Friday early evening, March 11th – Shinkansen tunnel
Umeko finally got through on the emergency phone and heard the details of what was happening in the rest of Japan. The western half of the country hardly had any effects at all, but that was not the case for the east coast of the main island of Honshu. A tsunami was created from the offshore earthquake which raised the sea level and swept through many of the coastal towns and rural areas. Whole communities had been simply washed away. There were expectations that tens of thousands of people would be homeless tonight. Thousands were missing, and – so far, the confirmed death toll was in the hundreds. It would be remembered as the worst natural disaster to hit Japan in modern times. As tedious as it was to be stuck in a train in a tunnel, the passengers of that Shinkansen were faring far better then many others. And, it wasn't just their train. Other bullet trains and commuter trains from Tokyo to the northern tip of the island had been shut down. Millions of people in the heart of Tokyo had homes that were unaffected by the tragedy, but they had no way to get home. And it hadn't been just the trains. Airplanes had been diverted, and many cargo and ferry ships had to find other ports since theirs were damaged… or gone.
In the tunnel though, Umeko had been told to wait for assistance. But there wasn't even a guess as to when that assistance would arrive.
"What should we tell the passengers?" the attendant with the medical training had come back and reported to Umeko that all was well in the other cars. A few people were anxious from the situation, but there were no physical injuries at all. Now she was back on the Super Green Car with her comrades and had just heard Umeko's report.
"Can we tell them that? It might cause a panic." the second attendant worried.
"No, I don't think it will. There may be a few tourists on the train, but most of the passengers are Japanese. And we Japanese know what it's like to live in a country blessed with typhoons, earthquakes, and tsunamis – right?"
The camaraderie of her statement made her companions smile and mentally get themselves ready for whatever tasks awaited them.
"Inform the passengers. Make them as comfortable as possible. But most of all, see to their safety." Umeko said. All she was really doing was paraphrasing the company's guidelines, but her kohai's acknowledged the mission she had given them with eager determination.
"Right!" all three of them quietly cheered before breaking up their little huddle and setting themselves to their tasks. Umeko was proud of the impressive safety record of the Shinkansen, and she vowed that she, and her small team, would do their part to keep that record impressive.
.
Friday evening, March 11th – Yamagata, Japan
Inside the bathhouse now, Noto saw the room that he and his cousin had rented very briefly. Only there long enough to put his bags down, he noticed that it was small and there was only a toilet and a sink. Apparently the students that rented here were expected to use the bathhouse on the first floor for the rest of their hygienic needs. The elderly woman that took care of the place let him use her telephone when he explained what he wanted to do. However, just as he was about to make his first call, his cell phone beeped and he got the symbols that told him he had his cell service again.
"Noto-sama!" Shinako came running into the small office with her phone in her hand.
"I see. That was faster than I anticipated." Noto thought about what this meant for the next several actions he should make. He hoped that it might be an indication that the damage wasn't as bad as he feared, but the memory of seeing all that water flooding the Sendai airport gave him doubts. It could just be that the cell network is more robust than I had thought.
"See if you can call the Sendai unit that was heading back to Tokushima. Find out if they are all okay, then have them turn around and head here at the best speed they can make." Noto told his elder cousin.
"Are you sure?" Shinako knew that having that unit return would mean that he was abandoning his plans to build the retirement resort with Yamada-san. Noto would be making a big gamble, and she wondered if they should talk it over with Obāsama first.
"I am certain." Noto told her grimly, "If the damage is as bad as I think… Japan is going to have much more need of reconstruction and recovery than another vacation spot." Noto said grimly.
"But… the promises and plans you made with Yamada-san?" Shinako wanted to warn him about the danger of getting his reputation off to a bad start. It would be easy for his detractors and critics to make the rumors stick - that Noto was a promise-breaker. They would say that his word meant nothing, and he could not be trusted. And it would be an unwanted and undeserved legacy he would have to fight for the rest of his life.
"I will call Yamada-san and apologize to her personally. But I can't… I just can't walk away from this. If there is something I can do to help all of these people, I have to try." Noto said firmly.
"I see. It is a difficult decision." Shinako wanted Noto to be wrong about how dire the situation was, because if he was right - that would mean that much of Japan's infrastructure had been grievously damaged, and… there would be a huge amount of human suffering. At the same time, his decisions at the moment could save the Hisamitsu heavy construction companies if he was right… even if it damaged his reputation in the process. With mixed feelings, she dialed up the construction manager that should be with that convoy and hoped that cell service was restored in whatever part of Japan he was in at the moment. As the phone started to ring, she could hear Noto making the first of many calls. Regrettably but necessarily, this first one would be… an apology.
.
"Hello, this is Hisamitsu Noto. May I speak to Yamada Yukiko?" Noto asked as soon as someone answered the phone.
"I'm sorry, she isn't available at the moment. May I… Hisamitsu Noto? Aren't you the Noto-kun that is one of Ryuuji-san's friends?" a feminine voice asked.
"Um, yes. But this call is actually a business call." Noto tried to place the woman's voice but couldn't.
"Ah, this is Yukiko's sister, Natsuko. We met briefly, but I have heard lot's of stories about you and your friends from onee-chan. Is there something I can do for you?" Natsuko asked politely, but she sounded like she was very busy with her own problems.
"Perhaps there is." Noto thought through what little he knew about the Yamada sisters. He remembered a few stories about them. Like his own, their family was an old one, but unlike his, it was still quite powerful in the business of hotel and restaurant management. Currently, the daughters of the head of the family had been pitted against each other in a battle royale to determine who would head up the family after their father retired. After meeting Ryuuji, Ami, and most importantly - Ryuuji's mother, Yukiko had reached out to her two younger sisters who had already failed their trials – and brought them in to work with her. If he remembered the stories correctly, it was the first time the siblings had ever been like sisters to each other – and all three of them liked that change. But I have to make sure that I am talking to one of the sister's that supports Yukiko and not one of her rivals. Noto tried to think of a test to determine if she was a loyal sister. Onee-chan… she called Yukiko, onee-chan. She has to be one of the trusted little sisters! I'm sure of it now.
"Natsuko-san… I'll try and make this quick. Yukiko-san and I came to an agreement about making a resort in Tokushima. I was supposed to get construction started on it immediately… but I just can't pull the units away from Sendai now. Not after what has happened there. I have to see if there is something I can do to help." Noto apologized by way of explanation.
"Noto-kun… I'm not sure what you were working on with onee-chan, but please do not concern yourself with that, at a time like this." Natsuko told him. Then she asked, "Are you in a place where you can watch a television broadcast?"
"I am in Yamagata at the moment… I believe there is a television in the common lounge, but… why?" Noto thought the question was a bit of a non-sequitur.
"You should keep an eye on it. The earthquake damage wasn't so bad, but the devastation caused by the tsunami was far worse than anyone had anticipated. They are saying that there may be a hundred thousand people homeless tonight." she relayed the sad news to him.
"A hundred thousand!" Noto gasped. He knew the Sendai airport had been badly flooded, but the airplane had gone back up into the clouds before he could see much else. The news from Natsuko had been startling, but if anything, it helped him to galvanize his resolve to help in the recovery efforts.
"Noto-kun… that's not the worst of it. A few minutes ago, the government declared an emergency for the Fukushima nuclear power plant. There isn't a lot of information on what is going wrong, but witnesses said that the tsunami spilled over the seawall there… as if it were no more than a child's sandcastle." Natsuko told him as calmly as she could.
"Oh… no." He had always thought it strange that so many nuclear power plants were built so close to the ocean, when Japan was a country of typhoons and earthquakes. He had never considered the damage that a tsunami could do, but it looked like he wasn't the only one that had made that oversight.
"I'm sorry that Onee-chan isn't here to tell you anything, but… she did leave me in charge when she left and… Well… if you are going to do whatever you can to help all those people, I will release you from any agreement Onee-chan made with you." Natsuko believed in what she was saying – she only hoped that Yukiko would see it the same way.
"Let's not say release." Noto offered, "Let's say… postponed."
"Postponed?" Natsuko considered the word.
"Yes. I will have my people do what they can in Sendai… and wherever else they may be needed. Then, when the emergency is over, I would like to get back to what Yukiko-san and I talked about." Noto said with a calm assurance. He could hear the panic building in Natsuko's voice and he was certain now that she was one of the trusted imouto's. He also knew that she was older than him, but right now he felt like he was trying to calm down a younger sister of his own.
"Okay… I think… I think Onee-chan would like that." Natsuko said to Noto, although it was an effort to convince herself more than him.
"I'm sure that she will. But if she is displeased, you can tell her to call me. I will take full responsibility for it." Noto promised.
"Thank you. Thank you very much, Noto...sama." Natsuko felt an immense weight fall from her shoulders when Noto offered to take responsibility.
"Are you going to be okay?" Noto asked, but there was nothing he could do for her other than listen to her talk… and he really didn't have the time for that now.
"I am now. But I have kept you far too long. We both have emergencies to see to, do we not?" Natsuko said as she mentally pulled herself together.
"Farewell then, and please give my regards to your sister." Noto felt relief from hearing the voice on the other end of the phone shed an unnecessary fear, and also rediscover her strength.
"Of course. Bye bye." Natsuko said as she hung up the phone. Then she turned to see the youngest Yamada sister enter the room with a notebook computer.
"Who was that on the phone?" Haruko asked.
"Takasu Ryuuji's friend, Noto." Natsuko said with a little smile.
"I'm not sure I remember him. What's he like?" Haruko asked absently.
"He's two meters tall, wears armor, and he rides a big white horse." Natsuko said through her growing smile.
"Huh?" Haruko was about to say that she was pretty sure she would remember someone like that. But something about the goofy grin on her sister's face told her that the description might have been embellished just a tad.
"Never-mind. Any word from Onee-chan?" Natsuko asked.
"No… I haven't heard from her since before the earthquake and that was… more than six hours ago." Haruko said worriedly. This was a new experience. As the youngest daughter of a dynastic family that believed in pitting their children against each other to see which one was worthy of inheritance, she had only ever feared or hated her sisters. But that had changed recently and the two that were closest in age to her, were now closer to her than she had been to any family member in her entire life. "I hope she is okay."
"I'm sure she is. But, until she gets back – we keep going as if she's just stepped away. Got it?" Natsuko challenged her younger sister's spirit and resolve… as well as her own.
"Yes!" Haruko accepted the challenge and went back to her notebook to see what the latest issue was.
.
Meanwhile, Noto had already begun the process of integrating his family business into the rescue and recovery efforts. Or, at the least, he was starting the process to make that happen. He had dragged Shinako out of the small office so they could see the old television in the little lounge. That didn't stop him from making his phone calls though.
"Hello, I am Hisamitsu Noto of Hisamitsu Heavy Construction. I can have three teams in the Sendai area within twenty-four hours. May I speak to your disaster response coordinator to see how my teams can best be used?" Noto explained his offer to one person – who put him on hold, then transferred him. Of course, he had to explain it all again to the next person, and the next. Sometimes, he didn't get a transfer but a list of phone numbers to try, and he would have to start all over again. Finally he got to someone who knew what to do. They had questions about his teams and he answered them to the best of his ability.
Shinako had given Noto's instructions to the Sendai team and followed that up by calling the other two to let them know that there would obviously be a change of plans. One of the other people who had rented a room looked at Noto and Shinako with disgust as they talked on their phones while others were watching the small television for the latest developments and news releases. Noto was concentrating on his conversation too much to notice, but Shinako did. And Shinako knew how to deal with this kind of situation.
Intentionally standing in front of the old television she looked at the people who were staring and glaring back at her. Some were angry. Others were terrified at what they had been watching on the small screen. Everyone was saddened.
"May I assume that none of you planned on coming here at the beginning of this day?" Shinako asked. There was no reply. Even the angry ones were too stunned to say anything. "The question you have to ask yourself now is, what will you say in the years that come?"
They still looked back at her blankly.
"When a terrible destruction made so many people miserable and there was so much suffering, will you tell your family… your children… that you holed up in a bathhouse until it was all over? Will you have to admit that you let other people deal with it because you couldn't be bothered? Or will you be able to tell them that you did something useful?"
"But… what can we do?" one of the angry ones asked.
"That young man over there is Hisamitsu Noto of the noble Hisamitsu family. He is doing what he can to get his family's heavy construction units into the places that have been destroyed. He is hoping that they can help in some way." She let that sink in for a moment. The goal wasn't to impress them or make them feel inadequate, but to refocus their emotions. "If you don't feel that there is something you can do directly, then perhaps, you can help him. There is honor in helping those that can do something, after all."
"How? How can we help him?" the same angry person asked… and sounded a bit less angry now as well. Perhaps his voice sounded even a bit… hopeful.
"Everyone has their strengths and there is much to do." Shinako looked around the room at all the expectant faces, "This will probably end up being a very long night. If anyone knows how to cook or make coffee…"
"I can do that!" two older women who looked like they were traveling with each other said in unison.
"Then, please inquire of the proprietress if we can use any facilities. I will leave the execution up to you." Shinako smiled as they both got up and hurried for the door.
"Calls need to be made. I have noticed that Noto-sama has been making a list and keeping many notes. After he finishes this call, I will ask him if others can help him with these calls. Is there anyone who thinks they can help with that?" Shinako asked politely.
"Yeah… I am a salesman. I'm used to making lots of calls." one of the younger men said.
"I used to run my own business. I can do that too." an older man offered.
"All right. I was hoping for more, but everything we can get is good. Now the next thing…" Shinako proceeded to find peoples' skills and abilities and assign tasks. By the time she was done, everyone had something to do.
Noto watched with growing interest while his elder cousin transformed a tense and depressed room into one of hope and lively energy – and he was amazed. Before she was finished assigning tasks to the last few guests, one of the elderly women set a hot cup of coffee down at his elbow. He nodded to her appreciatively then turned and admiring gaze on his cousin as he thought to himself, I really want to learn how to do that!
For her part, Shinako never gave her complete attention to the other people in the room. No matter what else she was involved in, she kept an eye on her younger cousin and was impressed. She had worried that such a catastrophic event would overwhelm someone so young, but it didn't seem to slow him down at all. Indeed, with so much happening in the world and so much chaos, he didn't seem go be willing to give in to panic or fear. A memory came to Shinako, of watching some long distance runners completing another lap and shouting out, Fight On! That seemed to be Noto in a nutshell. He was fighting on… even thought the road wound through unfamiliar places and he didn't know if he could finish this race. Still he would Fight On! He shows such incredible fortitude for such a young man.
Then again, even though he was young – he had been through a lot before he had even made it out of high school. Noto had kept his head in the disastrous vacation of sunburns and snakes. Coming right out of that, The Major had pressed him into service as a translator for the emergency teams that were there to help with the landslide and flood victims. Add to that, a pandemic and an attempt to murder him… all before he had graduated from high school. Yes Noto-sama, I believe you will be able to weather this storm. And, if the gods are willing, let us see what kind of a fine man you will become!
.
Friday night, March 11th – Osaka, Japan
The Major had left for the airport where a flight would be taking him, and a number of other recalled personnel to the Air Force base near Tokyo. From there, they would have further orders for him to help with rescue, and then with recovery. For a natural disaster as devastating as this, there would be a long recovery period. But he already knew that he wouldn't be involved in all of it. As bad as it was, Japan was a country that was used to big natural disasters. They may need some help now, but they would be back on their feet sooner than anyone would anticipate… as long as nothing else went wrong.
In the meantime, with his wife out of the country, he had to leave his six month old son in the hands of friends. But he and his wife had every confidence in those friends. Even Taiga, who he had known the least amount of time, seemed to be someone dependable. She even struck him as a person who would laugh in the face of adversity. His smile went sideways when he realized that she might actually go a little overboard with the laughter… and the manner in which she dealt with that adversity. In truth, she wasn't the one he was most concerned about though. Noto's wife, and the mother of their precious little twin girls… was not doing well. Maya had looked like a zombie stumbling through life for the last several days, and that had been a hard thing to watch. He had seen her in a pretty bad state before though. The first time he met her, she was covered from head to toes in a sunburn that was so bad, it would require hospitalization for burn therapy. Add to that the fact that she hadn't slept for several days, and she was grieving because she thought her best friend was going to die. Yes… her friend had eventually healed, but those problems had been physical or external to Maya. What she had to deal with now was an aberration of her own mind. It was something that had no physical component at all, although the pain it caused her was far worse than the sunburns had ever been.
But her family was doing the right thing. They were getting her help and they were all there to support her. It wasn't a guaranteed solution, but it was the best anyone could do for what ailed the young mother. However, all of that was now in the hands of other people for the moment. The Major had to concentrate his energies on the issues at hand. Fortunately, he already had an idea of what he would be doing soon. Some of the best search and rescue teams on the planet were already on their way to Japan. Not repeating the mistakes of the past, Japan welcomed assistance with this tragic natural disaster. It would take some time for many of them to get there, but he would soon be working with many of the SAR teams from around the world. The teams arriving first would be from South Korea, China, Malaysia, Singapore, The Philippines, and Australia. Due to their proximity to Japan, many of these teams would have their own linguists to speak Japanese. But the next set of teams would be arriving from much farther away. Other than his home country and it's neighbors, Mexico and Canada, he was looking forward to seeing the teams from England, Germany, and Italy arrive. The Italians would be especially welcome. Their recent heroic efforts in earthquake shaken areas around the Mediterranean and South Asia were well known in Japan. And right about now, Japan could use a few heroes.
.
Friday night, March 11th – Melbourne, Australia
"I want to go home!" Suzume was distraught. Of all the people traveling with Ryuuji and Ami, she was the only one who had not been able to get in touch with her family back home. Not that everyone else heard good news from the calls that they received though. Nanako's mother was okay, but she was one of the millions of people who were stranded in Tokyo since none of the trains were running. Power was intermittent and it was a cold night in Japan. But Suzume wouldn't have minded hearing her sister complain about how bad it was… as long as she could hear from her. And that was the problem. All of Suzume's calls went to voice mail until it was full. And that could only mean that her onee-chan was unable to check her own messages. In her anguish, Suzume started to pack her suitcase to leave. Going home and finding her sister had become Suzume's only focus. Umeki tried to stop her by telling her that there were no flights going to Japan now, but she was beyond reason. Even at her best friend, she fussed, "I want to go home!"
"No, Suzume." Ryuuji said as he put his hands over hers and stopped her from grabbing a wad of clothing and shoving it into her already overstuffed bag.
"I want to go home!" Suzume demanded angrily as she looked up into his face. The face that could scare people into flight. The face that she had come to know and respect as a person who genuinely cared. But now, all she could see was another obstacle in the way of letting her go to see her sister.
"No." Ryuuji said softly. He was about to tell her why when he felt the sting of her hand across his face.
SLAP!
Ryuuji was stunned that she had actually hit him and almost didn't move in time to stop Suzume from getting pommeled by a furious Ami.
"No! Don't hit her." Ryuuji quickly pulled the frightened high school girl into a grapple that pinned her arms against her body so she couldn't lash out again. "We can't have any bruises."
"I want to find my sister. I want to go home!" Suzume sobbed as she gave up her struggling to try and get away from him. Without turning to face Ryuuji, she caustically accused, "You… you don't even care about me. You only care how I look."
"As your manager… of course that's what I care about. But as your friend, I also need you to be unbruised." Ryuuji said loud enough for all of them to hear.
"Huh… why?" Suzume asked. She hadn't expected him to admit something like that, and she was a little stunned.
"I've been talking to Ami's uncle at the talent agency. And you guys… you've been watching the news reports. So, you know how bad it is there. Over a million people are stranded in Tokyo because the trains aren't running. Family members can't find each other. It's still winter in Japan, and over a hundred thousand people are now homeless. Tonight, Japan is in pain." Ryuuji ran down what all of them knew so far about the tragedy back home.
"I know all of that." Suzume started to struggle again and yelled, "That's why I want to go home."
"And then what?" Ryuuji asked her.
"Find onee-chan!" Suzume sobbed as she answered.
"How will you find her?" Ryuuji asked.
"I… I don't know." Suzume admitted.
"Where will you look?" Ryuuji asked another impossible question.
"Everywhere, I'll look everywhere!" Suzume screamed through her tears as she struggled against Ryuuji's strong arms.
"That's a lot of places to look. And while you're looking in all those places, you will be a problem for the people trying to do their emergency work. And if Umeko-san gets back to her apartment and calls us to let us know she is okay – and we have to tell her that you are foolishly running all over Japan looking for her… how will she take that? How will that make her feel?"
Suzume's struggles ended suddenly. She became limp in Ryuuji's arms as she gave up her fight. She felt completely defeated and could only sob after his words left her feeling helpless and despairing. But she wasn't the only one. Others in the room felt their own uselessness in the face of such a disaster.
"Ryuuji…" Ami was about to tell him that he had gone too far. He hadn't just stopped her little rant, those words could turn them all into emotional wrecks.
"This feeling you all feel now. You all hate it, don't you?" Ryuuji asked the group while relaxing his grip on Suzume.
"Baka! Of course we do." Hisako was about to slap Ryuuji herself. His words had hurt her but more importantly, even Nanako had lost her enigmatic smile.
"What if I told you that there is something you can do about it?" Ryuuji offered. He looked around to see sad expressions change to ones of surprise and the beginnings of hope.
"What… what do you have in mind?" Ami knew he had been on the phone with her uncle for quite a while and was starting to think that they had talked about more than just the situation back home.
"What I'm about to suggest… will be difficult. It will be exhausting work and you might end up hating it… a lot." Ryuuji warned them.
"Tell us, fool!" Hisako demanded.
Ryuuji knew he could count on Hisako to go full tilt for any crazy plan he threw out, but he was worried about the others. None of the others, even his Ami, were as hard-core as Hisako when it came to completely throwing themselves into something. And that was the level of involvement that this would require. He wanted to caution them that, if they decided to do this, there was no half-way or partial commitment. It would be all the way or nothing at all. But their faces told him that he didn't have to give them that warning. They were almost as eager as Hisako… even little Aiko-chan looked like she was ready for a fight.
"All right then… Apparently, Melbourne has a strong reputation as a music city. They have live shows all over the city every night. A lot of them are small, but some are pretty big." Ryuuji told them.
"So what are you suggesting… that we go put on a show while people back home are suffering?" Suzume sounded shocked and disgusted at the idea of having fun at a time like this.
"No… well… actually, yes." Ryuuji explained, "We have been invited to participate in some aid and benefit concerts. They are being set up to raise awareness of the humanitarian crisis that is happening back home. The hope is that it will encourage millions of people… and even governments, to do what they can to help."
"This sounds like a pretty good thing to do." Yasuko said hopefully.
"I think it's an incredible opportunity." Yuri supported Ryuuji's idea by telling them, "Right now there are people all over Japan that would like to do something to help, but can't. Either they don't have the resources or they're too far away from the problem areas. But you girls… you could really make a difference here… and now."
"It's… not just the girls." Ryuuji warned his former teacher… and the others.
"Huh?" Yuri turned to see that Ryuuji was again trying to tell them something difficult.
"People here in Australia… and even some people back in Japan that saw the broadcast… Well, they think we are all part of the show." Ryuuji began.
"What?" Yuri felt the chill of panic starting to work its way into her mind.
"There were a lot of positive comments on Yasuko and Yuri-sensei's… comic performances." Ryuuji looked away from the frightened stare coming from his stunned teacher.
"That wasn't a performance!" Yuri insisted.
"That's not the perception." Deena told the panicking teacher delicately, "Here in Australia at least… you two are quite popular."
"Surely, no-one will care about our participation any more though!" Yuri begged.
"You and Yasuko were specifically asked for… actually." Ryuuji admitted.
"You… you're only okay with this because it's safe for you!" Yuri said accusingly.
"No… even I'm not getting out of this. It looks like I'll be dressed up in that… uh… what did you call it?" Ryuuji asked Nanako.
"The Hellivin? Really? You're going to dress up in the Hellivin again? That's wonderful! Please… please let me do your makeup?" Nanako's hands clapped together and she looked happier than he had seen her in some time.
"Make up?" Ryuuji wondered aloud.
"Oh noooo." Ami moaned quietly as she put her face in her hands.
"Even so… I don't… I don't think I can…" Yuri's panic was about to reach a fight or flight response. But before she could make an escape, she felt long arms wrap around her and a face nuzzle into her neck.
"Yuri-chan?" was all Yasuko said, but her arms pulled the frightened teacher back into the comforting warmth of her body.
"Onee-chan… I don't think I can do this." Yuri whimpered.
"You can do it, sweety. And you don't have to be scared. I'll be right there with you and we'll be just super!" Yasuko's reassuring words and enthusiasm melted the fear and doubt away from Yuri's heart as it had for Ryuuji all through his childhood.
"Promise? P...promise you'll be there with me?" Yuri put her hands on her friend's arms.
"You bet I will." Yasuko looked up at her son and gave him the smile he remembered from his youth. It was the same smile she made when she succeeded in vanquishing his fear and sadness. He had always thought those were such awful days. For much of his youth, Ryuuji didn't have any friends. At school, he had no friends and was constantly teased about his sinister looks. But the memory of his mother's love and consoling grace was something he treasured, even in the darkest times.
"I still don't know if I feel right dancing and singing when so many people are suffering so much." Suzume worried.
"We are entertainers. We're not construction workers or firemen or emergency responders. Even if we were back in Japan right now, we couldn't do much to help with those kinds of things. We can only do… what we can do." Ami said aloud. Her eyes were focused on the lights of the city beyond their hotel window. She felt cold and alone in a way that she hadn't felt in a long time. She had an overwhelming urge to hug her infant son to her chest and hold him there until the bad feelings went away. But little Tatsuya was thousands of kilometers away with her mother and Ryuuji's grandparents. She was sure that he was safe, but she wanted to feel him in her arms nonetheless. Her reverie was broken when she felt a small hand take hers. Turning, she saw Aiko-chan looking up to her.
"Ami-senpai… I want to do what I can do." the young girl said plaintively.
"You do huh?" Ami pulled Aiko-chan into a hug and gently patted the back of the girl's head like she would her infant son. She would like to have picked her up too, but small as she was – Aiko-chan was a little big for that.
"Yes." Aiko-chan was a little embarrassed at being held like a child at first. But a motherly hug was what she really needed now after all. Her arms instinctively wrapped around Ami as she snuggled into the hug.
"I want to do what I can do." Nanako said, and immediately hugged her tall girlfriend as she looked up into Hisako's deep purple eyes and smiled.
"I want to do what I can do too." Hisako agreed with her girlfriend. More than agreement, Hisako was proud of her unshakable and irrepressible girlfriend. Having always been the strong girl, Hisako never imagined that she would end up with someone who would seem stronger than her. But far from jealous, she loved and admired Nanako more because of it. Without shame, Hisako admitted that she needed that strength in her life. And in the difficult days to come, she imagined that everyone might be needing Nanako's strength.
"Suzume?" Umeki took her friend's hands and told her, "I… I want to do what I can do too. Will you help me?"
Suzume could only nod her head. Her emotions had cascaded until she was a crying mess. Ryuuji may have been able to prevent her from being bruised earlier, but her eyes would look swollen and puffy for a while. Also embarrassed at her previous tantrum, she sagged to her knees and buried her tears in Umeki's chest.
Umeki followed Ami's example and embraced her friend while patting Suzume's red hair.
"Well Ryuuji, what are you waiting for? I believe you have your answer." Ami said to the reflection of his face in the big picture window. She dared not turn around now or everyone would see that she was as emotional as the rest of them were.
"Right." Ryuuji wasn't deceived. He may not have seen the tears running down her face, but he could tell from her voice. As stern as she had tried to make herself sound, he could make out the telltale tremor in her voice that meant she was crumbling. But he wouldn't interfere with her tough-girl facade. Instead, he turned his attention to Deena. "We need to get to work."
"Yes!" Deena yelped when the attention unexpectedly turned to her.
"Can you contact the designers that have been wanting to work with us recently? Let them know about our new plans and see if any of them want to sponsor us, provide outfits… anything." Ryuuji said.
"Yes, I can do that!" Deena pulled out her phone ready to start calling immediately.
"Wait… the same deal as before though. If they want us to wear their clothes on stage, it has to be approved by Nanako… and they have to accept any modifications she deems necessary. If they can't agree to that – no deal." Ryuuji said as bluntly and forcefully as he could… to a friend.
"Got it!" Deena turned and made her first call, but not to one of the designers. She decided that this time, she would use the contacts that had been provided. Her first call was to the lady at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Deena decided that it was time that she learned how to make the system work for her.
Next to her, Ryuuji wasn't just waiting around either. His first call was to a contact that Ami's uncle had given him. A man that would be able to get things moving for live performances. If he could sell this idea…
.
"Ami-senpai…" the little girl in her arms squeaked, "Aiko-chan can't breathe."
"Huh?" Ami realized that she was holding the girl pretty tight in her arms and relaxed her embrace somewhat. "Sorry, is that better?"
"Yes." Despite feeling like she was being crushed only a few moments ago, the young girl made no effort to leave Ami's arms. She wanted to ask for a favor that she knew would be a terrible inconvenience for Ami and Ryuuji, but after the horror of the day - she was scared to sleep alone tonight. However, her thoughts were interrupted by a voice that could send fears and worries scurrying away like shadows fleeing from the light of day.
"Ami-chan," Yasuko asked as she and Yuri-sensei moved up behind the two girls, "it's late and we should all get to bed now. And, if you don't mind… I'd like to take this little one with me."
"Yes, of course." Ami was enjoying the embrace with Aiko-chan but her mother-in-law was right. Aiko-chan was still a grade-schooler and today had been a long day. And… if Ryuuji's plans worked out, tomorrow would be a long day too. In fact, their future seemed suddenly full of long days.
"Aiko-chan," Yasuko knelt next to the girl who was reluctant to let go of her senpai, "I know you would like to be with Deena-chan tonight, but… she might be busy with Ryuuji for a while yet. So, how would you like to sleep between Yuri-sensei and me tonight? At least… until Deena-chan comes to bed. Would that be okay?"
Aiko-chan's jaw trembled as she tried to stop the tears. She knew everyone was having a tough time with the terrible news that had been on all the television stations all day and she had tried her hardest not to be a nuisance. She wanted to be grown up like all of her senpai's. But it had been so very very hard. At only ten years old, it had been too much. And now, here was Onee-chan letting her know that it was okay to have the needs of a child.
"Onee-chaaaaan!" the young girl cried as she transitioned from Ami to Yasuko. Many people in the room looked up to see why she was suddenly bawling so.
"Ryu-chan… Deena-chan, you need to remember this." Yasuko told her son and the Australian woman as she held the crying girl in her arms. "Aiko-chan is a talented and smart girl. She's a good and kind girl too. She has all of you as friends. Some of you are in high school, some in college, and some are adults. But we all need to remember that, even if she is our friend, Aiko-chan is still a very young girl. So… just be careful when you're making your plans.
"Y… Yes." Ryuuji agreed with his mother and made a mental note to scale back the aggressiveness of his plans. Since these performances all centered around Aiko-chan, there would be no down-time for her otherwise. And, he didn't want to overly stress the child.
"Thank you Onee-chan." Deena bowed. She too would be more careful when dealing with the girl. They had all become quite close to Aiko-chan, but Deena - like the others, had been quick to think of the young girl as an equal… a peer… instead of a child. Deena knew that this wasn't something to be taken lightly. There were certain needs, protections, and restrictions that went along with having a child as a friend. Some might consider that kind of companionship to be an inconvenience or even a liability, but Deena didn't mind. In fact, she saw her friendship with the little Japanese girl as one of the greatest joys that her life had ever presented her.
.
Friday night, March 11th – Osaka, Japan
Unlike the trains in Tokyo, the transit system in Osaka was still working… mostly. They still had to check all the bridges and tunnels before reopening them, and they had to check all the tracks before running the local trains again. Of course, the safety checks had caused huge delays in the traffic trying to leave the city at the end of the day. Fortunately, Obāsama had anticipated that calamity and had arranged for some hotel rooms in the city for an overnight stay.
A text message from her told the rest of her party where to go, and they were soon in the warmth and comfort of a hotel suite that overlooked the gently flowing Yodo river. Because other people had come to the same conclusion, she was only able to get a single suite at the hotel, but she decided that one suite should be sufficient for a single night. Two of her household maids were with them and were taking care of the babies in one of the suite's bedrooms, while the rest of them watched the television together in the common room. The Takasu grandparents and Kawashima Anna sat on one side of Obāsama, while Taiga and Minori sat with Maya on the other side. Despite the number of people in the room, there would be no argument about what to watch though. Every channel was showing the same thing, so there was no option but to watch the horror that was unfolding in other parts of Japan.
The tidal waves were over now, but they left kilometers of land littered with debris from so much destruction. Video's were uploaded from people's telephones and other shots came from news helicopters. Some places were still on fire and much of the area was without power. Hundreds of thousands of people who had responded to the warnings and made it to higher ground, had watched in disbelief as their homes, their neighborhoods, and even the cities they had lived in – were completely wiped away. They were safe for the moment… but they faced an uncertain future with only what they had taken with them… and no home to return to.
And yet, they were the lucky ones. The number of people that were dead or missing, was rapidly rising. The number of people that couldn't find friends or family members was staggering.
Maya felt her sense of hopelessness and despair deepen as she watched the broadcast along with everyone else. Exhausted as she was, it was impossible to sleep now. One tragic scene after another spilled across the television in their hotel room and she hoped that maybe… just maybe… the next announcement would be some good news. Saddened by all the devastation that she saw, Maya didn't think she could feel any more sadness than she did just then. But she felt as if the floor dropped out from beneath her when the scene changed to a reporter on the ground who was interviewing a young woman.
The woman was filthy and looked exhausted. An emergency blanket was wrapped around her but she was shaking from the cold recent events of her life. Her eyes were reddened from all the crying and her face looked pale as if her shattered heart was no longer pumping any blood. At first, Maya thought she might be hearing the same reaction of someone who had just lost their house and everything they owned. That kind of story had played out several times by now. But this time, it was much more terrible. Along with many other people from her neighborhood, the young mother had taken her two infant children to a tall bridge to wait out the tsunami. She had been amazed when the fast moving water had risen all the way up to the street level in so little time. She had been stunned to see cars, trucks, and even houses carried along by the swift dark water where they crashed into the strong bridge supports and were reduced to debris as they passed under the bridge and came out the other side. But the water hadn't stopped rising there. Soon, both ends of the bridge had disappeared under the stream of debris mixed with dark water, and yet the level of the flood continued to rise. All of them knew then that they were doomed. There was no longer any escape from the bridge. Some people frantically started trying to climb the bridges superstructure but with her two infants, it wasn't something she could do. When the water crested the highest part of the road surface, she climbed up onto the hand railing and leaned against one of the bridge's support beams. Some men had helped her up since her arms were clinging desperately to her two children. But… the water kept rising and there was nowhere left for her to go. All she could do was cry when the rising water crested the top handrail and she felt the cold dark water work it's way up to her feet… then ankles… then it was up to her calves. That was when she saw some of the first people on the bridge being washed away. Some of them futily screamed for help while others seemed to just silently slip under the surface of the dark water… never to be seen alive again. Some of them were old, and some were children. All of them were someone she knew from her neighborhood, but all she could do was cry as she watched them go. The young woman didn't remember the exact moment she slipped off the rail. She found out later that a floating house had crashed into the bridge and a number of people had been thrown off into the dark cold water below. Her emotions suddenly exploded and the tears came again from her sore eyes as she recalled the worst moments of her ordeal… the worst moments of her life, to the journalist.
"They slipped from my hands when we fell into the river!" the young woman sobbed as she retold her misfortune, "Just for a second… I couldn't hold on when I fell. I saw them in the water and I tried to get them back, but the water… it pulled them away from me so fast. I couldn't reach them in time and now… they're… they're gone! I was holding them so tight just this morning and now… they're gone. My babies are gone. My babies…" Another person in an emergency blanket pulled the woman into a sympathetic hug. She gave the reporter an angry glance, then bowed her head and cried with the young mother. Giving himself a shake, the stunned reporter signaled for the cameraman to find some something else to shoot.
Something happened in Maya's heart at that moment. The scene on the television changed to views from one of the news helicopters again, but the poor young woman's chronicle of despair and pain kept replaying itself in Maya's mind. Like a waking nightmare, she imagined herself in that cold swirling water and her two babies were just out of reach. She swam as hard as she could but they just got further and further away. Her despair told her to give up and just let the black water take her. If she couldn't even hold onto her children… perhaps she didn't deserve them. Perhaps they would be better off without her after all. But it was all a lie… the black water cared not whether she was worthy or useless. It didn't play favorites, nor did it care who or what slid beneath it's dark surface and disappeared from the living world. Maya's eyes were opened. Her babies were sinking into the morass of debris strewn water. They were crying out for help and suddenly, their little voices reached her.
I couldn't reach them in time and now… they're… they're gone!
No! I… I can't let that happen! Maya stood suddenly and looked around. Shaking off the daydream-nightmare, she remembered where she was. Stumbling at first, she turned to the door that led to the bedroom where the maids were taking care of all the babies.
"Maya?" Minori was surprised at the sudden move, but grew concerned when she saw the expression of terror on her friend's face. Worried about her friend, Minori started to get up.
"Let her go." Obāsama said softly as she laid an old hand on Minori's wrist.
Minori looked back in challenge, but saw an expression of wisdom and confidence on the old face. She decided to stay where she was… for now. But she closely watched Maya stumble her way to the bedroom door.
I was holding them so tight just this morning and now… they're gone.
I haven't held my babies tight in… when? When was the last time I held them in my arms? Maya was deeply ashamed at the distance that she had let grow between her and her own infant children. She couldn't remember the last time she felt the weight of them in her hands and the heat of their little bodies as they were pressed up against her chest. But even more powerfully than that regret, she felt an irresistible urge to see them. ...to see them NOW!
My babies are gone.
"No!" Maya cried out as she stumbled the last few steps to the bedroom. The door to the bedroom where her children were, had seemed incredibly far away and her movements were sluggish as if she were running through deep snow. But every step she made toward the door drove her need to see her children into a frenzy until it was the only thought on her mind. Worry was gone. Fear was gone. There was only the need to see them… to hold them… to feel the warmth of their little bodies in her arms. As if it were a delayed response to Minori's question, Maya cried out, "I need my babies!"
"Help me up, please!" Obāsama begged of Minori and Taiga only a moment after they had all watched Maya wrench the door open. The startled friends were still gawking at the door that had been thrown open so hard it may have damaged the wall. But Obāsama's request brought them back to their senses and soon, the three of them were making their way to the open door. What greeted them was a welcome sight that warmed their hearts on a day that had been filled with so much cold despair.
Maya had both of her daughters in her arms and was holding them close as they suckled the milk from her breasts. Her head was bowed while she lovingly watched their contented faces and their tiny hands, but she made no effort to hide the flood of emotions. The tears flowed and her body was wracked with sobs as she looked into their bright eyes.
"They're like mine… both of them… they're just like mine." Maya sounded amazed in a voice that was almost a whisper.
Taiga was about to comment that they weren't like Maya's babies. They were Maya's babies. But, something told her that Maya was looking at something more specific. Instead of her caustic comment, she asked, "What are just like yours?"
"Their eyes… I… I didn't remember that." Maya said as she choked on a sob.
"That's right Maya. They have your red-brown eyes and Noto's wavy brown hair. They are both very lovely girls." Obāsama told the crying mother. The tears continued to rain, but they were different than her previous tears. Now, for a change, and finally… Maya's tears were those of joy.
"My eyes… and Noto's hair. So beautiful." Maya's exhaustion was finally catching up with her as her tired body reacted to the explosive release of mental stress and emotion.
"Girls," Obāsama asked quietly, "if I could prevail upon you a favor. Please, stay with her a bit… but don't interrupt and don't interfere. In truth, I would like to leave her alone with the babies. But… her body is exhausted. She could pass out at any moment. If you could…"
"Obāsama please," Taiga said as she tugged on the old woman's sleeve, "leave it to us. We'll look after the babies."
"And Maya." Minori added.
Obāsama watched as the two girls crawled onto the bed with Maya and supported their friend. The grandmother had been right and Maya's strength seemed to give out soon after her friends got there to help. She would like to have stayed and watched for a while – however, her own fatigue was crying out to her, and she needed to rest as well. But first, there was one thing she would need to do before she retired for the evening. Noto would have enough to worry about at a time like this. He needed to know about this very positive breakthrough of Maya's. Pulling out her cell phone, she prepared a text message as she made here way to her bedroom. She was looking forward to what would hopefully be a good night's sleep… for Maya, as well as for herself.
.
Taiga was on one side of Maya and supporting the weight of one of the babies, while Minori was doing the same thing on the other side. She said nothing and just listened to Maya's sobbing and murmuring as she cried away all the frustration, fear, and stress that had accumulated since her ordeal had begun. But after a bit, both Taiga and Minori realized that they weren't just hearing incoherent muttering. They looked across at each other for confirmation that the other heard it too.
"Don't ever leave me. Don't float away from me. I love you so much. I promise… I'll never forget that again. So please… please forgive your mother and love me too. And don't… don't leave me. I… I couldn't bear it. Please… please don't leave…" Maya's lips barely moved and the words were so soft, they couldn't all be made out. But Taiga and Minori could still hear them long after Maya's eyes had closed and her body relaxed on the bed.
.
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Glossary
Imouto: little (younger) sister.
Kohai: junior, as in a student from a lower grade or a new employee learning the trade from a more senior employees