Author's Note: And now, for the second chapter! This chapter introduces Motoko, who is... a little
rougher around the edges than you might remember. Yes, I know what I'm doing. I think...
Translation Note: In Japanese show business, "good morning" is the standard greeting regardless of
what time of day it is. Since she has spent the last three months as an idol, it is not so much a stretch that it has become second nature for Naru. Mitsune would not know this bit of etiquette since she is still very much small-time.
Disclaimer: The characters in this story are property of Ken Akamatsu, and are used without
permission. Please do not sue me, I have no money.
HINATA GIRLS
Road to Stardom!
by TheArchimage
"Mitsune-san, this is a middle school! And not only that, it's Mintai! Mintai Middle School is
famous for being a haven for delinquents, even I know that! Where are we going to find talent
here?"
Mitsune explained, "It was about a month or two ago. A rock band, Route 5, was having a concert
near here. Most of their music was forgettable, so I initially thought they were a bust. But one
of the members, the drummer, was really good. I was too far back to see him well, but he went by
the stage name of 'Samurai'. It always struck me as really out of place, that someone that good
was hanging out with a bunch of punks with no talent. The band didn't last, but I stayed on the
lookout for that guy."
"And that relates to this how...?"
"I found out that there's someone who goes by that nickname at Mintai. It's not a good lead, but
it's the best one I've got on the guy. A lot of the rumors are kinda scary, but you said you
wanted talent. You're not going to find anyone better than this guy, even if he is a little
dangerous."
Naru looked up at the school. The building itself looked a little dirty, and there were numerous
broken windows. Weeds poked up through the concrete of the courtyard, and any lines there used to
be for the parking lot and basketball court were faded almost to the point of invisibility. Derisive
laughter floated out from the building, reflecting the nastiness of the school's reputation.
Naru swallowed hard. "I don't feel so good about this..."
-Second Show-
Way of the Samurai
The halls were dusty and cracked, a far cry from Naru's own high school. She stuck close to Mitsune,
lamenting her poor fortune. "Why is it that the path to a good band always leads me through really
seedy places?"
"Oh hush," Mitsune sighed. "If you're going to whine, you should have stayed back at that run-down
inn."
"I'm not whining!" Naru retorted. "It's just... I don't really belong in places like this. It
makes me feel really nervous..."
"Well, get over it fast. Because we've arrived."
Naru looked over Mitsune's shoulder and into the classroom. The teacher had already left for the
day, and there were several students lounging around and talking amongst themselves. There wasn't
a single pleated skirt in the entire room, and the scent of cigarette smoke was in the air. Naru
cringed with nervousness. "This class is all boys... and it's in grade 3. This must be the rough
class of all the rough classes."
"It is," Mitsune assured her, not frightened in the least. "But this is where we want to be.
That one, in the back with the long black hair. That's the one we want, Samurai. I'd recognize
that hair anywhere. From here on in, it's up to you... just go on over, introduce yourself, and
explain what you're doing."
Naru turned toward her slowly, becoming less and less sure of this idea. "Ho-Hold it! We have to
recruit guys into the band, too?"
Mitsune gave her a withering look. "You want the best band? You can't hold something like gender
against a person."
Naru shook her head. "It's not that. It's just... I've heard of a lot of bands where they had
both boys and girls. Sometimes... they fall in love, and start dating. And for a while, it's okay.
But then, when they break up, or a love triangle forms, all kinds of things happen. I've heard..."
Mitsune interrupted, "Heard? I've seen it happen, kid, right before my eyes. I see a lot of bands
up on the stage, and a lot of them don't last more than a few months because of what you just
described. It's kinda sad, but happens all the time."
"So why are we opening ourselves up to that kind of trouble?!"
Mitsune looked down at the ground, thinking to herself. After a lengthy pause she said, "Well...
if you want the best band, you have to take risks like this. It's not going to happen on its own.
Besides..." She looked up with closed eyes and a grin as she finished, "I think it would be kinda
interesting if something like that happened!"
Naru narrowed her eyes. "That isn't exactly a compelling argument..."
"Never mind that, just go to it!"
Naru held her breath as she entered the room, Mitsune lounging against the doorway to watch. She
glanced left and right, grateful that none of the boys seemed to have noticed her yet. She was
dressed in casual gear that Mitsune helped pick out, white summer wear that showed off her midriff
and most of her legs. She was quite a sight, and she knew that these people wouldn't stop looking
once they caught a glimpse.
The boy's back was toward Naru; he had swiveled his chair in the opposite direction and was resting
his feet on the desk behind him. His uniform had a few barely-visible stitches and was threadbare
in places. He looked asleep, his head tilted low so his eyes could not be seen. He had long black
hair that nearly touched the floor, though part of this was because he was slouched low in his
seat.
"Um... good morning!" If the boy heard her, he made no sign of it.
Mitsune sighed to herself, "'Good morning'? It's the middle of the afternoon, what the heck is she
doing? Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to send Naru in alone..."
"My name is Naru Narusegawa..." Again, nothing. The rest of the class had turned toward her,
mumbling to themselves. Maybe some of these people had heard of her? Naru was beginning to feel
self-conscious... she could feel their stares on her. Ordinarily she'd love the attention, but
from people like this... She bit back her unease and tried to continue, "I'm trying to start a
band... I heard that you were a very good drummer, and I was wondering... if you weren't with
another band now..."
The boy did not move or even act like he heard her. Was he asleep? Or was she just being ignored?
Naru's timidity was quickly giving way to annoyance. "Hey!" Naru raised her voice. "I'm talking
to you, you know!"
A heavy footfall broke Naru's concentration. Her head turned slowly, then panned up. Standing in
front of her was a very tall, very brutish, and decidedly unattractive boy grinning ear to ear.
His smile looked like that of a six year old with a magnifying glass looking over a hill of ants
on a hot summer day. Naru grimaced, not liking being stared at like that. She'd dealt with fans
before, but this was something completely different...
"Heya, cutie!" the boy leered. "Whatcha wasting your time with that dork for? You don't look like
you're from around here... mind if we show you some places to have fun?"
Naru felt the blood drain from her face as she stepped backward. "N-no thank you. I already have
plans, s-so..."
"Don't worry!" A voice behind her caused her to stop backing up. "It won't take long at all...
will it?" Three sets of laughter alerted Naru to the presence of another boy, and she realized
with dread that she was surrounded. One in front, two behind... and the one in front was approaching.
She froze in place, unable to even think.
Mitsune sighed, shaking her head from the doorway. 'That's what she gets for drawing attention...
should have told her not to use her real name.' She took her hands out from behind her head and
cracked her knuckles as she thought, 'Looks like it's up to me to bail her out. What a hassle...'
Just at that moment, there was a whizzing sound followed by a harsh crack. One of the boys suddenly
fell face forward, his face contorted in an expression of surprise and pain. He hit the ground with
a thump while an unsharpened pencil clattered to the ground at his feet. Had anyone bothered to
look at the back of this boy's neck, they would have seen a hexagonal imprint there with a gray
graphite mark in the center. This mark was right on top of a critical pressure point of the human
body, but no one there would have known that.
There was a moment of silence as everyone stared in horror at the unconscious boy. His friends
grimaced as they looked down at their fallen comrade, then whirled around angrily. "Samurai!" one
of the boys shouted. "What's your problem?!"
The boy hadn't seemed to have moved an inch since the last time Naru looked, nor did he turn now.
He only raised his head slightly as he responded, "Three of you tough guys ganging up on one
spindly upclass girl? I don't like it. At all." Although now that Naru had heard his voice...
She stepped backward. "Wait... Samurai-san is... a girl?!"
The "boy" looked at Naru over her shoulder, revealing her obviously feminine facial features. She
had high-set cheekbones and a small mouth. Her chin came down almost to a point and her brown eyes
were narrowed, giving her a slightly mean look. "Something wrong?" she asked, genuinely confused.
Naru immediately apologized, "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to mistake you for a boy..."
Samurai smiled slightly as she replied, "But it's hard not to, since I'm wearing a boy's uniform.
Right?" She took her feet off the desk behind her and turned toward the other boys, her smile
vanishing. "From now on, she's under my protection. Anyone messes with her, they'll have to deal
with me. Got it?"
The two other boys recoiled and pulled their friend away, giving Naru much more space then before.
Naru swallowed, wondering whether this was really the kind of person she wanted liking her.
Samurai walked up to Naru, slouching with her hands in the pockets of the gakuran. Even hunched
over she was taller than Naru by a few centimeters, and her frame was quite large for a female as
well. Naru unconsciously balled her fists, feeling threatened by the girl's presence. This action
was not lost on the taller girl, who stopped suddenly.
"I have no problems if you want a fight," Samurai warned, although she seemed more amused than
angry. "But if you attack me with that fist, you're more likely to hurt yourself than me."
Naru gasped, bringing up her fist to look at it. Her other fingers were tucked around her thumb,
and her knuckles were badly out of line with each other. "Seriously?"
Samurai sighed. "Man... with your thumb tucked in like that, it will break the second you try to
hit someone. You're obviously not here to start a fight... so why else could you be bothering me?"
Naru started, "What? Oh, right! Um, I'm trying to start a band, and I heard you were a really
good drummer..."
Samurai tilted her head slightly. "Who did you hear that from?"
Mitsune chose this moment to walk over, inspecting the taller girl as she answered, "I told her.
You don't know me but I attended one of your shows, back when you were with Route 5."
Samurai's eyes flashed recognition at that name. "I see... And?"
Naru continued, "Well, I thought... if you weren't with another band now, you could join ours!"
Samurai sighed heavily, eyes closed. "It's true that I haven't found another band, but... Well,
you came all this way. I guess I'll hear you out. Come on, follow me."
Naru asked cautiously, "Um... where are you leading us, Samurai-san?"
"I live in a small apartment nearby. We can discuss things there. The name's Motoko Aoyama, by
the way. Please call me that... I don't really like my nickname."
Naru nodded, a little more relaxed. "Okay, Motoko-chaAAAAAH!" Motoko had stepped directly in front
of her, their faces only inches apart. Motoko was now standing at her full height, glowering down.
There was a terrible shadow across her face and a grim expression that made Naru quake with fear.
"Don't use '-chan'," Motoko warned as she walked past. Naru stood unmoving for a moment, then fell
to her knees unceremoniously. Naru laughed nervously, her face pale.
Mitsune raised an eyebrow as the tall girl walked past her. She wondered aloud, "Geez, what's with
her...?"
Kentaro observed the destroyed interior of the bar carefully. Tables had been overturned, drinks
spilled, and peanuts scattered throughout the place, all signs of a riot. A few of his workers were
combing the area, looking for clues about what created the mess. Among them were two locals he had
hired for just this occasion. They claimed to know the town better than anyone else, but since no
one had ever heard of them before he was able to get their services cheap.
"Ah!" came a voice from a corner. "Check this out!"
Kentaro walked over to where his two specially hired trackers were investigating. "You two. What
news?"
The fatter of the two of them grimaced as he corrected, "We're not 'you two'! We're Haitani and
Shirai, private investigators!"
"Whatever," Kentaro waved off. "What did you find?"
The taller, slimmer of the two held up something in front of him with a pair of pliers. "A broken
pair of sunglasses. A 55,000 yen pair of sunglasses, to be specific. Nobody who could afford
designer shades would visit a dive like this..."
Shirai finished his colleague's thought, "Unless they were trying to hide out. And we only know of
one rich person in the area who's trying to hide..."
Kentaro clenched his fist, his eyes narrowing. "So the rumors were true. She was here. Naru...
I'm catching up to you..."
Motoko's apartment was in a fairly run-down apartment building, three stories tall and obviously
hit hard from the recession. While it wasn't filthy or uninviting, it definitely had a lived-in
look about it. Naru stuck close to Mitsune, unused to these kinds of surroundings and thus
a bit wary of them. Motoko walked in front, no longer slouching but instead standing very tall and
proud. Was the "tough girl" an image she put on so guys like that wouldn't bother her, Naru
wondered?
Well, maybe a little small talk would clear that up. Naru asked, "Um... Motoko... can I ask you
something? If you're a girl, how come you dress like a boy?"
"It couldn't be helped," the girl in the gakuran explained defensively. "I had a girl's uniform
before, but I get in a lot of fights so the skirt kept getting torn up. The boy's uniform is a
bit sturdier, so I bought one of those instead."
Naru was still nervous, but for an entirely different reason than before. Maybe she really was a
scary person. "F-Fights?"
Motoko looked at her evenly. "Of course. That sort of thing happens often at Mintai." She looked
up to remark, "Here we are. This is where I live. Please excuse the mess," she said as she slipped
the key into the lock and turned the knob.
The door creaked loudly as it opened. A large series of objects on the opposite side of the room
immediately caught Naru's attention. It was a three-piece drum set: the simplest style of drums,
consisting of a bass drum, tom-tom, floor tom, and snare drum as well as one each of high hat, ride
cymbals, and crash cymbals. Naru's eyes widened on seeing it. "WOW! How awesome!"
"There's really nothing here but the drum set, though," Mitsune said. "It might be big, but it's
all empty."
Naru glanced around the room once more. Mitsune was right; the floors and walls were completely
bare, and there were no furnishings anywhere. Except for the drum set and an ornate wooden chest
in the corner, the room was barren. There wasn't a speck of dust anywhere along the floor, making
the emptiness just that more prominent. "You actually live here? Alone?"
"For now," Motoko sighed. "My roommate moved out a couple weeks ago, and I haven't found another
one. I get a little bit of money working as a bouncer for a club nearby, but it's not enough to
keep the payments up. I've been selling most of my belongings to make up the difference... this
and the clothes I'm wearing now is all I have left."
Naru opened her mouth to ask if her parents could lend her money, but a hand on her shoulder
stopped her. She turned to see Mitsune shaking her head vehemently. Mitsune knew what she was
going to ask, and apparently thought it was a bad idea. Naru did not really understand the
situation, but decided Mitsune knew more about this kind of stuff than she did.
Instead Naru asked, "So, if you still have your drum set with you... do you think we could have a
listen? Mitsune's already heard you, but I've never heard a drum solo before..."
Motoko smiled as she took her place behind the drums, taking off her shoes before sitting. "Well,
as long as I'm leaving... I might as well tick off the neighbors one last time." She took a deep
breath, spinning her drumsticks her hands. She tapped them together to set up a rhythm. "An
eight-beat variation," Motoko introduced. "It's a basic of rock music; not very flashy, but I
doubt Naru-san is familiar with it anyway."
Without any further warning she slammed the drumsticks onto the tops of the drums, creating a sound
loud enough to make Naru squeak in surprise. Her arms flew across the drums and cymbals, creating
a cacophony that blended with itself as well as any melody. Motoko's hair danced this way and that,
jerking through the air as thought it were moving to the beat of the drums.
After several minutes Motoko increased the tempo. Her hands and arms became a blur, the bangs and
crashes building up to a crescendo. Finally she slammed both drumsticks on opposite cymbals, causing
a loud crash that symbolized the end of her drum solo.
Mitsune whistled in appreciation as Motoko caught her breath. "You've gotten better since the last
time I heard you," Mitsune said simply. "Or maybe, I could just hear you better without those other
bozos drowning you out. What did you think, Naru? I know you don't usually listen to this kind of
thing, but..."
"She's good," Naru said, shivering with excitement. "Really good. For some reason, I'm all fired
up. Those fast beats really get your adrenaline flowing, huh?"
Motoko took a deep breath, wiping sweat off her brow. "I got into the drums because I wanted to be
good at something besides beating people up. I've had this set since I was twelve, and I've
practiced almost every day since then."
"Such dedication..." Mitsune marveled. "You really are a samurai..."
Motoko shook her head. "No... I just wanted to change myself." Motoko's eyes fell as she
explained, "I have little money, I am not friendly, and my grades are poor. I have little use for
authority figures, and am ill at ease in acting feminine. As long as my only talent was fighting,
I could never be anything more than a thug. I had to have some other talent in order to find what
my real passion was. That's why..."
Naru gasped. "So... you too?"
Motoko looked up, confused. "... 'Too'?"
Naru nodded. "Yeah. You see... I was always kind of shy and reserved. I never had any real good
friends throughout junior high, and even through high school. I was sorta listless... I didn't
know what I wanted to do with my life, which direction I wanted to go in."
Mitsune looked at her dubiously. "I find it hard to believe you were ever like that..."
"But I didn't want to always be meek and quiet. I wanted to change. I wanted to be proud of
myself, to do something that I loved with all my heart and soul. That's why I tried to become an
idol singer... but even then, I was only listening to what other people thought I should do. I was
still as quiet and meek as ever, I had just hid it a little better. I wanted to be in control of
my own life... that was the only way I thought I could really find what I wanted." Naru smiled at
Motoko as she finished, "So you see... we're really the same!"
Motoko stared at Naru for a long while, utterly amazed. Motoko recovered her composure, thinking
carefully. "You say this band... is your freedom?"
"It's a lot of things," Naru admitted a little sheepishly. "Among them, it's very small right now.
I really think we could be really great together, Motoko. Please, join up with us."
Motoko took a deep breath with her eyes closed, carefully considering the offer. After a long
moment she opened her eyes again, looking at Naru with a slight smile. "Then... for a little or a
long while, I'll accompany you. But be warned... I don't like anyone telling me what to do. If
I decide to pursue my own goals, I won't let any of you stop me."
Naru smirked, holding out her hand. "As long as you're heading nowhere but up we'll be right along
with you, Motoko-chan." Motoko smiled back as she clasped Naru's hand in her own, giving it a firm
shake. Her grip was strong, and Naru would have winced if she wasn't smiling so broadly.
It didn't last. Motoko's other hand came up and started pulling at Naru's cheek, causing her to
wince in pain. Motoko continued to smile, although it was a little more malicious now. "Naru-san?"
she asked. "What did I tell you about using '-chan'?"
Naru closed her eyes as she clumsily apologized, "I'm berry sowwy, Botoko... Ih won happen ahain..."
Mitsune buried her face in her hands after witnessing this exchange. "For crying out loud... I'm
going to have to be in the same band as her?"
Naru, Mitsune, and Motoko were all climbing up the stairs to Hinata Inn. Naru and Mitsune were
lugging pieces of the drum set as Motoko hefted her wooden chest. Although Motoko seemed to have
no problem with her burden, the two other girls were straining under the weight.
"'Samurai', my foot!" Mitsune grumbled. "If you're supposed to be an honorable samurai, why are
you making two fragile girls carry the heavy stuff?"
"I thought I told you I didn't like that nickname," Motoko said without turning around. "I never
claimed to live up to the title."
Naru would have said something to the effect of, "You're the strongest one here, you carry this
junk!", but it was taking all of her effort to carry the equipment. Besides, Motoko didn't seem to
want anyone else to touch the box she was carrying up, and Naru HAD been the one who wanted to get
everything in one trip...
As soon as they reached the interior of the Inn, Naru and Mitsune collapsed. The various drums,
cymbals, and stands they were carrying fell to the ground with them, causing an enormous racket.
"Forget it," Mitsune huffed. "No more... my arms'll fall off... if I carry that stuff one more
step..."
"What is all that racket?" Grandma Hina said as she came down the stairs. She paused as she took
in the situation, then raised an eyebrow at the three girls. "Who is she?" she said, obviously
referring to the gakuran girl. "Another freeloader, I'm guessing?"
"She's... a new friend..." Naru gasped, taking one last big gulp of breath. Naru raised herself
to her feet to explain, "This is Motoko-cha... I mean, -san! Her rent runs out today, and she
doesn't have anywhere else to go..."
Motoko exhaled sharply as she looked around the foyer, noting the state of disrepair. "What a
dump..."
Naru screeched as she clapped a hand over Motoko's mouth. "Ahahahaha... so anyway, she's going to
be part of our band, so please give her a place to stay like you gave me! Please?"
Hina sighed deeply. "Do whatever you want. Just try to keep the racket down... some people prefer
it to be quiet sometime."
"Alright!" Naru cheered, sharing a high-five with Mitsune.
Immediately afterwards Mitsune returned to her senses, and stared at her hand. "Oh no, all her
enthusiasm is rubbing off on me..."
"I'll pick a room upstairs," Motoko said, walking past them with her wooden chest. "I will carry
the set up myself, so you two can rest."
Naru called to her, "No, it's okay Motoko! We'll help you!" Mitsune gave her an evil eye, but she
didn't noticed.
Motoko turned her head to look at her over her shoulder. "No, it is not needed. I am part of the
band now. I shall have to pull my own weight."
Mitsune breathed a sigh of relief from her place on the floor. "Thank goodness... I don't think I
can move anymore..." Naru gave her a glare, but privately she was also thankful; that long climb
burdened by heavy instruments had completely enervated her. She wasn't sure how she was even
standing. On that note Naru fell backwards onto the couch, fanning her shirt to cool off.
Motoko chuckled slightly, then bowed. "Excuse me, then." She then walked upstairs, still carrying
the chest.
Naru smiled as she watched her go. "She's actually a good person, I think. We'll all get along
fine."
Mitsune cringed in response. "I sure hope so..."Motoko Aoyama - Drums
Next time: Heartache of a Pianist
rougher around the edges than you might remember. Yes, I know what I'm doing. I think...
Translation Note: In Japanese show business, "good morning" is the standard greeting regardless of
what time of day it is. Since she has spent the last three months as an idol, it is not so much a stretch that it has become second nature for Naru. Mitsune would not know this bit of etiquette since she is still very much small-time.
Disclaimer: The characters in this story are property of Ken Akamatsu, and are used without
permission. Please do not sue me, I have no money.
HINATA GIRLS
Road to Stardom!
by TheArchimage
"Mitsune-san, this is a middle school! And not only that, it's Mintai! Mintai Middle School is
famous for being a haven for delinquents, even I know that! Where are we going to find talent
here?"
Mitsune explained, "It was about a month or two ago. A rock band, Route 5, was having a concert
near here. Most of their music was forgettable, so I initially thought they were a bust. But one
of the members, the drummer, was really good. I was too far back to see him well, but he went by
the stage name of 'Samurai'. It always struck me as really out of place, that someone that good
was hanging out with a bunch of punks with no talent. The band didn't last, but I stayed on the
lookout for that guy."
"And that relates to this how...?"
"I found out that there's someone who goes by that nickname at Mintai. It's not a good lead, but
it's the best one I've got on the guy. A lot of the rumors are kinda scary, but you said you
wanted talent. You're not going to find anyone better than this guy, even if he is a little
dangerous."
Naru looked up at the school. The building itself looked a little dirty, and there were numerous
broken windows. Weeds poked up through the concrete of the courtyard, and any lines there used to
be for the parking lot and basketball court were faded almost to the point of invisibility. Derisive
laughter floated out from the building, reflecting the nastiness of the school's reputation.
Naru swallowed hard. "I don't feel so good about this..."
-Second Show-
Way of the Samurai
The halls were dusty and cracked, a far cry from Naru's own high school. She stuck close to Mitsune,
lamenting her poor fortune. "Why is it that the path to a good band always leads me through really
seedy places?"
"Oh hush," Mitsune sighed. "If you're going to whine, you should have stayed back at that run-down
inn."
"I'm not whining!" Naru retorted. "It's just... I don't really belong in places like this. It
makes me feel really nervous..."
"Well, get over it fast. Because we've arrived."
Naru looked over Mitsune's shoulder and into the classroom. The teacher had already left for the
day, and there were several students lounging around and talking amongst themselves. There wasn't
a single pleated skirt in the entire room, and the scent of cigarette smoke was in the air. Naru
cringed with nervousness. "This class is all boys... and it's in grade 3. This must be the rough
class of all the rough classes."
"It is," Mitsune assured her, not frightened in the least. "But this is where we want to be.
That one, in the back with the long black hair. That's the one we want, Samurai. I'd recognize
that hair anywhere. From here on in, it's up to you... just go on over, introduce yourself, and
explain what you're doing."
Naru turned toward her slowly, becoming less and less sure of this idea. "Ho-Hold it! We have to
recruit guys into the band, too?"
Mitsune gave her a withering look. "You want the best band? You can't hold something like gender
against a person."
Naru shook her head. "It's not that. It's just... I've heard of a lot of bands where they had
both boys and girls. Sometimes... they fall in love, and start dating. And for a while, it's okay.
But then, when they break up, or a love triangle forms, all kinds of things happen. I've heard..."
Mitsune interrupted, "Heard? I've seen it happen, kid, right before my eyes. I see a lot of bands
up on the stage, and a lot of them don't last more than a few months because of what you just
described. It's kinda sad, but happens all the time."
"So why are we opening ourselves up to that kind of trouble?!"
Mitsune looked down at the ground, thinking to herself. After a lengthy pause she said, "Well...
if you want the best band, you have to take risks like this. It's not going to happen on its own.
Besides..." She looked up with closed eyes and a grin as she finished, "I think it would be kinda
interesting if something like that happened!"
Naru narrowed her eyes. "That isn't exactly a compelling argument..."
"Never mind that, just go to it!"
Naru held her breath as she entered the room, Mitsune lounging against the doorway to watch. She
glanced left and right, grateful that none of the boys seemed to have noticed her yet. She was
dressed in casual gear that Mitsune helped pick out, white summer wear that showed off her midriff
and most of her legs. She was quite a sight, and she knew that these people wouldn't stop looking
once they caught a glimpse.
The boy's back was toward Naru; he had swiveled his chair in the opposite direction and was resting
his feet on the desk behind him. His uniform had a few barely-visible stitches and was threadbare
in places. He looked asleep, his head tilted low so his eyes could not be seen. He had long black
hair that nearly touched the floor, though part of this was because he was slouched low in his
seat.
"Um... good morning!" If the boy heard her, he made no sign of it.
Mitsune sighed to herself, "'Good morning'? It's the middle of the afternoon, what the heck is she
doing? Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to send Naru in alone..."
"My name is Naru Narusegawa..." Again, nothing. The rest of the class had turned toward her,
mumbling to themselves. Maybe some of these people had heard of her? Naru was beginning to feel
self-conscious... she could feel their stares on her. Ordinarily she'd love the attention, but
from people like this... She bit back her unease and tried to continue, "I'm trying to start a
band... I heard that you were a very good drummer, and I was wondering... if you weren't with
another band now..."
The boy did not move or even act like he heard her. Was he asleep? Or was she just being ignored?
Naru's timidity was quickly giving way to annoyance. "Hey!" Naru raised her voice. "I'm talking
to you, you know!"
A heavy footfall broke Naru's concentration. Her head turned slowly, then panned up. Standing in
front of her was a very tall, very brutish, and decidedly unattractive boy grinning ear to ear.
His smile looked like that of a six year old with a magnifying glass looking over a hill of ants
on a hot summer day. Naru grimaced, not liking being stared at like that. She'd dealt with fans
before, but this was something completely different...
"Heya, cutie!" the boy leered. "Whatcha wasting your time with that dork for? You don't look like
you're from around here... mind if we show you some places to have fun?"
Naru felt the blood drain from her face as she stepped backward. "N-no thank you. I already have
plans, s-so..."
"Don't worry!" A voice behind her caused her to stop backing up. "It won't take long at all...
will it?" Three sets of laughter alerted Naru to the presence of another boy, and she realized
with dread that she was surrounded. One in front, two behind... and the one in front was approaching.
She froze in place, unable to even think.
Mitsune sighed, shaking her head from the doorway. 'That's what she gets for drawing attention...
should have told her not to use her real name.' She took her hands out from behind her head and
cracked her knuckles as she thought, 'Looks like it's up to me to bail her out. What a hassle...'
Just at that moment, there was a whizzing sound followed by a harsh crack. One of the boys suddenly
fell face forward, his face contorted in an expression of surprise and pain. He hit the ground with
a thump while an unsharpened pencil clattered to the ground at his feet. Had anyone bothered to
look at the back of this boy's neck, they would have seen a hexagonal imprint there with a gray
graphite mark in the center. This mark was right on top of a critical pressure point of the human
body, but no one there would have known that.
There was a moment of silence as everyone stared in horror at the unconscious boy. His friends
grimaced as they looked down at their fallen comrade, then whirled around angrily. "Samurai!" one
of the boys shouted. "What's your problem?!"
The boy hadn't seemed to have moved an inch since the last time Naru looked, nor did he turn now.
He only raised his head slightly as he responded, "Three of you tough guys ganging up on one
spindly upclass girl? I don't like it. At all." Although now that Naru had heard his voice...
She stepped backward. "Wait... Samurai-san is... a girl?!"
The "boy" looked at Naru over her shoulder, revealing her obviously feminine facial features. She
had high-set cheekbones and a small mouth. Her chin came down almost to a point and her brown eyes
were narrowed, giving her a slightly mean look. "Something wrong?" she asked, genuinely confused.
Naru immediately apologized, "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to mistake you for a boy..."
Samurai smiled slightly as she replied, "But it's hard not to, since I'm wearing a boy's uniform.
Right?" She took her feet off the desk behind her and turned toward the other boys, her smile
vanishing. "From now on, she's under my protection. Anyone messes with her, they'll have to deal
with me. Got it?"
The two other boys recoiled and pulled their friend away, giving Naru much more space then before.
Naru swallowed, wondering whether this was really the kind of person she wanted liking her.
Samurai walked up to Naru, slouching with her hands in the pockets of the gakuran. Even hunched
over she was taller than Naru by a few centimeters, and her frame was quite large for a female as
well. Naru unconsciously balled her fists, feeling threatened by the girl's presence. This action
was not lost on the taller girl, who stopped suddenly.
"I have no problems if you want a fight," Samurai warned, although she seemed more amused than
angry. "But if you attack me with that fist, you're more likely to hurt yourself than me."
Naru gasped, bringing up her fist to look at it. Her other fingers were tucked around her thumb,
and her knuckles were badly out of line with each other. "Seriously?"
Samurai sighed. "Man... with your thumb tucked in like that, it will break the second you try to
hit someone. You're obviously not here to start a fight... so why else could you be bothering me?"
Naru started, "What? Oh, right! Um, I'm trying to start a band, and I heard you were a really
good drummer..."
Samurai tilted her head slightly. "Who did you hear that from?"
Mitsune chose this moment to walk over, inspecting the taller girl as she answered, "I told her.
You don't know me but I attended one of your shows, back when you were with Route 5."
Samurai's eyes flashed recognition at that name. "I see... And?"
Naru continued, "Well, I thought... if you weren't with another band now, you could join ours!"
Samurai sighed heavily, eyes closed. "It's true that I haven't found another band, but... Well,
you came all this way. I guess I'll hear you out. Come on, follow me."
Naru asked cautiously, "Um... where are you leading us, Samurai-san?"
"I live in a small apartment nearby. We can discuss things there. The name's Motoko Aoyama, by
the way. Please call me that... I don't really like my nickname."
Naru nodded, a little more relaxed. "Okay, Motoko-chaAAAAAH!" Motoko had stepped directly in front
of her, their faces only inches apart. Motoko was now standing at her full height, glowering down.
There was a terrible shadow across her face and a grim expression that made Naru quake with fear.
"Don't use '-chan'," Motoko warned as she walked past. Naru stood unmoving for a moment, then fell
to her knees unceremoniously. Naru laughed nervously, her face pale.
Mitsune raised an eyebrow as the tall girl walked past her. She wondered aloud, "Geez, what's with
her...?"
Kentaro observed the destroyed interior of the bar carefully. Tables had been overturned, drinks
spilled, and peanuts scattered throughout the place, all signs of a riot. A few of his workers were
combing the area, looking for clues about what created the mess. Among them were two locals he had
hired for just this occasion. They claimed to know the town better than anyone else, but since no
one had ever heard of them before he was able to get their services cheap.
"Ah!" came a voice from a corner. "Check this out!"
Kentaro walked over to where his two specially hired trackers were investigating. "You two. What
news?"
The fatter of the two of them grimaced as he corrected, "We're not 'you two'! We're Haitani and
Shirai, private investigators!"
"Whatever," Kentaro waved off. "What did you find?"
The taller, slimmer of the two held up something in front of him with a pair of pliers. "A broken
pair of sunglasses. A 55,000 yen pair of sunglasses, to be specific. Nobody who could afford
designer shades would visit a dive like this..."
Shirai finished his colleague's thought, "Unless they were trying to hide out. And we only know of
one rich person in the area who's trying to hide..."
Kentaro clenched his fist, his eyes narrowing. "So the rumors were true. She was here. Naru...
I'm catching up to you..."
Motoko's apartment was in a fairly run-down apartment building, three stories tall and obviously
hit hard from the recession. While it wasn't filthy or uninviting, it definitely had a lived-in
look about it. Naru stuck close to Mitsune, unused to these kinds of surroundings and thus
a bit wary of them. Motoko walked in front, no longer slouching but instead standing very tall and
proud. Was the "tough girl" an image she put on so guys like that wouldn't bother her, Naru
wondered?
Well, maybe a little small talk would clear that up. Naru asked, "Um... Motoko... can I ask you
something? If you're a girl, how come you dress like a boy?"
"It couldn't be helped," the girl in the gakuran explained defensively. "I had a girl's uniform
before, but I get in a lot of fights so the skirt kept getting torn up. The boy's uniform is a
bit sturdier, so I bought one of those instead."
Naru was still nervous, but for an entirely different reason than before. Maybe she really was a
scary person. "F-Fights?"
Motoko looked at her evenly. "Of course. That sort of thing happens often at Mintai." She looked
up to remark, "Here we are. This is where I live. Please excuse the mess," she said as she slipped
the key into the lock and turned the knob.
The door creaked loudly as it opened. A large series of objects on the opposite side of the room
immediately caught Naru's attention. It was a three-piece drum set: the simplest style of drums,
consisting of a bass drum, tom-tom, floor tom, and snare drum as well as one each of high hat, ride
cymbals, and crash cymbals. Naru's eyes widened on seeing it. "WOW! How awesome!"
"There's really nothing here but the drum set, though," Mitsune said. "It might be big, but it's
all empty."
Naru glanced around the room once more. Mitsune was right; the floors and walls were completely
bare, and there were no furnishings anywhere. Except for the drum set and an ornate wooden chest
in the corner, the room was barren. There wasn't a speck of dust anywhere along the floor, making
the emptiness just that more prominent. "You actually live here? Alone?"
"For now," Motoko sighed. "My roommate moved out a couple weeks ago, and I haven't found another
one. I get a little bit of money working as a bouncer for a club nearby, but it's not enough to
keep the payments up. I've been selling most of my belongings to make up the difference... this
and the clothes I'm wearing now is all I have left."
Naru opened her mouth to ask if her parents could lend her money, but a hand on her shoulder
stopped her. She turned to see Mitsune shaking her head vehemently. Mitsune knew what she was
going to ask, and apparently thought it was a bad idea. Naru did not really understand the
situation, but decided Mitsune knew more about this kind of stuff than she did.
Instead Naru asked, "So, if you still have your drum set with you... do you think we could have a
listen? Mitsune's already heard you, but I've never heard a drum solo before..."
Motoko smiled as she took her place behind the drums, taking off her shoes before sitting. "Well,
as long as I'm leaving... I might as well tick off the neighbors one last time." She took a deep
breath, spinning her drumsticks her hands. She tapped them together to set up a rhythm. "An
eight-beat variation," Motoko introduced. "It's a basic of rock music; not very flashy, but I
doubt Naru-san is familiar with it anyway."
Without any further warning she slammed the drumsticks onto the tops of the drums, creating a sound
loud enough to make Naru squeak in surprise. Her arms flew across the drums and cymbals, creating
a cacophony that blended with itself as well as any melody. Motoko's hair danced this way and that,
jerking through the air as thought it were moving to the beat of the drums.
After several minutes Motoko increased the tempo. Her hands and arms became a blur, the bangs and
crashes building up to a crescendo. Finally she slammed both drumsticks on opposite cymbals, causing
a loud crash that symbolized the end of her drum solo.
Mitsune whistled in appreciation as Motoko caught her breath. "You've gotten better since the last
time I heard you," Mitsune said simply. "Or maybe, I could just hear you better without those other
bozos drowning you out. What did you think, Naru? I know you don't usually listen to this kind of
thing, but..."
"She's good," Naru said, shivering with excitement. "Really good. For some reason, I'm all fired
up. Those fast beats really get your adrenaline flowing, huh?"
Motoko took a deep breath, wiping sweat off her brow. "I got into the drums because I wanted to be
good at something besides beating people up. I've had this set since I was twelve, and I've
practiced almost every day since then."
"Such dedication..." Mitsune marveled. "You really are a samurai..."
Motoko shook her head. "No... I just wanted to change myself." Motoko's eyes fell as she
explained, "I have little money, I am not friendly, and my grades are poor. I have little use for
authority figures, and am ill at ease in acting feminine. As long as my only talent was fighting,
I could never be anything more than a thug. I had to have some other talent in order to find what
my real passion was. That's why..."
Naru gasped. "So... you too?"
Motoko looked up, confused. "... 'Too'?"
Naru nodded. "Yeah. You see... I was always kind of shy and reserved. I never had any real good
friends throughout junior high, and even through high school. I was sorta listless... I didn't
know what I wanted to do with my life, which direction I wanted to go in."
Mitsune looked at her dubiously. "I find it hard to believe you were ever like that..."
"But I didn't want to always be meek and quiet. I wanted to change. I wanted to be proud of
myself, to do something that I loved with all my heart and soul. That's why I tried to become an
idol singer... but even then, I was only listening to what other people thought I should do. I was
still as quiet and meek as ever, I had just hid it a little better. I wanted to be in control of
my own life... that was the only way I thought I could really find what I wanted." Naru smiled at
Motoko as she finished, "So you see... we're really the same!"
Motoko stared at Naru for a long while, utterly amazed. Motoko recovered her composure, thinking
carefully. "You say this band... is your freedom?"
"It's a lot of things," Naru admitted a little sheepishly. "Among them, it's very small right now.
I really think we could be really great together, Motoko. Please, join up with us."
Motoko took a deep breath with her eyes closed, carefully considering the offer. After a long
moment she opened her eyes again, looking at Naru with a slight smile. "Then... for a little or a
long while, I'll accompany you. But be warned... I don't like anyone telling me what to do. If
I decide to pursue my own goals, I won't let any of you stop me."
Naru smirked, holding out her hand. "As long as you're heading nowhere but up we'll be right along
with you, Motoko-chan." Motoko smiled back as she clasped Naru's hand in her own, giving it a firm
shake. Her grip was strong, and Naru would have winced if she wasn't smiling so broadly.
It didn't last. Motoko's other hand came up and started pulling at Naru's cheek, causing her to
wince in pain. Motoko continued to smile, although it was a little more malicious now. "Naru-san?"
she asked. "What did I tell you about using '-chan'?"
Naru closed her eyes as she clumsily apologized, "I'm berry sowwy, Botoko... Ih won happen ahain..."
Mitsune buried her face in her hands after witnessing this exchange. "For crying out loud... I'm
going to have to be in the same band as her?"
Naru, Mitsune, and Motoko were all climbing up the stairs to Hinata Inn. Naru and Mitsune were
lugging pieces of the drum set as Motoko hefted her wooden chest. Although Motoko seemed to have
no problem with her burden, the two other girls were straining under the weight.
"'Samurai', my foot!" Mitsune grumbled. "If you're supposed to be an honorable samurai, why are
you making two fragile girls carry the heavy stuff?"
"I thought I told you I didn't like that nickname," Motoko said without turning around. "I never
claimed to live up to the title."
Naru would have said something to the effect of, "You're the strongest one here, you carry this
junk!", but it was taking all of her effort to carry the equipment. Besides, Motoko didn't seem to
want anyone else to touch the box she was carrying up, and Naru HAD been the one who wanted to get
everything in one trip...
As soon as they reached the interior of the Inn, Naru and Mitsune collapsed. The various drums,
cymbals, and stands they were carrying fell to the ground with them, causing an enormous racket.
"Forget it," Mitsune huffed. "No more... my arms'll fall off... if I carry that stuff one more
step..."
"What is all that racket?" Grandma Hina said as she came down the stairs. She paused as she took
in the situation, then raised an eyebrow at the three girls. "Who is she?" she said, obviously
referring to the gakuran girl. "Another freeloader, I'm guessing?"
"She's... a new friend..." Naru gasped, taking one last big gulp of breath. Naru raised herself
to her feet to explain, "This is Motoko-cha... I mean, -san! Her rent runs out today, and she
doesn't have anywhere else to go..."
Motoko exhaled sharply as she looked around the foyer, noting the state of disrepair. "What a
dump..."
Naru screeched as she clapped a hand over Motoko's mouth. "Ahahahaha... so anyway, she's going to
be part of our band, so please give her a place to stay like you gave me! Please?"
Hina sighed deeply. "Do whatever you want. Just try to keep the racket down... some people prefer
it to be quiet sometime."
"Alright!" Naru cheered, sharing a high-five with Mitsune.
Immediately afterwards Mitsune returned to her senses, and stared at her hand. "Oh no, all her
enthusiasm is rubbing off on me..."
"I'll pick a room upstairs," Motoko said, walking past them with her wooden chest. "I will carry
the set up myself, so you two can rest."
Naru called to her, "No, it's okay Motoko! We'll help you!" Mitsune gave her an evil eye, but she
didn't noticed.
Motoko turned her head to look at her over her shoulder. "No, it is not needed. I am part of the
band now. I shall have to pull my own weight."
Mitsune breathed a sigh of relief from her place on the floor. "Thank goodness... I don't think I
can move anymore..." Naru gave her a glare, but privately she was also thankful; that long climb
burdened by heavy instruments had completely enervated her. She wasn't sure how she was even
standing. On that note Naru fell backwards onto the couch, fanning her shirt to cool off.
Motoko chuckled slightly, then bowed. "Excuse me, then." She then walked upstairs, still carrying
the chest.
Naru smiled as she watched her go. "She's actually a good person, I think. We'll all get along
fine."
Mitsune cringed in response. "I sure hope so..."Motoko Aoyama - Drums
Next time: Heartache of a Pianist