Haruhi stared down at the invitation for the hundredth time since receiving it earlier in the week. It was cream, gilt-edged, reeking of expense, and just as completely lacking in explanative details as it had been the last time she'd read it.

Your attendance as an official observer is requested for:

(Something written in classical Japanese – she could make out the word for 'challenge' but the rest seemed to be a unique word she had never seen in her lexicons)

Of Morinozuka Takashi

To

The Haninozuka Family

Time, Date, Location

When she spotted the black town car pulling up in front of her apartment she bolted out the door, she made it to the car just as Tamaki leaped out to courteously usher her inside. Sitting down on the bench seat next to him and opposite Kyoya she released the pent up anxiety she'd been holding on to.

"What is going on? Mori-sempai is challenging the Haninozuka family? The family? Is he going to fight all of them?"

"Just a selected few, I'd imagine," drawled Kyoya, staring intently at something on his smart phone.

"Stop being mysterious, Kyoya-sempai! If anyone knows what's going on it's you; just tell me already," she begged.

Kyoya looked up from his phone; he had a hard time resisting the chance to act superior. "Well, the colloquial name of it can be understood as either 'bride challenge' or 'groom test' interchangeably if that helps." Having failed to clear up much of anything he smugly returned to tapping on his phone.

Haruhi nearly strangled her boyfriend's best friend. He always did this – gave details in drips and drabbles, making her leap through hoops to pull further clarification out of him. She never could tell if it was a test to see how little information she required to piece things together on her own or if he just enjoyed showing off. "So, Mori-sempai wants to get married? To a Haninozuka? I didn't even realize he was dating anyone."

"I'm sure you did not. However, more importantly, neither did I." Haruhi almost laughed at how put out he seemed at anyone in their circle of friends doing something he wasn't both aware of and at least two steps ahead of them on.

Kyoya sighed and finally divulged the explanation he'd been holding on to. "It is an old, very old, tradition. The Haninozukas not only rigorously train themselves, but also actively seek to align with similarly skilled individuals. By tradition, any man, regardless of background, may challenge to prove he is of sufficient skill and strength to be worthy to align with the family through marriage."

Haruhi felt herself begin to relax, the one thing she'd learned the last few years was just how differently rich people did things. The ridiculously wealthy, however, didn't even begin to compare to just how strange some of the practices of really old families could be. "So, this is just their fancy way of proposing then" she concluded. It seemed a bit over-the-top.

Kyoya actually put away his phone and turned his attention entirely on her. "No, in fact it's not common at all and they take it quite seriously. Typically it's only invoked when one or both families might object to the match."

Haruhi looked nervously between him and Tamaki. The golden-haired man had not taken any part in their conversation; he'd been gazing pensively out the window the entire time. His obvious concern brought all her worry crashing back down around her. "Bu…but who could possibly object to Mori-sempai?"

"The Morinozuka's have been vassals to the Haninozuka's for centuries," said Tamaki, his voice registering regret at what he saw as an injustice to the character of his friend, "even today some of them can't overlook that fact."

"It should be fine, right? It's Mori-sempai – he won all the challenges against before he graduated this past spring. He's a great fighter. He'll win. Right?"

"The Haninozuka's are equally skilled, even he couldn't fight the whole family" replied Tamaki concernedly.

"Also," added Kyoya, "I never said it was only the Haninozuka's that might object."

"The Morinozuka's? What could they do, does he have to fight them as well?"

"No, but the last Morinozuka to challenge and fail was forced to cede his position as heir to his younger brother."

Haruhi reached out and clutched at Tamaki's hand for comfort, her worry growing into a sense of gnawing dread. Kyoya pulled out his phone and the rest of the journey passed in silence.

Entering the area designated for the challenge to take place felt like stepping back into the Meiji era. A large rectangular field with a red circle painted on the bare, dirt ground dominated the center. On one of the narrow sides of the rectangle was a raised platform with two low stools in the center that was shielded by a covered pergola against the blazing August sun. Awning shaded wooden bleachers surrounded the three remaining sides. The trio were shown to seats in the section opposite the platform amidst other invited observers.

The spectators on the other two sides contributed to the feeling of entering the past. She could identify members of Mori's family to her right and Honey's to her left; all were dressed in elaborate traditional clothing. Mori, clad in a gi, knelt in a meditative pose at the edge of the circle on the Morinozuka side. Sitting on a bench behind him, Haruhi recognized his father and younger brother. His father was looking slightly apprehensive, Satoshi was looking downright sick. On the Haninozuka side, both Honey and Chika were kneeling in front of the bleachers amidst a crowd of gi wearing men and women.

At some unobserved signal, the crowd stood as four men and a woman, ranging in age from twenties to mid-forties, entered and stood before the dais.

"Those are the prospective bride's immediate family members," muttered Kyouya, "If Mori-sempai defeats all of them then any of the extended family may take up the challenge." He nodded to the group of potential combatants on the left.

Next, Honey's father and a rather pretty girl entered. Unlike the rest of the women in the two families, who were dressed in formal kimono, she was wearing a cream and pink kimono top with a hakama bottom with white summer flowers along the shoulders and hem. The cane in her left hand that she used to assist herself up onto the dais revealed the reason for the less formal and restrictive clothing.

"Haninozuka Kaori, great-granddaughter of a previous head. Ouran High School, Class 3-C. Good family but a branch line and only average grades" said Kyoya, as if that was everything one needed to know about the girl Mori might be risking his future on.

Haruhi observed her closely to see if she could learn anything more. The girl appeared nervous, clearly unhappy at being the center of attention. She seemed fearful, but Haruhi couldn't tell whether it was of Mori losing or winning. She really hoped the girl was in favor of the match and this wasn't simply a more complicated form of arranged marriage. As Kaori looked at the crowds, particularly towards the Morinozuka's, she kept rubbing her right leg and a suspicion began to form in Haruhi's mind.

"Tamaki, please don't tell me the reason the Morinozuka's might object is…" she trailed off, unwilling to complete the thought.

Tamaki pulled her hand into the crook of his arm and patted it. "Some prejudices die hard," he replied tightly, clearly fighting his white knight instincts to set right all wrongs.

On the dais, Honey's father and Kaori simultaneously sank into the two stools sitting in the center of the platform, and the rest of the crowd, except for Mori and the girl's five family members, followed suit.

Mori stepped into the ring and stood facing the dais. He bowed, first towards the dais, then towards the Haninozuka family, and finally towards his own. A man, serving as a facilitator, stepped forward and addressed the crowd, giving an overview of the purpose of the challenge and the rules. The challenge would continue without stopping until either Mori was defeated or nobody remained who was willing to fight. Each match would be held in the standard Haninozuka style – the bout was lost if your shoulder touched the ground for twenty seconds or you stepped outside the ring.

The youngest of the five family members stepped into the ring as the rest settled into kneeling position. The facilitator cried "START" and the first fight began.

A/N: Next update might be awhile because I have difficult time writing fight sequences. I may have to get my turn-coat ex-beta reader to act it out for me.

Thanks to all my reviewers/followers/favoriters – you guys keep me going! And an especially big thanks to who informed me that I inadvertently gave Mori a sex-change last chapter. Because Japanese honorifics are hard.

I can't help writing these scenarios and outtakes in my head, so here is another:

Kyoya: Pardon me, Sensei, but I have a question.

Me: Sure, anything for you Kyo…. Hey, wait a second – was that a note of sarcasm on the word Sensei?

K: (slow blink) …..

K: Anyway, you seem to use me mostly for exposition purposes, is that the only reason I'm in this?

M: Well, someone needed to explain to the readers what was going on and you are the most know-it-all character

K: (eyes narrowing) I'll choose to take that as a compliment. One point of continuity – I thought I was attending school in the US at this time.

M: Yes, you're currently a senior at an Ivy League college in Massachusetts. American colleges have this amazing thing called 'summer vacation' so you came back to Japan for the wedding and to intern at one of your family's companies. It will look good on your business school application.

K: Oh, so I will be going to business school next year? I presume I get in easily.

M: Of course! And graduate top of your class. That will come in handy for when you meet….Um, never mind

K: When I meet who? What are you planning?

M: Me? Not planning a thing. Don't worry your pretty little devious head about it. Besides, isn't life better with surprises?

K: Not. Mine.

M: I promise, I won't do anything bad to you. (muttering) at least not until I finish Mori's story. (rubs hands together evilly.)