Chapter 21

Well, here it is, the latest installment of my humble literary work. Please enjoy.

Mao Rising

The crack of a bat captured the attention of the young man walking towards the field. At 170 centimeters tall, and weighing about 75 kilos, Peter McAllister was not physically imposing. With curly sandy blonde hair and intense green eyes that saw everything, he was, however, hard to miss. He watched as the ball sailed high, clearing the fence in left-center. He noticed the young men standing alongside the baseline fence were watching the event with great interest. Looking at home plate, he saw the batter was a small dark haired young woman. The pitcher threw another ball, which the girl hit to the outfield fence. 'Batting practice' he thought to himself. 'That means the game hasn't started.' He had a large soft case over his shoulder, and was carrying a small duffel bag. Walking around the backstop, he saw the rest of the girls stretching and doing other warm-ups. Spotting the person he was looking for, he called out. "Yoko Takashiki, what's a beautiful girl like you doing in a place like this?"

"Peter!" She cried, running up to him and giving him a friendly hug. "I'm glad you could come! I wasn't sure you'd get the message I left on your machine in time!"

"I'm glad you haven't started yet." He said putting an arm around her waist. "I didn't want to miss a minute of you in action."

"Let me introduce you to the team." She said slipping out of his grasp. Taking his hand, she pulled him towards the others. Cupping her other hand along side her mouth she yelled. "Hey everyone! Come meet our photographer!"

When the girls had gathered, the introductions were made. When she'd finished, Peter said confused. "Where's the rest of the team? There are only six of you."

"We're not sure." Yoko said with a frown. "Our left fielder Yuki Azuma is in the hospital, and everyone was there when we went to see her earlier. The other two are running late for some reason."

"Well, I'll meet them soon enough." He said with a smile. "Go get ready for your game. I'll grab a seat on the bleachers, and get my gear out."

"You're going to take pictures today?" Ryo asked concerned. "We're not wearing our uniforms. We don't want to look like a rag tag team in the book."

"It's all right." He said reassuringly. "I don't normally do sports photography, so I want to get some practice. You could say this is spring training for me too."

"Oh, well, ok, if that's all it is, then please enjoy the game." She replied with a bow before turning and jogging back onto the field.

Moving to the bleachers, he climbed to the top row. "This is going to be fun." He said quietly as he set his bags down. Unzipping the case, he pulled out a camera, and attached a telephoto lens. He snapped off a few quick pictures of Yoko walking to the batter's box. When she was in place, he turned his lens to Ryo. His camera's high-speed advance whirred as he snapped a series of shots, capturing her delivery. Yoko swung, hitting a line drive up the middle. 'Not bad.' He thought. 'She has pretty good power for being such a skinny girl.' He watched as Ryo threw a few more lazy pitches, when he heard Yoko call out.

"Give me a real fastball Ryo. Those slow pitches are too easy to hit. Try to get one by me."

"Are you sure Yoko?" Koharu called. "You couldn't come close to hitting her fastball last year."

"I'm a year older and a lot more experienced now Koharu. I'll hit it, just you watch." She answered with a wicked grin.

"Ok Yoko. I'll bring the heat." Ryo said matching the blonde's grin. "Just don't complain when I strike you out! Mao, come catch for me, please."

Mao looked up from the bench, startled out of her thoughts. "Oh, sure Ryo, I'll be right there." Grabbing her mask and glove, she hurried to her place behind the plate. "Ready when you are!"

Ryo wound up and threw, the ball blazing towards the plate. Yoko grit her teeth and swung, just as the ball thwacked into Mao's glove. "Strike one Yoko." She called sweetly as she caught Mao's return throw.

Seeing the speed of her pitch, Peter said softly in English, "Beauty." Looking over at the other team, he saw they were whispering to each other, making excited hand gestures. "Well, I see she surprised you too. Good luck hitting that mates." He added chuckling.

"You were way late Yoko." Koharu called. "You need to swing sooner."

"I know. I know. I'm just used to those warm-up pitches. I'll hit this one!" She said, her expression becoming serious.

Ryo threw again, the curve ball moving inside, jamming Yoko into making an awkward swing. "That's strike two!" She called lightly. "Only one more left!"

"Ripper pitch, Miss Hayakawa." Peter said to himself, grinning.

"That's not fair!" The blonde cried indignantly. "I asked for a fastball! I wasn't expecting a curve!"

"Quit complaining Tokashiki." Kido hollered from the bench. "You need to be ready for anything out there. Hayakawa, finish this. The other girls need to take practice."

"Ok Coach, I understand." Focusing back on the batter, she said a little sadly. "I'm sorry Yoko, but I'm going to strike you out. You need to be humbled a little. I hope this inspires you to work harder." She wound up and threw, the pitch catching the outside edge at Yoko's knees. The petit girl stood still, believing it was a ball.

"That's strike three, Yoko." Mao said standing up. "It was close, but that pitch was in the strike zone."

"What!" She cried. "No way! That ball was practically in the dirt! How could that be a strike?"

"I'm sorry Yoko, but it's the truth." Mao replied heading for the bench. "Ryo won."

"Daidoji!" Kido growled as she approached. "As long as you're out there, you take batting practice next."

"Ok, Coach." She replied. Then she quickly stripped off her protective gear, setting it over the fence. Grabbing her bat and helmet, she strode purposely toward the plate, only to see Yoko still in her batting stance, glaring at Ryo. "Yoko, it's my turn to bat. Would you please go sit down?"

"No!" She spat. "Not until Ryo throws me an honest fastball! She knows I would have hit the next one, so she threw junk at me."

"Now hold on Yoko!" Ryo cried angrily. "Those were the same pitches I'd throw in a game! I can't help it if you couldn't hit them! That just shows you need some more practice!"

"Oh yeah?" The blonde said walking towards the mound. "Who had three hits in that final game last season, and who struck out her last at bat? Takasugi should have given you batting lessons too!"

Ryo stepped quickly from the mound, meeting the other girl halfway to the plate. "That was uncalled for Yoko. I know I'm a mediocre batter. I never claimed I was anything else. As for Takasugi, I may be his girlfriend, but I'm still the enemy on the baseball field. Why would he coach his enemy?"

"Oh I'm sure you could get him to do it." The girl from Okinawa said sarcastically. "With the right inspiration." She added in a sensual voice as she moved her hips suggestively.

"Just what are you implying Yoko?" Ryo said as her face went red in anger and embarrassment. "Hiroki's a gentleman. He'd never force me to do that. I can't believe you'd even suggest it!"

"I'm with Ryo, Yoko." Mao said from behind, having followed the smaller girl to the mound. "That was vulgar, and mean spirited. You should apologize."

"No." she replied sullenly. "Ryo flaunts her sweet little romance in front of us every time Takasugi happens to show up. When's she going to take that next step?"

"I can't believe I'm hearing this." Ryo said as her fists clenched. "Just what kind of girl do you think I am? Hiroki and I have a relationship based on affection, not physical gratification. I'm not the one on this team preoccupied with her looks. I'm not that shallow."

"Oh!" The egotistical girl exclaimed, taking a step closer. "Just you wait, Miss Hot Shot Pitcher. Someday, when we're done with high school, you'll be pumping out little Takasugi's while I'll be walking a runway in Paris. Mark my words. I'm going to be somebody someday, and my looks are what's going to take me there!"

"Whatever you say Yoko." Ryo said with a dismissive wave, turning back to the mound. "Just make sure that when you go to Paris, you get a round trip ticket."

Mao chuckled, causing Yoko to become even more upset. Throwing her bat down, she leapt at Ryo, tackling her to the ground. The rest of the girls rushed on to the field and formed a circle, shouting excitedly as the two wrestled.

Mao looked over at the other team and saw them laughing and whistling at the girls' antics. That is except for their captain who stood with his arm crossed and a disapproving look on his face. Her countenance darkened and she angrily reached down, separating the two combatants. Bodily hauling Yoko up, the larger girl leaned into the blonde's surprised face. She glared as she snarled. "Damn it! That's enough! You're embarrassing the team in front of our opponents and your friend! This day's been rotten enough without us fighting each other. Last year Ryo struck out batters that were a lot more talented than you Yoko, so get over yourself and go sit your conceited little butt on the bench!" Releasing her hold on the other girl's arm, she stood seething until she noticed how quiet it was. Surprised by her outburst, the other girls looked at her in slack-jawed silence. Finally, Mao cleared her throat and said meekly with a red face. "I sounded a lot like Seira there, didn't I?" Then with a weak smile she added, "Sorry I blew up like that Yoko. I'm a little emotional after this morning. Let's forget this and get back to practicing, ok?"

"Um, ok." The Okinawan said timidly, her eyes still wide in shock. Then her expression became contrite as she added. "I guess I did get a little out of line too. I'm sorry everyone."

"Hey! What's this? Someone schedule a team meeting and didn't tell us?" They heard Seira call out. Turning, they watched as she leaned against the fence, while Izumi and Corey looked on. "Sorry we're late. We had trouble getting away from the hospital."

"It's about time you all showed up." Koharu called back with a grin. "Now maybe we can get this game started!"

"You know it!" The redhead said nodding. "We're going to kick some college boy ass!"

"Morimura, Himuro, come with me please." Kido said as he crossed behind them. They followed him a little ways off before he turned and said angrily. "What the hell were you two thinking? Especially you Himuro, I would have thought you had more sense than to take on a gang of toughs. You're both lucky you didn't get your skulls cracked open. You know the rules about fighting. By all rights, I should kick the two of you off the team." He paused, watching as embarrassed expressions crossed their faces. He sighed, and then rubbing the back of his head in aggravation, said. "Look, I really don't want to do this. If it were up to me, I'd let it slide. The school won't. They'll require me to hand out some form of discipline. I'll tell you what, because this wasn't your idea, and you in all likelihood saved Amy's life, I'll only suspend you. The two of you will sit out the first game of the regional preliminaries."

"What!" Seira exclaimed irately. "That's a load of crap and you know it! We didn't have a choice! Were we supposed to sit there and let them keep on torturing her? They had her strung up by her wrists and were using her as a punching bag!"

"That's right!" Izumi cried, equally angry. Then looking around at everyone watching, said in a calmer, quieter voice. "The one creep said they were getting ready to 'have some fun' with her. If we'd waited for the police to show up, Amy would have been raped again. You weren't there Coach. When I saw what they were doing, I got so angry I couldn't help but act. It wasn't even that much of a fight. They were so intoxicated; they barely laid a hand on any of us."

"Like I said," Kido responded. "This is to placate the school. It's only one game. You'll still be able to join practice, so you're not missing out on that much. I'm sorry Amy ended up in a situation that she needed rescuing from. And even more sorry you needed to be the ones to do it. I'm sure the Parent's Association will be adequately satisfied with a slap on the wrist when they understand the details."

"It always comes down to kissing the asses of those stuffed shirts." Seira said crossing her arms and scowling.

"They're an integral part of the working's of the school, Seira." Izumi said sourly. "But sometimes I think they take their positions too seriously. They've caused my mother a lot of unnecessary grief since she formed the baseball team."

"She's done well holding them off up to now." Kido said with a frown. "You two have both already gotten into trouble this week. This stunt will only encourage the Parent's Association to cry all that much harder for someone's head to roll. We'll just have to wait and see how this plays out. Ok, I've said what I needed to say, so go start warming up."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." Seira replied turning and storming off.

"Does my mother know about this yet?" Izumi asked contritely.

"She knows Amy and her grandfather were attacked, but not about you and Seira." Kido replied gently. "I have to tell her princess, you know that."

"Can I tell her?" She queried further. "I've finally gotten on good terms with her. I'm afraid if she hears about this from someone else, it will drive another wedge between us."

"I'll wait until tomorrow." He said stuffing his hands in his jacket pockets. "I wouldn't want to be you if she doesn't find out until then." Then he turned, and made his way back towards the bench, whistling a tune.

Izumi looked at the ground, dreading that moment. Taking a deep breath, she walked towards her teammates. Pushing aside the thought of talking to her mother, she was ready to give them her all.

oOo

Toru looked up as the door to the interrogation room opened. He was expecting his brother to come walking in, so he was surprised when Shinosuke entered followed by his retinue. "Who the hell are you?"

"Show some respect, punk!" One of the men said menacingly.

"It's alright Gin." The Yakuza boss said calmly. "How can Mr. Akimatsu know what dangerous ground he's treading on if he doesn't know who I am?" Pulling out the chair across the table from the young man, he nodded to the lawman sitting at the end. "Hello Detective Kimura, it's nice to see you again."

"Thank you, sir." The detective said nodding back. "It's nice to be on the same side of the table for a change."

Toru watched uneasily as Shinosuke's men walked around the table and took positions on either side of and just behind him. "What's this?" He asked nervously. "Call your goons off! I haven't done anything to you."

"That's where you're wrong, boy." Shinosuke said leaning forward. "Your actions have caused my father a great deal of inconvenience today. The police disrupted his businesses this morning looking for the ones responsible for attacking that policeman at Kisuragi Girls' School. You've strained an already troubled relationship with your selfishness. You've also taken me away from being with my wife who gave birth last night. A birth, I might add, that would most likely have claimed her life if not for the actions of a certain young American." He paused as his gaze turned cold. Staring unwaveringly in Toru's eyes, he added. "The brother of the girl you and your associates battered a little while ago. I promised him I would protect his sister from your aggression. You made me lose face this morning, Mr. Akimatsu. I don't like being made to look weak or foolish."

"Then you shouldn't make promises you can't keep." He spat defiantly. "Why would you offer a debt of honor to a foreigner anyway?"

"We are all part of this world, Mr. Akimatsu." The older man replied frostily. "Regardless of where he comes from, an honorable man is worthy of my respect. You, on the other hand, are a worthless wretch. Feel fortunate the police found you before my father's men had, or nursing that broken nose would have been the least of your troubles."

"Detective!" Toru said pompously. "You heard it! He threatened me!"

"Is that how you heard it?" Kimura answered quizzically. "It sounded to me that he was congratulating you on your good luck."

"Thank you Detective." The gangster said grinning. "I never had a chance to offer my appreciation to you for treating me civilly when I was here before. I would like to give you a little something as a token of gratitude." He reached into the pocket of his jacket, and produced a Discman. Handing it to the policeman, he added. "I'm sorry it's not wrapped. It's my personal player. I listen to it while I'm being driven to my appointments. I'd like you to have it. Try it out. That's Itzak Pearlman, playing Mendelssohn with the Berlin Symphony."

"Thank you." He said taking the player and putting the headphones on. "How did you know I listened to classical?"

"You were humming Beethoven's Third when you entered the room to interrogate me before."

"Thank you again." He replied with a slight bow as he turned the player on. A smile crossed his face as the sound of music could faintly be heard.

Shinosuke chuckled as he turned back to Toru. "Now, Mr. Akimatsu, I also hear you wrote a letter to another girl from Kisuragi warning her not to testify. Let me give you a warning of your own. I still hold my debt of honor to Mr. Watson, and since you've already hurt the girl I was supposed to protect, I am also including his friends that were involved in your attack. If any act of violence happens to that girl, or to any other member of the Kisuragi Girls' Baseball team, rest assured the same will happen to you. My father has connections across the entire Kanto region, so don't think you'll be safe in prison. It all comes down to you Mr. Akimatsu. Call off any retaliation you have orchestrated and you won't be harmed. We really don't like having to use strong-arm tactics like this, but it appears necessary. You have shown little remorse for your actions up to now, and I feel you need to be 'scared straight' as it were. That said. I have a proposal that should make everyone happy, even the police. Confess to masterminding this assault, do the time quietly, and when you get out, leave Tokyo. If you do that, my family will lift all vendettas against you."

"Why would I confess to that?" Toru cried angrily. "I'd be locked up for twenty years! Who the hell are you to threaten me like that in front of a cop?"

"Oh that's right. You don't know me." He said slapping his forehead lightly. "As for the detective, he hasn't heard anything we've said since he put those headphones on." All banter gone from his voice, he leaned forward and said evenly. "My name is Shinosuke Fujishima. Have you heard of me?"

Hearing the name, Toru went pale, his body shaking. Looking at the detective, he saw Kimura was oblivious to the conversation. Realizing he was alone with one of the most powerful men in the Tokyo underworld, he did the only thing he could think of. He groveled. He bent forward in his chair, his head touching the tabletop. "Mr. Fujishima! I'm sorry sir! I had no idea it was you. My brother speaks well of the time he spent in you organization. I also apologize for causing you to lose face. If I had known you had relations with the Americans, I never would have continued my attack. Please forgive me!"

"Like I said before, it all comes down to you, Mr. Akimatsu." Shinosuke said innocently. "I'm just trying to help keep you from making any future mistakes you might regret. This is a favor to your brother for his years of loyalty. I was sorry to see him leave, but I'm proud of what he's become. I talked with him recently, and he was concerned that you were heading down a bad path. Use this experience to learn and become a better person."

"Mr. Fujishima, sir." Toru said meekly, his head still bowed. "He always speaks so well of that time in his life. Why did he leave?"

"He wanted to succeed on his own, and felt he couldn't do that in my shadow. I feel sorry for him having to put up with a younger brother that's so self-centered." He stood, causing Kimura to take off the headphones.

"Are you done?" The detective asked, standing as well.

"Yes, Detective," was the reply as he looked down at Toru. "Pay heed to my words boy. You'll be better off if you do. Let's go gentlemen. We've wasted enough time here. Enjoy the present Detective." Then he marched quickly from the room, followed closely by his men.

oOo

Masako reached up and touched the side of Konosuke's face. "Forty years. Has it really been that long?"

"I'm afraid it has my dear." He replied tenderly, touching her hair. "You're as lovely as I remember. How have you been?"

"I'm well." She said with a smile as she stepped next to Kenji's bed. "I married a compassionate man that's been a good provider, and a wonderful companion all this time. I don't regret my decision."

"I'd be lying if I said I hadn't been hurt by your disappearing." He said softly. "I certainly took a blow to my ego." He fell silent for a few moments before adding. "Would it really have been so awful to marry me?"

"Oh, Konosuke, don't think that!" She said turning to face him. "It was never you I had a problem with. You were my island of refuge in that madhouse of a life. If I had been forced to suffer though an arranged marriage, it would have at least been bearable with you. I was simply fed up with having to be perfect all the time. Someone was watching my every move, ready to correct any misstep." She looked away, angrily remembering. "Mother and Father expected me to be this quiet little mouse, bowing to the demands of the family, deferring to anyone who criticized me. I was so frustrated, that I was ready to tear my hair out." She took a breath, and then turning back to her former paramour, continued. "I was weary of society life and needed to escape. I missed you, and had thought about asking you to come with me. But you were your family's heir; I couldn't make you leave that. Please try to understand why I had to go."

He looked at her reservedly. "I never knew you were so unhappy. I know expectations of women were different back then. Most men thought they were to unobtrusively run the house and raise the family. I'm not like that. I never would have let you be voiceless Masako. You would have had a say in every matter that affected our marriage." He said, moving to stand next to her and looking down at the sleeping man. With a lilt in his voice he continued. "You certainly surprised everyone when you ran away like that. My parents were scandalized, and didn't waste any time trying to find your replacement, let me tell you." He sighed, and then added. "I resisted for a while, hoping you would come back. When you didn't, I eventually conceded and married my late wife. We were happy until the day she died, so both of us had good fortune in finding another love."

"I'm glad for you." She replied with a warm smile. "I always wondered if you were all right. I'd hear your name on the news, and think back to those days." Looking over to Amy, she added. "Now you know why your mother never knew her grandparents. I was disowned when I broke my betrothal."

"She was fortunate." Kenji said in a hoarse voice. "I only met them once, and that was enough."

"Oh!" Masako cried as she spun back to face him. "You're awake! Thank God!" She added as she leaned over and kissed him. Then taking his hand, she sat in the chair. Fresh tears formed as she said emotionally. "I was so afraid for you Kenji. I saw those bandages and all kinds of things popped into my head. I'm glad you're all right!"

"I'm fine dear." He replied caressing the top of her hand with his thumb. "How's Amy?"

"I'm over here. Thanks for asking." The girl said waving her hand, causing her grandfather to chuckle.

"If you can joke around like that, I guess you'll be fine." He said looking across the space between their beds. Then turning to the others, said. "I see we have visitors. Welcome, I'm Kenji Suzuki. It's nice to meet you."

"Good afternoon. I'm Keiko Himuro, Chairperson of Kisuragi Girls' High School." She said with a slight bow. "It saddens me that you had to suffer such an unnecessary act of aggression. Please let me know if there's anything I can do for you."

"Thank you for your consideration." The therapist said with a nod. "I just hope I never have to go through something like this again."

"I believe we all hope that for you, sir." Konosuke said stepping forward. "How do you do? My name is Konosuke Takasugi. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Kenji's eyes narrowed as he looked to his wife and asked. "So, this is the man you were betrothed to Masako?"

"Yes dear," his wife said with a nod. "It was a complete surprise when he came through the door."

He looked back to Konosuke coolly for a moment, taking his measure. Seeing the gentle expression the Chairman gave him, he laughed quietly and then said with a friendly smile. "It's nice to finally be able to put a face to the name that she's spoken so warmly about. Please stay and visit as long as you're able. I'm sure the two of you have a million things to catch up on."

"Thank you, but no." Konosuke said with a bow. "It would be wrong of me to monopolize her time when she needs to be with you. When you're feeling better, let me take you both to dinner. We can all get better acquainted then."

"That would be nice." The therapist said, sitting up in bed. "Ms Himuro, you should be proud of your daughter. She and Seira were very brave assisting Corey in capturing those hoods. I was unable to thank her properly at the time, would you relay my gratitude to her?"

"Izumi helped rescue you?" The woman asked, surprised. "I didn't know that. Of course Doctor, I'll mention it the next time I see her."

"Chairman Takasugi." Amy said nervously. "I want to thank you again for your offer to renovate the showers. The whole team was very excited when they heard. Have you had an opportunity to see them yet?"

He gave her a gentle smile as he moved next to her bed. "I have indeed Miss Watson. My architect has promised to have preliminary drawings to me in the morning. Please, don't concern yourself with that now. You just worry about getting better." Leaning on his cane, he spoke warmly. "I hear you protected Izumi last night. I was unaware of that this morning when we talked. She's the closest thing I have to a granddaughter. Thank you for your selflessness. You have proven yourself worthy of my generosity young lady, so don't feel you or your teammates need to pay me back."

"But, we want to!" Amy said sitting up with a grimace. Pausing until the pain subsided, she continued. "We all feel that way! Everyone believes this will finally earn them some respect if they can help pay for it. Please let us do this!"

"Have you thought of how you're going to earn the money?" Ms. Himuro said intrigued. "That will be no small task to raise funds of that level."

"We plan on making a souvenir photo book to sell at our games." The girl said looking at the chairperson, resolution in her eyes. "We also plan on playing some exhibition games before the beginning of the regional preliminaries. We're not sure how to arrange that though."

"That should only take an announcement to the press." The woman replied. "I could help with that. I must say, Amy. The fact you girls feel this way makes me feel even more justified in forming the baseball team. Well, we should get going. We want to see some of the game your brother arranged. After this morning, I want to have a little fun. Rest well, Amy. You'll need it for your exams tomorrow."

"Um, Ms. Himuro, I may have some trouble taking them tomorrow." The young American said holding up her bandaged hands. "I can't hold a pencil."

The chairperson paused, thinking, and then said. "That being the case, we will administer them orally. I will have the head of each department prepare for your arrival. I'll expect you in my office at ten o'clock in the morning, young lady. Get plenty of rest until then." Then after a bow to the Kenji and Masako, the visitors left the room. Walking towards the elevator, they were surprised to see Hiroki approaching with the three women from Hinata Sou.

"Hiroki, my boy." Konosuke said with a grin. "What are you doing here? I would have thought you were outside cheering you lady love on to victory."

"Hey gramps." He said back. "I'll get there eventually, but there's someone we need to see first."

"Trust you to be surrounded by attractive young women Hiroki." Ms. Himuro said with a sly grin. "Introduce us please."

"Of course." He replied with a grin of his own. Turning to the dorm residents, he began by saying, "Ladies, may I introduce my grandfather Konosuke Takasugi, Chairman of the Takasugi Group, and Ms. Keiko Himuro, Chairperson of Kisuragi Girls' High School, and the head of the Himuro Group."

"Remind me to thank Motoko for getting hurt." Kitsune said with a wide-eyed grin. "I've never been this close to real money before. How y'all doing? I'm Mitsune Konno, call me Kitsune."

"Don't be so cold blooded Kitsune." Naru said slapping her on the shoulder. Than turning to her elders, gave a polite bow as she said. "Forgive her, she doesn't get out much. It's nice to meet you. My name is Naru Narusagawa."

"And I'm Kanako Urashima." She said, stepping in front of Naru. "Please don't let us interrupt your schedule. People as important as you must be terribly busy."

Ms. Himuro's eyes narrowed. "My morning was very stressing, so I've decided to take the afternoon off. Chairman Takasugi has agreed to join me. Tell me Miss; are you always so rude to your friends? We hadn't yet returned this polite young woman's greeting. Next time, be more considerate." Kanako's face went red from shame as Ms. Himuro, turning back to the younger Takasugi, continued. "I'm curious, Hiroki. When did you take up kendo?"

He looked puzzled for a moment, and then he realized what she was talking about. "Oh! You mean the shinai case." He said, pulling it from his shoulder. "It belongs to the young woman we're going to see. She's some kind of martial arts master. She was injured fighting one of those thugs this morning. You should have seen her. This guy was a mountain, and she took him on bare handed. She had four broken ribs and still almost knocked him out!"

"She sounds remarkable." Konosuke said leaning forward on his cane listening intently. "I'd like to meet such a formidable woman. May we join you four?"

"That would be great Gramps." Hiroki said beaming. "I wanted to talk to you about her anyway. She's going to lose her job because of this, and I thought you might have a place for her."

Konosuke chuckled as he said. "I don't know if I can use a sword wielding fighter, Hiroki. After all, I'm not a yakuza boss that needs a bodyguard."

"Um, if I may, sir?" Naru ventured. "She's also a student at Tokyo University. She's in the Law School Graduate Program."

"My goodness!" He exclaimed. "What a remarkable young woman this must be. I have to meet her now."

"As do I." Ms. Himuro said as her brow furrowed in thought. "Lead on, Hiroki."

oOo

Mao was leaning against the fence, stretching her calves, when she heard a voice say behind her. "You handled that incident well." Turning, she looked into the face of the other team's captain.

"I don't know what happened there." She said shyly, blushing. "It really was a surprise when I yelled at Yoko. I don't normally get angry like that. We're all a little upset today. I'm sorry you had to see that."

"Don't worry about it. Tempers flare in the best of times. With your teammate getting hurt, I'm sure you're all a little tense." He said as he leaned against the fence. "I'm Shun Tokuharu. What's your name?"

"Mao Daidoji." She answered, looking at the ground. "Thank you for agreeing to play baseball with us. It'll be nice to think about something else after this morning."

"Yeah, I saw the press conference." He said, scuffing his shoe in the dirt as he shook his head. "Taking down a cop. Crazy stuff…um, listen, I need to get back. It's almost time to start the game." Pushing off the fence, he added "Good luck." as he turned to leave.

"Wait!" Mao cried. When he paused, she took a step towards him and said. "Did you mean what you said earlier? Do you really think I'm cute?"

"Why would I lie about something like that?" He asked confused. Seeing Mao's earnest expression, his face flushed as he added. "I think you're very attractive. Excuse me." Then he turned and quickly walked away.

"Someone's got an admirer." Hikaru said teasingly, coming up behind Mao. "A little beefy for my taste, but he seems nice enough."

"Do you think he's being honest with me or is he just trying to keep me distracted during the game?" The catcher asked, looking embarrassed. "I mean I used to be called 'Mao the cow'. I can't be good looking."

"What are you talking about Mao?" Hikaru said encouragingly. "You were never ugly, and you've really slimmed down since joining the team. How many sizes have you dropped?"

"Almost four." She answered quietly. "I'm still bigger than Seira. Next to her, I look like a blimp."

"Get real Mao." The first baseman said, gently laying a hand on the other girl's shoulder. "I don't think Seira will ever be heavy. She eats as much as you do, but her body just burns it off."

"What was that about me, Hikaru?" Seira said as she approached. "You better not be starting rumors about me and Corey!"

"I wasn't!" The girl from Osaka said quickly, moving to stand beside the catcher. "I was just telling Mao not to be upset that she's not a skinny as you."

"She's right Mao." The redhead said encouragingly. "I'm just lucky that way. And remember, if you weren't as big and strong as you are, you'd have a lot harder time stopping Ryo's lightning ball. Why are you worrying about it after all this time? We've been going to school together for nearly a year. I've never heard you mention it before."

"She's never had a guy tell her she was cute before." Hikaru said with a wide grin.

"Yeah?" Seira said as her curiosity was aroused. "Who was he?"

"The captain of the team we're playing today." Mao mumbled as she blushed and stared at her shoes.

Looking over, they spotted him giving a last minute talk to his teammates. When he noticed them staring at him, he quickly looked away.

"He's shy." Seira said with a grin. "I bet he's never had a girlfriend. It must have taken all his courage just to come talk to you. Say, he's their catcher, right? Let's try the girly girl strategy on him."

"I'm game." Hikaru said with a grin and a gleam in her eye. "I had fun doing that to Rinkai High last year."

"I didn't" Mao said bitterly. "None of them got nervous around a fatso like me. I don't want you to do that to him. He seems like a nice guy."

"Ok Mao." Seira said warmly. "We'll play it straight. We'll leave your crush alone."

"I never said I had a crush on him!" She replied loudly, causing the rest of the team to look over. Her brow furrowed as she looked at her teammate. "Ohh, darn it Seira. Now everyone's going to want to know."

"Don't worry about it Mao." Hikaru said slapping her on the back. "You're a teenage girl. It's normal for you to have a crush on someone."

"You could have made a worse choice." Seira said putting her arm around her friend. "I mean, a Tokyo U student? That's the top of the heap."

"Yeah, but what do I have to offer?" She said sullenly.

"Are you kidding?" Hikaru asked incredulous. "You're going to one of the top high schools in the country. You've earned athletic scholarships in not just one but two sports, and your grades are in the top five percent of our class. You may just follow him into Tokyo U someday. Not to mention that you happen to be a heck of a nice person."

"That's right!" Seira added, pushing Mao playfully. "And who knows? If things go right, you'll be part of the first all girl team to play at the national championship."

"What should I do?" She asked forlornly.

"Are you interested in him?" Hikaru asked seriously.

"I though he was good looking before he even said anything." She admitted as she blushed again.

"Then tell him." Seira prodded. "He's not that much older than us. If I can have a boyfriend going to college on the other side of the world, why can't you have one going to college in Tokyo?"

"I don't know." The catcher replied quietly. "Seira, would you get upset if I asked Corey about this? I'd like to get a guy's opinion."

"I don't mind." She said, linking her elbow with Mao's. "Let's go ask him now." Then she dragged the reluctant girl towards the bench as she cried out. "Hey Corey, come here! Mao wants you!" The larger girl moaned in embarrassment as Hikaru, following behind them, snickered. Seira smiled sheepishly as she said. "Sorry Mao, bad choice of words." Then the redhead tightened her grip on the catcher's arm when she felt her try to pull away. "Oh, no. You're not running away. We've come this far with it, so we're seeing it through."

"Ok." She replied conceding. "Just don't yell stuff like that anymore."

"Deal." The second base man said with a nod. Then they both turned as Corey walked up.

oOo

Makito Akimatsu walked purposefully through the door. He had changed out of his casual clothes, and was now wearing a suit. Approaching the desk, he introduced himself, and impatiently added. "I'm here to see my brother."

"Of course sir, we've been expecting you." The woman said sweetly. "If you'll have a seat, we'll have someone escort you to him."

"Thank you." he replied as he found a chair. Rubbing his shoulder, he sighed and leaned back. Anguish and fatigue weighed him down, so he let his head fall back as he closed his eyes. He had nearly succumbed to sleep, when a voice called to him.

Jumping, he looked into the face of another young woman, who smiled as she said. "I'll take you to your brother now. Please follow me."

Climbing to his feet, he followed her in silence as she led him down a hallway to a heavy door. She knocked, turned to Makito, and after giving him a respectful bow, returned the way they'd come. He grasped the doorknob, and with a growl opened it. He looked into the interrogation room as his brother looked back at him. "You idiotic piece of shit! What the hell did you do this time?"

"Hey bro." Toru mumbled looking away from his brother's irate gaze. "Thanks for coming down. I really messed up this time, so don't plan on seeing me for awhile."

Hearing this, Makito's anger withered, replaced by genuine concern for his little brother. "What do you mean?" Looking at Kimura, he continued. "What did he do? Has he confessed to something without counsel? I can have a lawyer here in half an hour. We'll fight it!"

"He hasn't confessed to anything." Kimura said leaning forward in his chair. "He hasn't needed to. Two members of his gang have already given him up, and I have two high school girls who positively identified him as leading the group that attacked them."

"Wait a minute! High school girls?" He turned a cold eye onto Toru. "You were the one behind the attack that was all over the news this morning? You assaulted a cop? How stupid can you be? What could have motivated you to do something so asinine?"

"Revenge." Kimura said simply. "One of his gang went to Kisuragi Girls' to warn them, and he didn't like it. The policeman was just in the way. Oh that reminds me Toru. Kosuke survived his surgery, and should be regaining consciousness soon. I can't wait to take his statement."

"That won't be necessary Detective." The thug replied quietly. "I'm going to confess, to everything."

oOo

Motoko opened her eyes slowly. Her training had helped her to work through pain, but it didn't make her feel it less. She groaned softly when she took a deep breath. "Not one of my better days." She mumbled.

"The valiant heroine awakes." A voice with a Kansai accent said.

Looking to her right, she saw her friends and Hiroki standing next to her bed. "Hey, why are you all here? You didn't need to rush down. I'll be fine."

"Don't be silly Motoko." Naru said stepping forward. "When Shinobu called us and told us you were hurt, we dropped everything to be with you. We've known each other too long to have stayed away."

Gazing at Hiroki, the swordswoman noticed the case over his shoulder and added. "I see you still have my sword. Thank you for keeping it safe." Turning back to her friend, she added. "Naru, would you contact my sister and have her come for it? I won't be using it for a while and I don't want it to fall into unworthy hands."

"Is someone after it?" Hiroki said intrigued. "I'll have my father secure it in our vault then."

"The Cursed Blade of Hina is infamous." She intoned. "Many weapon aficionados would love to have it for their collection. My sister told me that the demon sealed in the blade caused the fire that nearly burned Kyoto to the ground. It is innocuous for the time being, but a person with a strong negative ki could release the demon again."

"What!" Hiroki exclaimed, looking warily from the sword over his shoulder to the woman lying in bed. "Why the hell would you trust something like that with me?"

"You defended me when I was helpless." She replied calmly. "That's not the act of a selfish or evil heart. I felt it was safe to trust you with it."

"Your friend here says you don't like men." He pressed. "If that's true, why didn't you give this thing to Seira? You owe your life more to her than me."

"She has too much anger inside." Motoko said closing her eyes. "That is a negative emotion that I fear could feed the demon, allowing it to manifest again. You on the other hand, seem naturally affable, and were the better choice of the two."

"You're right about Seira being angry." He said nodding. "She's dealing with a lot of family trouble. She seems a little calmer since she and Corey have gotten together."

"Love is the strongest emotion. It can change a person's whole outlook on life." She said with a gentle smile, as if reminiscing. "Still, I would like to offer to help her deal with that anger through meditation and training. More than once I have retreated to the roof deck of our dormitory when my anger was building. A few hundred strokes with my sword usually vented my frustration adequately." Then realizing there were other people in the room, her eyes snapped open, and she gazed at them guardedly. "Excuse me. I didn't notice you at first. I'm still a little foggy from the anesthesia. My name is Motoko Aoyama, how do you do?"

"That name explains much of what my grandson has told me." Konosuke said with a chuckle. "You're from the God's Cry School in Kyoto, aren't you?"

"That is correct." She replied with a nod. Then her eyes narrowed as she asked suspiciously. "The school isn't widely known. How is it that you are aware of it?"

"I've had business dealings with you're mother in the past. You bear a strong resemblance to her." He replied, grinning mirthfully at her cautiousness. "I'm curious as to why a skilled swordswoman is attending law school at Tokyo University. Your mother will pass the school onto you someday, won't she?"

"I am the heir to the school, although the school as such has been declared a national treasure. The government now manages it, so I'm left without an inheritance. I'm studying law to find someway to take control of it back from them."

"I wish you good fortune in that endeavor, my dear." He replied chuckling. "My name is Konosuke Takasugi. It is a delight to meet you."

"Forgive me for not standing, Mr. Takasugi." She replied with an apologetic smile. "My body is a little worse for wear today."

"That's quite all right." He said with a chuckle. "I'm surprised a master of the God's Cry School could be laid low by a common thug though."

"He wasn't just a common thug, Gramps." Hiroki interjected. "The guy threw me over a car! He was over twice her size, and picked her up and slammed her down like she weighed nothing. He nearly killed her. We were all stunned when she got back up, and her punch took him off his feet. What I don't understand is why she didn't just punch him like that in the first place."

Motoko sighed as she explained. "That is a high level attack of our school. As you saw, it can be quite devastating. I didn't want to hurt him to that extent, but he forced my hand. You're right, that man was anything but normal. That kick I gave him to the side of his head, should have knocked him down at least. I was focusing my ki energy to that foot. It reinforces the soft tissue, making it temporarily as hard as wood. The final blow I dealt him was the result of gathering my ki energy, and then releasing it through my fist in an explosive rush. Normally, using that technique on people is discouraged, but as you saw, it was necessary to stop him."

"Is that how you blew the door up?" Hiroki pressed. "I saw what was left of it. I wouldn't have wanted to be on the other side when you struck it."

"It is a similar technique, yes." The Swordswoman replied with a nod. Looking to her other visitor, she continued. "Good day Ma'am. It's nice to meet you."

"How are you Miss?" She said stepping forward. "My name is Keiko Himuro. I'm the Chairperson of Kisuragi Girls' High School. Listening to you now, I can tell you are a caring person. The fact you kept fighting after being so gravely wounded, also shows me you possess great courage. Hiroki told us that you would need employment soon. If you are interested, I have an offer for you."

"That is very generous of you." The swordswoman said bowing her head. "What would I be doing?"

The chairperson adjusted her glasses, and said seriously. "The events of the past two days have brought to light a deficiency in my school's curriculum. When you have recovered from your injuries, I would like you to come work for me. I want to hire you to teach my students to defend themselves."

oOo

Well things are still happening aren't they? It seems the girls will be seeing a lot more of the stoic samurai in the future. One question I have for you all. No one has commented on the romance between Seira and Corey. Am I the only one who likes her? Is it too big of change in her character? Please offer some insight. Thanks again for your continued support. OMS.