Full Summary: Ya Shu was considered a Go genius. Her rise to fame was quick, and she easily attracted respect, power, fame... and enemies. When it got to be too much, she fled from China to her grandparents in Japan, changing her name to Makoto Seiko and swearing to never again play Go. One day, when walking home, she takes refuge from the rain in a Go salon, where she plays a single game. But before she can place down the last stone, the one that will secure her win, she realizes what she has done and flees. The only problem is that her opponent is the Meijin, and he won't let her fade into the background at all. All he has is the name she gave him, Zhen Hui, but it's enough to start tracking her down.

Disclaimer: I do not own Hikaru no Go.

Author's Note:
Ya Shu means 'elegant kindness' in Chinese.
Zhen Hui means 'rare intelligence' in Chinese.
Makoto Seiko means 'sincere truth' in Japanese.

Last Updated: Friday, June 8, 2012

Placing the Last Stone - 002
Written By: FireFlower007

Makoto Seiko was currently a nervous wreak.

I PLAYED A GAME OF GO! she mentally screamed as she lay face-down on her bed. I PLAYED A GAME OF GO AND I LIKED IT!

No surprise there, that annoying voice said, the haunting voice of Ya Shu. We're supposed to be playing Go. Didn't it feel good to hold those stones again? Didn't it feel good to stare at the stones and figure out how to win?

THAT'S NOT THE POINT! she sobbed hysterically back. I'M NOT SUPPOSED TO BE PLAYING GO! EVER!

So they got jealous of you, Ya Shu scoffed. That happens! Deal with it!

How's she supposed to deal with it? the more reasonable voice of her old sensei replied. Go to a shrink? He'd just blab to the world. Talk to her parents? They're currently in China. Her grandparents? It's not like they'd understand. Sure, they'd try to, but they wouldn't really. Her friends? She'd become a freak to them.

BOTH OF YOU SHUT UP! Makoto sobbed, curled up in a corner of her mind as she watched them bicker. What... what am I supposed to do now?

Unfortunately, neither of her voices knew exactly how to answer her.
_

It took several days for her to finally force herself out of the room she had barricaded herself in. She took online classes, since she still found herself uncomfortable in large groups of people, so she hadn't missed anything.

"You're alive," her grandmother grinned from the kitchen. "I was beginning to wonder if I'd have to call the police to get rid of the body," she joked.

Makoto managed a small, weak smile. "Moushiwake arimasen, Obaa-san," she apologized formally, instead of using the usual 'sumimasen'.

"Oh, don't apologize," she grinned. Then, she gave her granddaughter a kind smile. "I'm glad you came to us," she said softly. "Don't worry. I won't ask. Just know that I'm here when you're ready to talk."

Makoto felt herself tear up at that. She nodded, unable to speak past the lump in her throat.

Why couldn't her parents have ever said something like that?

"Oh, crap," her grandmother suddenly cursed in English. "Um, could you run to the store for me?" she asked sheepishly.

Makoto grinned. "Sure," she replied. She needed to get out. Her body needed the exercise, and her mind the fresh air.

~dbdbdbdbdbdbdbdb~

Akira frowned as he watched his father. He had said that he wanted to show them a specific game he himself had played in the Go Salon he ran. Apparently, one of the people there had caught his attention.

His eyes widened, though, as he watched the game progress.

He suspected his father was white. White had started the game off like a teaching game, not revealing its full strength. However, the mysterious opponent his father had played, black, had played full-out from the first stone placed. They weren't on par with the Meijin, but those first few moves had given Black the advantage. White was a better player, but he had underestimated his opponent, and that had changed the outcome.

His father stopped setting down stones. The game was at a stalemate.

"What happened?" Ashiwara asked. "Did you both resign?"

Koyo shook his head. "Actually, something quite extraordinary happened," he said. "You see, my opponent appeared to be nothing more than a young girl, maybe eleven like my son at most."

"What?"

Akira couldn't help but feel excitement at that. A rival, then? He had been longing for such a thing, though he hadn't said anything to anyone. He had gotten tired of either being beaten or beating others with no in-between. He wanted to play someone where both of them would have to struggle against each other, with the outcome between them unknown.

"She called herself Zhen Hui, but I have a feeling that that wasn't her real name. However, no one recognized her."

"What happened?" Ogata asked eagerly. "You say something extraordinary happened."

Koyo nodded. "Indeed. She spotted a move I had not seen, a move that would have secured her victory over me."

"Would have?" Akira asked, confused, but he was cut off by Ashiwara, who eagerly asked where such a move was. He reminded Akira of a puppy, complete with wagging tail.

The Meijin pointed out the move, and everyone's eyes widened.

"Amazing!"

"That move would create threats everywhere while securing Black's position!"

Koyo nodded. "Unfortunately, when I gestured for her to put down the stone, for I recognized my defeat, she seemed to freeze. Then, she ran off before anyone could catch her."

"How mysterious," Akira murmured, wondering who she could be. He wouldn't let a potential rival get away from him that easily.

"If you hear anything about her, I would like to know," Koyo said. "Now, let's start analyzing the game."

It seemed that Akira had inherited his father's pull to solve mysteries because he was already wondering how to find the strange girl and challenge her for a game.
_

"Ah, Akira, could you visit the store for me?" Akira's mother asked, wearing an apron over her dress.

Akira stood, marking the place in his book with a stray piece of paper. "Of course," he smiled.

"Arigato," his mother smiled. "Here's the list and the money."

Akira tucked them into his pocket and left.

It had been several days since his father had told them about the strange girl that he had played. He had later given him a description: American featured, except for the slanted eyes which were a startling shade of emerald green, and long blonde hair that had been braided back.

Lost in thought, he didn't realize someone was in front of them until they accidentally crashed into each other.

"Ah! Moshiwake arimasen!" He reached down to help the girl that had fallen to the ground, and his own purple eyes met green.