This time, I'm throwing in a little Arina T., the T standing for "taste," as well as Tanemura. (Just my humble opinion.) Here is Chapter 10, enjoy. (_")v
Dr. Who: (p_') Give me a scalpel and a stat. This chapter needs an examination...(p_')v
*******
The Platform Surfers
Chapter 10:
Kamikaze
"Hayama-kun?"
"Hm?" He turned around, and saw a girl with long black hair with auburn highlights. She was wearing a whiting pink string 'kini, her long hair waving in the wind "Oh, it's you, Sanae-chan."
Sanae Shintani walked over to Hayama, and lay next to him, her head and long hair on his chest. The sun made her body shine, causing his mojo to jump a tad. "I was looking all over for you," she whispered in her light, peaceful, yet childlike voice. "I never thought I'd meet you here. All alone, you need someone, right?"
He blushed a bit, but smiled with acknowledgement. "Sanae-chan, you'll always find me here." He placed a gentle hand on her chest, fondled her breasts, and worked his way down, stopping at her bikini line causing Sanae to giggle and gesticulate hysterically a bit. "How's cheer at Kenmore. Titillating?"
"Hayama! Ecchi," she said, before a kiss. "I suppose it is. I guess I can't have it any other way. Me, the star cheerleader, and no boyfriends but you. Hayama-kun, I felt like I couldn't trust anyone else. Such substantial pleasure," she said, with a corporeal sigh, invoking Hayama to fondle her breasts even more, to the point where he was holding one, rubbing it as if it were a golden orb that controlled the seasons, and eventually, time. But she didn't mind. After all, she was declared by one local magazine to be the "most voluptuous" in her school. It was made even odder that the guys would only look at Sanae, then turn away. "Hayama, I want you to do it harder."
He grinned like a rat. "Not now, not yet, Sanae-chan. Let's go back home, before you come to me, okay?"
"Mmmmm...okay!" They walked over to Hayama's condominium, Sanae skipping in the sand.
*****
And then, the phone rang. Satsuki picked it up, since she was the only one at home. Everyone else was busy, and Ran was still pondering to herself out at Hachiko. "M...moshi moshi?" she asked gingerly.
"Hi! My name is Mitsuki Kouyama," came the response.
"Mitsuki...Kouyama? I don't know anybody named Mitsuki Kouyama. Are you a telemarketer or something? Cause I hate telemarketers."
"What? Okay, how about this..." She began to sing. "Doushite kon nani, suki nandarou,
kimi no koe, kanashii hodo, hibiiteru yo..."
At that point, Satsuki started to scream like crazy... "Kyaaaaaa! F...F...FULL MOON!!? Kyaaaaa!! Oh my god! Aw hell no! I'm speaking with the one and only Full Moon-sama! Gomen nasai! I didn't recognize you at first! Oh my god! I'm so sorry!" She was on the verge of tears. Mitsuki chuckled a bit.
"I'm glad you recognized me," she replied. "Anyway, I would like to ask you, hold on, what's your name?"
"Oh? My name's Satsuki," she said, trembling.
"Satsuki, I was wondering, do you know a girl who has long brown hair, and a red streak-"
"Oh, you mean Ran?"
"Is that her name? I can't figure out her last name, is it Koto...Koto..."
"Kotobuki?"
"Yeah, that's her. Do you know where she is? This is her house, right?"
"Yes, but Ran's not here. She's probably at Hachiko Square right now. I'm so sorry! Ran would go crazy if she saw you. Next to Ayumi, you're her #1 singer! And I'm your number one fan!! Kyaaaaaaa!"
"Well, aren't I flattered to hear that, eh? Thank you...Satsuki." She grinned again. "Bye-bye!"
"Bye-bye, Full Moon-samaaaaa!" They hung up. Satsuki went insane. It seemed obvious, or rather, appropriate that there was a new face, but would it be one that would succeed Ayumi? The idol field looked wide open, but looks turn into illusions. At least in this case.
*******
"Mommy, what that thing?"
"Oh, that, Natsuki? That's a statue of a dog. His name's Hachiko."
"Hachi...ko?"
"He was a dog that was obedient to his master. When he died, Hachiko would still be waiting for his master, until he himself died."
"Wow, Mommy, how do you know this stuff?"
"Cause I'm your Mom. Mothers know everything."
Natsuki giggled as she and her mother sat on a bench. Suddenly, she saw Ran and her friends sitting across from them, talking. They were dressed as if they made their statement when they left home, she thought.
"Mommy, can I talk to them?"
"No. You can't talk to strangers."
"Aw, Mommy, pleeeeasey pleeeease?"
She rolled her eyes, then said, "Fine, but don't wander off too far." Natsuki ran off to them. "She's pretty active today," she thought.
"Hi," Natsuki shyly said to Ran.
"Well, hi there," came the reply. "How are you, kid?"
"I'm not a kid, I'm a girl," Natsuki said, pouting. Ran laughed.
"Hey, who's this person?" asked Miyu, curious?
"My name's Natsuki Nagoya," she said, giggling a bit.
"Hi. My name's Miyu Yamazaki."
"My name's Aya Hoshino," said Aya.
"Oh, and as for me, I'm Ran Kotobuki, the Queen of the GALS," said Ran, with a hysterically evil laugh.
"What are GALS?" asked Natsuki, curiously. At that point, Ran fell over her bench. "Are you okay? You'd make a good actress. I like actresses. Oh, and pancakes too. I love those."
"You do talk a mouthful, don't you, Natsuki?" Ran replied, feebly getting up.
"Yeah, hee hee."
"Okay, let me tell you about kogals, Natsuki." She gave a 10-minute vocal dissertation about the culture, and when she finished, Natsuki began to squeal happily.
"I wanna be like Ran Kotobuki!" cried Natsuki, clapping her hands. "I love you! I love GALS!"
"Nice lecture," said Mami, coming to the company. "I could've done better though."
"Nuh-uh!" said Ran, and the two of them stuck their tongues out at each other. Natsuki laughed and squealed. At that moment, her mother came.
"Okay, Natsuki, who did you make friends with? Did they offer you candy?"
"This is Ran, Aya, Miyu, and, and..." She couldn't identify the other person, who replied by saying, "Mami Honda."
"...Mami Honnnnnda!" Natsuki finally finished.
"Who are you," asked Ran to the mother.
"My name is Maron Nagoya," she said. "I'm Natsuki's mom, but you can call me Maron." She curtsied to the four, who blinked.
"You look familiar," said Ran.
Natsuki, who always played the tattler, proudly replied, "She was a kaitou and sealed paintings and was even a saint-mmmph!"
"Uh, Natsuki, not in front of these people. Excuse us for just a moment. Adios!" The two of them quickly went to a corner where she conferred with Natsuki, even spanking her a bit.
"What are they doing?" asked Mami.
"Hmmm, Natsuki said 'kaitou,' and 'saint,' and 'seal paintings'..." Ran thought this over, and then, "No way...she's, or she was...the infamous Kaitou Jeanne!?" A few years ago, Taizou was mentioning the failings of the koban representing the Momokuri district of Tokyo in finding Kaitou Jeanne and her would-be partner Kaitou Sinbad. He was infuriated, not because the officers couldn't do it, but because they chose not to do it. If those officers worked in his department, he would have to clean house. Looking from it, aniki wouldn't even be able to match their illusiveness and tactical grace.
From another perspective, Maron being at one point the reincarnation of Joan Of Arc was, in her eyes, a privilege. But, the more she thought about it, the more that prestige became a burden. It didn't help by the fact that, through some Hounan classmates who had connections to Momokuri Academy, she was abandoned by her parents at a young age, but after she had accomplished her duty by using the goodness in her heart, a righteousness that would only make Pope John Paul II ponder about beatifying her, to right everything, she gave up her reincarnation power to save her then-lost angel friend, of which she couldn't, or they couldn't, uncover the name. Pondering it even further, that sacrifice may have [indirectly] resulted in her daughter's birth. After her sacrifice, her parents returned, remarried, and resided in her apartment. That was as much as she knew.
"Ran," said Ayumi, "now what are you thinking about?"
"No, it's nothing."
"Nothing? How could it be nothing? Is it about the two people that just came here?"
"Mmm-hmmm."
"You know, Ran, I actually made an offer to Takumi and Koron Kusakabe, Maron's parents. I told them that I would add profit to their theme park, Maron Dome, by adding my name and record label, Avex, to their sponsor. It's now called the Avex AyuMaron Dome. They've been making a lot of revenue ever since, with expansion and more features, more than Tokyo Disneyland."
"But...didn't Avex...?"
"Disappear? Of course, but, see, Takumi and Koron received so much money that they were able to purchase a share of the Disneyland ownership, and with it, more profits. A 20% share there."
"Whoa..." Ran scratched her head.
"When you combine that with their already booming profits at the Dome..."
"That means they're ONE WEALTHY FAMILY!? Heh, Mamirin's family is not the only set of rich bastards in this town..." Ran had a sly grin on her face, that turned to hysterical laughter.
"..." said Ayumi, before coming back to the story. "Fortune Magazine put Takumi and Koron among the Top 200 Richest People in the World. In Japan, they're among the Top 10. As another sign towards forgiveness, they allotted 20% of their money to Maron and her family, all three of them..."
"Oh, and what about Mamirin's...?"
"As for them...top 20 in Japan."
At that point, Ran started to jeer Mami a bit, "Hahahah, Maron's family is richer than you!"
"Huh!?" asked Mami. "No one can be richer than the Honda clan~~~~~!" She then walked to Maron, who was startled. "Look, you Momohomofluezy, I don't know about you, but I hate people who are richer than me."
"Ne...wh...wh...what are you talking about?" said Maron, a sweat drop coming down her head. "I...don't understand. Who are you calling a..."
"You tell me where the money is, you mofo hoe, or else I will not just only wipe that innocent, mawkish, goody-two-shoes smile off your face, bitch!"
"N...nani!? What are you...!?" Mami was about to give her a black eye-no make that two, when a guy took Mami's hand and swiped it away.
"What the hell are you doing to my Maron, you bastard?" he said coldly towards her.
"Who are you!?"
"I'm Chiaki Nagoya, Maron's loving husband. If you want to mess up my Maron, you gonna have to get a lesson from me first." He cracked his knuckles, and he was wearing a savage scowl. At that point, Mami screamed and ran away from the crowd, back home, knowing she made a terrible mistake. "You okay?" he asked.
"I'm fine," she pouted. "I could have done it myself, you know."
"Are you thinking that way again, sweetheart?" he whispered to Maron, holding her tight, her eyes online with his.
"Chiaki, I..."
"Don't think that way, Maron. Never again."
"Chiaki...Chi...a....ki...ohhhh...mmm...mmmmm...nnnnn...mmmmm..."
Their lips already locked, the two had a long passionate kiss. About the 2,134,293rd time over the past 8 years, give or take a few blunders. Natsuki stuck out her tongue in disgust, then laughed as she self-diiverted to play with Miyu and Aya.
Ran walked over to the impromptu love-fest, and said, "Ahem, what are you two doing? Making love, Jeanne and Sinbad?"
"Wha...EH~~~~~~~!? HOW DID YOU KNOW US!!?"
Ran smirked, and said, "You can't underestimate the Queen of the GALS. She knows all."
"Who are you," asked Chiaki.
"Chiaki, sugar pie, this is Ran Kotobuki. She's a very outspoken lady, as I observed..." said Maron.
"..and them some!" Ran proclaimed. "Wait a minute...lady!? I'm a GAL, you hear me, Chucky? A GAL!"
"Isn't it the same thing? And, Ran, it's Chiaki, not Chucky! I'm not one of those ugly-looking dolls that kill you."
"There is a difference."
"No there isn't!'
"Yes there is!
"No there isn't!'
"Yes there is!
"No there isn't!'
"There they go with their argument," said Miyu wearily.
"Look, you guys," said Maron, separating Ran and Chiaki. "This conversation is getting nowhere. Chiaki, Natsuki, let's go somewhere else. Ran, everyone else, it was great knowing you, but...um...Adios!"
The three of them bowed their heads, and ran away.
"Stupid," muttered Ran. "They dropped their I.D.'s (except for the kid). Now I know where they are located."
"Like you care?" said Mami, bored.
"You know what., you guys?" asked Miyu. "We should go back and write songs...oh, and...ooooh, I want to go to Australia tooo~~~~~..."
"I'm not alone," Ran said aside. The four of them went their separate ways, but Ran decided to stay at the square, fingering her new cards. She quickly put them in her pocket, so that no one would notice.
********
"Now, I want to write another song," thought Mitsuki, arriving at Hachiko Square. She saw Ran, reflecting, and walked over to her. "Hi, are you...Ran?"
"The one and only. What's up? Who are you?"
"Mitsuki Kouyama-san."
Ran lost her composure again. "KYAA~~~~~~~!!! FULL MOON-SAMA~~~~!!!" Suddenly she went back to normal and said. "How are ya? What brings ya here?"
"I wanted to ask you a favor."
"Hm?"
"That lady you just met...she wants to write a song..."
"Okay...well..."
"She had this poem she wrote down a few months ago, but she can't find a suitable melody and rhythm. She wants to borrow a melody from some popular song, but she can't find any. I want to help her out, but I'm too busy writing my own music..."
Ran thought for a moment, then said, "I got it! Why don't you, Maron, and me collaborate on a song? I was pondering a melody for it. Do you know where she is located?"
Mitsuki pondered, and then said, "I met her a few weeks ago at her old school, and we exchanged addresses. I know where she lives. Let's go."
The two of them went to Mitsuki's car, and sped off to Maron's house.
********
"Wonderful, my love!" said Kiyoka, washing the dishes back at the Kotobuki house.
"We get to go to Australia," Taizou said, grinning. "Koalas, kangaroos, and pavlova. I think I will gain another...hm....10 kilos?" Kiyoka laughed.
"Hey, is Ran gonna come here?" asked Satsuki, peering at the conversation.
"That's what I was wondering...oh well, let's just celebrate this joyous moment! The vacation of our lives!!!"
As the two reveled, Satsuki went back to her room, picked up her cell phone and called Ran.
********
"Moshi moshi?" asked Ran over the phone.
"Ran..."
"Oh, hi Satsuki! What's up?"
"You'd better go home quick. Mom and Dad have something important for you."
"Huh?" Suddenly, thoughts of that Australia incident came to mind. "Oh, tell them I'll be back sooner than they think."
"Define 'sooner than they think.'"
"Tomorrow."
Satsuki snarled a bit, then "Hey, where are you?"
"I'm heading over to a house located in Arakawa-ku. It's not too far from here."
"Who's with you?"
"Um...just me and a new friend."
"Her name?"
"Kouyama Mitsuki-san?"
"OH! Full Moon-sama can drive?"
"Well, we didn't crash into a lamppost. Does that count?" she said sarcastically.
"Sure," she said indifferently. "I'll see you later!"
"Ja ne!"
"Who was that?" asked Mitsuki, as they parked on the curb.
"One of my friends."
"You've got a lot of connections."
"That what happened when you are Queen of the GALS!" she said, striking a vain pose.
Mitsuki rolled her eyes as they walked to the house where Maron, Chiaki and little Natsuki lived. It was a beautiful cottage-like structure, not as extravagant as the Hondas' place, but quaint and comfortable. Every room was clean, no housemaids were there, and it looked at though it were impeccable perfect. On the front lawn lay a marble statue of an angel that looked like Joan of Arc, but at the same time, Maron. It seemed to guard the household, and it was so beautiful, that no one defaced it, and a few devout hermits worshipped it, and asked for repentance. So Mitsuki said.
"Hello?" asked Ran, ringing the doorbell.
"Hi," said Chiaki, opening it. "Oh. You're the girl we saw earlier. And you must be..."
"Kouyama Mitsuki-san," she said, bowing.
Chiaki nodded. "Come in."
"Mitsuki! Ran! You came..." asked Maron, who came out of the kitchen, still wearing an apron. Apparently she was cooking something.
Ran breathed in the aroma. "This must be..."
"Potatoes au gratin," Mitsuki said, wearing a bored expression. "Again?"
"This is the 69th time this year I had to make it for him," Maron replied.
"Who? Chiaki!?"
"Yeah...Oh, that's right! I also made some pancakes, but they're in the fridge. I cooked them this morning, but it seems Chiaki likes the gratin more. And Natsuki too."
Mitsuki and Ran went to the table, as Maron served them dinner. Apart from being the "World's Greatest Gratin Maker," Maron was a skilled cook. There was no dish that she couldn't make. Of course, that meant having the run to the supermarket every day, but it was no problem.
"So, Maron, do you have a job?" asked Ran. "By the way, this stuff's good!"
"Thanks. I work as the head coach of the Momokuri Academy rhythmic gymnastics team," she replied.
"I see. Fun?"
"Challenging. But when you're recognized as a former national champion in that sport, it becomes that much easier."
"Success?"
"Oh, most definitely. Our team is undefeated again, and we have one more match, the national championships, out in Shibuya-ku." Ran's eyes turned into stars. "Ran...what's wrong?"
"That's where I'm from. You guys are coming to my place?"
"Yeah, and it's in a week. My girls have been training for that event."
"Rigorous?"
"Well, yes, but I become flexible and stringent and compassionate at the same time. My team is like a second family to me. I take some of the kids to the meet, provide some Gatorade after practice, chat with the girls, that stuff. They respect, and I respect them. It's wonderful. They're having fun, just like me, when I was on the team years ago." She began to reminisce about the past. Ran blinked.
"Maron, Mitsuki said that you wrote a little poem to yourself a while ago..."
"Oh yeah, that's right! I had this poem, but I just couldn't set it to music. I don't know what to do..."
"Maybe I can help!"
"Me too!" asked Mitsuki.
"You guys..." said Maron, about to cry happily. "Let's go to my room, but first, can you guys help me wash here?"
"Sure!" they both said.
They're nice people, Maron thought.
After cleaning up, they went to Maron's room. It was decorated with plaques, news articles, and many pictures of times when she was a Momokuri student too. There were pictures of when she was with Chiaki, Toudaiji Miyako, her best friend, Minazuki Yamato, another friend who she calls "Iinchou," and Shikaidou Hijiri, a teacher who left the school for a post at another school in Osaka 6 months ago. There were also some pictures of Kaitou Jeanne, Sinbad, Noin Claude, even Fin Fish, Access Time, and the whole shebang.
"Decorated," commented Ran.
Maron puilled out a piece of paper and handed it to Ran. "This is my poem. It's simply called 'Kamikaze'."
Ran read it, and it said...
I want to be the wind.... A wind like a breath... At times, I want to
be the wind that fights against you
the wind that dries your tears
or the wind that eases your tiredness
I want to be a wind like that. And I want to fly. I want to sweep up
the sadness, and spread happiness. When you're sad, just cry. I'll be
there. When you're happy, just call. I'll be there. But because we're
girls, there are times that you get tired. There are times that you
hold back your tears. So in times like that, sweetheart, I'm going to
come flying down to you
so hold me in your arms gently
.
"I have a melody from a famous movie in my mind. It's 'What A Feeling' from the movie 'Flashdance,' and I think, that if you switch the words around...it will work just fine..." Ran took a piece of paper, modified the words along with Mitsuki, and put them in tune with the song. Ran then sang it, since she didn't bring her Kotocaster (actually, it was in Mitsuki's car). The result was this, translated in English...
I want to be the wind like a breath.
One that challenges you,
Dries your tears, and eases your weariness.
Sweep up the sadness, and spread joy.
But because we're girls, there are times
When you tire, or hold back your tears.
CHORUS:
I want to be a divine wind.
When you're sad or happy, I'll be there.
I want to be like that. And I want to fly.
When you're sad or happy, I'll be there.
In times like this, sweetheart, I'll come flying down,
So hold me in your arms gently.
CHORUS
A Divine Wind...
I want to be a divine wind.
When you're sad or happy, I'll be there.
A Divine Wind...(gently)
A Divine Wind...(I want to fly)
I'll be there...(I love you)
I'll be there...whoa...
A Divine Wind (oh, oh, oh, oh, A Divine Wind)
I'll be there...(A Divine Wind)
I'll be there...
Maron started to cry happily again. "Ran...that was beautiful. I was thinking, maybe, um...I could record that song, and use it in my team's routine."
"Absolutely," said Ran, giving a thumb up. "Let me just call Usagi-san first..."
"Usagi?' asked Maron. She knew... "Waaaaah! Sailor Moon-sama!"
"Sailor Moon?" said Mitsuki. "Who is...?"
"Shhh!" said Ran to the other two. "Hello, Usagi-san?"
"Oh, hi Ran!" replied Usagi over the phone.
"I want to record another song, but only with a few members of my band. Oh, and I have a couple of people who want to sing this."
"Their names?'
"Kusakabe Maron, and Kouyama Mitsuki, a.k.a. Full Moon."
"Oh, a singer from Seed Records comes? Seed has some of the best rising stars. Tell you what, Ran. Come back to Serenity with those two and the few other Surfers, and we will get you started...deal?"
"Thanks! See ya!"
"Ja!"
"Hey, can I call Ooshige-san, too?" asked Mitsuki.
"Don't you have a phone, too?" asked Ran.
"Um, I left mine's at home."
Ran hesitantly gave Mitsuki her phone. She made a quick call to Ooshige-san, her manager, telling her she would be absent. She said it was all right, since they had 5 months before they begin the recording-and-touring game again.
********
The next day, at Serenity Studios...
"Um, why are we here?" asked Miyu, Aya, and Mami to Ran. Mitsuki and Maron were busy looking over the lyrics and melody.
"Just because," Ran said naively.
"We don't have to record any more songs until May," said Miyu hesitantly.
"Shut up! Listen everyone, my friends here need your help in recording this song."
"Hey, aren't we your friends too?" asked Aya, hands on her hips, wearing an irked expression.
"And I thought we weren't supposed to let them come in here," said Mami rather icily.
"Yes, you're my friends as well, and for your question, Mami-rin, Usagi complied, and therefore, I can help Maron record this. Come one, you guys, show some compassion."
They rolled their heads, but hesitantly said, "Understood." Ran giggled gleefully.
"Hmmm...let me see that song," said Usagi, taking the sheet and reading it. "Oh, this melody is from Flashdance. I think we have synthesizers for it..." She brought a large synthesizer machine, and tested it, playing a bit of the introduction, and then added some more effects. Ran and the gals were amazed at how it resembled "What A Feeling."
"Um, I forgot your names..." stammered the lady with the long blonde pigtails.
"Oh! I am Maron Kusakabe," she said, shaking hands.
"Mitsuki Kouyama, a.k.a. Full Moon, on loan from Seed Records," said the other, with respect.
"Mmmm...all right..." She continued to test the synthesizer to make sure there weren't any glitches. This machine was new, and hadn't been used...until now. "This synthesizer is called the ASTAM 7000. It can simulate up to 1,000,000 different beats and sounds. It can even simulate guitar chord strums and taiko drum beats. It is updated monthly through online downloading and maintenance. You play it like a regular keyboard synthesizer."
"What does ASTAM stand for?" asked Maron.
"'All Songs To All Men'."
"No wonder..." she whispered. "Hey, Tsukino-san, can you synthesize the background music to symphony music, and the dripping overdub to harp tones. Make it ethereal?"
"There's nothing this machine can't do...certainly!" She pressed a few buttons, and when she played, it sounded even more beautiful. Ran and the others were amazed.
"I think we're ready," said Ran to the others. "Let's go!" she yelled, striking a pose.
"Yay~~~~!" responded the others.
********
When the song began, Mami was not playing the drums, since she opted to play on the ASTAM. It didn't take long for her to understand the features. Even though Mitsuki was a better singer that Maron or Ran, she decided to play backup, along with Ran, and let Maron handle lead vocals. These were her words, after all. And so, Maron sung...
I want to be the wind like a breath.
One that challenges you,
Dries your tears, and eases your weariness.
Sweep up the sadness, and spread joy.
But because we're girls, there are times
When you tire, or hold back your tears.
CHORUS:
I want to be a divine wind.
When you're sad or happy, I'll be there.
I want to be like that. And I want to fly.
When you're sad or happy, I'll be there.
In times like this, sweetheart, I'll come flying down,
So hold me in your arms gently.
CHORUS
A Divine Wind...
I want to be a divine wind.
When you're sad or happy, I'll be there.
A Divine Wind...(gently)
A Divine Wind...(I want to fly)
I'll be there...(I love you)
I'll be there...whoa...
A Divine Wind (oh, oh, oh, oh, A Divine Wind)
Hold me gently...(A Divine Wind)
In your arms...
********
A week later...
"Ran, mail for you~~~!" said Kiyoka in her singsong voice.
"What is it?" asked Ran, waking up, coming down the stairs. She saw an envelope, that said on the back, "For Kotobuki Ran-sama." She picked it up and opened it.
"Ticket to Japan National High School Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships," it read. Ran smiled. There was not one, two or three, but twenty tickets in the package.
"Um, Ran," said Taizou. "We have something to tell you. About your Australia situation..."
Ran laughed dryly and said, "I was only playing around, Dad! You know me, silly and stuff..." She continued to laugh, and then it fainted to where she bowed her head in submittal.
"Ran, I received a retirement pension, as well as your mom. Yamato will receive a paid leave as well."
"That's awesome, dad!" said Ran, winking with a thumbs-up. "What will you do with the money?"
"Use it to take a trip to Australia."
Ran freaked out and said, "Australia...!!? But I have to see my friend coach her gymnastics team~~~!!!"
"That's okay, Ran," said Kiyoka. "We're not leaving until next week, so..."
"You guys can come? Yay~~~!" Ran skipped around, merrily.
********
"All right everyone," said Maron to her students, dressed in their white, green, and purple-colored practice suits, with their leotards underneath. "You girls realize that this is our big moment. There is a crowd of 15,000 here. You ladies will feel the pressure. The other schools are just like you. For many of you, this is your first time participating in Nationals. That's okay. In my first time, I got nervous, but I still led them to the title. And you know why? Because everyone, including me, had practiced for that big day, and developed on what I had instructed you to develop on: grace, skill, and execution. Remember those other matches we won? You can throw them out the window, because this one will be nowhere close to those!
"Do not force yourselves too hard. That is, do not try to please the crowd too much by doing what you cannot be able to do! If you do that, you will lose your mental composure, and subsequently, let down the team. Secondly, compete with a focus: To succeed in gymnastics, academics, and life. So far, all of you have accomplished that goal.
"Which brings me to the third goal: Just have fun doing this. I know some of you have thought, 'Why do I need to mess around with a ball, hoops, clubs, and a ribbon 24/7/365? Is this like a job to me?' Well, lemme tell you this, girls. I know many peers who play like it's their job, and they never have fun doing it. As a result, their lives are miserable. Look, you girls have been competing in rhythmic gymnastics since you were 5, a few, maybe later or sooner. You have naturally grown to love it. Or should I say it grows on you. Rhythmic gymnastics, if I'm not mistaken, is a sport that cannot be made for money, unlike football, basketball, baseball...if you compete as if this was just like working at McDonald's, you've single-handedly ruined the true meaning of gymnastics, and eventually, sport itself.
"And finally, I want you girls to continue what you're doing. This is our show. Let's show the nation how we do it. First, let's have a prayer."
Maron led the girls in a brief moment of prayer and meditation, then said, "All right! Let's do this for Momokuri! Emiko, lead the cheer!" she said, as she headed off.
"Let's do this!" shouted a girl with long black hair and brown eyes, her hair wrapped in rosettes like Maron. And the cheer began...
Wooo! Wooo!
Strong! Serious! Matchless! Marvelous! Cheerful! Courageous!
Wooo! Wooo!
M-O-M-O-K-U-R-I!
1-2-3-4 GAME START! YOU KNOW!
The girls charged off to the court with a yell, the assistant coaches silently and calmly taking the music and materials for the routines. Today was going to be a big one.
*******
"This is not a bad spot," said Ran, with her friends and family, chatting with each other. As they entered the arena, she saw..."Mitsuki! You came!"
"Couldn't forget my new pals," she said, saluting. "Ran, this is my agent and friend, Ooshige-san. Ooshige, this is my friend, Ran Kotobuki."
"Nice to meet you," said Ooshige-san, shaking hands with the red mesh girl. "Nice red mesh. Wonder if I should wear one." Ran had a sweat drop on her forehead.
"So, Tatsuki, what do the girls do?" asked Yuuya to his friend. "There's only a floor here!"
"There are no uneven bars, high bar, balance beam, or vault. It's roughly a floor exercise," explained the spiky-haired one, "but they have to use a ball, clubs, hoop, and ribbon as their apparatus. They just play around with that gracefully, I guess."
"Oh."
"But it's beautiful, though!" Tatsuki said with a genki grin.
"Why did I have to come here?" groaned Rei. "My work..."
"Don't worry, sugar," said Aya. "You'll have fun."
"Ran!" said a girl in a Momokuri practice uniform. "Come down to the floor. Nagoya-sensei is waiting for you! Here's your I.D.!"
"Huh?" asked Ran, leaving her seat, putting the I.D. on. "Why would she...?"
"Ran! You came," said Maron, watching the girls practice. Five more minutes, and the preliminary rotation would begin.
"Would I ever let you down?" asked Ran sheepishly, with a straight face.
"Here, wear this, so that they will recognize you." She handed to Ran the jacket that she and the girls wore during practice.
"This is cool, but I can't...I attended a different school than..."
"Just wear it. Please?"
"Oh, if I must, I must." Ran hesitantly put the jacket on. A comfortable fit, she thought. "Hey, this looks good on me," she said. Then she notices something on the front. "My name...? You put in my name?"
"Yeah," Maron said. "Look on the back, too."
Ran looked and saw the word Kotobuki in script on it. "Maron...Maron...this...This is an honor! Why did you do this? I mean...I don't know what to say, I..."
Maron put a finger to Ran's lips. "Relax. You don't have to say any more."
"Th...Thank you," whispered Ran. Suddenly, another thing came to mind. She took out the some cards, and said. "Here, Maron. You dropped this at the Square."
"Oh, thank you, how silly of me," she replied, taking them. "Now go ahead and take a seat. You're our honorary assistant, Ran!"
Ran blushed, took her seat, and watched the drama unfold. Some of the Momokuri gymnasts chatted with Ran, and they had a light conversation.
********
There were 16 schools participating, each school representing a specific region. Momokuri represented the Tokyo-to region. In the preliminaries, the field was divided into two groups: Northern and Southern. Momokuri naturally, was placed in the Southern group. The girls wasted no time in demolishing the competition. Even though the top 4 teams advanced to the final, Momokuri finished 65 points better than the nearest opponent, Kodobashi Senior High, from Osaka.
After an hour break of practice, the finals began. However, things began to be a bit rusty for Momokuri. After the first 3 apparatus routines were done for each school, they were a close second to Sapporo Senior High School. Sapporo had a veteran coach of 22 years, and they had been the doormat of Japan for a number of years, until this year.
All of the teams (save the captains) did their ribbon routines. Momokuri was still in 2nd. At last, the captains of the teams did their routines. Emiko, the captain of Maron's team, would be the last gymnast to perform.
"Oh no!" said Maron. "We've basically used up all our music! The rules say that we can't play the same music twice, and that we can't use our practice tapes either..."
"So?" said Ran quizzically.
"If we can't find a 4-minute song for Emiko-'s routine, we'll have to forfeit!"
"No!" whispered Ran. She looked in her pants to find something, and she remembered that she left her portable CD player in Dad's car. "I got it! I'll be back."
"Ran!? Where are you going?" Dang, she runs really fast, she thought.
A minute later...
"Dum-da-da-dum~~~! A CD player!" said Ran, coming back just as quickly as she left.
"What that got to do with it?" Ran opened the CD player, and took out her CD. "No...that's my song? Ran, I don't think the judges will...Ran?" Maron saw her heading to the judges table.
"Excuse me, sir?" asked Ran to one official.
"Yes?" he asked.
"This will be for our school's last routine." She handed him the CD. "Sorry we didn't give it to you sooner."
"That's okay, ma'am. Thank you."
As Ran left, he tested the CD and played it on his player. "Strange...this doesn't sound like typical gymnastics music...Reiko, is this legal to have something like this for a routine?"
"Hmmm," asked Reiko. She opened the handbook. "Let's see, Hideo...music, music, music, oh, here it is! 'Section III, Rule 45: If a team is not able to bring in music beforehand, that team must search for a musical number for their routine before it begins. The song must be exactly 4 minutes long, and it can be of any genre and any artist, as long as it is of that length.' So that means, that song can count."
"And this is also 4 minutes long, so I will agree. The name of this song is...hmmm...'Kamikaze' by the Platform Surfers." He called the announcer and told him what to do, as the next-to-last gymnast finished.
"Okay, Emiko," said Maron to her, "You will be performing under a different song."
"Huh!?" she cried. "But I'm gonna be rusty! And we're gonna lose the title!"
"Don't worry about a thing," she said. "Just do what you do best. And be like the wind..."
"O...okay," said Emiko, taking a deep breath. She slowly walked to the center of the floor, ready.
"And now on the floor with the ribbon," aid the announcer on the microphone "representing Momokuri Academy, Emiko Shimauchi-san, performing to 'Kamikaze' by 'The Platform Surfers.'"
"Huh!?" asked Yuuya. "How the heck did we perform that song?"
"That was not in our knowledge," said Rei. "Did we ever perform that song?"
"You guys didn't perform the song, we did~~~" said Miyu, Aya, and Mami. The guys just shook their heads.
"Not fair, but I digress," said Tatsuki, watching intently. "Go Momokuri..." he whispered under his breath.
As the music began, Emiko felt an aura of energy surrounding her. "I now know this song," she thought to herself as she began the routine. The crowd started to clap, then dance a bit. Everyone knew that this was like What A Feeling, and they kept clapping to the end. Some of the judges started to groove a bit, the others nodding their heads. Emiko completed her routine flawlessly, in her eyes, and in everyone else's. Ran smiled, and nodded her head. When the number finished, the crowd roared its approval.
"Contestant Shimauchi's score..." said the announcer. Everyone crossed their fingers. "...10.00."
At that moment, the crowd erupted. The girls ran out onto the floor, in dogpile formation, hugging Emiko, screaming in joy.
Maron raised her outstretched hands and shouted, "Hallelujah, we are saved. Can we have an Amen?" The crowd responded, "Amen!" Ran went to her and said, "Congratulations, Maron. You deserve it."
"Thank you..."
"Or should I say...Kaitou Jeanne???"
At that point, Maron blushed, cried a bit, but happily wiped away her tears, and hugged her, kissing her on the cheek a bit. "No, thank you, Ran Kotobuki. You saved our team! I'm so happy~~~~! Thank you soooo much!"
"No, wait a minute, I only..." She suddenly felt her body being lifted by the gymnasts, tossing her in the air. "Hey, this feels good," she said, laughing.
"Ran..." said Ayumi, "what are you doing?"
"What's it look like?" Ran replied.
"Oh, sorry. I'll shut myself up for the day."
"Well, that was a good show, wasn't it?" asked Kiyoka to Taizou.
"Yes, my dear," he replied. "Now it's time for all of us to take that vacation to Australia."
"Mmm-hmmm..."
"Um, Mom, Dad," said Yamato. " Sorry to interrupt your melancholies, but you have to see this..."
Sayo pointed to the floor. "Look! It's Ran! And she's...flying!"
Kiyoka and Taizou saw Ran being tossed in the air by the gymnasts from good ol' Momokuri.
"Ah! Ran!" said Taizou. "What the hell are you doing over there!? You're gonna hurt yourself!"
"Ran-chan?" said Yuuya.
"Ran~~?" cried Miyu, Aya, Rei, Masato, Naoki, and Tatsuki.
"ARRRRGGHHHH!!" shouted Mami. "Kotobuki, you lucky-ass bastard~~~~~!! I wanted to be with them~~~!" She cried in vain, a bit hysterically while waving her arms.
Ran just looked at them, rolled her eyes, and continued to enjoy her flying experience. She, too, was like the wind...in a rhythmic sort of way. The euphoria continued well into the night.
*********
END CHAPTER 10
Now, who's still with me? Show of hands? (sees that it's not possible, everyone's online) I decided to add a little KKJ and Full Moon for a twist. A bit of a side adventure...
Be nice and fill out the review thingy. It's the least you can do.
Dr. Who: (p_') Give me a scalpel and a stat. This chapter needs an examination...(p_')v
*******
The Platform Surfers
Chapter 10:
Kamikaze
"Hayama-kun?"
"Hm?" He turned around, and saw a girl with long black hair with auburn highlights. She was wearing a whiting pink string 'kini, her long hair waving in the wind "Oh, it's you, Sanae-chan."
Sanae Shintani walked over to Hayama, and lay next to him, her head and long hair on his chest. The sun made her body shine, causing his mojo to jump a tad. "I was looking all over for you," she whispered in her light, peaceful, yet childlike voice. "I never thought I'd meet you here. All alone, you need someone, right?"
He blushed a bit, but smiled with acknowledgement. "Sanae-chan, you'll always find me here." He placed a gentle hand on her chest, fondled her breasts, and worked his way down, stopping at her bikini line causing Sanae to giggle and gesticulate hysterically a bit. "How's cheer at Kenmore. Titillating?"
"Hayama! Ecchi," she said, before a kiss. "I suppose it is. I guess I can't have it any other way. Me, the star cheerleader, and no boyfriends but you. Hayama-kun, I felt like I couldn't trust anyone else. Such substantial pleasure," she said, with a corporeal sigh, invoking Hayama to fondle her breasts even more, to the point where he was holding one, rubbing it as if it were a golden orb that controlled the seasons, and eventually, time. But she didn't mind. After all, she was declared by one local magazine to be the "most voluptuous" in her school. It was made even odder that the guys would only look at Sanae, then turn away. "Hayama, I want you to do it harder."
He grinned like a rat. "Not now, not yet, Sanae-chan. Let's go back home, before you come to me, okay?"
"Mmmmm...okay!" They walked over to Hayama's condominium, Sanae skipping in the sand.
*****
And then, the phone rang. Satsuki picked it up, since she was the only one at home. Everyone else was busy, and Ran was still pondering to herself out at Hachiko. "M...moshi moshi?" she asked gingerly.
"Hi! My name is Mitsuki Kouyama," came the response.
"Mitsuki...Kouyama? I don't know anybody named Mitsuki Kouyama. Are you a telemarketer or something? Cause I hate telemarketers."
"What? Okay, how about this..." She began to sing. "Doushite kon nani, suki nandarou,
kimi no koe, kanashii hodo, hibiiteru yo..."
At that point, Satsuki started to scream like crazy... "Kyaaaaaa! F...F...FULL MOON!!? Kyaaaaa!! Oh my god! Aw hell no! I'm speaking with the one and only Full Moon-sama! Gomen nasai! I didn't recognize you at first! Oh my god! I'm so sorry!" She was on the verge of tears. Mitsuki chuckled a bit.
"I'm glad you recognized me," she replied. "Anyway, I would like to ask you, hold on, what's your name?"
"Oh? My name's Satsuki," she said, trembling.
"Satsuki, I was wondering, do you know a girl who has long brown hair, and a red streak-"
"Oh, you mean Ran?"
"Is that her name? I can't figure out her last name, is it Koto...Koto..."
"Kotobuki?"
"Yeah, that's her. Do you know where she is? This is her house, right?"
"Yes, but Ran's not here. She's probably at Hachiko Square right now. I'm so sorry! Ran would go crazy if she saw you. Next to Ayumi, you're her #1 singer! And I'm your number one fan!! Kyaaaaaaa!"
"Well, aren't I flattered to hear that, eh? Thank you...Satsuki." She grinned again. "Bye-bye!"
"Bye-bye, Full Moon-samaaaaa!" They hung up. Satsuki went insane. It seemed obvious, or rather, appropriate that there was a new face, but would it be one that would succeed Ayumi? The idol field looked wide open, but looks turn into illusions. At least in this case.
*******
"Mommy, what that thing?"
"Oh, that, Natsuki? That's a statue of a dog. His name's Hachiko."
"Hachi...ko?"
"He was a dog that was obedient to his master. When he died, Hachiko would still be waiting for his master, until he himself died."
"Wow, Mommy, how do you know this stuff?"
"Cause I'm your Mom. Mothers know everything."
Natsuki giggled as she and her mother sat on a bench. Suddenly, she saw Ran and her friends sitting across from them, talking. They were dressed as if they made their statement when they left home, she thought.
"Mommy, can I talk to them?"
"No. You can't talk to strangers."
"Aw, Mommy, pleeeeasey pleeeease?"
She rolled her eyes, then said, "Fine, but don't wander off too far." Natsuki ran off to them. "She's pretty active today," she thought.
"Hi," Natsuki shyly said to Ran.
"Well, hi there," came the reply. "How are you, kid?"
"I'm not a kid, I'm a girl," Natsuki said, pouting. Ran laughed.
"Hey, who's this person?" asked Miyu, curious?
"My name's Natsuki Nagoya," she said, giggling a bit.
"Hi. My name's Miyu Yamazaki."
"My name's Aya Hoshino," said Aya.
"Oh, and as for me, I'm Ran Kotobuki, the Queen of the GALS," said Ran, with a hysterically evil laugh.
"What are GALS?" asked Natsuki, curiously. At that point, Ran fell over her bench. "Are you okay? You'd make a good actress. I like actresses. Oh, and pancakes too. I love those."
"You do talk a mouthful, don't you, Natsuki?" Ran replied, feebly getting up.
"Yeah, hee hee."
"Okay, let me tell you about kogals, Natsuki." She gave a 10-minute vocal dissertation about the culture, and when she finished, Natsuki began to squeal happily.
"I wanna be like Ran Kotobuki!" cried Natsuki, clapping her hands. "I love you! I love GALS!"
"Nice lecture," said Mami, coming to the company. "I could've done better though."
"Nuh-uh!" said Ran, and the two of them stuck their tongues out at each other. Natsuki laughed and squealed. At that moment, her mother came.
"Okay, Natsuki, who did you make friends with? Did they offer you candy?"
"This is Ran, Aya, Miyu, and, and..." She couldn't identify the other person, who replied by saying, "Mami Honda."
"...Mami Honnnnnda!" Natsuki finally finished.
"Who are you," asked Ran to the mother.
"My name is Maron Nagoya," she said. "I'm Natsuki's mom, but you can call me Maron." She curtsied to the four, who blinked.
"You look familiar," said Ran.
Natsuki, who always played the tattler, proudly replied, "She was a kaitou and sealed paintings and was even a saint-mmmph!"
"Uh, Natsuki, not in front of these people. Excuse us for just a moment. Adios!" The two of them quickly went to a corner where she conferred with Natsuki, even spanking her a bit.
"What are they doing?" asked Mami.
"Hmmm, Natsuki said 'kaitou,' and 'saint,' and 'seal paintings'..." Ran thought this over, and then, "No way...she's, or she was...the infamous Kaitou Jeanne!?" A few years ago, Taizou was mentioning the failings of the koban representing the Momokuri district of Tokyo in finding Kaitou Jeanne and her would-be partner Kaitou Sinbad. He was infuriated, not because the officers couldn't do it, but because they chose not to do it. If those officers worked in his department, he would have to clean house. Looking from it, aniki wouldn't even be able to match their illusiveness and tactical grace.
From another perspective, Maron being at one point the reincarnation of Joan Of Arc was, in her eyes, a privilege. But, the more she thought about it, the more that prestige became a burden. It didn't help by the fact that, through some Hounan classmates who had connections to Momokuri Academy, she was abandoned by her parents at a young age, but after she had accomplished her duty by using the goodness in her heart, a righteousness that would only make Pope John Paul II ponder about beatifying her, to right everything, she gave up her reincarnation power to save her then-lost angel friend, of which she couldn't, or they couldn't, uncover the name. Pondering it even further, that sacrifice may have [indirectly] resulted in her daughter's birth. After her sacrifice, her parents returned, remarried, and resided in her apartment. That was as much as she knew.
"Ran," said Ayumi, "now what are you thinking about?"
"No, it's nothing."
"Nothing? How could it be nothing? Is it about the two people that just came here?"
"Mmm-hmmm."
"You know, Ran, I actually made an offer to Takumi and Koron Kusakabe, Maron's parents. I told them that I would add profit to their theme park, Maron Dome, by adding my name and record label, Avex, to their sponsor. It's now called the Avex AyuMaron Dome. They've been making a lot of revenue ever since, with expansion and more features, more than Tokyo Disneyland."
"But...didn't Avex...?"
"Disappear? Of course, but, see, Takumi and Koron received so much money that they were able to purchase a share of the Disneyland ownership, and with it, more profits. A 20% share there."
"Whoa..." Ran scratched her head.
"When you combine that with their already booming profits at the Dome..."
"That means they're ONE WEALTHY FAMILY!? Heh, Mamirin's family is not the only set of rich bastards in this town..." Ran had a sly grin on her face, that turned to hysterical laughter.
"..." said Ayumi, before coming back to the story. "Fortune Magazine put Takumi and Koron among the Top 200 Richest People in the World. In Japan, they're among the Top 10. As another sign towards forgiveness, they allotted 20% of their money to Maron and her family, all three of them..."
"Oh, and what about Mamirin's...?"
"As for them...top 20 in Japan."
At that point, Ran started to jeer Mami a bit, "Hahahah, Maron's family is richer than you!"
"Huh!?" asked Mami. "No one can be richer than the Honda clan~~~~~!" She then walked to Maron, who was startled. "Look, you Momohomofluezy, I don't know about you, but I hate people who are richer than me."
"Ne...wh...wh...what are you talking about?" said Maron, a sweat drop coming down her head. "I...don't understand. Who are you calling a..."
"You tell me where the money is, you mofo hoe, or else I will not just only wipe that innocent, mawkish, goody-two-shoes smile off your face, bitch!"
"N...nani!? What are you...!?" Mami was about to give her a black eye-no make that two, when a guy took Mami's hand and swiped it away.
"What the hell are you doing to my Maron, you bastard?" he said coldly towards her.
"Who are you!?"
"I'm Chiaki Nagoya, Maron's loving husband. If you want to mess up my Maron, you gonna have to get a lesson from me first." He cracked his knuckles, and he was wearing a savage scowl. At that point, Mami screamed and ran away from the crowd, back home, knowing she made a terrible mistake. "You okay?" he asked.
"I'm fine," she pouted. "I could have done it myself, you know."
"Are you thinking that way again, sweetheart?" he whispered to Maron, holding her tight, her eyes online with his.
"Chiaki, I..."
"Don't think that way, Maron. Never again."
"Chiaki...Chi...a....ki...ohhhh...mmm...mmmmm...nnnnn...mmmmm..."
Their lips already locked, the two had a long passionate kiss. About the 2,134,293rd time over the past 8 years, give or take a few blunders. Natsuki stuck out her tongue in disgust, then laughed as she self-diiverted to play with Miyu and Aya.
Ran walked over to the impromptu love-fest, and said, "Ahem, what are you two doing? Making love, Jeanne and Sinbad?"
"Wha...EH~~~~~~~!? HOW DID YOU KNOW US!!?"
Ran smirked, and said, "You can't underestimate the Queen of the GALS. She knows all."
"Who are you," asked Chiaki.
"Chiaki, sugar pie, this is Ran Kotobuki. She's a very outspoken lady, as I observed..." said Maron.
"..and them some!" Ran proclaimed. "Wait a minute...lady!? I'm a GAL, you hear me, Chucky? A GAL!"
"Isn't it the same thing? And, Ran, it's Chiaki, not Chucky! I'm not one of those ugly-looking dolls that kill you."
"There is a difference."
"No there isn't!'
"Yes there is!
"No there isn't!'
"Yes there is!
"No there isn't!'
"There they go with their argument," said Miyu wearily.
"Look, you guys," said Maron, separating Ran and Chiaki. "This conversation is getting nowhere. Chiaki, Natsuki, let's go somewhere else. Ran, everyone else, it was great knowing you, but...um...Adios!"
The three of them bowed their heads, and ran away.
"Stupid," muttered Ran. "They dropped their I.D.'s (except for the kid). Now I know where they are located."
"Like you care?" said Mami, bored.
"You know what., you guys?" asked Miyu. "We should go back and write songs...oh, and...ooooh, I want to go to Australia tooo~~~~~..."
"I'm not alone," Ran said aside. The four of them went their separate ways, but Ran decided to stay at the square, fingering her new cards. She quickly put them in her pocket, so that no one would notice.
********
"Now, I want to write another song," thought Mitsuki, arriving at Hachiko Square. She saw Ran, reflecting, and walked over to her. "Hi, are you...Ran?"
"The one and only. What's up? Who are you?"
"Mitsuki Kouyama-san."
Ran lost her composure again. "KYAA~~~~~~~!!! FULL MOON-SAMA~~~~!!!" Suddenly she went back to normal and said. "How are ya? What brings ya here?"
"I wanted to ask you a favor."
"Hm?"
"That lady you just met...she wants to write a song..."
"Okay...well..."
"She had this poem she wrote down a few months ago, but she can't find a suitable melody and rhythm. She wants to borrow a melody from some popular song, but she can't find any. I want to help her out, but I'm too busy writing my own music..."
Ran thought for a moment, then said, "I got it! Why don't you, Maron, and me collaborate on a song? I was pondering a melody for it. Do you know where she is located?"
Mitsuki pondered, and then said, "I met her a few weeks ago at her old school, and we exchanged addresses. I know where she lives. Let's go."
The two of them went to Mitsuki's car, and sped off to Maron's house.
********
"Wonderful, my love!" said Kiyoka, washing the dishes back at the Kotobuki house.
"We get to go to Australia," Taizou said, grinning. "Koalas, kangaroos, and pavlova. I think I will gain another...hm....10 kilos?" Kiyoka laughed.
"Hey, is Ran gonna come here?" asked Satsuki, peering at the conversation.
"That's what I was wondering...oh well, let's just celebrate this joyous moment! The vacation of our lives!!!"
As the two reveled, Satsuki went back to her room, picked up her cell phone and called Ran.
********
"Moshi moshi?" asked Ran over the phone.
"Ran..."
"Oh, hi Satsuki! What's up?"
"You'd better go home quick. Mom and Dad have something important for you."
"Huh?" Suddenly, thoughts of that Australia incident came to mind. "Oh, tell them I'll be back sooner than they think."
"Define 'sooner than they think.'"
"Tomorrow."
Satsuki snarled a bit, then "Hey, where are you?"
"I'm heading over to a house located in Arakawa-ku. It's not too far from here."
"Who's with you?"
"Um...just me and a new friend."
"Her name?"
"Kouyama Mitsuki-san?"
"OH! Full Moon-sama can drive?"
"Well, we didn't crash into a lamppost. Does that count?" she said sarcastically.
"Sure," she said indifferently. "I'll see you later!"
"Ja ne!"
"Who was that?" asked Mitsuki, as they parked on the curb.
"One of my friends."
"You've got a lot of connections."
"That what happened when you are Queen of the GALS!" she said, striking a vain pose.
Mitsuki rolled her eyes as they walked to the house where Maron, Chiaki and little Natsuki lived. It was a beautiful cottage-like structure, not as extravagant as the Hondas' place, but quaint and comfortable. Every room was clean, no housemaids were there, and it looked at though it were impeccable perfect. On the front lawn lay a marble statue of an angel that looked like Joan of Arc, but at the same time, Maron. It seemed to guard the household, and it was so beautiful, that no one defaced it, and a few devout hermits worshipped it, and asked for repentance. So Mitsuki said.
"Hello?" asked Ran, ringing the doorbell.
"Hi," said Chiaki, opening it. "Oh. You're the girl we saw earlier. And you must be..."
"Kouyama Mitsuki-san," she said, bowing.
Chiaki nodded. "Come in."
"Mitsuki! Ran! You came..." asked Maron, who came out of the kitchen, still wearing an apron. Apparently she was cooking something.
Ran breathed in the aroma. "This must be..."
"Potatoes au gratin," Mitsuki said, wearing a bored expression. "Again?"
"This is the 69th time this year I had to make it for him," Maron replied.
"Who? Chiaki!?"
"Yeah...Oh, that's right! I also made some pancakes, but they're in the fridge. I cooked them this morning, but it seems Chiaki likes the gratin more. And Natsuki too."
Mitsuki and Ran went to the table, as Maron served them dinner. Apart from being the "World's Greatest Gratin Maker," Maron was a skilled cook. There was no dish that she couldn't make. Of course, that meant having the run to the supermarket every day, but it was no problem.
"So, Maron, do you have a job?" asked Ran. "By the way, this stuff's good!"
"Thanks. I work as the head coach of the Momokuri Academy rhythmic gymnastics team," she replied.
"I see. Fun?"
"Challenging. But when you're recognized as a former national champion in that sport, it becomes that much easier."
"Success?"
"Oh, most definitely. Our team is undefeated again, and we have one more match, the national championships, out in Shibuya-ku." Ran's eyes turned into stars. "Ran...what's wrong?"
"That's where I'm from. You guys are coming to my place?"
"Yeah, and it's in a week. My girls have been training for that event."
"Rigorous?"
"Well, yes, but I become flexible and stringent and compassionate at the same time. My team is like a second family to me. I take some of the kids to the meet, provide some Gatorade after practice, chat with the girls, that stuff. They respect, and I respect them. It's wonderful. They're having fun, just like me, when I was on the team years ago." She began to reminisce about the past. Ran blinked.
"Maron, Mitsuki said that you wrote a little poem to yourself a while ago..."
"Oh yeah, that's right! I had this poem, but I just couldn't set it to music. I don't know what to do..."
"Maybe I can help!"
"Me too!" asked Mitsuki.
"You guys..." said Maron, about to cry happily. "Let's go to my room, but first, can you guys help me wash here?"
"Sure!" they both said.
They're nice people, Maron thought.
After cleaning up, they went to Maron's room. It was decorated with plaques, news articles, and many pictures of times when she was a Momokuri student too. There were pictures of when she was with Chiaki, Toudaiji Miyako, her best friend, Minazuki Yamato, another friend who she calls "Iinchou," and Shikaidou Hijiri, a teacher who left the school for a post at another school in Osaka 6 months ago. There were also some pictures of Kaitou Jeanne, Sinbad, Noin Claude, even Fin Fish, Access Time, and the whole shebang.
"Decorated," commented Ran.
Maron puilled out a piece of paper and handed it to Ran. "This is my poem. It's simply called 'Kamikaze'."
Ran read it, and it said...
I want to be the wind.... A wind like a breath... At times, I want to
be the wind that fights against you
the wind that dries your tears
or the wind that eases your tiredness
I want to be a wind like that. And I want to fly. I want to sweep up
the sadness, and spread happiness. When you're sad, just cry. I'll be
there. When you're happy, just call. I'll be there. But because we're
girls, there are times that you get tired. There are times that you
hold back your tears. So in times like that, sweetheart, I'm going to
come flying down to you
so hold me in your arms gently
.
"I have a melody from a famous movie in my mind. It's 'What A Feeling' from the movie 'Flashdance,' and I think, that if you switch the words around...it will work just fine..." Ran took a piece of paper, modified the words along with Mitsuki, and put them in tune with the song. Ran then sang it, since she didn't bring her Kotocaster (actually, it was in Mitsuki's car). The result was this, translated in English...
I want to be the wind like a breath.
One that challenges you,
Dries your tears, and eases your weariness.
Sweep up the sadness, and spread joy.
But because we're girls, there are times
When you tire, or hold back your tears.
CHORUS:
I want to be a divine wind.
When you're sad or happy, I'll be there.
I want to be like that. And I want to fly.
When you're sad or happy, I'll be there.
In times like this, sweetheart, I'll come flying down,
So hold me in your arms gently.
CHORUS
A Divine Wind...
I want to be a divine wind.
When you're sad or happy, I'll be there.
A Divine Wind...(gently)
A Divine Wind...(I want to fly)
I'll be there...(I love you)
I'll be there...whoa...
A Divine Wind (oh, oh, oh, oh, A Divine Wind)
I'll be there...(A Divine Wind)
I'll be there...
Maron started to cry happily again. "Ran...that was beautiful. I was thinking, maybe, um...I could record that song, and use it in my team's routine."
"Absolutely," said Ran, giving a thumb up. "Let me just call Usagi-san first..."
"Usagi?' asked Maron. She knew... "Waaaaah! Sailor Moon-sama!"
"Sailor Moon?" said Mitsuki. "Who is...?"
"Shhh!" said Ran to the other two. "Hello, Usagi-san?"
"Oh, hi Ran!" replied Usagi over the phone.
"I want to record another song, but only with a few members of my band. Oh, and I have a couple of people who want to sing this."
"Their names?'
"Kusakabe Maron, and Kouyama Mitsuki, a.k.a. Full Moon."
"Oh, a singer from Seed Records comes? Seed has some of the best rising stars. Tell you what, Ran. Come back to Serenity with those two and the few other Surfers, and we will get you started...deal?"
"Thanks! See ya!"
"Ja!"
"Hey, can I call Ooshige-san, too?" asked Mitsuki.
"Don't you have a phone, too?" asked Ran.
"Um, I left mine's at home."
Ran hesitantly gave Mitsuki her phone. She made a quick call to Ooshige-san, her manager, telling her she would be absent. She said it was all right, since they had 5 months before they begin the recording-and-touring game again.
********
The next day, at Serenity Studios...
"Um, why are we here?" asked Miyu, Aya, and Mami to Ran. Mitsuki and Maron were busy looking over the lyrics and melody.
"Just because," Ran said naively.
"We don't have to record any more songs until May," said Miyu hesitantly.
"Shut up! Listen everyone, my friends here need your help in recording this song."
"Hey, aren't we your friends too?" asked Aya, hands on her hips, wearing an irked expression.
"And I thought we weren't supposed to let them come in here," said Mami rather icily.
"Yes, you're my friends as well, and for your question, Mami-rin, Usagi complied, and therefore, I can help Maron record this. Come one, you guys, show some compassion."
They rolled their heads, but hesitantly said, "Understood." Ran giggled gleefully.
"Hmmm...let me see that song," said Usagi, taking the sheet and reading it. "Oh, this melody is from Flashdance. I think we have synthesizers for it..." She brought a large synthesizer machine, and tested it, playing a bit of the introduction, and then added some more effects. Ran and the gals were amazed at how it resembled "What A Feeling."
"Um, I forgot your names..." stammered the lady with the long blonde pigtails.
"Oh! I am Maron Kusakabe," she said, shaking hands.
"Mitsuki Kouyama, a.k.a. Full Moon, on loan from Seed Records," said the other, with respect.
"Mmmm...all right..." She continued to test the synthesizer to make sure there weren't any glitches. This machine was new, and hadn't been used...until now. "This synthesizer is called the ASTAM 7000. It can simulate up to 1,000,000 different beats and sounds. It can even simulate guitar chord strums and taiko drum beats. It is updated monthly through online downloading and maintenance. You play it like a regular keyboard synthesizer."
"What does ASTAM stand for?" asked Maron.
"'All Songs To All Men'."
"No wonder..." she whispered. "Hey, Tsukino-san, can you synthesize the background music to symphony music, and the dripping overdub to harp tones. Make it ethereal?"
"There's nothing this machine can't do...certainly!" She pressed a few buttons, and when she played, it sounded even more beautiful. Ran and the others were amazed.
"I think we're ready," said Ran to the others. "Let's go!" she yelled, striking a pose.
"Yay~~~~!" responded the others.
********
When the song began, Mami was not playing the drums, since she opted to play on the ASTAM. It didn't take long for her to understand the features. Even though Mitsuki was a better singer that Maron or Ran, she decided to play backup, along with Ran, and let Maron handle lead vocals. These were her words, after all. And so, Maron sung...
I want to be the wind like a breath.
One that challenges you,
Dries your tears, and eases your weariness.
Sweep up the sadness, and spread joy.
But because we're girls, there are times
When you tire, or hold back your tears.
CHORUS:
I want to be a divine wind.
When you're sad or happy, I'll be there.
I want to be like that. And I want to fly.
When you're sad or happy, I'll be there.
In times like this, sweetheart, I'll come flying down,
So hold me in your arms gently.
CHORUS
A Divine Wind...
I want to be a divine wind.
When you're sad or happy, I'll be there.
A Divine Wind...(gently)
A Divine Wind...(I want to fly)
I'll be there...(I love you)
I'll be there...whoa...
A Divine Wind (oh, oh, oh, oh, A Divine Wind)
Hold me gently...(A Divine Wind)
In your arms...
********
A week later...
"Ran, mail for you~~~!" said Kiyoka in her singsong voice.
"What is it?" asked Ran, waking up, coming down the stairs. She saw an envelope, that said on the back, "For Kotobuki Ran-sama." She picked it up and opened it.
"Ticket to Japan National High School Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships," it read. Ran smiled. There was not one, two or three, but twenty tickets in the package.
"Um, Ran," said Taizou. "We have something to tell you. About your Australia situation..."
Ran laughed dryly and said, "I was only playing around, Dad! You know me, silly and stuff..." She continued to laugh, and then it fainted to where she bowed her head in submittal.
"Ran, I received a retirement pension, as well as your mom. Yamato will receive a paid leave as well."
"That's awesome, dad!" said Ran, winking with a thumbs-up. "What will you do with the money?"
"Use it to take a trip to Australia."
Ran freaked out and said, "Australia...!!? But I have to see my friend coach her gymnastics team~~~!!!"
"That's okay, Ran," said Kiyoka. "We're not leaving until next week, so..."
"You guys can come? Yay~~~!" Ran skipped around, merrily.
********
"All right everyone," said Maron to her students, dressed in their white, green, and purple-colored practice suits, with their leotards underneath. "You girls realize that this is our big moment. There is a crowd of 15,000 here. You ladies will feel the pressure. The other schools are just like you. For many of you, this is your first time participating in Nationals. That's okay. In my first time, I got nervous, but I still led them to the title. And you know why? Because everyone, including me, had practiced for that big day, and developed on what I had instructed you to develop on: grace, skill, and execution. Remember those other matches we won? You can throw them out the window, because this one will be nowhere close to those!
"Do not force yourselves too hard. That is, do not try to please the crowd too much by doing what you cannot be able to do! If you do that, you will lose your mental composure, and subsequently, let down the team. Secondly, compete with a focus: To succeed in gymnastics, academics, and life. So far, all of you have accomplished that goal.
"Which brings me to the third goal: Just have fun doing this. I know some of you have thought, 'Why do I need to mess around with a ball, hoops, clubs, and a ribbon 24/7/365? Is this like a job to me?' Well, lemme tell you this, girls. I know many peers who play like it's their job, and they never have fun doing it. As a result, their lives are miserable. Look, you girls have been competing in rhythmic gymnastics since you were 5, a few, maybe later or sooner. You have naturally grown to love it. Or should I say it grows on you. Rhythmic gymnastics, if I'm not mistaken, is a sport that cannot be made for money, unlike football, basketball, baseball...if you compete as if this was just like working at McDonald's, you've single-handedly ruined the true meaning of gymnastics, and eventually, sport itself.
"And finally, I want you girls to continue what you're doing. This is our show. Let's show the nation how we do it. First, let's have a prayer."
Maron led the girls in a brief moment of prayer and meditation, then said, "All right! Let's do this for Momokuri! Emiko, lead the cheer!" she said, as she headed off.
"Let's do this!" shouted a girl with long black hair and brown eyes, her hair wrapped in rosettes like Maron. And the cheer began...
Wooo! Wooo!
Strong! Serious! Matchless! Marvelous! Cheerful! Courageous!
Wooo! Wooo!
M-O-M-O-K-U-R-I!
1-2-3-4 GAME START! YOU KNOW!
The girls charged off to the court with a yell, the assistant coaches silently and calmly taking the music and materials for the routines. Today was going to be a big one.
*******
"This is not a bad spot," said Ran, with her friends and family, chatting with each other. As they entered the arena, she saw..."Mitsuki! You came!"
"Couldn't forget my new pals," she said, saluting. "Ran, this is my agent and friend, Ooshige-san. Ooshige, this is my friend, Ran Kotobuki."
"Nice to meet you," said Ooshige-san, shaking hands with the red mesh girl. "Nice red mesh. Wonder if I should wear one." Ran had a sweat drop on her forehead.
"So, Tatsuki, what do the girls do?" asked Yuuya to his friend. "There's only a floor here!"
"There are no uneven bars, high bar, balance beam, or vault. It's roughly a floor exercise," explained the spiky-haired one, "but they have to use a ball, clubs, hoop, and ribbon as their apparatus. They just play around with that gracefully, I guess."
"Oh."
"But it's beautiful, though!" Tatsuki said with a genki grin.
"Why did I have to come here?" groaned Rei. "My work..."
"Don't worry, sugar," said Aya. "You'll have fun."
"Ran!" said a girl in a Momokuri practice uniform. "Come down to the floor. Nagoya-sensei is waiting for you! Here's your I.D.!"
"Huh?" asked Ran, leaving her seat, putting the I.D. on. "Why would she...?"
"Ran! You came," said Maron, watching the girls practice. Five more minutes, and the preliminary rotation would begin.
"Would I ever let you down?" asked Ran sheepishly, with a straight face.
"Here, wear this, so that they will recognize you." She handed to Ran the jacket that she and the girls wore during practice.
"This is cool, but I can't...I attended a different school than..."
"Just wear it. Please?"
"Oh, if I must, I must." Ran hesitantly put the jacket on. A comfortable fit, she thought. "Hey, this looks good on me," she said. Then she notices something on the front. "My name...? You put in my name?"
"Yeah," Maron said. "Look on the back, too."
Ran looked and saw the word Kotobuki in script on it. "Maron...Maron...this...This is an honor! Why did you do this? I mean...I don't know what to say, I..."
Maron put a finger to Ran's lips. "Relax. You don't have to say any more."
"Th...Thank you," whispered Ran. Suddenly, another thing came to mind. She took out the some cards, and said. "Here, Maron. You dropped this at the Square."
"Oh, thank you, how silly of me," she replied, taking them. "Now go ahead and take a seat. You're our honorary assistant, Ran!"
Ran blushed, took her seat, and watched the drama unfold. Some of the Momokuri gymnasts chatted with Ran, and they had a light conversation.
********
There were 16 schools participating, each school representing a specific region. Momokuri represented the Tokyo-to region. In the preliminaries, the field was divided into two groups: Northern and Southern. Momokuri naturally, was placed in the Southern group. The girls wasted no time in demolishing the competition. Even though the top 4 teams advanced to the final, Momokuri finished 65 points better than the nearest opponent, Kodobashi Senior High, from Osaka.
After an hour break of practice, the finals began. However, things began to be a bit rusty for Momokuri. After the first 3 apparatus routines were done for each school, they were a close second to Sapporo Senior High School. Sapporo had a veteran coach of 22 years, and they had been the doormat of Japan for a number of years, until this year.
All of the teams (save the captains) did their ribbon routines. Momokuri was still in 2nd. At last, the captains of the teams did their routines. Emiko, the captain of Maron's team, would be the last gymnast to perform.
"Oh no!" said Maron. "We've basically used up all our music! The rules say that we can't play the same music twice, and that we can't use our practice tapes either..."
"So?" said Ran quizzically.
"If we can't find a 4-minute song for Emiko-'s routine, we'll have to forfeit!"
"No!" whispered Ran. She looked in her pants to find something, and she remembered that she left her portable CD player in Dad's car. "I got it! I'll be back."
"Ran!? Where are you going?" Dang, she runs really fast, she thought.
A minute later...
"Dum-da-da-dum~~~! A CD player!" said Ran, coming back just as quickly as she left.
"What that got to do with it?" Ran opened the CD player, and took out her CD. "No...that's my song? Ran, I don't think the judges will...Ran?" Maron saw her heading to the judges table.
"Excuse me, sir?" asked Ran to one official.
"Yes?" he asked.
"This will be for our school's last routine." She handed him the CD. "Sorry we didn't give it to you sooner."
"That's okay, ma'am. Thank you."
As Ran left, he tested the CD and played it on his player. "Strange...this doesn't sound like typical gymnastics music...Reiko, is this legal to have something like this for a routine?"
"Hmmm," asked Reiko. She opened the handbook. "Let's see, Hideo...music, music, music, oh, here it is! 'Section III, Rule 45: If a team is not able to bring in music beforehand, that team must search for a musical number for their routine before it begins. The song must be exactly 4 minutes long, and it can be of any genre and any artist, as long as it is of that length.' So that means, that song can count."
"And this is also 4 minutes long, so I will agree. The name of this song is...hmmm...'Kamikaze' by the Platform Surfers." He called the announcer and told him what to do, as the next-to-last gymnast finished.
"Okay, Emiko," said Maron to her, "You will be performing under a different song."
"Huh!?" she cried. "But I'm gonna be rusty! And we're gonna lose the title!"
"Don't worry about a thing," she said. "Just do what you do best. And be like the wind..."
"O...okay," said Emiko, taking a deep breath. She slowly walked to the center of the floor, ready.
"And now on the floor with the ribbon," aid the announcer on the microphone "representing Momokuri Academy, Emiko Shimauchi-san, performing to 'Kamikaze' by 'The Platform Surfers.'"
"Huh!?" asked Yuuya. "How the heck did we perform that song?"
"That was not in our knowledge," said Rei. "Did we ever perform that song?"
"You guys didn't perform the song, we did~~~" said Miyu, Aya, and Mami. The guys just shook their heads.
"Not fair, but I digress," said Tatsuki, watching intently. "Go Momokuri..." he whispered under his breath.
As the music began, Emiko felt an aura of energy surrounding her. "I now know this song," she thought to herself as she began the routine. The crowd started to clap, then dance a bit. Everyone knew that this was like What A Feeling, and they kept clapping to the end. Some of the judges started to groove a bit, the others nodding their heads. Emiko completed her routine flawlessly, in her eyes, and in everyone else's. Ran smiled, and nodded her head. When the number finished, the crowd roared its approval.
"Contestant Shimauchi's score..." said the announcer. Everyone crossed their fingers. "...10.00."
At that moment, the crowd erupted. The girls ran out onto the floor, in dogpile formation, hugging Emiko, screaming in joy.
Maron raised her outstretched hands and shouted, "Hallelujah, we are saved. Can we have an Amen?" The crowd responded, "Amen!" Ran went to her and said, "Congratulations, Maron. You deserve it."
"Thank you..."
"Or should I say...Kaitou Jeanne???"
At that point, Maron blushed, cried a bit, but happily wiped away her tears, and hugged her, kissing her on the cheek a bit. "No, thank you, Ran Kotobuki. You saved our team! I'm so happy~~~~! Thank you soooo much!"
"No, wait a minute, I only..." She suddenly felt her body being lifted by the gymnasts, tossing her in the air. "Hey, this feels good," she said, laughing.
"Ran..." said Ayumi, "what are you doing?"
"What's it look like?" Ran replied.
"Oh, sorry. I'll shut myself up for the day."
"Well, that was a good show, wasn't it?" asked Kiyoka to Taizou.
"Yes, my dear," he replied. "Now it's time for all of us to take that vacation to Australia."
"Mmm-hmmm..."
"Um, Mom, Dad," said Yamato. " Sorry to interrupt your melancholies, but you have to see this..."
Sayo pointed to the floor. "Look! It's Ran! And she's...flying!"
Kiyoka and Taizou saw Ran being tossed in the air by the gymnasts from good ol' Momokuri.
"Ah! Ran!" said Taizou. "What the hell are you doing over there!? You're gonna hurt yourself!"
"Ran-chan?" said Yuuya.
"Ran~~?" cried Miyu, Aya, Rei, Masato, Naoki, and Tatsuki.
"ARRRRGGHHHH!!" shouted Mami. "Kotobuki, you lucky-ass bastard~~~~~!! I wanted to be with them~~~!" She cried in vain, a bit hysterically while waving her arms.
Ran just looked at them, rolled her eyes, and continued to enjoy her flying experience. She, too, was like the wind...in a rhythmic sort of way. The euphoria continued well into the night.
*********
END CHAPTER 10
Now, who's still with me? Show of hands? (sees that it's not possible, everyone's online) I decided to add a little KKJ and Full Moon for a twist. A bit of a side adventure...
Be nice and fill out the review thingy. It's the least you can do.