Disclaimer: I don't own the rights to Princess Nine. The OC's are from my imagination, and aren't based on any real people.

Well, it took me a while, but here's the next chapter. I hope everyone's still enjoying it. I've taken the liberty of giving complete names to some of the minor characters. I hope that's all right.

Team Meeting

Ms. Himuro stormed into the boardroom. She took her seat with out a word. Staring at the assembled board members, she said. "I'm sure you are all aware why I called this meeting. Thank you for assembling so quickly."

"This is a disturbing development Ms. Himuro." One member said, "This is another scandalous incident resulting from you forming the baseball team."

"The baseball team has done nothing to cause this." Ms. Himuro said glowering. "This is the result of a narrow minded person resisting change. Mr. Mita, please repeat the details of our conversation this morning."

"Yes Ms. Himuro." Turning to the board members, he continued. "Gentlemen, I informed you last night about the attack on the three members of the baseball team. This morning, one of the assailants was waiting here to apologize for his actions. He informed me that he and his friends were hired to attack Amy Watson with the intent of preventing her from playing. He said the leader of the group took matters into his own hands when it came to accosting the other girls. Someone offered them a substantial amount of money to do this. The police took him into custody, but the rest of the gang assaulted the officer before they could leave the grounds."

"Someone solicited last night's attack?" Another member asked.

"That is what the young man told me." Mita said bleakly

"Gentlemen, this incident cannot be taken lightly. A group of criminals committed an act of violence against a police officer on these grounds. If they are brazen enough to do this, in broad daylight no less, what's to stop them from doing the same to our students? I'm afraid we can no longer rely on walls and gates to adequately protect them. Amy's brother feels attacks like these may become more common. I am inclined to agree with him. I feel at this time it is necessary to implement a change in policy, and to add a new course of study here at Kisuragi Girls'. I propose, that from this moment on, no student shall travel to or from these grounds by themselves. Every student will be assigned a partner who they will commute to school with. They will meet in the morning at a designated location near their homes, and proceed together from there. They will reverse this pattern on the way home. I also feel it may be necessary to implement a self-defense course. It has been pointed out, that if all of the girls who were attacked last night, had basic knowledge of martial arts, they would have been able to fend off their attackers more effectively. Despite Miss Watson's heroic efforts, if those men hadn't broken off their attack, I'm confident we would have three students in the hospital this morning."

"Wouldn't teaching martial arts give the girls a false sense of security? They may know the moves, but without the power behind them, it will only aggravate the attacker." The first man said.

"Amy Watson is only fifteen years old, and she held her own against four of the six attackers. There are techniques designed specifically for women. If the girl is able to incapacitate him, even momentarily, she can try to escape. The seriousness of this must be stressed. I believe teaching them will better enable them to protect themselves against an assault. As far as strength, that can be improved as well. Gentlemen, we've lived behind this genteel facade too long. The world has indeed become harsher and more dangerous. Mr. Kusunoki of the Parent's Association said our daughters needed to be mentally strong to shape the future of Japan. I believe they need to be physically capable as well."

The second man spoke up. "I agree with Ms. Himuro. It's better the girl has a fighting chance to defend herself, than to be a helpless victim. Even if she fails to fight him off, knowing she did everything she could, would go a long way toward helping her recover from the attack."

"Ms. Himuro, I have a point I want to raise if I may?" Mr. Mita said. "Many of these girls are unaccustomed to physical endeavors such as this. They will not accept this without argument."

"They will do this. It will be mandatory instruction for all incoming freshmen. The current freshman and junior classes will take the course next year. It will count as a PE credit. I want this in place by April. The commuting partners will be matched up by the end of the week. This may seem reactionary gentleman, but I do not want to see another one of my students end up in a hospital as a victim of violence."

"What is the girl's condition?" A third man said looking up from the notes he was taking. "Is she going to be able to play baseball?"

She smiled wearily, "Her doctor was guardedly optimistic. He was fairly certain her paralysis was transitory. If he's right, she could have full use of her legs by the end of the week. Thank you for your concern."

"I'm glad for her. Still, a broken back will prevent her from playing for at least ten weeks more likely twelve." He said, looking around the room. "Gentleman, we may have dodged a bullet. If Miss Azuma were permanently disabled, we could have been facing litigation from her parents for failing to safeguard their daughter. If Ms. Himuro's idea can help prevent any further instances like this, I fully support it.

"This isn't about money." Ms. Himuro said darkly. "This is about the safety of the students. Trust a lawyer to think only of lawsuits."

"That's how I became a partner Ms. Himuro." He said looking coolly at her, "I'm only thinking of the future of the school."

"The students are the future. Without them, we have no reason to exist. Do I have your approval to proceed?" At their consensual nods, she stood and said, "Thank you for your time gentlemen. I will begin searching for a suitable instructor."

-

The team sat in stunned silence, looking at Seira, their mouths hanging open. Their reaction surprised her, making her uneasy. "C'mon guys, say something. It can't take this."

"Wh-When did this happen Seira?" Ryo said glancing between the two of them. "I mean, last time we saw you two together, you slapped him."

"I've felt something for him since yesterday afternoon. It was all happening so fast, it scared me. I finally told him this morning, after Izumi and Amy reassured me last night."

"For me," Corey said looking warmly at Seira, "it was when she fell asleep against my shoulder. She looked so innocent, I wanted to wrap her in my arms and never let her go."

"I can't believe this." Yoko wailed, "Seira got a boyfriend before me."

"Don't be like that Yoko!" Izumi admonished. "These two have found something special, be happy for them."

"Are you happy for me Izumi?" Seira asked suspiciously. "You're not just saying that?"

Smiling reassuringly, she said. "Yes Seira, I'm truly happy for you. Amy convinced me that Corey and I are too different for a relationship to work. So don't worry, I'm not going to steal him away. I just hope someday I can meet someone like him."

"You sure move fast Corey," Hiroki said slapping him on the back. "Still, you're a braver man than me to want that spitfire as a girlfriend. You'd better treat her right, or she'll deck you."

"Who asked you for your opinion, Takasugi?" Seira said wheeling on him. "You're one to talk. You insist on calling Ryo that ridiculous nickname even though she's told you to stop more times than I can count. Corey's ten times the man you'll ever be. He'd never do anything to deliberately upset me."

"Seira, calm down." Corey said holding her arm. "Forget about him. He hasn't spent time with you like I have." Then looking at Hiroki, he added. "Seira's had her problems, and I want to help her get past them. Deep down she's a tender, compassionate girl, and deserves to have someone who cares for her. If you can't understand that, and can only be a smart ass, then shut the hell up."

Scowling, Hiroki moved over and sat down next to Ryo. "Fine, I'll be quiet. Don't say I didn't warn you. At least you won't have to worry about anyone stealing her away while your gone. Nobody else would want her."

"Hiroki! Enough!" Izumi said angrily. "What is your problem? You don't usually act so rudely. I'm ashamed of you."

"Yeah, why'd you insult Seira like that?" Hikaru said glaring. "She's never given you any trouble. I think you should apologize."

Seeing the girls' dark expressions, Hiroki became resentful. "Alright, I'm sorry. I was rude and I apologize. I wish you two the only the best. There, is everyone satisfied?"

"I'm not Hiroki." Ryo said, turning her back to him. "You didn't mean it. Why do you dislike Seira so much? She's my friend, and if you can't treat her nicely, then maybe you're not the person I thought you were."

"I don't dislike her. I'm just saying Corey's in for a rough road being her boyfriend. I voice my opinion, and everyone started getting in my face. I'm not going to sit quietly and take it."

"Did you ever stop to think that maybe the reason Seira was so temperamental was because she had to deal with attitudes like that?" Corey said putting his arm around her. "She told me how the girls in school treat her. Talking about her like she's some kind of freak. If I had to endure that, I think I'd be temperamental too."

"We all deal with it Corey." Koharu said grimly. "If you don't have money, you aren't worth spit. Seira just came in already stressed from her parents, so it bothered her more."

"I'm guilty of making her burden worse." Izumi said quietly. "When she first came to school, I resented her being there. I heard my mother and the coach talking about her, how he'd found her in a bar right after she'd gotten into a fight. I let my friends know about it, and that started the rumors about her."

"Izumi." Seira said stunned. "It was you? I was called street trash the second day of school. They never even wanted to get to know me. They had judged me already, because of what you'd said."

Corey hugged her saying. "That's in the past Seira. I'm sure Izumi regrets it now. Let it go and start over. If they see you and Izumi hanging out, maybe they'll take a chance on you too. How's that sound to you Izumi?"

"I'll make sure they see us together. How about spending lunchtime together Seira?" She suggested.

Seira smiled weakly and nodded. "Thank you Corey. You're already looking out for me. I'm really going to miss you."

"Seira, I think you two make a great couple." Mao said. "He's tall enough to make girls like us look normal size."

"Thanks Mao," she said looking up at Corey, "It's nice he's tall, but I wouldn't care if he only came up to my chin. I love him for who he is inside."

"I'm glad for you Seira." Ryo added. "I'll try my best to help you when Corey's gone. I can't imagine being away from Hiroki for a month and a half. I'd be miserable."

"The week I was gone preparing for the finals at Koshien last year was enough for me." Hiroki said looking warmly at Ryo. "Seira, Corey, I'm sorry for what I said earlier. I had no right to say those things. I really hope it works out."

"I'm lucky Seishiro isn't very adventurous." Hikaru said grinning. "I don't think I could stand to be away from him. He always makes me feel special when we're together."

Izumi cleared her throat, and said. "Well, now that we're up to speed on everybody's relationships, let's discuss what's going on at school. As you all know, Yuki, Amy, and I were assaulted last night after we left the party. Well, one of the men who attacked us was waiting at school this morning when Principal Mita arrived."

"He showed up at school?" Hiroki asked, concern on his face. "Izumi, was he looking to make more trouble?"

"No, just the opposite." She said shaking her head. "He came to apologize for attacking us last night. He said that someone had paid them to hurt Amy so she couldn't play. Principal Mita detained him for the police, but the others attacked the officer, and kidnapped the man. My mother and Principal Mita decided to suspend classes because of it."

"I'm not surprised. This is going to be all over the news tonight." He said shaking his head. "What kind of idiots pick a fight with the police?"

"I told her the same thing this morning." Corey said nodding. "Amy, he also told Principal Mita that they're not done yet, so watch out."

"Why would they target me Corey? I barely know anyone over here." Amy said, worried look in her eyes. "If they come after me again, I'm in no shape to fight them off."

"We'll just make sure you're not alone." He said with resolve. "Let's get you through the week, and maybe it'll all blow over."

Jumping up with a worried look on her face, Hikaru cried. "Ohmigosh! Seishiro! He's at school! He goes in early to use the studio for his art club. I hope he's alright!"

"I'm sure he's fine Hikaru." Ryo said reassuringly. The attack was in front of the Girl's school. He probably doesn't even know what's going on yet."

"Who did you piss off Amy?" Koharu asked leaning forward in her chair. "They wouldn't do this unless they had a pretty good reason."

"Mr. Kusunoki!" Amy and Corey said together.

"The director of the Parent's Association?" Izumi asked surprised. "You said you had an argument with him, but I don't think he'd jeopardize his position by doing something like this."

"I don't know Izumi." Hikaru said shaking her head. "He was serious about breaking us up when that story about Ryo's dad came out. If he thought he could get away with it, I think he would do it in a heartbeat."

"I knew I shouldn't have shoved him." Corey said, his face dark. "I'm sorry Amy, I think I threw fuel on the fire."

"You couldn't know Corey." Seira said hugging him back. "A normal person wouldn't put out a hit on a fifteen year old girl."

"Shouldn't we tell the police about him?" Amy asked.

"Of course, I'll call them right now." Izumi said rising. As she reached the phone, the doorbell rang. "Oh, excuse me everyone." She said as she left the room.

"Izumi wait!" Hiroki called, chasing after her. "Let me come with you in case it's them."

Hearing that, Corey and the rest of the team quickly moved to the front door. Izumi looked back, nodded, and then yanked open the door, revealing a police officer, and a man in a suit. The police officer was so surprised his hand went to his sidearm before realizing there wasn't a threat.

"Whoa, you kids startled me!" He said, his hand returning to his side.

The man it the suit spoke. "Good morning, I'm Detective Kimura. This is Officer Anatsuki. I assume you know what happened at your school this morning?" When they nodded, he continued. "The whole department is on edge because of it. Everyone's looking over their shoulder expecting someone to attack them. We're here to see the two girls who were assaulted last night."

"Of course" Izumi said stepping aside to let him in. "Please come in. We're sorry about how we greeted you. We're a little on edge ourselves. It's silly actually, now that I think about it, I doubt they would have rung the doorbell. Please forgive us." She bowed, followed by the others.

"Forget it." The detective said waving his hand at them. "Are you Miss Himuro?"

"Yes, I'm Izumi Himuro. The other girl is laid up on the couch in the music room. Please follow me." She said turning and leading them. The rest followed in silence. When Amy saw the police, she visibly relaxed.

"Wow, talk about timing. We were just about to call you," She said with a grin.

"Really?" The detective said, his eyebrows rising. "Concerning what?"

"We think we might know who was behind the attack last night." Izumi said looking uneasy.

Looking through his notes, the detective said. "Mr. Asao Kusunoki? Principal Mita gave us his name when he found out someone paid to have you attacked. Officers are taking him in for questioning as we speak. Why do you think he's behind it?"

"I embarrassed him in front of the Parent's Association. I don't think he liked being put in his place by a fifteen year old girl." Amy said, rearranging the pillow under her knee. "He was definitely against my coming to school here. When I offered to perform a traditional tea ceremony for him, he equated me with a trained monkey."

"What!" The girls cried together.

"That egotistical piece of trash." Seira said, livid. "It was bad enough being called delinquents by the guy, but to say that to Amy is going too far."

"The guy definitely dislikes foreigners." Corey added. "He threatened to have security drag me off the school grounds because I was 'so foreign'."

"This guy sounds like a real piece of work." Kimura said writing in his notepad. "You've given me some good points to argue with the guy when I talk to him. Now, the reason I'm here. I'd like you two girls to look at some photographs. Officer Watanabe went through our mug shot books last night and found who he thinks are the culprits. There are other pictures here as well. We would like you to look at them, and see if you recognize anyone."

Officer Anatsuki spread the photos on the coffee table, and Amy and Izumi sat next to each other on the couch looking them over.

"That's him!" Amy said excitedly. "With the glasses and the bleached hair! He's the leader!"

"I concur." Izumi said evenly. Holding up the picture to the detective, she added. "He's the one who approached me in the afternoon, and he was there when we were attacked. Amy broke his nose, so that would confirm it."

"You're both positive?" He asked. When they nodded, he continued. "Please look and see if you recognize anyone else."

Pouring over the pictures, they identified four others. "This is the one who hit Yuki." Amy said holding up the photo.

"Detective." Izumi asked looking up at him. "I'm curious, which of these men came to school to warn us?"

"This one." He said handing the photo back. "Kosuke Mugen. Of the group, he has the shortest rap sheet. Principal Mita said he became distraught when he heard about your leg Miss."

"I remember him." Amy said looking at the picture again. "His heart really wasn't in the fight. He threw a weak punch that I brushed aside easily. I'm sorry I broke his collarbone now."

Seira stepped up to the detective. "May I see them? I want to know what they look like if we meet them on the street." He handed her the pictures, and as she looked through them, her eyes opened wide. "I know these guys! These are the same jerks that chased me down into the alley the night the coach recruited me. Detective, there's another one, a really big one. I threw a cue ball as hard as I could at him, and it bounced off. If he's involved, we're in trouble."

"Is this the man?" He said handing her another picture.

Looking at the photo, her face went pale. "It's him! Oh shit, it's him!"

"Seira, are you all right?" Corey said supporting her. "You're white as a ghost."

Kimura took back the picture, saying. "You're right Miss, Akira Motokai is a formidable man. Kosuke told Principal Mita that the leader had recruited him to finish the job. You all need to be extremely careful until they are apprehended."

Tears in her eyes, Amy whimpered. "Corey, I'm scared. If that guy gets hold of me, it's going to happen all over again. I know it."

Sitting down next to her, he took her shaking body into his arms and said. "We won't let that happen sis. We'll keep you safe. You'll get your testing done, and we'll head home. That will give the police a month and a half to find these guys. They can't hurt you if they can't find you. Ok?"

"What's she talking about Corey?" Ryo asked nervously. "What happened to her before?"

"Can I tell them Amy?" He asked softly. When she nodded, Corey looked up and said grimly, "Last year at school, one of our teammates raped her."

-

Kosuke landed hard on the floor as he was shoved into the room. Climbing to his knees, he was rewarded with a kick to his ribs. Rolling away, he gave Toru a defiant look.

"Not so tough now, are you Kosuke." Koji said as he kicked him again.

"Hold on Koji." Toru said laying a hand on his arm. "Let him savor the pain. Do too much damage, he'll pass out." Squatting down, he said. "You brought this on yourself, Kosuke. You ratted us out. I told you I didn't want any whining last night, and here you go crying to the police."

"To hell with you Toru!" Kosuke spat. "You lied to me. You said we'd just break the girl's hand. You didn't say anything about assaulting the other girls. The one was the daughter of the Chairperson of the school! The only reason I threw a punch at the girl was because I was a coward and knew I'd get my ass beat if I didn't. I'm glad she kicked our asses, we deserved it."

"Kosuke," Toru said shaking his head. "Who would have thought you were so noble." Grabbing the man's face and squeezing it cruelly, he hissed. "No on hits me and gets away with it! That Yankee bitch is going to pay for breaking my nose. When Akira gets done with her, she going to need a body cast." Shoving him back, he growled. "Do it!" Then backing away, he watched as his crew began working Kosuke over.

-

Yuki looked away from the TV as a young man entered her room. He was average height with an athletic build. Yuki couldn't help noticing he was very good looking as well. "Good morning Miss Azuma, I'm Keiichi Yamato. Are you ready for therapy?"

"Yes sir, I still think this is too soon, but I'm willing to do it." Turning off the TV, she watched as he lowered the head of the bed so it was flat. He then pulled back the covers.

"Great, they found you some shorts. I wouldn't do this if you were just in a gown. Let's begin shall we?" He started by gently massaging her calf, working her foot so it stretched the muscles. "You have nicely conditioned legs. You have good muscle tone, but are also quite flexible. Do you do Yoga?"

"I've always been really flexible." She said shyly. "I've been running this winter trying to keep in shape for next season's championship. I was going to start using the batting cages next week, but now I won't be able to. I hope the doctor's right and I'll be able to use my legs again."

"So you play softball Miss Azuma?" He asked working on her other calf.

"Call me Yuki please. I play baseball for Kisuragi Girls'. We almost made it to Koshien last year."

He stopped and looked up at her. "Really? I thought your name sounded familiar. Your team was quite the story last year. The press couldn't get enough of you girls. It's a shame this had to happen to you. I watched that semi-final game. You play left field, don't you? You came so close to catching that home run ball in the ninth. I hope you girls make it this year."

"Thank you," She said blushing lightly. Feeling daring, she asked. "Does your wife watch sports with you?"

Smiling, he said. "I live alone Yuki. I haven't found the right girl yet." He lifted her leg, and gently stretched her right hamstring. "Why, are you interested in the position?"

Yuki blushed crimson, and wanted to disappear. "I…I didn't mean to imply that. I was just curious. You're so handsome, I thought for sure you were married."

"Don't worry, I get a lot of young women asking me that. What about you? Is there anyone in your life? A girl as pretty as you must have boys chasing you all the time." He said moving to her other leg.

"I've never been on a date. I'm so shy; the boys ignored me in junior high, and now I go to an all girl high school. My family doesn't have a lot of money, so I'm beneath the notice of anyone from the boys' school. Oh, I don't know why I'm telling you this. I don't even know you." She said hiding her face in her hands.

"I guess I just have a face you can trust. Relax Yuki, I won't tell anyone." He said with a reassuring smile. "Let's just focus on the therapy for now." He repeated the routine, starting with her calves again. He gently pushed and stretched her legs for the next ten minutes until he finally said. "I think that will do it for today." Pulling her covers back up, he said as he raised the bed again. "It's not right that you've never been on a date. I'll tell you what. When you get your legs back and are released, I'll buy you dinner to celebrate. Think about it, and let me know tomorrow."

"Wait; how old are you? My parents might have a problem with that."

"I'll be twenty five next month. It would be a friendly date with no strings attached. Ok?"

"All right, I'll think about it. Will you be back at the same time tomorrow?"

"Eight-thirty on the dot. Have a good day Yuki. Maybe tomorrow you'll be able to wiggle your toes for me." He said winking. Then opening the door, he was gone.

"Wow." She said quietly. "A grown man asked me out. It's neat, but kind of creepy. I hope the team comes to see me. I'll ask them what I should do." Turning the TV back on, she caught the morning news. The newsman was outside the school. Turning the volume up she heard: "Classes were cancelled today at both Kisuragi campuses after a policeman was assaulted in the driveway of the Girls' school." Yuki listened intently as details of the attack were made known. When the story was done, she turned off the TV and lay there in shock. "My god, how far will they go? I hope Izumi and Amy are all right."

A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts. Looking over, she saw her parents enter the room. "Mom, Dad, you're here!"

"Of course were here, Yuki." Her mother said standing next to her bed. "You're our daughter. We were concerned."

"I'm sorry I put you through this." She said, looking down.

"You should be." Her father said scowling. "This didn't have to happen. The coach filled us in on what took place. Why would you do something so foolish?"

"My friend was trying to protect me. That man was going to really hurt her dad. If I hadn't jumped on her, she might be dead."

"That would have been terrible, but at least you wouldn't have gotten hurt. You were fortunate. The doctors are confident that you'll walk again, but you could have easily spent the rest of your life in a wheelchair. I don't think your mother or I could live with the shame of having a crippled daughter.

Her father's words angered Yuki. Her face going red, she said. "I'll always be just an embarrassment to you, won't I? Are you sure you really want to be here? The way you both acted when I was being bullied made me doubt whether you would even come."

"Yuki." Her mother said exasperated. "Why are you bringing that up again? I thought you'd put those delusional episodes behind you."

"They weren't delusions mother!" Yuki exclaimed. "For two months I endured harassment from my classmates. You never believed me! My teammates here believe me. Ms. Himuro believes me. I went through hell, and all you could do was worry about how I was embarrassing you."

"How dare you raise your voice to you mother Yuki!" Her father said angrily. "Apologize this instant!"

She took a deep, calming breath, and then looking at him with an unwavering gaze, said. "My friend Izumi told me this is my chance to become more assertive. Well, I'm taking it. I won't apologize for speaking the truth. I heard someone say that last night, and I agree with him. It's time I told you how I feel. I'm not the little girl you can shame into silence anymore. I'm sixteen years old, past the age of reason in the eyes of the law, and able to speak for myself. I don't want to disrespect you, but I won't be treated like my feelings don't matter. If anyone here deserves an apology, it's me for the way you've treated me in the past. I was so miserable I nearly killed myself while you both ignored me. You don't care about me. I bet the only reason you came here was because you were worried I was going to embarrass you to your friends. I sometimes wonder why you ever had me." Tears in her eyes, she looked away from them.

Her parents stood there astonished. Mrs. Azuma recovered first. "Well Yuki, I never knew you resented us that much. This was unexpected. If you feel so strongly that we did poorly as your parents, then we'll stop being your parents. If you feel so neglected, then you won't be sad to move out."

"What? Why?" Yuki asked stunned. "That isn't what I meant! We're a family. Don't I deserve to be heard? I'm still in high school, how can you throw me out? I didn't do anything wrong."

Mr. Azuma spoke up. "You're old enough. If you need to be so independent that you talk back to us like this, you can find your own place to live. Go live with this Izumi who encouraged you to act so rudely. We won't completely abandon you, however. We will continue to assist you financially until you finish high school. Your things will be packed and waiting for you. Goodbye, Yuki." Turning, they left without a backward glance.

"MOM! DAD! DON'T DO THIS!" She shouted towards the door. "I DON'T HATE YOU! I ONLY WANT YOU TO CARE ABOUT ME! PLEASE, COME BACK!" Then she began sobbing wretchedly, wondering why this was happening.

-

The team looked at Amy in silence. The only sound was her softly crying into Corey's shoulder. After glancing at the others, Ryo worked up the courage to speak. "I understand why you didn't want to share this last night. It's pretty shocking. Um…are you going to be ok? God, that sounds so pathetic. Help me out here guys."

"It's all right Amy." Hikaru said, her face serious. "You didn't have a choice, right?"

"That's right." Mao said nodding. "No one wants to be raped."

"I bet he was pretty big to be able to subdue you." Koharu added. "I know you tried your best to fight him off."

"Did he hurt you badly?" Yoko asked not looking at her.

Amy looked up from Corey's shoulder, and said. "I was in the hospital for a week. My physical injuries have healed, but the emotions are still there. I had a nightmare about it last night that woke the whole house."

"You should have seen her." Seira said looking sympathetically at Amy. "I've never seen anyone so upset. She cried for five minutes before she'd calmed down enough to tell us what was wrong."

"What kind of lowlife would rape a teammate?" Hiroki said; his jaw clenched. "Amy, I'm sorry that happened to you. You've come back from this remarkably. My mother's cousin was raped in college. She ended up committing suicide because of it."

"I had a lot of support from my family, and my sensei helped me get my confidence back." She said smiling weakly. "Thanks for not abandoning me. You were right Izumi, they didn't turn away."

Detective Kimura cleared his throat, making everyone jump. "You have my sympathies Miss, would you like us to have an officer escort you until you leave Japan?"

"That shouldn't be necessary." Amy said shaking her head. "Once I see the doctor for my leg, I plan on staying put in my grandfather's house. When the time comes for my testing, my grandfather can drive me. I don't want to endanger anyone else."

"That's a fine sentiment," He answered. "But a policeman's job is to protect the public. Give me your grandfather's address, and I'll have an officer stationed there. That way, if those men somehow find their way there. You'll have help right outside the door."

Sighing, she said, "Fine, if you insist." Giving the detective the information, she turned to her brother and said, "Corey, we should call Grandpa and ask him to come get me."

"Ok sis." He said giving her a gentle squeeze. "I'll call him right now." Standing, he said. "Izumi, could you come with me to give my grandfather directions? I don't know the streets of Tokyo that well, and I'm afraid I'll get him lost."

"Sure." She said getting up. "Excuse me everyone, I'll be right back."

Seira took his spot next to Amy, and putting her arm around the other girl's shoulder, said, "Cheer up Amy. The whole team will look out for you. That bruiser won't know what hit him when we get done with him. I wonder if Izumi has any bats around here?"

"Now hold on." Kimura said. "I don't want you girls going out looking for these guys. Let the police handle it. Every precinct is searching for them. I assure you, people who attack the police get top priority. We'll find them."

"I'm not looking for trouble detective. I'm just thinking if trouble finds us, we should be ready." She said, her face serious. "They've already shown that they're not afraid of the police."

"That may be true," he said darkly, "but just don't put yourself into a situation that could get you hurt."

"What?" Hikaru said looking innocent, "We're just high school girls. What trouble would we cause?"

"I'll remember that." Kimura said meeting her gaze. Putting his notebook in his coat pocket, he added. "Well Anatsuki, let's get going. We need to go talk to Mr. Kusunoki. You girls watch it out there. Ok?"

Standing, they all bowed, saying, "Yes sir. Thank you for coming." Hiroki escorted the men to the door, as the girls sat down again.

"I'm sorry for making so much trouble guys." Amy said looking down. "If I hadn't come here, Yuki wouldn't have gotten hurt. I should just go home so nothing else bad happens."

"Don't say that Amy." Seira said squeezing her gently. "You can't blame yourself for some jerk's hatred of foreigners. You came here with only good intentions. We want you here."

"She's right Amy." Ryo said sitting on the other side of her. "Please stay. We'll get through this. I'd hate it if I have to pitch every game again."

"If I've messed up my leg too badly, you may have to." She said with a weak smile.

"You'll be fine." Hikaru said, her grin as big as ever. "You have a month and a half to rest it before training starts."

"That's right." Seira said confidently. "The Koshien prelims don't start until the middle of June, so you really have three months."

"I hope it's not so hot this year." Yoko whined. "I hate the thought of sitting there all gross and sticky waiting for the shower."

"Oh yeah!" Amy said shifting on the couch to face the others better. "I wanted to ask you all for ideas about raising money to redo the showers. Mr. Kido is planning on fifteen girls this year, and I figure we'll need at least three shower stalls."

"They talked about it last year, and said it was going to cost too much." Hikaru said, shaking her head, "Amy, do you really think we can raise that kind of money on our own?"

"Izumi an I talked. She figured if we do the finish work, the bill would come to around five million." She replied with an uneasy smile.

"I hate to tell you this Amy." Koharu said leaning forward in her seat. "My dad doesn't make that much money in a year, and he's one of the wealthier men in Tosa."

"There's eleven of us with Nene." Ryo said counting on her fingers. " Everybody's share would be a little over four hundred and fifty thousand. Izumi and Nene could probably come up with that, but my mom doesn't have that kind of money lying around."

"I hear you." Amy said thinking. "That would be about five thousand US dollars. My dad can't spare that. It was all we could do to come up with the money for Corey's airfare. I don't even want to guess where mom got the money for hers."

Izumi, Corey and Hiroki entered the room together, comparing their grandparents. They finished, and Hiroki sat down by Ryo. Corey sat next to Seira on the couch, as Izumi took the chair next to it.

"I can't ask my family for money!" Yoko said, agitated. "I told them I was coming here to make it big. I can't go back before then! Maybe I can get an advance from my agent."

"That's right." Hikaru said looking suspiciously at Yoko. "You're the hot shot model. How much do you make a month?"

"That's a rude question." She said crossing her arms and looking away. "I'm paid by the job. I never know when the next job will be, so I need to budget my money."

"We understand," Seira jibed. "With a body that scrawny, you can't be very popular."

"Ohhh!" Yoko yelled, jumping to her feet. "Take that back Seira. I'll have you know I get a lot of complements on my body. If you think you have such a great figure, why didn't my agency go after you? You were in the papers too. I'll have you know I make thirty thousand at each shoot."

"That much?" Koharu asked surprised. "For just standing in front of a camera? You've had five shoots this year. That's one hundred and fifty thousand! Maybe we should all try it."

"I wasn't the one making a fool of themselves in front of every camera pointed at her. I hate getting my picture taken, so I was always scowling at them. Who would want me as a model?" Seira said glaring at her.

"You'd be surprised Seira." Izumi said. "I think you could do well. You're taller than most Japanese women, and you have a nice chest. I bet a lot of companies would use you. You probably need to lose the red hair though."

"No way!" she exclaimed. "This is what makes me stand out. Nobody's making me dye my hair."

"Ok, ok, calm down." Izumi said shying away. "I could be wrong. Yoko's done alright with her blonde hair."

"What are you all getting worked up over?" Hiroki asked, looking puzzled.

"We want to expand our showers in the locker room. We're going to have fifteen or more girls playing this year, and a single shower isn't going to be enough." Ryo said leaning her head back. "We need to come up with at least five million somehow."

"Oh," He said, his mind working.

"It doesn't matter," Hikaru said gloomily. "Even if we could raise the money, it will take time to do the work. We'd need to start tomorrow if we want to be done by the beginning of the season."

"I never thought of that." Amy said crestfallen. "I guess I was a little too late. Even if we limit showers to four minutes, it's going to take an hour for everyone to get done."

Rising from his seat, Hiroki said, "I'll be right back." Then he quickly left the room.

Izumi watched, and then turning to Amy said. "Your grandfather is a charming man. In the short time I talked to him, he made me laugh three times."

"I know; he's so sweet." Amy said nodding. "He used to always sneak us candy when mom and grandma weren't looking."

"He said he'd be here in fifteen minutes if traffic wasn't too bad." Corey said looking at his watch. "I bet you'll like him Seira. He's anything but traditional."

"If he's anything like you," She said hugging his arm, "I'm sure I will too."

"I don't know about the rest of you guys," Koharu said standing. "But I'm ready to get out of this uniform. I'm heading back to the dorms."

"Wait Koharu," Mao said getting up as well. "I'll come with you. Izumi, thank you for inviting us into your home, I'm sorry we're leaving so soon. Are you two coming? I think we should all walk together."

"Yeah, I'm coming." Hikaru said scrambling out of her chair. "Come on Yoko, lets get going. Are we all going down to see Yuki later?" She asked the room.

"You bet we will." Ryo said grinning. "I'm sure she's feeling awfully lonely right now. We need to go cheer her up."

Hiroki rushed back into the room. "Great news!" He said holding up his cell phone. "I just got done talking to my grandfather. You girls really made an impression on him last year. He's going to donate the money for the showers!"

-

Coach Kido stepped off the elevator holding a small bouquet of flowers. Looking at the clock, he saw it was nine fifteen. "Good, I'm not early. She should be done with breakfast by now." Walking up to the nurses' station, he noticed the charge nurse had tears in her eyes. Reading her nametag he said. "Excuse me, Nurse Tsugimoto is it? Is anything wrong? I'm here to see Yuki Azuma."

"Auuhhh," she said beginning to cry again. Kido waited for her to calm down. Fighting it off, she gasped out. "I'm sorry… It's terrible sir. Her parents… came to see her earlier this morning…and they got into an argument." Dabbing her eyes with a tissue, she continued, calmer. "I'm not sure what brought it about, but they came out of the room, looking very unhappy, with Yuki calling after them to come back. I went to check on her. She was crying so hard, and her body was shaking so much with grief, it broke my heart. I was afraid she was going to make her injury worse, so I called the doctor to sedate her. She's resting; you can go see her if you like. Please sign the registry before you go in."

He signed the book, and then made his way to the room. Looking in, he saw her sleeping quietly. Walking up to the bed, he noticed her eyes were puffy, and her cheeks were stained from her tears. "Damn it Yuki, why did your parents do this?" Reaching out, he stroked her hair gently. "They hurt you again didn't they? Your too good a girl to be treated like that." He placed the flowers on her tray table, and looking at her one more time, strode from the room, his emotions dark. Pulling out a scrap of paper, he read the address, and then crushing it, shoved it back into his pocket.

-

"How many times do I have to tell you?" Kusunoki said gruffly to the detective. "I don't have anything to do with those girls being attacked. I was with my wife the whole evening. We went to see a Kabuki performance. It was over three hours long, and didn't get done until eleven."

Kimura leaned into his face. "Do you like foreigners, Mr. Kusunoki?"

"Not particularly, no I don't. What does this to do with anything?"

"One of the men who attacked those girls told Principal Mita they were hired to hurt Amy Watson. You remember Amy, don't you?"

"How could I forget her? She's the one who's going to set the example for other foreign girls to come to Kisuragi. Our school's reputation is going to suffer for it. Now wait just a minute, you think I hired those men? I may not want her attending school here, but I wouldn't wish her harm. Why would I do something so underhanded? It would ruin me. I would lose my place on the Parent's Association, not to mention my business. I would have to be insane to do anything like that."

"Or angry. She had made you look foolish in front of your vaunted Parent's Association. According to Principal Mita, you agreed to let her come only after feeling threatened by the other members. The attack took place at eight o'clock last night. You were just beginning to enjoy that performance. There was plenty of time to hire those men before you joined your wife."

"Look, if I wanted to get back at her, I wouldn't do it on the same day. I certainly wouldn't hire some street thugs to do the job. Money isn't a problem for me detective, and there are professional assassins out there who would do the job much more quietly. I have too much at stake to risk on something as petty as revenge. That girl is going to screw up eventually, and when she does, I'll have her expelled. Problem solved."

"Are you an authority on assassins Mr. Kusunoki? Should we look into old unsolved murders to see if you have a connection?"

"Now you're trying to intimidate me. You don't have any proof that I was involved, only someone's suspicions. Either charge me, or let me go!"

"I'm curious. Why wouldn't you want an attractive young girl to honor you with a tea ceremony? That's a rare thing."

"Because that tea ceremony is a Japanese tradition. No foreigner should be allowed to perform it"

"Still, A girl so tall and slender must have been striking in her kimono, I would have liked to seen her perform it. Well I guess it won't happen any time soon."

"What's that mean?" Kusunoki said his eyes narrowing.

"Oh, didn't I tell you? When Miss Watson was fighting off her attackers, she injured her leg. She can't stand on it."

"That's a shame," He replied evenly. "Will this prevent her from playing?"

"It's too soon to tell." Leaning close, he said menacingly. "I don't have proof yet, but if I do find out you were behind this… I'll make sure you truly regret it." Walking over to the door, he opened it and said, "Your free to go, Mr. Kusunoki, but don't leave town. We may need to talk again."

As he was leaving, he said. "Dig all you want, you won't find any dirt on me. Good day detective."