Mikagae Tsumomu dropped her school pack at the curb and rolled up the sleeves of her jumper.

She had never been a large or particularly intimidating girl; in fact for a ten-year-old she was rather small with dirty shoes. Her legs were as spindly as a newborn foal's and marked by one knee high and one anklet sock. Her drably coloured skirt hung loosely about her thighs and non-existent hips, half covered by the tail of an untucked blouse. The jumper she wore effectively smothered the collar of this school shirt and its tag stuck out at the back. Her mane of auburn hair was untidily bound at the nape of her neck, scuffed with loose strands and fly-aways.

Yet standing there while the sun beat down on the asphalt, hearing the ovation of the peers that encircled her, she felt like a champion mare at the start of an easy race.

Mikagae stopped advancing and glared up at her opponent with defiant amber eyes.

He was tall and wide with short black hair, greedy little fingers and he bore the same uniform as she did. He was laughing at her in a way that made his cheeks bulge. In the middle of that oddly proportioned face was a large nose that was blunted from previous fights, and two black eyes squinted on either side of it right back at her.

"Give Sai his hat back," ordered Mikagae, "The joke's gone on long enough!"

Her enemy laughed again and waved the cap high in the air, "I'll make you a deal, small fry-"

"No deals. Give it back to him," she repeated, "Now."

"He doesn't want it."

"Its belongs to him, Taku."

"Finders keepers."

"I said give it back to him now and I meant it!"

"Make me, Tsumomu," and he stretched the end of her name to imitate the noise of a barn animal.

The laughter burned in her ears. Mikagae spat out her gum.

"Taku," she said very quietly, "I'd appreciate it if you gave Sai his hat back now. Then, I won't have to worry about damaging it when I grate your face with the road."

Her classmates jeered at her opponent now. Mikagae's enemy scowled at her and dropped the hat, and then he stepped on it, and drilled it into the ground.

Mikagae stared, "Big mistake."

"Bring it on, you little cow," and Yoko Taku shadowed her by standing up to his full height.

She rushed at him and he met her with heavily aimed fists - or attempted to. Mikagae's smaller and swifter body had ducked under his left at the last moment and she was behind him.

"Kyaa!" she whinnied and kicked the back of his right knee with all her might.

He dropped, though still half standing, however it was enough for Mikagae to jump and reach his neck. Her bony arms wrapped around his neck and Yoko pulled at her hair, cursed, and thrashed to try and throw her off. She squeezed at his throat and held on while tears trickled out of her eyes.

Yoko tossed his weight one way and then the other, sometimes forcing the circle of spectators back lest they be hit by Mikagae's legs. This didn't deter the crowd of students, however, from screaming their encouragement. Some were even tempted to get involved themselves and tried to pull Mikagae off. Others attached themselves to Yoko's legs and fought to wrestle him to the ground and thus help their heroine. The divided interferers even put blows to each other after a time.

Regardless, Mikagae hung on for what she was certain was her life. It payed off when the giant finally toppled and back fired, as would a double edge sword, when he landed on her.

The circle grew tighter around the pair as they now wrestled on the ground, Mikagae winded and Yoko enraged. He pinned her easily and used his weight to keep her there. She didn't struggle. Her enemy raised his arm and connected with her right eye, and after several uneven blows marked her lip, left jaw, and eyebrows with blood or bruises.

Not a single time did she attempt to strike back.

Yoko was beaming with victory and relaxed but the crowd knew better. This had been what Mikagae was waiting for. She twisted under him so quickly he'd hardly seen her move. Yoko fell back and landed hard against the gravel and tar of the road. Without even a second to recover she was on him, biting and scratching, punching with bony knuckles and never staying more than a moment in the one place. Dimly Mikagae was aware of someone calling out to her.

Then Yoko managed to grab her leg and he yanked her off balance. Mikagae's weight hit his chest and she felt hot air rushing from him against her neck. She looked at him and the way his pupils had dilated and then she pushed herself up.

She stood over him and kicked his side, "That's for taking Sai's hat!"

He curled up on his side. Mikagae thought she heard her name again but ignored it; it was probably just someone cheering her anyway.

"That's for stepping on his hat," her foot met his ribs this time, "And this," Mikagae moved around him and took aim for his groin. "Is for calling me by that na-"

"MIKAGAE! STOP!"

She rounded on the insolent being who'd shouted and then halted upon seeing who it was. Still pushing his way through the crowd to reach her a boy with ruffled black hair and bright blue eyes was flailing his arms at her. He was tall with particularly long legs that bent outwards at the knees with each of his steps.

He frowned at her and continued to yell, "ITS ONLY A HAT, MIKAGAE! JUST STOP!"

Mikage frowned and spat away the blood that had accumulated on her lip. Then she turned her back on Sai and resumed position for the final blow.

"MIKAGAE!"

"WHAT?"

The boy finally broke through the circle and stumbled forward. He punched her once and knocked her to the ground.

"What the fuck was that for?" Mikagae demanded, "I was defending you!"

Sai remained unimpressed; "A hat isn't worth shedding blood over."

"Your dad gave it to you," she said.

"I know," he said.

"Then why-"

"Its just a hat Mikagae. And I don't need a girl to fight my battles for me."

He smiled down at her and Mikagae scowled in reply. Her right cheek stung from the pain and brought fresh tears. Her hair was worse off with chunks standing out oddly on her skull as the ends of her locks remained in the tie. She sniffled once and ignored the hand he offered when she stood back up.

"Ass," said Mikagae.

Sai laughed softly, "Let me walk you home, Mikage. I'll take your bag."

She spat again and turned back to Yoko. He was beginning to stand but was still low enough to the ground for Mikagae to reach his face. And after closing the distance between them that was what she did, more or less, with a punch to Yoko's already flat nose that splattered blood over the road and both their uniforms.

Her peers cheered and she saw the returning Sai rolling his eyes, her pack on his shoulder. Some of her fans petted her back or rattled her shoulder as she passed and praised her for a well fought match. Others shouted death threats and Sai had to drag her away when the rocks began to fly.

"You have to stop doing that," he told her, "You're mum's going to be so angry with you."

"I bet she doesn't even notice," said Mikagae, and she tore her arm away from his as though that proved it.

"She will," said Sai, "Because she loves you."

"No she doesn't. Love's for wimps, you dumb ass."

"You beat Ryu up last week for calling me that."

"He doesn't have a license to."

"And you do?"

"After putting up with you all these years? I've earnt it," Mikagae grinned despite her spit lip and pushed him playfully.

Sai pushed her back, "Nuh uh."

Mikagae shoved a little harder, "Yeh eh."

"Nuh uh."

"Yeh eh."

"That's it, you're getting a noogie."

"You'll have to catch me if you can, loopy legs."

"Hey!"

Mikagae laughed and ran ahead of him with the cherry blossoms swaying in the breeze overhead. Sai readjusted the weight of both their bags before running off after her, and he rolled his eyes and laughed with her.

She was smaller and faster and crossed to the next block first. Mikagae even had time to turn around and run backwards while hugging her sides from exhaustion and giggle stitches before she saw her best friend get hit by a car as he made his way towards her.