Disclaimer: I don't own Princess Nine or the characters contained within. Original characters are my own creation, and if asked nicely are available to perform at weddings, parties, and bar mitzvahs. I forgot to mention this earlier, and well-versed manga readers may have caught it. Shinobu Maehara is a character from Love Hina by Ken Akimatsu.
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Sustenance
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The car slowly turned into the driveway of Kisuragi Girls'. The police had finished their investigation, and two officers watched it drive by as they rolled up the tape that had been strung across the gate. They looked at each other, the one saying. "Who do you suppose that is? That was a Rolls!"
"Look at where we are. You don't send your kid here unless you have money." The other said condescendingly. "Someone's probably pulling their precious little daughter out of this hotbed of criminal activity. I was here when the Parent's Association showed up, and they all looked like they were out for blood. I feel sorry for the Chairperson having to deal with that bunch on a regular basis."
"Yeah, I caught the press conference, and she was pretty impressive the way she handled that mob of reporters. It's a shame this happened. I was hoping the baseball team would make it this year. But with two players hurt, they'll probably struggle to make it through the preliminaries," he replied, sticking the roll in the trunk of the car.
"I know. They came so close to making it last year, I really had high hopes for them myself." Placing his roll in the trunk, he closed it and then said, "Well, we're done here, let's get lunch, and then head back."
Climbing into their patrol car, they drove through the gate, taking with them the last reminder of the morning's events.
At the front steps of the school, the car pulled up and came to a halt. "Chairman, we have arrived," the driver said. Getting out, he quickly opened the rear door.
"Very good, Sato," Konosuke Takasugi said as he climbed out. Dressed in traditional clothing, save for his favored fedora, he moved with a spryness that belied his advanced years. He walked with a cane, but that was for style as much as stability. "Has everything been arranged?"
"Yes, Chairman." Sato replied bowing. "The caterer will be here shortly, and I have contacted Mr. Akimatsu. He will be meeting you here at one o'clock."
"Excellent!" He said jovially, anticipation in his eyes. "You needn't wait for me Sato. I'll be here for a while. Why don't you use this time to find something to eat? We should be done shortly after two."
"Very good, Chairman. I will be waiting here at two o'clock sharp." He replied bowing again. "Chairman, are you sure we should not have informed Chairperson Himuro of your visit? I am afraid this has been a trying morning for her."
"And miss seeing the surprised look on her face when I walk through the door?" he said as if it were a grand joke. "She won't mind my coming, especially when I tell her why I'm here. I can make my way Sato, go enjoy your lunch." Then he turned, and began walking towards the front doors of the school.
"Yes, Chairman." Sato replied, closing the car door. "Have a pleasant visit."
Walking across the lobby, Konosuke observed the maintenance staff collecting the chairs from the press conference. The Vice Principal, monitoring their progress, spotted him, and quickly moved to greet him. "Chairman Takasugi, what an unexpected surprise! It's so good to see you again. Are you here to see Ms. Himuro?"
"Mr. Kodanuke, good day to you. Yes, I'm here to see her, but she doesn't know I'm coming. I want to surprise her." He said not slowing. "It has been a busy morning here, hasn't it?"
"Oh you don't know the half of it sir." Kodanuke answered walking alongside him. "Ms. Himuro and Mr. Mita have been at their wits end trying to deal with this. The press wouldn't leave. They kept shouting for more information. Those jackals from the sports pages were the worst, demanding all the details about Miss Watson."
"Miss Amy Watson." He said thoughtfully. "What's your take on this girl Mr. Kodanuke?"
"Actually, I find her quite charming." He replied, surprised at the question. "She's gracious and well mannered. I think she'll be a good influence on the other girls of the baseball team."
Konosuke nodded in agreement. "I talked to her on the phone this morning, and my initial impression was the same. She was very polite and respectful in her conversation with me. Hiroki said she was also gracious to him when she struck him out. Hah! I wish I could have been there to see my grandson knocked down a peg… beaten by another female pitcher, how delightful. Mwa, ha, ha, ha"
"Well we certainly can't help wondering if they'll make it to Koshien this year. It would be wonderful if they did." Kodanuke said as they turned the corner leading to Ms. Himuro's office. Mr. Yamagida saw them approach, and rose to greet them.
"Chairman Takasugi. It's been too long sir. One moment please, and I'll announce you to Ms Himuro." He said leading them to the doors. "Madam was resting after the press conference, but I'm sure she'll want to see you."
"Splendid." Konosuke said as they paused before her office doors. "Mr. Kodanuke, I've taken the liberty of having lunch delivered for Ms. Himuro and myself. Would you be kind enough to escort them here when they arrive?"
"Of course sir, I'll await their arrival. Please excuse me then." He answered with a small bow before turning and heading back the way they had come.
"Forgive me for usurping your duties Mr. Yamagida, but I wanted to do something special for Keiko after her ordeal this morning."
"That is your privilege, Chairman Takasugi. I am but a humble servant, do not feel guilty in the least." Yamagida said bowing. "Madam has earned a little pampering this morning. I will let her know you are here." Throwing open the doors, they saw her chair at the desk empty. Walking in, they observed her sleeping peacefully on one of the sofas. Yamagida was reaching to wake her, when he felt a hand on his shoulder. Looking back, he saw Konosuke shake his head, and motion him to follow.
When they had moved to the other side of the room, he said softly. "Let her sleep, at least until the food arrives. I'll take a seat on the other sofa and wait. She doesn't normally doze off during the day, so she must need it."
"The last few days have been very emotional for Madam." Yamagida replied. "Thank you for your understanding Chairman, I will let her sleep. Would you care for a cup of tea while you wait?"
"Thank you, that sounds wonderful." He said walking back to the sofa and sitting down. Watching her sleep, he smiled and said quietly. "Pleasant dreams Keiko."
-
Ryo looked up as the train slowed, entering the station. She had been confident about telling Amy before, but doubt had crept back in during her commute. 'How will Amy react when I tell her? She got mad at Izumi at the party, will she get mad at me? She's so much bigger than me, would she hit me? What about Corey? He's so protective of her. What will he do?' The train lurched as it stopped, throwing Ryo against the young woman seated next to her, nearly knocking a package off her lap. "Oh I'm sorry! Are you all right? I wasn't paying attention."
"That's ok, there was no harm done." She replied with a smile. "You look like something is bothering you. I hope it turns out all right. Excuse me, this is my stop." She rose and headed for the doors.
"Oh! Mine too!" Ryo said scrambling after her. As she stepped onto the platform, she saw her teammates waiting for her. Smiling at their thoughtfulness, she made her way to them. "Hey guys." She said when she reached them. "Thanks for waiting for me."
"Don't worry about it Ryo." Hikaru said clapping her on the shoulder. "We're just glad you made it on time for once."
"After this morning, none of us wanted to walk by ourselves, so we agreed to wait for you here." Mao said with a gentle smile.
"It's nearly noon." Koharu said looking at the clock on the wall. "Should we grab some lunch before we go? I'm in the mood for okonomiyaki, and I heard there's a shop in this station that makes a pretty good one."
"You know I'm always ready to eat." Hikaru said putting her arm around the smaller girl. "Especially okonomiyaki."
"I suppose we should." Ryo said unenthusiastically.
"What's wrong Ryo?" Kanako said with concern. "You sound really down."
"Yeah Ryo." Yoko asked cocking her head. "Did something happen?"
"There's something I need to talk to Amy about, and I'm not sure how she's going to react. I guess I'm a little nervous about it." She said avoiding eye contact.
"What is it Ryo?" Koharu said stepping up and resting a hand on her shoulder. "Is it anything we can help with?"
"No, this is something I have to do myself...Don't worry about it guys, it'll work out…I hope." She answered with a weak smile. "Let's grab lunch, and then go see Yuki."
-
Amy wandered the hallways, trying to find Seira, and was about to give up. Looking in yet another bathroom, she thought, 'I can't believe I lost her. She moves so fast, I don't think I could catch her even if my leg wasn't hurt.' She stopped at the nurses station and asked, "Excuse me, did you see a girl run through here? She's tall with red hair and may have been crying."
Looking up from her computer, the nurse replied. "She went by just a minute ago. I called out to her to see what was wrong, but she ignored me and ran to the stairs. I don't know where she went from there.
"Great." Amy sighed. "This hospital is huge, I'll never find her."
"One moment Miss." The nurse replied. "Let me call reception. Normally if someone is that upset, they tend to leave the building." The nurse dialed the phone, and asked the person on the other end.
"Please let them have seen her." Amy said quietly.
The nurse hung up, and looking at Amy said. "She just ran out through the lobby. If you'd like, I can have security look for her."
"No, that's alright. I think I'll be able to track her down. If anyone comes looking for me, would you tell them where I went?"
"Certainly. Good luck, I hope you find her." She said with a smile as she returned to her typing.
"Thank you for your help." Amy said, bowing slightly. Then she moved to the elevator, pressed the call button, and waited.
-
Kido, Kenji, and Corey, escaping from their embarrassment, had found empty seats in the lounge near Mrs. Fujishima's room. They were unaware of Seira's bolting, until Kimiko came around the corner holding a yawning young Kimiko's hand.
"Hey mom," Corey asked when she approached, "is Mrs. Fujishima done? We were kind of hoping Seira could get a chance to hold the baby. Grandpa thought it might be therapeutic for her"
"Seira left." She said sitting next to her son, and putting the little girl on her lap. "She became upset about something and ran out of the room. She evidently didn't run this way, or you would be looking for her."
"Seira's gone?" Corey said anxiously. "I need to go find her." He added quickly rising from his seat.
"Corey." Kimiko called out. When he paused and turned to her, she continued. "About Seira… she has her problems, but she's still a sweet girl. I'm happy you found her."
"Thanks Mom. And thanks for being so nice to Seira. You made a good first impression with her." Leaning over, he kissed his mother on the cheek. "See you later." Then he walked quickly away in search of his runaway girlfriend.
"Is big sister Seira ok?" Kimiko asked sleepily, looking up at her.
"Don't worry honey." She replied, giving the little girl a squeeze. "We'll find her." Looking between the two men seated across from her, she continued. "Do either of you know what's going on? Seira became upset after seeing Mr. Fujishima hug Kimiko, and tell her he was glad she was his daughter. I can't imagine what would have made her react like that. Could Corey have said something to her that led to this?"
"You've got it all wrong, dear." Kenji said looking up from the newspaper he was reading. "It has nothing to do with Corey. She feels abandoned by her mother, and neglected by her father. I can imagine that scene, and I'm not surprised she broke down."
"Morimura's been an emotional wreck ever since she got into that fight. All of that pain and resentment was forced to the surface, and she's having to face it." Kido added. "She's nursing a lot of hurt inside. Are you sure you want her to get involved with Corey? "
"I meant what I said to Corey." She said, stroking Kimiko's hair. "She reminds me a lot of myself at that age, headstrong and impetuous. I think they'll be good for each other."
Young Kimiko yawned again and snuggled closer.
"It looks like you took over the baby sitting duties from Morimura and your daughter." Kido said as he and Kenji stood. "How long will you be stuck here?"
"I'm hardly stuck Mr. Kido. Mr. Fujishima asked me to watch her while he made a few calls. His wife fell asleep while nursing the baby, so I agreed. I'll be able to help look for Seira after he comes to get her."
"We'll meet in Miss Azuma's room dear." Kenji said warmly. "I'll see you then."
She watched them walk away. Then she looked down at the sleepy little girl, and said quietly. "Fortune smiles on us honey. We both have wonderful parents, and I've also been blessed with wonderful children." Brushing a stray strand of hair from the child's face, she added. "I miss these times. Amy used to fall asleep in my arms like this. It seems like just a short while ago, and here she is starting high school, half a world away." A tear formed in her eye as she began softly singing Kimiko a lullaby.
-
Keiko Himuro's sleep was surprisingly free of dreams. Drained, she had dozed off almost as soon as she had lain down. She roused at the sound of a table being set. Opening her eyes, the first thing she saw was Konosuke's grinning face.
"Hello Keiko." He said with a chuckle. "Did you sleep well?"
Sitting up quickly, she said embarrassed. "Chairman Takasugi! I apologize. If I'd know you were coming, I would have made preparations to welcome you properly. Have you been waiting long? Why didn't Mr. Yamagida wake me?"
"Mwa, ha, ha, ha. You still feel like you need to outdo everyone, don't you Keiko?" He replied with a huge grin. "Show a moment of weakness, and you've failed. Even to an old friend like me. Mr. Yamagida was going to wake you, but you looked so adorable sleeping there, I didn't have the heart to let him. Are you hungry? I've brought us lunch." He said waving his hand towards something behind her.
Turning, Keiko saw a magnificent table set up in the corner of the room, and a catering staff standing beside a serving cart next to the wall. "What's all this?" Standing, she walked over to the table, and exclaimed. "It's a bit much for lunch. What's the occasion?"
"I thought you could use a good meal after this morning." He said walking up next to her. "I also want to use this time to discuss some things. Shall we sit down, or do you need to freshen up before we start?"
"I could use a few minutes, yes." She admitted. "Please excuse me." Then she crossed the floor to the adjoining restroom.
Konosuke chuckled as he took a seat at the table. The head server stepped up and offered a bottle of wine for his approval. Looking at the label, he grunted, nodding his head. "Very nice. My compliments to your wine steward, he has excellent taste. Please open it and pour for us would you?"
"Of course sir." He replied. "May we prepare the appetizer? It is a grilled bruschetta, brushed with melted butter seasoned with basil and garlic, and then spread with a mixture of diced, sautéed shitake mushrooms and ricotta cheese."
"Marvelous." He said rubbing his hands together. "Please, proceed. She should be finished shortly." Konosuke didn't know why, but the prospect of helping the girls on the baseball team had left him nearly giddy. He was excited to do something lasting for the brave young women who fought so valiantly last season. Humming to himself, and tapping his fingers on the table, anyone could see he was in a good mood. He looked over when he heard the door to the restroom open, and smiling warmly, watched Ms. Himuro walk towards him. He started to get up when she arrived at the table, but she motioned for him to sit.
"Please Chairman, there's no need to be so formal. This is just a friendly lunch, and as my elder, you are not required to stand for me." She said taking the other chair, set up across from him.
"But Keiko," He said still smiling. "I have so few chances these days to be a gentleman, couldn't you have humored me this one time?"
"You are always a gentleman Chairman." She said smiling back. "You've provided me with this extravagant lunch, and let me get some much needed rest. You've been a true friend, and a source of encouragement for me. If I didn't know better, I would think you were sweet on me."
"Hah! You know me too well Keiko." He replied, his smile widening. "We've known each other since you were a little girl. You're like a daughter to me. Shouldn't a father spoil his daughter now and again?"
"You dear, silly old man, you spoil me every chance you get. Thank you for everything you've done for me, and this school, over the years." She said bowing her head slightly, holding her wineglass up in salute. Taking a sip of wine, her eyes widened as she exclaimed. "Wonderful! This is an exquisite vintage. You're full of surprises today, aren't you?"
"That wasn't my doing." He admitted. "I didn't know what was to be served until I saw the bottle. I was pleasantly surprised myself."
The waiter bringing the appetizer interrupted their conversation, and they held their tongues until he finished. When he had retreated to his place against the wall, Ms. Himuro continued. "This lunch is very nice, but I have a feeling what you need to discuss is going to impact the school. Am I mistaken?"
"Intuitive as ever." He said, pausing cutting a piece off his biscotti, and setting his utensils down. Giving her a warm smile, he continued. "Let's wait until dessert to talk about it, and just enjoy a deliciously prepared meal."
"Is it bad news?" She asked, stiffening. "I don't think I can take any more of that today."
Chuckling, he replied. "I think you'll be very pleased when you hear my proposal, so relax." Raising his wine glass back, he added, "Bon a petit!"
-
Yuki looked up at the knock on her door. "Shinobu! Hello!"
"Hello Yuki." She replied walking up to the bed. "I brought you something to cheer you up, but you seem pretty cheerful already." She held out a box, wrapped in festive paper.
Taking the package, Yuki thanked her, and carefully unwrapped the present, honoring the care Shinobu had used in wrapping it. Opening the box, her eyes grew wide. "Homemade cookies! Thank you Shinobu. This is so thoughtful." She held out her arm, and Shinobu leaned in to receive a hug.
"I didn't have class today, so I decided to do some baking. Now you'll have something to chase away the horrible taste of the hospital food." She whispered into Yuki's ear.
"You've tried it I see." Yuki said with a grin, releasing Shinobu from her embrace. "It looks like you brought them just in time too."
Nurse Jun came in carrying her lunch tray. "Miss Maehara, you're early. You don't go on duty for another five minutes."
"Yes ma'am, I know." She said bowing slightly. "I wanted to visit Yuki a minute before I began my rounds."
"Would you care for a cookie Jun?" Yuki said holding out the box.
"Jun?" Shinobu asked wide-eyed, staring at her superior. "Not to be disrespectful ma'am, but I've asked you on more than one occasion if I could use your given name, and I was always rebuked. Why are you allowing her to?" Seeing the older woman become silent, Shinobu began rapidly bowing, stammering. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to pry! Forget I mentioned it ma'am! Nurse Tsugimoto is fine! I'll go now!" She bowed one last time, and then turned towards the door.
"Miss Maehara, wait." Jun said forcefully, stopping the young woman in her tracks. Giving her a smile, she continued. "You could never be disrespectful Miss Maehara. I apologize for making you feel like you were. I believed, to be good at my job, I needed to maintain a professional relationship with my patients and co-workers. Yuki has changed that. She's shown me how it feels to care for people again. I'd forgotten how lonely and depressing a patient's stay could be, until this morning's events opened my eyes. If it's truly your desire to call me by my given name, you have my permission. On one condition though, you must let me call you Shinobu."
Shinobu's face spread in a wide grin. "Of course. I told the girl's at my dorm you were a good person deep down. Thank you Jun, I'm glad. Yuki, I need to go get ready for my shift. I'll be back in a little while. Enjoy the cookies." Then she bounced happily out the door.
"That was nice, Jun." Yuki said, as her lunch was placed in front of her. "Shinobu must really look up to you for her to be so excited."
"It really isn't that big of an issue." She replied pausing. "I don't know why I was so insistent on maintaining that formality between us. She's such a sweet girl, I'm almost ashamed at how I've treated her."
"She kind of reminds me of our team's manager." Yuki said grinning. "She's bubbly, sociable, always cheerful…" biting into a cookie, her eyes went wide as she added, "and a wonderful baker!"
"Really?" The older woman asked, intrigued. Reaching for the box she said innocently. "Maybe I will have one."
Yuki smiled expectantly as her friend bit into a cookie.
"You're right! Jun exclaimed. "These are very good! I'll have to say something to her before I go off duty. Eat you lunch before you fill up on cookies Yuki. You need more than empty calories and carbohydrates right now. Well, my shift is nearly over, so I'll see you tonight."
"Have a good afternoon, Jun." Yuki called as the woman walked out the door. Closing the box of cookies, she said to herself. "I better put these away before I eat them all. I'm sure the guys would like try one when they come." Then setting the box on the table next to her bed, she steeled herself for what they had brought her for lunch.
-
Amy walked the hospital's grounds, searching behind trees and in bushes until she spotted Seira. She was sitting on a bench with her legs pulled up and her chin resting on her knees. Approaching her, Amy noticed the dejected expression on her face. "Hey." She said stopping a little ways away. "Can I join you, or is this pity party invitation only?"
"Free country." Seira mumbled, staring at nothing.
Sitting down next to her, Amy hesitated, unsure what to say. "You know, everyone was really surprised when you ran out of the room like that…My mom was completely caught of guard."
"You know me, head down, and full speed ahead. Get out of my way or you'll get run over."
"That's not true. You usually look where you're going better than that."
"You know what I mean." Seira replied giving Amy an irritated look. "I let my emotions control me. I always react before I think. Sometimes I wonder if I'll ever be normal."
"If you can ask yourself that Seira, you've got what it takes to improve. Talk to grandpa some more. Now that he knows there's a personal connection, he'll waive his fee."
"I've taken up too much of his time already. I wrote the letter like he said, and I'm back feeling the same feelings again."
"It helped a little though, didn't it?' Amy said giving a warm smile. "One letter isn't going to erase a lifetime of neglect Seira. He has other things for you to try; I know it. Corey and I will be here to help too. I'll tell you what. Let's forget about this, and go see Yuki. The team should be arriving soon. Don't you want to introduce them to Kimiko? I bet she'd like to meet them. I can't wait to see her expression when she meets Mao."
"Amy, stop it." She said burying her face in her knees. "Stop trying to gloss things over. I screwed up, again. I was rude to Kimiko's folk's, and I embarrassed you and your mom."
"I can understand why Seira." She said laying a hand on the redhead's shoulder. "That must have been painful for you to see."
"It shouldn't have been!" Seira cried standing abruptly. "I should have been happy Kimiko has such devoted parents, but I wasn't. I was jealous, Amy. Jealous of a four year old who has something I've never had, and never will. I was so ashamed of myself, I ran from the room crying. Will the rest of my life be like this? Will I break down every time I see some mother show her daughter affection? What if Corey and I have a kid? Will I even be able to show affection to her?"
"That's just stupid, Seira!" Amy said angrily as she struggled to her feet. Grabbing Seira with both hands by her jacket, she added. "When will you get it? When will you see what so many of us already see? Deep down, despite having a harpy for a mother, you are a good and caring person! I realized that when you offered to take my place moving that car! You didn't need to, and I was perfectly capable of helping, but you were more concerned for your teammates than your own well being! I was joking about this being a pity party, so get your act together!'"
"Let go of my jacket Amy." Seira said ominously
"What's the matter? Don't like it when someone bigger than you is calling the shots? Are you feeling a little bit like Yoko right now?" Amy answered, leaning in. "Well suck it up tough girl, because I'm not letting go. We're not done dancing yet."
"I've already slugged Corey, what makes you think I won't slug you?"
"You think I can't take one of your weak-ass punches? Corey barely had a mark after you hit him. Better be able to get as good as you give sister, because if we go at it, you aren't getting back up."
"So I'm not the only one on the team that gets physical when she's mad?"
"Only when I'm dealing with self-loathing, weepy little crybabies, who think the whole world hates them. God, I hope Corey really knows what he's getting into. I've heard of high maintenance girlfriends, but to have one he needs to baby-sit from long distance is more than I think even he can handle. For some unknown reason, he seems to think you're worth the effort. One of my friends back home really likes him. Too bad he can't see her as more than a sister. She'd be ok with his going away to college, because she trusts others, and is willing to take a chance."
"Have you said what you needed to say?" Seira asked evenly.
"I think I've cleared the air enough for now. Are you ready to grow up and accept your life's not that bad, or are you going to keep crying about it?" Amy replied loosening her grip.
Seira pulled away from her grasp, and punched Amy, knocking her back. "You may be my friend, but don't think I'll let you get away with talking trash to me like that."
"Oh, it is so on!" Amy said, rubbing her jaw. Bracing for more, she added. "You just stepped in it big time girlfriend. If you think I was joking, try me."
"I'm not going to fight you." Seira relented. "You're hurt. It wouldn't be fair."
"That's alright. It just levels the field a little more." She said, grinning in anticipation. "It might actually make this interesting."
"Come on Amy." Seira said holding her hands out in front of her. "You can hardly walk. Don't make me really hurt you."
"I suppose your right." Amy said relaxing. "Let's go back in." She said, inviting Seira to walk next to her with her left arm.
Seira smiled as she approached. "I'm glad you didn't really mean the…" Her words were cut short as Amy landed a powerful right, knocking her to the ground. Sitting up, she held the side of her face, and with an angry expression, said. "What the hell was that for? I thought we were done."
"Sucker punch for sucker punch, we're even now." Amy said simply. "You can make your way back inside, or not. It's up to you. I'm done trying to talk to you. I do have one last thing to say before I go. I told Izumi this, now I'm going to tell you. No other person can truly bring us happiness. We all need to choose to be happy for ourselves. Your mom left you. That's really sad, but if that one event is going to determine how you live the rest of your life, then you might as well find a tall building and take that walk off the roof. If, however, you can find your backbone, and believe in your friends and teammates, not to mention the guy that's crazy about you, then come join us in Yuki's room. Oh, you might want to stop and get some ice for that. It's starting to swell." Then she turned, and without looking back, walked as proudly as she could away from Seira.
-
Steady streams of people were coming and going from the hospital as Watanabe held the door of the cab while Izumi climbed out. He then closed it and handed the driver money, to make it appear this was just an ordinary taxi. "Thank you, Mr. Kobiyashi. You're an excellent driver. May I ask for you to drive us back home?"
"Certainly, sir. Just contact dispatch and ask for me. If I'm available, I'll be happy to." Nodding his head, he put the car in gear and drove away.
Izumi, observing the charade, addressed her companion with a smile, saying. "Are you ready?"
"Of course. Let's get moving." He replied; measuring his stride until he was sure Izumi was beside him. Then they quickened the pace, constantly searching for hostile activity.
Entering the lobby, Izumi looked at her bodyguard, and kidded. "Well, we got inside ok."
"I didn't doubt we would." Watanabe said frowning. "This is really pointless. They're not going to do anything. They've all probably gone underground, or are trying to leave town."
"Izumi! Over here!" A shrill voice cried. Turning, they saw Nene, sitting on a chair in the lobby, holding a plastic container on her lap.
Moving to her Izumi said warmly. "Good afternoon Nene." Motioning to her companion, she continued. "This is Officer Watanabe of the Tokyo Metro Police. He's been assigned to protect me until the bad guys are caught."
"How do you do?" Nene said standing and giving a bow. "I'm Nene Mori, the manager for the Kisuragi Girls' Baseball Team. It's a pleasure to meet you."
"The pleasure is mine, I'm sure." He replied graciously, also bowing slightly.
Izumi was glad he was being civil. Looking at Nene, she asked. "Why are you sitting here? I would have thought you'd be up in Yuki's room."
Sighing, she sat back down and said. "I wanted to wait for everyone so we could go up together."' When Izumi sat down next to her, she added. "I don't like hospitals, and I think I would be uncomfortable being by myself… I don't know what to say to her."
"I understand." Izumi said laying a hand on her shoulder. "This has been hard on everyone, but we'll get through it Nene. Yuki promised me she'd be strong through this, so we need to go in there being cheerful and supportive. She's not dying, and she'll need us all the more if she ends up disabled because of it."
"It makes me so sad Izumi. I hardly slept at all last night, thinking about it. Poor Yuki, spending the rest of her life in a wheelchair!" Then she started weeping, covering her face with her hands.
"Is she always this emotional?" Watanabe said disdainfully. "It won't help your friend if she sees her crying like that."
"Nene has a very tender heart." Izumi said scowling at the policeman. "And she's been a little sheltered growing up. Why are you so concerned? She's just another well to do snob who will someday grind the little people down. Does it surprise you we could have genuine feelings for our friends?"
"Whoa, whoa, calm down." He said holding his hands out defensively. "I just saying, if Miss Azuma sees her crying, it will make her more depressed. Besides, she's drawing a lot of attention."
Izumi looked around. Watanabe was right. Nearly everyone that passed by them looked pityingly at Nene. They didn't know exactly what was wrong, but a pretty young girl crying was hard to ignore. "Come on Nene." Izumi said putting her arm around the manager's shoulder. "It won't do to show Yuki red eyes will it? You'll just make her feel bad for making us worry, so cheer up." Looking at the container in Nene's lap, Izumi added. "What did you make her, some more of those wonderful brownies?"
"No." Nene said wiping the tears from her eyes. "They would be too messy in bed, so I made her some cookies." Opening the container, she showed Izumi. "I found the recipe in a cookbook I bought recently. Peanut butter chocolate chip, I hope she likes them."
"If you made them Nene, I'm sure she will." A voice said behind them. Turning, they saw Ryo leading the rest of the team over. "Did you two get lunch? We bought some extra okonomiyaki."
"That was so thoughtful Ryo!" Nene gushed as she took one. "I didn't have much of an appetite this morning, so I skipped breakfast. Now sitting here, I've become so hungry, I was going to snitch one of Yuki's cookies."
"I'll take one also Ryo." Izumi said reaching her hand out. "With everything else that's gone on this morning, I completely forgot to grab lunch before leaving the house. Oh, everyone. This is Officer Watanabe. He's the one the detective assigned to watch over me."
They greeted him as a group, bowing. He nodded to the group, withholding any greeting.
"Well, that was just a little rude." Izumi said huffily. "Why didn't you greet them properly?"
"This is getting to be too large of a group. I can't do my job if I can't see if anything's coming. We should move to a less conspicuous area."
"Now who's being overly cautious? Didn't you tell me five minutes ago that you thought all this was pointless? I have friends surrounding me, so relax Officer. Unless they have a sniper rifle, they won't be able to get near me." Taking a bite from her lunch, she moaned in delight and said. "This is delicious! Thank you for thinking of us Ryo."
"You're welcome." Ryo said smiling. Looking around, she added. "Have you seen Seira? We have one for her too." She gasped when she saw Amy limp in through the doors. When the young American spotted them, and headed their way, Ryo's breath caught in her throat and her face went pale. She tried to make herself as small as possible when Amy stopped in front of them, displeasure clearly showing on her face.
"That girl is impossible! How did you all stand playing with her last year?"
"Welcome to my world, Amy" Yoko said with a sympathetic smile.
"What did she do now?" Izumi said pausing taking another bite. "I thought she'd finally gotten things under control."
"She had." Amy said, her shoulders sagging as her anger was spent, replaced by concern. "She was doing really well. She was happy; joking around with Corey and my grandfather, until we ran into a little girl Corey and Seira had met last night. Corey had evidently carried her pregnant mother to a police box when she went into labor. Anyway, we went up to see the baby, and Seira saw them all have a tender moment. She snapped, and ran out of the room crying. I chased her down outside, but she didn't want to listen to me, and we had an argument."
"Is that where you got the red area on the side of your face?" Koharu said peering at her jaw. "Seira punched you didn't she?"
"Yeah." Amy said quietly. "Do you mind if I sit by you Nene? I'm feeling pretty drained."
"Of course you can, Amy" Nene said, back to her bubbly self. Opening the container, she held it out. "Here, I was bringing them to Yuki, but I don't think she'd mind if you had one. Chocolate is supposed to be good for depression."
"Thank you Nene, but those are for Yuki." Amy said with a sad smile. "She's going to need that chocolate more than I do."
"Would you like an okonomiyaki, Amy?" Hikaru said worriedly. "Eating something always makes me feel better. They should still be warm, we just bought them a couple of minutes ago."
"Something to eat does sound pretty good, sure."
All eyes turned to Ryo, who swallowed hard, and nervously approached Amy. "He-here Amy. They're really good."
"Thanks Ryo." She said taking the snack from her. Noticing her apprehension, Amy inquired, "What's wrong Ryo? You look like I've sprouted horns and a barbed tail. Did I do something this morning without realizing it?"
"NO!" Ryo said a little too forcefully, causing everyone to jump. "It's nothing you've done Amy. It's me." Looking down at the floor, she braced herself for Amy's reaction. "I received some shocking news when I went home to change out of my uniform, and I'm not sure how to tell you. It's about the attack last night. I know why, and I'm afraid you'll hate me when I tell you." Tears formed in her eyes as she sank to her knees in front of her startled teammates. Her head bowed, she declared, "You were attacked because you were a threat to my pitching. The Captain hired those thugs because he didn't want you stealing my glory at Koshien. Oh Amy, I'm so sorry. I had no idea he would do something like this. Please don't hate me. I'll quit the team if you want me to, but don't hate me." Sobs of grief and fear pre-empted any more words as Ryo's body quaked, awaiting Amy's anger. Instead, she felt a gentle hand on her shoulder.
"Get up Ryo." Amy said warmly. "I'm not mad at you." When her fellow pitcher turned her face toward her, Amy stood, and held her hand out. Ryo took it, and rising to her feet, was wrapped in a tight embrace. "How could I be mad at you when you had nothing to do with it? I'm not sure who this Captain is, but he must have a pretty big role in your life if he wanted to protect you like that. This must be really hard on you Ryo, so don't worry about me. You know, Yuki's fared far worse from this than I have. I think you need to tell her too."
"Thank you for being so understanding." Ryo said hugging her back. "I was so afraid you or Corey would blame me, and hurt me. I'm sorry I thought you would react like that."
"We're teammates, Ryo. Didn't you all tell me last night that we'll be there for each other whenever one of us needs lifting up?"
"Or knocking down." Seira said walking up to the group, still holding the side of her face.
Amy released Ryo, and turned to give Seira an indifferent look. "So you decided to come in after all. Are you going to be staying?"
"Yuki would wonder where I was if I didn't show, so I'll be here, for the duration." Looking between the two of them, she added. "Is Ryo your new best friend now?"
"I think that depends on you, Seira." Amy replied coolly, reclaiming her chair. "Are you ready to accept that everyone here cares about you, and wants you to be happy?"
Sighing, she lowered her hand, and said. "I know they do. I just don't feel like I deserve it. I'm such an ass."
"Holy cow!" Kanako said, seeing Seira's swollen cheek. "She looks worse than Amy. Sit down Seira, and I'll go get you some ice." Then she ran off.
"I don't think I've ever been hit that hard before." She said sitting down. "I never would have thought you had it in you to hit a friend."
"I'm not the one who threw the first punch. You didn't have any reason to hit me. You just didn't want to hear the truth, so you got physical. I guarantee the same thing will happen if you try that again." Amy said, taking an angry bite off her okonomiyaki.
"Those snobs at school would give you some heat about this Seira." Koharu said grinning. "Be glad you don't have to go back until next week. That must have been a heck of a punch."
"Remember when you tried catching Ryo's fastball that time?" Seira replied looking up at her. "That was me when she hit me, flat on my back. I never even saw it coming."
The girls looked warily at Amy, who smiled back weakly, and shrugged her shoulders. "I warned her not to hit me."
Watanabe looked between the two girls and said. "Forget about Akimatsu, Miss Himuro. I think you need protection from these two."
-
Yuki was watching a romance drama on TV when she heard a knock. The coach was standing there, accompanied by an older gentleman. "Welcome back Coach. Nurse Tsugimoto went off duty, so you missed your chance for that lunch date."
"I guess that's just my bad luck." Kido replied grinning. "Yuki, this is Doctor Suzuki, a therapist. He wanted to talk to you about how you were feeling."
"Good afternoon, Miss Azuma." Kenji said bowing slightly. "May I sit down by you?"
"Of course Doctor." She replied, turning off the TV. "Please, make yourself comfortable."
Taking the seat, he looked intently at Yuki for a minute, before saying. "You have the most magnificent eyes, such an intense shade of blue. Don't mistake my meaning dear. When I meet someone for the first time, I like to find something that makes that person stand out."
"Thank you Doctor." She said smiling. "I appreciate the compliment."
"You seem in remarkably good spirits for someone who's lost the use of her legs." Kenji said, leaning back and crossing his legs. "Why is that?"
"Because the doctor thinks this is only temporary." She replied, looking at Kido. "Coach you heard that, didn't you?"
"He was optimistic, but he didn't guarantee anything Azuma." He answered sitting on the end of the bed. Putting his hand on her leg, he continued. "Until you can move these, they won't say for certain."
"Still, it's good your being so positive, Miss Azuma." Kenji said, smiling widely. "The right attitude can go a long way in the healing process."
"Forgive me for being so forward Doctor," Yuki said, looking down at her lap, "but are you here because of what happened this morning?"
"This morning?" Kenji asked, confused. "No, I'm here strictly because of the attack last night. What happened this morning that you think would need my attention?"
"I didn't tell him Yuki." Kido said softly. "I wanted to talk with Ms. Himuro more before we made it public."
"That's ok, Coach." She said with a sad smile. "I think I'll need some help getting over this, so I don't mind sharing. I can really relate to Seira's pain now." Her eyes tearing, she continued. "I've been trying to stay positive, but I just feel so lost inside. In the span of a little over twelve hours, my whole life has been yanked out from under me. If I have to leave school, and give up my friends, I don't know what I'll do."
"Don't worry about that until the time comes, Azuma." Kido said, encouragingly. "Ms. Himuro has something in mind about that, I'm sure. You should have heard her tell off your father last night! Woo! That man didn't know what hit him."
"Ms. Himuro made him angry?" Yuki asked incredulous. "So he was already mad when he came in the door! It's her fault they wouldn't listen to me! She did this! My parents abandoned me because she interfered!"
"Miss Azuma, calm down!" Kenji said forcefully. "It is too late for incriminations. Let's explore the situation and discover the truth. Blindly throwing blame never does anyone any good."
"Azuma listen." Kido said in a placating voice. "I've known Ms. Himuro for a long time, and she doesn't get mad without a good reason. The little bit I talked to your father this morning, I can only assume what he said to set her off. What I did hear her say was that he didn't have to worry about you ever embarrassing him again, because she would take care of you. Does that sound like someone who is interfering?"
"She said that?" Yuki said, tears starting again. "She'd take me in? Really?"
"Really." Kido said, nodding. "And about the team, when I suggested to Hayakawa that you might not be their teammate anymore, she made it perfectly clear that they wouldn't abandon you. You have a lot of people pulling for you Azuma, so don't lose heart now. Who knows, if the doctor's right, your life will go on like nothing happened."
"You're fortunate to have such wonderful people in your life Miss Azuma." Kenji said with a smile. "I'm glad my granddaughter is going to be joining your team. She's had a rough year, and has felt ostracized by her classmates."
"Who's your granddaughter?" Yuki asked, curious. "I'd like to meet her."
"You already have Azuma." Kido said grinning. "She's Amy Watson."
Yuki looked at him in astonishment, and then said. "Doctor, is she ok? The coach said she was hurt. I felt so bad when I heard she was injured defending me. Would you tell her I'm sorry?"
A knock on the door interrupted any more conversation. They looked over to see the team filing in, Ryo leading the way. "We're finally here Yuki!" She said cheerfully. "Just wait until we tell you what kind of morning we've all had."
-
A/N: I apologize for taking so long to update these last few chapters, but I've been spending more time working on my house now that summer's here. I'll try to get the next one done inside three weeks. Things will start getting livelier as the bad guys make a return. Will Amy survive? Tune in next time to find out!