Friday afternoon, March 25th – The Hisamitsu Estate
With a population a bit over 250,000 - Tokushima is the smallest principal city of the four prefectures on Shikoku island. And yet, it still feels too 'crowded' for Obāsama's tastes. She felt justified in this discomfort since it had the highest population density of the four cities. And yet, at only 1,400 people per square kilometer, it was a wide open place compared to the crowded cities like Osaka or Tokyo. She traveled to those places rarely, choosing instead to stop at a small town on the outskirts and have people come to her, or sending someone in her stead.
For several years now, that person had been Shinako. She had Obāsama's complete faith and trust, and in return, she had given the old woman her complete loyalty.
Until now.
Shinako sat to the right of Obāsama and ate quietly while the conversation moved around the table. This was her normal place – the place where she had always been comfortable. But it felt wrong now. She felt as if she didn't deserve to be there. She felt… tainted… dirty… disloyal. Glancing across the table, she gazed at the reason for her unease.
Noto-sama.
He sat at the table with his wife and friends and seemed happier than she had seen him in a while. Sure, his plans to start on the resort development with the Yamada family had fallen through… or at least delayed – as well as his goal to discuss the public works project contracts with the Sendai leadership. But he had returned home after successfully dealing with a catastrophic natural disaster, and negotiating with the political entities in such a way that it left all of them grateful, if not indebted to the Hisamitsu family. On the heels of his celebrated return, his good friends arrived and it seemed that his spirit was lifted even further.
"He has the gift." Obāsama had told Shinako quietly, after their return. "He attracts good people to him. These friends of his aren't just after his name or his money. They are genuine and able to stand worthy on their own."
"I believe you are right, Obāsama." Shinako said guiltily. She had to acknowledge that he was indeed good at inspiring confidence, faith, and loyalty. And, he seemed to be good at thinking on his feet. She had seen him weather exhaustion, still trying to do his best. She knew of Noto's virtue and determination, more than anyone else. She had been there and had seen it with her own eyes. Her own personal verdict was that Noto had done incredibly well for someone of his age and inexperience. He had earned Shinako's loyalty.
And that was the problem.
"Obāsama, I think that perhaps… I should leave the family for a while." Shinako said to her grandmother quietly.
"What is this?" Obāsama looked at her faithful aide with shock.
"I'm afraid, I have become confused… about where my loyalties lie." Shinako admitted.
"I see." Obāsama said in an evaluating voice, "You feel torn between Noto and me?"
"Yes, Obāsama." Shinako said with an apologetic bow. "I am so very sorry."
"Please, child." Obāsama reached over and took her granddaughter's hand, "This is entirely my fault. I suspected that he was the kind of person to inspire trust and loyalty, and I sent you to work closely with him nonetheless."
"Still, I should have..." Shinako tried to own some of the responsibility for her wavering allegiance, but Obāsama wouldn't accept it.
"Tut!" Obāsama lectured, "When I give someone a test or a trial, there are consequences to be paid. Whether that person passes or fails the test, there are always consequences. I knew this in the beginning and I am prepared to pay the cost."
"Then, I have failed the test." Shinako knew that her grandmother was trying to cheer her up, but she now felt more crushed than ever before.
"You failed nothing. I never said the test was yours." Obāsama winked and shifted her gaze over to Noto. "The test was his, and you were the metric. If he hadn't been able to earn your trust and your loyalty, he would have been of no use to me – or to the family."
"Then you… you used me?" Shinako said in disbelief.
"I did. But, why do you sound so surprised? Do I not use you every time I send you somewhere to represent my bidding for the family?" Obāsama closed her eyes and confided, "I felt horrible when we began this relationship. I knew I was using you every time I sent you out. I took advantage of your strong personality, your iron will, and your loyalty to me. But the worst was that I was taking advantage of your youth. At a time in your life when you could have been building relationships with people your own age, starting a career of your own, and building a life for yourself – instead, you were by my side or haring around the country on some errand for me. And the things I had you doing for me… I knew they didn't lend themselves to helping you make any friends."
"Obāsama, I didn't need any friends." Shinako insisted.
"Please let this old woman finish, then you can love me or you can hate me… but you will at least understand me." Obāsama waited until she got a nod from her granddaughter before she continued, "I tested Noto with the very best tool I had. And that was you. But like a great sword that has fought a great battle and then been resharpened, it isn't quite the same as it was. I knew that in testing Noto this way, I would lose you if he passed the test."
"Ah!" Shinako couldn't help but react to that. She suddenly felt expendable.
"I knew that you would feel loyalty to him if he was deserving, since that was exactly the nature of the test. And, once you gave him your loyalty, you would never be entirely mine again." Obāsama said.
"Have I then become so useless to you?" Shinako's voice trembled as if she were standing on the precipice of despair.
"Not at all. I have never found your service to be lacking in any way. But that is why this must be done now. Don't you see?" Obāsama squeezed her granddaughter's hand and told her, "Your role will not be over when this old woman retires from the board. There will be a new general on the field and he will need such powerful pieces as you. I cannot afford for you to think that you are only useful to the old regime and have no place when I am gone."
"You… you're giving me to Noto-sama?" Shinako asked in wonder.
"Yes… and no. You're not a simple playing piece after all." Obāsama explained, "I might have been able to keep you to myself if I had never allowed you to interact with Noto. I would have taken you into retirement with me and we would have spent many a quiet day playing shogi. But, that would have been very selfish of me, wouldn't it."
"Peaceful afternoons playing shogi with you does not sound like a terrible thing." Shinako protested.
"Perhaps for a while. But sooner or later… hopefully later, I would die." Obāsama squeezed Shinako's hand when she saw the younger girl's shock at hearing such an admission, "After all of the people I have upset and the enemies I have made, you might be the only person that comes to my funeral. And after that, you would be all alone… because of my selfishness."
"No." Shinako felt the tears coming to her eyes, but they were from the thought of going to the beloved old woman's funeral and not from the idea of being alone in life. She had already accepted that fate.
"So I do not see your budding loyalty to Noto as a taint. Instead, it is to me an enrichment… or even a salvation. When you serve him, you will be around people closer to your own age. Since he is surrounded by good friends, you will also. Who knows, you might even find someone to fall in love with."
"Obāsama!" Shinako moved out of her seat and threw her arms around her venerable matriarch. It wasn't until then that either of them noticed that it had become quiet in the room.
"Well, I didn't hear all of that conversation," Taiga said as she pushed her chair back and stood up. Then, raising her glass as if to make a toast she continued, "but there is something you said that I have to say is complete bullsh… er… ludicrously fallacious! I, for one, will definitely go to your funeral!"
"Taiga!" Ami put her face in her hand at Taiga's preposterously awkward show of support.
"I'll be there!" Noto said as he stood and raised his glass.
"Me too!" Maya carefully stood up next to her husband. She had one of her twins in her arms, so she didn't hold a drink out, like the others. In truth, she didn't know what she was agreeing to, since she had been focusing on the child in her arms until her husband suddenly stood up.
"You can count me in… unless I beat you there." Ryuuji's grandfather chipped in.
"I'll second that." Kawashima Anna said as she stood next to the elder Takasu and gave him a sly wink.
"Third! Ryuuji's grandmother stood up on her husband's other side.
"Mother!" Ami's embarrassment was burning on her face – even through her South Pacific tan.
"What's bothering you dear? Is it that I am promising to go to someone's funeral, or are you embarrassed because I have my hand on Grandpa Takasu's backside?"
"MOTHER!" Ami squealed, horrified that her mother would say such a thing in front of her friends. And to do that to… her in-laws!
"Ahem… If I may." Hisako stood and also raised a glass as she made her toast, "On that far off day, when it is time to give our respects and speak of fond memories, who will join me in saying farewell to one of the greatest ladies that ever ruled the Hisamitsu family – indeed, one of the greatest ladies that I have ever known."
The rest of the room stood to Hisako's toast and bowed to the surprised matriarch before drinking whatever they had in their glasses. Like Maya – Nanako, Ami, and Yuri didn't drink as they were all taking care of infants, but they were able to manage the bow. When the toast was over, the four of them holding the infants, were the only ones to retake their seats.
"That was… really well said." Ryuuji complemented Hisako.
"Yeah… I stole it from one of Kawashima Anna's movies." Hisako admitted.
All the attention turned to the end of the table where Anna was still standing with the Takasu grandparents… and in roughly the same position. She and Takasu Obāsan bracketed the grandfather very closely. Anna was having a conversation with Ryuuji's grandmother, but the grandfather just stood in the middle with his face beet red, his hands clenched into fists, and his mouth clamped shut.
"His ass is really firm." Anna said to the man's wife.
"Oh yes. It's always been one of his best features." Takasu Obāsan said proudly.
"It's so muscular. I mean, it's really impressive. Does he do some kind of exercise to get it like that?" Anna asked.
"Mother..." Ami's look of shock, disbelief, and pleading was something that Ryuuji had never seen before.
"Oh baby," Anna said as she turned to her daughter, "if Ryuuji's ass is anything like this, you are one lucky girl!"
"MOTHER!" Ami screamed as she hid her blushing face behind both hands this time.
.
Everyone was laughing at the little comedy put on by the Kawashima mother and daughter team. Taiga particularly enjoyed watching Ami getting mercilessly teased by her own mother. But her laughter died away when she noticed one person unable to join in the merriment. Someone who's sadness seemed out of place, not only because it was in such a festive atmosphere, but also because it was coming from someone who had always seemed so cheerful.
Taiga had never intended to like the younger girl that looked like her, but bigger and more… developed. Every time Taiga saw the girl, it seemed like she had grown another few centimeters, which only served to remind Taiga that her height hadn't changed since elementary school… and neither had her bust. But Aiko-chan had been so sweet the first time they had met. She insisted on calling Taiga by the honorary title Nee-chan from the start. The 'chan' part Taiga could do without – since it sounded like a child's suffix, but 'Nee' was another story. Aiko-chan was effectively calling Taiga her elder sister – and anything that made Taiga feel like she was being seen as an adult was a good thing. Of course, she still wouldn't admit that she liked the kid, at least to anyone else. But she couldn't let it go that Aiko-chan seemed sad either. So, since most everyone in the room was still standing up after Hisako's toast, Taiga threaded her way through the room to approach her look-alike.
"Hey, what's got you down?" Taiga asked the girl that looked like a more idealized version of herself.
"Nee-chan." Aiko-chan called out as she wrapped her arms around the shorter girl and bent over so that she could put her forehead on Taiga's shoulder. "I had to say good-bye to Deena-chan again."
"Ah, yeah." Taiga had been surprised by the sudden hug, but she recovered after reminding herself that the taller girl was still quite young. At her age, I guess a hug and a cry aren't so unusual. And when that happens, an adult should… Waitaminit, I am that adult! Taiga patted the girl's head and told her, "I hate good-byes too."
"I didn't want her to go! I never should have said I wanted to go home. I'm so sorry!" Aiko-chan cried out her frustration and guilt. She had heard the others talking on the plane trip back to Japan. They had said that they might have been able stay a little longer but that they were all feeling a little homesick. She knew that she was the one that had said she wanted to go home and that meant… it was her fault that she had to say good-bye to Deena-chan again.
"Hey, c'mon. You do know that school starts back up in a week, right?" Taiga asked the distraught girl.
"Um, yeah." Aiko-chan answered. She actually hadn't thought much about the new school year starting up amidst all the other things that were happening.
"How much longer do you think you could have stayed over there?" Taiga could feel a change in the girl with this line of questions and continued. "You were on that trip with a teacher you know. You weren't planning on skipping school, were you?"
"No!" Aiko-chan lifted her head and looked into Taiga's eyes earnestly, "I wouldn't do that. I just… I just liked having a big sister. Everything was always fun whenever she was around. And… she was so nice to me."
That struck a chord with Taiga. She knew that Aiko-chan had been picked on a lot, by her classmates at a previous school. It reminded Taiga of the hurtful comments she had endured when she was in school. Kids can be so cruel when you're not… normal. Too tall, too short, wrong hair color, not developed enough in high school, or too developed in grade school. Taiga could see why the young girl had attached herself to Deena-chan and all the rest of Ami's friends. Like the rest of them, she was tall and… built. But it was more than that too. Unlike school kids, they didn't pick on her and heartlessly tease her. After she thought about it, Taiga realized that none of them picked on her either… except for Ami. Taiga's face twisted when she thought about the unkind things Ami said… used to say to her. Of course… to be fair… I was calling her a dumb chihuahua back then. I guess she hasn't really been mean to me since… Taiga's mood soured when her thoughts took her back to the fact that Ami and Ryuuji were together. However, the younger but taller girl in front of her didn't have anything to do with that. Aiko-chan was hurting because she felt like she had lost someone and that was another thing Taiga could sympathize with.
"Well… I don't know about being a big sister, but I can be an elder sister." Taiga offered.
"Huh?" Aiko-chan was confused since she didn't understand the difference between big sister and older sister.
"Well, you already call me nee-chan, right?" Taiga then pouted, "Unless you were just calling me that to make fun of me."
"No, I wasn't! I called you that because you look like me but you're all grown up." Aiko-chan explained.
"Say that again." Taiga had felt a rush of happiness and a gentle caress to her ego at young Aiko's earnest reply. And she wanted to hear it again.
"Huh?" Aiko-chan didn't remember saying anything important.
"That thing you just said… just now." Taiga prompted, "I just want to make sure I heard you right."
"Um…" Aiko-chan had to think for a moment, but she remembered and repeated, "You look like me but you're all grown up."
"Like an older sister." Taiga led the little girl into the trap.
"Yes." Aiko-chan sounded confused at her own answer.
"That means I can be like an older sister to you, just like Deena-chan can" Taiga said proudly.
"I… I guess so." Aiko-chan agreed.
"And I can be fun too." Taiga proclaimed.
"You can?" Aiko-chan asked innocently.
Thunk!
"Yes!" Taiga was about to react angrily to the little girl's unintentionally insulting question before realizing that she hadn't meant anything by it. Instead, she took a breath and said, "In fact, I am going to take you on a horseback ride up a mountain where we are going to stay overnight at a cabin with Minorin, Suzume-chan, and Umeki-chan."
"Really?" Aiko-chan's excitement seemed to beam from her as if she was illuminated by a spotlight. The only thing marring it from being a perfect photo opportunity were the still visible tear streaks on her cheeks.
"Yeah, in fact we need to be leaving soon." Taiga said as she checked the time on her cell phone.
"Already? But it feels like we just got here." Aiko-chan complained.
"Them's the breaks, kid." Taiga said as she looked around for the other girls that were supposed to be in her party. Fortunately, she remembered that she wasn't talking to another adult and explained, "Ah, just kidding about that. But we really do need to leave soon so we won't be finishing the ride in the dark."
"Oh." Aiko-chan had been a little shocked at Taiga's brusque response, but she did understand about finishing the ride before dark. That understanding didn't come from an abundance of knowledge or experience with horseback riding, but it felt similar to when she was working as a model at a daytime shoot. Unless the site had already been prepped for night work, with all kinds of lights from above and glowy tape on the floor, the producer would make sure that everything was finished and packed away before the sun went down. Hisako-senpai had explained to her that they had to shut everything down before sunset, because of all kinds of safety reasons.
"Hey, Suzume-chan and Umeki-chan!" Taiga called out to the two as she waved Minori to hurry over.
Aiko-chan remembered the special clothes she had been dressed in when she was on the horseback ride in Hawaii and asked, "Do I need to change clothes?"
"No. Since it's cold out, you'll just put stuff on over your clothes and you'll be fine." Taiga explained as if she were an old hand at this.
"What's going on?" Umeki asked as she and Suzume arrived with Minori.
"We're riding horses to a mountain cabin!" Aiko-chan said excitedly.
Suzume looked curious but Umeki glanced suspiciously over at Taiga. Not possessing Suzume's more trusting and cheerful personality, she had some doubts about the one known as The Palm Top Tiger. She had overheard too many stories that made Taiga sound erratic and unreliable.
"We'll be sleeping over at the cabin since there are too many people here for this house." Minori explained.
"A… cabin in the woods?" Suzume couldn't hide the fright in her words.
Seeing the fear in Suzume's face, Umeki instantly regretted introducing her friend to teen horror movies.
"It's not really in the woods." Taiga explained as she started walking off towards the stables – assuming that everyone would follow her. "There are some tree's near by, but there is a big field in front of it – where it's safe for the horses to run around."
"And, there is an amazing view of the valley below and the mountains on the other side of the valley!" Minori added with her usual enthusiasm.
"A cabin with a mountain view." Umeki assured her tall friend, "See, it's nothing like the movies we watched."
"It's not?" Suzume still seemed a bit nervous but allowed Umeki to pull her along after the others. "I guess… a mountain view sounds nice."
"Totally different, I promise." Umeki said aloud, but was glad that she never showed Suzume any of the creature-horror movies… especially the ones with monstrous Yeti attacking cabins and villages.
.
Ryuuji went with Noto to see the girls off from the stables. Others wanted to join them, but the infants were being put down for their naps and Taiga said that they didn't have time to wait around for them. It sounded callous at first, but Noto explained that it would be best for the girls if they arrived at the cabin while it was still light out.
"Are you sure about this?" Ryuuji said quietly to Noto as the five girls and horses left the fenced field for one of the mountain paths.
"Sure. That cabin could hold a dozen people in a pinch, so five should be no trouble at all." Noto replied.
"Not that. I mean about Taiga leading them up there. Shouldn't someone from the estate go along with them?" Ryuuji asked.
"Ha! According to Obāsama, Taiga's been riding up to that cabin every day since she got here. She's been there so much, Obāsama joked about renaming it The Tiger's Den!" Noto replied with a grin.
"That's surprising." Ryuuji commented with a raised eyebrow. He remembered her stories about growing up as a little rich girl… whenever her dad's businesses were doing well, but he never knew she had any equestrian experience.
"She may be a disaster at a lot of things, but Taiga does know how to ride a horse." Noto smiled as the riders disappeared into the trees that marked the point where the trail started climbing.
"That's even more surprising." Now Ryuuji wondered what other things he didn't know about Taiga.
.
Friday afternoon, March 25th – Hisamitsu mountain trails
There were several paths up the mountain. Some of them took easy winding routes while others were much more direct… if you had the right kind of horse for it. But the tall, long legged Walker that Taiga was riding was made for prancing and running fast on level ground, an not so much for mountain climbing. Taiga would never use that as the excuse though. Her reason for taking the easier but longer path was for the safety of the more inexperienced riders in her group… that is to say – everyone but her.
The other girls didn't mind though. The easier route meant that they could talk to each other and enjoy the ride, rather than turning the whole thing into the strenuous ordeal that a steeper route would have required. In some places, the path narrowed so that they were all riding single file, and in other places it opened up so that they could ride in pairs. During those times, Taiga fell back so that Aiko-chan was beside her. The horse that Aiko-chan rode had a shorter stature than the tall black Walker and for once, Taiga was taller than her look-alike.
Suzume and Umeki would be right behind them with Minori in the back to make sure no-one fell off their horse. She didn't have a lot of experience on horses either, but she had been riding with Taiga every chance they got, since that day when they had been introduced to the horses. And, she was now a lot better than she had been on that day. She no longer needed help getting on or off the horses, or in getting her straps and reins right.
An hour later and they were getting near the place where Taiga had previously taken the horses for a drink and saw the fox… or day-dreamed that she saw a fox. Strangely, she couldn't find that place on the way up. It bothered her that she missed it, but her attention was split between looking for the hidden turn-out, guiding the group of riders up the trails, and watching out for the less experienced riders in the group.
Taiga had wanted to take everyone to that quiet little brook as a rest stop and a chance to let the horses drink. She was considering turning back to search for it but checking the time, she saw that their progress had been good, but they still had a ways to go. As if to emphasize how late in the day it had become, the sun seemed to be quickly dropping in the sky. Their shadows weren't stretching off to the horizon yet, but it wouldn't be long before they did.
"I can't believe the smallest person is on the biggest horse." Umeki commented as she pulled up alongside Suzume.
"I can't believe she knows how to ride a horse that well." Suzume responded. She had been having problems staying on her horse ever since they started out and didn't remember having so much difficulty on the horse she rode in Hawaii.
Both of the girls were surprised by the quiet laughter they heard from behind them. Turning, they saw Minori laughing into her sleeve.
"Ah, you see…" Minori explained when she realized that her merriment had been noticed, "this is nothing. I mean, for Taiga. Just wait until we get to the glade and she'll show you..."
"What?" Suzume asked when Minori's voice trailed off.
"She'll show us what?" Umeki demanded.
"You'll see." Minori taunted them with a little challenge, "If we get there before it gets too dark, she might show you something before we put the horses away."
.
There was a final curve and the trail opened up into a high country glade that was still covered in several centimeters of snow. An old wooden fence at the edge of the glade marked the point where the land fell away into a fairly steep drop to the valley below. Aiko-chan had been getting excited ever since she saw the first signs of snow midway up the trail, in the branches of trees and the shadows of rocks. As they climbed higher, there was more and more of the soft white blanket until every step made a soft crunching sound.
Even at the higher altitudes of the mountain, the snow was never terribly deep. The mountains of Shikoku were nothing like the giants of the Japanese Alps on Honshu. None of them were tall enough to have year-round snow on their tops. But that also made them more accessible for the young, the old, and the recreational hiker. At the moment, the sun was low in the sky and the air was a deep blue above them. Along with the horses, the girls made long, dark shadows across the snow covered field as they stopped in front of the wooden fence for a view.
"Nee-chan, nee-chan! Look, look!" Aiko-chan squealed excitedly while gazing down the slope into the valley below. "The houses and cars look so small, it's like we're up in an airplane!"
"See how they all have their lights on?" Taiga pointed out to Aiko-chan, "It's already night time down there because the mountain on the other side is blocking the sun for them."
"Woooooow!" Aiko-chan shaded her eyes with her hand so she could see into the dark valley a little better.
"Taiga," Minori called out from behind. She didn't like to be so close to the little fence and the steep slope while still on horseback. "is your horse okay?"
"Yeah." Taiga looked back at Minori and was curious about the unusual question.
"I was wondering… if he's not too tired, could you show the girls one of those… dressy things?" Minori asked.
"What's a dressy thing?" Aiko-chan asked. She couldn't imaging putting Taiga's big black horse into a dress.
"She means dressage." Taiga explained and guided Midnight Star over toward the middle of the field. She started pulling the straps into the right places for what she was about to do as she explained, "Dressage is a special kind of training for the horse and the rider. There are a lot of parts to it, but it's too late to show all of them to you."
The other girls followed on their horses until they were circled around Taiga in the middle of the field. They all watched as Taiga's horse came to a stop. Their horses stopped too and they were all watching as Taiga sat up very straight and did a little flick with her wrist.
"This is called a Piaffe." Taiga remembered the term from long ago when she had trained relentlessly for performances and competitions that she would never end up attending.
Minori had seen it before so she wasn't as amazed as the younger girls. And yet, it was impressive each time she saw it. Midnight Star was walking in place with all four legs in exaggerated motion as if he was trotting across the ground. Aiko-chan was about to exclaim how amazing it was when Taiga spoke again.
"And this is called, the Pirouette." Taiga gave her beloved Midnight Star a little signal and suddenly, horse and rider started to slowly rotate around while the horse was still walking in place.
The three younger girls were stunned as they watched the performance of the short girl and the big horse. They might have watched a program with something like it on TV, but seeing it in person .– and being performed by someone they knew, had surprised them beyond words. Minori wasn't watching her friend at the moment. She caught the astonishment on the faces of their younger companions and was happy for, and proud of her tiny friend.
.
Saturday noon, March 26th – The Hisamitsu Estate
Obāsama wore a smile that revealed a happiness that she had not felt for a long time. In the last several weeks, her estate had hosted several guests and she had thought the place 'full' in a way that it hadn't felt since she was a young wife. Sure, there had been many times when family had come to visit, or she had hosted some guests for business or political reasons. But family or not, with the exception of her trusted granddaughter Shinako, they were only ever there because they wanted something from her. So, it was a very welcome change to have filled her house with her grandson's guests. She had become good friends with the grandparents of one of Noto and Maya's friends. They were great-grandparents of that couple's infant son… which was something she had in common with them, since she was the great-grandmother of a pair of twin girls. She had also become good friends with a famous actress who was also close to her age, even if she was only a 'grandmother' so far. The other people in her house brought energy and joy to the old woman. From the tiny but very spirited girl and her athletic friend, to the babies that were in the same age group as her great-granddaughters – the old estate had never seemed more full of life before.
And now, with the arrival of nine more of Noto and Maya's friends, the familiar old estate didn't even seem like the same place any more. No more were there closed off rooms, lonely hallways, and a dark pall that seemed to fill all the living spaces. Windows had been opened, rooms had been cleaned for the guests, lights had been turned on, and the empty spaces had been filled with energy, good cheer, and… laughter. More than anything else, it was the sound of laughter that thrilled the old woman and made her feel warm in a way that she hadn't felt in a long time.
Mother's were feeding their babies, Ryuuji and his grandmother were in the kitchen preparing a truly enormous lunch, and the rest were gathered around the big dining table with coffee or tea and having pleasant conversations. It was something Obāsama feared she would never see again after she had taken the reins of the family. She was so wrapped up in simply enjoying the atmosphere that she almost didn't notice her cell phone ringing.
One of the outdoor workers had spotted the girls on the horses and was letting her know that they would be arriving at the stables shortly. She would like to have invited the young teacher to accompany her in welcoming all the girls back, but she was busy nursing her child at the moment and didn't look like she would be done any time soon. Shinako was available… well, she was in conversation with the group around the big table. So, Obāsama decided not to interfere with her granddaughter when she was finally able to make acquaintances with people her own age. Quietly leaving the busy room, she went to the stables to properly greet her returning guests.
.
Taiga was puzzled again. On the way down the mountain, she had searched for the trail or entrance to the pine tree canopied brook where she had once seen the red fox, but once again – to no avail. She didn't know why this was bothering her so much. There was water available at the stables where the trail started and at the cabin at the end of the trail, and it wasn't as if the mountain was so tall that they needed rest stations. But, not being able to find a place she had been to before just bothered her.
"Taiga-chan, you seem troubled." Obāsama said. She had been around the young woman enough to know the difference between the look she was wearing and just daydreaming.
"Uh… yeah." Hearing the old woman's voice startled Taiga and she realized that she had already crossed the field and was at the entrance to the barn. Midnight Star had come to a stop on his own and several of the men that worked the stables and gardens on the property were there to help with the horses. Accepting a hand, she quickly climbed down from her saddle – but she took the time to scratch Midnight Star's jowls and offer him an apple, before she joined Obāsama where she waited on the wooden walkway.
"You do love that horse." Obāsama commented.
"Yeah… I'm glad we got to come back so I could ride him a little longer." Taiga admitted.
"But there is something that is bothering you, isn't there?" Obāsama asked as she brushed her hand through Taiga's wind-blown hair.
"It's nothing serious." Taiga replied without much reaction to the head-pat. Had it been anyone else, she might have kicked them into a wall, but Obāsama just seemed to own that privilege naturally. "The other day, when I walked all the horses to give them a rest, I found this little brook just off the trail. It was really peaceful there and… I wanted to show it to Minori and the others."
"So, why don't you?" Obāsama asked. She was thrilled that the youngster found the old family property so interesting. It seemed that the youth of her own family dreaded the old estate. She had overheard their complaints more than once, that it was a boring place with nothing to do and nothing but old people there. She had heard it so many times that she had started to believe it, so the reactions from these young guests had understandably been both surprising and refreshing.
"I looked for it yesterday on the way up and today on the way down, but I couldn't find it. Do you know where it is?" Taiga asked hopefully.
"I wish I did." Obāsama smiled sadly, "It has been many years since I took the paths up into that mountain. I was never very good on a horse either, so I wasn't relaxed enough to look around during the climb or the descent."
"Oh… I see." Taiga was crushed by more than just hearing that Obāsama didn't know of the place she was seeking. It was an unexpected blow to find out that the kind old lady had never been good at horseback riding. From the way Obāsama was thrilled when she watched Taiga putting her big black stallion through his paces, Taiga had been thinking that equestrian sport was something that they might have in common. "So, you never really liked to ride horses?"
"What?" Obāsama was confused at this turn in the conversation, but she could see that it was another thing that was meaningful to Taiga and replied honestly, "You know how there are tall people who just don't seem to have the dexterity to play basketball? Some of them want to very badly too. They try and they try, but they just don't have what it takes. And all their friends pity them and think it's such a waste for a tall person that can't play a game that seemed to be designed for tall people."
"Yeah, I guess so." Taiga replied but it was now her turn to wonder where the conversation was going.
"I was like that with horses. I didn't care what style of riding it was – I just desperately wanted to ride them. I tried everything. Taiga-chan, you must believe me that I tried so hard. But…" Obāsama hadn't realized how much this old memory would affect her until she felt Taiga take her arm compassionately. "Thank you Taiga-chan. You don't know how happy it has made me to watch you prancing about on that stallion. I watch and dream that I might have been able to do that… if I had your talent."
"Ha!" Taiga said with a wry smile, "I don't know if it was talent or just being too stubborn to give up every time I fell off… or got knocked off the horse."
"Knocked off? Were you jousting?" Obāsama knew that dressage didn't include that in their menu of contests, but there were other styles that still practiced the old medieval games.
"No, not jousting. But horses can be mean… even spiteful." Taiga remembered a couple of particularly bad episodes, "They can ride under low branches that you can't dodge, or too close to a fence post to crush your leg, and they know about a dozen ways to make you fall."
"Good heavens! Were they angry with you?" Obāsama asked.
"Some might have been. But others… just like people, some horses just have a bad attitude." Taiga's mood suddenly became less angry as she stopped remembering many of the horses of her past and thought of the black beauty with the white star on it's forehead, "That's why I like Midnight Star so much. He's gentle, and has a good personality, and he's so much fun!"
"I think he likes you too." Obāsama said with a twinkle in her eye, "Even if I don't know how to ride all that well, I can see the difference in him since you arrived."
"Really?" Taiga's excitement only built at hearing this.
"Indeed. When he first came here, he was like the others. Head and tail drooped. It was as if he had given up… like he knew that he would only ever be a trail horse again. There was no energy… no luster. Like all the others, he looked old, worn out… used up." Obāsama gave Taiga a quick smile and continued in a more cheerful voice, "He's not like that any more though. When I look at him, I see a horse that has remembered his pride – maybe even his past glories. He's more energetic and spirited than I have ever seen him."
Taiga blushed at such praise from a woman that she thought of as an aristocrat. Feeling the need to express her feelings appropriately, she let go of the old woman's arm and moved around to give a proper and deep bow, Hisamitsu-sama, thank you very much for inviting me here, for your hospitality, and for letting me ride Midnight Star so much."
"It is I that should be thanking you," Obāsama made a graceful bow to an astonished Taiga.
"What? Why?" Taiga desperately wanted to plead for the noble lady to stop bowing to her.
"Because my dear," Obāsama said with a smile of gratitude, "Midnight Star isn't the only old horse that you have invigorated around here."
.
Monday evening, March 28th – RAAF Amberley - Ipswich, Australia
It had been a long day in the hangar for Deena. The work hadn't actually stacked up for her, but there were still things only she could do, until she properly trained the other members of her group on the new systems. In the end, she had to work two work days in one. At least the guys that had been assigned to her were willing to learn That made the training aspect a lot easier. Still, it had been a very long day and she was ready to relax with her posters and magazines.
A long hot shower had made her feel better. So much better in fact, that she was thinking about skipping the magazines and just going to sleep while gazing at the poster that she had made of Ami, Hisako, Suzume, and Aiko-chan performing on stage. It was one of her favorite things to stare at, while she nodded off to sleep, even if it often brought tears of wistful sadness to her eyes. Memories would flood through her mind and it seemed that the farewell scene at the airport would always play out just as she crossed over from memories into dreams.
But poster staring and dreaming would have to wait, it seemed. When she got back to her room, there was a note for her to come to the administration office and pick up a package. Deena read the message again after she took down the notice and groaned, "Urrrgh… Why the admin office and not the mail room? I just got out of my uniform..."
.
Ten minutes later, and back in the uniform she had been wearing all day, Deena entered the administration office for her squadron. At this time of day, she expected to see only a corporal or the duty sergeant at the most. So, she was understandably surprised to see both the Wing Commander and the Air Commodore there. Her shock was only momentary though, and she was immediately standing at attention and saluting the Air Commodore.
"Ah, good to see you again Walker." the Air Commodore said casually as he returned her salute and handed her a package. "It hasn't been opened but I had to sign for it since it's from a foreign country and with your security clearance…"
"I understand sir." Deena tried to keep her military bearing, but she saw that it came from Tokushima and got excited.
"So, you know a person named Taiga Aisaka then?" her Wing Commander asked, "I don't recall her name among the visitors that you entertained for DFAT?"
"Taiga sent me something? I mean… yes sir. She is an acquaintance… although, I should say that I know of her, more than I know her. But she is a friend of the people that were just visiting here." Deena tried to explain.
"I think that's enough questions." the older Air Commodore said warmly, "It's already established that the foreigners our young Sergeant Walker knows are the good sort."
"I… suppose so, sir." the Wing Commander agreed. Then he turned to Deena and reminded her, "Technically, when you have a high security clearance, you're supposed to open packages from foreign parties in front of your commanding officer. But it sounds like the Commodore trusts you to let you open it in private."
"No no! I can open it here!" Deena, in her eagerness to not seem suspicious in front of the Wing Commander, ripped open the package and gasped as dozens of glossy photographs spilled out onto the counter and floor. "Oh no!"
"Relax Walker," the Air Commodore said as he stooped to help pick up several of the photos that had fallen to the floor.
"Yes sir." Deena replied, but found it very difficult to relax around officers at all. And these weren't just any officers either. They were both senior officers. She was always deathly afraid that she would blurt out something stupid and bring some kind of disgrace to her unit, when she was around officers like them.
"Here you go, Walker." the Air Commodore handed over a little stack of the pictures he had gathered. The top one was a picture of Yasuko sitting on a cushion on the floor, with Aiko-chan asleep next to her. Aiko-chan's head was in Yasuko's lap and the picture caught the honorary Onee-chan with her hand poised to brush some of Aiko-chan's orange-brown hair out of her face. "I do wish..."
"Sir?" Deena asked as she reached to take the pictures.
"Nothing, Walker. Enjoy your evening." the elder officer then turned to the younger one and said, "Let's go see what they have for us at the officer's club, shall we?"
Deena finally relaxed after the officers had gone. She was then able to gather up all the photo's from the counter, the floor, and the ones still left in the box. It was then that she discovered the short note that Taiga had put in the box for her.
[Walker Deena] (scratched out)
[Deena Walker] (scratched out)
Deena-chan,
I'm doing this for Aiko-chan. She misses you a lot and [it's annoying] (scratched out), she's a good kid. I didn't tell her that I was doing this, cause it would break her heart if she knew about sending you all these pictures and you didn't send anything back to her. So yeah, you should send her some pictures too, [if you're not a stupid mongrel] (scratched out) cause it would be nice.
Also, she's really looking forward to the reunion that Ryuuji is planning for this summer, so you better make it.
Taiga.
Deena read the note twice. It was written on the back of the receipt for the photo processing as if it was the first draft of what Taiga had been planning to send. How clumsy can you be? Deena laughed to herself as she emptied the rest of the box's contents into her hand.
There were lots of pictures in the box. There were some pictures with everyone that had come on the trip as well as a few of those that had stayed behind. She recognized Maya and Noto with an old woman that must be Noto's grandmother. But the overwhelming majority of all the pictures were of Aiko-chan. There were shots of her riding a horse, making a snow angel, sitting next to a fireplace, having a snowball fight with Suzume and Umeki, setting the table with a bunch of dishes that didn't match… In every picture, she seemed to be having a good time.
But there was something that bothered her in the pictures. Everyone seemed to be having a good time… except Yasuko. She went through the shots again and noticed that it wasn't every shot that everyone's Onee-chan looked a little upset… only the ones where she was looking at the camera. It doesn't make any sense that she doesn't like having her picture taken. When she was here, she modeled with the rest of us and even went out on stage with the girls. I wonder why…
"Yer gonna hafta get over that problem ya got." the duty sergeant said while he was leaning over the counter and looking at the pictures in Deena's hands.
"What problem?" Deena asked defensively. She wondered if he was one of the people that knew about all of her posters and didn't like her… hobby.
"Yer a big wuss around officer types, ain't-cha?" his eyebrow went up as he asked.
"Just the senior ones. I'm okay around… lieutenants." Deena pouted a bit.
"That's no good for someone dats gonna be a galah officer herself." the sergeant drolled.
"What?" Deena wondered if this guy's face was off. It was the right time for it, but it wasn't good to be rotten drunk when you were supposed to be the Duty Sergeant.
"They've got their eyes on you, Walker. You can hobnob with foreign types and you're not afraid to give some figjam from DFAT the what-for." the sergeant said with a crooked smile.
"What? How did you know about that?" Deena demanded.
"Don't be daft, Walker!" the sergeant laughed at her incredulous question, "Everybody knows about that!"
"Ohhh no." Deena didn't know how the news had gotten around, but it was obvious that it had.
"Too right, Walker! It's London to a brick that your next assignment will be to Canberra!"
.
Wednesday afternoon, March 30th – Okayama Train Station
The previous four days had been more fun for some than for others. Taiga and Minori had kept Suzume, Umeki, and Aiko-chan entertained with horseback riding and exploring the mountain. The Hisamitsu home had become something of a family reunion site as four generations of Takasu, and three generations of both Kawashima and Hisamitsu were all gathered in one place. But eventually, the younger ones ran out of spring break and it was time to return to their student lives.
Noto, Maya, the twins, Nanako, and Hisako would be staying a little longer since they would only be traveling to Tokushima City from the Estate. But the rest would need to catch the Shinkansen for their trip home. A last breakfast was shared before the Hisamitsu vans took them all to the local train station.
Obāsama had offered for her vans to take them all the way to the Shinkansen station in Okayama, but it wouldn't have saved them all that much time over taking the local trains from Tokushima to get there. The guests declined her offer since the Hisamitsu's had already done so much for them. But there was another reason for wanting to take the local trains. With everyone that would be taking the Shinkansen to get home, the vans would be terribly stuffed with all the people and their luggage on the long drive all the way to Okayama.
The train ride ended up being a lot more comfortable, but not quite as exciting as some of them had hoped. This wasn't a Shinkansen, so they thought they would get to see a few more amazing views of Shikoku as the smaller local train passed through the mountains between Tokushima and Kagawa. Unfortunately, the train did just that. Just as the train finished climbing out of the valley and the mountains looked like they were getting closer, the train went into a very long tunnel which did indeed pass… through the mountains. It would occasionally pass out of the tunnel for a moment and back into another one, but the brief flashes of sunlight weren't enough to get a good look at the scenery. Most of them found the ride across the long bridge to be more interesting. Suspended underneath a highway, the bridge passed over several tiny islands that connected Shikoku back to Honshu across the Inland Sea.
After the three hour ride, the group was at the Shinkansen station in Okayama and ready for the final leg that would take them home. The grandparents, Kawashima Anna, and the Takasu's would only be going as far as Kyoto. Mostly because of that, the Takasu's and Kawashima Anna all sat together. Others sat nearby but left the family's alone to have their last moments before their parents and grandparents departed.
Minori found herself sitting next to a rather dejected looking Taiga. She waited for Taiga to bring up whatever was bothering her, but her short friend was being uncharacteristically quiet. Despite her 'jock' image, Minori was pretty bright and already had a good idea what was troubling Taiga. "It's the horse, isn't it?"
"Yeah." Taiga sighed.
"I heard Obāsama invited you back… I mean, she invited all of us back. But it looked to me like she took a special interest in you." Minori commented.
"Yeah… she said she wanted to adopt me… can you believe that? Why me? All I did was ride her stupid horse." Taiga froze up as the words were coming out of her mouth. Stupid horse. Taiga slowly turned to Minori and her face went from petulance to sorrow, "Minorin… I'm really gonna miss that stupid horse."
"I know." Minori said gently as she opened her arm for Taiga to lean in against her chest. "But there's golden week and the summer break, right? Obāsama said you could come back any time you wanted. I bet she would let you stay the whole summer if you wanted to."
"You think so?" Taiga knew she would be busy with a Kendo competition during Golden Week, but the summer…
"Absolutely!" Minori practically shouted in her old jock-cheer voice. "Taiga, you can do anything if you set your mind to it. All you have to do is Fight-On! Fight-On! Fight-On! Fight!"
"Minorin… I'm not on the baseball team. The Kendo team doesn't allow cheerleaders." Taiga said wearily.
"Heh, I know. You just seemed like you needed some cheering up." Minori apologetically explained.
"Yeah... I didn't mean to make you feel bad. Just… let me lean on you a little longer and I'll be okay." Taiga pleaded.
"You can even go to sleep if you want to." Minori offered, "I'm just glad it was the horse that was bothering you and not..." Minori's eyes opened wide and she hoped Taiga hadn't heard those last few words.
"Not what?" Taiga asked while still leaning on her friend.
"Uh… nothing." Minori said nervously.
"Minorin, you know I'm not still messed up about Ryuuji, right?" Taiga sat up and looked into her friend's eyes, "So what is this other thing you're worried about?"
"It's nothing, really!" Minori tried to sound convincing but she knew she was a terrible liar.
"Spill it." Taiga demanded.
"Please… don't ask me to tell you, Taiga." Minori pleaded.
"I wish I could forget it." Taiga said firmly, "But, you know I'm trying to fix all the things I broke… and I'm tryin to fix me too. And I can't do that if I don't know what's broke. So you tell me, Minorin… is this something I should fix?"
"Yeah. When you put it like that. I guess it is something you broke." Minori admitted, "Well… you see… I was just talking to… someone. And it came up that Onee-chan hasn't… forgiven you for… what you did."
"Onee-chan?" Taiga was puzzled. Suzume's older sister, who Minori idolized, was the first person that came to mind. "What did I ever do to Umeko-san?"
"Not her." Minori fidgeted. She knew that the soured relationship had meant a lot to Taiga at one time, and she worried that Taiga could be hurt by hearing this. But, as Taiga said, she really was trying to fix the things she had broken. "The one that everyone else calls Onee-chan. Everyone but you and Ryuuji. He calls her by her first name, but you call her..."
"Ya-chan?" Taiga's eyes were opened wide. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Yasuko was the one that had said she was part of the family, and that had meant… everything! "Ya-chan doesn't like me?"
"Before you ask who told me this, or why she doesn't like you – put yourself in her position for a moment." Minori said quietly.
"Huh?" Taiga was still shocked from finding this out now.
"She ran away from school, from home, from her friends… all for him." Minori tried to get Taiga to understand, "He is her child, her baby. She was always there to sooth his pains, kiss away his tears, and make everything okay until..."
"Until the depression." Taiga finished the sentence. She had heard the story too many times and from too many people. There was no way it had been made up. She could see how pained or sick it made the teller, just to recount the memories of those days.
"Yeah." Minori didn't say any more. She didn't need to. The change in Taiga's appearance was startling. No longer defiant or cunning, she looked worse than when she had to say goodbye to Midnight Star.
"Okay… I won't ask who you heard it from, but just tell me… you didn't hear it from Ya-chan herself, did you?" Taiga asked with a little bit of hope.
"Um… no." Minori answered.
"Then it may not be as bad as it sounds." Taiga said as she got up from her seat.
"What are you going to do?" Minori asked in a whisper.
"I'm just going to talk to Ryuuji and see what he knows about this." Taiga said calmly, "Relax, I'm not going to do anything rash."
Taiga confidently stepped into the aisle, but that confidence faded a little with every step that took her closer to the set of seats that faced each other where the Takasu family was seated with Ami's mother. As she got closer, she could see that Ryuuji was seated between his wife and his mother… Ya-chan, who was in the aisle seat. They were all chatting quietly and somewhat distracted by their own conversation, so they didn't notice Taiga until she was standing right next to them.
"Taiga-chan, my goodness! You startled me." Anna exclaimed.
"Sorry to interrupt," Taiga said with her best manners, "Do you mind if I borrow Ryuuji for a few minutes? I just need to clear something up with him."
"Not at all." Ami smiled and returned the politeness. She wondered if she was overcompensating with politeness to Taiga ever since she had that dream with the missiles and explosives.
"If you'll excuse me," Ryuuji said as he got up and moved to the aisle – but then he had to stop. He turned to see if his clothes had caught on something, but it was the other way around.
Yasuko had grasped the back of his shirt and was holding onto it as if she were trying to keep him from falling over a cliff. The others saw it clearly and at first thought it some kind of joke. But once they saw her face, they knew something was terribly wrong.
"Yasuko sweetie," her mother asked softly, "what's wrong?"
But there was no reply. Yasuko's fist was white from the grip on his shirt and her other hand clutched at the arm of the chair as if to keep herself from falling over the same treacherous cliff after her son. Her eyes were looking up at Ryuuji's face and her lips were trembling along with her jaw.
It wasn't anger that had locked up the bubbly and cheerful Onee-chan. It was far worse than that.
It was fear.
.
Glossary
Canberra: located in the south-east of the country, it is the capitol city of Australia and home of the Royal Military College.
Shogi: the Japanese version of Chess.
Wuss, Galah, "Face was off", Rotten, FIGJAM, "Too right", "London to a brick": Aussie slang.