A/N - I do not own these characters.
Chapter 10
"Mei-chan, how exactly do you know Candace-san?" Sachiko asked curiously, jabbing a thumb in the direction of the two retreating figures.
"Oh, didn't I tell you?" Candace answered from the doorway instead, a glint of mischief in her eyes. "She's my niece." With that, the two were gone, leaving a surprised Sachiko and a confused set of cousins in her wake.
"You are her niece?" It was something Sachiko couldn't wrap her mind around. She hadn't realized that Candace had any family in Japan, despite having known the woman for years. I'm a horrible person.
"Yup! She's taken care of me for most of my life." Mei's smile ebbed slightly, showing a twinge of sadness. "My folks died in a crash when I was three years old. Auntie moved to Japan to take care of me and we've been together ever since."
"Oh, Mei-chan, I'm so sorry to hear about your family." Sachiko offered her sympathy, feeling a stab in her own heart at the thought of losing her family at such a young age.
"Thank you, but really, I'm okay. I don't really remember a lot from the time before Auntie took me in. I have pictures and stories from others, but no real concrete memories to speak of." Mei spoke as she fingered the boxing mitts Yumi had left behind. "I am really blessed actually. Auntie is the best person in the world. I have never felt neglected or alone with her around."
"Wow, your Aunt sounds like a marvelous person." Rei commented, smiling at the young girl.
"Yeah, totally!" Yoshino smiled vibrantly at their visitor. Turning to Sachiko though she inquired, "How exactly do you know Candace-sama then, Sachiko-sama?"
"Oh, well, Candace-san has been the head of my grandfather's security team for years. I met Mei-chan when I discovered Yumi-chan's karate abilities but didn't realize the two of them were related."
Mei shrugged a bit shyly. "Well, I didn't feel right about saying anything when we first met. People find out my Aunt works for the Ogasawara family and suddenly it's a big deal. On the flip side, I didn't want you thinking I was looking for any connections due to my Aunt's job."
Sachiko nodded in understanding. Only those connected with the Ogasawara name could truly understand the burden it could be. "I can understand the feeling. There are days when I want to avoid the Ogasawara name as well." The two laughed at the unexpected connection.
As if finally catching on, Yoshino jumped to Mei's side and grabbed her hands excitedly. "So you're the adorable Kouhai that Yumi talks about all the time? You studied Karate with her?"
Caught slightly off guard by Yoshino's pronouncement, Mei merely nodded.
"Then you can help where your Senpai left off!" Yoshino shoved the mitts into Mei's hands and then backed up to take her stance.
Surprised by the sudden change their meeting was going, Mei looked between the mitts, Yoshino, and Rei. The last of whom was trying to restrain her laughter.
"So that's the situation, Yumi-chan." Candace had explained the situation but was obviously reluctant about the plan.
Yumi stood in silence, thinking about everything that Candace had explained. One thing still didn't make sense to her. "I don't see how this bait and switch tactic will work. For something like that, doesn't the bait have to be just as appealing as the real thing?"
"No, the bait merely has to appear appealing until the fish is hooked." It was obvious to Yumi that Candace was slightly uncomfortable with how the situation was playing out. "Listen, I wouldn't have ever suggested this course of action had I felt we had time to wait this out. From everything I've been hearing, the syndicate is gettin' impatient. If I'm applying pressure in France they will most likely snap near and act before I can return."
"I do understand, Candace-sama. Actually, most of me really hopes that this works so that the pressure is taken off of Onee-sama. She isn't saying much, but I know she is afraid." After a moment of staring intently at nothing in particular, Yumi faced the taller woman. "Count me in."
"Are you certain, Yumi-chan? No one would think differently of you if you were to say no." Candace appeared to be trying to convince her to say no, but Yumi had her mind made up.
"No, if you think this will work, then let's do it. If anything happens before you return from France… I'll just have to hold on." Yumi swallowed hard, trying to sound more confident than she felt.
"So, you understand the plan then?"
Yumi nodded. "You'll have your people spread rumors about a young girl being taken in by the Ogasawara family as their adoptive daughter. How arrangements are being made for a strategic marriage for this young girl as well. If when you apply pressure in France, they take action here I'll be ready for them. I'll get Sachiko to safety and play the bait myself. They take me. Then I just wait for you and your team to show up and get rid of the syndicate presence in the city." Candace nodded and was about to speak when Yumi asked a question that was gnawing at her gut. "Candace-sama, do you really think that this will be enough to derail these plans that are targeting and endangering Sachiko-sama?"
Gracing her with a roguish smile, Candace shrugged. "The thing is, Yumi-sama, you can never be certain of the results of the hunt until it's all over. That's why it's always good practice to have chickens on hand just in case the hunt doesn't prove fruitful."
Yumi narrowed her eyes as she tried to piece together what Candace had just said. "Huh?"
Candace merely laughed and shook her head, "A plan B, Yumi-sama. Plan B. Now then, give me your arm." Without question, Yumi lifted her arm and placed it in Candace's outstretched hand. From the woman's pocket, she pulled a small gun and immediately placed it to Yumi's forearm, and pulled the trigger.
Yumi put thoughts of what Candace had said to the side and winced at the stinging sensation before instinctively jerked her arm back. "What was that?"
"That's a chemical trace," Candace explained, concealing the gun once more. "It'll take roughly twenty hours for it to become active. At that point, it should stay active for seventy-two hours. With this, I should be able to find you upon my return." The older woman stopped and studied Yumi again. "You can still back out, Yumi-chan. This is not going to be like a karate tournament where you know that when the bell rings you get to walk away. This will be real, scary shit. I can't promise that-"
Yumi put her hand up to silence the endearing Scottish woman. "I know what the risks are, believe me. And I would rather risk them myself than wait for Sachiko to be taken."
"You realize that Sachiko cannot know about this, right? If she did…"
"She would never let the trap happen." Yumi finished with a nod. "I know. Trust me, she won't find out. Not until it's too late." Sighing with a heavy heart, Yumi looked back toward the dojo doors. "I just hope she'll be able to forgive me."
They entered to find Mei sparring with Yoshino, trying to instruct the Lillian girl how to deliver a proper kick. "You want to pivot here and extend at this height. Don't lock up. Try to stay fluid during the turn. And if you need to, use your arms to center your gravity. I follow Yumi-senpai's example and tuck my arms closer to my chest during this particular kick."
Yoshino nodded along with the instruction, happy though with a serious face of concentration as she focused on the moves. Yumi was suddenly struck by the irony of Rei sitting to the side watching as Yoshino received instruction from a stranger.
"Rei, why is it that your father has never taught you or Yoshino-chan any advanced martial arts?" She waited until she was standing close by Rei's side before asking as she tried to avoid drawing attention away from Mei's instruction.
Rei shrugged fractionally, her eyes still remaining riveted to her younger cousin. While Yoshino was no longer as fragile as she once was, Yumi could tell it was still difficult for the older girl to loosen that protective grip she had on Yoshino. "When I was little I would take part in simple instructions for all the martial arts my father and grandfather teach in the dojo. However, when I grew older I stopped for multiple reasons."
When Rei didn't elaborate, Yumi pried further. "Was it because Yoshino couldn't take part?"
A smile tugged at the corner of the blonde girl's mouth. "That did play a part in it, yes. I didn't like always having to exclude Yoshino from my practices. Additionally, my grandfather was of an old-fashioned nature. Girls didn't belong in the dojo. After I turned seven he demanded that I stop and my parents acquiesced to his desires on the topic. After my grandfather died I was already in Kendo and that took me away from Yoshino enough. I decided not to press the issue of returning to the other martial arts. Now…" A look of discontent overtook her features. "I am finding that I regret not having learned more."
"Why is that?" Yumi hoped she was prying too much now. She had enjoyed the closer relationship she had been building with the older girl since having revealed her secret. It seemed that Rei felt a kinship with her that Yumi had only ever known with other females in the martial arts circle.
"Well, now I haven't even talked with Yoshino about this, so keep it hush-hush, okay?" When Yumi nodded, Rei continued. "I had been thinking I might go to college to study physical therapy and sports medicine then return to my family's dojo."
"That's really neat that you have that opportunity!" Yumi stated excitedly, before noticing the bitter smile on her senior's face. "What's wrong?"
"Well, it would be a great opportunity, but my father is not too thrilled about it. He kept going on about honoring grandfather's memory and his beliefs regarding women in the dojo. You see, he's been grooming a few distant male relatives of mine to take over from him one day. Apparently, I'm not part of that equation." Looking downcast and dejected, Rei looked away from the training to meet Yumi's gaze. "It's not fair, but I guess we still live in a world where our power is limited."
Before she knew what she was doing, Yumi was shaking her head in disagreement. "Only if you choose to give what power you have away."
"What do you mean, Yumi?" Looking quizzical, Rei crossed her arms and leaned against the smooth wall of the dojo.
"I mean if you want to be part of a dojo, then follow your dream. Go to college. Study physical therapy and sports medicine. Then find a place where you can use your skills and passions in a dojo. It would be a bit sad if it doesn't end up being your family dojo, but it would be heartbreaking if you didn't do it at all." Yumi spoke with conviction as she rattled off her opinion on the matter. She knew it was easier said than done to walk away from your family, but if anyone deserved an opportunity like this, Yumi felt it was Rei. She was always so strong for others, thinking of others first and making sacrifices for everyone. Why should she be made to sacrifice her dreams for the future as well?
Rei listened without interrupting, looking serious in her contemplation of Yumi's words. Finally, when Yumi had finished, Rei cracked a smile. "That was an inspiring speech, Yumi."
"It should be because you inspired it." Yumi chuckled, leaning her back against the wall and casting a sidelong glance in Rei's direction. "Hey, not to change the topic, but might I ask a quick favor of you?"
"Anything. What's up?"
Turning her gaze to Sachiko, sitting across the room once more reading her novel, Yumi spoke. Her voice was soft and anxious, causing Rei to worry at her words. "In the next few days, I might send you a message. It'll most likely only be the name of a place or a particular location. Wherever it is, I need you to drop everything and go there. You'll know why when you do."
Struck by the irregular nature of the request, Rei hesitated before responding. "Yumi, what is going on? That is far too cryptic for me to accept without some level of explanation."
Taking a deep breath as if hyping herself up for a fight, Yumi turned to face her and spoke in low, quick words. "Okay, what I'm about to say goes nowhere. For the last week or so I have been acting as Sachiko-sama's bodyguard. Due to a business decision made by her grandfather, her life is being threatened. I can't go into the details, but things are escalating. If I have to leave Sachiko somewhere alone I need someone I trust to find her and get her to safety. You are strong and can protect both of you. You're logical and cool-headed. The only person I trust with that job is you, Rei. You may also be able to keep her calm."
With a look of utter astonishment, Rei tried to speak, but at first, nothing came out. Finally, she was able to choke out a soft response. "I can't believe neither of you told me about this before!"
"Sachiko-sama didn't want anyone worrying about her." Yumi explained.
"That does sound like one of her ludicrous excuses." Rei groaned. "But Yumi, I don't understand. If you're supposed to protect her, why would there ever be an instance when you leave her somewhere?"
"I may not have a choice." Yumi explained. When it looked like Rei might not accept the answer, she added, "Please, Rei, I would give you more information if I could, but right now I can't. I just need you to promise that you will do what I cannot if the time arises."
With a conflicted sigh, Rei reluctantly nodded her head. "Alright, fine, but that doesn't mean I like this arrangement."
With a bitter smile, Yumi nodded her thanks and understanding. "Believe me," She turned to stare at Sachiko once more and found their eyes locked over the book in her Onee-sama's hands. "I don't much care for the arrangement either."
Having watched the practice session for a time, Yumi shoved herself off the wall and approached the two girls sparring. "Yoshino-chan, it might be a good idea to take a break now." Yumi smiled at seeing the look of relief cross Yoshino's face for the briefest of instances. "It's okay. I'm sure Mei-chan will return to spar with us again, right?" She asked, turning her dancing eyes on the energetic redhead.
"Of course!" Mei, bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet, nodded. "If Yoshino-sama is done, how about a quick match between us, Senpai?"
Yumi saw Sachiko's head shoot up and her eyes narrow, out of the corner of her eye. Knowing she was about to voice her disapproval given Yumi's physical condition, Yumi spoke quickly. "I think I can handle that. Hold on a second though." Jogging quickly over to Sachiko's side, Yumi did not fail to see the look of consternation on her face. Leaning over her Onee-sama, getting as close as she could, she whispered, "I promise I'll be careful this time."
As she pulled back, she let her lips graze Sachiko's ear in a chaste kiss. Anyone watching from the room would never have noticed it, despite the sudden flush that overtook Sachiko's face. With a wink and without a word of warning, she grabbed the bottom edge of her shirt and whipped it off up over her head. This effectively left her in nothing but her PE pants and a sports bra. "Mind holding this for me, Onee-sama?"
She accepted the shirt without complaint and watched as Yumi spun around and jogged back to Mei-chan.
Yumi accepted the padded gloves passed to her by Rei and slipped them on. "You ready for this, my kohai?" She spoke with a wicked lilt to her voice, drawing a chuckle from Candace-sama near the door.
"You know it, Senpai!" Mei pounded her fists together and took a southpaw stance.
Taking an opposing stance, Yumi nodded and they inched forward to tap their gloves briefly before they began to dance around the mats.
Yumi waited patiently as Mei tested the waters with small kicks at irregular intervals. Dancing to the left, Yumi hopped over the offending kicks, then dropped low with one leg extended to avoid a sudden roundhouse. She rolled back onto her shoulders to avoid a low sweep and then kicked back up to her feet.
Seeing Yumi rise to her feet, Mei threw a right hook toward her chin, which Yumi blocked smoothly with her arm. In a sudden retaliation, Yumi took a strong step forward and slammed the palms of her hands into Mei's chest, sending the girl tumbling backward onto her butt.
Their friends watching all gasped in shock at the hit, but Mei merely smiled up at her Senpai. "I always fall for that."
With a good-natured shrug, Yumi winked at the downed girl. "You may have been a slight bit impatient, but that is also your fighting style."
As if to reinforce her Senpia's assessment, Mei tumbled forward and back to her feet, chasing Yumi a few steps back and driving a fist straight toward her stomach. Yumi danced backward as if having anticipated the move and blocked the punch with a sweep of her arm.
Jumping to her feet, Mei decided to let loose with a barrage of strikes. Left, right, left, right uppercut, left knee, right jab, and a sudden explosive roundhouse kick. They all looked on in awe at how quickly the two were moving. Yumi blocked one hit after another, seemingly never even blinking, while Mei never stopped her advance.
Finally, when Mei was in mid-turn for a kick, Yumi made her move. Stepping into the kick, she grabbed Mei's elevated leg, wrapping her arm securely around the knee. As Mei's eye sparked with alarm, she realized too late what was going to happen. Yumi swept Mei's remaining leg out from under her with a quick movement of her foot, sending her tumbling backward on the mats. Yumi's knee on her chest kept the younger girl from moving as she grinned down at her kohai. "Do you yield?"
With a mock sigh of frustration, Mei rolled her eyes. "Don't I always?"
Yumi laughed and extended a hand to help the younger girl up. "One day you'll beat me soundly."
"I don't know about that." Mei laughed. Looking around at their spectators, Mei blushed slightly. "Sorry I didn't give you all a better showing than that."
"Are you serious?" Yoshino exclaimed excitedly. "That was freakin' awesome!"
"Yoshino is right," Rei added jovially. "Plus, Mei-chan, it looked to me like you had Yumi on the ropes there for a minute."
Mei was shaking her head and about to speak again when Yumi spoke up, hugging the younger girl around the shoulder despite her being taller. "You noticed that, huh? Yeah, Mei-chan is a powerhouse. She can explode into a flurry of moves out of nowhere."
"I'm sorry to cut our visit short, but I must get my wee bairn home. I believe there is a Maths test this week that is deserving of our attention, no?" Candace spoke smoothly as she came to Mei's side.
"Oh, Auntie, I haven't been a bairn in years." Mei pouted, embarrassed by the name.
"I think not, Mei-chan. You are my child, therefore you are my bairn. It's as simple as that, so don't ye try to fight it." Pulling the redheaded girl into her arms, Candace hugged her close, despite the half-hearted protests from the girl. "You'll always be my bairn."
Sachiko sat stunned for a moment, never having seen the Scottish woman so affectionate with anyone before. It pulled on her heartstrings to see such love between the two of them. "Mei-chan, you are truly blessed."
Mei and Candace both turned to face Sachiko as she spoke. "Huh?"
"You have an incredible Aunt taking care of you and loving you with all her heart. I can tell just from the way she holds you in her arms." She smiled and walked to Yumi's side. "I hope you see how fortunate you are to have Candace-sama in your life, Mei-chan." Putting a hand on Yumi's shoulder, she squeezed ever so gently so as not to aggravate any of her sore muscles. "I know a few things about being fortunate myself." Those words were whispered for only Yumi to hear.
Lifting her head from Candace's chest, Mei met her Aunt's loving gaze and beamed. "You are right, Sachiko-sama. I am blessed and oh so thankful!" Burying her face back into Candace's chest, she wrapped her shorter arms around her Aunt. "I don't know where I would be with you, Auntie."
Sachiko could see the moisture building in Candace's eyes, but she wouldn't let anyone see it fall. Instead, she buried her face into Mei's hair and spoke through a constricted throat. "Lass, you've saved me in more ways than I could ever describe." Looking up Candace took note of the tearful crowd and scoffed. "No look what we did, lil miss. Waterworks everywhere!"
Sure enough, Yumi could see both Rei and Yoshino were fighting back their emotions while Sachiko was more or less embracing the tenderness of the moment. Yumi herself let a tear fall, but all the while she smiled. "Some tears are a good thing, Candace-sama."
"Aye. I guess so." Giving Mei one last good squeeze, Candace released her only to take hold of her hand instead. "Well, we'll be going first then. We will see all of you again very soon."
Sachiko could help but notice the pointed glance traded between the Scottish woman and her petite soeur. Something was going on and she was determined to figure it out.
After a delicious dinner, Yumi retreated to her bedroom to indulge in a long, hot shower. Letting the stream of water beat into her sore muscles felt heavenly. Feeling a bit dizzy, she realized her time was up and made her way out of the steaming bathroom, securing her robe as she went. More time had passed than she realized, revealed by the fact that the room had grown dark as she had showered. Without looking around, she went straight for where she knew the tin of salve was on the closest end table. She was about to pop the lid off when a soft hand reached out and grabbed her wrist. Just as she was about to lash out instinctively with her fist, a whiff of Sachiko's rose scent reached her and she instantly calmed. "What the hell, Onee-sama? Trying to scare me to death or something?"
"No, death is the furthest thing from my mind right now, Yumi." When she felt the sharp tug on her arm, Yumi allowed herself to be pulled into Sachiko's waiting arms, for fear that any resistance might have hurt her Onee-sama.
Sachiko redirected her fall toward the couch and she soon found herself pinned beneath the older girl. "O-Onee-sama?" Yumi suddenly became very aware that the only clothing she wore was the robe, which was now askew. At that moment she couldn't have been more grateful for the darkness.
Sachiko didn't speak, only lowered her lips to Yumi's and moved there hungrily. Yumi wasn't at all opposed to this turn of events, but something didn't feel quite right. There was a rigidness to Sachiko's shoulders that belied her actions. "Onee… Onee-sa-sama?" She tried to push Sachiko back without too much pressure, but the older girl seemed determined to fight her. Pushing her a little harder, but hopefully not hard enough to injure her, Yumi turned her head to the side and growled in frustration. "Enough! Sachiko, st-stop!"
As if snapped from a dream, Sachiko shook and even in the dim light, Yumi saw her eyes grow wide. An instant later they filled with tears and she moved to get up. However, Yumi refused to let her. She could tell that if she did Sachiko would run away and she wasn't going to let the older girl do that, not after this uncharacteristic display. "Hold on, wait a minute! What is this all about?"
"I'm-" Sachiko gasped for breath as she half-heartedly tried to tug her arm free of Yumi's grasp. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have come."
Still refusing to let the older girl go, Yumi gently pulled her down beside her on the couch. Holding her so that Sachiko was able to rest her cheek against Yumi's chest, Yumi let her fingers glide through her glossy black hair. She cooed softly in her beloved's ear as she tried to puzzle out exactly what had upset Sachiko so much. Finally, when it seemed her Onee-sama was calmer, she whispered softly in her ear, "What is troubling you, Sachiko, my love?"
In response, Sachiko tightened her grip around her waist and seemed to burrow deeper into Yumi's chest.
Yumi hated to see Sachiko so upset and racked her brain trying to figure out what was going on. "Did your grandfather or father say something insensitive again?"
Silence greeted her inquiry.
"Hmmm. So that's not it. Did Yoko-sama cancel her plans with you for this weekend? I know she had to cancel last time and you weren't particularly pleased."
Still, the silence was her only response.
"Well, I don't suppose Kashawagi-san came out and announced his gayness to the world, right?" Sachiko stiffened in her arms, though she knew it was from the mere shock that Yumi had said such a thing. Little did she know that was the whole point. "But I guess I would hope that him making that proclamation would make you happy, not sad, so never mind! Forget that idea."
Sachiko's shoulders loosened some of their tension as Yumi spoke and gently ran her hands up and down her back. It was working, so she continued.
"Oh, I know! You heard that Sei-sama will be visiting the dojo tomorrow and you wanted to stake your claim tonight in advanced preparation? Right? I have to be right!"
Tucking her face down into Yumi's shoulder, it was obvious that Sachiko was trying not to laugh now. Her shoulders shook from the effort of holding back her laughs, but Yumi continued as if not noticing. "Huh? I thought for sure that was it. Is it that you've finally discovered my adoring fan club?"
"What now?" Sachiko asked, trying to hide the laughter in her voice as she still buried her face into Yumi's shoulder.
"Oh yes, you see I have quite the following in the karate circuit. A fan club of dozens of young men and women come to see me fight." Yumi nodded, not a single note of humor in her voice. "They would have banners and even wear homemade Fukuzawa fan t-shirts." Scratching the back of her head she signed heavily. "It was quite bothersome, actually."
Unable to hold back her laughter any longer, Sachiko giggled uncontrollably against her young lover. "You are something else, Sensei." She used the title sarcastically, but Yumi liked it regardless.
"Uh, yeah, I know." Yumi joined in her laughter and tightened her hold around Sachiko's shoulders. When their laughter had died down Yumi asked again, "Now, what is bothering you?"
Sachiko hesitated before she spoke, her voice soft and timid. "You and Candace-san- You're hiding something. Aren't you?"
"What? What do you mean, hiding something?" Yumi asked, doing her best to hide the momentary stab of panic that struck her heart.
"As you well know, Yumi, I'm neither blind nor stupid. You both left the dojo and then when you returned you wouldn't look me in the eye at first. When you finally did I could see it." Sachiko's voice was quiet, contemplative yet not accusatory in the slightest. It was as if she were narrating a story rather than recounting a memory.
"See what, exactly?"
Lifting herself up so that she was leaning overtop Yumi, she studied the younger girl's eyes, despite the darkness of the room. She let her hand gingerly trace Yumi's sharply toned edges, scandalously peeping through the tousled robe. Sachiko skated her fingertips down the cavern of Yumi's chest only to slip beneath the folds of her robe and along her waist. Gasping for breath, Yumi screwed her eyes closed, fighting the urge to move under Sachiko's commanding hands. Biting her lip, she let one word slip past her defense. "Saaach-ikooo."
Feeling Sachiko's shifting weight, Yumi left her eyes closed and waited anxiously until she felt the soft, tender touch of Sachiko's lips against her own. Even as she deepened their kiss, Sachiko's hands still held dominion over Yumi's body and attention. Yumi wasn't too far gone to realize that Sachiko had yet to answer her question, but the words to continue their discussion escaped her grasp as her Onee-sama's tongue invaded her mouth and beat her own into submission. Yet despite the heat and desire, she felt from Sachiko, there was still something missing. The thirst and passion she had felt before were absent. It was as if Sachiko were there in body and mind, but her heart and soul were absent. No, this wasn't right.
Her eyes flew open though when she felt the tie to her robe fall away. In one swift motion, she had their positions flipped with Sachiko sprawled beneath her smaller body. Yumi was painfully aware of the fact her robe now hung open, yet found solace in knowing that in the deepening shadows of the room Sachiko would only see her silhouette against the pure white of the fabric. "Sachiko, I would be lying if I said I didn't want this." Yumi breathed deeply, trying to calm her racing heart. To stop herself from caressing Sachiko's body, she tightened her grip on the older girl's wrists. "But not like this. Not when it's obvious your heart isn't in this." It was only then that she noticed the trembling in Sachiko's hands. "My - My love? Are you scared?" Releasing her wrists, Yumi lowered herself so that her forearms were on either side of Sachiko's head and whispered in her ear. "If you're afraid, just hold onto me. I won't leave your side."
In response, Sachiko dug her fingers into the fabric of the robe on her back and held on as tightly as her own strength would allow.
"Now, Onee-sama, what spurred this sudden onslaught of fear? And what did you see when you looked at me?" When Sachiko was silent for a time, she added in a soft whisper, "You can talk to me, love."
Finally, Sachiko relented and spoke in a voice that screamed her anxiety. "What I saw in your eyes and what caused this fear are one and the same thing, Yumi."
"Huh? What's that then?" Yumi asked curiously.
"A wall."
"A wall? I don't know what you mean."
"A barrier, Yumi. I feel it. You've put up a barrier, a wall, and you're keeping something from me." Her nails dug into Yumi's back momentarily as she readjusted her grip on the younger girl, causing Yumi to jerk in surprise.
Sighing heavily, she dug her hands into Sachiko's long tresses and began to play with her hair in the way Yumi knew calmed her nerves. "You're right; there was something Candace-sama and I spoke about that I hadn't talked to you about, yet. And, I'll be honest, I didn't want to say anything."
"What is it then?" As if sensing Yumi's next argument, she added, "And don't give me any crap about me not having to worry about it. Spill it. Now."
"Okay, okay. Seriously, I get it. The long and short of it is that Candace-sama expects that the syndicate has something planned, something more organized than their previous attempt on your life. Once they get wind of the syndicate prince being kidnapped - Well, Candace-sama thinks it'll be the catalyst for whatever storm is brewing here at home." Yumi explained it all in a calm and collected voice, sounding centered and prepared for whatever these syndicate thugs were going to send their way. After she was done explaining, she paused, waiting until she felt Sachiko's heart rate calm before she whispered once more in her ear. "I will do what I have to do to protect you, Sachiko. I promise you. I will help to end this threat to your life."
In response, Sachiko nuzzled into Yumi's exposed neck. "You're going to safeguard our future, huh?"
Feeling a stab of guilt for not having been completely honest with Sachiko about Candace's plan, Yumi allowed her full weight to press against Sachiko's as she took her turn to bury her face into her lover's neck. "With all that I am." They laid in each other's arms for a time before Yumi spoke again. "Promise me, that if anything happens you'll do exactly as I say without questioning me. Please, promise me."
Candace's words returned to Sachiko in that instance. "Do you realize in an emergency if you resist Yumi-sama's efforts you could actually cause her death?" Just the thought of her own actions causing such an incomprehensible event made her heartache.
"Okay, Yumi." She fisted her hands once more into Yumi's robe. "I promise. But in return, you have to promise me something."
"Anything," Yumi spoke without thinking, willing at that moment to promise whatever she needed to in order for Sachiko to be safe.
"Promise that you will stay by my side at the end of all this."
Yumi was silent and still for a time before she sat up and laid to Sachiko's side. Propping herself up on the palm of her hand, she looked down at the dark-haired angel beside her. She hesitated for two reasons. One, she knew that if Candace's plan panned out that part of her job would include being separated from Sachiko with no guarantee as to the outcome of the operation. And two, Yumi still did not know for certain where she stood with her Onee-sama. Sachiko had yet to make any profession of love and she couldn't honestly imagine being able to stay by her Onee-sama's side if she ended up turning her down. At least, not in the same way. After all, she had made her stance on being the mistress very clear. Resisting the urge to put stipulations on this promise and trusting that Sachiko knew her own morals would still govern the extent of their future relationship, Yumi nodded. "Okay, Onee-sama. I promise. When all is said and done with this situation, I will stay by your side." As she spoke the words, she prayed to Maria-sama that her words would not end up being a lie or a scar on her memory.
A/N - Hey Y'all, I'm really enjoying how you are sharing your thoughts with me either through reviews or private messages. Some theories on where I'm going with this have been shared. While all have been interesting and some downright uncanny, no one has yet to really pinpoint what it is that I am doing. Please, continue to share with me though! Also, I've recently accepted a "reader request" for a new story. Once either this story or Valkyrie is over I'll be tackling that one. Hope you're looking forward to it as much as I am!