*Here we are, pretty pretty Otogibana city, waiting… isn't that an interesting plot development. I seriously hope the author picks things up a bit pretty soon here because I'm starting to get impatient!*

We sit and wait for the other Bank members to arrive. I call Ringo and tell her to bring Ryoshi with her to the client shack. Otohime and Taro are on their way (I just assume Taro is coming because him and Otohime are practically attached at the—never mind.) Majo is dancing around Otsu, who is preparing green tea for everyone in advance.

"Hello, everyone," Otohime says politely at the door.

"Good morning ladies, I see you are all as lovely as ever," Taro says with a dashing grin as he and Otohime enter the shack. His eyes fall on Toyotama.

"Seriously…?" I mutter as he advances on her and cups her shocked face in his hands.

"Oh my. Who is this enchanting creature?" he purrs.

"You are one hell of a treat, my sweet. I've heard red hair shows a passionate heart and flaming desires, perhaps I could be the one to let the sparks fly—," he whispers huskily.

"TAKEN!" Toyotama exclaims angrily as Otohime says quietly.

"Taro…what's all this nonsense about flaming desires?, if you want a fire you have only to look right here, darling…" she giggles menacingly and begins to tug him to the back room.I sigh.

"N-no you've got it all wrong, Otohime, I-I WAS JUST COMPLIMENTING HER I SWEAR PLEASE-"

"Shut it, Taro," I say finally.

"Otohime, please. Do you know this girl?" asks Alice. Otohime climbs off Taro's back and takes the cup of tea Otsu has given her. When she sees the screen, her face clouds over. The cute smile she refuses to remove actually makes it freakier.

"Why yes, I certainly do."

"Could you tell us about her?" Ringo and Ryoshi enter the room, and Otsu quietly explains the situation to them as Otohime sighs.

"Remember when I told everyone that I used to be called Turtle Girl? Well, Umi actually came up with that name. She and Mimi were friends back in grade school. They would sort of… team up. I was always pretty jealous of Umi because she was pretty and popular and everything I wasn't at the time. Of course, it doesn't matter now. I haven't seen her for several years. I don't mean to gossip of course, but she was absolutely unbearable. May I ask what this has to do with a request?"

Alice quickly gave her the back story and explained, "She's trying to seduce the track star, for unknown reasons. This is important because that is whom our client desires."

"She's trying to take your love from you? That certainly is a serious offence!" *She would know!*

"That's quite a pickle you're in!" hums Majo in her care-free whimsical voice.

"We need a strict course of action!" Ringo says determinedly.

"She needs to make track and get with this guy before Umi does. But she can't prove she's the one who saved him, right?" Ryoshi asks.

"Not true," I say. Everyone turns to look at me.

"This guy might have seen her at the last minute, right? Maybe he remembers something she can use to identify herself."

"But he thinks she saved him," Toyotama frets.

"Come to think of it, how'd she know he got hurt in the first place?" asks Taro.

"Everyone pretty much knew about it. He's a pretty popular guy."

"I didn't know about it," I mutter.

"Well she's still got a chance!" exclaims Ringo.

"Just go up to him and tell him after you make the team!"

I stand up.

"C'mon, Toyotama. Tryouts are a few days from now. We need to train harder."

"Okay! I'm not giving up!" She grins, and follows me out.

*Next week, at Otogi Academy track team try-outs*

"You ready to go Toyotama?"

"As ready as I'll ever be." I smile.

"Don't worry. You've come a long way." She looks down, and I hear her unspoken question: yes, but is it far enough?

Man, it is hot out here. From where I stand in the spectator area I can see the other runners warming up. Toyotama gives me one last look, then joins them. Ryoshi stands next to me. As members of the Bank, we are here to oversee the request. We also brought some things to…help Toyotama win.

I follow a few participants into the girl's locker room with my Neko-Neko Knuckles on and ready.

"Hey, hey, Ladies."

"Oh! It's that Okami girl…the scary one…"

"That's right. I'm the scary one. And if you don't let Ningyo Toyotama pass you up in this race, you're going to find out just how scary I am."

"Hey! Are you black-mailing us?!" I grin and flex my muscles.

"Want me to help you figure it out?"

"Um! No…! No. We'll let her pass."

"Sweet. Thanks for your cooperation." I turn to find other competitors.

"Better luck next year."

Ugh, this is not my favorite thing to do. I hate threatening innocent girls. It's all talk, but it sure does work. While Ryoshi is off going through the boys, I find the most promising girls and tell them how it is. Most back off as soon as they recognize me. I'm walking around the track when I trip and stumble into some chick.

"Watch it!" she snaps angrily.

"Hey, who the hell do you think you are, gir-!" Wait! I've seen her before.

It's Nomagii Umi.

"Ohhh," she purrs wryly.

"You're that Okami-san. You're with the Bank, right?" How does she know—

"What's it to ya? Our agenda does not concern you." I turn to leave, but then she says, "I know all about you, Okami Ryoko. And all of your friends." I keep moving.

"I wonder what Shiro would do if he knew where your secret HQ is? Or perhaps which dorm you live in? Ryoshi's address?"

Stop.

Turn.

SLAM!

Nomagii Umi is against the side of the school before she can blink.

"Don't fuck with me, witch! You better tell me everything you know or I'll—!"

"You'll what?" she croons.

"Beat me up? Won't stop me from knowing. And telling your worst nightmare." She pauses. I scowl furiously at her. This little bitch. I wish I could grind her into the dirt! My mind is hot with anger.

"But perhaps I will keep your secrets. For a price of course. Otherwise everyone in this school will know everything about the bank. They will also know everything about you, Ryoko. Little, scared Ryoko and what happened to her, at her last school, only they'll know Shiro's version…How would you like everything that happened that time to happen again?"

'Shiro would never do that!' 'Yeah, 'specially not to you… Just admit it! You're lying because he dumped you.' 'She acts all innocent but in reality, she's the guilty one...'

My head spins.

"And you know what? My silence won't even cost much. Just your voice."

"My…what?" I growl.

"Your voice. If you want to keep this from all getting out, your voice belongs to me."

"You can't take someone's voice, idiot!"

"Not physically, no. But I can have the power to hold it. And I do."

I snort. "You can't possibly enforce that. How would you know whether I talked or not?"

She reaches into her bra and pulls out a tiny earpiece microphone.

"You will wear this. It records the every sound of your voice and the voices of those close to you. I'll know right away if you say a single word."

"Go to hell!" I snarl.

She shrugs. "Suit yourself. But be prepared to suffer the consequences."

If I don't, everyone will know about me. I'll be completely ruined, and every Otogi Bank secret will go down in flames with me. And since she's obviously in contact with Shiro, someone is going to get hurt if I refuse. They probably will even if I accept, but they defiantly will if I don't.

Hating Shiro, myself, and this sea witch in front of me, I watch as my fist closes around the earpiece.

"Good girl," Umi purrs.

"I've got mine," she says, "right in here." She clasps a shell that is strung through a golden necklace around her throat.

"Keep in touch, Okami." She smirks, just like in her picture, and walks away.

When she is out of sight, I feel my eyes fill with tears of frustration and desperation. All this time, she wasn't after Toyotama or the track star. She was after me.