Patience Is Its Own Reward

Disclaimer: I do not own SkipBeat or any of its characters.

Kyoko is still attending school and is trying to make the most of it before it graduation, with Ren and Sho chasing her every step of the way.

Chapter 38 – The Mysterious Tinkerbell

Kyoko squirmed in her seat throughout the entire ride home. Ren dropped Kotonami Kanae off first, and then Yumi. Kyoko could stand no more by the time that he pulled in front of the Daruma-ya. "Ren, I am not getting out of this car until you tell me the truth: Who is Yumi?"

Ren looked at her with innocent confusion, "I don't understand, Kyoko dear. Aunt Yumi is your manager. We just dropped her…"

"REN!," Kyoko's growl was a mixture of Mio, Natsu, and Setsu as she glared at the tall man. When he didn't answer right away, she began opening her car door and said, "Fine. Tsuruga-sempai, thank you for the ride. I look forward to…"

Ren reached out and grabbed Kyoko's arm, gently but firmly. "Okay, Kyoko," Ren said softly, "I'll tell you. I didn't tell you in the first place because I didn't want you to worry."

Kyoko pulled the door shut and met Ren's eyes, "Worry about what?"

"Mom and Dad… and I… thought that it would be best if you had protection while I was gone. You're getting very well known now, and your role as Isako will only make it worse. You probably don't realize it, but you already have a big male fan-base. Some of the comments on you LME promotional website are… not acceptable."

Kyoko was surprised. She knew that she had a website on LME; every LME talent did. But she hadn't realized that anyone ever visited it. Unlike most of her peers, she just didn't think about fame. True, she had entered acting with the intent of becoming more famous than Shotaro. But her focus had quickly changed as she fell in love with the art of acting. She had never once thought to check her website. "Not acceptable in what way?"

Ren rolled his eyes, "I realize that you don't find yourself to be attractive, my love. But a large percent of the male population completely disagrees. Mio attracted the gothic crowd. Natsu attracted just about every red-blooded male who wasn't scared by her, and now that the first two episodes of Dangerous Academics are out, your Isako is grabbing up everyone else who hasn't already logged on." Ren had trouble controlling his jealousy and irritation, "Apparently they really like the way you look in that skimpy school uniform."

Kyoko blushed. She wanted to deny everything, but lately Yumi had been working her over every time she tried to deprecate herself. Besides that, the knowledge that the man of her dreams actually loved and desired her had done much to improve her self-image. So instead of protesting, she went back to her original question, "Ummm, I still don't understand. What does this have to do with Yumi?"

"Yumi isn't just your manager, Kyoko. She's your bodyguard."

Kyoko wanted to giggle, but Ren's eyes were deadly serious. "Ren, I love your Aunt Yumi, but surely…"

"Kyoko, Yumi is my real aunt, but she met my Uncle Luke while she was taking care of a problem with some Marine ruffians in Okinawa. She is also the one who taught my father advanced fighting techniques for his movie roles."

Kyoko couldn't hold back her giggles anymore. The image of tiny little Yumi teaching Kyoko's great big, tall Otou-san was too much too handle. "Surely not, Ren… you're teasing me, right?"

Ren was lost for a few seconds. He loved her giggle. It was so rare, and he always found it enchanting. "Ren? Why are you grinning like that?"

Ren shook himself, "Perhaps I should park and we could go in? It's a rather long story, Kyoko." The truth was that he desperately wanted to pull her across the seat and into his lap at that moment… and that would lead… So they went inside, exchanged greetings with Taisho and Okami-san, and sat down in the empty restaurant. The Okami-san brought the young couple tea and then went off to bed.

Kyoko took a sip of tea and looked at Ren adoringly. She didn't know why, but he seemed flustered at the moment, and it made him… cute? "Okay, now finish the story. Please?"

"It isn't a joke, Kyoko. Egami Yumi is a 7-Dan in Judo… at least, the last time anyone tested her. She was considered a weapon master by the time she was twenty years old. She comes from an ancient family of warriors, Kyoko. They have their own fighting style, both open-hand and with weapons.

Yumi met mom when mom came to visit her brother while he was stationed in Okinawa. Yumi loved Mom right away… they have the same sense of humor. When someone started stalking Julie, Yumi appointed herself as her personal bodyguard. Even after the stalker was dealt with, she continued to funtion as Mom's manager and bodyguard. While my Uncle Luke and Yumi lived in Okinawa, she also taught Dad and many others what they needed in order to look authentic in their roles. Of course, by then Dad had met, fallen in love with, and married Mom."

Kyoko looked at Ren for a long time, struggling to make herself visualize little Yumi, "Tinkerbell," as a world-class fighter. "Ren?"

Ren knew what her struggle was, "I'll tell you what, Kyoko. When Yumi takes you back to the Uesugi dojo tomorrow, let her give you a demonstration. I'm sure that Hiou, his father, and grandfather would be honored to participate."

"All three of them?" Kyoko eyes clearly showed that she was waiting for the punch-line.

"I know you don't see movies much, but did you see Episode 2 of Star Wars when little Yoda fought the Count?"

Kyoko frowned, "I saw it on television. What's your point?"

"Yoda would be a much more appropriate nickname for Aunt Yumi. She may be as cute as Tinkerbell, but she fights like Yoda."

Kyoko was still struggling with credulity when Yumi picked her up the next morning. They made a loop across town to pick up Kanae, who had been invited to watch as well. Normally, in the early morning on a Saturday, there would only be a few students. On this day the dojo was packed. Hiou, dressed in his new finery, met them at the entrance gate. "Good morning, Egami-sensei, Kanae-chan, Kyoko-chan. Grandfather told his students that this morning would be… educational. The place is packed, but I've saved central seats for you." He blushed just a little as he tried not to make it too obvious that he was focusing his attention on Kanae.

"Egami-sensei, mother has made her room available for you to change. He said that you would know where to go?" Hiou looked just a little skeptically at the tiny lady, but he knew that his grandfather was never one to exaggerate, so he tried to not let her see his doubts.

"Hiou, would you please call me Yumi?"

Hiou blanched, "Please, no! If grandfather or my parents heard me call a master by her first name…"

Yumi laid a kindly hand on the young teen's arm, "Never mind, Hiou. I understand." She turned to the two young ladies, "I'll see you inside. Bye now."

The Uesugi dojo was a traditional Muromachi style, with a ski-slope roof and a post and beam structure. The inside of the large dojo was wide open, supported by a single, massive pole that extended up to high ceiling. The floor, the walls, and the ceiling were all constructed of a reddish wood that was polished to a high sheen. Each space between the screens had a quote from a famous martial arts teacher, all in brush calligraphy.

Over fifty students lined the walls, waiting for the match. Their eyes followed the two pretty young ladies as they walked in, but Hiou's cold glare made them look down. Nobody wanted to irritate the little sensei.

Hiou's mother was already seated, and she motioned for Kyoko and Kanae to take seats on the cushions beside her. "Hello again, young ladies. I can't tell you how excited all of the men in my family are about this morning."

Kanae smiled at the famous actress who had been so welcoming to her the night before, "Is she really that good?"

"I've never personally seen her, but I've also never seen Otou-san look so excited." They talked for a while as the combatants stretched and warmed up in private. Then the three Uesugi men marched in and sat at attention on their knees. Four black-belts marched in carrying various weapons: katanas, spears, staffs, and tri-staffs; several of each. These were laid out along the border of the wooden floor. When they were finished, they bowed and left the floor. Every eye turned when the door slid open and tiny Yumi, in a silken black gi with a single embroidered heron over the right breast, and a red belt. Despite their position of respectful attention, many of the students couldn't conceal their surprise at the almost childlike beauty and size of the pixie who came to a halt facing the three Uesugis.

Kotetsu, Ryataro, and Hiou stood and bowed respectfully. Yumi returned their bows. No words were spoken as the four combatants assumed their ready stances. Afterwards, Kyoko would never be able say who moved first. Suddenly the three males moved toward the little woman with what seemed like lightning speed. Ryataro was the first to go down, though nobody saw what Yumi had done. Kanae did see Yumi leg-sweep Hiou. She was up and in the air, delivering a blinding-fast crescent kick at Kotestsu's head. He blocked it, aiming a hammer-strike towards Yumi's mid-section, but she somehow used his blocking arm to swing her entire body behind the big man.

Before he could react, he was hit with an elbow strike to the neck. The entire conflict, from the first movement to the final strike, had lasted less than 60 seconds. As the men picked themselves up, little Yumi stood in a ready stance, not even breathing hard. All three Uesugis smiled sheepishly and bowed, which was the signal allowing the students to react. They all started slapping the floor with their hands. The girls looked at Hiou's mother and she explained, "That is the appropriate way to applaud." All three of them joined in. Kyoko was lost in fairyland, imagining her manager as a real elfin warrior princess.

The four combatants walked to the sides, picked up long-staffs, and then returned to the floor. This time Yumi moved into the center and her three challengers surrounded her. Once again it was difficult to judge who moved first. Kyoko thought that it was Hiou, but she couldn't be sure. It didn't really matter, because they all moved immediately afterward. The combat lasted longer, but Yumi was still victorious in the end. The most memorable moment was when Yumi seemed to run up Hiou's staff to launch herself over his head; before she had even landed she was sweeping the two older men off of their feet. Hiou spun to face her, and held his own remarkably well for about thirty seconds. Then Yumi was suddenly in possession of both staffs and Hiou was left empty-handed and bewildered. Again the men bowed, and again the students slapped the floor in applause. Kyoko's hands stung afterward from her excited applause.

Time only allowed for one more round. Yumi chose wooden swords, and the tension level in the room went up. Kanae looked at Nabatame Yuuko inquisitively. "Egami-sensei is famous for the Heron Sword technique… just watch."

The three Uesugi's put on leather armor, but Yumi remained as she was. She assumed an unusual looking stance, with the sword held high and pointing down. This time she nodded to give the signal to begin. What followed would be impossible for the poor skills of this writer to describe. To Kyoko and Kanae it seemed more like a dance than combat. But the slapping of Yumi's wooden sword on the chest and back plates of the men's armor was proof enough that it was indeed combat. Yumi's sword didn't meet the swords of the others as one would imagine. Instead, over and over again, her sword insinuated itself past all defenses to make killing thrusts and strikes. Perhaps the technique, in the hands of an amateur, would have looked clumsy. But tiny, beautiful, pixie-like Yumi made it all look like the dance of a prima ballerina. In the end all three expert martial artists stood there, disarmed, and bowed with extreme respect for the child-sized, red belted master.

Nobody slapped the floor this time. When Kyoko looked around and realized that every last student was bowed in a dogeza. In a heartbeat she and Kanae had copied them.

Nobody could have looked prouder than Kyoko as she, Kanae, Hiou, and Yumi walked to the car to head to the studio. She would have worshipped at her mini-manager's feet if Yumi would have allowed it. Instead Yumi just groaned, "I'm getting too old for this. You guys are buying me lunch, I hope you realize that." They would have taken her to the most expensive restaurant in town had she requested it.

Kyoko was still cognitive enough, despite her trip through fairyland, to quickly grab the front seat so that Hiou could sit in the back with Kanae. Kanae scowled at her friend, but then she carried on a lively conversation with Hiou. For his part Hiou worked hard to not stare at the woman of his dreams too much. Yumi helped by giving him something else to think about, "You did very well today, Hiou-san."

Hiou blushed slightly, "I'm not sure of that. You made pretty short work of all of us, Master Egami."

"Hiou, neither your parents nor your grandfather is here now. That means that you have to call me Yumi, please." When she saw his reluctance, she helped him by adding, "One of the best weapons in the security business is to have your enemy underestimate you, Hiou. I need anyone who might try to harm Kyoko to view me as harmless," she ignored Kanae's snort of laughter. Nobody in that car would ever perceive her as harmless again. "So I need you to call me Yumi in public; okay?"

Hiou nodded. Kyoko finally spoke for the first time since leaving the dojo, "You're the shadow warrior, Yumi! You're my model for my new role! Please, please, can you teach me?"

Yumi glanced away from the road and over to her young charge, "You don't know what you're asking, Kyoko. My family's art requires a level of discipline that most people couldn't imagine. I spent my childhood in the dojo. Not just a few hours, but from dawn till dusk. Are you ready for that?"

"That's what the shadow warrior's life was like Yumi," Kyoko's eyes were bright with the challenge, "So I have to live at least a part of it so that I can truly understand her. Please?"

Episode 11

[[Nagase Kimiko walks purposefully up to Isako's apartment complex. Her hand is in her purse, but she pulls it out when she sees Gensai Jotaro and most of his gang gathered outside of the gate.

"Jotaro-san! What's happening here?" She did her best to look concerned.

"Makuda grabbed Amori Emiko. Isako must have gone after him. We're waiting for… Okay, here they are. Everyone listen up!" His gang gathered around him. Kimiko stood close by. "We're heading to Makuda's headquarters. He's gone too far now. He grabbed little Amori Emiko." There were grumbles from the gang members who had grown up with Isako. "It's time to shut that cockroach down, once and for all! I'm riding with Satoshi. Everyone else, follow me."

Kimiko watched everyone pile into cars or climb on motorcycles. Once Jotaro was out of sight, she ran up to the last driver, "Jotaro told me to ride with you."

He looked at her skeptically, but he didn't protest when she piled into the back seat. As he pulled away, she slipped her hand in her purse and allowed a wicked smile to play across her lips.]]

[[The theme song plays]]

[[Amori Isako knocks imperiously on the warehouse door with Yasuda standing behind her. Nissan Akikazu opens the door and nods, regret in his eyes. While the others watch in trepidation for what will happen next, Josuke Juro assumes an arrogant attitude.

"Isako, I still don't know if I'm willing to…"

SMACK! Juro was rocked back on his heels as Isako's hand impacted his face with a sound like a rifle crack. Everyone's eyes grew even wider as she followed her slap with a knee to the big teen's stomach. Juro went down to the floor, and Isako would have continued attacking him, but Yasuda grabbed her before she could do any more. She struggled in the big man's arms as she spit out, "You wanted to play the big man, Juro. You wanted to take over and show everybody how things should be done. Now they have Emiko! My little sister is being held by Makuda because you thought that you could do a better job than me!"

Tears ran down her eyes as Juro picked himself up and bowed his head in shame. Her words came out more calmly, but there was ice in her voice, "You had better hope that Emiko isn't harmed, Juro. You better start praying now."

She turned to everyone else, eyeing them, "Where are Makuda's boys?"

She and Yasuda followed everyone's eyes. The pair walked around the corner to see the two forms slumped against the pole. They were both obviously in terrible shape. Yasuda took over, "Get them untied. You, Morita-san, get a wet cloth to clean them up. Isako-san, I need to talk to…"

The phone rang and both of them tensed. Isako took a deep breath before answering, "This is Isako."

"Do you have my boys, Isako?"

"Yes. Now I want my sister."

"Always in such a hurry. Little Emi and I are having so much fun together."

Isako's voice was calm now, and as cold as the depths of hell, "If you touch one hair on her head, Makuda, you will die. Even if you get away now, you'll be running until the day I find you. Don't even try to underestimate me."

There was a long pause before Makuda answered, "You're the one with two of my boys, Isako-chan. You've been playing in dangerous waters. Did you really think nobody would get hurt?"

"What has happened before was between the Undead and Valhalla. This is between you and me, Makuda. I get my sister back, unharmed, and you live. If you harm her, you die. There is no option three."

"Fine, Isako. Just bring my boys to the railroad staging yard under the Yanagita Bridge*. Just you, Isako."

"That won't work. Your boys are going to need help, and I can't drive. I'll need at least two others."

Another long pause, "Fine, Isako-chan. Two… no more. Be there in thirty minutes." He hung up before Isako could respond.]]

[[Detective Hasekara hangs up her cell phone. Officer's Konichi, Ebihara, and Kada stand by, waiting.

"He's on the move. They have Deguchi and Fujita, but they're in bad shape. Makuda chose the railroad staging yard under Yanagita Bridge."

Konichi whistled, "That's not good. There are at least ten warehouses and quite a few equipment sheds. He could hide an army in there and we wouldn't know it until they jumped out."

"We'll just have to play fast and loose," Hasekara declared, trying to sound confident. "Kada, how many units standing by?"

"Ten. We've got a chopper ready to go at tenth district. Should we move it closer?"

"Ebihara, you meet the chopper and get it as close as you can; but no closer than five blocks. Check and see if any of the nearby hospitals have an open helipad."

[[Gensai Jotaro looks out of the passenger-side window. His eyes communicate the fear and concern he feels for Emiko and Isako. He sees another car that catches his attention. For a moment, he just watches casually, but then he sits up.

"Satoshi! That was Makuda! Can you catch him?"

Satoshi swerved in traffic to follow, the first three cars following him kept going, but the final car saw him turn in time to follow far behind. "Boss, we just lost everyone."

"We'll call them when we find out where he's going. Just follow."

The camera focuses on the phone in his hand, a low-battery warning is flashing before it shuts down.]]

[[Nissan Akikazu drove his old van and stared, dumbfounded, at Yasuda Hisaki, "Sensei, you're a cop!"

"The road, Akikazu! Please watch where you're driving." Yasuda was clearly struggling to keep himself from grabbing the steering wheel.

Nissan wrestled the van back into his lane, still snatching glances at Yasuda. Yasuda sighed, "Yes, Akikazu-san, I am a policeman. I was undercover, trying to put a stop to the gang violence before things got out of hand."

Nissan shook his head, "Not much luck there, I take it?"

"Obviously."

"Is Isako in on this?" He glanced into the rearview mirror to where Isako was sitting in the second seat. She was turned sideways so that she could glare at the two beaten figures in the back seat.

"I didn't tell her until today. I told her because I thought she wasn't involved. I was hoping she could help."

"You're batting a thousand, aren't you?"

"I don't care," Yasuda growled, "as long as Emiko comes out safe."

Isako turns and glances at Yasuda, her eyes questioning, before she returns her glare on the two Valhalla members.]]

[[Makuda's driver looks up at the rearview mirror, agitated.

"Odin, man, we're being followed."

Makuda looked back. Satoshi's car passes under a street lamp, revealing Jotaro's blond hair. "That's Gensai behind us. I can't believe that b*tch would call him!" He pulled out his cell phone and dialed a number.

"Yeah, this is Odin… We've got a shadow… Yeah, nail him there… Just a second (he turned around to look at the car again)… It's a light blue Toyota, don't know the type… Okay." He hung up and smiled viciously, "Don't drive too fast, I want to see this."]]

[[Nagase Kimiko leans forward as the car she's in sits at an intersection, waiting for the light to change.

"Can't you at least call him?" She was glaring at anyone and everyone.

"Look, girl, I already told you that he's not answering. He called everyone, so his batteries probably dead. Don't worry, I'll catch up to him as soon as the light changes."]]

[[Satoshi continues to follow Makuda's car. Jotaro fidgets while looking out of the side window. Suddenly car headlights turn on and a truck barrels towards them at full speed. The camera focuses on Jotaro's startled eyes, and then zooms out to show the truck smashing into the side of Satoshi's car. The car is hit so hard that it rolls completely over before coming to a rest on the smashed roof.

As the truck backs up and drives away, the camera shows Jotaro, bloodied and unconscious, lying halfway out of the car.

Makuda hits the dash with his hands in glee, "Did you see that! That'll teach that punk! Now, let's get to the yard so that I can explain the penalties of breaking the rules to Isako."]]

[[The crowd is already forming as Kimiko's car pulls up to the intersection where Satoshi's smashed car lies. Before the driver has even come to a stop, Kimiko is unbuckled and out of the car, running toward the scene of the wreck. The driver walks up to see Kimiko staring at Jotaro in a state of shock. He leans down to look at his leader and hears Jotaro groan.

"Thank god he's ali…" He looked around and realized that the girl was no longer standing there. He looked at the other teen who had been in his car, but the teen just shook his head to indicate that he didn't know where the girl had gone. He shrugged and turned his attention back to Jotaro.

The episode closes with Nagase Kimiko walking down a dark sidewalk. Tears run down her face, and her expression is distorted with a mixture of grief and rage. Her purse is abandoned and the handgun looks black and sinister in her hands.]

(Of course, there were other scenes, but once again I only included the scenes that are vital to help the reader understand the story's line and flow.)

Notes: As a young teen I had the privilege of witnessing a red belt, a tiny man of about 60 or 70, take on five or more black belts in a fighting ring. Although they were all young and tough, he made short work of them. That was my inspiration for this story. Understand that I am not disparaging the Uesugis. They would consider it an honor to be defeated by such a master.

Yanagita Bridge is fictional. Of course, there are a ton of bridges in Tokyo, and many of them are probably close to railroad tracks, but I couldn't find the information that I needed to choose the right one. Therefore Tokyo now has a new bridge… and it didn't cost them a yen.

Thanks again for reading and reviewing.