It would figure he didn't tell his own mother about that!"
"I blame myself also, Saya-chan. We got so wrapped up in everything else I didn't think to press him about meeting her."
"This explains a curious conversation I had with your father right before we left, Saeko-chan," Yuriko said as she walked up behind them.
"Eavesdropping, mother?" Saya asked with a raised eyebrow and a smirk.
"No Saya-chan," the woman replied with a smile. "I woke up to find both of you gone and just thought I would check on you."
She knelt down with them and put her arms around Saeko from behind. "Dear, you know if you ever need anything you can come to me don't you?"
"Yes Obasan," Saeko replied. "I was not trying to hide anything from either of you; it has just been such a whirlwind since then."
"I understand," Yuriko said. "Now why don't you tell us the whole story, if you want to?"
000
"I see what your father did," Yuriko said after the tale was through. "Himiko-san can be a stubborn woman and he gave her an out to relieve the pressure of the situation."
"I'm curious what you meant earlier when you said Ojisan had an interesting conversation with you right before we left," Saya said.
Yuriko smiled, "He told me it was alright for Takashi-kun and Saeko-chan to have some 'alone' time. I was puzzled by this, but he said if it became an issue, Saeko-chan would explain. Now I'm sure he thought we would be having more conversation time than we have." She looked at the dark–haired girl, "If you wish to you may stay with him at night. You know what your limitations are I trust you to abide by them."
Saeko sat stunned for a minute before bowing to the woman, "Th…thank you, Obasan. Now if you don't mind…I need to go see someone." With that the girl got up and quickly moved toward the room Takashi was staying in.
Saya snorted, "I didn't know you could move that fast in a kimono."
"Hmm," murmured Yuriko. "Which brings me to a subject I need to breach with you, Saya-chan."
"I'm not sure I like the tone of that," the girl replied.
"I have noticed you being a little more…'snippy' the last few days. Can you tell me why?"
The girl lowered her head, "I miss Kohta terribly, much more than I thought I would. I tried to steel myself for this, but I find myself fighting the urge to call him just to hear his voice."
"What is the time difference? Fifteen hours?"
Saya nodded, "It's 8 am there right now. He sent me a message they were going to be in the classroom this morning and on the shooting range in the afternoon. Plus the overseas fees are astronomical so it's best to just email."
Her mother smiled, "Well I want you and I to also have a talk to Shizuka-san when we get back. I intend to talk to Kiriko-san about Rei-chan as well."
Saya stared at her mother for a minute, "Mama, I think you know how much I love Kohta, but I don't have any plans to be doing that anytime soon."
Yuriko shook her head, "After what you went through recently dear I think it is for the best anyway. It would have been a horrible tragedy if they had finished what they started and you had become pregnant." She looked at her daughter as the girl thought about what she had said, "Plus, you say you have no plans now, but things happen sometimes and plans suddenly change. When I went to that party that night I never thought I would be married the next day. Your father and I like Kohta-kun very much, but we just want you to be prepared anyway."
Saya thought about this for a minute, "What about after the outbreak? What will we all do then?"
Yuriko shook her head, "I don't know, I really don't know."
000
Saeko slipped into Takashi's room as quietly as she could and eased close to his bed. She looked down on her lover as he slept, moonlight showing the lines of his face.
"Saeko…" he whispered in his dreams.
Her hand went to her mouth and tears welled in her eyes. He's dreaming of me! She thought. She reached out and caressed his face as he stirred and opened his eyes.
"Huu…is something wrong?" the boy asked, surprised to find her standing over him.
"No my love, I've come to stay with you," she whispered as she undid her kimono to reveal her night clothes, a tank-top and shorts.
"What's Obasan going to say?" the boy asked as he drew the covers back for her to lie beside him.
"She knows. She and my father had a talk before we left and the meaning of it only became apparent after she learned of our engagement. He had basically given permission for us to have 'private time' together. Since she now knows my limitations for the month, she thought this would be best as long as we control ourselves."
Takashi smiled as he wrapped his arms around her, "I told you before the best sleep I ever had was in your arms."
She snuggled against his chest, "I want to give it a try myself."
The moonlight glowed as they drifted off to sleep.
A/N: Just a warning that updates may be getting slower than twice a week. I ran out of buffer(already written chapters) and have not gotten #22 finished as of this posting. I will get to it a quickly as I can.
As always, please review, favorite and follow.