CH 26
look at what's happened to me
I can't believe it myself
suddenly I'm up on top of the world
should have been somebody else.
.
Believe it of not, I'm walking on air
I never thought I could feel so free!
Flying away on a wing and a prayer
who could it be?
believe it or not, it's just me!
Take a guess :)
The demand for prints of Kouta's work kept Takami's color copier busy. Sending a stack of 300 to an art dealer in Tokyo, he called back a week later and all but demanded an original to put up for auction. The one he wanted was the picture Kouta did of Kaede drawing. Kouta refused. That was one of his favorites. He did offer the one he did of Kaede's servants (hats on) in the garden. Since this one wasn't printed yet, the dealer accepted.
Kouta still got 230 million for that drawing. It seemed like all of Japan was mesmerized by this new artist 'Kouta'.
In school, Kaede was getting very popular. Everyone not only knew her, but Ayame and Mustu who usually walked Kouta, Kaede and Yuka to school. Instead of the five walking down the street, some days it was a pack of twenty which effectively hid Kaede from view.
.
The North Korean agent was told where the pink haired Kaede was. Why was the 'test' subject went to a normal school was puzzling. It seemed odd their government would allow such a thing. He knew in North Korea, if they has someone who's DNA was being modified, they would be hidden away in a bunker and under tight security. He watched anyway, looking for the pink haired girl. School records showed she was there, but in a week of watching, he didn't find her.
Farther away from school another agent did and managed to follow her home. The lead agent immediately called for others in the area. The building she lived in was an Inn. To keep the police from being called, they devised a plan to catch her on the way to school. The other four with her were of no consequence. He was sure six of them would be able to grab the pink haired girl. To be sure they succeeded, they bought some high priced guns from a local Yakuza as well as chloroform to keep her quiet until they got to the 'exit' team that had a boat to get them out into international waters for a submarine pickup.
.
"Kouta, come on!" Yuka yelled from the entryway. Everyone was ready to go to school except for him.
Kouta ran out still buttoning his jacket. He looked out the window at the clouds overhead. "Rain again," he said with a sigh.
"It is the rainy season, what do you expect?" Yuka told him.
Kaede held up the umbrella. "I got it, just walk with me."
"Yes, dear," Kouta said teasingly. Ayame got the door as they trooped out.
Leaving the gate, they noticed three men hanging out by the stairs down to the street. The raincoats and umbrellas masked their features. Heading the other way for school, Ayame looked back a couple times. "They are following us," she said.
Watching ahead, Kaede saw another man briefly peek up at the top of the stairs they were coming to. With a sigh, she said, "It's another kidnap attempt."
"You think so?" Yuka asked.
"Know so," Kaede stated.
Kouta had a run of panic. "Kaede, you're not wearing your armor!" he said weakly. If they had stun guns, Kaede was vulnerable.
"Our raincoats are wet, that shoud be enough," Kaede replied.
"The men behind us are closing, should we fall back?" Mitsu asked.
"No, stay together," Kaede told her. "I think they are going to try to catch us on the stairs. We don't want them to get away. When I tell you, attack the ones behind us. Don't kill them, bounced them off the sidewalk and break a bone or two. Kouta, call the police when I yell now. Get behind me."
Of all the kidnap attempts so far, this one had to be the lamest. A man appeared at the top of the steps, brandished a gun and said, "Don't move, don't scream, or I shoot!"
"Now!" Kaede barked. She shot her mind hands out and yanked the man off his feet. Behind them, Amaye and Mitsu spun and jumped at the men. The surprised men were then taken off their feet to fall flat. They were then picked up in the air and dropped several times until they quit moving. Their guns clattered harmlessly on the sidewalk.
The one Kaede jerk off his feet had knocked himself out in his fall. Kaede jumped up to find two behind him. Guns drawn, they shot. Kaede stopped the bullets then banged their heads together. She picked them up high and slammed them back onto the sidewalk.
By the time Kouta told the police what was happening, it was over. Kaede, Ayame and Mitsu kept the groaning men down, their guns now piled safely by Kouta until the police arrived and picked up the men and their guns. The Officers gave them an escort to school.
.
At lunch time, Kouta and Kaede were called to the office. A detective was waiting for them. Taking them to a private room, he told them about the men.
"Three weeks ago, a ship with of North Korean refugees came into port. Those men who attacked you are six of them. We found two more with a boat, chloroform and guns were found on them also. They too were from North Korea. The othes are being rounded up for deportation. The ones who shot at you are being charged with attempted murder and all of them with attempted kidnapping," he explained.
"Great, now other countries are trying to kidnap me," Kaede said in a huff. "Don't we have enough bad guys around?"
The detective laughed. "I would think so. The department would like to take you into protective custody."
"I'm already well protected, Officer," Kaede told him. "Those clowns were not much of a threat anyway. We had them down and out long before anyone arrived."
"I was still calling, and it was over," Kouta told him.
"You have body guards?" he asked.
"Twelve. Only two were with me," Kaede said.
The detective nodded and said, "Well then, ensure you keep some around you. And do not talk about this. We don't want those other men knowing they are being sought out."
"Yes, Sir."
.
Yuka told her classmates about the frightening experience of having men point guns at her.
Riveted to her story, a girl asked, "How did you get away?"
Intently, Yuka said, "Kaede, Ayame and Mitsu picked them up in the air and threw them to the sidewalk a few times. Their guns bounced around on the sidewalk, I was afraid one would go off!"
"So, Kaede was there," another girl said.
"And you really weren't in danger," a boy concluded.
"I was!" Yuka insisted. "Like I said, I could have been shot!"
"Right," a boy said, then turned to another girl. and asked, "Did you have any trouble with your homework?"
A girl poked another one in the shoulder. "Shopping trip this weekend?"
"Sure!"
Yuka frowned at them as the interest in her ordeal vanished.
.
At the end of the day, Yuka was in a grumpy mood from people not sympathizing about how much danger she'd been in. Meeting Kouta and Kaede by the entrance gates, she noted more of Kaede's servants had come to pick them up. Besides Ayamye and Mitsu, Ayame's sister Rai had come, as did Kuyi, Reiko and Mai. There was no banter either, they watched around them, expecting trouble.
"Shizu and Nyoko went to guard Nana," Ayame said. "Umeko and Kaiyo are guarding the house with Akio since Junso is home."
"Don't you think this is a bit much?" Kouta asked.
Ayame frowned at him. "There has already been an attempt on our Empress. There may be more!"
The pack leaving school grew to another eight girls and nine boys leading the way to help keep Kaede safe.
Across the street, the Imperial guards dressed in black suits watched the crowd walk down the street. Instead of standing guard over Kaede like they were told to, they only shadowed the pack of serious looking kids and young women.
.
Even though a 'lid' was kept on the attempted kidnapping, that night the news had a story on 'an attempted kidnap attempt on a Japanese noble by North Korean agents. The Agents were shown lined up in chains. The men's names were read off.
Listening, while he sat up against Kaede's knees an she sat against his, Kouta said, "At least they didn't give details about us." He and Kaede used to sit like this alone, now they had a bunch of others sitting around the room with them.
"Kaede, you are being acknowledged as a noble," Mitsu said. "Perhaps soon they will see the truth."
"They will know when the time comes," Kaede said without thinking. She was surprised by her own words. She hadn't meant to say that.
Kouta cast her a smile. "They will," he agreed.
The weather came on and the tropical storm to the southeast was building quickly into a Typhoon. The projected path was uncertain, but it appeared this one was going to hit Japan. Kaede watched the graphics closely. A typhoon was something serious. The storm was slow moving, which was giving it time to grow. Kaede figured she better keep an eye on it.
Kouta got good news, another of his original drawings was auctioned off. The one he did in the garden here got him another 1,290,000 yen. It was far from the highest, but it did help keep everyone here in food and clothes as well as help spread his name around to art lovers.
Takami also had another bit of news. "Kouta, there was an 'invitation only' auction coming up in Tokyo. We're taking BIG money. The Art Director wants to auction off that drawing you did of Kaede drawing. He'll cut his commission by half if you agree."
"Not that one," Kouta said firmly. There were a few drawings he did that were close to his heart. That one, his first profile drawing of Kaede and the one of Kaede lying across his lap.
"Kouta, these people begin bidding at a hundred million," Takami coaxed.
"I can't," he told her. "Those are special to me." Seeing Kaede casting him a pleased smile, he added, "I won't give them up for any amount of money."
Kaede kissed him.
"Kouta, do you remember that artwork you and Kaede did for a school project?" Takami asked.
"Yes, that was fun."
"Someone got a hold of it. Those drawings and that folder went for six billion, three hundred million yen," Takami stated. "I've put in a lawsuit on your and Kaede's behalf against that auction house. That was yours and Kaede's work, and someone just grabbed it from the school and sold it."
Kaede cast Takami an angry glare. "Who was it?"
"The auction house refused to say, hence, the lawsuit. Whoever it was, has probably fled the country," Takami told her. "Art theft is a serious crime."
"Thanks for watching out for us, Aunt Takami. You really you have help us greatly," Kouta said and bowed as much as his position allowed him to do.
"You're quite welcome," Takami said. "After you are done with your homework, your father has your investment information. I think you will be pleased."
.
Keeping an eye on the weather, Kaede watched the typhoon grow into a monster. It was moving up the sea of Japan and heading for them. In a couple short days, it had strengthened and the strongest winds were approaching 275 KPH. The entire east coast of Japan was under a Typhoon warning. Coastal evacuations were being called for. School was cancelled, and the school buildings were being set up to take in refugees. Typhoons like this one were deadly.
Kaede had to do something. She lifted the dresser and had Kouta get out the head band and the block of wood.
"Kaede, are you sure about this?" Kouta asked.
"I am. What good is this thing if we can't use it to save some lives?" she asked.
"Wait before you put it on," Kouta said. He ran out and got Mitsu and Uemko. Leading them back to his room, he explained, "Kaede is going to use the head band to try and stop that Typhoon. When she uses it, she's helpless. Please watch out for her."
"We will," Umeko assured him.
.
Sitting down on the floor, Kaede put the head band on. Kouta looked worried. "Kouta, I will be fine," she assured him.
The instant she put the headband on, her environment changed. She opened the box to touch the pink diamond and the Maple Inn disappeared around her. Kouta, Nana and all her servants were visible. Everyone was looking at her. Rising above the surface of the ground, she looked for the typhoon.
She saw it. Dark, angry clouds that stretched across the horizon. Tendrils of the monster storm were already making landfall to the south. Drifting out to get a better look, she swore the storm was growing.
How does one stop wind? Going over land, Typhoon lost their strength from grinding against the ground. Walls and mountains blocked wind. The size of this monster would require some really, really big walls. Looking down on the storm now, Kaede saw the eye. Yes, the eye was what gave the typhoon it's power and caused the spinning that generated those tremendous winds. That was where walls would be most effective.
Concentrating on the rotating winds. Kaede shot her mind hands out at the inner edges of the 25 kilometer wide eye. Surprisingly, she felt resistance. She pushed back hard, feeling the power of the storm and grew walls into the screaming winds.
The winds deflected. Some raced into the eye, some blew out to expand the storm even larger. Kaede pushed back hard. In the center of the eye, a waterspout appeared and grew. The tall, thick column of water rose high into the air, spreading out over the top of the eye in the form of billowing clouds that were sucked back down into the eye.
Kaede held on, wondering if she was doing more harm that good as the typhoon seemed to expand and fill the sea of Japan. It spilled onto the shores. Dimly, she heard rain falling on the Maple Inn's roof. The wind howled. Kaede pushed harder and forced her mind walls to push against the storm.
Tornadoes grew by the dozens near the storm's center. The eye seemed to grow even larger. Kaede was sure she was screwing up and making the storm nearly twice the size it had been.
Thinking about what else she could try to fix her mistake, she noted the push against her mind was much less. The flow of wind was no longer in a nice, neat rotation. Wind was blowing out, in the upper atmosphere, where they were coming back. It was like a giant cartwheel. The eye was now nearly three hundred kilometers across as growing rapidly as the rotation of the storm turned into a mass of chaotic winds.
The storm was blowing itself apart.
.
Kouta watched Kaede closely. She was stock still with an intent look in her face. Outside, it was raining hard. Whe wind gusted, died down then picked up again. The rain poured down hard, then all but stopped. Kaede had be at this for a while now. He was getting worried.
Kaede's face relaxed. She let out a giggle then fell over, unconscious.
Quickly, Kouta took off the head band off her laid her prone. Mitsu rolled out the futon and made it, Umeko lifted Kaede up and put her on it. Kouta checked Kaede's vitals. She was breathing and had a good, strong pulse.
"I wonder if it worked," he asked absently.
.
Satellites were watching the Typhoon, scientists eyes were glued to the strange events and every news station was giving instant updates on what was happening. The world watched and listened to weather men telling about the inexplicable events as the storm seemed to just come apart for no reason, saving the east coast of Japan from devastation. Scientifically, what they were witnessing could not happen.
Kouta stayed in their room, as did Umeko. Nana came in with dinner and ate with them. All night, Kouta watched over Kaede. He was beginning to get very worried that she was unconscious for so long. By bedtime, everyone had come in to at lest check on her. Junso decided that if she didn't wake up by morning, they were taking her to the hospital.
Kouta did go to bed, but he laid beside Kaede, holding her hand and looking for some sign of reaction from her. He tried to tell himself that she was just sleeping, exhausted from her monumental effort. He also remembered her fear that if she used that head band, it would sap her strength and eventually kill her.
Was that what happened? Kaede was alive, but had that head band taken all her strength away, possible even drained her so much she would never wake up? He was wishing she had never put that thing on.
"I did it!" Kaede yelled happily and she jumped up and down in the field of flowers. The sun was shining, blue sky overhead. Nearby a pink haired woman in a white robe watched her joy, smiling pleasantly.
Turning to the woman, Kaede happily yelled, "I, ME! I stopped a typhoon! I tore that thing apart!"
"Very good," The woman offered. "You save one hundred thirty two people who would have died if that storm hit."
"I'm awesome!" Kaede beamed at her, clenching a fist in victory.
With a smirk, the woman said, "You are who you are. You should always be happy when you perform an act of kindness for your land."
"Whit until I tell Kouta," Kaede said, then stopped to truly look at the woman. Face wise, it was almost like looking n a mirror. "Mom?" she asked hesitantly.
"Not any more," the woman said with a sigh. "I was denied that privilege. I am happy you have a decent life and people who care about you."
Kaede tried to move towards her but for some reason now, she was stuck in place. Still, a smile came to her face as she said, "I always wanted to meet you," Kaede offered. "In the diary you wrote you wanted to send me a hero. Is that Kouta?"
"Is Kouta your hero?"
"He is," Kaede said firmly.
"Then you have your hero, for which I am glad." With a chuckle, the woman added, "And you are growing powerful. What you did to that typhoon was an amazing show of brute force. When you learn to coax and give gentle pushes, you will be able to do much more."
"Will you show me how?' Kaede asked hopefully.
"I'm sorry, dear. That is not allowed," the woman said gently.
Kaede eagerly asked two questions that had been haunting her. "Can you please tell me, am I Kami? And what about this Empress thing?"
"You are you, Dear. If you are asking if you have Kami's soul, you do. As far as being Empress, that is up to you. Many people will call on you to do so. You also have free will, so whether or not you take the throne is up to you," the woman explained.
"I really wish I'd gotten to know you, Mom," Kaede said longingly.
"As do I. That was not our fate. I am truly sorry about that."
"Yeah," Kaede agreed. Another question came to her mind. "Kouta said we lived before, and died in each other's arms. That won't happen again ... will it?"
"That is you destiny," the woman said. "Whether it be when you are young, or old and gray, you will die in each other's arms as you have lived."
That made Kaede smile. Not the thought of dying, but that Kouta would be there her entire life, right up to the end.
"Our time is almost over. Kaede, know that I will never stop loving you."
"I love you too, Mom. Will I ever see you again?"
"I can't say. Perhaps I will come back as one of your children," the woman mused. "Of course, I won't remember anything,"
The world around Kaede was fading away. Before it did, she yelled, "Thank you Mother, and I will be the best mother I can be!"
Kouta had fallen into a light sleep. It was dark when he heard Kaede sniffle. Snapping his eyes open, he saw a tear run down from her eye. "Kaede? Are you hurt?" he asked gently.
Kaede opened her eyes. She rolled over into him, hugging him tightly.
Kouta returned the hug gently. "I was afraid I'd lost you," he admitted.
"No," Kaede said firmly, "You are never going to loose me and I am never going to loose you. It is us, together forever."
"You were out for a long time," he noted.
Kaede looked at him and cast him a crooked grin. "Yeah, well, killing a typhoon takes a bit out of you. Is there any food made? I'm starved."
Kouta took Kaede out to the kitchen and heated Kaede up a big plate of leftovers. He got himself some and they sat down at the kitchen table. Kaede had scarfed her way through most of hers when Junso and Akio came in.
Seeing them, Junso asked, "Kaede, you're awake! You OK?"
"Just fine, Dad," Kaede said with a mouthful. She washed the food down with a drink and added, "I was just a bit tired. That took a lot out of me."
Eyeing her, Junso said, "So it was you who stopped that typhoon?"
"Yup, I tore it apart," Kaede said proudly.
"Incredible," Junso breathed.
"Kaede is Kami incarnate," Akio beamed. "Junso, sit down, I'll get us some food."
"What's left of it?" Kouta asked.
Jusno waved a hand and said, "Thunderstorms all over the Sea of Japan was the last weather report, but nothing dangerous." He then turned to Kaede. "You really destroyed that thing?" he asked Kaede.
"It was coming for our home. I had to," Kaede told him.
"Dear Kami!" Junso said, thinking about what kind of power it took to stop one of the biggest typhoons in the last six years.
"Yes?" Kaede asked him with a crooked grin.
Seeing the look on his face as he stared at her, Kaede and Kouta burst out laughing.
.
After they ate, Kaede was feeling better. Kouta was exhausted though, so she didn't try to get him to play. He no more than laid down, and he was out. Kaede pulled him over to cuddle into her. She petted Kouta's hair as he snored on her chest and thought about that dream she had. In the rain seasons, Typhoons were a regular occurrence. Maybe she could get some practice in learning how to guide them.
.
Getting up late since there was no school due to the typhoon that was no longer going to hit the coast, Kouta got up to find Kaede was already gone. He found her and everyone else watching a 'news brief' on the destruction of that Typhoon.
On the TV, an anchor woman was explaining, "The last hours of the typhoon, observers noted some very strange events. Some large obstruction, scientists claim was at least 75 kilometers across, appeared in the center of the Typhoon. The inner winds of the eye wall were hitting something that blocked those winds, sending them into the eye, and out away from the center, almost like a gigantic wall. In the satellite photos you can see this was the beginning to the break up. Once the breakup started, it spread rapidly, and air entered the center from higher in the atmosphere, causing a higher pressure which helped to cause the typhoon to blow itself apart. Satellite and aircraft have scowered the area where this wall should be, but nothing has been found, let alone anything large enough that had the ability to block 275 kilometer winds. The cause for breakup of this storm is becoming a deepening mystery. Some people have claimed that the Goddess Kami was responsible. Due to finding no cause, there are scientists who tend to agree."
Kouta sat down by Kaede. "People noticed, huh?" he asked with a crooked grin.
Takami let out a snort and said, "Who could not notice? That was one huge storm!"
"You did good, Kaede!" Nana announced.
Kaede got some cheers from others. Yuka frowned and said, "No way! Kaede was here, she wasn't out there in the ocean where that storm was to do anything!"
"Actually, what happened was the storm saw Yuka," Kaede said.
Yuka frown at her, frowning deeper as giggles sounded.
After the spot about the typhoon, the news showed the Shrine in Yokohama where thousands were gathered to give thanks to Kami for saving them and their homes.
Quietly, Kaede said, "You're welcome." Seeing the appreciation for what she'd done made Kaede feel good. So did the fact they had no school today. She elbowed Kouta and said, "Let's go do something fun."
.
The mass evacuation from the coastal areas was turning around to come back. That meant many places were closed and boarded up. Except for police, the streets were empty. Heading down to walk the beach, Kouta noted there were large breakers. Not seeing waves so large before, they stopped to watch the wavs that had to be three meters tall from the safety of the walkway, leaning on the rail.
"Those are big waves, Nana thinks it would be fun to jump off the tops of those!" Nana said.
Kouta shook his head. "Nana, we'd get swamped. Besides, the water is probably cold now," he told her.
"You could soak Yuka in two second flat, though," Kaede said with a grin.
"If the typhoon is gone, why are there still those big waves?" Umeko asked.
"The wind is gone, but the effects of the wind are still dying out," Yuka explained. "Waves travel slower than the wind."
"I think we're the only ones here," Ayame said as she looked around.
"Everyone else was evacuating." Kouta told her.
Kaede grew a grin and said, "I got an idea. Nana, wanna play in the water?"
.
Kouta though it was dangerous and dumb, but Kaede, Nana, Ayame, and Reiko trooped down to the water's edge. Kaede talked to Nana then leaped out onto a breaking wave. When she hit, her mind hands spread over the water, holding her up as she slid down the wave. When the wave crashed down into foam, she jumped back to the beach and looked for another one.
Kouta watched and shook his head. Mind hand surfing. Who would have thought?
Nana jumped out and caught a wave, then Reiko. Umeko giggled and ran down to join them. Soon, all of them were surfing with their mind hands.
There was a splash then a squeal. Nana shot back up out of the water soaking wet. she landed on another wave and surfed her way in.
"They are insane," Yuka said, watching them play in the water.
Kouta laughed. "You're welcome to join them," he said.
Yuka only cast him a dark look. She did walk closer to lean on the rail next to him. "You're going to marry her, aren't you?" she asked.
"I am."
"If Kaede becomes this Empress, then you know your life is going to change drastically," Yuka told him.
"Probably," Kouta agreed.
There was another yelp as Umeko dropped down onto the bottom of a breaking wave and disappeared. Kouta watched. She rocketed up out of the water and came down behind another wave to splash in again. Kouta laughed.
Shooting up again, Umeko yelled, "Damn it!" The third time she hit a wave right and rode it in.
"You're not afraid Kaede will leave you behind?" Yuka asked.
Kaouta frowned at her. "Why would she do that?" he asked.
"Well, you know, being Empress and having all that power and fame," Yuka said with a shrug.
"You obviously don't know Kaede," Kouta told her flatly.
"It's possible," Yuka coaxed.
"Stop it," Kouta said. He focused on watching the fun and ignored Yuka.
By now, Nana, Umeko and Reiko were wet and lost their hats. They still jumped back out to catch another wave and ride it in. Kouta liked watching their wide open smiles and hear their laughs and squeals in their fun.
Hearing a car, Kouta turned to see a news van coming. Aww, shit! Yelling, he called, "Girls! A news van is coming!"
The only one who heard him was Ayame. She turned around and yelled back, "WHAT?"
"NEWS VAN!" Kouta yelled and pointed.
"A new what?" she called, then saw it. A video camera was poking out a window as it approached.
Kouta let out a sigh. So much for staying low profile. Riding a wave in, Kaede saw it too. She lost her concentration and fell into be swallowed by the wave. When she shot out of the water her hat was gone too. She did catch another wave to ride it in. Walking up out of the surf, she looked at the van that was now stopped and watching them. She looked at Kouta, shrugged, and leaped back out to catch another wave.
The cameraman tripped in his haste to get out. So did the reporter. The man with the microphone came over to Kouta and Yuka. "This is unbelievable!" the reporter said to the camera. Behind me these young women are jumping into those large waves and surfing with absolutely nothing!" He then spun to Kouta, "Sir, you've been watching them, who are these incredible women?"
Kouta cast him a smile, "Just some girls having fun. It's fun to watch too."
"Some girls? How are they doing that? And look, another one just shot straight up out of the water!" the reporter cried.
"Yeah, they've been doing that too," Kouta said. "I bet they're going to be chilled by the time we get home."
The reporter quickly picked up on the 'home'. "So you know them? And you are?"
Kouta let out a breath. "Kikumura Kouta." Pointing he said, "On the beach there, soaking wet is Umeko, That's Nana on the right, Ayame is the white haired girl ahead of Kaede, there ..." one by one he pointed out all of them, then said, "..And this is Furuta Yuka." He then asked, "You wouldn't happen to have any towels, would you?"
"But, where did they come from?" the reporter asked.
"My Father and I rescued Kaede from an orphanage. Then I rescued her again from some kidnappers out on and island out there. The rest, from areas of Japan. They came to watch over Kaede to keep her from getting kidnapped again."
The reporter grew a big smile. "Yes, YOU are Kikumura Kouta that sailed that canoe out to rescue your sister! And that is her, the pink haired girl?'
"That's her," Kouta agreed.
"Why are they out here when there was an evacuation order for the entire area?" the reporter asked.
Kouta decided to spill the beans. He knew the jig was up anyway. Too many sets of horns were showing to hide who they were. He shrugged and said, "Kaede tore that typhoon apart, so I guess they got a right to come have some fun."
Yuka spoke up, "Oh come on, Kouta! I bet you believe that stuff about Kaede being Kami reincarnated too!"
Kouta eyed her and said, "Then you tell me how she did it."
"She never left the Inn!" Yuka stated.
"Maybe because she didn't have to?" Kouta asked.
"Excuse me," the reporter said, and was ignored.
"Kouta, Kaede could not have been able to get rid of that typhoon!" Yuka all but yelled.
"OK, what happened to it then?" Kouta challenged.
"I don't know!" Yuka said with a flail of her arms.
"I DO!" Kouta stated. "She was right there, in my room!"
"You two were probably sucking face again!" Yuka snapped back.
"Excuse me..." the reporter tried again to get their attention.
"WHY do you think we are always making out?" Kouta asked, now glaring at Yuka.
"I don't know, maybe because you DO?" Yuka asked in a wail.
"How would you know that?" Kouta asked in an accusing tone.
"That's right!" Yuka said loudly, "Sometimes you HAVE SEX!"
"You've been spying on us?" Kouta asked in a squeak.
"Who's spying? Yuka asked at the top of her lungs as her arms flailed. "ANYONE with ears can hear you!"
"Why do you care?" Kaouta asked.
"You were suppose to be mine!"
"Yuka, you're my first cousin!"
"SHE'S YOUR SISTER!" Yuka wailed.
"Excuse me," the reporter asked again, louder.
"WHAT!" Kouta and Yuka barked in unison as they glared at him.
"I wanted to ask some questions to Kaede-san, if I may." the reporter said.
"Oh that's right, talk to the horny, over-inflated ego girl!" Yuka spat.
"Yuka, that's enough," Kouta said sternly.
Kaede then landed behind Yuka. "What's going on?" she asked and looked at Kouta.
Waving an arm at Yuka, Kouta said, "Yuka's saying things ... she shouldn't be saying."
"Umeko!" Kaede called, and waved her over.
Umeko bounded up to them. "Yes, Kaede?"
"Take Yuka home. We should probaly go anyway."
"Why am I being sent home?" Yuka asked.
Eyeing her firmly, Kaede said, "Walk or be carried. Your choice."
Yuka stomed off. Umeko followed, hugging herself.
Ayame dropped down behind the reporter and asked, "Kaede, are these people bothering you?"
"Not yet. I think we're done anyway, I'm geting chilled," Kaede told her.
"I'll get everyone together," Ayame said and took a bounding leap back to the beach.
Having a chance to speak, the reporter said, "This is totally amazing! May I ask you some questions, Kaede-san?"
Kaede let out a huff and looked down at herself. "Not unless you have some towels or robes we can wear. I really am getting chilled."
"We can give you a ride home in the van," the reporter offered.
"Great!" Kaede beamed. She then yelled, "UMEKO, COME BACK, WE'RE GETTING A RIDE!"
.
Inside the van as the driver rolled along, Kouta was in front showing the driver where to go, all the girls were packed in the back with the reporter.
"This is Chasa Itomo here with Kikumura Kaede and her friends..."
"Nana is my sister," Kaede said, putting an arm aroud Nana. She then pointed to each girl and introduced them. Once she was done, she said, "The typhoon was gone, so we were just playing in the surf. Though a few of us are soaked now."
"That was some extrodinary playing," Itomo said. "Those long jumps, and you were surfing with nothing."
"Not nothing," Nana stated, "Nana used her mind hands like everyone else."
"You have a form of telekenisis?" Itomo asked.
"You can call it that," Kaede told him.
"That was how Kaede got rid of that typhoon," Umeko beamed.
Itomo stared at her. "Kaede dispersed that typhoon?" he asked, surprised.
"She did!" Ayame said with a nod.
Turning to Kaede, Itomo asked, "How did you do that? That storm was huge!"
"It wasn't easy," Kaede said with a sigh. "I didn't want it to make a mess of Japan and hurt people, so I kinda pushed at the interior winds close to the eye. I wanted to make them stop moving, but they went everywhere! For a bit there, I thought I was making it worse, then the storm just blew apart. There are still parts of it around, but nothing real dangerous like the whole thing was."
"I have to say, this is incredible!" Itomo said. "In the speculations of what happened, some say the Goddess Kami destroyed that typhoon. What do you think about that?" he asked.
Kaede shrugged, "I've had people tell me that I'm suppose to be Kami. I have no idea if it's true or not. I am me, Kaede. If there is something I can do to save people, I will. What I did to that typhoon, I was only testing what I could do. I had no idea if it was going to work or not."
"And we thank you for saving lives and trillions of yen in property damage," Itomo said and bowed. "I understand you have been kidnapped and was rescued by Kouta, and there has been other attempts against you?"
"Correct. The first time, kidnappers killed my little sister, Kanae. Kouta had to rescue me. They tried again and failed, so they grabbed our parents. They killed our mother, Akemi. None of them survived after we found them." Kaede said in a serious tone. "That is why all these young women came, to protect me and ensure it does not happen again. Unfortunatly, it has, but the attempt was so feeble, it was almost laughable."
"How so?" Itomo asked.
Kaede let out a snort and said, "Six baka's. Three in front of us, three behind. They pulled guns and tried to force us to go with them."
Mitsu giggled and said, "We bounced them off the sidewalks a few times."
Kaede said, "It wasn't even a contest. We had then down and out before they knew what was going on. We spent longer waiting for the police to show up and take them away."
"You took out six armed men by yourselves? Weren't you afraid of getting shot?" he asked.
Nana piped up with, "We can stop bullets! To us, guns only make noise, they aren't any kind of threat."
"Maybe if they catch us sleeping," Ayame said in a musing tone, which made laughter fill the van.
"Chasa-san," Kaede said in a serious tone. "For most of my life, I have been trying to hide. Hiding the fact I have these horns, as well as the fact I, and these other girls do have powers that humans don't have. We only want to live in peace and have families like anyone else, but people keep trying to kidnap me, or those close to me. I am sick of hiding. I am tired of keeping things secret. No more hats, no more excuses. If others want to be friends and be decent, that's fine. I like decent people. Whoever comes to us intending to hurt or kill my family, I will show no mercy to them. If you want to tell everyone about us, please tell them that I will no longer be afraid of being who I am."
.
Kouta wondered what Kaede was doing, telling this news man everything. As she went on though, it became clear. Kaede was tired of having to hide and make excuses. Trying to maintain a low profile had not stopped the kidnapping attempts. Kaede was taking a stand to truly be who she was in front of everyone. They had gotten to the steps up to the Maple Inn, but sat there until the interview was finished. Once the interview was over, they piled out and went up the steps. Itomo tried to follow with his camerman, but Mitsu stopped them.
"I'm sorry but you cannot come any closer," she told them.
"I understand," Itomo said. "Can you speak to me for a while?"
"I am on guard duty now. Please come back later," Mistu coaxed.
"Well, thank you for your time," Itomo said. He went back to his van to assemble the world's first interview with a real Goddess!
.
Shivering, the wet girls headed straight for the bath. Yuka got robes for them, and although there was a call for Kouta to come wash them, he stayed away. Takami got Kouta's attention and waved him into the living room.
When Kouta was seated, Takami said, "I had my lawyer talk to the lawyer for the auction house that sold your and Kaede's folder from school. To keep their name from being tarnished and avoid a very costly legal battle, they are willing to settle for two billion to each of you and give you their sincerest appologies. Will that be acceptable?"
Wide eyed, Kouta asked, "Did you say two billion? as in Yen?"
"That's right."
"So Kaede and I each get a billion yen?"
"No," Takami said smoothly. "You each get two billion yen. That is below what the folder and drawings sold for, but for what it would cost if we went to court, as well as the time it would take to get it, our lawyer says this is the best deal."
"OK," Kouta said vacantly. Two billion yen. He felt dizzy at that number. "So I guess I can invest with you and Dad more?" he asked.
Takami laughed. "Of course you can. As soon as Kaede gets out of the bath, I have to tell her about her share. I will need both of you to come to the lawyer's office and sign documents in the next few days," she said.
.
Kaede was happy about the settlement in that those who stole their work out of school were being punished with a huge fine. As for what to do with an amount of money she could not truly comprehend of having, when it came she decided it was going to leave it in a savings account. With that out of the way, she settled down wearing a fuzzy robe with Kouta in their 'each other's chair' position. Nana wanted to join them, but ended up just leaning against them.
It was fine for watching TV. Towards the end of the news, the 'local scene' section showed them playing in the surf of the large waves, then the interview inside the van on the way home.
"Kaede, you admitted all that on TV?" Takami asked, stunned.
"I'm tired of hiding. Besides, the bad guys find us anyway," Kaede replied.
.
With no typhoon, the school reopened. Kaede wasn't sure what to expect as they walked to school. She did ensure that she held Kouta'd hand and Nana had an escort as she went to the middle schoool. Walking along, the other kids called and waved with cries of, "All right Kaede!", and "Kaede, you ROCK!" Kaede did find any negative reactions to the interview she did that was played again this morning on the news.
Going onto the school grounds, Kaede's escort changed from her servants to a large gaggle of kids either wanting to be near her, or making sure their path stayed clear. Kaede and Kouta got into homeroom to find Kaede was cheered as she walked in the door. The class gathered around Kaede when she went to her seat. Everyone wanted to know how she had blown that typhoon apart.
Kaede was telling her story as the teacher came in. At that point, Kouta expected the teacher to interrupt and demand everyone take their seats. She didn't, she came over to listen to the story and questions. Once Kaede had satisfied curiosities, then the teacher called for everyone to return to their seats for class to start.
The entire day was like that. Each class, everyone was locked onto Kaede. At lunch, Kouta wore there was a parting of the lunch line for Kaede to go straight to the head. Some students even motioned her up to go ahead. Going though the line, Kaede and Kouta's lunch was free. The table they sat at was emptied.
"This is weird," Kaede said, seeing everyone gazing at her in awe.
"I am guessing they watched the news," Kouta said.
There was one big, wide girl who had an equally wide face, walked up to stand on the other side of the table. Pointing a fat finger at Kaede, she announced, "You are a fake! That stuff on the news was all special effects. You are only a pawn of the media to make us believe ..." She stopped and her eyes grew wide as she lifted off the floor.
"Right, I am totally fake," Kaede said evenly. "And you can complain someplace else."
The girl yelped out, arms flailing as she sailed out the double doors and dropped not too gently outside the calfeteria.
By the end of school that day, there wasn't anyone who didn't believe Kaede was some kind of Goddess, even if she wasn't Kami.
.
With the Interview, everyone in Japan now knew who Kikumura Kaede was. So did everyone watching TV on every continent. That interview was translated in nearly every language and broacast many times over the next few days.
With this fame came a run on the Japanese Government by scientists wanting VISA's to come and study how Kaede could possibly perform such a feat as breaking up one of the most powerful forces known in nature. Japan refused, wanting to get their own scientists involved.