A/N: Wow! Wasn't that last chapter fun! The girls are in trouble and that is the least of their problems now with Tohma trying to interfere….. Oh my! Thanx for your support so far I really appreciate!
Thanks: puppet-cat, Hoshi-Hiru, Vera-Sama, Notta Writer, Guren, insanehumor, i love athrun, Crazi 4 Grasper, inumoon3, Kya-kun, seshygirl04, Shos-lady, and clueless97.
Warning: Adult language and sexual innuendo.
Chapter XI
Ichigo, Kari and Sho sat on the couch of the Nakano residence looking very guilty if one ever saw a child looking that way. Even Kari Seguchi was fazed by her father's deadly stare. "What did you kids think you were doing?"Shuichi said, sounding frantic. "Well I….." Ichi started. "That's no answer, Ichigo Uesugi. Answer your okaa-san." Yuki snapped with arms folded across his chest. "We were looking for the past…" Kari announced. It was Tohma's turn to address the matter, "Why ever for, little ones? The past is in the past. It is certainly none of your concern. Let the dead stay dead and let the past go un-dug. …" The teenagers were silent. "Well…" Tohma added. "Now that that is settled… Come along, Kari….I will discuss your punishment for using my name for such matters." She got up and followed him to the door. "Yes, Father..." Ichigo watched as her oji-san left with her cousin, the man pivoting on one heal to stare at his brother in law. "Till tomorrow, Eiri-san…" Yuki just stared as the door closed. His daughter waited for her own 'death sentence' timidly.
She'd gotten out of the punishment for wrecking the car…well almost, who knew if she'd get off lightly again. All Ichigo knew is her sentence would be doubled after the farewell concert. "We'll also be leaving, Hiro…" "I understand, Shuichi…" He was looking intently at his own child. Sho gulped at the look in his dad's eyes.
"Ichigo." Yuki's voice was serious and angry as he paced the floor. "This has to be the most STUPID and RECKLESS thing you have EVER done!" She could feel her okaa-san's eyes boring into her back. Somehow she had a feeling she wasn't going to get out of this one. Shuichi would give his daughter no leeway this time. She gulped. "But, Tou-san…" "Ichigo, I suggest you not speak unless we tell you to!" This came from Shuichi. Yes, she was really in trouble this time… When her okaa-san started taking her tou-san's side instead of hers…..Watch out. "What in the world did you two think you were doing!?" He hollered. "..Two young girls alone in a city, full of vandals, murderers, and sickos! You could have been raped….or worse…" He shivered not wanting to think about that. "You do NOT have ANY idea what you put us all through!" He grimaced, sitting down, feeling queasy. Yuki saw this as his turn to take over. "He's right for once. You worried us all sick; your poor okaa-san's been nothing but a basket case since you left. Not even a note or a phone call did we get from you!" Ichi could see her tou-san was practically frothing at the mouth in rage.
"Well you see…."
"And don't think your going to worm your way out of this one! No one can help you today, young lady! No one is on your side!"
"Eep!'
What were they going to do to her?
"No anime for a month." Shuichi declared, face serious for once in his life. Having a child sort of did that to you, it taught him to be less juvenile growing up.
"What!? NO! You can't do that!" Ichigo announced in horror.
"Can't we? Why do they always say that, Yuki…"
"I don't know, but perhaps she'd like to try for two months?"
Their daughter sank back, beaten. "No no…A month is fine."
"Good." Both her parents announced.
Later That Night
Ichigo contacted her partners in crime on a three way phonecall, talking in low tones so her parents wouldn't know what she was up to. "If they think they're stopping us, they're kidding." She said to her co-conspirators. "I agree. They're hiding something large." Kari added. "Yeah, something definitely does not smell right." That was Sho. "Maybe it's the rotten fish…" "Sho, focus, will you? We've got to find out what they're hiding! Why are they so desperate to keep this from me and Kari!?" There was a shrugging sounds as he said, "Don't know, but it must be something huge for Yuki-san and Tohma-san to be agreeing on it. That's what I'm getting from you at least…" He continued to eat in her ear. A trait that was really annoying, rude, and disgusting. "Nakano, please stop eating." Kari interrupted. There was a sound of swallowing as Sho apologized. "So how do we go about doing this behind their backs?" "Very carefully." "Sure. That'll be easy." He scoffed. "Are you going to help me or not, Sho?" "Yeah…I am. Don't get your panties in a twist."
"Oh, shut up…"
He snickered at this. "Sooo…how are you going to go about NOT getting your hide nailed to the wall by your tou-san?"
"Carefully, my good Nakano-san."
"So what's your plan, Cousin…?" Kari spoke up.
School
"Hey, babe, didn't catch you in school for the last two days…?" A disgusting voice said. "Playing hooky? You'r so naughty, kinda turns me on…" (PERVERT!)
"So I ditched. I wasn't hooking, so get your filthy mind out of the gutter, Yamamoto!" Today was not the day to piss Ichigo off.
His perverted eyes traveled down her body. "Did any one tell you what a nice ass you have?"
"And did anyone tell you I've been known to make LESSER men hurt for a week?" She was glaring by now. "I've got to get to class…."
"Hey, Ichigo…" Keiko whispered before class began. "Where've you been? Nene and I were worried about you."
"I was sick." She lied. "But I'm better now!"
"Oh, that's too bad…. So any info on the concert." The girl was grinning like an idiot.
"Yeah….but I'll tell you later…Class is starting."
Lunch
Nene and Keiko approached their friend intent to get all the juicy information on Bad Luck's farewell concert. Ichigo meanwhile was stuck in a trance, thinking about the events of the previous day. I just can't let it go at that! I won't let them hide things from me! I have to save my family! Why can't they see I'm not doing this for selfish reasons! I deserve to know! She then felt a tapping on her shoulder and a far off voice saying, "Hello. Earth to Ichigo…. Ichi, are you there?" "Ichigo? Yo, you hearing us!?" "Huh?" The blonde came back to reality with a shake of her head. "Yeah, I'm here. Sorry, girls. Just thinking about something…" "Yeah," Keiko sat down. "What of?" Nene asked. "Oh, it's nothing for you guys to worry about." She tossed a dazzling smile. "Now, I suppose you guys wanna know about the concert and stuff?" "Yeah! Spill!" "Well…Okaa-san's working on a brand new song." She said smiling and she put a piece of sushi in her mouth. "Really!" "Yeah, but that's all I'm telling you." "Oh, come on, Ichigo, you can't say that and leave it at that!" "It's gonna be real good, that's all." Ichgo was firm on this. "You'll like it, don't worry."
Her friends then began to pout.
"Of course, Nittle Grasper will be the opening act for it, being as good friends as okaa-san and Ryu-chan are."
The girls knew this but were too excited to remember.
"Anyone else?"
"Electric Shock…."
"Who're they?"
"Oh, that's right! Electric Shock's not very famous with the public they have mediocre fans, and they've been touring mostly in America and other parts of the world." (1)
"Gee, that's too bad…" Her friends sounded disappointed.
"They're really not that bad. They just don't compare to Nittle Grasper or Bad Luck though they're really awesome. I've got one of their CDs."
She ate some more. "They do a switch in between Japanese and English in their songs like most bands. The Americans really seem to love them…That's why Japan keeps a tight leash on them. As long as their albums sell big in America, the OVA Record Company keeps them…"
"I think you'll like them too!" She shrugged. "Heck, I listen to them!"
"All right, Ichi…If you say they're cool, we'll believe you…" Keiko said, easting some of her own food.
Gym
Ichigo stood watching the rhythmic gymnastics team practice on the other side of the gym. She twisted the dueling rod for Kendo class around in her left hand, waiting for her chance to take to the floor. "Ready to have your ass whooped?" A slimy voice murmured into her ear. "Only if you're ready to eat crow once I defeat you." She retorted back. This is what she hated. That pervert Yamamoto seemed to be apart of every martial arts course, it's like he was stalking her or something, the slime. "Heh heh. So you think little girl." He then gave her rear a pinch and Ichi saw red, putting her foot out as he walked by, thus tripping him and causing him to fall flat on his face in front of the entire class. The Kendo class and the rhythmic gymnastics class burst out with laughter at the sight—and Ichigo herself had to snicker at Naka's humiliation. "You look good down there, Yamamoto….Submissive…bowing at your queen's feet." "All right all right!" Their Kendo instructor announced. "Enough of this! Yamamoto-san, Uesugi-san. You two are up now!" The girl smirked as she past her opponent and stepped upto where her teacher directed.
"Don't be so cocky, Shindou!" Yamamoto hissed, getting up and make his way over.
"Oh, you're just sore because I humiliate you at ever turn…" She purred with deadly gleam in her amethyst eyes.
Ichigo then brought her sword up, waiting for her opponent to do the same. "You won't be smiling when I defeat you…My family…" "Oh, please….If you start reciting that lineage crap, I might just throw up all over your haori." His eyes became cold. "Very well then, Shindou…. If that is how you WISH IT!" He then attacked with fury, using every Kendo technique he knew to break down her defenses. Ichi stood her ground though under his furious onslaughts. His offensive can't last for long…There's too much fury behind it. He'll get sloppy…And that's where I'll get him! She slipped out of the corner he was going to box her in and attacked him from behind. Yamamoto looked startled. It was obvious he hadn't expected that, being so wrapped up in his anger. "Stay still so I can defeat you!" he roared. "Yeah, right..." She skipped back in her bare feet two paces and held up her blade to defend herself. His crashed upon her and when he bored down on it, his head getting close enough to hers…. She head butted him then hit him under the chin with the hilt of her 'sword', knocking the pervert to the ground. "Hah!" She gloated putting the point of the rod under his chin. "I believe I win…."
"I believe so too..." The teacher said, approaching them.
"No she didn't!" he protested from the floor. "She-she cheated!"
"No…"
"You're blind!"
"What I did see was you being reckless. That sort of thing would have got you killed in the Meiji period."
"No!"
"Just admit you lost, Yamamoto…It's very disgraceful for a 'samurai' to carry on like this…Just commit seppuku and get over lying to yourself all ready." (2) She then walked away, putting her rod up on the wall.
After this she left the gym, leaving everyone to stare after her form.
"Hey, Ichigo, wait up!" called Keiko who was on the rhythmic gymnastics team and had seen everything. "I saw what you did to Yamamoto…That was…."
She couldn't find a word for what it was.
"He was pissing me off!" She stormed. "He asked for it…Smug bastard that he is!"
"No arguments there, girl…"
After School
When school let out, Ichi had become calmer turning her mind to three things: her birthday, her okaa-san's farewell concert at Zepp Tokyo, and the stability of her family. She bit her lip and brought out her cell phone, making a call to Sho's secret line… "Sho Nakano speaking. Whiz kid with the biz!" He answered cheerfully. "Cute, Nakano…" She laughed. "Oh, hey, Ichi…" His voice dropped down and there was a sound of a door being closed. "There, that's better. Gotta be careful from now on…." "You punishment that bad…." "My computer time has been iced, Ichi…" The girl swore. Damn, that was no good. "By how much?" "A month." He threw himself onto his bed and fed his fish. "I'm lucky it wasn't longer." "Yeah, sorry…" "No, it's okay. I willingly helped you." "Arigato, Sho. You're a good friend." He laughed at this. "Yeah, I'd like to think that…" Ichigo rolled her eyes. "Meet me at the new manga café" "Now?" "Yeah now." "Whatever you say, Ichi… I'll be there as fast as I can.." "Good. Ciao!" When her best friend hung up, she next dialed her cousin's number. She needed both of them, this was something she couldn't handle on her own.
"Okay, I'm here." Sho Nakano announced taking a seat across from Kari & Ichi. "What's the plan?"
Ichigo looked up from the manga she'd been engrossed in. He peered at the title: Fake. "I'll invitedK-san…" "Isn't that dangerous…" "Well, we can't use any of Kari's connections…" Kari looked at the boy. "Father has put a tight leash on me." She sighed. "I am not aloud to use his resources to search for something unless authorized by my Shacho." "That sucks." "Yes. Quite." "So, we have no other choice than to bring in K-san…Agreed?" The other two nodded. "Sounds like a plan," Sho started. "K-san might be trigger happy, but he's into this sort of stuff espionage and all that junk." "And that's precisely why we can trust him to help us." The blonde stated with a smile accorss her face. She looked up. "Ah, here he is now…."
Kari & Sho picked up there heads and watched Bad Luck's manager, Claude Winchester, also known as K, former CIA agent, walk into the café nonchalantly. He weaved his way through the tables and sofas and took a seat own the couch next to them. "Good afternoon, K-san.. .' Ichigo greeted. "Good afternoon…" He said in return. "You're officially in, right?" She leaned near the American. "Yes, it sounds intriguing, and I do love a good intrigue. So I'm in." "You'll help us find out what they don't want us to know." "Of course." Kari interjected, "What's in it for you?" The blond pony-tailed man turned and grinned behind his sunglasses, "The fun of manipulation and string pulling." He patted his holster. "And if need be…I get to use my new gun…Just bought it yesterday." "Perhaps." Ichi tightly said. "And perhaps not….it all rides on what you find out for us." His gaze pierced hers at this. "Ohhh, make no mistake…I will find the information you seek." She nodded. "Your first mission, K-san, is to track down a man name Yoshiki Kitazawa." "Ahh so that is what this is about hmmm?" He nodded as well. "Very well then. I'm familiar with her."
"HER!?" The three practically shouted.
K lifted his sunglasses, revealing blue eyes. "Of course, why ever would you think Yoshiki was a man…." He laughed. "He was one to beginning with of course…"
"Was?" His blonde employer inserted.
"Yes, Yoshiki Kitazwa is Yuki Kitazawa's younger brother…He had a sex change it seems, awhile back. Your okaa-san and tou-san knew him/her…." He informed Ichigo.
"They did!?"
"Yes."
"WHY DIDN"T YOU SAY SO BEFORE!?"
Young patrons looked up for their smoothie fruit drinks and cappuccinos to stare at the raging blonde, standing on the booth seat.
"Would their have been any relevancy before…?" K asked, arching an eyebrow.
"No…" She got back down and sipped at her strawberry smoothie.
"There you see…"
"Just do your job, okay, K-san?" Sho snapped.
"Oh it will be my pleasure, young Nakano…." K said, cocking the hammer of his gun.
(1) Electric Shock is a band from my other story as Notta Writer knows. They're not really bad, as Ichi said, they jst don't match up to the greatness of BL and NG. They're really awesome though!
(2) Okay, Ichigo didn't mean literal seppuku (ritual suicide). Ya see she sees Yamamoto as a disgraced warrior. It's her way of telling him to stop lying to himself and end his humiliation. It's all figurative. But it was fun to write!
Next Chapter: Enter the Manager
(this title may or may not change)
A/N: TA DA! All done! That was fun! (Hey I can rhyme lol) Yeah bringing K was a stroke of genius. This is going to be fun! Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Review!