[FIC] Class Act (part 18)

[dd]

As class representative, it was Kaname’s job to make things simpler, to throw water on fires, not kerosene. Obviously, it had been a while since she’d read her job description.

“The bus is not here?” Her eyes bulged. The veins at her temples stood out.

“It is not, Kaname.” Sousuke answered calmly, factually.

“THE BUS IS NOT HERE?!?!” She felt the blood rushing in her ears. Her palms were sweaty.

“No, it is still not here, Kaname.” Sousuke knew what it meant when a pin was pulled. Putting it back in the grenade wouldn’t make any difference once the handle flew off.

“THE……DAMN……BUS……IS……NOT……HERE……?!?!?!?!” The handle flew off Kaname, who flew off the handle. She pushed Sousuke hard against the nearest wall. She had wanted to push him through the wall. That latest disappointment did NOT improve her mood.

“That is correct.” Sousuke wondered if Mithril would bury him or cremate his body, spreading the ashes over the sea.

The class was taking in hushed voices. They were exhausted. The things they had all been through were more than anyone should have to take. Hunger pains began to replace fear and anxiety. They needed a place to eat and they needed a place to stay. Now they didn’t even have a means to get wherever it was they were going? Unbelievable!!!

“It is not insurmountable, Chidori” Soususke said truthfully. “The bus is being worked on by mechanics. That is beyond my control. Still, they may be able to help me out. They know many people and have many connections.” At the very least, Sousuke could ask for the bus back without the complete installation.

“Who’s going to ask them, Sousuke? You? You’re King Midas’s little known brother. Everything you touch turns to---” Kaname was kept from cursing by Kyouko.

“KANAME!” Kyouko had a shocked look on her face.

Kaname caught herself. She tried to force herself to calm down. It wasn’t working.

“Do me a favor, Sousuke. Don’t do any us us any more favors.” Kaname was livid. If she had been a mercury thermometer, there’d be mercury at her feet. “There is no way in God’s Green Earth that you could do anything right!”

The entire class stood speechless. That had been rather harsh. But, it wasn’t as if they couldn’t tell where Kaname was coming from. They mumbled, groused, and moaned. Sousuke’s name came up repeatedly.

“Excuse me, did I hear correctly?” Mr. Kashiwado walked up and bowed to Sousuke. Every other Rikishi, from the Ozeki on down did so as well, holding the respectful poster longer than necessary. “You have some difficulty here?” He glared at Kaname, who quickly backed out of the way.

“Yes, Sir.” Sousuke returned the bow. “The same mistake that had cost you honor, has inconvenienced my classmates. We were expecting to stay here tonight. They were to have provided our evening meal. We cannot drive elsewhere, as I had the bus taken in for repairs, expecting the work to be done while we ate and slept.”

“Ho ho ho ho!” The Yokozuna’s laugh was infectious. All of the other Sumo joined in. Mr. Mahmud clapped his hands. Mr. Yilmuz smiled. “It sounds as if you now walk a Kadoban’s path.”

“Yes.” Sousuke did not join in the laughter. A Kadoban is an Ozeki who lost a majority of his bouts at the previous tournament. Losing a majority of bouts again while kadoban means that the Ozeki would be demoted to Sekiwake for a period of time. It took a significant number of wins to regain the lost rank.

“It is not a pleasant thing. Gods be praised that I never had to live through it. But life is often a Tori-naoshi.” A rematch called when a match was too close to determine a winner. “You are not Kadoban to us here. Tonight, we would award you the Shukunsho” The Outstanding Performance prize given to a Maegeshira who topples a number of Yokozuna and Ozeki while winning more than half of his matches.

“Sir, you do me an honor I do not deserve.” Sousuke lowered his head. “Miss Chidori spoke correctly. I am a token of bad fortune.”

“Do not be foolish, young man.” Mr. Mahmud stepped up, working his arms and flexing his pectoral muscles. “The Yokozuna is not a man who gives out compliments without reason. That would be beneath his dignity. Neither am I, nor my esteemed friend.” he nodded to Mr. Yilmuz who nodded back.

“He speaks truth,” The Kurash master said, speaking up for himself. “You held back the tide tonight. Then, when the moon fell, you caught it and threw it back in the sky. Stolen honor was regained. Evil was put in its place. Bad men were stopped while good men were saved. What more could any man have done?”

“Thank you.” Sousuke bowed, then raised his head higher.

“You should not pay too much heed to people who rush to judgment knowing less than half the truth.” The look that the Yokozuna gave Kaname made her feel like mouse caught kicking dirt on a lion’s bed. “There are always people who will look for the bad side of things, feeling justified because of the pain they suffer. While they can rise up in the ranks at our Heya, they rarely do so. They often end up on the outside, cursing us for the unfairness of their lives.”

The other Sumo nodded their heads. They had all met Rikishi who met that description.

Kaname felt embarrassed, and began to feel ashamed. Perhaps she had every right to feel the way she did. But now, she was given reason to look closer. If these great men found something of greatness in Sousuke, would she find the same?

“We have had our differences, young man.” Mr. Kashiwado did not need to remind Sousuke of what he spoke. “But, you have shown me the flaw in my own pride, and gave me opportunity to think on it. That alone is worth any assistance I can give you. If it would not be beneath your honor to accept, I offer you and your entire class the opportunity to stay at our estate. You shall all be fed as if you won the Emperor’s Cup. There are plenty of bedrolls available, as we hold large tournaments at our facilities. One of the younger Rikishi will arrange for transportation.”

Sousuke graciously accepted the Yokozuna’s invitation. He respectfully asked to ride with his classmates rather than in the waiting limosine. Mr. Kashiwado smiled, feeling no offense at the young man’s request.

The Jindai students were all excited. From the outhouse to the penthouse. This school trip continued on its roller coaster ride. Down one moment, then incredibly high the next. It might not always be pleasant, but it was certainly memorable. Each and every student came away with a full understanding of the old Chinese curse: May you live in interesting times.

Miss Okibasu walked over and squeezed Sousuke’s hand. She didn’t feel well enough to speak. A number of students offered Sousuke an apology. A fair number of boys slapped him on the back.

Kaname stayed apart from the other students. Ren had been chosen to go talk to her, but she had been turned away.

“Kaname,” Sousuke said in a quiet but strong voice. “Why are you here by yourself? Are you angry with me again. Is this solution not to your liking?”

Kaname couldn’t help but hear her own words over and over again: ’There is no way on God’s Green Earth that you could do anything right!’ The Yokozuna’s scathing remark also echoed inside her head.

“Sousuke, you did very well. I’m not angry with you right now. I’m disappointed with myself.” Kaname looked out the window at the night, not looking at anything in particular.

“Disappointed, Kaname?”

“Yes. I had a right to be angry at you Sousuke. But, I did NOT have cause to be as hateful as I was. I failed too, and I did not want to see it.” Kaname pushed her hair away from her eyes,

“Failed?”

“Yes. I made the first mistake in arranging room and board. That was in part my fault, and in part Fates’s. Then when I knew we needed rooms, I did nothing to correct the situation. When you came up with a situation, I kept quiet when I should have looked for problems. I know you, Sousuke Sagara. I should have guessed. By putting all of my anger on you, I kept some of it away from me.” Kaname looked up. She wiped a tear away from her eye.

“There is nothing to forgive, Kaname. You have worked hard. You have done what you could under unusual circumstances. In battle, when the mortar shells rain down, and the howl of large projectiles pass overhead, many men run. Others try to bury themselves in the ground. The good soldier gets up and does what he must. He does not always succeed.” Sousuke stared at Kaname a moment before continuing. “In this battle, I am glad to have you leading my squad.”

Her throat suddenly thick, Kaname couldn’t reply. She reached out and briefly touched Sousuke’s arm. Her classmates remained quiet. It was the least they could do.

Kaname was not the only one to turn a new eye to Sousuke at that moment.


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Everyone slept like a rock. First, they stuffed themselves like pigs, spent time perusing their new environment, then hit the sack. Reed mats and coarse blankets felt like feather mattresses and goose down comforters. Miss Okibasu slept on a fancy futon, sweating and crying out in her sleep. Ren, Ryo, and Maya slept nearby, keeping an eye on their teacher.

Sousuke stayed up late. He drank with Mr. Kashiwado, Mr. Mahmud, Mr. Yilmuz, and a number of important men. They drank sake and wine. He stuck to water and fruit juices, It was not a fancy meal they all ate. Each man satisfied himself with a hearty helping of Chanko-nabe, a stew made of various fish, other meat, vegetables, and noodles added to a thick broth. It was dish unique to the Sumo, and it was served with bowls heaped high with rice.

Many a tale was told. Soususke told some of his, trusting the men around the heated tables to keep his secrets. It was a fine evening. While the men were not warriors in the truest sense, Sousuke nonetheless felt a kinship. That experience alone was worth the trip for him. He was accepted as an equal. He was welcome back any time he cared to visit.

Before he turned in for the night, the young Mithril soldier touched base with the Tokyo safe house, Mithril dispatchers, and the systems engineers burning the midnight oil to get the bus ready for the trip home. He gave them all his current address, and was told that the bus would be there not long after the sun rose. The technicians went into painstaking detail about the new additions; their capabilities and limitations; and the best means by which to use them without being detected.

Using his skills at swift and silent movement, he made his way into the womens’ area. For a brief while, he stood watching Kaname’s sleeping form, although he wasn’t certain why. In part, he wanted to assure himself that she was safe. In addition, he felt compelled to apologize to her with words he found too difficult speak when the two of them were awake. “I’m sorry, Kaname. I do my best. That is all I ever do. I’m not from the world you live in. I don’t know if I’ll ever adjust.”

Standing at an open window, he drank in the sounds and scents of the night. They were so dfferent than those of Tokyo. The were even more different than those of his earliest homeland.

As he drifted away into eventual slumber, Sousuke thought about what it must be like to be a ‘normal’ teenager. To him, this trip had been educational as well as professional. The battle with Wakana…the disgruntled man at the Heian Inn…the fights against Mr. Kasjiwado, Mr. Mahmud, and Mr. Yilmuz…the Arm Slave work out…the skirmish in the national Museum…and the fracas at the Okayama Hotel Sunshine: they were obviously not a walk in the park, but they were nothing compared to some of the things he had faced growing up in Afghanistan, or had subsequently seen while with Mithril. The other students’ reactions had been a far cry from his own. How would it feel, to be just like them?


************************************************************


Sousuke got the bus back on the road a fair bit later than he expected to. It was not because of the modifications---the vehicle had been parked at the outskirts of the estate before the first rooster crowed. No, it was because of the hospitality of their hosts, and the opportunities they provided.

The students all needed to wake up earlier than they would have preferred. It was a working estate, a training school The junior Sumos were rushing about, performing their duties. There was food to be prepared. The grounds needed to be cleaned. After that, there were ancient rituals to learn. The art of Sumo ‘wrestling’ had begun over two thousand years ago as an oracular ritual, connected with prayers for the harvest.

The generosity of their hosts was such, that the students were allowed to watch the training sessions, were the Rikishi were taught how to use the seventy-two acceptable techniques--kimarite---allowed Sumos. They participated in the warm-up exercises, and a few adventuresome boys took their place in the dohyo. They knew they had no chance against boys and men weighing on average 250 to 350 pounds, but it was an experience they would not soon forget.

When the bouts started in ernest, the boys watched the wrestlers go about their business dressed only in the Mawashi, the belly band. Many girls stayed to watch too, while others went off to spend time with girlfriends, wives, and mothers of the Rikishi. There was much they could teach about cooking, clothes repair, and estate management. Many of them were as well-versed in the particulars of Sumo wrestling as the men, even though they would never once step out onto the sands.

Sousuke marveled at the dedication of the aspiring Sumo, knowing how young some of them had embraced the discipline, and realizing how few would attain their ultimate dream. In any number of similar training camps, there might be close to a total of eight hundred trainees. Of them, only sixty-six would go on to qualify as professional wrestlers receiving salaries. There was no shortage of junior high age boys who were ‘adopted’ into the camp.

The Yokozuna joined Sousuke in his tour. He was a man among men. Since the rank system had been established, there had only been a total of sixty-five men who had attained that rank, the one rank in Sumo that was permanent. When he was no longer able to win convincingly, he would be expected to step down.

“Hey look, it’s Sagara!” The boys were still polarized in their feelings towards the young soldier. A majority respected him. It was one of them who spoke up. But, a number of guys still nursed grudges. One of them spoke up as well.

“Yeh, I wish we could see HIM in a real match. A panty waist like him wouldn’t stand a chance.” The rugby player knew that was a fact. There was little an average-sized teenage boy could do against the power generated by the huge wrestlers. To win, all they would need to do would be push Sousuke out of the dohyo, or make him touch the ground with anything other than the soles of his feet. Piece of cake.

“Well then, young man?” Mr. Kashiwado smiled at Sousuke. “I think I would like to see that. A number of matches with a man of your skills against our students, keeping to the traditions of the art.” The Yokozuna chuckled. “And, because it might be enjoyable to surprise some of the students who have grown altogether too confident, it would be refreshing to see what you might do when there were no rules.”

“I accept, Sir.” Sousuke felt no desire to be humbled in front of his classmates, but felt an obligation to his host.

“Good! One of the attendants will take you away to be fitted.” The large man smiled.

“Fitted?”

“Yes. For your mawashi. You will of course dress as your opponents do.

“Uh…”

“Is there a problem? Do you wish to withdraw?” Mr. Kashiwado had to fight to keep from laughing

“Uh…”

“O, I see. You would rather perform in front of the entire class. That is very magnanimous of you. I shall send messengers to gather up the young ladies.” The Yokozuna clapped his hands, drawing the attention of one of the servants.

“Uh…”

Sousuke was taken to an area where he could dress. There was a slight problem. There were no belly belts that even came close to being his size. They had to fold and fasten the smallest one they could find. At his request, the seamstress added a small pouch to the belt.

When he walked back to the match area, the bleachers and benches were packed. The girls had done whatever was necessary to usurp the front rows. Whistles, cat calls, and somewhat ribald comments were yelled out as Sousuke entered the ring. That had been from the boys. The girls were much worse.

“Honored guests, we come to the Chumoku-ichiban,” The most anticipated bout of the day. The master of ceremonies didn’t let a hint of sarcasm creep into his voice. He was a professional. “I will introduce to you, the sekiwake Bonoaki. Yokozuna Kashiwado has graciously volunteered to serve as Gyogi.” Referee.

As the large man across from him went though his ritual warm-up Shiko, Sousuke wondered just what he had gotten himself into.


************************************************************


Sousuke was a fan of Sumo, so he knew the rules followed the matches, and had a fair grasp of the current rankings. Aside from Mr. Kashiwado, there were currently two other Yokozuna. There were four Ozeki. At this given moment, there were two Sekiwake. He would be facing one of them.

The were gasps of excitement, calls of derision, and unaligned noises of amusement when the two opponents finally crouched down in preparation of the first Tachi-ai, the synchronized initial charge. Everyone went quiet when the Yokozuna raised his arm and said ’Jikan Mae!’

Sousuke and Mr. Bonoaki made eye contact. An unspoken confirmation of readiness passed between them. Suddenly, they were rushing towards one another.

The rules were simple. Punching, gouging, kicking above the waist, and grabbing the sash in the groin area were prohibited. Slapping, tripping, grappling, pushing, and tossing were the moves at his disposal. He knew how the various kimarite were done, having watched countless matches and being a good observer. Doing them against an experience opponent was an altogether different story.

Sousuke knew he was at a distinct disadvantage in weight, strength, and training. He would need to rely on his speed. There were moves from other martial arts that would translate into Sumo. He had no idea whether or not they would overcome the odds.

The Sumo was astonishingly fast for a man his bulk. Fast, and remarkably strong. Before he knew it, Sousuke found himself grabbed by his mawashi, lifted as if he were a baby, and carried out of the ring. It took less than five seconds.

“Tsuridashi!” the master of ceremony called out, naming the kimarite used for the benefit of the student audience.

“See Kaname, THAT’S how you catch Sousuke! Bet he’d like to see you dressed in one of those cute belts.” Mizuke’s voice carried across the outdoor area. A number of the young Sumos watching the bout chuckled.

Kaname decided she would ask for one of the belts. She pictured wrapping it around Mizuke’s neck and twisting.

Normally, the same men would not wrestle again, unless it were training sessions, or if the coaches wanted to use Sanbangeiko, continual fighting until both Rikishi were exhausted. But, Sousuke provided the Sumo with a grand opportunity to demonstrate many of their techniques. His being aware of that fact did not make him feel any more sanguine about the whole affair.

In the next match, he was laid low by Harminage, a rear belt through. After that it was Oshidashi, frontal push-out with arms bent. He stood back groggy after a fierce Hakakikoni. His shoulder, back, and neck slapped incredibly hard, he was driven immediately to the sand.

“Whoa! Did you see THAT? Good thing its him out there, and not us!” One of the swimmers hurt all over just seeing what happened.

“That’s no big deal!” Maya said. “I’ve seen Kaname give him much worse.”

“In rapid succession, Sousuke was less than trilled to give painful demonstrations of Shumokuzori, being lifted high before being brought back over; Asitori, a two-handed leg tip over; and Kubihineri, a palm to the neck, grasp of the elbow, and twist to the ground. But that was not the worst of it.

At the start of the next bout, he found one of the more embarrassing ways to be disqualified. Fujo-make.

He lost his mawashi.

At first, there was a stunned silence throughout the stands. Then, there was an erruption of laughter and frenzied discussion. Camera flashes went off continuously, like a swarm of busy fireflies.

“It’s OK, Sagara. You’re young yet. You still have time to do some growing. I hope!” One of the wrestlers called out. The boys guffawed and slapped each other on the back.

“I don’t know. It looks pretty good to me….” One girl from the volleyball team blushed when she realized she had spoken aloud. Kaname had another name to add to her list of people to invite to a ‘neck tie’ party.

“STAND AT ATTENTION SOLDIER!!!” Ryo yelled to Sousuke, pointing to Kaname. “Can’t you see that your commanding officer is in the crowd?” Sousuke did as he was told, clutching the belt in front of his privates. He obviously missed the joke.

Everyone who was not a member of Jindai High School stared at Kaname, smiling. Hushed whispers rose from the spectators like an early morning fog. Kaname didn’t wait until she had a mawashi. She performed a credible move herself, grabbing Ryo’s head in her hands, twisting, and throwing her out onto the ground.

“Gasshohineri!” The Yokozuna shouted. The assembled Sumo all applauded.

“HMMPPFFF!” Kaname said with a toss of her hair.

After his embarrassment, Souske felt a need to be seen in a somewhat different light. He had watched his opponent enough. It was time to put his own talents to work.

Before the next crouch, Mr. Bonoaki grabbed his own sash and checked it, a clear refernce to what had happened to Sousuke. The large man’s smile showed a strong sense of hubris. That smile would be gone in a matter of seconds.

Sidestepping a forceful charge, the Mithril operative moved in a blur, grabbing an ankle from the outside and pulling it with all his strength. His opponent fell had on his abdomen and slid a short distance across the sand,

“Susotori!” The call went out. Mr. Kashiwado gave Sousuke a brief smile.

“That was cheap shit!” One of the rugby players shouted.

“No, it was well executed,” one of the watching Sumo replied. “Would you care to step down and give it a try?”

The rugby player clammed up.

The Sekiwake was rather displeased. Spitting out sand, and brushing himself off, he decided to teach the young upstart a lesson. If Sousuke broke during the process, it would be by no fault of his. No one should put an unskilled boy up against a Tenpai, a past winner of the Emperor’s Cup.

In the next match, the Sumo unleashed a huge swipe of his arm that would have knocked Sousuke unconscious if the slap had landed. The smaller fighter instead made use of one of the surprise attacks, grabbing the Sekiwake’s wrist with one hand; taking hold of the elbow from below with the other hand; standing side by side with the Rikishi; then twisting the whole body. The larger man tumbled to the ground.

“Tottari!”

The Yokozuna clapped. Seeing that, the entire stable joined in.

“Bet that move would work against a halisen too!” Shinji yelled out, embarrassed when everyone turned to look at him. He saw Kaname’s smile. That was the way a wolf looked before it gobbled up a lamb. His entire body shivered.

The Sekiwake did NOT clap. They may have all been showing their appreciation of a good move by that boy. But to him, it was as if they were cheering for his defeat. There were many jealousies in the stable. Too many men wanted to drag him down. Too many wanted to see him lose face. It was time to give them all a reminder.

In the next match, the Sumo overcame Sousuke’s quickness by pure power and balance. In a bull rush, he brought the high school, student to the very edge of the ring, belly to belly. The Sekiwake had no fear that the younger man could use the ultimate reversal technique, the Utchari. There was no way he could support his considerable bulk. All he had to do was push a bit more, and the boy would step out of the ring.

To the Sumos in attendance, the next move came as a surprise. It was unnecessary for the win. There was no doubt it was meant as a statement. A brutal slap sent Sousuke flying out of the ring. He lay in a heap at the Yokozuna’s feet, bleeding slightly from the corner of his mouth.

Everyone stared at the victor. Some turned their backs on him. Not a sound came from the other Rikishi.

“Sousuke!” Kaname cried out, putting her hand over her mouth.

“Uhhhhhhh….” A low moan came from the ground.

“Sousuke?” Kaname’s call was a question. Was he OK?

“Uhhhhhhh….” Sousuke shook his head, wondering if his brains might spill out through his ears.

SOUSUKE!!!” Kaname called out, concerned. “SOUSUKE, GET UP. THAT’S AN ORDER!!!”

All of her fellow students stood and saluted Kaname. She blinked twice. There was no way she could strangle them all.

“Uh…” That sounded much better. Sousuke pulled himself to his feet, still somewhat wobbly.

The Yokozuna scowled at Mr. Bonoaki. As referee, there was no reason to call foul. Everything had been done within the rules of the match. Still, the haughty wrestler had overstepped the spirit of the competition. It was time he was humbled even more.

“Young man, can you continue?” Mr. Kasjiwado asked Sousuke.

“Yes, Sir!” Sousuke answered, tenderly touching his jaw. A slight dislocation. No subluxation or break.

“As we had discussed before. There will be no restraints or rules for this match. This is the final fight. To your places.” He clapped his hands. Sousuke again lined up at his Shikiri-sen, the starting line.

“Jikan Mae!”

Mr. Bonoaki ran with all of the subtlety of an angry rhinoceros, and twice the force. The Yokozuna had given him an unexpected gift. No restrictions. No rules. The great man must have approved of his show of force. He was going to uphold the honor of his profession by knocking that boy all the way into the stands.

Sousuke reached into the pouch at his mawashi. Taking out two powerful flash bangs, he threw them in front of the charging Sumo. A flash like a small nuclear explosion filled the dohyo. Having kept his eyes closed, Sousuke still noted a bright glow---but he could continue to see just fine. Caught entirely by surpise---understandably so---the Sekiwake was left temporarily blind.

To the delight of the high school students, Sousuke dropped another flash bang inside the larger man’s sash. Mr. Kashiwado winced, knowing what was coming. He had faced something similar himself, after all. Twice. The other Sumo’s looked on with sympathy. They never respected the time-honored rules of their craft more than they did at that moment.

After the small device detonated, the Sekiwake folded up like a cot, his mouth incapable of making any noise other than a long whushhhhhhh, much like the air leaving a punctured tire. Too stunned to know what was happening, he was pushed over by Sousuke, a single finger sufficing.

“Just like the cafeteria!” Shinji yelled, camera snapping away.

“And the gym….” A girl added.

“The class rooms, too….” Ren said, eyes wide.

“Don’t forget the Tennis courts….” A boy remembered a treasured moment.

“Swimming area….” Maya put in.

“And the the hallways….” Miss Okibasu felt terrible, but her memory was working just fine.

Right then, everybody felt nostalgic. It had been an ‘interesting’ trip. They were about ready to go home. Kaname was outraged. She stood up and shook her fist at everyone. “JUST WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?!?! FOR GOD’S SAKE, DON’T ENCOURAGE HIM!!!”

Looking at one another and smiling, a number of students picked Kaname up and carried her out to the dohyi, laughing as she struggled to get free.

“Chidori, are you here to wrestle me?” Sousuke was perplexed.

Oooooooooooooooooooooh!

“S-S-S---” Was all that kaname could get out at first.

“If you like, I am certain they can find you a belt.” Sousuke spoke amiably, trying to facilitate Kaname’s desires.

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!

“S-S-S-O-U---”

“Or is this about what we discussed at the Inn. Are you trying to get me to see you naked again? The balcony was a rather inappropriate place.” Sousuke gulped. “The fan dance was close enough, I think.” He was sweating heavily. “And I think you would be embarrassed with everyone here watching.” His fingers were crossed.

Whoo whoo whoo whoo YEHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

“S-S-S-O-O-O-U-U-U-S-S-S-U-U-U-K-K-K-E-E-E-!-!-!” Kaname grabbed hold of the front Souske’s mawashi with both hands, twisting it as tightly as she could. Sousuke’s eyes bulged out of his head. She then went on to do a textbook Nimaigeri, kicking Sousuke’s ankle hard from the outside, causing him to trip and fall over. On her knees, she proceeded to slap him silly.

“GET A ROOM, YOU TWO!!!” Ryo shouted. Everybody in the area applauded.

Blushing, Kaname held her hands over her head and made her way back to the stands.

The Yokozuna did the honor of helping Sousuke up. He bowed. “I thank you young man. We have many inexperienced Rikishi in this stable. Your demonstration will be an immeasurable help to them.”

“Sir, I thank you. But, they will not be permitted use weapons, as I did.” Sousuke spat out a small bit of bloody saliva.

“I wasn’t talking about that, Mr. Sagara.” Mr. Kashiwado smiled “Most of them are young and inexperienced. They know nothing of the hazards of dealing with women.”


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Sousuke was a big fan of Greek mythology, as well as ancient history. The way Kaname had been carrying on after her stint in the ring reminded him of the Harpies---but even he was wise enough not to want to mention that fact to anyone.

The Harpies are often thought of as razor-clawed smelly birds with the heads of women---who tormenters of tragic characters, they often defecated in their victims food, stole their belongings, or made themselves a nuisance in countless other ways. In early art and stories, however, they had started off as beautiful women, three in number---Aello, Octpete, and later Celaeno. Their names meant storm, swift-flier, and black cloud. Two of those names seemed rather apropos for Kaname at the moment. She too could be viewed as the personification of the unfriendly sea and the accompanying bad weather.

Sousuke would rather face an entire dragon tooth army than be harangued by a single blue-haired girl. In the legends, the gods were often cruel. Individuals were often plagued for the most innocent slights or unknowing crimes. If that were to be Sousuke’s plight, he would bravely face it.

That was his story, and he was sticking to it. Of course, if the storms were to blow Kaname away, he would be quick to follow.

After the class had finished with their sessions with the Sumo wrestlers, they were treated to more demonstrations and instructions. Dressed in his leather wardeobe, and glistening with the sheen of pure olive oil, Mr. Mahmud explained the art of Turkish oil-wresting, a tradition dating back to 1065 B.C. in Persia in its current form, but also depicted on the walls of Egyptian and Assyrian temples long before that.

“Who wished to try his hand at being a pehlivan?” he challenged, in a deep deep voice. Striking his chest, he told the assembled students that the word derived from the term for hero. “Surely we have some young heroes amongst us today?”

Everyone turned to look at Sousuke. The rugby team huddled, laughed, and called out anonymously from the crowd. “Ask Sagara. He thinks he’s a hero or something.” They anticipated another punishing encounter for the scar-faced young man.

“Yes, but we already know his greatness, don’t we?” The Turk bowed to Sousuke, smiling. “Surely there are some that wish to follow in his footsteps?”

“You have GOT to be kidding!” Mizuke shouted.

“The world’s not big enough for two of them!” Maya cried.

“Even Kaname’s not horny enough for more than one, is she?” Ryo ran, but not quick enough. Kaname had come prepared. She carried a clay pot of oil, and poured it over her friend’s head. She smiled as the shocked girl slid slowly down the incline.

“Horny?” Sousuke asked Kaname. He muttered ‘harpy’ after she broke the empty pot on his head.

“Well then. At your school, who are considered the strongest of the athletes?” Mr. Mahud was not simply making conversation. Unfortunately for them, the members of the rugby teams were long on toughness, but short on common sense.

“RUGBY!!!” One boy shouted.

“And at your school, who do the other athletes fear to anger?” Mr. Mahmud smiled, showing a number of gold-capped teeth.

“RUGBY!!!” Another boy called out proudly.

“Then, who should come down to the sand and represent your school?” Mr. Mahmud took the top off of a number of oil jars.

“RUGBY!!!” Everybody but the Rugby squad yelled out. Sousuke nodded his head. It was appropriate.

“The, send them down, so that they may do your parents and your teachers proud. You will start as boys, but end up as men!” One of the rugby players almost collapsed. He had seen Mr. Mahmud in action at the Hotel. He had witnessed the testicle squeeze that took the fight completely out of one Yakuza. How could someone ever be a man without those?

Musicians had accompanied the wrestler to this country, to provide the opening music preceding actual bouts. Acrobats were there as well, performing for the crowd. Young Rikishi, not required anywhere else, ‘helped’ the rugby players down into the arena. After the greeting ceremonies, they were given expert tutelage. Some were still able to walk when they were through.

“If you like, after a short break, we can continue!” Mr. Mahmud laughed, when the boys were carried away. Those who were able, soon found enough energy to run on their own. They said they wanted to get good seats on the bus.

Mr. Yilguz was a much less frightful figure than Mr. Mahmud had been. A soft-spoken man, he walked with a dancer’s grace than many of the girls envied. He was, by Sousuke’s estimate, the most fit of any man or woman at the stable. That did not surprise him. Kurash was not only one of the oldest forms of martial arts, mentioned in many ancient and medieval manuscripts. Philosophers and scientists in antiquity claimed that it was one of the best ways to keep both the mind and body healthy. In the distant past, a leader in Timur had used the art to keep his army strong and unbeatable.

As the master explained, Kurash originated in the Uzbekistan region more than 3500 years ago. The art encompassed courage, bravery, spritual generosity, fairness, and humanity. Once a manner of celebration and entertainment at weddings and ceremonies, it had grown into a means of competition, and later a manner of physical training.

Everyone was shown the basics of jacket wrestling, and those who were interested, were allowed to try out a number of basic moves on their classmates, hindered as they were by the absence of appropriate garb. The Jindai students enjoyed the presentation, happy to take away with them another unexpected experience.

“I have one spare jacket with me,” Mr. Yilmuz noted. “None of my disciples accompanied me to this land, so I have no one to pair up with for a brief contest.” He looked across the expanse of students, looking for Sousuke. The question he would ask was for everyone, but he had a suspicion that a certain young man would be the one to answer. “Does anyone have any training in any discipline similar to Kurash?”

Sousuke raised one hand. “I have trained in Sombo.” Som-orborona Bes Orusyia, a Soviet martial arts method, had its roots in a form of jacket wrestling.

“Mr. Sagara, I never would have guessed you” the master joked. “Would you wish to participate in a light work-out?”

“Yes, Sir. I would be honored. I gladly appreciate any opportunity to learn.” Sousuke put on the jacket and other accoutrements .

The match was spirited and demonstrative. Sousuke was by no means in the same league as the current world champion, but he managed to do him self great credit. It was a fine match, and the students watched rapt and attentive. Some even thought about looking into some form of martial art when they returned home.

Kaname found herself slipping into a very mellow mood, her eyes fixed on Sousuke. She drifted away unto fantasy briefly, embarrassed when she caught herself. Why was she getting all doe eyed over Sousuke all of a sudden. Sure, he was poetry in motion out their, looking like a young Kurash hopeful. But it was all bad poetry, right! He had managed to take down a seasoned Sumo more than once. But, the last time it was through his usual crazed otaku methods. Throughout this trip, he’d been the fly in the ointment, the thorn in her side. O, except for the minor part where he saved her life! But, he was bound to do something right, sooner or later.

It was all sleep deprivation. That, and some kind of post traumatic stress stuff. Nothing to be concerned about. Kaname felt much better, until she noted that Ren, Kyouko, Ryo, Maya, and Mizuke were all staring at her, with big smiles on their faces.

“What?!?!” she growled.

“O, nothing!” Maya answered first.

“Nothing at all!” Kyouko put in.

“Less than nothing!” Ryo said, whistling.

Ren just smiled, saying nothing.

“Nothing more than embarrassing, if you ask me!” Mizuke said.

“NOBODY DID!!!” every girl in earshot answered.

“We just think you have a crush on Sousuke. Nothing more than that.” Mizuke was not about to be quieted.

“Me?” Kaname asked, her cheeks turning red.

“Uh huh…” Ryo said.

“ME???” Kaname’s eyes were narrowing.

“Yup…” Maya smiled.

“And Sousuke?” Kaname’s breathing quickened. Her pulse went up. Razor-thin lips formed a tight frown.

“You betcha!” Mizuke whistled, waved her arms, and caught Sousuke’s attention.

“SOUSUKE???” Kaname picked up her halisen.

Everyone was silent. Their eyes rested on the paper fan.

“Come on, I already answered once.” Mizuke looked around. She grinned. “Shinji, come here!”

Shinji walked over, changing rolls of film. He shut his flash off and put a lens cover on. “Yes, Mizuke?”

The girls all smiled. “He said ‘Yes,’ Kaname” Ryo stepped back a bit. In Kaname’s state, and affirmative action would act as a finger on her trigger.

“YES? YES?!?!? ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR FREAKIN’ MIND???” Shinji’s pitiful ‘Please!' and ‘What?' only served to enrage Kaname all the more. “BOYS!!!” The halisen caught Shinji square on the jaw. His head jerked one way and his glasses fell another.

Sousuke walked up, untying his sash. “We halted the match. Is there an emergency here?” He looked at Kaname, her face red, gasping for breath, eyes bulging. “Did Kaname swallow something the wrong way?” He had seen that look before.

“Yes…” Mizuke answered.

Sousuke rushed over and slapped Kaname hard on the back. He then did a textbook Heimlich maneuver.

“…The bitter pill of truth.” Mizuke finished.

“Uh…” Sousuke said. His arms around Kaname’s waist, he started to sweat. He slowly moved back, hearing Kaname’s growl. He had rushed in too fast again.

“You’re dead, Mizuke!” Kaname hissed. Misuke fliched. “You too, Ryo.” Ryo gulped. “Maya and Kyouko, if you want to call your folks one more time, now is the time.” They both looked worried. “Shinji, pull yourself together! I need to break you apart again.” Shinji ran off.

Kaname turned around slowly and smiled at Sousuke. “Sousuke, you get to live….” She smiled sweetly.

“Crush,” Ryo said, her number already up.

“Big crush,” Kyouko said.

“Super big crush!” Maya said.

“Definitely!” Mizuke nodded her head.

“…You get to live, because I’M GOING TO MAKE YOUR LIFE A LIVING HELL!!!” Sousuke took off like a shot, Kaname close on his heals. “Come back here and bleed like a man!”

“You’re right. It’s a crush. If Sousuke thinks he is in trouble now, Spirits protect him if Kaname ever realizes the truth.” Ren sighed. She had her own crush to deal with. He hadn't been able to make the trip.


************************************************************


Sousuke and his class said their thanks and good byes. With the exception of the rugby team, no one really wanted to leave. What had started out as an emergency place to eat and sleep had turned into a source of pleasant memories. The entire stable turned out to wave farewell. Mr. Yilmuz presented Sousuke with his spare Kurash jacket. Mr. Mahmud gave the rugby team an autographed jar of oil. Mr. Kashiwado promised to set aside a number of tickets for Jindai High, good for the Aki and Haru tournaments.

The Yokozuna also had some private words of advice for Sousuke. “Victory is only of secondary importance. The struggle is best approached with a blend of profound courtesy and the mobilization of all mental and physical resources at your command.” He had smiled expectantly.

“I thank you, Sir. Though, I fail to see the relevance of courtesy in combat.” Sousuke was clearly puzzled.

“I wasn’t speaking of combat. My words could be applied to Sumo, in a sense. But, I was talking about that blue-haired girl.” Mr. Kashiwado slapped Sousuke on the back affectionately, almost driving him into the ground.

“Uh….” Sousuke said.

“Exactly.” The Sumo wrestler replied.

Finally in the drivers seat again, Sousuke opened a panel near his right arm. He flicked a number of systems and put on a headset. Lights flickered and stayed on. Tones played on the earphones, indicating the readiness of various subsystems.

Putting on a pair of bulky glasses, he accessed the HUD. It was working perfectly, synched to his glasses. Unbeknownst to any of the passengers, a large covered luggage rack on top swiveled, keeping its front end oriented to wherever Sousuke looked, depending on the range he types onto a small console.

The rear ‘luggage box’ was operational as well, offensive as well as defensive systems completely on line. Floursecent bar graphs indicated the quantity of materials available.

A whirring noise in the headset was superceded by a series of beeps, before a voice came on. ‘A.I. FULLY OPERATIONAL. PLEASE ENTER VALIDATION CODE.’ Sousuke did so. ‘CODE ACCEPTED. WELCOME SGT. SAGARA. PLEASE SET STEALTH LEVEL.’ Sousuke complied. ‘MAXIMUM LEVEL APPLIED. NOISE AND FLASH MASKING TO BE IMPLIMENTED AT THE COST OF ACCURACY AND EFFICIENCY. IF THAT IS AGREEABLE, PRESS THE ASSENT KEY.’ Sousuke pressed a green button. ‘ACCEPTED. PLEASE SET PARAMETERS FOR AUTOMATED THREAT ASSESSMENT RADAR AND X-RAY SYSTEM.’ Again, Sousuke did as requested. ’SET-UP COMPLETE. PLEASE DRIVE CAREFULLY.’

“Sousuke, what’s taking so long up there?” Kaname sounded exasperated already.

“Nothing, Kaname. I needed to make certain everything was OK. We have a long road ahead of us.” Sousuke answered in a steady neutral voice.

“Good. You make certain things stay OK. It IS a long way home. Don’t make it any longer!” Kaname added a spritely Hmmppff to top off that command.

“As always, I will do my best Kaname.”

“I know. That’s what worries me, Sousuke. That’s what worries me.”


************************************************************
End of pt 18

[pilot03]

Somebody should have called greyhound.

[NewtypeZeta]

Somebody should have called greyhound.

Who's to say they didn't?

(Now that's a scary thought......)

[ZyreX]

WoW!! what a nostalgic feeling, NewtypeZeta uses the ava i made 300years ago and hah I used that ava like half a year... brings backs memories!

[NewtypeZeta]

WoW!! what a nostalgic feeling, NewtypeZeta uses the ava i made 300years ago and hah I used that ava like half a year... brings backs memories!

I must say that I'm not following your current train of thought ZyreX, but either way, I've got some things that need to be said.

DD, I commend you on your writing style and can only hope that one day I can come anywhere close to your level of innovativeness and skill with the depicting of certain characters among other things within a certain storyline. (currently, I'm trying to establish the framewoork of a sequel whose original hasn't even been written yet.)

Either way, remember this, you are without a doubt THE KING of FMP fanfiction and don't let anyone tell you different. Your stories have topped any and all that I have read since the summer of 2003, so don't let anyone ever say that you aren't good at what you do. Keep at it, and one day, I may hopefully get the chance to return the favor.

[dd]

@NTZ Always good to hear encouragement. Thanks

Keep it up. If its fun, it will come. If it becomes a drudge, then something's wrong.

If you have time to put something together, go for it. You don't have to wait until you mature as a writer to write---I think people grow that way BY writing.