Time: One Month Later

It was tucked away in a small side street in the city's northern side. Standing between an antique shop on its left and a used bookstore on its right, the three-story building held the nerve center or DNA Network-Japan. Passersby would glance at the decorated plastic Christmas tree in the waiting room through the frosted window. The branches half-hid a huge framed portrait of English writer and philosopher G.K. Chesterton, his head touched with rays of light from above. A German-made old nativity set replaced any gifts that would have lain at the foot of the tree.

In the rear of the second floor, where the main studios resided, the next edition of the "Fresh Morning Program" was about to begin. Leroy McTamoshanter, network vice-president and engineer/producer of the show, signaled to o his friend behind the glass. His raised right hand counted off the seconds from five to one, pointing to the glass at zero.

"Good morning everyone," the smooth voice began, encouraged by Leroy giving him a "thumbs-up" signal. "This is Ippei Oggi. And you're listening to "Fresh Morning" on DNA Network-Japan, the nation's fastest-growing alternative radio network. It's seven minutes past eight in the morning, as hour three of the show gets underway. I'll be discussing the burning issues of the day from the lay Traditional Catholic, pro-family, and Distributist viewpoints. Your comments, pro or con, are always welcome."

"And for those Japanese speakers listening via short-wave or internet radio," the alarm clock radio blared. "Send me your comments via e-mail at d-n-a-radio at zing-zang-dot-com, and we'll answer you on the air. But first, here's today's uncensored news affecting Graviton City, its prefecture, our nation, the world, and the known universe."

A pillow landed with a loud "FLOP!" on top of the radio, still blabbing away, as A-Ko Magami struggled to get out of bed. She half-slept, spread out on the rumpled bed, dusty visions of term papers crawling through her head. A framed picture of her and Leroy lay under her head, the glass over his head smeared with a bright red lipstick kiss.

The front doorbell rang twice, loud and boisterous, jarring her awake. Blinking blurry eyes, she stretched and yawned, shaking her long flaming mane of thick hair. A third ring of the bell drove her from the bed, her fingers buttoning up her nightshirt. She tiptoed to her room's sliding windows facing the street. Raising the blinds, she gasped at the beguiling frost patterns blanketing the windows. Filtered sunlight dazzled through each leaf of frost.
She slid the window open, a blast of winter wind making her shiver, whipping through her hair.

"Hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo," she mumbled. "F-f-f-freezing this m-m-morning." She peeked outside to see a small figure in front of the house, bundled to the nose in winterwear. An oversized pea-green jacket covered it down to the knees. A fluffy bright-blue floppy hat met a double-wrapped pine-green scarf covering neck and mouth. A pair of wide green eyes stared up at her, anxious.

"C-c-c-Ko?" A-Ko shouted, arms crossed over her chest, shivering. "Is th-th-that you?"

The figure stretched and pulled at the scarf for a long minute, struggling to free her mouth. Her muffled grunts betrayed swelling anger in her voice. A-Ko raised her eyebrows, confused.

"Whoa," C-Ko sighed, straightening her backpack. "Well, who do you think it is, Henry Kissinger?" She stood up on her tiptoes. "Come on, A-Ko, we'll be late for school!"

"You m-m-mean the c-c-c-college."

"School, college, whatever. Hurry u-u-u-u-p!" A-Ko slid the door shut. C-Ko kicked some snow off the walkway. "Best friends since we were seven years old, and she still can't get up on time."

"B-b-best friends since kindergarten," A-Ko mumbled, "and she still waits up for me." She threw on a pair of long-johns, a tan sweater, and blue jeans. While sitting on the bed, putting on her socks, she gazed on the frost-covered windows.

"Mmmmmmm, I sure can't run with her to college today. Those roads look too treacherous. I'd be all right if I slipped and fell, but what would happen to poor C-Ko? She'd be crying for sure. Think, think, think."

She glanced around her room, scanning for an idea. Her eyes fell on a poster of Japan's 2010 Olympic Ski Team. All eleven men and women, three with gold medals around their necks, gave wide smiles to their fans. She looked at the poster, a smile slowly creeping on her face. "Yeah," she whispered, chuckling. "Why not?"

She bounded to the window, slid it open again. "Hey-hey, C-Ko!"

"That's my name, don't wear it out," she blared, arms folded. A-Ko scratched her head. Sheesh, C-Ko, what's gotten into you today?

"C-Ko, do ya like skiing?"

"Oh, su-u-u-ure I do," she mocked. "Just thinking about sliding down the side of a mountain, at a hundred kilometers per hour, with just two sticks tied to my feet for protection, sounds real fun." She lifted a leg and pointed at it. "These are the only legs I'll ever have this side of the grave, A-Ko. I don't want 'em busted."

"No problem, buddy. Wait up, I'll be right down." She slid the window shut again.

"What's she up to, anyway?" C-Ko pouted. The sound of objects crashing down stairs followed A-Ko's descent to the front door.

"Later, Dad. Later, Mom," A-Ko shouted as she burst out into the crisp December morning. She was swathed in a red-and-gold striped ski suit and boots, a pair of mini-skis, poles in one hand, and goggles in the other. C-Ko gasped, startled, grabbing her heart.

"A-Ko, you're-you're not gonna play hooky, are you?"

"Are you kidding? I've never played hooky in my life, and I'm not going to start now. This is just another way I'll get to college fast, without waiting for the snowplows to clear the roads."

"You mean - ski down there?"

"Yes, ma'am," she said, squatting to strap her books to her skis.

"Well - well, that's fine for you, but what about me?"

"Simple. Just climb onto my back and hold on tight. I'll get you there."

"What? Are you serious?"

"Sure I am. I'm strong enough to carry you, you know that. Besides, I'll take the main roads today, no short cuts. This way, you'll feel less nervous."

"Promise me you'll be careful," she sighed.

"Always, C-Ko." She wrapped her arms and legs around the redhead's torso, clasping her wrists underneath A-Ko's chest.

"What about your books, A-Ko?"

"That's what lockers are for, buddy. They're included with the tuition cost." She raised herself to her full height, laughing as she put on her goggles.

"What's so funny?"

"I get ticklish when you hold me like that. Are you ready?"

"Ready."

"Here - we - go-o-o-o-o-o!" They pushed through the streets with a swish. The roads ahead twisted and turned, as the pair glided over the frozen roads. A growing wake of snow built behind them, as A-Ko gained speed with each mile.

C-Ko, eyes closed, lay her head against A-Ko's back, feeling the wild winds threatening to steal her hat and scarf. She heard her friend's strong heartbeat pace normally, surprised it didn't race. Her breathing wasn't rapid either, but steady and calm.

"You feeling okay, A-Ko?" she yelled.

"Man, I feel ecstatic!" She handled every curve with ease, her vapory breath flowing from her like smoke from an old locomotive. Buildings and houses melted into a blurred tunnel of color with each mile. The morning sun blazed in glorious fury, the azure sky still streaked with the remains of the night's storm.

"Hey, Hakushu, is that her?" the skinny Jiritsu said, pointing toward the weird ivory wake of snow trailing down the hillside road far away.

"Should be, Toothpick," he replied, chomping down his third jelly donut. "Nobody else in the world gets to school that way other than her." The beefy head of the construction crew looked over the repair site near the city limits. Two more deep potholes were being filled with the latest formula of instant concrete, guaranteed by the Daitokuji Construction Corporation to fix holes and cracks in an hour at most. The rest of his crew were keeping the snow away from their site, or the cold away from their bones.

"Hey, Glamourboy, get over here!" Hakushu's son, dressed like the rest in his yellow work suit, boots, and hardhat, ran over from the cement truck he minded.

"Yes, Dad."

"Look where Toothpick's pointing. She'll be here in a minute." He shook his head, gazing at the approaching wake.

"I'm surprised the police never snagged her for speeding."

"I'm surprised," Jiritsu said, "that you never snagged her for a date, buddy."

"Get real, Toothpick. I don't even know her name."

"It's A-Ko Magami, ain't that so, Rhino?"

"Age 23, single, goes to Graviton City University. And a redhead to boot."

"A redheaded onjin? Dad, you've got to be kidding me."

"You'll see for yourself, son," he said, finishing his donut. Waving his free arm, he got the attention of the rest of the crew.

"Thirty seconds, gentlemen. Get ready." The rest of the crew finished smoothing out the repaired potholes and ran to where Hakushu stood. They made bets among themselves, small wads of yen passing between them.

"Think she'd be running in this weather, boss?" one crewman asked.

"She may be ski-boarding, for all we know."

"That blonde gonna be with her?" said another.

"That's Her Highness, you dope," chided Toothpick. "You wouldn't say anything like that about a member of OUR royal family, would you?"

"Why pay so much attention to a crazy chick like her, Rhino?" asked a third.

"Thanks to her, the city's been able to keep us employed and fixin' stuff. And 'cause of her, I'm able to afford to send my daughter to Osaka University this year. All that overtime helps." He took off his hat in respect. "She's blessing from Above, I'm sure of it."

Without warning, a red-and-gold figure shot out from behind a tall hill a half-mile from them. It climbed into the sky before them, as if launching from a ski jump.

"There she is, fellas!" Rhino roared. "Heeeyyyyyyyyy, A-Ko-o-o-o!"

"Hi-i-i-i-i-i-i, fellah-ah-ah-ahs," came a faint reply, as she and C-Ko soared above them toward the city center. The whole crew cheered and whistled, waving at her.

"She's flying, for cryin' out loud," Glamourboy yelled. Rhino playfully slapped his son on his head. "Thanks for stating the obvious, son."

"Where will she land, boss?"

"Where do ya think?"

"She's headin' in the direction of the Nakashuma Bank," Toothpick cried. "Bet she'll knock it down."

"A thousand yen says she won't," said the first man.

"A thousand yen says she'll hit the Arigato Center," said the second man.

"Five hundred yen says she'll smack the Zakima Apartments," said the third.

"You're all wrong, guys," said Rhino. "It'll be a perfect three-point landing in front of the Nakashuma, causing a deep-enough hole in the street to tie up traffic for a week."

"How much?" the crew crowed.

"Two thousand yen, and a box of donuts on me. Son, get on the truck, and act as our lookout, will ya?"

"Done." Glamourboy bounded through the crew toward his cement truck and clambered onto the top of the cab. He held onto his hardhat, shading his eyes with his other hand.

"Whaddaya see, buddy?" asked Toothpick.

"She flew over the Arigato - and the Zakima - and the Nakashuma too. Sheesh, is she on steroids or what?"

"Play-by-play, son, not commentary, all right?"

"Yes, Dad," he said, rolling his eyes. "She's descending now - arms outspread to balance herself - what a pro, really - she's approaching the Daitokuji Mortgage Corporation building."

"Serious?" said the crew.

"In fact, she's - yes, she's landing right beside the Hikaru Daitokuji statue in front of the building. And there it goes, head first - right into the first-floor lobby."

The whole crew cheered, gave each other high-fives. A chant of "A-Ko! A-Ko!" rose from them, full-throated and happy.

"Lu-u-u-u-u-uv that redhead," Rhino yelled, blowing a kiss toward the city center.