Legal hell
"What the…?! Well, well, well. It seems little Kari has some explaining to do," said Hiwatari with an evil laugh.
"What do you mean your letter was a fake?!" asked Detective Saehara.
"Hiwatari has probably found out about that too. He didn't like the fact that Satoshi treated me like an older sister."
"Next you'll be telling me Kari isn't your name either."
"It's a nickname. I just prefer being called Kari instead of my real name. Though the part about studying Japanese was true."
"Online courses," said Satoshi when he saw the detective's look.
"You do know they'll probably kick you out when the truth comes to the surface…"
"Actually, the Customs Agency already knows that I'm not a student, nor that my name isn't Kari. And since I haven't done anything wrong, there's nothing he can do about it."
"So why tell us now?"
"Because I figured it was better to warn you before Hiwatari tried to bring it up later. And he will bring it up."
"He'll probably challenge my claim on the land too, just out of spite."
"Oh joy…"
"So what should we do now?" asked Kari.
"Well, I don't recommend coming to work until this whole mess gets sorted out. It will look like you think you can work around the legal system."
"Good point. I guess this means we'll be behind the tape next time Dark sends out a warning letter," joked Satoshi.
"Unfortunately…and you're the only one who's even gotten close to catching him."
"Takeshi…we can give you guys advice through him," Kari said suddenly.
"You're right…and since he's always putting things in his school paper that he shouldn't, then it'll be easy to claim we got the idea from that!"
Satoshi and Kari stayed out of the police business, to ensure that the press wouldn't get the wrong idea when the truth hit the fan. Which it did a week later. Kari had already finished an entire semester of the online courses early. She didn't bother to sign up until after the mess had been sorted out. Satoshi quit going by his step-father's name and went back to being who he really was…a Hikari.
"Hey Hiwatari!"
Satoshi didn't respond, or even act like he heard Takeshi.
"Hiwatari!"
"Um, Takeshi, don't you remember? He dropped his adopted father's name and went back to his birth name," Daisuke reminded him.
"Sorry…Hikari!"
"What?" asked Satoshi. (He finally got rid of his habit of answering to Hiwatari.)
"Have you been reading the papers? Looks like Kari is in trouble! They found out through an anonymous source that her recommendation letter was fake!"
"We know. She told us a week ago, before that idiot step-father of mine brought it up. And the only reason she used that fake letter was as an excuse to enter the department."
"And how did she pay for her apartment and her travel ticket?"
"It's called saving and actually having a job. You should try it sometime," said Satoshi bored.
"I still don't get how Satoshi-kun owns a mansion!" said Risa.
"He inherited it," said Daisuke.
"Wow…this is still very confusing," said Risa.
"Tell me about it," grumbled Satoshi.
-----
"And now for my least favorite kind of battle…legal ones," said Kari as she looked outside the window at the reporters.
"You said it…how many calls have we been getting?" asked Satoshi.
"Beats me…I quit counting three days ago. Feh, it's not like I don't know the legal system."
"Don't tell me you've been in jail before!"
"Hell no…I just watch too many 'Law and Order' and 'CSI' shows," laughed Kari.
"CSI?"
"CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. It's a good show. And don't even get me started on the Law and Order show."
"You watch too much TV."
"Are you joking? They're one of the few non-anime shows I even watch."
"Sure…whatever. How many more Advil do we have left until we…?"
"Don't worry. Though we only have a half-bottle left. If we keep taking them, then they'll think we're addicted or something."
"So what do you propose?"
"Wait until we find a decent lawyer or something. Unfortunately for Hiwatari, I'm still a legal American citizen. And I remember a good deal of the Constitution from that Government class I had to take."
"Basically, you know how to fight his over-bearing fire with fire."
"Mostly. And get this; he can't use the amendments against us if he doesn't know what they are."
"There is one other way to get ourselves out of this…but it's a long shot."
"Please tell me that it involves time travel."
"You're quick to catch on," said Satoshi.
"It's a one-shot, right? So how do we warn our past selves to not screw this up a second time?"
"Krad. But how are we going to pull this off?"
"You're the magic use expert, why don't you figure it out? I know how these things usually end."
"Badly."
"So any ideas?"
"Please tell me you have a suggestion."
"Ever heard of Macbeth, or Oedipus Rex?"
"Aren't those the names of tragic plays?!"
"They're Screen Plays. And since they're the only ones I can think of, I figured we could try that," said Kari with a shrug.
"Why a screen play?"
"It was the first thing that comes to mind when it comes to dire warnings. Though what I have in mind will definitely keep your attention from ignoring it," said Kari.
"Why do I get a bad feeling when you say that?"
"You know the usual cliché when it comes to stories, right? The part where the hero always gets the girl?"
"Let me guess. The characters names are going to be Krad and Dark?"
"Close…that would make it too obvious if you read it. I was thinking more along the lines of 'Hikari' and 'Yami'."
"Light and Darkness?"
"It works, doesn't it? Guess whose light and whose darkness?"
"Yami is Dark and Krad is Hikari. Cute, but still obvious."
"I'm more of a twists and turns kind of girl. You get to help me make this," said Kari.
"That would ruin the…"
"Look, remember that picture we took at the amusement park? We'll give it to Krad and have him deliver that picture to both of us in the past along with the play…to me since I'm the only one of us who actually enjoys reading them," said Kari.
"What's going to be the ending? At least tell me part of what you have in mind!"
"The villain gets the girl and the hero isn't who you think it is."
"Who's the hero?"
"And spoil MY fun?"
"Evil girl…"
"And the annoying pain-in-the-rears known as lawyers," said Kari after she looked out the window.
"ACK!!!!!"
A knock is heard. Kari looked at him to say, "Shall we make our escape?"
"Yes please!!!"
"Oy, Krad-kun, is there any entrance or exit we can use and make sure he can't find it!"
-----
I think we can use the one that lead to the Second Hand of Time. The exit is…
I know…that water fountain with the windmill on top. I've seen it; and I KNOW where the door knob is. Satoshi doesn't.
Let's go…NOW!
-----
"That…was…too…close!" said Kari, out-of-breath.
"You said it, Onee-san…" replied Satoshi.
"This is getting ridiculous… We have GOT to find a way to get away from this nightmare!"
"What're you suggesting? It's not like we can leave the country…" said Satoshi.
"I was thinking of a night out…Possibly with Dark and Daisuke…"
"WHAT! Why them?!"
"Simple…I want to humiliate Dark again. And still have some fun with Krad and you," replied Kari.
What do you have in mind?
"Can anyone say, 'Karaoke'?"
"WHAT!!!!!"
"Wait a sec…! Did I just hear you right, Satoshi?!" asked Daisuke in disbelief.
"Yup…Kari-nee wants to take all of us to a karaoke place. She says Dark's invited too."
"Why Karaoke?"
"She happens to enjoy singing along with her favorite songs. Plus, she figures if Dark can imitate people so easily, then singing shouldn't be a problem."
"I don't know…"
-----
Kari wants to see how good I sing? Count me in!
But Dark, I can't sing that well!
Come on Dai, it'll be fun!
But…!
If you don't go voluntarily I'll take over and make you go.
DARK!!!!!!
-----
"Looks like I don't have a choice in the matter…" sighed Daisuke.
"Dark's making you go?"
"Yup…"
"I'll tell Onee-san," said Satoshi.
"So Dark and Dai are coming too? Great!" said Kari, enthusiastic.
"Dark's not exactly giving Daisuke a choice."
"Sounds like him!" laughed Kari.
"So what are we gonna sing, Sis?"
"Let's see… I'm gonna choose the songs we'll all sing. If you want, you can help me pick Dai's and yours."
"Kay."
(I'm cutting this chapter short. The next one will be entirely focused on the Karaoke Night! Most of it will be lyrics, but it'll still be funny!)