Hey Everyone, I'm back and it is five month late but it's here - The ninth chapter of A Garden under the Moon. The Vanguard Match, Second part.
Truth be told I never really left , I was just taken in an other project which is already disclosed on my profile even thought It won't be published for a while.
I will try to update more frequently but as they say it's the muse who decided and I in fatc wrote this chapter to make a pause in between writing for that other project.
It doesn't mean I let my other project at all, I fully intend to finish all four of my project ( Yes even the touhou crossover) It'll take years for some ( once again SakixTouhou crossover and the ZNTxMGLN) but I have each end planned an I really want to write them. I just discovered that I write better when I have consistent feedback (which I have for that other project) .
Now the usual reviews answers:
To:Dakimomoe, Moonlight Memories, mamita, masteryoyojoel, Swifty13Otaku48, Kumi, Caexah, EAnIl ,EXpertUS ,BabyBearOnline and the other thank for reading a following my story, It's also thank to you that I finally came around to write this chapter.
To EAnIL; I'm happy If I can inspire other " Graveyard Gardener " is how I have always saw Saki in the anime,And yes KoromoxSaki is my OTP^^, I'm happy if I can make other ship those two together they are my favorite. But Saki is stuck as the vanguard.
As for Saki she is like the new adopted daughter to their family, and they are a good one.
Now onto the chapter
A disclaimer: I don't own Saki, I will always owe her.
A Garden under the Moon 9
A Cat in the Flower Park
During the pause, Mihoko didn't go back to her room. She knew she could have done better and didn't want the coach to berate her. At the same time, she didn't wish to remain on the table. Lacking choices, Mihoko just walked around the venue until the time for the next match came. Kana would probably be worried but it was what she felt like doing.
When the bell finally sounded she was coincidentally in the central room, looking at the scores.
[ Kazekoshi 118 400, Ryuumonbuchi 105 400, Kiyosumi 99 500 , Tsuruga 76 700.]
She was first. But, for some reason she felt that she was losing. At first, she thought it was because she knew that they needed more points for the captain and vice-captain match. But, now she was not sure. The new girl that Ryuumonbuchi-san picked as her vanguard. Something about that girl made Mihoko's hair rise.
She was still pondering on that fact when she came into view of the door, meeting the little girl from Kiyosumi. "Did you eat enough?" She asked, her one eye dancing. For Kataoka-san still had some of the sauce on her cheek.
"Yes. Thank you for earlier," The girl answered with a smirk of her own before licking her lips, putting a finger to her cheek.
"It's my pleasure," Mihoko answered closing the distance remaining to the door. And that was the truth; Mihoko loved doing things for her underclassman.
Turning to enter the door, she had almost forgotten what she was thinking about when the girl from Ryuumonbuuchi crossed her path.
That feeling again.
She remembered feeling it numerous times two years ago. That girl from Ryuumonbuuchi gave the same feeling as her. The person who irrevocably made her mark on the interhigh tournament two years ago.
She tried to analyse the facial structure, the small unnoticeable ticks. The family name is the same well, now that she thought about it. "Is it possible?" She voiced her thought at loud, shocked.
The chestnut cat-girl was already sited on the east seat at Miyanaga's right when Mihoko picked her own place and opened both of her eyes. She couldn't take any chances if even there was any chance it was true…
She heaved a sigh of relief 'South wind, I'm in front of her. More chances for observation... Good' As that thought came, her azure and ruby peered unconsciously into the blood red eyes in front of her.
Time paused as the the younger girl smiled, sending shiver through Mihoko's spine. "You're Welcome."
" Thank you." Mihoko answered as courtesy demand, she hoped she wouldn't regret it.
Soon enough the girl from Tsuruga entered, determination back on her face. "Good game" She said in a resolute tone, taking the last seat.
"Good Game" The three of them answered back as the sound of the tiles mixing in the table started. 'She must have a good captain. I wish I had one when I started.' Mihoko thought wistfully.
...
'Two hanchan mean two East Wind. And this time I am fully charged up, I won't let those girls disturb my pace' Yuuki thought as she pulled her last tile. With a full taco in her belly and the encouragement of her friends on her back she wouldn't lose.
She looked at her hand ( 234 Dot, 455 Bamboo, 122 468 Character Ton , Chun with the Dora marker as the 1 Character.) In these conditions most people would go for the simple tanyao. But, Yuuki knew she could go for something a lot higher. She made it clear to her mind by discarding the 2 character first. She would be cautious later.
Nobody had taken the first hand out of her ever, Not even Nodo-chan or You-chan managed to get it. It wouldn't change now.
Her hand advanced quickly. First, she got a 3 Character and discarded the 1. Then a 2 Bamboo, she discarded the Chun.
"Pon," The Chun got called by the girl from Kazekoshi. She looked over the girl who had opened her second eye.' Why did she have it closed in the first place? It was pretty.' Yuuki thought. But it wouldn't change a thing. There was more than one tile she needed. She re-focused on the game.
It was her turn to draw again and she got the 5red bamboo 'even when I lose I gain '. She discarded the normal one.
The next turn she got a Ton and discarded the 6 Character. Kazekoshi had discarded a Ton just before but there remained one and it would be hers.
But, it evaded her next turn, this time by Tsuruga, calling a Nan from Kazekoshi. Even her meager experience could tell that the two teams were obviously rushing to avoid her dealer streak. But that wouldn't help them now. Because Yuuki had decided that she would regain her first spot. When her turn came by anew she picked a 3 Bamboo.
"Riichi" She called as she put the 8 Character on the board, turning it just next to the... 5 Bamboo 'Oh, no'. Once more she had gotten herself carried away. It was a mistake for Maho to do, not her. Not now.
"aww" She reluctantly posed her riichi stick. She hated to be in furiten. And worse it was a Hell wait.
Then she remembered. The Hell wait was what would have saved her last time. Maybe this time as well, she thought optimistically. She wasn't her Buchou, But she was her team-mate, maybe a little of her 'bad luck' would come down.
The discard indicated that none had it in hand. That much she had learnt to read. Even if it became fuzzy in the south Wind, here in East it was clear. Yes she could make it. It was the pace she had chosen and it was her east dealership. There was no way she would let it go. Yuuki clamped her fist giving a piercing glare the wall as the wind seemed to pick up in the room.
She heard Ryuumonbuchi giggle. She must have made a strange face.
For the next two turn she remained stoically like that. She knew the other's hands were getting together but she wouldn't show any weakness so that at least they hesitated under the force of her blows.
Three turn after her Riichi she got it. "Richii Tsumo, Sanshoku, Double-Ton, Dora ,Aka-Dora... 3Ura, ". Yuuki herself couldn't believe it. Her supposed mistake had already gotten her back the first place. " San-Baiman, 12 000 all " She said with as much assurance as she could in the amidst her disbelief.
She extended her hand to take her richi-stick back while the other gathered their points. She could almost hear Buchou laughter like back in the cabin. It sure enough was something she would do, and had done more than once.
...
Mihoko couldn't believe it. Such a hand, that fast and from a hell wait furiten at that. She had never seen someone that reckless. If she was more honest, she had. But it was long ago and the girl had disappeared from the map.
Still this little one was more dangerous that she had thought at first. Even if it was dumb luck as it seemed it was from the look of shock Kotaoka herself bore, she shouldn't underestimate her, at least not while they were in the east-wind.
In Mahjong, luck was a talent itself after all.
As the repeat started, she looked down at her hand, nothing good would came that way. She could hardly make a hand farther from a good starting hand. In fact she was sure it was the worst start possible.
'At least seven turn for Tenpai, if I'm extremely lucky ' She thought looking around . Kataoka had discarded her first tile with a vigorous movement. A 7 bamboo . As usual she was going strong. Mihoko couldn't permit herself to lose point so she had to win .
Two turns later Kiyosumi was Tenpai "Riichi " She called . ' Again, that uncanny speed ' Mihoko thought . Nobody could make a move to stop her before she got there. If only she could at least disrupt that hand.
With a slight apprehension Mihoko drew her tile and had a small smile. It did advance her hand, but she was 4 tile away from tenpai and the best she could hope for was Pinfu or HaiPai . She sighed, letting go of the 4 Bamboo . Kataoka always had multi-sided waits in the first half so the Suji were pretty reliable at least. And from the way she arranged her tiles most of her hand where probably characters, if not all.
Tsuruga, already too far behind, chose to play it safe throwing a 7 Bamboo .The frown she made indicated it was her lone safe tile and was most likely part of her building hand . 'Nothing from that side I guess.'
Pon " Ryuumonbuchi called; Showing the last 7 bamboo in her hand and moving them to the right after taking Tsuruga's discard for herself in a flash . Those kind of practiced movement were only found in experienced players .Yet Mihoko was sure she had never heard of a Miyanaga Saki , even after her friends made profound researches on the net .
She would have made them herself, but she wasn't any good when it comes to electronic. She even played on the manual table back in the club room to be sure.
Back to the game, Kataoka pouted as she discarded her draw and glared at the tile which should have been hers when Mihoko took it .' Red 5 Character huh ?' Mihoko placed the tile in her hand. She wouldn't discard it either way, but it was good information . Mihoko discarded her 2 dot .
" Pon " She heard once more after Tsuruga discarded her draw, another 4 Of bamboo . ' what is she doing ?' Mihoko asked herself. Twice had Miyanaga called on a safe tile now and Mihoko could see her hand was shaping up to it .
When Kiyosumi turn was over, Mihoko held her breath but once more Katoako did not win and rejected the tile with a scowl .
Mihoko turn came and it was her turn to frown. She had picked an 8 of Character. 'So she is still on the winning road? and Kiyosumi was stopping her? ' Mihoko started to extrapolate . Miyanaga indeed was worrisome if she had predicted that twice in a row . Once more Mihoko decided to keep it .
But if she did not take some action herself soon Ryuumonbuchi's hand would become as much a trouble as Kiyosumi, and they were the main trouble if it came to the final matches Mihoko reminded herself.
Mihoko looked at the hand of her foes and remarked a slight cut in Tsuruga's hand near the end separating two tiles from the rest of the hand. 'Could it be?' Tsuruga had let go the hand for now, but she knew that players at that level of the competition often kept a little hope. Looking at the discard, and then her hand she took a shot in the dark.
"...Pon" Tsuruga's vanguard said shyly with a smile as she took the Red dragon Mihoko had thrown. She had kept it because luck had given her the second on her first draw turn , it was with those tile she thought she had a chance at an haipai.
Sure that move had seriously impeded her chance of winning, and there was the possibility Kataoka or Miyanaga had it ' Now that I really think it was a bold move...' She sweatdroped "at least it worked' . And the fact Tsuruga called it meant she never really had a chance with it, That girl would have held on it thinking that she had and wouldn't thrown the rest of the set.
And that Pon actually struck two birds with one stone it meant that this time it was Miyanaga who was stuck with Tsuruga's tile and judging from the slight glance she had given her when she took it she had no use for it... yet.
Once more Kataoka glared at her tile before discarding it, and leaning back on her seat.
However Mihoko was not at the end of her pain when she herself drew the 5 of Character. 'How much luck does this girl have? ' Mihoko wondered.
Three turns later, one Pei Pon from Miyanaga and one Chi for Tsuruga out of elimination and she had her answers.
"You won't get it " Mihoko smiled as she drew her second tile not related to the little game they had been playing for seven turns now. She only had one completed set of 5 Character and a pair of 8 to show for her effort but now she was almost sure Kataoka wouldn't win this time around, you never really knew pf Kataoka had a three or more side wait, and she wouldn't look so put off if she did. She now also had a pretty good idea of what Ryuumonbuchi was waiting for. She probably had wound up with the others 8 or 5 which meant she had to make her pair or lacking set with at least one of those two. ' Most likely the 8. But she only can guess at that point'
And thinking about that, it seemed Miyanaga was taking a bit too long deciding on what to discard."Well, I did make a promise, "She heard Miyanaga muter before taking another tile at the edge of her hand and opening her own point drawer.
"... RON" Tsuruga said, surprised to see the 3 Character she had apparently been waiting for. She revealed her hand "Chun only, 1000; with the repeated bonus 1300." As she finished saying that the points were already on the table next to the tiles. (RRR 123B, 222C 99D 24C) "Thank you?"
Mihoko couldn't help but to let out a breath. It was rather anticlimactic. They had struggled for what seemed like an eternity, pondering each choice and it ended up like that.
Well at least she had closed the gap to second place a little, and escaped the monster hand she could see as they all put all the tiles back in the hole . However she did not see Miyanaga could have been waiting for and only got a glimpse of the lacking 8s.
Now came her turn as a leader.
...
"At least coach is not here, " Kana breathed, nervous. The little cat like girl from Kazekoshi was actually in captain position and should concentrate on what would be her ordeal but the match before her eyes was not looking as good as they had expected.
"Don't worry Kana-chan, I'm sure the captain know what she is doing." Miharu, a girl with grey, spiky hair and glasses and Kazekoshi's Sergeant said. "We're still second and the captain knows that Kiyosumi is weaker in the south."
"I know. But I have a bad feeling." Kana shivered. "Why couldn't that dragon use the pole bean from last year?"
"The current one is the better player from the record I saw," Seika, a tall narrow eyed first year and their lieutenant answered. " But she don't seem as aggressive, she is a defensive player."
"Yes, Jun did a number on our points last year." Miharu was thoughtful, "had it not been for her Kana we might have had enough point even after.."
" Blunder, I know." Kana cringed, "I won't make the same mistake this time.I'm ready to face her. But I admit I'll need all the advantage I can get."
"And there is the last two teams to take into account," Miharu reopened the computer showing the little game records they had, "From what I saw Kataoka-san might be Kiyosumi's biggest point gatherer but she's also their weakest player, a glass canon."
"They might almost be no name but they could fair well even in the nationals, not that they will," Kana grinned .
"The hardest of the work against them will probably be for Seika," Miharu looked.
"Not Fumiyo or me?" Kana asked surprised.
"No Haramura Nodoka might be good but her role is pretty much the same as mine or Miyanaga Saki for Ryuumonbuchi. Keeping points and widening the margin if they can."
"It's dangerous in its own right." Kana grinned, patting Miharu. "You beat me 1 time out of three when the captain is not with us."
" And you might just have it," Seika said. "Captain is doing great there."
" Yes it is " Miharu smiled " As for their Captain she is ... strange and you will have to take care, with Amae Koromo and Tsuruga's captain on the table your match will look like hell, but you have the experience for that."
" And I don't have it," Seika balled her fist. "Thanks to the captain's trust I made my way from 97th to 5th, but a tournament is still something on a whole different level. I hope I won't blunder."
"Me neither," Kana frowned before turning back to the screen, just in time to see that they had already reached the 12th turn. "At least Captain is still as good as ever," She smiled, seeing that Mihoko was in tenpai for at least a dealer Haneman.
"The others too," Miharu grunted as the camera panned to the other players' hand. The four player were in tenpai, but only Kiyosumi and Tsuruga had declared a richii. The first one because it was what she always did and the second because she desperately needed those point to make her Pinfu into a hand worth more than trash.
" Tsumo, Menpin , Sanshoku Two dora," The little pest said with a big grin even as Kana grunted. "3000/6000."
"Doesn't she ever stop?" Kana complained, "Let's see how you'll do when we are in the south wind."
...
Mutsuki raged inside as East 3 started. Why had she fallen in the trap again?
She had gotten over confident with one minor, if hard fought, win because she really needed point and had seeded to facility?
She knew that as long as they were in the east round Kiyosumi would be too dangerous to confront head-on. She had just lost trice over the point she had won back. She also knew she was never the kind to have a streak, even against Kaori.
Sure she had miraculously managed to get to tenpai before either of the other three but it didn't mean that they had ran out of steam. And it was just a Pinfu, she should have tried to put more into it instead of using a riichi.
Had she not learn anything this past year with the others? She picked up her first tile and looked at her hand for the first time. (5 89 Character 23 9 Dot 11 779 Bamboo Sha Ton Haku). She could do something with this, but she would have to be better at hiding it.
She discarded Sha first, It could be used for a Chanta, but so would the other two honors. The problem was it was the obvious choice.
However she did not have the time to think more about her next turn as a childish voice was her heard "Riichi."
She frowned. It was Kiyosumi Again, this time in for double-riichi as she had discarded a 7 bamboo , at least she knew what to discard. You rarely had that kind of opportunity to know a safe tile after a double-riichi. And luck seemed to be on her side a she drew a 1 Dot .
Knowing the two other players enough by now they probably wouldn't discard to Kiyosumi's hand, but there was still the possibility that she would self-draw.
"No ippatsu this time, huh?" The chestnut haired girl complained and the three other sighed
Four turns has passed wherein she discarded successively her 9 Dot for which she had no real hope, the Haku which had already been discarded by Kazekoshi, a Ton as well as a 6 she had drawn . However she did not have her completed hand just yet, only another 1 Dot had come and she was still three tiles away from tempai against a double riichi.
Nevertheless she was being even more reckless than the last time, but it was what seemed to be paid there. She could use the fact that both Kazekoshi and Ryuumonbushi were fixated on stopping Kiyosumi.
Still she left herself a place to bail out if things really became dangerous.
"Chi."
Mutsuki drew the 8 Dot and smiled . On the tenth turn her hand was finally ready, almost.
By now, even she could tell that Kataoka was waiting on a dot, which happened to be the Dora. However seeing her 789 character 111233 dot 11 bamboo 789 dot hand what she had to throw was a Dot; If she threw the 2 she would have no Yaku so that was out. The only recourse was throwing the 3 and hoping for either the last 1 dot and 1 bamboo while avoiding the Yaku less 4 Dot or throwing the 1 Dot and waiting on the 2.
She was about to go for the first option which gave her more chance when she spied the call Kazekoshi had just made. Kazekoshi had called on a 2 Dot but she had also discarded a 1 Dot just after.
'It would be better to be safe than sorry,' She thought before throwing the 1 dot. She had the distinct impression she was being used but if she could finish that hand…
" Chi" Ryuumonbuchi called after her, making Mutsuki growl as she saw another chance fly. Now there was only 1 remaining 2 dot.
However she did not get any time, or reason , to lament as Kiyosumi threw away the remaining 2 dot .
Mutsuki smirked, it was always when she did not wait for it. "RON," She shouted, " Junchan IIpeikou 12 000."
Mutsuki smiled, finally she had truly reduced the gap.
...
"We're now in the middle of the south wind of the second hanchan. Soon the vanguards will finish their work and pass the baton to the sergeant. Perhaps, then the match will break the deadlock, don't you so Fujita Pro?" The commentator said during a lull in the game were nothing really happened
" Maybe," Fujita Yasuko said as she tried to concentrate on the match but it was just plain weird.
"So… What do you think?" The journalist next to her insisted. He was annoying but not as annoying as Kouko. Fujita didn't like these overblown amateurs. Still, she had to admit they were useful for the other less knowledgeable spectators.
"Honestly I'm surprised by the four of them," Yasuko said.
"We did see some national level of play," The man said. "Particularly from Kiyosumi - that young first year from a no name school did far better than anticipated."
Yasuko nodded "Yes, she did better than last time." Yasuko had already played the same first year, a month ago along with Haramura Nodoka in order to repay a debt she had for the girl's captain. She was good then, but had a gaping hole in her defence. Even now, once the south round start it was still there.
Kataoka still had that defect but she compensated with her sheer strength in the East round and had it not been for the level of her opponents she would have been flying before East ended, " She truly was made for the vanguard post , however I fear she will start to fall back once more."
"Her hand is already showing those signs yes, after that 4 han Tsumo in East four she has not been anywhere near tenpai for the first two south rounds." he seemed doubtful, "But with the gap she made, even Kazekoshi's famous captain may not be able to make a come back."
" I don't know about that," Yasuko smiled looking at the players' hand, "She seemed to be building for it at least. A twenty thousand point gap can be closed very fast and she is on the repeat of her dealership"
"However the two other school doesn't seem ready to throw the towel. Mutsuki Tsuyama has been struggling since the start but she has finally found her balance in this game."
Yasuko wanted to massage her temple, was he paid to make those stupid commentary? "Didn't the others just forgot her?" She said with a grin, "Mutsuki did adapt her defence but I fear it is too late. As for Ryuumonbuchi vanguard I wouldn't write her out that fast." Yasuko may not know Touka as well as she knew Hisa but she had talked with her and Koromo more than once last year and she seemed to be intent on going to the end with her little group of misfit, so why taking in that girl now?
Yasuko was not blind, she could see some odd pattern in the girl's draw, she often discarded tile that could give her higher value hand and she had obviously given away that win in the East round.
It seemed like nothing but such things did not lie, she was far more than what met the eye.
'Tenpai ' Three voice came over the speakers and she was surprised to see that in the end it had come to a draw. There had only been one call from Ryuumonbuchi since then.
'No-ten ' the far too calm brown haired girl said.
...
"Hey Touka, shouldn't we be worried?" Jun said on a tone which betrayed her calm." The little princess is losing point there."
[ Kiyosumi 107 600, Kazekoshi 135 200 , Tsuruga 72 700, Ryuumonbuchi 84 500.]
"Yes we should , for her opponents that is." Hajime said as she looked at the score board as well. There were only three things that had ever really traumatized her in her life and one of those was that mirthless smile Saki had right now.
"Holding it in," Tomoki said her thought and they all nodded .
"Maybe you should have posted her as the captain. There should still be a moon even on the morning." Jun said looking down at the still sleeping Koromo, shifting in her sleep with a smile. "Saki always has trouble when she force herself down too long, she become more oblivious."
" We want to win Jun, and I believe in her, look at her score" Touka grinned. "Don't you see it ? " Jun made sign that no she didn't. "Tomoki, tell me you see it, I'm not the only one right ?" Touka looked almost desperate but Tomoki just looked at her with wonder. " Hajimeeeee " She whined
"Two turns two +/- 0," Hajime said after looking at Saki's deceptively small hand as well as her eye that seemed to disappear under her bangs.
"Exactly, she is doing it again... I don't know if I should laugh or cry. Kazekoshi tried to manipulate the others as she usually does to stop Kiyosumi from running away... but she is playing into Saki's hands."
"Still, a fifty thousand point gap is huge," Jun said making her best effort to look worried . Usually you would worry that a new player crumble under pressure but Saki was odd like that they all knew. If anything the pressure might make her even scarier. "If she remains in a defensive mode I'll enter the sergeant game second."
"As if it really hindered you," Hajime smirked " or are you afraid you might not make it. Don't worry the three of us will make it back if you lose."
"I only asked her to defend, and she is doing it right after all, Kazekoshi and Kiyosumi are just better than we thought," Touka shrugged. "You know what will happen if those if those gears ..." She stopped as she looked at the screen feeling cold sweat dripped down her back.
"I can't believe it, Rinshan kaihou!" The pint-sized girl said before Touka could finish and all in the room had a shiver. The television screen suddenly started to shimmer as the sound of metallic chains being unbound echoed.
"... snap," Touka finished as she turned to the equally sweat-dropping Hajime and Tomoki. "Maybe they'll be alright ... they're almost national level after all."
" Mouaah," Koromo jolt up from Tomoki's laps with yawn and a big grin that would make the Cheshire cat proud. "Who was stupid enough to enter the garden?"
...
Suddenly there was a silence in the room. Yuuki couldn't even announce her hand as she couldn't even breathe. She felt like she had just been caught red-handed by a gardener walking on its most precious flower.
'Why the flower metaphor ' she thought as she tried to remember what she was doing.
"Your score?" The voice of the nice big sis woke her up from her stupor, still it was far more rude that she remembered.
" Ah yes ... let's see ... haku... rin…" She choked as she tried to say it again. As if it was a cursed word itself. "That would make ... " She was bad a counting but never that bad " Ah yes 3 han, 50 fu 2000/3600, I think."
The sound of the points being exchanged on the table were muffled and she felt like thorn was being preseed on her hand as she put them with her own points.
Yuuki looked at the girl from Ruumonbuchi, the strange feeling came from her. As she looked into her blood-shot eyes Yuuki felt like she had seen death ' Scary '
She looked so long at those eyes that she didn't even notice when Tsuruga threw her first tiles, she had picked up her tiles by pure reflex while her mind was frozen in primal fear. She could see the cold sweat drip down from the two others . In just one moment the game had taken a radical turn and it now felt like her life was hanging on the balance.
Ryuumonbushi did not even look at her tile before putting it among hers. In an expert move she turn two tiles like she opening a door. She then made a large gesture and Yuuki swore she heard thunder as the four West tiles clacked on the corner of the table "Kan" The soft and shallow voice echoed in her soul as her arm lanced like a living branch and came back like a sickle pressing a Haku on the mat
" Tsumo, Rinshan Kaihou, Tsuu II Sou" The strangled voice announced as Yuuki blinked. " 8000/16000"
...
The score was still echoing on her mind. What are the odds of a Tsuu-ii- Sou on the first turn won by a Rinshan? It sounded like a problem for statisticians but it was that very question that raced through Mihoko's mind.
The result was almost nil, she knew it. Yet it had happened and from the reflection in the scarlet eyes of Miyanaga Saki, she knew it would happen the moment she drew her tiles.
She had always suspected that the girl was more than meet the eyes. But, if this was not just a onetime occurrence she would categorize the girl straight into monster territory right there with Amae Koromo and Miyanaga Teru.
It had happened in a flash. Kataoka had had that lucky win on a Rinshan and before she had even declared it the room had frozen over and a metallic sound had rang.
In that short minute between the round, the pressure became as high as a national match final round and the electronic in the room seemed to shimmer.
Then it was all back to the game and before she even drew at tile the 3rd South was finished and now they would start south 4, Ryuumonbuchi's dealership.
'Just where did they found this girl? ' Mihoko thought . Even if one only take into account her defensive ability. Miyanaga's nerves even at the prospect of playing an intense match spoke of experience and she should have been scouted. Koromo, she could understand, she was Ryuumonbuchi's hidden away cousin, but that girl came from a no name Middle school.
'For that last hand I have to put my whole focus on her ' Mihoko decided as she tried to relax, but even so the ominous feeling of impending still lingered.
However, contrary to that incredible pressure, her actual hand turned out to be pretty good one. It had taken her 15 turns to get into Tenpai and none of her opponents yet showed any sign of being close to winning.
After the first few turns she even almost forgot about Miyanaga, seeing her as a normal player once more though the pressure was still here. It helped that the invisible gaze of the girl was fixated to her left and not on her. She had come to the conclusion that Kataoka had done something which triggered the change in Miyanaga.
If only she knew what maybe it would help for later. Nevertheless it was for another time, after this match. Now she had to hold onto her hand while escaping any trap. She need to get out of this game with the lead her team desperately needed.
"Pon," She heard the small voice in front of her as Miyanaga snatched up her discarded 8 Bamboo in a blur. The call sounded like a sob but it was also threatening, a cornered beast if there was one.
It was then that she noticed that even though it had been the last hand there had not been the smallest move since the start. It was not natural. You always tried anything to finish on a good note and yet those 15 turns had been unnaturally catatonic.
As if guided by an unnamed divinity, Mihoko looked with captivated eyes at Kiyosumi's discard as if watching for a train wreak from afar, readying for the aftermath.
"Kan," Miyanaga called the west wind Kataoka had discarded. Already on her side of the table with its four doubles.
Then in a sickle like movement she drew the Rinshan and without feeling it put it on the side where the other three 8 Dot already waited, "Another Kan "
Mihoko eyes were hard pressed to follow the cold yet weighty movement but noticed that Miyanaga's pupils seemed to have disappeared making her eyes look soulless ,"Kan" This time she completed the Pon .
There was a story in those movement , a deep and hurtful one she was not sure she wanted to know about. Mihoko felt the tears coming to her eyes as she saw the scarlet flower bloom on the table.
"Tsumo, Rinshan Kaihou, San kan tsu, toi toi, aka dora , 18 000," Miyanaga announced. "Thank you for this game." She said even as she received the points from a shocked Kataoka before getting up
Then, it down on her that she had just yield her advantage. She could have continued the game and pressed her advance but had just let them go.
" Thank you... for the game," The girl from Tsuruga said looking down. She would not get up for a while.
" Thank ... for the game, " Kataoka muttered to the still bowed girl.
"Thank you for the game, " Mihoko said her own voice shaking as the girl turned around .Were those tears she had seen downing from those soulless eyes?
Mihoko wanted to say something to that saddened back, but words refused to come .
"Will we play again?" The call came just before Miyanaga passed the door from the most unlikely of them. Kataoka Yuuki.
Miyanaga Saki stopped "Maybe. " She said before disappearing.
Mihoko was consoled, she may had not seen her face but she think she might have heard some joy in that voice.
...
[ Kiyosumi 89 200, Kazekoshi 123 600 , Tsuruga 54 700, Ryuumonbuchi 132 500.]
...
Until next time
Thank you for reading.
Thank to nightsentinel for the Beta
Please review. They really do help boost my mood, even the critic.
Fragment of Ring