—CHAPTER 12—
The day after the rave was Jack and Ashi's one-month anniversary, but they didn't make it a big deal. They simply spent the day together, winding down after the eventful night before.
Sleeping in until around noon, the couple got up and went to get "breakfast" at Brewshido, during which, they discussed their future living arrangements. Ashi had a suggestion for a new place to live, and she wanted to go check it out; it was pretty close to the coffee shop, so Jack agreed to go see it.
Before they left the shop, Ashi pointed out an article she found on social media regarding the gang that crashed the rave last night. Apparently, they weren't a gang, but a group of obsessive fans of another popular EDM group, Alphabet tiger (or, "AlPhAb3tIg3r", as they like to spell it). The fans of the group allegedly held a grudge against DJ O-Liv for taking the top of the charts in place of their favorite artist; the masks and shirts they wore were AlPhAb3tIg3r merchandise.
As they headed towards the vacant property from Brewshido, Jack was getting déjà vu of the first week of their relationship. Sure enough, she led him to the very same building for sale that caught his attention back then.
They stood in front of the property, in the middle of a three-way intersection. Jack held the sides of his hands against the glass as he peeked inside. "It's… big, what would we do with all this space?
Ashi was beside him, leaning against the window, "Well, you remember what I suggested when we first passed this place?"
"Hmm, you said 'this would be a good place to start a business', or something like that…?" Jack recalled, and Ashi nodded, "But again, what sort of business did you have in mind?"
Ashi raised an eyebrow, "Come on, think about it! What profession makes the most sense for the two of us? It's really not that hard," she teased. Feeling challenged, Jack quickly thought of all the activities he and Ashi did together.
They worked the same job, but that job involved doing many different types of work; they were odd-jobbers, but that wasn't the sort of thing you advertised. What was she talking about?
Out of nowhere, Ashi shouted, "Here's a hint!" She took a swing at Jack's head with her right arm, causing him to ditch his train of thought and block it. The strike was like a jolt to the light bulb above his head, cuing him into what Ashi was talking about.
Jack peered in the window again, taking in the vacant interior. He closed his eyes and he could see it, he and Ashi's new dojo, with authentic tatami floors and traditional Japanese decorations. A line of students punching the air in perfect unison, their faces were hard to make out. Jack turned to his left to see Ashi punching back at them; she turned to him and a bright smile graced her face.
He opened his eyes to see the real Ashi standing there, looking at him expectantly. "Ashi!" Jack rushed up to her and grabbed her by the shoulders excitedly, "We should teach Martial Arts!"
Her surprise turned to enthusiasm, "Yes, exactly!"
Jack pulled her in for a big hug, lifting her up by the waist as he spun a little, "You're a genius!" Ashi was both hugging and holding onto his neck, laughing as she picked up her heels. They finally settled down, and Jack gently placed her down as she released her hold on him, straightening out her shirt for a moment.
"Okay so, we're going to do this! Where do we start?" Ashi asked Jack eagerly, focusing herself.
Jack opened his mouth to speak, but then stopped himself to think, realizing he didn't know off the top of his head. "Well, I suppose we should first worry about actually buying the property. The price is the most immediate concern, and we'll probably be on our own when it comes to remodeling. Plus, we should see if there any other martial arts academies round here; you know, 'check out the competition,'" Jack nudged her with his elbow.
Ashi giggled before replying, "Those sound like reasonable steps. I guess we can start by calling the number tomorrow during business hours; that's probably the best time to get in touch with the property owner."
"Agreed," said Jack, and with that, the couple headed off to Ashi's apartment; most of her things were already at Jack's place, but she had to grab a couple things that were left behind.
As Ashi gathered the rest of her clothing into a small suitcase, Jack moved items from the desk drawers into a plastic bag. He got to the long drawer directly above where you would put your legs if you were to sit at the desk. Sifting through the papers within, one in particular caught his attention. It was a colorless sketch of a female figure, with short hair that was pushed out of her face off to the side, the back curving out in the same direction. She wore a dress that hung over one shoulder, a frilled collar, and some kind of wrapping on her calves to act as stockings; the whole getup looked like it was made out of leaves and plants.
Jack stood up with the drawing in hand, turning to Ashi; "Did you draw this?" he asked, suddenly feeling like this had happened before.
She didn't turn around, continuing what she was doing as she answered, "Draw what?" Ashi stood in front of the closet making a mental note of everything she had packed so far, when Jack approached her and held the drawing out in front of her.
Her eyes widened a bit as a hint of red graced her face, "O-Oh, that… It was just something I made on a whim, after you showed me the drawings you had from when you were young. I don't know why I… it just came to me, I guess."
Jack smiled at the picture, "I like it! Is there a story behind this?" Ashi raised an eyebrow at the question.
"What do you mean?" she asked.
"Well for one thing, who is she? Does she have a name? Where does she come from?" Ashi waved her hands, attempting to halt Jack's barrage of questions.
"Whoa, whoa, slow your roll. I know you gave the Samurai this in-depth backstory, but I wasn't that committed to this," she asserted, taking the paper from Jack's hand to look again for herself. Her expression changed back to one of slight embarrassment, "Although, I did intend for her to tie into… your story, somewhat. Like I said, I didn't put that much thought into it."
Jack moved right next to her, looking at the picture again. He put his arm around her, "Then how about we just call her, 'the Samurai's girlfriend', for now and leave it at that, hm?"
Ashi chuckled, "Yeah, okay. I guess it is canon, after all," she joked, and they both had a good laugh.
/
Now in the last week of November, Jack and Ashi hadn't skipped a beat since she moved in.
After a brief discussion with the owner of the vacant building, their goal was clearly defined: the selling price was two hundred fifty thousand for the whole building. However, the owner stated that a down payment of fifty thousand would get them into the building with a monthly rent of fifteen hundred. There wasn't a deadline, only the possibility of someone else buying that property before they could, and they were already and eight away from the down payment. Once they got the building, they would continue working to establish their own martial arts academy. And then… well, one step at a time.
The couple was back on the grind of working various odd jobs around town; word had been getting around about the couple being reliable workers, and people were now coming to them for help with all sorts of labor. Charlie Rothschild, Jack's friend from the country club, asked the two to help organize his rather extensive personal library, located right inside his expansive home. Another day, they lent to a hand to a catering service that was catering a dinner party; Jack was told to tie his hair back, which he did begrudgingly. But Ashi told him she thought it looked good, and he felt better about it.
They also spent a few days last week operating a delivery truck. Neither of them understood how they were allowed to drive a truck without a proper license; they decided not to ask questions and just go with it for the money. Ashi insisted on driving, since Jack always drove her around on his motorcycle, so Jack handled the packages.
It was Monday night. Ashi was channel surfing when Jack entered with their mail from that morning; they didn't have time to get it in the morning, they had to be at their most recent job pretty early. He walked in, shuffling the envelopes around, finally pulling one out. "Hey, Ashi," he spoke up, and she looked up from the television, "This one is for you," he said, handing her a distinctive envelope.
Ashi knew immediately what it was, "Heeere we goo…" she sighed, tearing open the envelope. Sure enough, it was what she expected: "It's for my Mother's Thanksgiving dinner, the one she hosts at a banquet hall every year. Every year, my sister's and I make the trip aaall the way back to Pennsylvania to have a 'lovely family dinner', which my Mother makes a point to not include our Father in. It's one of the only times our Mother gets us to herself anymore," Ashi explained dryly, a look of apathy on her face.
"I hate going, but anything to please Mommy dearest…" she rolled her eyes at her own sarcasm, tossing the letter down and disinterestedly picking up the TV remote to continue watching literally anything; whatever got this stupid holiday off her mind.
Jack looked at her sympathetically; for all his problems, Ashi had her own to worry about as well, yet she was always doing whatever she could to help him. But clearly, she had a very strained relationship with her Mother, and while Jack couldn't relate, he was still determined to stand by her side and help her fight her family demons.
Speaking of demons, Jack had come to a conclusion about Ashi's Father, whom she rarely discussed in great detail. All he knew was that the man was quite wealthy. But the way she would always tense up, and look apprehensive whenever AKu was brought up around them gave it away. It was obvious: Ashi's Father was one of AKu's benefactors.
With how much she knew about Jack's past, he could understand why Ashi would be reluctant to tell him about her Father. So, maybe he funds AKu's operations; honestly, who doesn't these days? Either way, Jack was prepared to stay with Ashi, no matter what her Father may have done.
But the problem at hand was addressing this to Ashi, albeit with a little more tact. Carefully, Jack sat down next to Ashi, watching her as she gave her right thumb a workout. He cleared his throat and started hesitantly, "I, uh… I'm sorry you don't get along with your Mother, but maybe this year will not be so bad?"
Ashi stopped clicking the remote and turned to him with a smug expression, "Oh yeah? And why is that?" She expected a joke from Jack, but his reply wasn't very funny.
"You can bring me along, right?... I mean, we've been an… item for some time, we live together, and we're working towards starting a business! I-I'm sorry to impose like this, but I… I want to be there for you. You shouldn't feel so alone, especially when you're with family. Maybe, if I'm there, too, you won't have such a bad time with them." He was turned to Ashi on the couch, looking at her expectantly as he rested his left hand on her leg.
They sat in silence for a few moments, as Ashi processed Jack's words. The poor guy had no idea what awaited him, but he was so determined… and admittedly, she did want him there.
Ashi's expression changed to a soft, loving gaze as she touched his face. "Jack, you don't know how much it means to me that you want to go… but, there's something you need to understand about this occasion. There's this… rite of passage that we call, 'The Test'," her voice deepened when she said the name.
Jack raised an eyebrow, "The… Test?"
As she explained, "The Test" was any essentially any conversation had between a boyfriend/girlfriend of one of the sisters and their Mother. Passing the test meant getting through the entire dinner without leaving the table in humiliation.
Apparently, their Mother had a history of humiliating Thanksgiving dinner guests; her trick was to start a casual conversation, luring the guest into letting their guard down. Then, she would begin poking and prodding at topics they found sensitive or difficult to talk about. If even the slightest bit of weakness or discomfort was shown, Mother would continue to bombard the victim with invasive and interrogative questions, until they either broke down or ran off; most ended up doing both.
"As of three years ago, only one person has passed 'The Test'; he's no longer with us…"
Jack's eyes widened, "He died!?"
Ashi gasped, "What!? No, he just isn't with my sister anymore. Sorry, I guess I worded that weird…"
Jack was relieved that is life was not going to be on the line. Even so, he would not be intimidated by the failure of those before him; if even one person was able to succeed, them so could Jack.
"Ashi, none of that matters to me. All I want to do is be involved in your life, even if that means being scrutinized by your domineering Mother." Jack declared, causing a flustered Ashi to snuggle up against him on the couch.
She spoke up again, "One more thing, it's at a banquet hall, which means there's a dress code. Hope you have something nice to wear."
/
The train roared as it rumbled through the valley. Ashi watched the tops of houses and telephone poles fly past out the window, against a mountainous green backdrop.
Today was Thanksgiving, and Ashi's family dinner was in less than an hour. It was all she could think about while gazing out the window of the moving train. She nervously ran her thumb over Jack's interlocked hand, as he sat back against the train seat with his eyes closed. He was the one who should be nervous, yet he was so relaxed.
Jack wore a light gray suit with a violet dress shirt and blue tie, his hair gathered back into a ponytail once again; Ashi had on a slim black dress with matching heels, and wore the ladybug bracelet she got for their anniversary. The couple had just left the hotel they were staying at in South Philadelphia, where they had ridden a train from Burlington station to get to the day before.
From there, they had to take another train to Lancaster, then a cab to the banquet hall. An expensive and lengthy trip, to be sure, but Ashi used her Father's money to finance it, not wanting to use their hard-earned money on this nonsense. They would be at Lancaster station in the next ten minutes or so.
Ashi gave Jack's hand a light squeeze, "Jack?" wondering if he was asleep. A soft, "Hm?" in response told her he was not, and Jack cracked his right eye to peek at her. "I need to talk to you before we get there," said Ashi; they still had a few minutes before they arrived in Lancaster.
Jack yawned, "Sure, what is it?" he said, now fully at attention. Ashi furrowed her brow, "We're almost there, I have to warn you about one more thing: Don't talk about AKu. My Mother, uh… shares your disdain for him, and doesn't let anyone bring him up in conversation around her." She wasn't lying, but still felt like she had to sell it. "So, could you do me a favor and not bring him up? Trust me, it wouldn't be fun for anybody," she added.
But Jack smiled, receptive to the instructions; "No worries, I'd rather not think about you-know-who anyway." He thought to himself that Ashi's Mother's hatred of AKu probably related to her ex-husband. "So, is there anything I should know about your sisters?" Jack asked.
Ashi glanced off towards the window again, holding her chin in contemplation. "Well, I guess the most important thing to know is that, uh… there's six of them, and… we're basically identical," the tone of her voice dropped with each pause, as she remembered the days of being lumped into a collective, when her individuality was horribly lacking. Venom dripped from her speech as she continued, "Oh, and for some godforsaken reason, probably out of conceit, my Mother decides to give us each a name starting with an 'A' and ending in an 'I'! What a fabulous idea! Fucking brilliant!"
A couple passengers within earshot turned their heads at her heated outburst, as she crossed her arms and pouted. Jack spoke hesitantly, "Wow, that's… that is something. I'm sorry this is such a sore subject for you."
Ashi sighed, "Don't apologize, it's whatever. Let's just get this dinner over with." Just then, the train started slowing down. Screeching to a halt, they had arrived at Lancaster station. Now they just had to grab a taxi to the banquet hall; it didn't take long to find one awaiting in the parking lot.
A short taxi ride, and the couple arrived at their destination. Westbrook Country Club made Oakland in Burlington look miniscule in comparison; the huge, sprawling estate was surrounded by an expansive golf course that separated the property from the outside world. As they paid the driver, one of the valets opened the car door for them to step out, and another held the door to the building.
There was a coat check in the corner of the lobby, which they decided to leave their jackets at, then made their way up the carpeted staircase in the center of the room. Ashi gulped as she looked around at all the fancily-dressed guests, holding glasses of champagne and enjoying expensive looking Hors d'oeuvres. Jack noticed her hesitation, so he held the crook of his elbow out for her to take, which she slid her arm between.
Calmly, they stepped into the fray of people in line for cocktail hour, looking for Ashi's family. Jack finally noticed five Ashis sitting over by the bar… oh right, he thought. Identical.
And she wasn't kidding; not only were their hairstyles the only way you could tell their faces apart, but somehow each of them ended up wearing the exact same slim black dress. Probably at their Mother's behest, Jack thought.
Before Ashi slipped out from Jack's arm to say hello, the sister with short hair that hung straight down with parted bangs noticed the two of them standing there. "Ashi! You finally made it!" she squealed, running up and hugging Ashi as her right foot popped up behind her.
"Hello, Ami! You never change, do you?" Ashi beamed at her sister, who returned it tenfold.
"Nope, as if you'd have it any other way!" Ami joked, poking at Ashi's ribs as the rest of her sisters joined them.
The sister with blunt bangs and hair that flipped up in the back spoke up next, "Speak for yourself!" her pout turned into a smirk as she went to hug Ashi herself, "You're okay, though."
Ashi laughed, "Hi, Abbi! I see you two are getting along, as usual," she remarked, raising an eyebrow.
Abbi scoffed, "Yeah, what else is new?" causing the sister with a bob cut and cut bangs to cut in.
"These earrings are new! Do you like them, Ashi?" she looked at her expectantly.
"Yes, they're lovely. Nice to see you, too, Anni," sighed Ashi. Anni smiled cheerily at the compliment/greeting, but was soon shoved aside by a sister with hair that protruded from both sides of her head even further than Abbi's, and three baby bangs.
"That's enough, princess. Ashi! How are ya, kid?" she greeted.
Ashi rolled her eyes playfully, "I'm fine, Ali; same age as you, as always," she joked, causing Ali to laugh louder than Jack would've expected.
She playfully slugged Ashi's arm as she laughed, "Oh, you! That one never gets old…" and Ashi laughed uncomfortably as she rubbed her arm. She really hated being called "kid".
Ashi then caught sight of her last present sister, who had her hair spiky and tousled, but still rather shirt. "Don't think I forgot about you, Ari!" she moved to talk to Ari directly, "It's great to see you, how are… things?"
The sister clasped her hands and smiled warmly, "Things, have been lovely, and it is lovely to see you, Ashi," she moved in and embraced Ashi, unintentionally preventing her from reciprocating.
Just then, Ami noticed the bearded man with the ponytail standing awkwardly behind her. "Oh? And who's this handsome fellow, Ashiii~?" The spitting image of Ashi rushed up to Jack, who leaned in for a closer look as he leaned back.
Ashi, after Ari released her from her bearhug, stepped in the middle of them, "Ami, everyone, this is Jack, my boyfriend," she revealed, sheepishly.
The sisters gasped, muttering to each other about, "The Test":
"Awww shit, he's taking the test!"
"Oh my, looks like we're in for some drama~."
"Are we placing bets this year? We should place bets this year."
"Ohh, you poor thing…"
Ami to squeal in joy, as she lined up her palms and held her fingers up to her lips. Hopping happily over to Jack, she extended a hand for him to shake, which he reciprocated. "It's sooo nice to meet you, future brother-in-law!" said Ami cheerfully, as Jack and Ashi both blushed.
Jack chuckled, "Let's not get ahead of ourselves, but it's a pleasure to meet you, as well."
"Don't let her flatter you, she says that to literally any guy one of us brings to these things," Abbi remarked, causing Ami to shout in protest, "Do not!" Abbi walked up to Jack, "But maybe she's right for once, you must really be something if Ashi brought you to this; she did tell you about "The Test", right?"
Jack nodded, "Oh, yes. Ashi told me way ahead of time, I assure you I am adequately prepared."
It was Anni's turn to interject again, "Such confidence; I adore that! Call me Anni, charmed to meet you," she said posh, holding out her hand daintily.
Jack got the hint, and took her hand as he bowed slightly, "The pleasure is mine, Miss."
The mannerly gesture caught Anni off guard; she touched her chest dramatically, turning to her sister, "Oooh, what a gentleman! Ashi, where did you find this one?"
Before she could answer, Ali once again pushed her aside, "Wherever it is, you should go there and stay. Hey there, Jack, name's Ali!" back to a traditional handshake, Jack reciprocated, causing Ali to comment, "Woah, nice grip! I like you already!" He laughed, then turned to say hello to Ari.
But she beat him to it, grabbing his hand with both of hers, "Darling, you seem like a man of outstanding moral character. I'm pleased that you could join us on this occasion, and I wish you the best of luck."
Jack smiled at Ashi's good will, "Why, thank you!"
Just then, he noticed that there were only five sisters, not counting Ashi; "So, where's the last one? Aren't there supposed to be seven of you?"
He turned to his girlfriend, who had just realized her sister's absence as well, "Oh yeah, where's Aki?"
"Who knows? She's too good for us now that she's got her little music career. I doubt she's even showing up at all." Abbi scoffed.
Ami jumped up in response, "Nope, she's coming! She texted me earlier that she was on her way from a show. She sure has gotten popular!"
Abbi rolled her eyes, "Yes, apparently all you need to make a hit nowadays is to write some crap about boys, and preteen girls will eat it up. She's had like, what, three? I liked her music before she went solo."
"Oh, Abbi, no need to sound so bitter! Not all of us can be so successfully unsuccessful when it comes to relationships!" Anni laughed, and the rest of the sisters giggled.
Ali chimed in, "Yeah, and to think the guy she brought a few years back was the only one to pass "The Test". That didn't last very long."
Ami chimed in again, "Oh yeah, I remember that! Brad, right? Aki was soo into him. Then, right after they split was when she stared to sing about break-ups; I guess he was the reason for her change in tune, huh?" she quipped, while popping her eyebrows up and down at the pun she made.
The sisters groaned at Ami's attempt at humor, Abbi moving to slap her upside the head. Ari spoke up now, "In all seriousness, that's probably exactly what happened. Think about it: Aki started her solo act like right before that Thanksgiving, when she was singing cheesy love songs. That stopped after she and Brad broke up, and now she just writes about fuckboys. What else could it be?"
Ashi turned to Jack, "Do you know the band, 'Assassin'?" she asked, but Jack shook his head. "Well, Aki was the band's lead singer. They were hugely popular with the punk rock scene like four years ago, then they broke up, and she started a solo career soon after." But Ashi could see from his shrugging that Jack was still at a loss; "Come on, you've definitely heard their stuff before. They did that one song, 'Naginata'? How does it go again…?"
Suddenly, a chilling presence broke Ashi's concentration; she and her sisters all got a chill when they heard a familiar voice, "Ashi! It was awfully rude of you to ignore me, haven't I taught you better than that?" Her Mother looked at her disapprovingly, as her sisters all backed away subtly, leaving Jack and Ashi to face the matriarch alone. They were much less afraid of her after years under their Father's loose supervision, but Mother's glare still made their blood run cold.
"O-Of course, Mother. But you were speaking to someone over there, it would've been ruder to interrupt you," Ashi explained, trying to quell her Mother's aggravation. It seemed to work, as her Mother's furrowed brow released and her face softened slightly.
"Hmph, I suppose… Well, nice to see you, dear," she said, giving an uncomfortable Ashi a hug.
Mother then noticed Jack standing there, and she eyed him up and down over Ashi's shoulder. Her expressionless face made Jack feel scrutinized, and the fact that she looked like an older Ashi made it even weirder for him. On top of that, Ashi and her sisters were now transfixed on the exchange, anxious to see Jack's "performance".
"You must be Jack, Ashi mentioned you would be coming," the woman spoke calmly as she broke from the embrace and moved past her daughter to address Jack directly.
"Y-Yes, it's nice to finally meet you, uh, again!" Jack nervously replied, and Mother raised an eyebrow. "I knew you and Ashi a very long time ago, when she and I were enrolled in the same martial arts class," he added.
Her Mother looked somewhat surprised, "Huh, now that you mention it, your face does look familiar; even with all of your… hair. I must say, back then, I was quite impressed by your prowess. Ashi trained diligently, but she was never as good as you; some people never succeed, no matter how hard they work," she mused darkly.
Jack got a little unnerved by that response, but brushed it off. "Perhaps… but I can say for sure that your daughter is a gifted martial artist. Even back then, she was always a top contender, and now, she is undoubtedly my equal," he asserted, shooting Ashi a pleasant gaze. She blushed as Ami, who had caught Jack's look, smirked and nudged her sister with her elbow.
Ashi, however, was in full panic mode as soon as her Mother addressed Jack. With a tight-lipped smile, she returned Jack's gaze half-heartedly. But her Mother's reply gave her momentary relief; "Well, that's certainly nice of you to say…" Mother said flatly, "Now then, it's time to move to the dining room. Dinner is about to start."
Both she and Jack let out a deep sigh, as the group began moving to the dining room. A few of the sisters addressed Jack as they walked.
"You're doing great so far!" Ami praised, holding two thumbs up as she skipped past him.
Ali patted him hard on the back, "Yeah, don't fuck up!"
Ari glared at her, putting a hand on Jack's shoulder, "Just relax, take a deep breath; you'll be okay!"
Ashi then slipped her arm back into the crook of his elbow, smiling at him reassuringly as they walked through the double doors and towards their table.
In the extravagant dining room, many large round tables stood, each dressed in a pure white table cloth with plates and utensils set all around them; theirs table had nine places set. The food would be brought out in the next twenty minutes or so.
Ashi sat down calmly, but her heart was beating rapidly. That brief exchange between Jack and her Mother went pretty well, but things could go downhill pretty fast. Mother had a history of snowballing conversations at Thanksgiving dinner. But Jack knows what he's doing, he's going to be just fine, she thought to herself… right? She reached for the bottle of red wine in the middle of the table and poured some for herself, nervously taking a generous sip from the glass.
Just then, "Hey, fam! Sorry I'm late, couldn't bail on the fans, y' know?" An Ashi with hair that stood up on her head and curled like devilish horns walked up behind her Mother, putting both hands on her shoulders. "Hi, Mom, Happy Thanksgiving!" she said, her voice dripping with faux-sincerity.
"Hmph, nice of you to join us, Aki," Mother hissed, turning around to confront her newly-arrived daughter, "How many times must I tell you that 'fashionably late' is unacceptable? You are to be here before we are seated; next time, you won't be welcome."
Aki rolled her eyes as she made her way around the table, greeting her sisters. "But, Mother! A girl's career is the most important aspect of her life! How could I possibly turn my back on my duties as a musician for something as trivial as a family gathering!?" she dramatically lamented with a sorrowful expression. Mother sneered at her, unable to respond to her own words being thrown back at her.
Aki then made her way to Jack, thrown off by the presence of an unfamiliar man at her family's table, "Um, excuse me. And you are…?" she trailed off.
Jack stood up to shake her hand, "Oh, my apologies! I'm Jack, Ashi's boyfriend."
Aki's eyes widened, "That so? Ashi, you never told me you were seeing someone! And she got you to come?"
"Honestly, I didn't ask him to. Jack insisted," she spoke from behind the glass of wine she was sipping.
Aki smiled at Jack, "Really? Well then, consider yourself lucky to have found this one, sis," Ashi caught onto the underlying bitterness in her voice, while Jack simply smiled back in response.
She watched as Aki sat in the empty chair two spots away from Mother, "So, where's the food? I'm starving after the flight here."
Abbi spoke up, "Too bad you missed cocktail hour, Hors d'oeuvres were fuckin' bomb this year," she said, holding up her fingers in an "OK".
"Abbi, watch your mouth," Mother scolded, causing Abbi to cross her arms in defiance and Ami to giggle at the exchange.
Ali interjected, "Nah, I'm with you, Aki. Those skimpy little finger foods don't do it for me, I want the turkey already; y'all know those legs are mine."
"Yes, Ali, we all know you're excited to eat like a barbarian, as always," Anni scoffed at her sister, who glared back in response.
Excitedly, Ami chimed in, "I call first dibs on the mashed potatoes!"
Finally, the servers rolled out numerous carts of food, each one being brought to a different table; carved-up turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, brussel sprouts, gravy and cranberry sauce. Jack was impressed by the flourish meticulousness with which the food was presented.
One of the servers took a bow, "Enjoy!"
/
Jack sat back in his chair, letting out a contented sigh. He hadn't eaten like that in a long time, everything was delicious.
During the meal, he casually conversed with a few of Ashi's sisters. Ami wanted to know how they met, Ali asked Jack if he played any sports, and Ari asked his opinion on a few hot-button issues; each of them were pleased with their sister's boyfriend.
But every once in a while, he'd glance across the table to see Aki eyeing him. Mostly, she turned away as soon as he noticed. But other times, she would meet his gaze for a few moments; her lips turned up in a subtle smile, making him a little uncomfortable.
"So, Jack," Mother's voice caught his and everyone else's attention, "What do you do for a living?" she asked in a deceptively casual tone. Once again, all eyes were on Jack; the ball was in his court, and the sisters watched anxiously to see if Jack would slip up.
Clearing his throat, he spoke confidently, "Well, I started out as a beat cop when I first moved to Burlington about four years ago. I did that for at least three years, until complications within my precinct prompted me to resign. After that, I got by taking classified ads for people in the neighborhood; the pay was pretty good, since everyone knew who I was from my police days."
"Yeah, Jack's a popular figure among the Burlington residents; pretty much everyone has something good to say on his behalf," Ashi touted, but her Mother looked unimpressed.
Jack chuckled sheepishly, "Yes, I suppose I have amassed a positive reputation…" but his face fell soon after, "Until recently, however, I didn't think anyone thought very highly of me anymore."
Realizing what he was about to bring up, Ashi's eyes widened. "Oh, and why is that?" her Mother inquired, sensing vulnerability.
Trying to cover him, Ashi quickly sat up and spoke, "I-It wasn't anything major, Jack just…"
But her Mother cut her off, "Ashi! Quit interrupting, let your friend speak!" She slinked back into her seat dejectedly, and Jack briefly gave her an apologetic look.
He paused, composing himself before explaining; "Last year, I ended up getting into a little bit of, uh… trouble. Long story short, I was on the wrong side of the law, and though I was acquitted, the incident did quite a number on my reputation. I couldn't find work with any of my usual employers, and I ended up having to work at a slipshod grocery store, where I could barely make a decent wage. For that whole year, I was in a rough place."
Ashi watched her Mother as she carefully listened to Jack's tale. Resting her jaw behind her interlocked fingers, she was probably waiting for the right moment to strike at Jack's self-esteem. His arrest was the perfect ammunition for her to use against him; any moment now, she would start asking for increasingly uncomfortable details from him about the incident. Ashi had no idea how she would react to finding out AKu was involved.
Surprisingly, however, she stayed quiet for him to continue. Usually by now, she was much nosier about personal affairs; instead, she left Jack alone as he told them all about his recent history. "But then, I met Ashi," Ashi piqued up hearing her name.
Ami gushed, "Oooh, I love this story." Abbi looked at her contemptuously, she literally just heard this exact story ten minutes ago.
"We just happened to be at the same bar one night, and my friend convinced me to put myself out there. She caught my attention, so I went over to try to start a conversation. I was horribly nervous, and quite awkward at first," Jack chuckled, remembering how difficult it was trying to talk to her back then. "But, I kept it together, and by the end of the night, Ashi gave me her phone number. Since then, I left the grocery store I was working at; it was shut down after the owner was found to be running a… different kind of business on the side. Thanks to Ashi's encouragement, I was able to mend relationships with my old employers, and now the two of us are doing odd jobs just like I was before the, you know..."
Ashi's Mother suddenly perked up, "Is that so?" She turned to her daughter, who was sipping her wine, "Ashi," and then started choking on it, "why haven't you told me you were working again?"
Ashi looked at her Mother, wiping the wine from her lower jaw, dumbfounded that she was now being targeted. "O-Oh! I… uh…"
"And furthermore, if you're so eager to find work, why haven't you asked to come back to Priestess yet? We have openings, I could get you started Monday morning at our Burlington branch; you'd be right back in your old position, and you can resume your ascension through the ranks of the company," Ashi's Mother suggested commandingly. The rest of her daughters were surprised at her shift in focus, looking at their sister disconcertingly.
Ashi's Mother was now scolding her, "No more odd jobs, you should be thinking about finding a more stable profession. Sure, there might be plenty of jobs available now, but what about when there aren't? Are you simply going to move from job to job for the rest of your life?"
Meanwhile, Ashi sat there frozen. Spending so much time worrying about Jack, she didn't notice her own vulnerabilities. Ashi completely forgot about the "promise" she made to her Mother on her final day of working at Priestess Nutrition. Mother asked her to transfer to the Burlington branch of the company when she did universities. But Ashi had no intention of continuing to work there, so she told her Mother that she was going to focus on school for a while, and let her Father support her (she didn't intend to do that either, despite it ending up that way). Reluctantly, Ashi's Mother accepted her resignation, but only on the grounds that if she ever started working again, she would ask for her old job back. She agreed to the stipulation only to appease her Mother, then subsequently forgot about it.
Her Mother's attack completely caught her off guard, and she knew exactly how to push Ashi's buttons; Jack wasn't taking "The Test" anymore, Ashi was.
Feeling guilty for accidentally throwing Ashi under the bus, Jack quickly came up with an excuse; "No please, it's my fault. Ashi, uh… wanted to tell you herself, but I beat her to it. However, there is something else she has to tell you about work… right, Ashi?"
Ashi blinked, her mind was a jumbled mess; what was Jack talking about…? Suddenly, she remembered their future business endeavor, "Y-Yes, that's right! Mother, Jack and I already have long-term business plans. Jack and I are planning to become martial arts instructors, since both of us have been training our entire lives; there's a property in Burlington we're working towards owning, and we're only going to be odd-jobbing until we move in."
Jack added, "It's a bit of a fixer-upper, but it's the perfect location. At the rate we're working, we should be able to buy our way in by March of next year." Ashi slipped her hand into his, silently thanking him for coming to her rescue.
Mother touched her chin in contemplation, and everyone at the table waited apprehensively for her response. Placing her forearms down on the table, she spoke calmly, "Really? I must say, I'm impressed by your initiative. Starting a business is no easy undertaking, I certainly hope you two are up for the task…" Mother remarked, as if she was challenging them.
Jack took the bait, "Don't worry, we are," he declared, confidently.
"Good… after all, we both want to see our dear Ashi succeed, yes?"
Ashi remained quiet as her Mother smiled menacingly, but Jack's response was an intense, yet amicable look, "More than anything."
Mother's expression didn't change, "I'm glad you agree."
Just then, the servers returned with more trays of food. They placed a small dish with a slice of cake in front of each person at the tables. The cocktail room was reopened as well, where guests could gather their own desserts; fruit salad, chocolate strawberries, cookies, and various other confections were set out to be enjoyed at one's behest.
The daughters started to get up, relieved now that "The Test" was over. As Ami crossed behind her Mother, she waved to get Jack's attention, giving a thumbs-up. Ali walked behind Jack, patting him on the shoulder. Ashi then stood up, asking Jack to come along with her to get dessert.
Once they were back in the other room, Ashi pulled him into a tight embrace, "I owe you one for that, you did great!"
Jack grinned sheepishly, "Aw, come on, I really didn't do anything", but Ashi disagreed, now only holding Jack's hands.
"Please, you held your ground against Mother, that's more than a lot of people can say," Ashi praised, "And, you got her off my case about working with her; I didn't think she was ever going to let that go."
"Jack, that was quite the performance you gave just now!" Ashi said, but Jack was confused why her mouth didn't move. Turns out it was Aki, who slinked right up next to them, "I know my Mother, and that thing about starting a business was a tough sell. But you pulled it off, and I think you may have just earned her respect; that's only happened with one other person…" she trailed off for a moment.
But she shook herself out of it, "A-Anyway, I came over her to speak with Ashi; do you mind if I steal her for a moment?"
Jack nodded, "Not at all! I'll meet you back at the table, okay?" he turned to Ashi.
"Okay! See you in a bit," she said softly, sending him off with a peck on the cheek.
Turning back to Aki, "So, what's up?"
Her sister got up close and whispered, "We need to talk, but not here… follow me." She grabbed Ashi's hand and pulled her towards the staircase. They took the one going up, deeper into the country club, and made a left towards the bathrooms. Instead of going in like Ashi thought they would, Aki kept pulling her past them, and around the corner to a long hallway, finally coming to a door at the end of the corridor.
Aki twisted the knob and opened the door, gesturing for Ashi to get inside; "Quick, in here," she ordered, looking around for anyone who might be onto them. Confused, Ashi stepped inside carefully, surveying the utility closet she just walked into; the only light source was coming from the hallway outside.
"Okay, so now what…" she was cut off by the door slamming behind. She ran to open it, only to find that her side lacked a handle. "Uh, Aki? Can you open the door, please?"
Her sister responded teasingly, "Sorry, what was that?"
Ashi scowled, "Open the door, Aki. This isn't funny!"
But Aki had no intention of letting her out, "Aw, that's too bad. But, I'm a musician, not a comedian; what can you do?"
Ashi was banging on the closet door now, "Why are you doing this!?"
Her sister smiled, leaning against the closet door, "Gotta hand it to you, Ashi, that boyfriend of yours is a real find. I mean, he's the only other guy besides… Brad, to pass 'The Test'. Do you know how rare it is to find someone with that level of commitment? Most guys don't even care to meet the parents, especially with our Mother."
"What, so you think you can have him for yourself? Tough! Jack will be looking for me once you head back and I'm not with you," Ashi hissed through the slits in the door.
But Aki responded smugly, "That's why I'm not going back, you are. Aki had to leave early, to meet with her agent about a show this weekend." Ashi's eyes widened in realization, "You know, it's a good thing Mother makes us all wear the same exact dress, or this probably wouldn't work."
Ashi hit the door again, "It won't! Jack's gonna know you're not me!" she shouted angrily.
Aki whispered through the door slits, "We'll just see now, won't we?"
With that, she started back down the corridor, as Ashi continued to bang on the door and protest to be released.
"Good talk," Aki said to herself. Turning the corner, she made a right into the woman's restroom and stood in front of the mirror. She dug into the purse she was carrying, pulling out a small bottle of hairspray and a comb. Humming to herself one of her own songs, she carefully styled her hair to look nearly identical to Ashi's.
Once she was done, she looked herself over in the mirror, smiling at "Ashi" before her; "Showtime", Aki hyped herself, stepping out of the bathroom and strutting back to the dining room. She knew this wouldn't last, but was eager to see how far she could get.
Jack was sitting at the table with the other sisters, eating cake and laughing with them about a story Abbi was telling. "Ashi" touched his shoulder, whispering in his ear, "Come with me for a sec? I need to show you something."
"Sure. Ladies, excuse me for a moment," the sisters giggled at his formality, waving at him as he was led away.
/
The light from the hallway shone in through the slits in the door, casting bars of light on Ashi as she sat against the back of the closet, clutching her knees. Her face was buried in her arms.
After desperately searching the dimly-lit utility closet, nothing inside could fit through the tiny spaces in the door; escape was impossible. Aki was free to borrow her identity, and possibly take Jack for herself. The man she had fallen for was about to be taken just like Scaramouche warned, and by her own sister no less.
To make matters worse the entire closet seemed to have fallen into disuse, having dust and cobwebs all over; who would even know to look for her here? It would take them forever to find her, and Aki was probably all over Jack by now. There was nothing she could do…
…
No. Giving up was not an option.
Ashi had faith that Jack would see through Aki's deception, but she wasn't about to wait to find out. The two of them had both taken "The Test" this evening, this was merely a follow-up; if they could get through that, they could get through this. Ashi didn't need to be rescued, she had trained her entire life so she could fight for herself. And right now, the only obstacle standing in her way was a wooden door.
Ashi stood up decisively, stepping forward and getting into a stance. Bracing herself, she took a deep breath, and shouted violently as she put her fist right through the wooden slits in the door. Grabbing and twisting the door handle to her left, she was free at last.
The heels she was wearing didn't stop her, furiously racing down the hall to confront her treacherous sister.
"AKIII!"
She finally got back to the table. Ami looked up from her cake, "Hey, you're back! Where'd you guys go?"
Ashi ignored the question, "Where's Aki!?" she demanded.
Anni looked up from her phone, finally noticing the empty seat to her right, "Hmm, good question. Haven't seen her since we went to get dessert."
"Ashi! Where were you just now?" Ami vied to get her sister's attention.
"I was trapped in a closet," she answered frankly, causing the rest of the table to look at her.
"Whaa… how'd that happen?" inquired Ali, still chewing on a piece of pineapple. But Ashi didn't answer, instead running off back the way she came, to search the rest of the country club. Her Mother didn't say a word as she watched her daughter go.
After she was gone, Abbi snickered, "Hey, Ari. Maybe you could've helped Ashi out of the closet, eh?"
Ari was the only daughter not laughing, instead responding with mock laughter; "Just kidding, it wasn't funny," she barked.
"It's a little funny…" her Mother mused with a stoic expression, and Ari pouted.
/
Ashi was pulling Jack along surprisingly quick. Obviously, she was excited about him having passed "The Test", which her sisters told him he had done "with flying colors". Maybe she wanted to celebrate with some "alone time", he thought. Up for anything, Jack followed eagerly as Ashi led him through the lobby, through a set of ornate double doors.
She pushed them open to reveal an enormous ballroom; it was colorful and grand, with tall mirrors lining the patterned walls. An extravagant crystal chandelier hung over the dance floor in the center of the room, surrounded by tables just like in the dining room. Impressed by the elegance of it all, Jack felt slightly disappointed that dinner was not held in here.
"It's beautiful," he remarked.
Suddenly, Ashi snaked her arms around his neck. Gazing at him sensually, she purred, "It's not the only thing…" Before he could respond with his own compliment, she shut him up by closing the distance between them. His suspicions were confirmed as she passionately kissed him.
Their make-out session was enjoyable at first, but then it started to feel off. Ashi was more aggressive than usual, and was acting like she wanted him to match that. She ran her right leg along his body, while moving his hand to her butt. But the biggest thing he noticed was that Ashi… tasted different. Although they appeared to be, these were not the lips he had grown so familiar with.
Jack stopped the kiss, carefully prying her off of him. "Ashi, are you… feeling well?" he asked hesitantly.
Her eyes widened, then fell back into their sensual stare, "As a matter of fact, no. Whenever I'm around you, I just can't keep my head straight. When we're together, nothing else matters but you and I. You do things to me, that I simply can't put into words; so, let's let our bodies do the talking…" Ashi caressed his face, then moved in for another kiss.
But Jack only got more confused, pushing her away more decidedly this time. "Wait, seriously. You're acting really different… are you sure everything's okay?" he looked genuinely concerned by her behavior.
"Ashi" was now starting to sweat, "J-Jack, don't be ridiculous! It's me, your girlfriend! I'm the same Ashi you came here with, why would I be anyone else?" she laughed nervously. "Now, where were we?" she puckered her lips, moving in to kiss him again, but met the tip of his index finger instead.
Jack looked her dead in the eyes, a serious expression on his face. They stared at each other for a good five seconds, until he finally spoke up, "You… you're not Ashi."
The imposter gulped, "Wh-What are you talking about? Of course, I am! Jack, what's the matter with you? It's me! Do you even know your own girlfriend?" she accused, backing away from Jack slowly.
He followed after her, "Oh, I do. And that is precisely how I know she isn't you." Not-Ashi stumbled a bit after backing into a few chairs, Jack's slow pursuit was driving her around the room.
Finally, she was backed into one of the tables, trapping herself. Jack forcibly grabbed her wrist, causing her to remark seductively, "Ohh, where was this two minutes ago?"
But he wasn't having it anymore, "Where is Ashi?"
She shot him another sensual stare, "Why, I'm right here, and I'm all yours~" but he rejected the advance.
"Enough! I know who you are, you're her sister, Aki!"
Now that the jig was up, Aki decided to try a different strategy; "Oopsie, looks like you caught me! Well, now that this cat's outta the bag, how about taking it home with you instead? I promise you'll like her more than the one you started it," she purred, fluttering her eyelashes.
Jack released her wrist, "Er, what?" the metaphor had sailed right over his head.
"What I'm saying is that you should ditch ashy and get with the more talented and interesting sister, who's clearly into you," she explained, running her finger along his chest.
He slapped her hand away, "You think I would turn my back on Ashi just like that? You might be quick to forsake those you care about, but I would never betray her. Now enough foolishness, tell me where she is!"
Aki shrugged and turned away at his demand, "Sorry, I don't know where she ran off to; she probably disappeared forever, so you should just settle with me."
Jack grabbed her wrist again, even harder this time, "Liar! If you're not going to tell me, then perhaps you'll answer to your Mother? How would she feel about what you're doing, I wonder?"
But Aki scoffed at his threat, "You think I'm still afraid of my Mother like the rest of them? HA! That ship sailed a looong time ago, buddy."
Jack sneered at her, trying to think of another angle. "Hmm, then maybe I should tell your Father instead? I bet he'd love to hear about this…"
Again though, Jack's attempt at interrogation only made her laugh, "You just don't get it, do you? I'm not tethered to my parents like the rest of them, I'm not just riding off of their success. I went off into the world and made a name for myself; I got out, and now I answer to no one! Not you, not my Mother, not even 'the great and powerful AKu'!"
The mention of his nemesis completely threw him off; "AKu? What does he have to do with anything?" Jack questioned.
Aki raised an eyebrow, "Are you kidding? You mean you don't know that…" suddenly, a wicked smile graced her face, "Ohhh, I see what's going on here… She didn't tell you, did she?"
Now Jack's eyebrow went up, "Tell me what?" he asked cautiously.
"About our Father, I'm surprised she managed to keep it from you for this long; she must be a better liar than she lets on…" she was thinking out loud at this point, but Jack was fed up with this game.
"What!? What about your Father, who is he!?" Jack demanded.
Aki yelled back, "AKu!"
Jack stopped dead. The name echoed over and over again in his head, as if it had been playing on repeat this whole time and he was just now catching it. He dropped Aki's wrist, backing up as he lost his balance. Jack felt like he was about to throw up, supporting himself on another table; his hands were sweaty and shaking, and his vision blurred around the edges.
Just then, the ballroom doors swung open, and the real Ashi came charging through. "Aki, step away from my…" her furious expression changed to concern when she saw Jack hunched over, "Jack, are you…" she trailed off when he looked up at her, a kind of sadness in his eyes he'd never shown before.
"Ashi, you…" barely able to speak, he pushed off from the table he was leaning on and quickly fled the ballroom.
Ashi called after him to no avail, then turned to her wily sister, remembering her anger; "See what you did!? What did you think you were going to accomplish!?" she scolded.
Aki gave a smug look, "Oh, but that wasn't my doing. Turns out I'm not the only one that tried to keep the truth from him. But unfortunately for you, now we're both busted." Ashi was confused for a moment, until she remembered the thing she was always afraid to tell him, afraid how he would react. But now her fears were realized, and Jack knew the truth about her Father.
Ashi held the sides of her head in panic, unsure what to do about this. But Aki was still standing there, a prime target for venting her frustration, as well as the source of it. So, she confronted her sister; "I don't understand, why would you try so hard to steal my boyfriend? I'm your own sister, your family! Doesn't that mean anything to you!?" Ashi desperately begged for an answer.
"You don't get it, none of you do; this is the way of things in our family. If I didn't take him from you, someone else would. You were going to lose him inevitably," Aki explained flatly as she slicked back her hair, which popped back up into its normal look.
Ashi shook her head, "No, that's your way. It's pretty obvious from your shallow music that relationships mean very little to you, but don't lump the rest of us in with that. I'm not like that, Jack's not like that; he and I genuinely care about each other. I'm sorry you don't know what that's like…"
With that, Ashi stormed off, leaving Aki alone with her thoughts.
Now she had to clear things up with Jack, assuming he even wanted to see her anymore. Desperately, she searched the entire country club, starting with where she had been, then everywhere else.
Ashi finally found him up on the balcony, leaning on the railing while looking up at the night sky. Quietly, she pushed open the glass door, stepping out into the cold autumn air. The stars were clear as day overhead, reminding Ashi of her time with Jack. A chilling breeze made her shiver, and she rubbed her arms to warm herself up.
Jack still hadn't reacted to her presence. Ashi softly called to him, "Jack?"
Without turning, he spoke in a dull tone, "Why? Why did you keep this from me for so long? I've been honest with you from the start, I just… don't get it."
Ashi looked down shamefully, "Jack, I… I'm so sorry. I never meant for you to find out this way…"
Jack whipped around to face her, "Could've fooled me, seems like you didn't want me to find out at all!" he snapped.
"I know, I know! I should've told you as soon as we met, this whole thing could've been avoided," Ashi moved to the railing herself, looking somberly to the ground below, "But that's just it, would we even be here now if you knew back then? Would you have given me a chance if you knew who I was?" The question made Jack's gaze soften, and he watched Ashi keep hers down.
She continued, "When we first met, and you told me about your past, I felt so guilty about what my Father had done. Instead of telling you the truth though, I bailed; I was so certain you would reject me if I told you. But I guess fate had other plans, and you showed up to save me from those thugs. I couldn't just turn you away again after that. Okay, so I could've told you about it before now, I admit. But you just kept bringing up how much you hated AKu, and it only made me more afraid that you would end up hating me, too."
Jack had moved back to leaning on the rail, right up next to Ashi as she confessed her feelings. "Although, I couldn't blame you if you hate me now. I've lied to you for so long, you must think I'm awful…" Ashi turned away with her head hung low, feeling like she didn't even deserve to look at him anymore.
Jack let out a deep sigh, "You know, in hindsight, I should've figured it out by now. I suspected there was something questionable about you Father you weren't telling me. I just never thought it would be something of this… magnitude," he put a hand on his forehead, the revelation still sinking in.
Shaking it off again, he placed his hands down firmly on the railing, "But… while I'm not pleased that you kept this secret from me, this doesn't change a thing." Ashi looked up again, casting a side glance at him as he continued, "I know I've said before that the children should not be blamed for the sins of the Father, and I haven't changed my mind about that. AKu may have done terrible things, to me and many other people, but none of that reflects on you."
Jack turned to address her directly, "Ashi, I don't care who your family is, I care about you. We've already been through so much together, I'm not about to turn my back on all that. Maybe I would've felt differently about it when we first met, but that's all in the past now. Frankly, I have no regrets about anything that has happened since that day." They had been inching closer to each other as Jack spoke, finally pressing up against each other as they leaned on the balcony railing, "I… I'm happy when I'm with you, that's all that matters to me now. Whatever happens, we'll stick it out just like always. Together," Jack took hold of Ashi's hand, and they gazed at each other. This time, he had no doubts this was actually her.
Ashi placed her head on his shoulder, touching their interlocked hands with her opposite one. "Together," she said out loud, reassuring herself. They stood there on the balcony, enjoying the view and each other's company; Ashi hardly noticed the cold anymore.
After a brief silence, Jack spoke up again, "So, this whole situation got me thinking; you remember that picture you drew, of 'The Samurai's girlfriend'?"
Ashi chuckled, "Of course, I don't think I'm ever going to live that down," she joked.
Jack laughed, "I'm not holding it against you, you know. Anyway, I think I've figured a backstory for her. Would you like to hear it?"
She put a finger to her chin, acting like she was in deep thought, finally shrugging nonchalantly. "Why not? Go ahead," she affirmed.
Clearing his throat, Jack started; "Well, she was one of seven identical daughters, raised from birth to be deadly assassins. They were brought up by their Mother, who was the leader of a fanatical cult that worshipped the evil demon. In his name, the daughters were tasked with eliminating the Samurai, it being their only purpose in life. They ambushed him, and although he was seriously wounded, he managed to defeat the daughters. Only one of them remained, and after being forced to work together the Samurai, she learned that everything she had been taught from birth about good and evil was wrong. She ends up saving the Samurai from taking his own life, and the two of them set off to find his magic sword, and defeat the evil demon once and for all."
"Shit, did you seriously come up with all that just now? That's pretty good," Ashi remarked, impressed.
Jack scratched his temple, "For the most part. Although, I'd been mulling over a variation of this idea for a few days now, so I guess it wasn't all on the fly," he admitted sheepishly.
Ashi giggled, "Well, I like it! But tell me, is she actually related to the demon at all, or does she just worship him?"
Jack thought about it, "Yes, the Samurai doesn't know she's his actual daughter, and neither does she, in fact. Her Mother never told her the truth." Ashi laughed to herself at the accuracy of her counterpart's backstory, right down to her Mother lying about their Father.
"I like it, a lot. You definitely saved me the trouble of coming up with a backstory myself," she nudged him playfully, and they both had a good laugh, unaware that someone had been watching them from inside.
Jack spoke up again, "Hey, you get any dessert, did you? I think there's still food left, you want to go down and get something?" he offered.
Ashi smiled, "That sounds good, we should probably head back to the table anyway. Mother's probably going to be suspicious since we've been gone so long." They stopped to kiss for a moment, then headed back inside, still holding hands.
/
Thanksgiving dinner had drawn to a close. The club servers were cleaning off the tables, removing used plates and leftover food.
Ashi's family was gathered in the lobby, everyone saying their goodbyes as they parted ways. All but one of her sisters gave a sincere farewell, expressing their pleasure in having met Jack. Even Mother was pleasant (well, for her) in her departure, citing that Jack was welcome to come next year as well, something she had never suggested to anyone her sisters brought to the occasion.
Most of them had left first, leaving Jack and Ashi waiting for the taxi they had just called to take them back to the train station; they had a long trip back to the hotel, and an even longer one back to Burlington tomorrow morning. As they sat there on the couch in the lobby, the last remaining sister approached them.
Warily, they looked at Aki as she tried her best not to look them in the eyes, "Hey, Ashi. Do you think I could talk to you for a moment… for real, this time?"
Jack sat up, about to tell her off, but Ashi gently pushed him back down by his shoulder. "It's okay. If she pulls anything this time, I'll be expecting it," she assured him.
Jack nodded, "Okay, then I'll give you two your space. I'm going to wait for the taxi, come outside when you're done," he kissed her on the cheek, and cast a quick glare to Aki as he walked out.
Ashi stood up, "Alright, what is it?" she asked her sister, less than enthused to be talking to her again.
Aki looked at her for a moment, then let out a deep sigh; "Look… I'm sorry, alright? It was really shitty of me to do that to you, sister or not; you don't deserve to be treated like that," she crossed her arms, looking down as she shook her head.
Ashi's expression softened; the apology exuded sincerity, something she wasn't used to getting from Aki. She looked away in deep thought for a moment, "I'm still mad about it, but considering the outcome of this whole thing, I guess I can forgive you. But only if you give me an honest answer to my question: Why?"
Aki's expression remained vague, a lot like their Mother looked almost all the time, "I said it before, I don't expect you to understand. But, I always thought you were one of the smartest of our sisters, so maybe you will…?" She paused for a moment, "I… I only did what I did because Jack reminded me of Brad. He was… something else; the kind of guy who isn't intimidated by strict parents, or afraid of any kind of commitment. He was different, special, just like Jack… I wanted to feel what it was like… to be with a guy like that again, one that will really love you. It was nice, if only for the moment…" Aki looked down wistfully, trying to hang on to the feeling she was describing as it faded back into her memory.
Ashi gazed at her somberly. She knew exactly what her sister was describing about Jack, which only made her feel sorry for her, having once had it for herself. "Aki," she stepped closer to her sister, "What actually happened to Brad?"
Aki snapped her head up, as if the question flipped a switch on her; "It doesn't matter anymore, now listen to me. Guys like Brad and Jack, the ones that pass "The Test", they're dangerous. Not to us, of course. To Mother. You know as well as I do that she's all about control; Dad, too. Both of them feel threatened by serious relationships, afraid that we'll lose our dependence on them. They'll do anything in their power to alienate us from people who actually care. They did it to me, and you can be sure they'll try and do it to you, too," she warned.
Processing all that she just heard, Ashi didn't know what to think. She asked her sister, "I don't understand, Mother didn't seem to have a problem with Jack. Dinner went off without a hitch."
But Aki shook her head, "I thought the same thing three years ago, but it was all a ruse. She may have seemed okay with Jack, but she was simply bidding her time. 'The Test' isn't over until the challenger has lost; Mother always wins."
Aki clutched Ashi's shoulders desperately, "Don't make the same mistakes I did. No matter what happens, no matter what she tries to pull, stay with Jack. Trust me, you'll be much happier that way…" Aki turned to walk away, but before she could start, Ashi ran up and hugged her from behind. Aki quietly stood there in her embrace, but her shoulders shook slightly, and Ashi could feel a couple drops land on her arm.
Finally, Aki carefully removed her sister's arms, and walked out of the building without another word. Ashi watched sadly as she left, thinking about the latest warning she was given. This was starting to become a regular thing, apparently.
/
Jack's eyes were closed as he splashed water on his face. Grabbing a towel, he wiped off the moisture and stared at himself in the mirror.
It had been a looong day, and he had plenty to think about now that he knew Ashi's secret. His conviction was the same, but he was still coming to terms with the fact her Father was… AKu. Sighing, he stepped out of the bathroom; the tiny desk lamp was the only light still on in their hotel room, and Ashi was already asleep in the queen size bed.
Jack was about to join her, but before he could hop in bed, his cell phone went off. Weird, he thought, who could be calling at this hour? It was well past midnight. No caller ID came up on the screen but against his better judgement, he slid the cursor across the screen to accept the call. Yawning, he squeaked out a hello.
A cold, familiar voice came spoke through the phone, "Hello, Jack. My apologies, did I wake you?" It was Ashi's Mother.
Dumbfounded, he responded, "Wha… how did you get this number? Did Ashi give it to you?"
"No, she didn't, nor does she know I'm speaking to you like this. I'd appreciate it if you kept it that way," she suggested, implying a threat.
"You didn't answer my question: How did you get my number?" he asked again, more asserting this time.
Ashi's Mother was unfazed, "Let's just say I have my ways; just like my ex-husband, whom I understand you just found out about."
Jack's eyes widened, "How did you…"
But she cut him off, "Enough questions, just listen…" Reluctantly, he shut his mouth and waited for her to continue.
"I know who you are, Samurai, and I know about your extensive history with my ex-husband. You and he have been enemies for most of your life, correct?" Well, she wasn't wrong. "I want you to know that I despise him just as much as you do, and I respect how you've challenged him for a so long," she praised dryly, leaving Jack at a loss for how to respond. "But you slipped up, and got yourself caught. The truth is, I didn't need you to tell me anything about yourself at dinner, I already knew everything. Your parents, your arrest, all of it. But your relationship with Ashi was certainly news to me…" he didn't like where this was going.
"I know what you must be thinking, but I assure you: I'm not going to make any attempts to use my daughter against you. However, I cannot say the same for AKu…" Ashi's Mother paused for a moment, giving Jack a moment to process everything, "Don't worry, he doesn't know about you and Ashi, not yet. But he'll find out; he has eyes and ears everywhere, as I'm sure you've picked up on." Unfortunately, he had.
"Here's my advice: Don't fight. I know you must have a new sense of purpose, now that Ashi is there to inspire you. But this is a folly; to oppose AKu means certain destruction. Even you couldn't avoid it forever. He's going to try to push you two apart, and pushing back will only make it worse. For both of you," she warned.
Jack scowled at the Mother's threat. "So, what? I'm supposed to just sit back and do nothing? Just let her Father ruin our relationship?" he asked incredulously.
"Precisely. Like it or not, AKu always gets his way. As much as I hate him, his side is the winning one. And I hate to lose," she proclaimed. "Anyway, that's all I have to say. Enjoy it while you can, Jack," he was about to interject again, until she cut him off a final time; "Oh, and Happy Thanksgiving." With that, the line went dead, and the dial tone came back.
Hanging up, Jack stared at his phone before placing it back on the table. He stood there, his mind now racing even more than before. Walking over to his side of the bed, he watched Ashi sleep peacefully in the darkness of the hotel room.
Jack let out a deep sigh, slipping under the covers next to Ashi, and shut off the light from the desk lamp.
—END CHAPTER 12—
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