I AM BECOME DEATH

PROLOGUE

My mother died today.

We knew it was coming. I tried to suppress the knowledge that cancer would kill the woman who had raised and nurtured me, but I couldn’t hold it in when the moment came. I stood by her cheap bed in that dreary hellhole of a hospital while my bald, gaunt mother held my trembling hand. My father held her other hand, his eyes just as wet as my own. One year ago, when the doctors gave her the news, she was the most gorgeous woman in Japan, but now she was a shell of a human being

her muscles atrophied and her rosy cheeks turned to chalk.

She looked at Dad and asked, “What time is it, dear?”

Dad looked at his watch, a present from their tenth anniversary. “2:15.”

Mom smiled. “Two minutes. Just as expected.” She then turned to me, her flickering eyes revealing the determination she had raised me to embrace.

I couldn’t understand her. When the doctors told her of the inoperable tumor, she just nodded as though it wasn’t a big deal. She spent the next year performing her regular routine of meditating in our living room and reading manga. Her approaching death didn’t bother her one bit. “Mom”, I asked, “Why are you so calm?”

She grinned and replied, “I’ve seen this moment, Chikara. Over and over again. And I’ve seen you go through hell and suffer, but come out the woman I wanted you to be. I’m so proud of you. You’re my hero.”

The answer made me choke in tears. She had called me a hero all my life. She read manga and American comic books to me when I was a toddler, and stories of King Arthur and Hercules when I grew older. She discussed Luke Skywalker, Superman and Yagyu Jubei at dinner, and she read about Yamato-Takeru and Miyamoto-Musashi to pre-schoolers when she could. I grew tired of it, but she kept on calling me her little hero.

“Mom, I’m not a hero. I’m just a

“

“Not yet, Chikara. Not until you find the spark,” said Kaminari Mika, her voice hoarse and weak. The life-support machine’s pulse grew fainter, and so did mine. “The video will explain everything. I’m so sorry, but it’s the only path to save the world. Believe in your friends

control the spark

and you will win.”

My father, unable to contain his grief any longer, gripped her hand tighter than I did. I thought she had lost her mind in her final moments. “Mom, what does that mean? I don’t understand.”

She closed her eyes and smiled, her pulse dropping even lower. With her last breaths, she sighed, “Masakazu

I love you. Chikara

you’ll make it all better.”

And she was gone.

Dad and I hugged and cried in that room for hours, even after the staff covered her face with the sheets and wheeled her down to the morgue. When we had finally sobbed every last drop, we drove home. He immediately set up the shrine he had built and lit the candles around her pictures, illuminating the lovely face that looked so different from the pale ghost we had lost. He prayed for her soul, but I didn’t want to. I just wanted to lock myself in my room, curl up on my bed and never come out. I wanted my mom to walk through the door and hug me like she always had.

But she would never walk through the door again. She would never read me stories of heroes, or see me leave for college, or welcome my future children. I hugged Dad goodnight, brushed my teeth and walked to my room to write this entry. Dad is still at the shrine. I can’t blame him.

I can’t forget what she said to me today. “Find the spark”, “save the world”… she was delusional. The cancer stole her mind before it stole her life.

Of course, she’s always been right before.

CHAPTER 1

THE WILL

Chikara’s alarm clock woke her up from a hazy dream. She rolled out of bed and started her daily routine of thirty jumping jacks, twenty push-ups and twenty sit-ups, followed by twenty slashes with her favorite bokken (wooden sword). Her collection of samurai posters watched her cut through invisible enemies with the skill and speed of an ancient warrior. With each swipe, she imagined her animated heroes in the frames cheering her on and telling her to move in for the kill.

With her workout complete, she changed into her school uniform and headed to the kitchen, where her father had a plate of waffles and eggs waiting for her. He was reading a manga, which featured some young green-haired girl in a sailor suite waving a magic wand. “Dad, how can you read that junk?”

Masakazu said, “It was your mother’s. The story isn’t so bad. She has to save the country from

“

“Let me guess, demons? How original.”

“Yes. You know, she only got into them after you were born. I never understood her. Do you remember when she used to read these to you?”

“I’m going to school. I’ll be back in time for the will.” She grabbed a waffle and headed out the door. Masakazu could see that his daughter was still not ready to talk about their loss.

She stopped by Renka’s house to pick her up. The two had walked to school together for years, but on this particular day, her friend wasn’t waiting in front of the house. She rang the doorbell and asked Mrs. Kusaka if Renka was home, but the housewife answered, “No, Renka left a little early this morning. She said she wanted to watch some meeting today.” Chikara thanked her and continued on her way, wondering what kind of meeting could’ve attracted her best friend’s interest.

When she arrived at Eisai High, her sharp ears picked up a slight rumble in the bushes on either side of the walkway. Her hand crept to her wooden sword. She doubted this would be too much of a hassle. Almost on cue, six young men leapt out of the bushes, each equipped with an identical wooden sword. The leader of the pack, an annoying lunkhead who had asked her out on far too many occasions, said, “Kaminari Chikara, we challenge you to a fight to the death.”

“Perfect,” said the armed schoolgirl. “Something to help clear my head.”

Thirty seconds later, all six members of the Male Kendo Club lay on the concrete clutching their limbs and catching their breath. “We surrender! Forgive us!” said Kidou Hiroshi, the leader who just couldn’t cut it.

She put her weapon back in its sheath and replied with a hint of disdain, “One of you nicked my shoulder a bit this time. You’re getting better.” A crowd of fellow students gathered nearby and clapped for their samurai hero with each chop, punch and kick. She took a bow and joined her friends, the Female Kendo Club, who happily traded a fist-bump with their glorified leader.

Takako, a junior, said, “Way to go, Chikara-san.”

“I knew you could do it, Kaminari-sama,” said Mayumi, the freshman of the club.

“Of course she could. She does it every day,” said Mizuho, a senior.

She let out a slight laugh, thankful for her friends’ support but unwilling to show it. “Thank you, ladies. Anybody seen Renka around? She wasn’t at her house today.”

Kayoko, a junior and second-in-command of the club, answered, “Funny you should ask. That socialist guy is giving another speech, and I saw your friend standing in the front.”

“Renka? Are you sure?”

“Teddy bear purse and everything.”

“This calls for drastic action. Lead the way.”

Kayoko led the quintet to the high school’s auditorium, where the Democratic Youth League of Japan Club was holding one of their demonstrations. As the youth wing of the Japanese Communist Party, the League advocated dismantling all United States bases from the country, abolishing nuclear weapons worldwide, apologizing for Japan’s actions in World War II and “defending the interests of the people” against corporate rule, especially from foreign entities. The worldwide socialist organization had its own local chapter at Eisai High, and its few members made good use of their resources through early-morning speeches and aggressive promotion in fliers and newsletters. The chapter was just one of thousands scattered throughout the planet under the World Federation of Democratic Youth, bringing a left-wing viewpoint to the masses through strong organization and communication.

That morning, the young activists protested the continued American presence in Japan, an occupation that had stood since the end of the war. A banner reading “Troops out now!” hung across the top of the stage, and the podium displayed a flag of the hammer and sickle, communism’s infamous rallying symbol. The branch’s leader, Kagekuro Gen, was certainly the most elegant speaker of the club. Charismatic, uncompromising, quick with a comeback and pretty handsome (according to the girls’ locker room gossip), Kagekuro always stood at the forefront of the debate, ready to bring his radical politics to the stage.

As they searched for their prodigal friend, Chikara and her kendo club pushed past the crowd of curious onlookers. Most, like their parents, were strict traditionalists who thought the left-wingers were Russian-sympathizing crazies. Others came for a laugh, having no interest in the political realm. Others were actually interested in what he had to say, perhaps out of general concern or just youthful rebellion. As she searched for her scatterbrained friend, Chikara tried to block out Gen’s radical speech.

“It has been sixty-seven years since the end of the war. Sixty-seven years since the dropping of the bombs that destroyed our cities and killed our people, when America neutered the imperialist military of Japan and forced it into peace. Three score and seven years ago, the United States began their occupation that they do not intend to end.”

The disinterested students in the crowd chattered away.

“This guy is so full of it.”

“I don’t care. They never bother me.”

“I kind of like those soldiers. Foreigners are cute.”

“You’re so slutty.”

Gen had gotten used to heckling and taunts from the audience after years of practice. “I urge you to tell Parliament that Japan has learned from the mistakes of the past and no longer needs its American nanny to keep us out of trouble.”

“Go back to North Korea, commie.”

“Screw you, Yankee-slave.”

Kusaka Renka, her teddy bear purse at her side, stood in the front row and watched Kagekuro deliver his lines. She didn’t really listen to his arguments. She just admired his calm, collected demeanor and impressive delivery. His persuasive voice could convince anyone of anything. Renka put her mind on autopilot and let his strong, committed speeches take her to a happy place.

A hand grabbing her shoulder snapped her out of her trance. “What? Oh, Chikara

hi.”

“What the hell, Renka? Don’t tell me you’re going all Lenin on me.”

“Come on, Chi. You know my parents are moderates.”

“Then why are you listening to these weirdoes?”

Her brain cranked into overdrive searching for a credible excuse. “I

feel sorry for them and want to understand their pain.”

Chikara flashed the suspicious look, a face her friend knew all too well. She could tell something was up. “Okay. Want to compare notes for government?”

“Sure.” Renka followed Chikara out of the auditorium. She looked at Gen one more time on the way out. When his eyes unintentionally met hers, she jerked her head back at light speed.

***

Later that day, Chikara and Renka sat next to each other in class. They were fortunate enough to attend a school that allowed students to sit in their chosen order, as most other schools in the country conformed to strict procedures and allowed children very little freedom.

Perhaps we should pause to explain the Japanese school system to our Western friends. Students stay in one class while the teachers rotate around the rooms, a reversal from the typical American or European institution. This is supposed to create a tight knit group, which is considered to be more important than the individual in a collectivist culture. When thirty to forty students spend so much time together, the class develops a symbiotic bond that will prepare them for the adult world, where being part of the group leads to success. Unfortunately, this also means one must spend eight hours with people they will never get along with. While the gods blessed Chikara by putting Renka in the same class, they also played a cruel joke by putting her sworn enemy there as well.

She tried her best to avoid eye contact with Nagasado Michiko. Since elementary school, the two had been at each others’ throats. Their history was a never-ending cycle of vicious insults, “accidental” spills on dresses and occasional blows to the face. Michiko had the amazing ability to always get what she wanted with nothing more than a charming face, a direct command or an implied gesture, while Chikara had to work for everything she earned. She never understood what made Michiko so persuasive. Maybe it was her taller height, her natural beauty, or her out-of-place gray eyes that no other Japanese person she knew shared. Whatever the reason, she couldn’t wait to graduate at the end of the semester. Unless the gods played another cruel joke, she would never have to even think about “Empress Michiko” again.

Michiko sat in the back of the room, surrounded on both sides by Chisato and Yukiko. The student body called them her “henchmen” for good reason. The trio discussed the issues most important to them, such as who was a bitch and who was beneath them, while Chikara tried to block them out with conversations of her own. She told Renka, “You know, our culture has existed for thousands of years, and it works just fine. I don’t see how we need big government to change everything. What’s next, banning whale fishing?”

Renka said, “For God’s sake, Chi, I’m not a Communist. You’re like

uh

Joe McCarsey, or something.”

“Who?”

“You know, that American politician who called everyone a Communist. I read about it.”

“I just want to make sure my bestest friend’ doesn’t fall in with the bad crowd. Like when you tried that marijuana.”

Renka glanced around to make sure nobody heard. “Oh, that was one time, and it was harmless.”

“You were lucky I took pity on you and told your parents you spent the night over.”

“Look, I’m not going to be a left-wing nut, okay! My parents are with the Democratic Party of Japan, and that’s all I know. I just went to see Kagekuro-san speak and

“

This Freudian slip captured Chikara’s attention. “And what?”

“He’s

very convincing.” Renka’s cheeks turned a humiliating shade of red, revealing her true intentions.

“Oh

my god

you like him.” In her surprise, Chikara forgot to whisper. The class looked at Renka and giggled. Even Michiko and her allies found it funny, but didn’t make a rude comment (by some miracle). Renka’s cheeks became redder. “Thanks, Chi.”

Mrs. Minsei, the class’s government teacher, walked into the room and put her books on the table. The class stood and bowed, the cultural sign of respect, and sat back down. The attractive middle-aged woman politely bid the class good morning and started that day’s lesson. “And so the Meiji Constitution took effect November 29, 1890

remember that date

and was based upon the Prussian model of constitutional monarchy. The Emperor once again became the embodiment of Japan, but the National Diet was established to represent the people by free election. Does anybody know the name of the movement that pressured for a republican legislature?”

A few students raised their hands. Minsei called on Hibana Taichi, the tech-savvy genius who sat behind Renka (he used to sit in front of her, but his out-of-control head of hair blocked her view and made her ask him to switch). Taichi stood and answered, “The Freedom and People’s Rights Movement.”

Minsei said, “Correct. Now, the Diet was divided into two houses: the House of Representatives and the House of Peers. The Upper House Peers were members of the imperial family, important aristocratic families and people appointed by the Emperor. The Lower House Representatives were elected directly by the people.”

Renka’s friend Oka Nikki raised her hand. “Sensei?” When called upon, she rose. “Is it true only males with enough property could vote?”

Minsei laughed. “Sadly, yes. Imagine the problems we could have avoided if they let the women select the leaders.” The girls chuckled while the boys rolled their eyes. Minsei added another joke, “You know, in America, black men got the right to vote before white women. So even the former slaves had more rights than us.” This time, the entire class laughed.

“Anyway, the Diet could initiate legislation and approve laws and the budget. The independent judiciary set up the court system. The Emperor was the head of the state and, according to Article 3, “sacred and inviolable.” He had power over the Imperial Army and Navy and had Ministers of State that answered solely to him. After the war, the Meiji Constitution was scraped and replaced with the current one, the Pacifist Constitution. This law replaced the absolute monarchy with the system of liberal democracy, and reduced the Emperor to the symbol of the State and of the unity of the people’. The Allies sought to change Japan’s fundamental system of government rather than just punish us with reparations.”

Chikara hated the subject. Even after sixty-seven years of peace, the scars of Japan’s loss at the hands of the Allied forces ran deep, leaving a permanent wound in the country’s heart. Most Japanese would rather not think about the tragedies of the past. They’d ignore them and hope the terrible memories go away, just as the descendants of any losing country would do.

Her worst memory, after her mother’s final moment, was seeing her grandfather at his weakest. He had gone to fight for the emperor at the ripe age of nineteen, and gave his left arm in the service of his country. When she was a child, her father told her about his courage and dedication, and she longed to talk to him about the war and everything he saw. When she finally got the chance, he became uncomfortable. He went upstairs, looking glum and morose, but the curious child wouldn’t let him get away without hearing a story.

Ten minutes later, while her parents discussed politics, she ran up the stairs to find him. She located him in the living room of the shrine, staring at a full sized mirror with his left sleeve rolled up. He looked pathetically at the stump, and without turning around, he said, “I didn’t fight for my country, kid. I fought for the bastards running it.”

He was dead one year later. Since that day, Chikara didn’t like to think about war.

The lesson dragged on until the end of the hour. Minsei looked at the clock and said, “We’re out of time, so I’ll end with some trivia. What Allied declaration warned Japan to surrender or face prompt and utter destruction? Nagasado?”

Michiko rose from her seat with a confident look. “I believe it was the Cairo Declaration, sensei.”

“Close, but that came before in 1943. The Potsdam Declaration is the correct answer.”

Michiko remembered reading about the two and quickly realized that she had confused them. Unfortunately for her teacher, she wasn’t finished yet. A mischievous grin slithered across her lips, as if pondering a funny joke that no one else would understand. Michiko focused her concentration into her voice and said, “Actually, I think the Cairo Declaration is the right answer. It was made in 1945 and warned of utter destruction.”

Mrs. Minsei froze as her mind absorbed the information. “Yes, it was the Cairo Declaration. I apologize.” Eyes widened throughout the room. Everyone knew the answer was the Potsdam Declaration. Some students flipped through their history books to double-check the fact, while others just stared at their triumphant classmate. She looked just as surprised as the rest of the class, as if she had discovered a secret talent.

Minsei dismissed the class for lunch, reminding them to read chapter fourteen of their history book. Michiko walked out of the room with her two friends, and the rest of the class timidly followed them from a distance.

***

“Did you see that?” exclaimed Renka, careful not to let the trio of popular girls hear her.

“How could I miss it?” said Chikara. “It was the Potsdam Declaration. I’ve read that section twice. Why did Minsei-sensei change her mind?”

“It was so weird. Did you see the look on Nagasado-san? She looked just as surprised as anyone.”

“She was always so forceful, but

damn, I don’t know what to say.”

“Whatever. Let’s eat.”

The two made their way to the cafeteria, where they met up with their friends Shindo Yui, Yazawa Hirono and Nikki from class, as well as the Female Kendo Club. Most schools in Japan have no cafeteria, preferring to let the students eat in the homeroom or outside, but Eisai’s less strict code of conduct allowed for the building of one. Some students believed conspiracy theories that the entire facility was actually a top-secret experiment meant to study student behavior in a more liberal atmosphere, but few of the children complained.

“So I try my best to thank him in English

I try rolling my tongue and all that

and he just stares at me and says in perfect Japanese, What the hell does that mean?’” Hirono’s story made her friends crack up, but Renka and Chikara were still too freaked out by what happened in the classroom to laugh. As Renka nodded and faked her giggles, she tried to sneak a few peeks at Kagekuro Gen, who sat with the other Democratic Youth Leaguers at the other end of the cafeteria. She thanked fate that he faced her, but she had to be extra careful not to make eye contact.

Hirono continued, “So we go to this fast food place, he gets the biggest, greasiest burger I’ve ever seen, and he’s wolfing it down like it’s a regular sandwich. I’m thinking how can he fit that in his mouth? I know I can’t.”

Mizuho replied, “I bet you were thinking that later at night, too!” The table exploded in laughter, prompting Hirono to joke, “I’m gonna freaking beat you.” Kayoko, Hirono’s older sister, rolled her eyes. Her sibling’s success with men worried her to no end.

Renka took this opportunity to sneak another quick look at Kagekuro Gen. This time, she saw him looking right at her. She quickly jerked her head away and pretended it was an accident. She didn’t see him smile back.

“You’re blushing, Ren-chan,” said Kayoko.

“What?”

“You’re redder than Hirono’s teddies. Something have your attention?”

Chikara glanced at Gen. “She’s checking out her secret crush.” The girls turned and noticed him looking back at their table. The young man grinned for a moment before continuing his discussion with his friends.

“Renka-chan has a crush,” said Yui.

Takako added, “On the communist.”

“I think he’s kind of cute,” said Hirono with a devilish grin.

Mizuho slapped her back and replied, “You’ll do anything with a pulse.”

Renka’s blushing cheeks betrayed her once again. “Come on, guys, his eyes caught mine. It was an accident.”

Across the cafeteria, Michiko and her friends continued their enlightening conversation. As usual, she did the majority of the talking. A boy named Nokoribi Kaijin sat next to them, soaking in every word the young girl spoke. For the past few weeks, the introverted boy had been trying to get close to Michiko, even going so far as to carry her backpack to class for her. Michiko realized that he had a crush on her and had no problem taking advantage of his assistance. It wasn’t the first time a boy wooed her with a gentleman’s kindness, and with her beauty she knew it wouldn’t be the last.

Yui picked up her tray. “I’ve got to meet with my math teacher. I’ll see you later.” She made her way to the conveyor belt to dispose of her unfinished food. Distracted by the hilarity of Renka’s situation, she didn’t notice the small puddle of spilled soda on the floor. She clumsily slipped and tumbled face-first onto the floor in front of Michiko’s table. Her bowl of chocolate pudding, which she couldn’t finish due to its bland taste, spilled all over the girl’s shoe. The students laughed and applauded. Michiko’s gave a look of contempt that soon morphed into an opportunistic smile.

Yui bowed in front of the student she had inconvenienced. “Oh, darn it! I am so sorry, Nagasado-san. That was completely my fault.”

“Relax, Shindo-san”, replied the cool-tempered girl. “These shoes are old anyway.”

“Oh, thank you. I thought you’d be mad.”

“No, it’s okay. Just lick it off and we’ll be even.”

The suggestion surprised her. “What?”

Michiko concentrated into her command. “You heard me. Kneel and lick my shoes.”

Without further protest, Yui bent over and licked the pudding off the shoe. The observers laughed, gasped or stared blankly at the improbable and obscene display. Even Chisato and Yukiko looked frightened by their friend’s amazing feat of persuasion. Michiko watched her classmate lick her shoes as if she had discovered the meaning of life. “It works,” she whispered to herself. “It actually works.”

The sickening scene disgusted Chikara. “That’s enough, Nagasado-san. Yui, stop it.”

Michiko said, “Just a moment, Kaminari-chan. She isn’t done yet.”

“I’m serious Yui. Stop!” Chikara became offended by Michiko’s use of the honorific “-chan”, which is used among girls to convey a sense of childish cuteness.

As Yui continued her assigned task, Michiko took the situation a step further. “You know, Kaminari-chan, this would go a lot faster if you lick my shoe too.”

A new sensation stuck Chikara like a wrecking ball. She felt her entire body go numb, as if morphine had been shot into every limb. She couldn’t fight her own body as it kneeled over and helped Yui lick Michiko’s shoes clean. The onlookers gasped. Michiko’s easy hypnosis of the toughest girl in the school and her look of wonder made them realize that this was no arranged comedy act.

Though as frightened as everyone else, Renka put aside her fear and thought of how she could help. When the light bulb flicked on in her brain, she ran to the window and shouted, “Hey, is that the principal coming?”

Michiko decided to end the charade. “That’s enough. You can stop now.”

The two girls stopped licking her shoe. Yui burst into tears and ran out of the cafeteria crying. Chikara flashed Michiko a vengeful look and ran after her friend. The students, too scared to intervene, sat back down and ate their meals. Renka left the room to find her humiliated friends, but they were already gone.

Nokoribi Kaijin stared at his crush and said, “Wow, Nagasado-san. No wonder they call you Empress Michiko.”

She smiled, satisfied by his ass-kissing flattery. “Thank you, Kaijin-kun. And from now on, call me Michiko-sama. I would like that.” He had no objection to using the more respectful honorific.

Chisato, still a bit shaken by the obscene events, asked, “Michiko? How did you do that?”

The popular girl gave a sly grin, “I don’t know. But I like it.”

***

When school ended, Chikara and Renka walked back home. They hadn’t spoken to each other or anyone else since the embarrassing incident in the cafeteria that had already reached the ears of the entire school. As her shock wore off, Renka broke her silence. “How’s Yui?”

Chikara said, “She cried for a long time in the locker room shower. It took an hour to cheer her up. That’s why I was so late to class.”

“This is crazy.” Renka hung her head in shame, regretful that she couldn’t have prevented what had happened. “Why did you give in? You hate her.”

Chikara had trouble putting it into words. “I can’t explain it. It was like

every part of my body just had to do as she said. I couldn’t resist. It was a

compulsion.”

“My uncle smokes. He says the same thing. How does she do it? What if she’s a demon?”

“Oh, she is, but not the way you’re implying.”

“Hey, don’t feel too glum. Who cares about that idiot anyway?”

“It’s not that. It’s… my mother.”

Renka lightly touched her friend’s shoulder to show her support. “Chi, it’s been two months.”

“They’re playing her video will for the family today. I don’t

” Chikara started to tear up. “I don’t know if I can handle it. I don’t want her stuff, I just want her back.”

Renka rarely saw Chikara cry. She threw her arms around her as she let it all out. It didn’t matter who was watching. Comforting her best friend was the most important thing she could do.

Chikara continued to sob. “Before she died, she told me the video would help me save the world. Delusional! The cancer messed with her mind. All that manga.”

“Chi, she loved you. I’m sure she’ll give you something that will make you happy. Maybe she’ll direct you to the man of your dreams.” This made Chikara laugh. After a few moments of hugging and crying, the two friends regained their composure and continued the journey home. When they reached the Kusaka residence, Renka said, “Good luck tonight. Let me know what happens.”

“I will. See you tomorrow.”

Before she entered her house, Renka turned around and said, “Chi?”

“Yeah?”

“What you did for Yui was selfless and brave. You’re a true friend.”

“Thank you. So are you.”

“No really, you were a real hero to her. Later.”

Chikara pondered her mother’s last words. She walked away and whispered to herself, “I’m not a hero.”

***

Later that night, the extended Kaminari family gathered around the big screen television. Chikara had not seen some of these relatives for years. Her uncle Akira had moved to Hokkaido with his wife and son, and her Aunt Ai had moved to America a decade earlier. Although she enjoyed seeing them, she wished happier circumstances had led to their reunion. The family lawyer played a DVD after informing the family of their rights. Kaminari Mika appeared on the screen, and after a short introduction, she began the allocation of property. There was plenty of it to go around, thanks to her many years of wise, successful investments in profitable businesses.

“To my brother Akira and his wife Naomi, I give 1,000,000 yen and that curved katana in my room that you always wanted. To their daughter Mori, I give a 200,000 savings bond for college.” Akira held his crying daughter, who loved her aunt like a best friend. Mika continued, “To my brother-in-law Toshinori and his wife, who is not here today

“

The relatives’ eyes widened in unison. How could she possibly know that? Chikara and her father, however, couldn’t help but grin. Mika always had a way of expecting things. “

I give 500,000 yen and that Chinese pot you guys always admired. To their son Koushiro, I give a 200,000 college bond and my collection of Super Sentai reruns.”

Koushiro said “Thank you, Auntie.”

The departed continued to name the recipients of her property, giving her sister and parents a decent share. At the conclusion of the will she stated, “Now, my husband keeps everything else. The house, cars, savings accounts and stocks. And honey, when Izumi from work asks you out, say

no! Trust me, it’ll end badly.”

“Sure, honey,” said Masakazu with a nervous laugh. He still couldn’t believe that this amazing woman was gone.

“And now, I have a special message for my daughter, Chikara. I would like to talk privately with her, so everybody please clear out of the room. Pause the disc, this is for Chikara only.”

The lawyer hit the pause button and told the confused family to leave the room. Chikara asked, “Dad, what is this?”

“Your mother wants to talk to you alone, honey. Good luck.” Masakazu left her alone and shut the door while the rest of the family members visited the small, homemade shrine to their lost loved one to pay their respects. Chikara hesitantly picked up the remote control and pressed play.

Mika smiled as she addressed her daughter. “Hey, Chikara. I’m sure you miss me. I don’t know where I am right now. I couldn’t see that far, but

I believe in my heart that I will always be at your side.”

“Mom?”

“Chikara, listen to me. Throughout your life, I’ve taught you to be a good person. I’ve taught you to be fair, honest, reliable and strong. So far, you’ve turned out just as I wanted you too. I’m so proud of you. However, things are about to change. Events outside of your control will soon require you to do things no one has done before.”

“Oh god, Mom, what are you talking about?” It was worse than she thought. Her mother had apparently lost her mind even before the final stage of the cancer.

The recording continued. “There are extremists in this world, Chikara. Fanatical men and women who seek power, and with this power, they will attempt to mold the world to their radical ideas. I have seen what they are capable of, and the results will lead to terrible destruction. Your duty

” Mika’s head drooped, and her face betrayed a look of regret. She covered her left eye with her hand as if something had stung it. “I never wanted to drag you into this. I’ve looked at every possible outcome, and nothing ends happily except this one. I’m so sorry. I wanted to save you from this but

only you and your friends can save this world.”

“What?”

“I leave you the equipment in the safe in the attic. The password is 030285. I want you to share it with your friends Renka and Gen.”

Her look of shock could be seen from space. “Gen? You mean Kagekuro?”

“Just don’t wear it for too long. Otherwise, you’ll end up like me. The path will be difficult. You will be hurt and hardened. But in the end, I know you will prevail. Make me proud, my little hero. I love you.”

The will ended, and the baffled teenager left the room to a crowd of curious relatives. Her father asked, “So, what did she say?”

“You wouldn’t believe it.” She didn’t look at her family as she walked to the entrance of the attic. After unlatching the retractable ceiling and climbing up the ladder, she dug through the cluttered area until she located the safe. The large, heavy vault must’ve cost her mother a fortune, meaning something valuable had to be inside. She held her breath and entered the combination. So many possibilities ran through her mind. It could have been cash, jewelry, stock portfolios… anything. What could her mother leave her that would “save the world?”

She pressed “enter” and heard the safe unlock. With her excitement and fear at its peak, she opened the steel door and looked inside. Nothing but a small metallic box welcomed her. It looked like a case for wedding rings, but gray and unappealing, certainly not something one would present in a marriage proposal. She picked up the unflattering case and almost dropped it, not expecting it to weigh so much. It had to be made of lead. Iron wasn’t that heavy.

She opened the case and looked at her inheritance, a solid gold ring. A carefully etched pattern of winding lines and circles slithered around the piece of exotic jewelry, clearly the work of a master. The strange jewel in the center commanded her gaze. Rectangular, smooth and without luster, the small black stone was like no other rock she had ever seen.

“Mom? What is going on?”

CHAPTER 2

THE RING

Chikara’s searched for a deeper meaning to the present. There was nothing else in the safe that could provide a clue to the ring’s purpose. She studied the bizarre gift and thought of what she was supposed to do with it. “What is this, Mom? Is it for my wedding? Why do you want me to share it with Renka and Gen? This is ridiculous.”

She closed the case in frustration, wishing for a more useful inheritance instead. She then felt guilty for that thought. “Still

you wanted me to have it. It was so important, you locked it up. Okay, Mom. I’ll do as you ask. You did everything for me, after all.” She closed the safe and climbed back downstairs.

Chikara located her father talking to his mother-in-law regarding the condition of the dedication shrine. She patiently waited to be recognized, and when called upon, she asked, “Dad, can I talk to you?”

“Sure, Chikara. What is it?”

“In private?” She led him to the guest room to show him the lead box and strange ring. “This is what she left me. It was in a safe in the attic. Ever seen it before?”

Her father studied the odd trinket, drawing a blank. “Hmmm. I always wondered what was in that safe, but she kept telling me it was a secret. It looks

kind of familiar.” He recalled seeing something like it before, many years ago, but he couldn’t remember exactly. “I’m afraid I don’t know.”

“She told me to share it with Renka and this guy from school. Why? This makes no sense.”

“Chikara, your mother’s actions had a way of working out in the end. If she asked you to share it, there has to be a reason.”

“Yeah, I guess so. Tomorrow I’ll show it to them.” She closed the box and rested it on her nightstand, pondering how she would tell Renka and Kagekuro Gen about this strange turn of events.

***

The next day, Chikara spotted Renka waiting outside her house with a toasted bagel in her mouth, and another in her hand. Renka lit up in excitement. “Good morning, Chi. Hope you’re hungry, because Mom buttered it just how you like it.” She thanked her and took the snack. Renka, her anticipation at its peak, asked the ultimate question. “So… what’d you get?”

Chikara held up her inheritance. “I knew that was coming. I got this.”

Renka studied the bizarre ring on her friend’s finger with an unhealthy mix of curiosity and confusion. “Whoa? Nice ring.”

“The ring from Planet X. The band itself is gold, but I have no idea what the gem is supposed to be.”

“You should talk to Mr. Tamashi, the science teacher. He’s good with this stuff.”

“That’s what I was thinking. Listen, there’s something else. I have to share it with you.”

“What?”

“Yes, Mom said I have to share ownership of this ring with you…” She groaned before adding, “

and Kagekuro.”

“You’re kidding.”

“No, I’m dead serious. She told me to share it with both of you. I don’t know why, but she’ll never forgive me if I don’t carry out her will.”

“Why Gen-kun? How did she even know about him?”

“I don’t know. It… wait, Gen-kun?”

Renka had accidently referred to him by his first name and attached the more formal kun to it, showing more admiration than the surname. She put her hand over her mouth and blushed. “Uh… I meant Kagekuro-san. I can tell him about it if you want. Not that you can’t do it yourself, of course, but…”

Chikara giggled. She enjoyed teasing her friend about her little crush. Still, she had to inform Gen about her mother’s arrangements somehow, and Renka may have been the best way to rope him in. “Okay, you can tell him. You’re free after your biology club, right?”

“Yeah, I can come over.”

“Great. Tell him to come to my shrine at…” As soon as she reached the path leading to the school, she froze and raised her hand, preventing her companion from walking any further.

From years of watching her friend battle, Renka knew this meant danger. “The Kendo guys?”

Rather than the heavy mouth-breathing of the losers in the Male Kendo Club, Chikara could hear whirling motors and the hum of circuits. It had to be something robotic

many of them

small, compact, yet inexpensive to produce. She knew it was Hibana Taichi’s doing. He was always building strange contraptions and gadgets, and she had to engage in battle with his mechanical monstrosities on several occasions. One time, Taichi entered his chainsaw-equipped robot in a Battlebot competition, which she had to destroy when it went ballistic and turned on the crowd.

She held her pose and waited for the machines to make the first move. When she heard the small motors hum louder, she shouted, “Duck!” and pushed Renka to the sidewalk. On cue, three small, spiraling boomerangs popped out of the bushes and floated directly at her, forcing her to grab her weapon and calculate how to take them down. The three robots spun around her in a triangular pattern, overloading her ability to analyze her surroundings. Although they hovered and spun at a considerable speed, she could tell they were designed to annoy, not destroy.

Chikara swung her sword at the horizontal circle the boomerangs formed, but the crafty machines dodged and flew over her head. When she turned around to look, another hit her in the back and hovered away as if taunting her. She ducked and rolled out of the circle, deciding to focus on one at a time. The third made a move for her back, but she quickly spun around and swatted it with her sword. It sputtered, so she hit it to the ground and stomped on it, cracking the plastic shell and exposing its fragile circuits.

She heard another boomerang swooping in over her shoulder. She grabbed the flying pest and clutched it, preventing escape. As the last of the attackers closed in, she flung her captive machine and knocked them both out. With two more swings of her weapon, the robots were history.

The Female Kendo Club popped out of the bushes and clapped for their captain. Mizuho, held the camera that captured the entire fight. “Way to go, Chikara-san. You managed to down them all in under fifteen seconds. This will look great on YouTube.”

Chikara sighed. “Let me guess, Hibana built those?”

Mayumi said, “Yep. They have AI systems that lock on to your target. Aren’t they neat?”

Renka wasn’t so pleased. “Could you guys wait until I’m out of the way before you pull this crap?”

“Ohh

we’re sorry.” Kayoko rubbed her head. “Guess we got a little carried away.”

Chikara slipped her sword back into its holder. “Whatever. Let’s get to class.”

“Wait a second,” Takako interjected. “Where did you get that ring?”

“Funny story…”

***

Since she had extra time to spare before class started, Renka decided to swallow her fear and talk to Gen. She found him heading to his homeroom, his friends luckily absent. A fearful knot twisted in her throat. She dreaded the inevitable laughter that would doom her chances with him forever. How was she supposed to tell him that a traditional, conservative girl that he’d never met before wanted to share her dead mother’s ring with him? He’d think she was setting him up for a date.

On the verge of collapse, Renka approached him. “Kagekuro-san?”

“Kusaka-chan

what’s up?”

Renka’s pulse slowed. At least he was open to hear her. “Uh, this may sound sudden, but

Kaminari Chikara wants to talk to you later. She says she has something she wants to share with you.”

“And that something is…?”

“You’re probably not going to believe this, but it’s a ring that her mother left her in her will.”

As expected, Gen gave her an awkward look. “Ooooooo… kay.”

Renka poured all of her concentration into not fainting from embarrassment. “Look, I know it sounds

weird, but it’s really important. It means a lot to her.” She knew her life was over. He would turn her down and never speak to her again, and he’d tell his friends that she was crazy. She’d be laughed at for the rest of her days and never have a boyfriend.

Gen shrugged and replied, “Can’t turn down a gift. Where can I find her?”

“Uh… I’ll write down her address.”

***

While Ms. Minsei wrote notes on the chalk board, Chikara and Renka copied them into their notebooks. Terms like “Nihonkoku Kenpo” appeared named to Douglas MacArthur and “Jieitai”.

Minsei narrated the history lesson. “At the end of World War II, Japan was crushed. Allied bombs left cities in ruins and radiation poisoning killed the survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Under American and British occupation, the entire Japanese government reform into the parliamentary system we have today.”

Renka whispered to Chikara, “Gen says he’ll come over.”

“Good.” She tried her best to avoid looking to the back of the room. She didn’t even want to think about Michiko at this point. She could almost feel the static of those piercing gray eyes staring at her, planning their next humiliation. She decided to eat lunch on the roof today. The cafeteria was now a danger zone.

Michiko, from her seat in the back, could see the anxiety in Chikara’s posture, and she loved it. She had wanted to humiliate her for years. Since their days in elementary school, Chikara had been a pain in her side. Whenever she swore or made a harsh comment, Chikara would tell an adult. Every time she broke the rules, the stuck-up teacher’s pet would get her in trouble. But stealing Renka as a friend was the atrocity she would never forgive. For over a decade, Michiko dreamed of getting back at Chikara in the worst way, and now she had the power to make it happen.

Minsei continued, “The Japanese had their own commission working on a constitution, but the process was slow and MacArthur thought it wasn’t good enough. The new system called for a two-house Diet, made of the House of Representatives and the House of Councilors.” She described the duties and privileges of the Diet. The classmates remembered the American exchange student last year who thought the Diet was a meal plan instead of the Japanese parliament.

Michiko looked at Chikara again, wondering what she could make her do next. With their senior year almost over, she only had a short time to have some more fun. As she glanced at her rival’s back, she noticed the new addition to her hand. Her gray eyes widened in shock. Chisato and Yukiko, sitting on either side of her, heard a slight gasp and turned to see their friend with a surprised, fearful look. Chisato whispered, “Michiko? What’s wrong?”

Nagasado calmed herself down and regained her composure. “Nothing.”

When class broke for lunch, Minsei reminded everyone of the test tomorrow. Michiko quickly got out of her seat and approached Chikara, a swarm of questions buzzing through her mind. “Kaminari-san?” she asked more formally than their usual conversations.

Chikara scowled. “What do you want?”

“Look, I’m really sorry about yesterday. That was very cruel of me.”

“Sure you are.”

“Now, I’d like to know about that ring on your hand.”

Chikara suddenly felt very nervous. “Sorry, I have to go to lunch.”

Before she could get away, Michiko concentrated her voice and commanded, “Let me see it.” Once again, Chikara felt that tingling sensation spread throughout her body. She raised her hand and let Michiko inspect the ring, looking into those gray eyes and seeing the confusion and fear in their expression. She had never seen Michiko this concerned about something, and wondered why the ring scared her so much.

She realized that she had no defense. What if Michiko wanted to take the ring? There would be no stopping her. She tried to resist, but the mental command overrode her ability to move.

Luckily, Ms. Minsei interrupted the conversation. “Nagasado-san? I’d like to talk to you about your Korean War paper.”

The distracted Michiko looked at her, giving Chikara the split-second opportunity to cover her ears and run out of the room shouting, “I am deaf! I can’t hear! La la la!”

***

After Michiko “convinced” Ms. Minsei of the accuracy of her paper, she went to her usual spot in the cafeteria. She didn’t see Chikara and her friends. Not surprising, given the humiliating scene yesterday. Still, she quietly looked at their table on the off-chance they would return.

Chisato noticed her friend concentrating on the table. “What’s wrong, Michiko? You looked all weird when you saw Kaminari’s ring.”

“Yeah, what gives?” said Yukiko. “It’s not even pretty. The band looks fancy, but the gem’s just a black block.”

“That isn’t a normal ring,” she said.

“What do you mean?” asked her friends at the same time.

“You don’t need to know.” The girls dropped the subject. “We have to find out where it came from and how she got it

and I have a plan.”

That evening, after the final class and before the club activities, the trio sought out Kayoko, Chikara’s friend and second-in-command of the Female Kendo Club. Michiko knew she had a different class than the others and would most likely be alone during the walk to the gym. Kayoko would be the perfect instrument in her scheme.

They spotted Kayoko on her way to the gym and cornered her, preventing her from passing them by. “Yazawa-san, can we talk to you for a second?” asked Michiko, in as friendly a tone as possible.

Kayoko remembered Michiko’s cruel stunt against her friends. “I have nothing to say to you, Nagasado. Goodbye.”

Michiko’s authoritative voice replaced her friendly one. “Stop!” Kayoko stopped, just as she was ordered. “Tell me what you know about Kaminari’s ring.”

Kayoko couldn’t resist. “It’s a present from her dead mother. That’s all I know.” This took Michiko by surprise. Chisato and Yukiko noticed the shock on her face.

“Okay.” Michiko had to take drastic action before this situation could spread beyond her control. “Here’s what I want you to do…”

***

That evening, after practice, Chikara and the rest of the club entered the locker room to change out of their training uniforms. Practice had gone swimmingly. Even Mayumi, the freshman of the group, had gotten better. Takako said to her, “Hey, great job today, Mayumi-chan. You were so fast, I was afraid to blink.”

Mizuho added, “Yeah, I’ll bet you can defeat all the boys yourself.”

Mayumi tried to conceal her happy squeal. “Thanks, guys. Kaminari-sama, what do you think?”

Chikara tried to be upbeat. “You’re quite the fighter. In three years, I wouldn’t be surprised to see you as club leader.” She could sense something wrong with Kayoko. She seemed less focused than usual, even robotic, like she had an urgent matter on her mind. When she finished changing into her school uniform, she walked over to her club lieutenant. “Kayoko… is something on your mind? You’ve been quiet all day.”

Kayoko looked hesitant to answer. She slurred her words as she said, “Chikara, can I talk to you in private?”

“Sure. You girls can go ahead.” When the three others finished dressing and left, she asked, “Is something wrong?”

Kayoko struggled to speak, as if trying to resist her own actions. “Can I… can I see that ring again?”

She showed it to her, confused as to why she was suddenly so interested. When she revealed it to the club earlier, Kayoko didn’t seem that concerned. Without warning, Kayoko violently grabbed her hand and tried to pry the trinket from her finger. She pulled her arm away and instinctively posed for a fight. “Kayoko! What are you doing?”

Her friend picked up her shinai, a flexible bamboo sword, and gripped it tight. “I’m sorry! She made me!”

“What?”

“She told me to take it! I can’t stop!”

“Who?” asked Chikara, although she already knew the answer. Kayoko swiped her weapon across her waist, barely missing her stomach. She ran across to the other aisle of lockers to get to her bokken as quickly as she could. Kayoko maneuvered around the back and cut her off, swinging with all her might at her legs. She leaped off the ground, luckily dodging the blow, and pushed her attacker into the lockers. As she ran to retrieve her weapon, Kayoko grabbed a loose padlock and threw it at the back of her head.

The stunned Chikara stumbled and saw her friend leap at her. She underestimated her second-in-command. Kayoko had probably held back her full potential all these years. Although dazed, she dodged the next attack and kicked Kayoko in the stomach. With her opponent dazed, she grabbed the shinai and tried to wrestle it out of her grip. Kayoko bashed her head into Chikara’s face and pushed her away. She then thwacked her in the side of the waist, making her yelp in pain.

Ignoring the sting of the bamboo grains striking her at full force, Chikara punched Kayoko in the forehead and tried to reach her bokken again. With a somersault over a horizontal swipe, she grabbed her trusty weapon. A bokken is made of solid wood, and thus much harder than a shinai. Chikara’s own version was made of kashi, or American white oak, a wise choice for its tight grain structure, hardness and resistance to impacts. While the shinai was faster and lighter, it lacked the weight, feel and balance of the sword-shaped bokken.

“I’ve felt her voice too, Kayoko! You can fight it!” Chikara’s attempt to snap her friend out of her trance failed, as Kayoko forcefully attacked her.

“I can’t! Just… just give me the damn ring!” Kayoko tried to resist her mental programming, but the control took over every sense.

Exhausted, Chikara had to end this quickly, even if she had to hurt Kayoko. The ring was too important to give up. She ran around the row of lockers, knowing that Kayoko would go the other way to cut her off. Sure enough, when she got to the other side, the fast girl intercepted her. She ran towards her, her bokken in striking position, while the mind-controlled Kayoko raised her shinai into a defensive pose.

Chikara dropped her sword, leaped into the air and grasped the plastic sewer pipes that crawled across the ceiling. Lifting her legs above Kayoko’s diagonal attack, she swung her body forward and kicked the girl straight into her own open locker. Without a moment’s hesitation, she stuffed the dazed fighter’s limbs inside, slammed it shut and snapped on the padlock, trapping her in the tight, aluminum prison.

The victorious combatant caught her breath as Kayoko slammed her fists into the locker. “Let me out! Don’t do this to me! I need the ring! I need it!”

“I’m sorry, Kayoko. I can’t let you give it to her. My mother gave me a task, and I won’t betray her.”

“You don’t understand! I can’t stop! She told me to steal it and… I have to! She won’t let me stop! I can’t!” Kayoko hit the locker harder, refusing to quit despite the bolted lock.

Chikara remembered the strange sensation Michiko’s commands gave her the day before… how the compulsion took over no matter how hard her consciousness resisted. It must have been like a drug addict going through withdrawal and willing to do anything for another dose.

“I’m so sorry, Kayoko, but I can’t let you out. Forgive me.” As Kayoko begged, pleaded and pounded the locker, Chikara walked away. She left through the side exit and past the baseball field, her bokken at her side, in case an unwelcome guest was waiting.

***

That evening, Kagekuro Gen located the Kaminari home. The marvelous structure impressed him, though he had little interest in such relics of Japan’s feudal and oppressive past. The house had been constructed with the more traditional architecture, with a large bamboo gate serving as the entrance to the property. He passed under the gate and followed a path of natural stepping stones, admiring the aesthetic design of the building and natural beauty of the surroundings, such as the peaceful pond on the side of the house and the cherry trees around it. Very soon, the sakura (cherry blossoms) would bloom, a yearly occurrence that symbolized the brevity of beauty and life.

He rang the doorbell and waited until Chikara answered in the most awkward attire. She wore a plain-white kimono and a red hakama, similar to the dress of shrine maidens and miko from various anime titles. This uber-traditional dress took Gen aback for a moment. “Kagekuro-san,” she said, impatient to get to their business. “Thank you for coming.”

Gen bowed with respect. “Thank you for having me. You have a neat house.”

She invited him in and led him past the kitchen to her room. The house’s interior impressed him just as much as the outside. Sliding walls allowed the rooms to enlarge and shrink, and translucent paper shades obscured the sunlight. The old Japanese home had probably been in her family for several generations.

“I like your dress.”

“Thank you.”

“Do you always wear that when you invite guys over?”

Chikara resisted the urge to slap him. “My room’s over there.”

He noticed Renka inside. “Kagekuro-san!” she said, her happiness radiating like a lamp. “You actually came.”

“What, you doubted me?” Gen then saw Chikara’s reaction and corrected himself, “Oh, you did.”

“Just sit down. I made you some tea.” Chikara served her guests the homemade recipe she learned from her grandmother and explained the situation. “Okay, I guess I’ll explain. This conversation doesn’t leave the room… under threat of death.” She glared at Gen, who gave a sarcastic shrug.

“My mother died two months ago. She had inoperable cancer.”

“I’m sorry for your loss.” said Gen.

“Thank you, Kagekuro-san.” She took the lead case out of her drawer and showed them the strange ring on her finger. “Now, yesterday, I listened to her video will. She left me this ring in the box and told me to share it with you two. I don’t know why, but that’s my responsibility, and I can’t fail.”

She could see Gen’s confusion. “So, your mom told you to share this ring with me?”

“Yes. And Renka.”

“I didn’t even know your mom. I barely know you.”

“She obviously knew about you. That’s why she said your name.”

“Do you still have this video will? I’d love to see it.”

Chikara didn’t like the challenge to her authority. However, she couldn’t scare him away, or else he wouldn’t want to share the ring. “Okay, fine. Let’s go to the living room.”

She retrieved the DVD from her father and playing it for her guests. “Any questions?”

Gen replied, “No, I think that covered just about everything.”

“I don’t appreciate your sarcasm.”

Gen realized that he had hurt her feelings, and tried to elaborate. “I’m sorry. All I’m saying is… this makes no sense. I mean, only we can save the world? By sharing a ring? I don’t get any of this.”

Renka didn’t want to offend, but she shared Kagekuro’s criticism. “I loved your mom like an aunt, Chi, but I don’t understand this either.”

Chikara couldn’t explain the ring’s importance, since she didn’t even know it herself. “Look, I don’t know what’s going on here anymore than you do, but… my mother was very wise. She was the best investor in town, and she even went to Africa to help starving children. She had a way of knowing what was best, and she’s depending on me to share the ring with you two. There must be a reason. Plus, now Nagasado wants it, and there’s no way…” Chikara went silent midsentence, as she had been keeping this to herself. Now the secret was out.

“Michiko?” Renka asked. “What does she have to do with this?”

“Is that the one whose shoes you were licking yesterday?” asked Gen with a slight grin.

Chikara ignored the last remark. “She saw the ring and freaked out. She looked really scared of it. Then she… she made Kayoko try to steal it from me.”

“Kayoko?”

“Yes. She did her voice thing on her and made Kayoko attack me. I had to fight her and trap her in a locker.” She grabbed her side, which still throbbed in pain. That Shinai really hurt.

The bizarre situation captured Gen’s interest. “Okay, let me get this straight. This Nagasado girl forced your friend to attack you and take the ring?”

“That’s right.”

“And she made Chi and Yui lick her shoes,” added Renka.

“So she’s a mind-controller?”

The girls didn’t know how to respond. Renka scratched her head and replied, “Umm… I guess.”

“This just keeps getting better.”

As if the drama in the living room couldn’t get any more intense, Masakazu slid one of the walls open. “Chikara, your friend Kayoko is here.”

Everyone turned in panic. “Does she have a weapon with her?”

“No? Why, did you get in a fight?”

“Something like that. I’ll be right there.” She thought Kayoko had been taken care of. “How did she get out?”

“The janitors, maybe?” said Gen.

Chikara slipped the ring off her finger and gave it to Renka. “Okay, you guard it. I’ll take care of her.”

“Be careful, Chi.”

“Don’t worry. I can beat her again. Just make sure that ring is safe.” Chikara carefully made her way to the front entrance, where Kayoko stood in the doorway with tears pouring down her face. She ran to her friend and hugged her. Her weak, emotionally-scarred posture proved that this was no trick.

“Oh god, Chikara, I’m so sorry! I couldn’t help it! I just couldn’t stop!”

Chikara clutched her as hard as she could. It pained her to see Kayoko like this, and she vowed to avenge her. “Don’t worry, it wasn’t your fault. It was that tramp.” The words startled her father, who hadn’t known of any problems at school.

Gen and Renka came in and watched the scene. While Renka remained speechless, Gen just shrugged and said, “Looks like she’s okay now. In a manner of speaking.”

Chikara handed Kayoko over to her other friends. “Try to cheer her up. I have a score to settle. Dad, where’s my middle school phone directory?”

***

Nagasado Michiko ate dinner with her mother and went to her room to study. She turned on the electric heating table and opened her history book to the chapter on the post-war era. Although she knew that she could now convince any teacher to give her the best grades, she figured she would read the books anyway just to be on the safe side.

Yazawa Kayoko failure to retrieve Kaminari’s ring still disappointed her. She and her friends had waited near the locker room and listened to the whole fight, but the sounds of Kayoko banging on a locker by herself indicated that she had lost. When they walked in to investigate, Chikara had already split. Perhaps next time, she would need to use multiple pawns.

Her mother then called to her from the apartment’s kitchen. “Michiko, Junko-san is on the phone.”

“Junko? Coming.” She couldn’t recall ever talking to Junko. She took the receiver and asked, “Yes?”

Kaminari Chikara’s voice spoke through the phone in a tone so morbid, it chilled her spine. “If you ever hurt my friends again, I will pry your mouth open and cut out your tongue! Back off!” Chikara slammed the phone onto the receiver, almost breaking it.

“What was that about, dear?” asked Nagasado Nyoko.

“Nothing. Everything’s fine.” After she had reassured her mother, she went back to her room. She realized that if she didn’t play her cards right, her years-old rivalry with Chikara could escalate into full-blown war.

Worried and frightened, she opened her top drawer and pulled out her prized possession. The small, metallic case always gave her goose bumps when she touched it. She opened the lead box and looked at her ring. The black, smooth, lusterless stone in the middle and the gold band never failed to dazzle her. Now, her hated enemy had a second one and she didn’t know why.

“Dad? What is going on?”

CHAPTER 3

FEELINGS

Kusaka Renka woke up with the worst headache she ever had. At breakfast, she asked her mother for some ibuprofen with her eggs and toast. Mrs. Kusaka suggested that she stay home, but Renka displayed no other signs of illness and didn’t want to miss any more school. Before she left, she noticed Chikara’s ring, which she had worn to sleep the night before. She removed it from her finger and put it back in the lead box on the dresser.

The previous evening, after Kayoko had left, Renka agreed to take the ring first and not to bring it to school, due to Nagasado’s attempt at theft. Although she didn’t remember all of the details, this was just one of the reasons she and Michiko were no longer best friends. She had put up with her spoiled, selfish ways for years, and no matter how friendly and loyal she was to her, Michiko didn’t return any of the benefits she had been given. When the kind, generous Chikara came along, she gravitated to her side and left her old friend’s company.

As she headed out the door, she asked her mother, “Thank you for breakfast, Mom, but can I have one more pill?”

Mrs. Kusaka felt her daughter’s head. Her temperature didn’t feel abnormal. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

“I’m fine. Probably just the booze.” Mrs. Kusaka laughed and gave her another ibuprofen. As she swallowed the pill, she swore she could feel a strange sense of concern. Not for herself, but for someone else. She shook it off and walked out the door.

Chikara came down the street for their daily walk to school and noticed her moving with a disoriented posture. “Good morning, Renka. Rough night?”

“I have a headache. It still hurts.” She felt her head, feeling a different form of concern than before.

“I’m sorry. Is the ring safe?” asked Chikara, still worried about losing her inheritance.

“Yeah, I wore it to bed. I hid it just like you asked.”

“You wore it in your sleep, and now you have a bad headache?”

She mentally hit herself for not putting that together before. “Wow, I guess so.” She felt stupid before her mood changed to fear.

***

Later that day, the two friends sat side by side and took notes while Mr. Makino lectured about trigonometry. Renka didn’t understand a word he said, math being her absolute worst subject, but she luckily had a friend in the number-crunching Yui. She noticed Chikara looking into her compact mirror. She was not the type to check her beauty in the middle of class. Chikara tightened her eyes and closed the mirror with, for lack of a better term, a vengeance.

Renka developed an incredible sense of contempt. Repressed rage boiled in her normally-harmless soul, for reasons she couldn’t fathom. She wasn’t mad at Chikara or anybody else

. maybe Michiko.

As soon as she thought that name, her anger turned to fear. She nervously turned her head, after making sure the teacher wasn’t looking, to see Nagasado looking at the back of Chikara’s head. She always had that fearful face when threatened. Did Chikara show her an angry scowl in the mirror? A reminder from her earlier threat? Michiko saw her looking, so Renka turned away.

The night before, Gen questioned Kayoko on what time Michiko spoke to her and what time she stopped feeling the compulsion to obey. From her estimate, he put the time limit of the mind control as three to three-and-a-half hours. This knowledge could come in handy later, if anybody else fell under her spell. Renka wrote a sentence on her notebook and angled it towards Chikara. Her friend read, “I think she got the message” and nodded in agreement.

When Makino left and Minsei walked in, dread crept into Renka’s soul. She had forgotten about today’s test, and with yesterday’s excitement at Chikara’s house, she didn’t study. Her mind went into panic mode. Damn I didn’t study I’m going to fail history and fail school and get into a bad college and Mom and Dad will be mad why didn’t I freaking study I had to go get that stupid ring I screwed up damn it damn it damn it! Nervous sweat poured down her face, and the cold, tingling feeling of emotional stress made her body go numb. She knew she would faint if she stood. When the test arrived in her hand, her jumbled brain made the multiple choice options blur into the same sentence.

Renka tried to calm herself down. She took deep breaths and repeated to herself that everything would be fine. Chikara noticed this reaction and immediately knew her friend was in trouble. Renka looked at the first question…

1. On what date did the Meiji Constitution take effect?

A. May 26th, 1887

B. December 3rd, 1889

C. November 29th, 1890

D. March 1st, 1895

Renka had no idea. She remembered the lecture, but not the insignificant date of the signing of a constitution the country didn’t even use anymore. She thought hard about May 26th. Perhaps thinking about it would make the answer pop into her head. When nothing familiar came about, she went to December 3rd. Still nothing. When she landed on November 29th, however, a strange feeling of relaxation replaced her panicking mind. She felt very confident that this was the correct answer. Trusting her gut, as she had nothing else at this point, she marked C on the answer sheet and moved on to the next question.

2. Which battle of the Boshin War ended the Bozu Republic?

A. Battle of Noheji

B. Battle of Toba-Fushimi

C. Battle of Hokuetsu

D. Battle of Hakodate

She must have been texting under her desk during this lecture. Once again, she thought of each answer one by one. The confidence returned only when she concentrated on the Battle of Hakodate. It just felt so right, while the others didn’t inspire confidence in her whatsoever. She marked D and read question 3. She repeated this pattern through all thirty questions, always having a great feeling over one particular answer. Sometimes, others answers had a hint of this feeling, but not as much as another.

When Minsei indicated that the time was up, Renka handed in her test along with the rest of the class. The teacher took the stack and sat them next to the machine that read and graded the answer sheets. Despite her open style of teaching, Minsei held to the old way of grading the papers right in front of the students, in order to intimidate them into studying harder for the next one. Social embarrassment had a way of motivating the lazy.

One by one, she fed the papers into the machine, which made a short stamping sound for each correction. The more stamps, the worse the score. Renka knew she would fail. All she had to rely on was her gut instincts. Her parents, who insisted on seeing every test, would be furious and probably forbid her from going out ever again. She would have to go to a less prestigious college, away from Chikara, and marry some loser salesman, living a life of misery and boredom. The worst-case scenarios jolted through her mind, despite the insignificant credit value of the test.

Minsei slid another exam through the machine. No stamping could be heard, indicating a perfect score. She held it up and said, “Great job, Kusaka-chan.” She almost jumped out of her seat in shock. Could it really be hers? She felt a stronger feeling of surprise pop into her mind, and she turned to see Chikara staring at her. Never before in their decade-long friendship had she managed to score a 100%.

When class ended and the students broke for lunch, Chikara asked, “A perfect test? What did you do, read the teacher’s mind?”

“I was just in a good mood.”

“Great job. We better get to the roof, before we run into you-know-who.” Renka suddenly felt the same contempt before it faded. After the incident in the cafeteria, Chikara suggested to all of their friends that they eat lunch on the roof to avoid Michiko as much as possible.

***

As Renka walked down the hall, she found her mood changing constantly for no reason at all. Happiness turned to depression within moments, followed by guilt, anger, jealousy and depression. Her period was just last week, so it couldn’t have been the mood swings associated with that lovely time. She wondered if she was bipolar, but dismissed this as stupid. Whatever it was, it scared her.

When they got to the roof, the Female Kendo Club and all of Renka’s friends were waiting. This time, however, Kagekuro Gen chatted with Yui and Hirono. He spotted Renka and got up to talk to her. “Good afternoon, Kusaka-chan. How’s the ring?”

Renka felt a twinge of interest. She built up her courage and replied, “Everything’s good. I just got a perfect score on a test so… I think it gave me good luck.” She realized how corny that line sounded and became nervous all over again.

Gen smiled. “Then I can’t wait to try it. Could you give me your address so I can pick it up?”

She could feel a surge of attraction slither over her body, making her nerves tingle. She had been interested in Kagekuro for a long time. For months she had listened to his left-wing speeches and caught glimpses of him at lunch, while privately fantasizing of him and writing down her thoughts when no one else looked. Now that she could talk to him as a friend, her attraction had grown even stronger. A part of her just wanted to grab him at that moment and force her tongue down his throat.

Her feelings of attraction turned to revulsion. Chikara walked up to them and said, “Ahem… maybe we should meet at my house instead. It is my ring, after all.”

Gen shrugged his shoulders. “You have a point, Kaminari-san. Okay, we’ll switch off at your place.” Now Renka felt the attraction and repulsion conflicting, as if pushing against each other in her brain. She wanted to be with Gen, but she didn’t want to be near him at the same time. How this was possible? She truly wanted to love him, but a part of her feared him for reasons she couldn’t fathom.

Chikara scowled a bit as she told Gen, “Good. Stop by at the same time. Now, this is the girl’s rooftop, so… bye.” Renka’s conflicting feelings then turned to one intense form of contempt. She felt insulted, yet nervous at the same time.

Gen curved his lip. “Okay Kaminari-san. I’ll leave you to your lunch.”

Renka’s anger reached its peak. Who was Chikara to tell her to go away? She was willing to share her mother’s heirloom, so why was she such a…

It hit Renka like a tidal wave. She stood there, horrified, as the realization sunk in. These were not her emotions. They were his.

She backed up in terror, her friends all staring at her freaked-out expression. She could feel their concern and confusion, all directed at her well-being. Chikara asked, “Renka? Are you okay?”

“I… I gotta go.” She ran out the door and down the stairs to get as far away from them as possible. How could this be happening? Not only was she feeling other people’s emotions, but she understood them perfectly. It was Gen that felt interest in her, not just the other way around. This made Chikara mad, and she instinctively tried to come between them. Her best friend for years didn’t want Renka around her crush.

When she got to the hall, she paced down the corridor, feeling more foreign emotions along the way. She passed some girls chatting and laughing, which made her happy, and then she passed a lonely punk that made her depressed. Dozens of different feelings invaded her head at once, intruders in her brain that wouldn’t leave. Some students watched her stumble by and laughed, and she felt each thought of a weird girl walking by. She had to get out of there, to a place where nobody would be.

Moments later, Renka found herself in a shower within the girls’ locker room. She curled into a ball and put her hands over her ears to keep the feelings out of her head. When she could feel nothing but her own fear, she began to cry into her sleeves. People always told her she was very empathetic, but now she could literally sense everybody’s moods. She had become a psychic overnight, and it only made her suffer everyone else’s misery.

Only one thing had changed since yesterday. It had to be that ring. Why would her best friend’s mother curse her with that evil jewel? And why did she have to share it with Gen, cursing him with the same ability? Renka wanted to throw it in the ocean and make sure it would never harm anyone again.

While her tears still flowed down her cheeks, she heard the door open and sensed a presence. Whoever it was, they felt scared and genuinely concerned for another person. “Renka? Are you here?” asked Chikara. Renka didn’t want her friend to see her like this. After looking around the lockers, Chikara noticed her in the shower stall. “Renka? What’s wrong?”

“Get away from me!” She panicked and shouted at her best friend, fearful of feeling her emotions as before. It didn’t work. She could feel the shock and confusion that radiated from Chikara’s mind. “You cursed me!”

Although hurt, Chikara wouldn’t leave. “Please, Renka, just tell me what’s happening. I’m your friend, you can tell me anything.”

“I’m… feeling things, Chi… other people’s emotions. I’ve felt them all morning and they won’t stop. Your damn ring did this to me.” Renka felt Chikara’s guilt. She didn’t know anything about her inheritance, but she now knew what it could do. “I’m sorry. I know it wasn’t your fault, but I just want to be alone right now. I don’t want to feel anything.”

Chikara didn’t know what to do. How could her mother’s ring make someone feel the emotions of others? Renka knew that her friend couldn’t decide whether to stay or leave, so she said, “Just go. I don’t need a hug.”

“I’ll tell the teachers you aren’t feeling well.” Chikara walked away, leaving Renka with an increased feeling of sadness, enough for them both. Before she could leave the locker room, Chikara said, “You’re like a sister to me, Ren-chan. I love you, and I’d never hurt you. I’m so sorry this happened.”

“I know, Chi. I love you too.” Chikara walked out and left Renka to her own feelings.

Renka sat in the shower stall for what seemed like hours and worried about the rest of her life. Would she sense these feelings forever, and have to be cooped up in her room to avoid other people? Would she spend her days knowing exactly what everyone around her was feeling, allowing no secrets to stay hidden? She soon wanted to see Chikara again. She needed a trusted shoulder to cry on, even if she had to feel the remorse and pity that came with it.

With impeccable timing, the door to the locker room opened, making Renka light up. Was Chikara back to comfort her? Alas, the emotions she felt were not the same as her friend’s, but worse. She felt a deep sadness, like the kind she felt when some mean kids teased her as a child. As it got closer, she could tell that this person had just been deeply hurt, and the sobbing sounds confirmed it.

A younger girl in thick glasses walked into the shower stall. When she saw that somebody else occupied the lonely space, she bowed and said, “I’m sorry.”

Renka could feel her potent sadness, and as much as she wanted it to go away, she couldn’t bear to see another girl so miserable. “You’re sad.”

“Yes.”

“I’m sad too. Want to talk about it?”

The girl hesitated for a moment. She didn’t expect to find another sad student in the place she came to grieve. Still, a friend wouldn’t hurt. She sat down next to Renka and looked to the ground, too depressed to make eye contact.

“My name is Kusaka Renka. Senior year. What’s your name?”

“Moroboshi Tomo. Sophomore year.”

“Nice to meet you. I wish it was in a better place.” This made both of the girls chuckle, a welcome break from their crying. “Why are you sad?”

“I just got dumped.”

“Your boyfriend dumped you?”

“No, just this guy I liked.”

“I’m sorry. What’s his name?”

“Nokoribi Kaijin. I asked him out, and he said he was dating somebody else.”

Renka remembered this boy. He sat next to Michiko and brought her food. Once again, Nagasado hurt somebody, even if indirectly. She could sense that Tomo was feeling a little better. The sophomore wiped away a tear and asked, “How about you? What makes you sad?”

“I just became a psychic.” Tomo looked at her and giggled. Renka sensed her disbelief, so she added, “Just kidding. There’s this guy I like and… I know now he likes me too.”

“That makes me feel a lot better

not.”

“But my best friend doesn’t like him. I think it’s because of his political views. She’s… you know, very traditional and conservative, and he’s really liberal.”

“That’s a silly difference.”

“Yeah, I know. I don’t care about politics.”

The minutes ticked by as the two new friends talked. Renka felt Tomo’s sadness fade away into a relaxed comfort, which made her happy in return. She realized that this gift she had been given may not have been so bad after all. Maybe she could use it to help people in need.

“Thank you, Renka-san,” said Tomo with a genuine smile. “I feel a lot better now. I have to get back to class.”

“Me too. The teachers are about to switch.” Before Tomo left, Renka concentrated on her to make sure she felt better. Amidst the comfort, she sensed a passive feeling of loneliness. “Hey, talk to your friends. I’m sure they’ll cheer you up more.”

“I… don’t really have many friends.” Tomo’s mood sunk further, and Renka felt her awkward loneliness.

“Then I’ll be your friend. My buddies will be glad to meet you. Let me have your number, and we’ll hang out sometime.” Tomo’s happiness shot through the roof, making Renka’s brain tingle with joy. The two exchanged numbers and went on their way back to class.

***

Renka slipped into her seat just as the previous teacher left, avoiding the embarrassment of being called out and questioned in front of the class. Chikara whispered, “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. I’m sorry for shouting at you. I was scared at first, but I think I can get used to this.”

“Renka…” Chikara still couldn’t believe this. “Can you really feel my emotions?”

“Everybody’s. Oh, that must be how I passed the test. I felt everyone’s moods about the answers. This is better than I thought.” Despite her own newfound happiness, she felt her friend’s confusion. Chikara’s brainwaves didn’t lie. She resolved to talk more about it after school. Still amazed with her special gift and willing to practice, Renka concentrated on her fellow classmates. All she had to do was visualize their faces and general direction, and their secret feelings were hers to scan. The boys usually projected feelings of boredom and annoyance, and she picked up a few traces of lust, which made her uneasy. The girls displayed all sorts of emotions, from tedium to interest and everything in between.

Without looking at her, Renka thought about Nagasado Michiko. She had always wondered what her former friend was thinking in her secret lair in the back row. Visualizing her foe’s face, she found herself growing insecure and jealous. The thought of other students started to intimidate her. She folded her arms as if to guard herself. She glanced at Chikara and felt a sneer of hate form on her own lips. Chikara must have been thinking about Michiko’s recent actions. She quickly cut her concentration and thought about a happier student instead. The thoughts from her enemy’s mind frightened her too much to continue.

When the clubs had ended, the two friends walked home. She planned to grab the ring and bring it over to Chikara’s house, so that they could hand it to Gen when he arrived.

Chikara, however, now felt uneasy about letting him have it. “Do you really think we should let Kagekuro-san have it?”

Feeling her indecision, Renka answered, “Of course. If he gets this empathy thing too, we’ll all be happy.”

“How do you know? In fact, how do you know he’ll be able to do what you can?”

Renka tried her hardest to form a defense. “Why would it be any different?”

“I don’t know about this. Why should we give this guy that we don’t even know a supernatural ability? I mean, he’s not even that great a guy. There are so many others I would prefer.”

Renka knew her friend’s true intentions. “Chi… I know you’re scared for me.”

“What?”

“I felt it on the roof. You don’t want me seeing a guy with different views. I know you’re looking out for me, but… I felt his emotions.” She let the truth slip. “He likes me too.”

Chikara didn’t know what to say. She knew that Renka liked Gen, but she never suspected that he liked her back. She remembered elementary school, where Renka was the kindest, most pleasant girl on the playground. She could get anyone to instantly like her, and she made friends with every girl she could find. Some of the boys tried to bully her, so Chikara would scare them off, sometimes with her fists “making friends” with their noses. Since then, the tough conservative and the friendly modern girl were inseparable. Nobody would break them apart.

Upon this reflection, Chikara understood the problem. After all these years, she was still protecting Renka. Now, her best friend wanted to break out of her shell and seek out the guy she desired, with or without her “big sister’s” protection. She was growing up, and it was time for Chikara to stop babying her.

“Does he really like you?” she asked, dreading the answer.

Renka could feel her buddy lightening up. “He sure does. I could feel his interest. He wanted to share with me and spend time with me.”

“Are you sure it wasn’t just lust?”

“No!”

Chikara glared at her. Years of interaction allowed her to know when her friend was lying. Renka clarified, “Okay, maybe a little, but boys are boys, right?”

With a chuckle, Chikara put her arm around her friend. “Okay, you have my blessing. And if things don’t work out, just remember that I’m here for you.”

Sensing the sincerity from her mind, Renka smiled and put her own arm around Chikara. “I know, Chi. Best friends forever.”

That evening, the girls handed the ring to Gen. They didn’t tell him what had happened to Renka. Instead they told him, “There could be side effects.” As he walked out the door, Renka felt Chikara’s worry. She hoped that her mother knew what she was doing and that Chikara wasn’t making a huge mistake.

CHAPTER 4

DARKNESS

When his alarm went off, Kagekuro Gen opened his eyes, only to slap them shut. For some reason, the light from his apartment window irritated him. He covered his body with the blanket and felt the strange pain fade away. His hit the snooze button. Nine minutes later, the pain remained. The light seemed to burn his very skin, as if he had contracted albinism overnight. He resisted the pain enough to shut his blinds, letting the darkness of the room relieve his pain.

“Gen, breakfast.” His mother always had a wake-up meal ready for his family.

“Mom, I’m not feeling well,” he answered through the door.

“Are you sick?”

“No, the light’s just bothering me. A lot.”

Mrs. Kagekuro approached the door, not entirely sold on her son’s claim. “The light is bothering you?”

“Yes. If you come in, can you turn off the kitchen light?”

She did as her son asked and opened the door, making him cover his face even more to block out the remaining light. She felt his forehead. “No fever. Should I call a doctor?”

Gen didn’t even need to think about it. “Yes, I think that would be a good idea. You don’t have to stay, though. I can see him myself.” Although he rarely ever got sick, he always saw a doctor if the opportunity presented itself. Government-funded, universal coverage made Japan’s health care system one of the best in the world. He saw it as his own personal way of criticizing the for-profit American system, with its corrupt practices that left lower-income families bankrupt.

His mother went to the kitchen to call a doctor, a trusted one that didn’t mind making house calls. He never wanted his parents to stay home, as the family needed the money. She worked as a receptionist at a local newspaper (a dying industry) and his father worked as a butcher at a supermarket. With Gen and his little brother saving for college, the Kagekuro family could not afford to miss a paycheck.

He heard a knock on his door, followed by his brother asking, “Gen, are you sick?”

“No, Shuya, I’m just a little light-sensitive now.”

“Can you go to school?”

He knew that 10-year-old Shuya didn’t like to walk to school by himself. Bigger, less enlightened kids would often pick on him due to his family’s history. “No, I’m staying home. I’m sorry, but I can’t walk today.” He could almost feel the boy’s apprehension through the door. “Listen, Shuya, I’m not going to be around forever. If anyone at school gives you crap, you should tell them to back off, because I’ll be there next time. Got that?”

“Got it. Thank you, big brother.” Shuya went back to the kitchen for his breakfast, leaving his isolated sibling to wait for the doctor.

***

“Ow ow ow! Stop it!” Gen cried out from the pain caused by the Dr. Masashi’s pen light on his arm.

“Interesting.” The middle-aged doctor moved the light to his notebook, as the darkened room prevented him from seeing. “You’re usually a very healthy young man, Gen-san, but I’ve never seen anything like this before.”

“You mean my skin being burned by a flashlight? Yeah, I’m a little confused too.”

“Are you sure this has never happened to you? No history of light-sensitivity or allergy?”

“Not that I can recall.”

“You aren’t a vampire, are you?”

“I don’t know, but your neck is looking pretty tasty right now.”

The puzzled Dr. Masashi concluded, “I really don’t know what to tell you. I’ve heard of some medications that can treat light sensitivity, so I will call a few friends in the field. I hope you can wait until tomorrow.”

“Sure doctor, I can wait in this dark, desolate room for another day.” The physician was growing bored of the young man’s rude, sarcastic attitude. He had been this way since he was thirteen, which led Masashi to wonder what made the boy so bitter.

Before he left, the doctor asked, “By the way, that is a nice ring you’re wearing.”

Gen looked at his finger and answered, “Oh yeah, some girl at school gave it to me. She said her dead mother wanted me to have it. Weird, huh?” As the doctor left, Gen put the information together. He put the ring on last night, and now…

He quickly dismissed the thought as supernatural nonsense. Rings don’t cause light allergy. What am I thinking? He opened his cell phone, withstood the pain from the light it emitted, and dialed the manga store where he worked part-time. He would have to take the night off, a first in his short career as a cashier.

***

Meanwhile, Chikara caught Renka listening to another leftist speech before the start of class. The Democratic Youth Leaguers spoke without their leader captivating the crowd. They tried their hardest, but they couldn’t match his level of talent and charisma. Chikara could see concern written all over Renka’s face, but Renka could feel none from her. “Chikara, Gen-kun isn’t here.”

“Yes, I see that. Maybe he finally grew up and got a life.”

“I’m serious! We gave him that ring last night, remember? What if something’s wrong with him? What if he grew an extra head?”

Chikara had to laugh. “I’m sure he’s fine. You have his number, right? Call him.”

Renka blushed again. “But… I don’t want to be a bother.”

“Fine, I’ll bother him. Give me that phone.”

Renka reluctantly handed over the cell phone and let Chikara find his number. The first screen revealed the extent of her obsession. “There he is… in your favorite five… right next to me.”

Chikara dialed and heard him pick up. “Kagekuro-san, it’s me.”

Gen’s crabby voice answered, “Kaminari? Why do you have Renka-chan’s phone?”

“Never mind. I notice you aren’t with your friends on stage.”

“Yeah, I have to stay home.”

Renka felt a twinge of fear from her and knew something was wrong. Chikara asked, “Are you sick? Do you have a headache?”

“No, the light’s just bothering me. Every light I get close to burns my skin. It’s weird, not even the doctor knows what it is.” Before she could inquire further, he asked, “Say, what did you mean about your ring having side effects?”

“Nothing. Why, is there something wrong with it?”

Renka felt a buzzing sensation in her brain, making her hold her head in discomfort.

Gen added, “I go to bed wearing this thing, and now this happens. That’s quite a coincidence.”

Feeling Chikara’s fear reach new heights, Renka asked, “What’s wrong with him? Does he have an extra head?”

“He says light is bothering him. It burns his skin.”

“Chi, maybe we should tell him the truth now.”

Chikara, however, didn’t want to disclose that information just yet. She spoke back into the phone, “I hope you get better over the weekend. See you later.” She hung up and handed the phone back to Renka. “He doesn’t have what you have. Maybe we should visit him today and see for ourselves what happened.”

Renka lit up. “You mean… visit his house?”

If Chikara were in an anime, a large teardrop would have been falling down her forehead. “Don’t get any ideas, lover-girl. This is business only.”

***

Nagasado Michiko sat at her usual lunch table with Chisato and Yukiko. She pulled her bento (lunch pack) from her case and opened it to find a healthy selection of sushi rolls and rice balls, her mother’s specialty. She had been careful to watch her weight in her later teenage years, but today she had a particular craving for a soda. Her sweet tooth had always been her greatest weakness, and sometimes her friends had to pry her away from the chocolate stores before she pigged out on the selections.

Nokoribi Kaijin plopped down next to her with a wide smile on his lips. “Good afternoon, Michiko-sama. Do you need anything?”

Always willing to take advantage of her new servant, she replied, “Yes, Kaijin-kun, can you get me a regular soda?” Without hesitation, he got in line at the counter.

Chisato said, “Wow. It’s nice of Nokoribi-kun to buy all this stuff for you.”

Yukiko, however, remained skeptical. “Men. Anything to get in our pants.”

The trio laughed, which reminded Michiko of a funny story. “Hey, speaking of which, did you hear Moroboshi Tomo confessed her love for Kaijin-kun yesterday?”

“Really?” asked both her friends at once. “What happened?”

“He dumped her and said he liked me instead. He told me she started crying and ran into the locker room. Can you believe that sophomore, trying to steal my waiter?”

“Serves her right.” Yukiko said. “She should stick to her own grade.”

Kaijin returned with the soda, so Michiko allowed him to sit next to her. She put her arm around him and said in her sweetest, most gentle tone, “Thank you, honey. You’re such a gentleman.” She had to admit he looked kind of handsome, with his dirty-blonde dyed hair and sensitive eyes. She knew she could have any man she wanted in the entire school, but Nokoribi looked good enough to make the less socially-acceptable girls jealous. When a better looking guy came along, she could always just work her magic and make Kaijin go away. Moroboshi Tomo could keep him after that.

Michiko glanced at Chikara’s former table and saw that she and her friends still weren’t there. She supposed it was better than having them all stare at her from across the room with evil looks. She sighed with relief, thankful to be safe for another day.

“What are you looking at?” asked Yukiko, having noticed her friend glancing off into the distance.

“Kaminari’s old seat. I don’t think they’re coming back.”

“So what? We never cared about them.”

Chisato asked, “Are you still thinking about her ring? Didn’t Yazawa-san take it from her?”

A disappointed Michiko replied, “No, she screwed it up. Then Kaminari threatened my life over the phone. Trust me, she meant business.”

“So what are you going to do?”

“I’ll find a way.”

Kaijin, listening intently to the conversation, began to form his own plot. He had heard of Kaminari Chikara, the unstoppable samurai girl, and knew that his “girlfriend” had problems with her. If any harm came to Michiko, he would have to defend her honor, but what could he do to such a tough young woman?

***

Around lunchtime, Gen passed the time by microwaving some soup. He had to cover the microwave with a tablecloth to block the light. He then grabbed his copy of George Orwell’s Animal Farm. He had read 1984 twice so far and he enjoyed this book as well, with its ironic allusions to the former Soviet Union as a farm of enslaved animals. Of all the characters, he hated Squealer the most. The unctuous pig reminded him of the modern-day pundit, justifying the sins of the corrupt pigs in charge and brainwashing the stupid masses with fear. He couldn’t imagine living in an oppressive dictatorship like that.

Opening to the latest chapter, Gen looked at the words on the page and noticed that he could see them perfectly, even in the barely-lit kitchen. He walked to the dimmer switch and turned the brightness down even further, seeing the room just as clearly as before. Fascinated by this discovery, he turned the lights off. The kitchen remained visible to his eyes. It was as if a night-vision back light had been installed in his optic nerves, illuminating the darkness. He looked back at the book and read the words without fail.

He pondered the day’s events. Why was Chikara acting so strange over the phone? He could tell that she avoided talking about his condition, and she froze up when he mentioned her ring. He felt the jewelry on his finger and wondered what made it so important. Chikara’s mother said it would help them “save the world”, which he blew off as a delusion from a depressed, cancer-ridden woman. However, his current aversion to light and this new ability to see in total darkness started to change his mind.

He heard his cell phone ring from his bedroom, so he tried to get it without bumping into a wall. Reading Renka’s name on the front but expecting Chikara again, he opened the phone.

“Gen-kun, its Renka.”

“Hi, Renka-chan. I’m doing okay. I think I’m starting to adjust to the dark.”

“Listen… there’s something I have to tell you.”

Gen could hear an echo in her voice. “Are you in a bathroom?”

“The locker room. I didn’t want Chikara to hear this.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Look, we didn’t tell you earlier, but… I just can’t hold it anymore. I’m really sorry, but I couldn’t betray her confidence.”

“What is it?”

He heard Renka swallow in fear. “When I took the ring that one night, I woke up with a bad headache, and now… I’m feeling people’s emotions.”

He had to pause and process this revelation. “What?”

“Other people’s feelings. I can sense them all around me. I can turn it off now if I concentrate, but… I think something may be happening to you too.”

As he sat there bewildered, Renka continued, “So, I just wanted to make sure you… uh… were okay.”

“So let me get me straight… this ring makes you a psychic, and then you give it to me without letting me know?”

Though she couldn’t feel his emotions from such a distance, she could tell how he felt. “I know you’re mad, and you’re right, I should have told you, but… I just didn’t think, okay, I’m sorry.”

“Tell your ninja friend to come here right after school and get this damn thing away from me!” He slapped the phone shut and threw it across the room. With his mind swirling from anger, he almost didn’t notice the loud crunching noise from where it landed. The cell phone had snapped into pieces, with the circuit board showing through the plastic casing. He inspected the mangled corpse of his phone with his improved night vision. His hard toss couldn’t have done that. The device looked as though a powerful hand had squeezed it until it shattered.

Gen noticed the strange glow radiating from his light-deprived hands. The faint sensation grew larger with each passing second, as if feeding on the darkness around him. He held his hands to his face and became mesmerized by the black aura that spiraled from his fingertips. The ring on his finger glowed along with them, and he knew that whatever had happened to Kusaka was happening to him. “Kaminari… what did you do to me?”

***

Renka came back to the roof amidst Hirono telling the girls her hilarious story of the middle-aged pervert who came onto her in Okinawa. The girls laughed, but she could feel their collective disgust. Chikara noticed Renka suppressing her sadness, a look she had learned to notice years ago, and asked, “Is something wrong?”

“Can we talk alone?”

Chikara walked to the stairwell with her, making the other girls curious. “So, what is it?”

“Chi, I’m sorry, but… I told Gen-kun about my powers.”

“What? Why?”

“He said the light hurts him. I had to let him know.”

“So what did he say?”

“He’s very angry. He wants you to come and get the ring after school. I think… he’s really mad at me.” The guilt of tricking and harming him made her want to die.

Chikara saw her angst and hugged her. “I’m sorry. You’re right, that was a bad idea. I’ll get the ring back and apologize, okay. I’ll take responsibility for it and stick up for you, I promise.”

Renka felt the guilt in Chikara’s mind and knew she told the truth. “Okay. I want to go too, so I can apologize.”

“Okay. We’ll go together.”

***

An hour later, Gen’s fears of his newfound abilities turned to excitement. With a single thought, the darkness within his room had turned into a large hand. He willed the crawling creation to pick up and put down objects, a job it completed with flying colors. With another thought, the hand disappeared. He then thought of a simple cube, and the nothingness around him formed a symmetrical box that rested on the ground. He touched the mysterious substance and felt a cold, tingling sensation, like a weak electric fence. He dissipated the cube and practiced on more complicated objects, such as a chair, a table, and a turtle. He then formed a samurai warrior, and made the lifeless figure move with only his mind. He created a katana for his warrior, and it cut through the shade on his lamp with ease.

Gen couldn’t believe it. He had spent his whole life reading fantasy manga, and now he was in one. Chikara’s ring had given him the ability to shape darkness into solid matter, with the depths of his imagination his only limit. He wondered how such a thing was possible. Darkness is just an absence of light, not a physical force. Actually, it’s an absence of illuminated photons. Perhaps I could control photons, but only if they’re dark enough.

He opened his closet and pulled out his heaviest clothing. He molded the darkness into a wall and rubbed against it. As he expected, his thick leather jacket protected him from the slight electrical surge. Putting on his thick gloves, he created another sword and practiced cutting though the air. He even formed a silhouette of a person and slashed through it, letting the mannequin dissipate into the dark.

After several hours of practice, his control improved. He successfully recreated the Statue of David and the Leaning Tower of Pisa in perfect detail, and he took on an army of “shadow shogun” warriors, as he called them, all by himself. His concentration broke when he heard the front door to the apartment open and slam. “Big brother! Are you okay? I bought you some food!” Shuya turned the kitchen light on, forgetting about his brother’s condition.

Famished by hours of isolation, Gen disintegrated his black creations and called out, “Thank you. Can you turn the kitchen light off?” He didn’t leave until the light went out. “Thanks. Hey, pork buns. You’re the man, little guy.” As he feasted on his lunch, he decided to try another experiment.

“Shuya, can you move the dimmer switch up, just a little bit?”

“Why? I thought you hate the light.”

“I think I’m getting better. Let’s test it out.”

As directed, Shuya increased the light from the overhead lamp ever so slightly, giving Gen small doses of illumination. Gen felt a slight discomfort, but not the agonizing pain from earlier that day. This meant he was getting used to the light again, a positive development. He remembered how Renka had mentioned a bad headache before she started feeling others’ emotions, and he figured the unusual pain was a necessary part of the transformation, like a butterfly breaking out of the cocoon.

When he finished his second pork bun, another thought came to mind. Chikara clearly knew that the ring did strange things to people, as Renka developed her special gift overnight. Likewise, she probably expected him to develop something as well. What would he tell her when she came to pick up the ring? She knew something had happened to him when he told her of his light sensitivity, so lying to her was out of the question. How could he delay their handoff until his newfound ability fully formed?

A clever idea popped into his mind. He walked to his room to find his cell phone, only to remember that it was on the ground in a hundred pieces. He asked Shuya if he could borrow his phone and the loyal little brother complied without argument. Gen punched in Renka’s number and typed a text message, knowing that she was in class at the moment.

“This is gen. Body hurts when I take ring off. Need to keep it longer. Sorry about earlier.”

He figured that would be sufficient to delay them until he soaked up enough magic, or whatever the ring emitted. He then sent a text to his friend Suekichi.

“No work tonight. Get the boys.”

After half a day of pain followed by another half of discovery, he wanted to test his newfound gift on the world.

***

That night, Gen met with the rest of the Democratic Youth League in their favorite hotspot, the Magical Girl. The pleasant little manga cafe was well known for its pretty young waitresses and their elaborate costumes, such as the Goth Girl, the Shy Bookworm, the Little Sister, the Tough Tomboy and the Perky Cheerleader. The men who loved the place had no idea just how uncomfortable the waitresses felt all the time, as the restaurant attracted all the perverted losers who couldn’t resist the allure of young women dressed for their fantasies.

Gen sat down next to Utatane Suekichi, Usui Hideki, Hotta Shungiko and Sugiura Yoshiharu, his comrades in arms. They were stunned at his unusual attire… his black leather jacket, black pants, black shoes, even black gloves hanging from his pockets. Suekichi had to hold in his laughter. “Whoa. Who died?”

He smiled back. “The old Kagekuro Gen. You are gazing upon a new man.”

“What do you mean? Did you go conservative on us?” joked Hideki, knowing that not to be the case.

“No, my friends. I have discovered…” Before he continued, a thought came to mind. If he told them about his gift, how they would react? He doubted they would fear him, but they sure wouldn’t take it for granted. What if they told the whole school? A secret like this would be hard to contain. Or worse, what if they wanted to take the ring for a day too? He shuttered at the possible consequences, most of which involved Chikara beating the hell out of him. Perhaps it would be best to keep a “secret identity” for the time being. “What I mean is… uh…”

“You’ve felt the touch of the fairer sex?”

Gen’s face drooped while his friends all laughed. Shungiko added, “It was that girl who’s been staring at you, right? Kusaka-chan?”

Although he had never gone as far as a handshake with Renka, this may have been the best way to cover up his real secret. “Well, uh…”

“What’s with the ring?” asked Suekichi, pointing to the odd piece of jewelry on his friend’s finger. “Are you engaged already?”

Gen came up with a simple lie. “Actually… we’re going out tomorrow.”

The boys laughed and slapped him on the back, congratulating him on his conquest. “So what are you going to do?” asked Shungiko. “Dinner and a movie?”

“We haven’t decided yet. Anywhere but here, of course.”

Suekichi couldn’t stop looking at the ring. “So really, where did you get that thing?”

“Kaminari Chikara lent it to me because her dead mother told her to.”

The table erupted in laughter. “No really, where?”

“That wasn’t a joke.”

“Wow. Now you have two chicks after you.”

“It’s not that. Kaminari hates my guts. She showed me this tape…” A new mystery then popped into his mind. “Excuse me. I’ll be right back.” He left the table and walked to the restroom, leaving his friends confused.

He locked the bathroom door and turned the lights off. Standing in front of the mirror, he practiced making shapes with the darkness, confirming to himself that this was really happening. One question still needed an answer… why would the deceased Mrs. Kaminari want her daughter to share this power with him? He couldn’t recall ever meeting her, and he certainly wasn’t Chikara’s friend before this whole ordeal began.

He remembered the words she used on her enigmatic video will. There are extremists in this world, Chikara. Fanatical men and women who seek power, and with this power, they will attempt to mold the world to their radical ideas. I have seen what they are capable of, and the results will lead only to terrible destruction. Gen agreed, but why would she give a mere teenager a power greater than the dictators of the world?

I’ve looked at every possible outcome, and nothing ends happily except this one. I’m so sorry. I wanted to save you from this but

only you and your friends can save this world. What did she mean by that? Only the three of them? A team of kids with unique talents saving the world?

He could reach only one possible explanation. She agreed with his views and wanted him to see them through. Thanks to that woman, a once-powerless teenager who could do nothing but criticize now had the means to make a difference

to help the oppressed and punish the oppressors. With control over the dark on his side, he could finally make his dreams reality.

Snuffing out his black shapes, Gen turned the light back on and left the bathroom. He returned to his table and said to the waitress, dressed as a fairy in a sailor suit, “A large Full Moon Pizza for us, ma’am. It’s on me.”

Suekichi said, “No way, man, it’s on me. You need to save for your date tomorrow.”

The cute young waitress asked, “Aww, who’s the lucky girl?”

“A better dresser.”

***

Late that night, Lenny Sherman stood at his post and sighed in boredom. Of all the spots in all the United States military bases in all of Japan, they just had to have him stand guard over a storage facility where nothing ever happened. Still, it beat working at McDonalds in northern Illinois.

He reached into his pocket and grabbed another stick of gum. When he looked back up, a huge black figure with boxing gloves towered over him. Kevin reached for his weapon, but the stranger hit him in the face with a mighty right punch, knocking him to the ground. With the guard unconscious, the black boxer disappeared, and its creator approached the gate. He formed a razor-lined circular saw in his hands and proceeded to cut away at the padlock.

***

At the Kaminari house, Chikara and Renka watched an unfunny, cliché-driven romantic comedy when Renka’s phone beeped. She identified the number as the same Gen used to call her from before. Chikara said, “Okay, ask him if his body still hurts. We need to know everything.”

Renka hesitated before she answered the phone. “Gen-kun?”

“Renka-chan, hey.”

“Are you feeling better? I mean, does it still hurt when you take off the ring?”

“Yeah, but not as much as before. Sorry, but I think I’ll need to keep it longer. Maybe I’ll be better tomorrow.”

Chikara wasn’t convinced. “Ask him if he can do anything yet.”

Renka rolled her eyes, realizing that her best friend was using her for the second time that day. “Are you able to do anything… unusual?”

“I can see in the dark, but other than that, no… still normal.”

“You can see in the dark?”

“Perfect night vision.”

“I guess that’s… cool. Hey, why are you calling from a different phone?”

“Mine broke.”

“I’m sorry. How?”

There was a slight pause. “I stepped on it. Hey, there’s a reason I wanted to call you. Do you want to talk about this whole… superpowers thing tomorrow? Say around two?”

“Uh… okay. Should we meet at Chikara’s house again?”

“No, I was thinking this sushi place on Tezuka Street. It’s called Kedakai. They’ve got great food.”

Renka felt like a bucket of water had splashed her in the face. This was it! He actually asked her out. Unfortunately, she could feel Chikara’s disgust and see her shake her head while whispering, “No no no.”

“Yes, Gen-kun, I’d love to go with you. In fact, I’ll pay for my own meal.”

“Great, I’ll call you tomorrow. Later.”

Renka hung up and gave Chikara a smug look. “What? How else am I supposed to know how he’s feeling? It doesn’t work over the phone, you know.”

“Fine, but if you feel anything you don’t like from him…”

“Oh, relax. I’ll be real gentle.” After feeling the sinking sensation from Chikara’s mind, she continued, “That was a joke, Chi.”

***

Gen slapped his brother’s phone shut and looked at his handy work. Three more guards had been knocked out by his boxing champs. He had his dark soldiers put them together so he could create a cage, trapping them inside. He knew that silent alarms had probably activated as soon as he cut the lights, giving him a short time to complete his mission.

At last, he came face to face with his target. The enormous B-1 Lancer sat there in its storage facility, waiting for the day it could finally fly again. He had read about the plane in great detail. It was currently the U.S. military’s only active variable-sweep wing aircraft, one of a hundred in existence, and it cost about three hundred million dollars to produce. The Air Force had been keeping it here for years. They said it kept North Korea in check, but he knew it really kept Japan in check.

His plan almost made him salivate. No protestor to the American presence had ever taken it this far. History could very well be made that night. No doubt the military would investigate, but with no explanation of the bizarre destruction plaguing their expensive equipment, they would have no choice but to draw down their forces. He wasted no more time. He imagined the form of a giant crane with a wrecking ball, even adding spikes to the huge sphere. He swung the mighty crane around and smashed the ball into the jet, crushing the cockpit. Another swing took out the center, leaving the cargo bay vulnerable.

He created a heavy block high in the air over his target, allowing it to crash into the tail with such force, it separated from the plane. He did the same to the wings, and then concentrated on the engines beneath them. Forming a sinister dragon from the cold darkness around him, he sent the creature into one of the turbines and made it chomp and bite through the wire and metal, causing irreparable damage. More dragons tore through the landing gear and the cockpit controls.

He had so much fun, he hardly noticed the headlights coming from outside. Backup, obviously. With a final swing of the crane, as if spitefully kicking a corpse, he dissipated all of his creations and ran out of the hanger. He stuck to the dark corners of the base, blending in with the shadows enough to let the guards run right past him without noticing. When he reached a barbed-wire fence, he simply formed a narrow ramp over the top, allowing him to run over it like a bridge. Nobody saw him as he disappeared into the night.

Gen looked at the Kaminari ring on his finger and smiled. This had been the greatest day of his life, and the future looked even, in an ironic sense, brighter.

CHAPTER 5

DATE NIGHT

Chikara awoke from an unpleasant dream and began her usual morning workout. With each slash of her bokken, she couldn’t help but imagine Kagekuro Gen standing in her path taking the blows. She didn’t like this one bit. First he wanted her to take the ring back, and then he asked to keep it longer citing a flimsy story about his body hurting when he took it off. He had to be up to something. Hopefully, his date with Renka would shed some light on what the ring was really doing to him.

She put on her plainclothes and came down for breakfast, but her father didn’t have the food ready. Instead he watched the television news. “Good morning, Chikara. Watch this, it’s amazing.”

She glanced at the TV and saw the footage of the American base. The female reporter described reports of terrorism while soldiers mobilized in the background. The entire platoon seemed to be in panic mode.

“What happened?”

“Apparently, some extremist group broke into the base, knocked out the guards and destroyed a jet. They don’t know how they did it. The thing is in pieces all over the hangar. No explosives, no gunpowder. Weirdest thing.”

She watched the news and searched for any clues about the mysterious vandals. Unfortunately, the military refused to release footage of the damaged plane, and only let the press inside the hangar without cameras. One of the anchors asked the reporter, “Can you describe the destruction, in your own words?”

The reporter tried her best. “It’s like a giant clubbed the jet into scrap.”

She changed the channel, hoping the other news programs would have more information. Unsatisfied, she ran to her computer and searched through some popular blogs, knowing that they would have more details. She learned that the crime occurred around 11:00 the previous night, and that the guards had been knocked out by what they described as “black boxers.” The alarm tripped thirty seconds after security first heard a crashing noise, and a few seconds later, the troops arrived to find the plane destroyed.

She managed to find a photograph, which had been secretly taken by an anonymous source and posted on one of the blogs. The B-1 Lancer was an absolute wreck. From the angle of the photo, she could see that the wings and engines had been torn off and ripped to pieces. The cockpit had been smashed by what appeared to be a wrecking ball. Whoever did this took out each individual part of the jet as if making a statement. The blogs universally agreed that no mere humans could have done this.

She could barely speak. Holding back her rage, she crashed her body into her bed so she could beat the pillow in guilt-ridden rage. “Kagekuro! You stupid… stupid… damn it!” Letting her anger take control, she punched her wall, leaving a huge pothole where her fist used to be.

***

Gen watched the news on his apartment’s only television, trying as hard as possible to hide the joyful smile his lips wanted to make. His parents and little brother watched with equal fascination. Gen had to suppress the overpowering urge to admit his deed and show them all exactly how he did it. Having a secret identity sure was hard. He wondered how Clark Kent managed to pull it off.

“Officials are saying a wrecking ball and other unidentified objects are the cause of the damage, but no such machines could be found anywhere near the site.” The female reporter looked as clueless as the journalists on the other channels. She tried to solicit an interview with the American soldiers and repairmen, but the crew had no comment.

Gen could hold his tongue no longer. “So Dad, what do you think?”

His father, Kagekuro Inajiro, had mixed emotions about the situation. “I certainly don’t want the Americans around anymore, but whoever can do something like this… I’d be more afraid of them. What about you, Kimie?”

In contrast, Gen’s mother adamantly objected. “It’s terrible. Nobody has the right to destroy state property like that.”

“But Mom,” said Gen, “The American military doesn’t belong here. So what if some patriots wreck one of their war machines?”

“Gen, your grandfather taught me that violence only creates more violence. There are better ways to oppose something than this.”

“Nobody got hurt.” Gen quickly worried about what he just said. If I’m not careful, Mom may catch on.

Kagekuro Kimie responded, “That’s always how it starts. Nobody got hurt’ turns into just one got hurt’, then just a few got hurt’ and so on.”

At risk of giving himself away, Gen excused himself. “I’m going to prepare for my date.”

The surprised mother asked, “Oh, who’s the lucky girl?”

“Somebody from another class. We’re working on a… special project together.”

“Then let me get you this great cologne.”

“Thanks, Mom, but I think I’ll be okay.”

“No really. When you’re father wore it, I couldn’t resist. Here, it’s in my cabinet.”

Shuya called out to his brother, “And don’t forget to buy a new phone. I want mine back.”

Always concerned about money, their father asked, “What happened to your phone, Gen?”

His son just replied, “I stepped on it.” He had disposed of the evidence the night before.

***

Renka sat in front of Chikara’s computer and watched the coverage of the incident. Her parents had told her about it at breakfast, but she didn’t care much until her friend bombed her with the details. “Okay, so some weirdoes broke a plane? What does that have to do with us?”

“Everything!” Chikara let her anger spill over the edge. “Kagekuro is causing international terrorism!”

“What? You think Gen-kun did this?”

“Who else would it be? We gave him a ring that turns people into the goddamn X-Men. You know how much he hates the American military. It has to be him.”

Feeling Chikara’s anger radiating from her mind made Renka want to scream right back at her. She suppressed her empathy and calmly stated, “I know you’re mad, but we can’t accuse him of it without knowing for sure. What if he never talks to us again?”

“You mean he never talks to you again.” Chikara quickly regretted what she had said. “Geez, I’m sorry Renka, I’m just really freaking out here. This is my fault. Mom told me to give him the ring, and now we’re all in trouble. What if they catch him and he tells them about us?”

“I’m meeting him in just two hours. I can ask him.”

“No, he can’t suspect we know. Actually, he probably does already.”

“Then I’ll imply it. I’ll just bring it up during the conversation. It’s big news. He won’t find that suspicious.”

Renka turned her empathy back on, allowing her to sense her friend’s feeling of dread. Chikara figured she was “tuning in”. She pointed to her head and said, “Renka, I know you’re listening.”

“And I know you’re not comfortable with this.”

“I just want to make sure you’re safe.”

“Look, if Gen-kun’s going to do something wrong, I’ll know. Don’t worry, I can take care of myself. If I find out he killed the plane, I’ll tell you.”

Chikara sighed and said, “Okay, let’s get you dressed and looking nice. I’ve got this great necklace.” Renka felt no change in her friend’s level of fear.

***

Gen waited outside of Kedakai on a nearby bench and checked his watch. 1:55. He almost expected a text message saying that she had a sudden doctor’s appointment or some other dumb excuse girls used to stand up a date. His fears faded when Renka showed up, Chikara next to her. He had expected the joined-at-the-hip friends to come together. “Renka-chan. And Kaminari-san.”

Renka looked ecstatic. “Hi, Gen-kun. This looks like a nice place. Hey, what’s that smell? Are you wearing cologne?”

This made Chikara even more nervous. “You’ll bring her home, right?”

Gen smirked and replied, “Yes, I’ll take her home. Now, this is a private lunch, so… bye. See? See how that feels?”

It took Chikara a while to get the reference. “I’ll leave you two alone. Wait… one more thing. Are you done with the ring?”

Gen couldn’t believe he forgot about the ring. If he left it at home, though, she would’ve known he didn’t need it anymore. The only option he had was to give it up, so he took it off his finger. “Let’s see. Hey, no more pain. Guess I’m right as rain. Here you go.”

Renka felt her head tingle for a split second. It felt like a wasp stinging her brain. Chikara took back her inheritance and gave it to Renka. “Here, you can wear it again.”

Renka moved her hands behind her back, unwilling to take the ring again. “But it’s your turn, Chi.”

“He had it so long. I just think you should catch up. Come on, what’s a little more?”

Gen expected Renka to follow the order. Sure enough, she took the trinket and put it on her finger. He wondered if she was always so subservient. “I’ll… uh… bring back the case tonight. Later, Kaminari-san.”

“Have fun, you two.” Chikara walked back down the street.

Gen watched her until she was out of sight. When he was sure she had left, he asked his date, “Okay, let’s head inside.”

“How about we sit here?” asked Renka, pointing to the table under the cherry tree. “It’s such a nice day out.”

“Good choice. You know, the trees are going to bloom in about a month.”

“I know. I can’t wait.” The two sat down and looked over the menu. He went straight for the salads while Renka flipped through the meats. She tried to look up from her menu to catch a glimpse of her date. She had to admit he looked great in a dress shirt, and his cologne, whatever they called it, really attracted her senses. When she looked up for another peek, she saw him looking right back at her, the same mischievous grin on his lips that he made when she peeked at him in school.

“Renka-chan, we’re on a date. You can look all you want.” She started to blush again, forcing he to burst out laughing. “Oh man, you’re hopeless.”

“Sorry, it’s a force of habit. I’m shy, I can’t help it.”

“I’m sure I’ll grow on you. So, what are you thinking?”

“How… incredibly happy I am to be here.”

“I meant about the food.”

“Oh. The deep-fried tempura sounds good. It comes with dipping sauce and daikon radish. What about you?”

“Sounds good, I’ll have that too. Are you a vegetarian?”

“No, but I really like tempura. You’re a vegetarian?”

“Everything but fish. Meat products involve such cruelty to animals, but there’s only so much I can resist.”

On the rooftop of the restaurant, Chikara groaned as she watched the couple through her portable periscope. “Won’t eat meat. What kind of Japanese are you?” Before that day, she wouldn’t have considered spying on the two without their knowledge, but given Kagekuro’s alleged crimes, she just couldn’t trust him alone with her best friend. She only wished she could hear them better, but their table sat too far from the building itself.

When the waitress came around, they placed their orders and asked for a pot of tea. He placed his elbows on the table and got straight down to business. “So… let’s talk about our special gifts.”

“Uhhh… okay.”

“You say you can feel people’s emotions?”

“Yeah. It’s weird, but I feel whatever they feel. When they’re happy, I get happy. When they’re sad, I get sad. It was hard to handle at first, but now I can control it better. Turn it off and on, so… it’s good. I like it.”

He couldn’t help but notice her stammering speech. What caused this nervousness, the powers or the date?

“Are you sensing me right now?”

“No, I turned it off. I don’t want to be rude.”

“I grant you permission to turn it on. Now, what do you feel?”

“You actually want me to read your mind?”

“I want to see how it works. Come on, do it.”

Relieved, she let his emotions enter her brain, which decoded the telepathic signals and let her interpret his feelings. “You’re confused, but fascinated. You’re excited. You can’t believe this is happening.”

Gen agreed but reasoned that anybody could guess that based on all that had happened. “That’s amazing.”

She wasn’t finished. “You feel invincible

you have something to do

a responsibility

nothing will stop you.” His pulse hastened and his breath stopped. She was getting close to uncovering his crime. “Now you’re scared… nervous. You don’t want this anymore.”

From her perch on the rooftop, Chikara watched. What the hell is she doing?

Gen put a stop to the session before she learned the truth. “Okay, Renka-chan, I believe you. That’s good enough.”

She weakened her concentration to a dim scan, only to feel her own fear still linger in her mind. He was hiding something. Was Chikara right? She had to change the subject. “Okay, now what about you?”

Gen had been prepared for this. He told the same half-truth he told Chikara before. “I can see in the dark. That’s about it.”

She felt the same stinging sensation pinch her brain. She cringed for the split-second that it hurt. Gen asked, “Are you okay?”

She couldn’t understand why that happened. Was her gift turning against her? All he did was answer her question. Just then, a thought popped into her mind. “Are you sure that’s all you can do.”

Gen repeated himself. “Yeah, I see in the dark.” Renka felt the painful sting again and deduced its purpose. Her mind acted as a lie detector. Deception must’ve caused her brain to react painfully like an allergy. As much as she wanted to learn the truth, she decided not to reveal this new ability just yet.

“Well, okay,” she said just as the waitress arrived with their tea. “Now you don’t need a flashlight. That must be pretty cool.” She faked a smile as she took a sip of her drink. “So… why are you a communist?”

Renka felt Gen’s mood lighten considerably, meaning she had moved him into a comfortable position. He cleared his throat and replied, “Democratic socialist, actually. Communism has been poisoned by the dictators of the eastern world.”

“Okay. Why are you a democratic socialist?”

“Because I believe in the power of government by the people. I believe the wealthy should be placed in check by regulations and the government must ensure that every man, woman and child in the country be protected against crime, poverty and sickness.” She could tell he had practiced this. He continued, “I believe in state sovereignty and the rights of every citizen to work, prosper and take care of their families without fear of getting screwed over by the upper class. I don’t want Japan to be like America, where lower-class families go bankrupt and lose their homes because they don’t have access to affordable health care. That never happens here.”

“That doesn’t sound too bad,” she said, eager to learn more. “Everyone at school thinks you want Japan to be like the Soviet Union or North Korea.”

“Can’t blame them. Karl Marx’s beliefs have been twisted to serve the needs of evil men. Marx wrote that those in power will use whatever means necessary to stay in power. Lenin, Stalin and the rest then used his theories to get into power and stay there through murder and social control, thus proving his point.”

“Wow.” Renka had little knowledge of the subject, so she just nodded along in approval.

“The thing is… I like the idea of the United States. Three branches of government, each with checks over the other, elected leaders instead of monarchs… the country revolutionized the world. It’s a great nation, but if it wants to be respected by the rest of the world community, it needs to put its citizens before its corporate-owned government’s thirst for money and power. Here’s hoping their president will make it happen.”

Chikara could barely hear from her perch on the roof, but she made out some of Gen’s left-wing talking points. While she agreed with some of what he said, she knew that a powerful government would prove to be just as corrupt as a corporation. Her father, a staunch conservative, explained to her how businesses and free enterprise provided jobs and security to the people, and that rapid expansion of trade and limiting of government bureaucracy would provide true stability to Japan.

Renka felt the passion that Gen had for his stances and knew that he meant every word. “So who got you into all this?”

“My family. My father’s side is burakumin.”

Her eyes widen in surprised. “Burakumin?”

“Yes. They’ve been lower class for generations. My dad works in a butcher shop. Thanks to social programs, I’ll be the first to go to college.”

Renka knew all about the burakumin, one of Japan’s main minority groups. They were the descendents of outcasts with professions involving death, such as leather tanners, undertakers and executioners. This tainted them in the eyes of the traditional Japanese, leaving them to low-income lives in ghetto areas. Although the social stigma of being a burakumin had slowly faded away over the generations, the discrimination they faced still left a lingering scar on their families.

Feeling a sense of embarrassment flow from him, she smiled and said, “Don’t feel bad. I don’t really care. It’s the 21st century, after all.”

She felt his mood elevate. “Thank you, Renka-chan. That means a lot. Anyway, my mother’s father was a Hiroshima survivor. He used to tell me all about the horrors he saw. He lost his whole family in the bombing, and had to live poor and barefooted while taking care of his mother and loved ones. He became an anti-war activist until his death, and he wrote about his struggles. He passed three years ago.”

“I’m sorry. I can tell you really loved him.”

The waitress arrived with the food. While she felt bad for Gen, Renka really wanted to hear more about his family. However, the tempura smelled too good. The two got to work on their meals while Chikara watched them, thankful that Renka was still safe. Just then, a faint sound of laughter caught her attention. She looked around the roof, but saw nothing unusual. She reasoned the sound must have come from the other customers, but her instincts warned her of trouble.

With her meal half finished, Renka decided to go ahead and bring up the attack on the military base. She concentrated on Gen’s mind and asked, “So, did you hear about what happened to that jet?”

“Jet?”

“Yeah, on the American base. It was all over the news.”

“Pretty messed up. Whoever did that must be packing some heavy artillery.”

His worry hit her like a punch. His feelings squirmed and shook from this interrogation, and she felt that this conversation frightened him. Had he been innocent, he’d probably be happy about the jet’s destruction. That’s when she knew for sure that Chikara’s suspicions were correct.

Chikara heard the ominous laughter coming from somewhere around the area. She stealthily crawled behind a chimney and noticed four men in white ninja costumes gathered around the roof exit. Though unarmed and slightly overweight, her suspicious nature told her that they were up to no good. As the slightly chubby ninjas made their way to the edge of the roof, she ran to them and executed a flying kick that made the incompetent warriors scream in shock.

The diners enjoying their lunches heard the sounds of hits, screams and karate shouts and looked towards the roof. Gen and Renka in particular thought the voices sounded familiar. Renka panicked and thought, No! God no! Not now!

With his friends lying around bruised and battered, the last ninja backed up to the edge of the roof. Chikara approached him while clutching her fists, a walk she always used to intimidate her enemies. The clumsy opponent reached the edge and lost his balance, breaking his short fall in the restaurant’s small walled-off garden. Chikara jumped down to finish him off, making many in the diner clap and cheer the show.

“Who are you?” Chikara pulled the strangers mask off and recognized the panicked boy from the school cafeteria. “Hey! You’re one of Kagekuro’s friends.”

Utatane Suekichi stuttered in terror. “Please, Kaminari, don’t kill us. We were just spying on Gen. We wanted to watch his date.”

“Why are you dressed like that?”

“It was Hideki’s idea. We thought it’d be fun.”

“Fun? You left-wing moron! Are you that stupid?”

Chikara remembered Gen and Renka’s presence. She looked over to see them gawking at her. Their date was now ruined. Humiliated, Gen set down his chopsticks and left some money on the table. “I’ve suddenly lost my appetite.”

The panicking Renka couldn’t believe this. She grabbed Gen’s hand and begged, “I didn’t know she was here. Please, you have to believe me.”

Although he believed her, he got up to leave. “I know you two are friends, and I respect that, but you can’t depend on her forever. I’ll see you at school.” He stormed off, his four wounded friends limping behind him while the other diners laughed at them. Renka couldn’t even look at Chikara. All she could do was bury her face in her hands.

Chikara realized how badly she had screwed up. She should have kept her word and let Renka handle this on her own, but she just had to watch her and keep her safe. She hung her head in shame and walked over to the table, knowing that no apology would correct this. “I’m sorry, Renka. I just had to know if you were safe. I was scared.”

Renka wiped her tears with a napkin and broke her silence. “That’s not it. I knew you would do it.”

“You knew?”

“I felt you on the roof the whole time, and the walk here.”

“You said you didn’t know.”

“I lied.”

“Then what is it?”

Renka covered her eyes again. “You were right. He destroyed the plane.”

“Are you sure?”

“He was scared when I brought it up, and he kept lying about his gift. He’s more powerful than he says. I don’t know what to do.”

“It’s my fault. I listened to Mom and just gave him that damned thing.” Chikara looked at the ring on Renka’s finger and cursed the day her mother told her about it. What was she thinking, giving this supernatural weapon to a bunch of kids, one being a radical socialist?

“Chi…” Renka sucked up her nervousness and revealed what she had learned. “I felt his mood when he walked away. I felt deceived and lied to, and I had to let it out.”

“What do you mean?”

“I wanted to destroy something again.”

***

Hours later, after stopping by the Kaminari house to grab the bokken, the girls made their way to Kagekuro’s apartment, hoping to talk him out of another terrorist act. Renka wasn’t comfortable with her bringing the sword, but Chikara insisted. If Gen could destroy an airplane, she wouldn’t go near him unarmed.

They reached the apartment and knocked on the door. Kagekuro Shuya opened, but kept the chain lock in place. “Hello?”

Chikara greeted him. “Good evening. Are you Gen’s little brother? We’d like to talk to him.”

Renka added, in a softer tone, “We’re friends of his from school, and we have something to talk to him about.”

“He’s not here right now. He went out with his friends.”

Chikara said, “He has something we need for our project. Do you think we can look in his room? I’m sure it’s around somewhere.”

Shuya never opened the door to strangers. However, cute older girls didn’t usually want to come in. “Mom, Gen’s friends are here.”

Kagekuro Kimie walked up to the door and unlocked the chain. “It’s nice to meet you. I’m Kimie and this is Shuya-chan.”

The girls bowed. “Nice to meet you too,” said Chikara. “I am Kaminari Chikara and this is Kusaka Renka. Can we look for something in your son’s room? It’s very important.”

“If I watch you,” replied the mother, not fully trusting either of them. Chikara agreed, so the three made their way to Gen’s room. He had decorated the walls with posters of political figures he admired, such as Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King Jr. and Asanuma Inejiro, the assassinated Japanese socialist leader. The girls didn’t recognize the poster of Sugihara Chiune, the Consul-General who defied the government to save the lives of 6,000 Jews during the war. Chikara wondered why Che Guevara wasn’t pictured. Most socialists the world over had his infamous mug on their walls.

Renka spotted the lead case on his desk. “There it is.” Chikara quickly looked around the room before Mrs. Kagekuro could ask them to leave. She noticed that Gen had left his computer on. He must have left so quickly, he forgot to shut it down. She looked at the screen and saw a photograph of a massive battleship. Upon closer inspection, she read the details: Arleigh Burke class destroyer, 154 meters long and loaded with armaments and missile defense systems that no opponent could face. Gen was studying some of the most powerful destroyers the United States had ever built, and Chikara’s jaw dropped when she realized why.

She turned to Kagekuro Kimie and asked, “Ma’am, where did he say he was going?”

“He didn’t say exactly. Say, are you the girl he took to the restaurant today?”

Renka raised her hand. “That was me. What did he say about it?”

“He said he liked it, but your friend came along and sunk the ship’. That’s an odd analogy.”

Getting the message, Chikara grabbed Renka’s arm and walked out, bowing her head along the way. “Thank you. Sorry for the inconvenience.”

When the girls left, Kimie laughed at her son’s predicament. “Poor Gen. He sure knows how to pick em.”

When they were alone again, Renka asked, “What’s going on?”

“Didn’t you see the computer? He plans to sink that battleship, and I have an idea of where he’ll do it.”

“An entire ship? Gen wouldn’t do that with people onboard.”

“Exactly. His posters are of peaceful revolutionaries, but some of them destroyed property without harming anyone. He’ll most likely attack a dry-docked ship. No one would be inside one of those at night. I’ve got to get there before…” Chikara looked at Renka and realized she was leaving her out again. “We should go together. Maybe we can talk him out of it.”

Renka gave a worried look, and felt the same emotion radiating from her friend’s mind. “But what if we can’t?”

“Then we stop him the hard way. Come on, let’s get to the train station.” Chikara still couldn’t believe this was happening. Little less than a week ago, she was just a normal teenager, and now she was rushing to a military base to stop a superpowered extremist. Her mother’s haunting words ran through her mind as if saying I told you so’. There are extremists in this world, Chikara. Fanatical men and women who seek power, and with this power, they will attempt to mold the world to their radical ideas. I have seen what they are capable of, and the results will lead only to terrible destruction.

“Shut up, Mom,” she whispered to herself. “This is your fault anyway.”

***

Gen waited atop the eight-story intelligence building overlooking the dry-docked destroyer. The sight of the floating war machine sickened him. The BGM-109 Tomahawk missile launcher, the RGM-84 Harpoon, the Mk-45 artillery gun… all weapons of mass destruction in the hands of an overzealous empire. He salivated at the thought of wrecking it just as much as he did the B-1 Lancer, but he remained patient. This time, he would have an audience who would understand the meaning of his demonstrations.

The lax security surprised him. After his attack on the Air Force base, he figured the military would beef up the guards everywhere, but the watch proved to be less than a concern. The bureaucracy must have been more incompetent than he thought. Large searchlights illuminated the boat, but once he took them out, nothing would be left in his way.

He surveyed the scene intensely with his night vision eyes, hoping his guests would arrive soon. At last, he spotted them at the front gate looking for a way in. He took out his new cell phone and dialed Chikara.

“Okay, this is a problem,” Chikara said. “I’ve never snuck into a military base before.”

Renka noticed the guard glaring at them. “Chi, he’s looking right at us. Maybe we should go.”

“Relax. Kids loiter here all the time. He won’t mind.” Just then, her phone rang, showing a new number. She accepted the call and asked, “Hello?”

“I see you got my message. I knew you were a bright one.”

“Kagekuro, we know what you’re planning.”

Renka lit up. “Is that Gen-kun?”

He continued, “It’s about time we all had a talk. Walk away from the front gate and circle around left to the white oil tank. I cut a hole in the fence for you. Make your way to the dark side of the white rectangular building and look for the ladder.”

“This isn’t a game, Gen!”

“I know. It’s a demonstration.”

He hung up, leaving Chikara so mad she almost threw her phone. “He’s leading us to the top of a building. Follow me.”

Renka trailed behind Chikara as she walked around the gate, letting the streetlamps guide her way. When she saw the oil tank, she looked around for any witnesses and ran to it. She felt the fence for an entrance, and found it right in front of the tank. “Come on, Renka, let’s go. If we get caught, kiss graduation goodbye.” The two stealthily crawled through the hole and made their way to the white building, dodging any guards that cared enough to look. Chikara drew her bokken, ready to knock out anybody who got in her way.

The panicking Renka whispered, “Are you crazy?”

“The guards will sound the alarm if they see us,” Chikara replied. “I’ll have to disable them. I know all the pressure points, remember?”

“No, we’re gonna get shot!” Chikara put her hand over Renka’s mouth when she heard a guard walk by. They ducked behind a crate when his flashlight scanned the area. Luckily, he lost interest and carelessly walked away. A few minutes later, the two girls continued their trek to the building.

At last, they found the eight-story intelligence center. “He told us to find the ladder,” whispered Chikara. “Do you see one?” Renka surveyed the area, but found nothing. Chikara’s phone rang again, so she quickly picked it up and asked, “Gen, where the hell are you?”

“Up here, of course. Look out below.” Chikara looked up and saw something black slowly coming down. A double-sided ladder with gears running through the side chains conveniently reached the ground. “Just grab on and hold tight. There may be a slight discomfort when you touch it.”

After he hung up, Chikara lightly tapped one of the ladder’s rungs and felt nothing. She motioned to Renka, “I think he’s going to lift us up.”

“I don’t like heights.”

“You go first, and I’ll brace you.”

Renka touched the ladder and pulled her hand away. “Oww!”

“What’s wrong?”

“It feels all tingly.”

Chikara touched the rung again. “I don’t feel anything.”

Renka reached into her purse and put on a pair of gloves. As soon as she climbed onto the ladder, the gears turned and made the rungs move up like a pulley system. Chikara grabbed the ladder and braced against Renka, hoping to calm her nerves.

“Don’t look down. We’ll be at the top soon.”

“Chi… whatever happens, just know that this wasn’t your fault.”

“I know. It’s his fault.”

When they reached the top of the building, they saw Gen waiting for them at the edge of the east side, the dry-docked destroyer in his sights. Adorned with the all-black clothing that symbolized his supernatural gift, he walked to his guests. “Nice boat.”

“We know why you’re here,” Chikara shouted. “You want to destroy that ship just like you destroyed that plane!”

“You’re right, I do. A message must be sent to the imperialists that Japan is no longer a personal docking bay.”

“You’re going to cause an international incident, you idiot.”

“Exactly! Nelson Mandela bombed government offices. Martin Luther King boycotted a bus system. Kid Blink crippled New York’s media. Nothing will change without decisive action, and now I can make it happen.”

Renka felt the righteous anger and passion radiating from both her friends. She felt Chikara’s struggle to keep her calm against the man who misused her mother’s powerful gift.

“America is our friend, Kagekuro,” shouted Chikara. “Imagine the damage to our reputation, our economy and our international standing if your revolution happens. You’ll destroy sixty years of progress.”

He couldn’t be phased by her answer. “They’re only our friends as long as they’re in control. This is our country and we can defend ourselves.”

No longer able to stand the strain of their anger, Renka tried to turn off her empathy. “Guys, let’s sit down and talk, just like before. We’re supposed to be friends. Ms. Kaminari said we would save the world.”

Gen’s heart softened at Renka’s attempt to calm them, but the importance of his mission surpassed her childish naiveté. “That’s exactly what I’m doing.”

Chikara lashed out in rage. “My mother didn’t make me give you that ring so you could wage a war.”

“Yes, she did. She knew exactly what I would do.”

“She didn’t even know you.”

He unveiled his trump card. “Chikara-san, haven’t you thought about this? The ring gives people paranormal abilities. What do you think it gave her?”

She froze in her tracks. She couldn’t believe she had never considered that question. He continued, “You told me she made a killing in the stock market. Her plans always worked out in the end. All that cryptic nonsense in her video about seeing every possible outcome. Don’t you get it? Precognition! She saw the future.”

Chikara stood there in a state of shock. Memories of her youth flooded her mind. The time her mother didn’t let her go to a birthday party, and when everyone who went got sick from eating a tainted pizza. The questions she asked before a test, which Chikara later saw on the actual exam. The time she warned her neighbors not to go on a trip, and then slashed their tires the night before they planned to leave. Chikara saw her from her window, and Mika told her, “They were going to crash. Let’s keep this a secret, okay?” At last, her mother’s strange behavior made perfect sense.

“She saw everything that would happen, even her own death,” said Gen, thankful to finally have her attention. “She saw you giving Renka and me that ring, and me destroying the plane. Hell, she probably saw this confrontation we’re having right now. She planned it all out so that we would have the power to make the world a better place. Why would she give me that power if she didn’t like what I would do?”

She couldn’t think of a logical answer. Even with the revelation that Kaminari Mika engineered a future plan, none of this made any sense. All Chikara could do was draw her bokken and point it to Gen, who sighed in disappointment. “I don’t know what she saw or what she wanted us to do… but I still can’t let you destroy that ship.”

Renka’s eyes widened in fear. “Chi, no! Don’t fight!”

Gen, however, seemed to welcome the challenge. “You can’t stop me. The darkness itself does my bidding.”

Chikara stood resolute in the face of this challenge. “If I win, you back down and never attack the military again. If you win, you can do whatever you want. Fair?”

“Okay, Chikara. Prepare yourself.”

“Guys, nobody wants this! Stop!” Renka moved to grab Chikara and take her weapon, but the angered girl had already charged her opponent. Gen willed a small militia of five dark samurai warriors into her path, catching her by surprise. The group of shadows clutched their swords and charged, forcing her to roll out of the way. With no time to assess the situation, she poured all of her strength into her hands and slashed one with her bokken, making it shatter like glass. One more approached her and swung its own weapon in a predictable pattern, allowing her to behead it with another quick swing.

Whatever these things were, they were not very durable against hard impacts. Gen commanded his shadows against her two at a time while simultaneously creating more out of thin air. She continued to punch, kick and slash her way through them, realizing she had to get to their master as fast as she could. He created a solid wall of darkness right in front of her, making her run headfirst into it and fall down. His samurai warriors then picked her up and punched her in the stomach, but not hard enough to stop her.

As Renka continued to scream for them to stop, Chikara thought of an easier way to beat Gen and his dark army. She remembered how the light hurt him at first, and noticed the low level of illumination on the rooftop. Grabbing her flashlight from her purse, she shined it on her artificial enemies and watched them fade into nothingness. “Not so fast,” said Gen as he created a small raven that bit Chikara on the hand. She dropped the flashlight and could only watch as a shadow warrior kicked it off the roof.

Chikara knew she had to end this as fast as possible. Gen was too strong in total darkness. What could she do to distract him? As she attacked and defended against the unending army of samurai, she got an idea. “You’ll never be a revolutionary, Gen.”

Keeping his eyes on the fight to maintain control over his creations, he asked, “Why not?”

“None of your shadows have hurt me. These swords aren’t even sharp. You won’t kill

you’re just too nice.” His concentration weakened just a bit, making his ethereal henchmen attack her sloppier than before. As she slashed away at them, she said, “People die in revolutions. You don’t have the stomach to kill me or anyone else.” The warriors moved toward her in a rickety, confused daze, signaling the perfect window to attack. She dashed to him with all the speed her legs could give her and jumped above him to deal the knock-out blow.

He quickly formed a dark sword in his hands and blocked her swing, allowing his fighters to disappear from his lack of focus. He then pushed her away and attacked her with a wide swipe, which she easily ducked under. She swung at him again, using all her strength to hit his midsection, but his blade struck her own and diverted its path. She had no idea he could hold his own in a fight. She had to find a way to strike him directly without giving him the upper hand.

Renka watched as her friends fought and felt the combined anger of both. She couldn’t understand their silly politics. Worse, she could do nothing. They would keep fighting and fighting until both were bruised and limping. “Stop it!” she cried to their deaf ears. Their anger increased as both attacked the other with growing disregard for their safety. “Stop it!” Still, they hit and slashed each other, becoming madder and madder with each blocked hit.

Clutching her fists and feeling the magical ring on her finger, Renka poured all her emotion into her voice and screamed, “STOP!” When she opened her eyes, the sounds of battle ceased, leaving only an eerie silence. Gen and Chikara lay on the rooftop’s floor, holding their bodies and rocking back and forth. Renka ran to her friends and found them whimpering and crying, scared beyond all reason. Chikara clutched her and held on tight, afraid to let go. “Oh god, Renka. I’m so scared. I don’t know why.”

Gen tried to stand up, but his own fear prevented him from moving his legs. The two combatants seemed to be paralyzed with terror. Renka knew she had done this. Her fear of losing her friends beamed itself straight into them.

As Chikara hugged Renka with all her strength, Gen crawled over to them. “Renka. Did you…” He looked back at the destroyer he came to wreck and started to cry. “She’s right. I can’t do this. I just can’t.” He joined the girls and hugged them both, letting all of his regret pour from his eyes. Without saying a word, Renka held them both in a relieved embrace.

After a few minutes, the trio let go of each other and dried their eyes. Gen looked at Chikara and said, “I guess you win. My revolution is over.”

Chikara sniffled. “Gen-san, my mother gave you this power for a reason. I’m sure she had a plan, and whatever it is, you’re a part of it.” Gen nodded and gave a genuine smile.

Renka looked around, still unable to see much in the pitch black night sky. “I think we should leave now.”

Gen stood up and walked to the edge of the roof. He then created a long, diagonal tube that reached to the ground. “You like going down slides?” Chikara rolled her eyes and jumped down the tube. Renka winked at Gen and did the same, having more fun than she should have had despite the buzzing sensation she felt from the dark construct. When Gen reached the ground, the three snuck back through the hole in the gate and went on their way.

“So what happens now?” asked Gen when they arrived at his apartment.

Chikara shared his confusion. “I guess we wait until we find out what Mom wanted from us.”

Renka pulled the ring off of her finger and handed it to Chikara. “I know what we have to do. It’s your turn to try it, Chi.” Chikara look at her inheritance and imagined what it would do to her. She pulled the metallic case from her purse and placed it inside, keeping the magical item locked away. Renka scanned her feelings. “You’re afraid.”

Chikara knew she couldn’t hide it from the empath. “You’re right. When I get back, I’ll try it.” Feeling the hesitation from her mind, Renka wondered if Chikara truly wanted a gift.

Gen looked to his apartment, and then back to the girls. “Guys… you were right, this was a bad idea. I guess I’ll have to find another way to make a change. Thank you for stopping me.”

Still fearful of losing Gen’s friendship thanks to Renka’s emotional control, Chikara replied, “Let’s just look to the future from now on.”

Gen smiled and walked inside. “Somebody already did.”

The young women walked home, still in complete disbelief over what had just happened. Renka felt her pal’s confusion and fear, so she tried to lighten the mood. “I guess we’re real superheroes now, huh?”

Chikara rolled her eyes. “Really?”

“Yeah! We saved an entire battleship. It’s not as big as the world, but it’s a start.”

“Yes… I guess it is.”

“So what should I call myself? Heart Girl? The Feeler?”

“Renka…”

“How about the Emoticon?”

“Renka, knock it off.”

Realizing Chikara wasn’t in the mood for jokes, Renka decided to test her newfound ability out some more. She thought of all the things that made her happy: her friends, her family, her puppy and kitty, and even her crush on Gen. Then she stared directly at Chikara and let the happy feelings rush from her head. Chikara’s eyes lit up, and she smiled. She looked at Renka and merrily said, “Thanks. I needed that.”

***

When she arrived home, Chikara looked through the giant comic collection her mother had amassed

all those superheroes with extraordinary powers, battling aliens, crooks and megalomaniacs while dealing with their ordinary problems in their secret identities. She remembered all the physical training she had gone through, and all the lessons about helping others and standing up to bad people. Then she thought of her mother’s final words in the hospital bed and the video.

“Things are about to change. Events outside of your control will soon require you to do things no one has done before.”

It all made sense now. This whole time, Kaminari Mika had been training her, even brainwashing her, into becoming the superhero she saw in her precognitive visions. Chikara imagined her mother planning from her very birth to turn her into a superpowered protector of the innocent, a costumed champion of good against evil.

She opened the lead case and glared at the ring. She thought of her mother placing it in the safe and waiting for her to find it, knowing what would happen when the cursed thing came into people’s hands.

“I never wanted to drag you into this. I’ve looked at every possible outcome, and nothing ends happily except this one. I’m so sorry. I wanted to save you from this but

only you and your friends can save this world.”

Chikara snapped the case shut and hid it under her bed. “Mother… if you think I’m wearing spandex, you can forget it.

CHAPTER 6

CONTROLLER

Michiko awoke from a wonderful dream and hugged the large stuffed bunny her mother gave her at five-years-old. She had such a wild time at the party last night with her friends, and she had a particular craving to do it again. After her morning shower and makeup application, she put on jeans, a designer shirt and her favorite heels. She came down for breakfast, which her mom had already prepared.

“Good morning, Mom.” She grabbed some pancakes from the plate. Her orange juice had been poured in advance.

“Good morning, Michiko. How was your party last night?”

“We had fun. We did some karaoke and danced.” She lied. They had actually sat on the sidelines privately mocking the bad singers and terrible dancers.

“Did you meet any boys?” Nagasado Nyoko always asked about her potential relationships, which Michiko never understood given her mother’s history with men.

“No.” She lied again. Several boys had come on to her. They tried their hardest by complimenting her looks, faking interest and acting nice, things men think will get them laid but won’t.

As Nyoko poured syrup on her own pancakes, she noticed the strange jewelry on her daughter’s finger. “Oh, where did you get that ring?”

Michiko couldn’t believe she forgot to take that thing off. She had worn it to sleep the night before for reasons she couldn’t articulate, and now her mother knew of its existence. “I won it. You know, in one of those prize machines.”

Nyoko looked at the ring again and asked, “That looks like gold.”

Michiko concentrated on her voice and commanded, “Stop asking about it.”

“Okay, dear.” When she finished with breakfast, Michiko walked back upstairs and replaced the ring back in its metal case. She put it in her drawer and closed it tight, still wondering what she hoped to gain from keeping it. She removed her textbook from her backpack and started to study, resolving to go out with the gang later that night.

***

As promised, Michiko went to her favorite club that night. . The high level of activity in the club on a Sunday night surprised her, She loved it for the exciting atmosphere and loud speakers, and the projections cast from the ceiling when they turned the lights out gave her such a thrill. She sat at a table with her friends, Chisato, Yukiko and Kaijin. Others youngsters attempted to sing American pop songs in their best English, which provided much ammunition for mockery.

“Its love’, not rub’. How do you screw that up?” She sipped her pink lemonade, paid for by Kaijin of course, and laughed at the terrible singers.

Yukiko pitched in. “Yeah, I had my L’s down in kindergarten.” Chisato could have joined, but her own early difficulties in pronunciation made her hold her tongue.

Kaijin looked to Michiko and asked, “Would you like to dance, Michiko-sama?”

“No, I don’t want to.” She was never one to let loose and embarrass herself, an easy consequence of dancing. She preferred to stay on the sidelines and criticize. Her friends disagreed, but had to bow to the decisions of the alpha female.

With her mind elsewhere, Michiko didn’t notice a random guy come up to her. He sat down and said, “Hey, beautiful. Can I have this dance?”

She looked at his dyed blonde hair and smelled his cologne, which stunk of desperation. This wannabe ladies-man repulsed her, but she figured she could have some fun with him before he went off to another chick. “Uh, I don’t even know you, and your fake aura of confidence doesn’t register on my radar.”

The anonymous pretty boy, having studied the challenging art of picking-up women, tried to move in for the kill. “Come on, let me get to know you. Those eyes of yours just call out to me.”

She flashed him a sinister glare. She could not forgive the sin of mentioning her eyes. “If you really want to kiss somebody, kiss this guy.” She looked at Kaijin and added, “You too. Kiss him.” The two males looked at each other and shared a brief smooch. She laughed at her sweet revenge while Chisato and Yukiko watched in awe.

“That’s not enough,” she said, wanting to see more. “Make out with him.” The boys hugged each other and aggressively locked lips, prompting everyone around them to witness the disturbing display.

Dozens of teens and young adults howled in laughter. Even the DJ on the stage had to say, “Hey, the club for that is on the other side of town.” Officer Maeda, the policeman who usually watched over the club, walked up to them and told them to stop, but by then, Michiko had had her fun. “Okay, stop kissing.” The two guys let each other go, revealing their embarrassed faces to the crowd. The young stranger got out of his chair and walked away, trying as hard as he could to keep his dignity with the crowd laughing at him.

“He’ll think twice before trying to get into my pants again.” Michiko took another sip of her drink, oblivious to her friends’ looks of suppressed fear. They had seen her use this strange persuasion of hers to make people do weird things, but now she was taking it too far. “Why are men so stupid?” she asked with a hint of contempt. “Sex drives their minds, no logic or anything. Kaijin-kun, you’re a man. Tell me why men are stupid.”

Having just been humiliated by her in front of dozens of people, some of which were still looking at him and laughing, Kaijin was at a loss of words. “I… I don’t know.”

“Tell me. What makes you want me?”

“I just…” The compulsion to obey her command overrode his resistance. “My mother left, and no girls ever liked me, but you accepted me. I love you.”

As he hid his face in his hands, she stared in disbelief. She knew he liked her, but she never considered his feelings ran this deep. His emotional breakdown made her feel just a tinge of guilt. “Stop crying.” He obeyed, as he always did, but the expression of sadness still lingered in his eyes. She asked in her normal voice, “Why did your mother leave?”

“I don’t know. I was just five. I guess it’s my dad, because he’s an asshole.” He looked like he was about to cry again, but her earlier command restrained him.

Yukiko couldn’t bear to see this anymore. “I think we should leave. It’s getting late.”

Chisato, sensing an uncomfortable amount of drama, agreed. “Yeah, this is getting scary.” The four friends got up and quickly left the club. Michiko felt Kaijin lightly hold her arm as they walked down the street. For the first time, she let him keep it there.

***

The next day, Michiko sat in class and tried to take notes, but Kaijin’s confession dominated her thoughts. Not even the school’s talk of the recent attack on the American military caught her attention. She couldn’t care less what some anti-American terrorists blew up.

Her memories swirled in her head like an angry tornado. She had never really loved a guy before, and never knew of one who loved her. All the boys of her youth preferred to mock her for the obvious differences that made her stand out from the crowd. No matter how nice and caring she tried to be as a child, the stares and ugly names her gray eyes made her endure hardened her heart even more. She couldn’t remember most of her past, but she could never forget the gradual disintegration of her friendship with Renka.

Speaking of which, she looked to the backs of Chikara and Renka. They usually chatted together, all carefree and happy, but today they stayed silent. Something bothered them, and she just had to know what. She turned to Yukiko and said, “Those two look depressed today.”

Yukiko replied back, “That’s because her date went bad.”

“What date?”

“You didn’t hear? Renka-chan went on a date with Kagekuro Gen on Saturday. This girl I know saw them at a restaurant because she was eating with her brother. She says Kagekuro’s friends dressed as ninjas, so Kaminari beat them all up, so he left all angry, and Renka-chan was crying.”

Michiko looked over at Renka’s back and grinned. Her former ally dated that handsome communist? This required investigation. She continued taking notes from the lecture while an idea brewed in her mind.

As soon as class broke for lunch, Michiko and her henchmen entered the cafeteria. She led her friends to the Democratic Youth League’s table and, noticing Gen’s absence, approached Suekichi. The two had never met before, but she had watched the club in her spare time and figured he could answer her question.

“You

tell me where your club meets!”

Suekichi replied, “Room 214, today after school.”

“Thanks.” She moved back to her table, making the other boys scratch their heads in disbelief.

“What was that all about?”

“Do you think she wants to join?”

“Nagasado? No way,” answered Shungiko. “She has something up her sleeve, and it’s not good.”

When class ended, Gen walked to room 214 as he always did. He opened the door and spotted Michiko and her friends sitting with his comrades. No female had ever set foot within their meetings before, leaving the boys confused. Michiko walked up to him with a calm, happy pace and said, “Kagekuro-san, how are you?”

Gen smelled a rat. “I’m fine, Nagasado. Are you interested in our club?”

“No, I’m interested in you. I heard you took Kusaka-chan out on a date?”

He could read her nonverbal cues. She looked at him with a devilish grin and wide eyes, and her body stood right next to his, close and defenseless. He knew she was coming on to him, probably another one of her schemes to hurt Renka. “That’s none of your business. Now, if you excuse us, we have a…”

“You will take me to the same restaurant right now.”

He felt the numbing sensation spread through his body, urging him to do as he was told. Chikara told him about this feeling, but he didn’t believe in it until now. His mouth moved against his will. “Yes, let’s go.” She took his arm and led him out of the school, as his mind tried in vain to resist.

***

The train ride back to Kedakai restaurant was the most awkward trip Gen had ever taken, even more so than the trips to the military base to destroy their planes. Michiko clutched his hand amidst the crowded vessel, and she freely pressed her body up against his when others further crammed the space. Whenever the sliding doors opened, he contemplated dashing out before she could catch him, but something in his head prevented him from even moving toward the exit. He felt as though he just had to take her to dinner with no compromise or room for failure.

When they arrived at the restaurant, Michiko told him, “Let’s sit at the same place you sat with her.” Feeling the strange tingle again, Gen pointed out the table under the sakura tree and took his seat. Michiko groaned, “Aren’t you forgetting something? Pull out my chair.” Gen had no choice but to obey. He grabbed the chair and held it there until she sat down.

Gen took his seat again and looked at the teenage beauty that currently enslaved him. He had to admit she looked stunning. With her bell-shaped hair and perfect figure, she could control any man even without her hypnotic voice. Her strange gray eyes, however, gripped his attention the most. He had never seen another Japanese person with eyes that color. The whole school suspected her to be of mixed race, but nobody talked about it aloud.

Michiko looked over the menu and asked, “So, what did Ren-chan order?”

Gen couldn’t feel the commanding sensation this time. “She had the fried tempura.”

“Then I’ll have that. Wow, this is a lovely tree. It’s going to bloom soon, huh?”

He couldn’t believe this. She was controlling him like a marionette, yet she stopped to appreciate nature. “It’ll certainly look beautiful.” When the waitress arrived, Gen noticed her to be the same one as before. She recognized him and flashed a condemning glance, thinking him to be a two-timer. After he ordered their food and tea, he felt a slight kick from under the table. Michiko looked back at him with dreamy, tempting eyes. Renka had looked nervous, even frightened, but she didn’t betray the slightest discomfort. She knew who was in control.

“So, what made you ask me here?” asked Gen, hoping to get back on her good side.

“Oh, nothing much. I just wanted to know how Kusaka could get the school’s dream-boy before I could.”

“Dream-boy?”

Michiko flashed a grin. “Oh yeah, every chick is hot for you. You didn’t know that?”

“No, I… never knew that. Why?”

“You’re cute. I guess that communist thing helps too. You know how we girls like the bad boy.”

“I’m a democratic socialist.”

“Whatever. I don’t care about politics. We get a new Prime Minister every year anyway.”

When the waitress arrived with the tea, he poured it for his date while he tried to calculate her intentions. I don’t think she knows about my powers. She’s likely just trying to make Renka-chan jealous. Still, this situation could get ugly if she asks the wrong questions. I’ve got to play this smooth.

Michiko playfully kicked him under the table again. “I hear Kaminari ruined your date.”

“Uh… yeah, my friends dressed as ninjas to spy on me… they aren’t too bright… and she was spying on me too, so she thought them a threat. It was a total disaster. They still walk with a limp.”

“That’s too bad. So… what did you and Kusaka do afterwards?”

Gen panicked. Now she was getting personal. “We said our goodbyes and left. She went with Chikara-san and I went with my friends. You know

nothing too big.”

Michiko wasn’t satisfied. She leaned forward with a foxy grin and asked, “So what did you really do afterwards?”

He was trapped. If he didn’t tell her what she wanted to hear, she would control him again and learn of everything that happened Saturday night. She would know that he could control darkness, Renka could sense and control emotions, Chikara battled his shadow warriors and he committed an act of international terrorism. He had to diffuse the situation, and he didn’t have time to think of a better idea. Here goes nothing. He knew he would regret this later.

“If you must know… we had sex.”

Her gray eyes widened in shock, proving he had succeeded. “Really?”

“Oh yeah. I stopped by to apologize for leaving so angrily, because of our friends interfering… I walked in, we started talking and… one thing led to another.” This one time, Gen wished he had developed Renka’s gift instead, just so he could know exactly what his puppet master felt.

“Wow, that’s… good, I guess.” She didn’t know what to think. Renka had always been so timid. Gen must have been the aggressor. There was no way meek little Renka would have pushed a guy into her bed.

Just then, the food arrived, so the two started eating. The idea of Renka loving somebody enough to go all the way with them blew her mind. Why couldn’t she have somebody like him? Sure, she could get anyone she wanted with a simple command, but she couldn’t develop the same feelings for them like Renka could.

She put her chopsticks down and asked him, “Was she good?”

“I’m not at liberty to discuss that.”

“Kiss me.”

He lost control and felt his body bend over the table and pucker his lips. She took his jaw in her hands and pressed her lips to his, feeling his inner mouth with her tongue in front of the entire restaurant. The other customers stared at the cute couple, and some even clapped and cheered. He could do nothing but feel her slobber all over his mouth. While any other guy would kill to be in this position, he hated it. How could she control his body like this? It wasn’t natural.

A terrifying thought crash-landed into his head. Indeed, her persuasion wasn’t natural. It was supernatural, just like the strange things that had been happening ever since Chikara opened that safe. Somehow, this girl got to that ring.

They ended their embrace. He saw the other customers looking at him and chuckling, quietly telling them to get a room. Michiko revealed her own confusion with a guilty expression. She seemed to regret what she had just done. She looked back at him and smiled. “Did you like it?”

He decided to turn the tables. Her facade of control was down, allowing him just a short window to confirm his suspicions. “I loved it. You’re even better than Renka-chan.”

Michiko’s eyes lit up in excitement. “You mean it?”

“Yes. I should buy you a present.”

“Ooh, I like presents.”

“How about a ring? Do you like rings?”

Gen watched her face droop down. Her gray eyes moved to the right, and her fascinated smiled turned to a sad frown. She could only say, “They’re pretty.” This confirmed his theory. She had to have access to a ring, and his new mission was to find out how.

When the couple finished their meal, he handled the check and volunteered to walk her home. After another uncomfortably close train ride, she led him to the Peaceful Tranquility massage parlor she called home. He asked, “You live here?”

“My mom’s a masseuse. The best in town.”

“Good, because my back is just killing me.”

“Good night, Kagekuro-san.” Michiko walked into her house and shut the door. Gen hoped she would invite him to her room so he could knock her out and look for her ring, but he decided that going in covertly would be the best way to find it. He opened his phone and called Chikara.

“Hello?”

“Chikara-san, it’s me. We need to meet right away.”

“What is it? Are you thinking of robbing a bank this time?”

“Look, we have more important things to argue about. Just call Renka-chan over. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

***

“So what’s so important that you have to interrupt our studying?” asked Chikara.

“It’s only Monday, geez. I’ve got a possible lead on the source of all this freaky stuff.”

“Yeah, socialists who destroy military jets.”

Gen just huffed, and Renka felt his frustration. She guessed the emotional spell she had put them under had worn off.

“Look, I made a mistake, and I regret it. Now, can we move on to more important matters?”

Chikara rolled her eyes. “Fine.”

“First off, tell me truthfully… did you share that ring with anybody else?”

Chikara looked a bit offended. “No, of course not. Just Renka and you.”

“What about you, Renka-chan?”

“No, I didn’t share it with anybody.”

Gen sat down in one of Chikara’s chairs and revealed their new problem. “And I didn’t share it, so Nagasado must have another.”

“Nagasado?” exclaimed both girls at once.

“She made me go on a date today after school. I found out…”

“You dated her?” Renka felt her body go numb in panic. Had Michiko committed the ultimate sin and gone after her man?

“It’s not what you think. She used that mind control on me. You know, you were telling me about it. I couldn’t resist

my body did whatever she said no matter how hard I fought.”

Renka let out a massive sigh of relief when her lie detector didn’t activate. Chikara just groaned.

Gen continued, “Anyway, I’ve figured it all out. I have a supernatural gift because I used a ring. Renka-chan has a supernatural gift because she used a ring. So Nagasado has a supernatural gift because…”

“She used a ring!” shouted the girls.

“Exactly. Since she didn’t use ours, she must have another one.”

“How could there be another ring?” asked Renka.

Gen held up the box that contained the strange item. “We don’t even know where this thing came from. For all we know, there could be dozens. Maybe hundreds.”

Chikara had to sit down and take this in. Her mother’s warning of other people using power for radical ideas made sense now, in a more terrifying way. “You’re right. She must have one. What do you suggest we do?”

“We can’t confront her directly. She’ll make us cluck like chickens all day long. I say we break into her house and find it.”

“Burglarize her house? You have a one-track mind, don’t you? Break into a military base and now…”

“Do you have a better plan? Maybe we’ll use your powers. Want to show us?”

Renka felt Chikara’s fear and already knew. “You didn’t wear it.”

Chikara looked hesitant and embarrassed. “I’m not ready yet. I’ll do it when I feel like it.”

Gen groaned, but kept the conversation on his plan. “Look, if we find this ring, we may get some answers. Don’t you want to know where these things come from and how your mother got one? It’s worth a shot.”

Renka felt both of their emotions and decided to go with Gen’s idea. “He’s right, Chi. We need to know this stuff if we’re going to save the world.”

Chikara knew she was outmatched, and she silently admitted to herself that the plan made sense. “Okay, fine, we’ll break in. I know she has dance practice on Tuesday evening, so we can do it tomorrow.”

The smiling Gen flipped off the light-switch and shaped the resulting darkness into a glowing trophy embroidered with the phrase, “Kaminari Chikara. Welcome to the dark side.”

Chikara rolled her eyes and flipped the lights back on, making his bad joke disappear. “In your dreams.”

***

The next evening, the trio made their way to the Peaceful Tranquility after they stopped by Gen’s apartment. He had to pick up a few ski masks and walkie-talkies for their mission. Chikara wondered just how many burglaries he had committed already. When they got to the massage parlor, he asked, “Okay, do you know exactly where her room is?”

“Yes, it’s on the second floor,” replied Renka, remembering her old play dates with Michiko years ago.

“Okay, can you show it to me from the outside?”

Renka silently led her friends to the back and pointed out the window to Michiko’s room. “It’s right there. I remember exactly.”

Gen handed each girl a walkie-talkie. “Okay, here’s the plan. Person A, that’s you Renka-chan, will enter the front and ask for a massage, thus distracting Ms. Nagasado for a while. If Michiko comes home early, you will press the beeper on your walkie-talkie to warn us. Person B, that’s you Chikara-san, will stand right here and keep guard from the rear. Person C, that’s me, will enter the room and search for the ring or anything else. All clear?”

Though impressed by his cunning plan, Chikara didn’t like her part. “I don’t want to be Person B.”

“Why not?” asked Gen.

“I want to search the room myself. I’ve always wondered what skeletons she’s hiding.”

“But I have night vision. I won’t need to turn on the light for the mom to notice. Plus, if Michiko comes home, you’ll be screwed.”

“Just let me do it, Gen. I feel like I have to.”

Gen sighed, knowing his plan had already flopped. “Okay, fine. I’ll stand guard, you search the room, and Renka-chan can get the massage.”

“I don’t think I should be Person A, Gen-kun,” said Renka. “I used to know Ms. Nagasado. What if she recognizes me? She’ll wonder why I came here all by myself.”

Renka felt his frustration. Gen just shrugged his shoulders and replied, “Fine, I’ll get the massage, you stand guard and you search the room. Any more objections? Okay, walkie-talkies on and set to the same channel?”

The girls replied, “Check.”

“Watches synchronized?”

“Check.”

“Ski masks on?”

Renka slipped hers over her face, but Chikara didn’t. “Gen-san, don’t be a dope.”

“Whatever. Good luck.” Gen formed a ladder from the darkness that stretched up to the window. Chikara climbed the ladder and opened the unlocked entrance. When she was safely inside, Gen ran around to the front of the house and walked through the door. Ms. Nagasado put down her romance novel and acknowledged her customer. Gen stood up straight and said, “Hello. I’ve had a very stressful day and I need a long, relaxing massage.”

Ms. Nagasado looked a tad suspicious. This boy was much younger than her usual customers. “How old are you?”

“Eighteen, ma’am. I’m about to graduate.”

“Then you came to the right place. Come in, there’s no line.”

Gen noticed the murals and paintings on the living room walls. They showed pictures of mountains, hot springs and forests painted with soft, bright colors designed to put the body in a state of relaxation. A collection of towels and oil bottles surrounded the special chair, which was programmed to recline and massage the back with the push of a button. Ms. Nagasado certainly knew how to present her office.

“Now, just remove your clothes in the changing room and put on this robe.”

“Actually, I’d prefer to leave my pants on, if you don’t mind.” He couldn’t take them off because the walkie-talkie sat in his pocket.

“You don’t need to be embarrassed. Everyone gets aroused in the chair.”

Is she coming on to me? Like daughter, like mother. Gen then said aloud, “No, I just want them on.” He took off his shirt and lay on the reclining chair.

Hearing their dialog through the door, Chikara turned the light on and looked around Michiko’s room. A huge television sat on her dresser, probably a gift from her spoiling mother. Posters of pop stars and beautiful models adorned her walls. She remembered that Michiko was always dancing, singing and acting in the school plays. What if she aspired to be a celebrity like in the pictures? With her paranormal talent for persuasion, she could be anything she wanted. The entire Japanese entertainment industry would be hers for the taking. Chikara shuttered at the idea. Her own parents had taught her the ethics of hard work and perseverance, but here, an undeserving little harpy could have anything she wanted for nothing.

Wasting no more time, she looked under the bed and pulled out a storage container. Finding nothing but expensive designer clothes, she put it back and looked through the dresser, finding more clothes that Michiko probably never wore. She next opened her writing desk and rummaged through the supplies, but still found no sign of the ring.

Downstairs, Gen greatly enjoyed the soothing backrub that Ms. Nagasado gave him. He had to admit she had real talent. He felt like his back had turned to jelly and that she was ferrying him across nirvana itself. Michiko had told him the truth. Her mother really was the best masseuse in town.

The sound of the door opening and young girls chattering broke him out of his pleasant experience. Michiko stood at the front with Chisato, Yukiko and Kaijin, who all stared right back at him. “Kagekuro?” said the surprised Michiko. “What are you doing here?”

Gen quickly reached into his pocket and pushed the beeper on his walkie-talkie. “You said your mom gives great massages, so I decided to try it out. You were right

she’s a miracle worker.”

Ms. Nagasado looked pleasantly surprised. “Oh, you two know each other?”

Gen had to stall for time so that Chikara could get out of there. “Oh yeah, we went to dinner yesterday at Kedakai. We had a fun time.”

Kaijin turned to Michiko and asked in a jealous tone, “Wait, you went to dinner with him?”

The stunned young girl tried to explain. “I was just trying to… you know… forget about it.” Kaijin stopped talking, but his feeling of betrayal still lingered in his brain despite the specific command.

Michiko felt like ordering Gen out, but she couldn’t interfere with her mother’s business. “We’re going to my room. Good night, Kagekuro.”

Needing more time, Gen said, “Wait… Ms. Nagasado, did you ever teach Michiko your superb technique?”

The flattered woman replied, “Why, yes. It’s been in my family for generations.”

“Maybe Michiko can try it out on me too? I’d love to see what she’s learned.”

Michiko flashed a look of disgust. “No, I’m not touching you. Just leave when you’re done.”

“No really, I think we made a great connection last night. Remember all the times you kicked my feet? What about our kiss? I thought it was really cute.” Gen hoped that Chikara had made it out of the room by then, because this humiliated him almost as much as it did Michiko.

With her girlfriends looking at her with amusement, and her “boyfriend” looking depressed and betrayed, Michiko forcefully shouted, “That was nothing. I just wanted to… I don’t know, just leave.”

She stormed upstairs, her friends in tow, giving Gen no more options. He jumped out of the chair and grabbed his shirt. “Oh crap! I’m sorry, Ms. Nagasado, but I just remembered I have a term paper due tomorrow. It’s forty percent of my grade. I have to go. Here, keep the change.” He handed her a 5000 yen bill and ran out of the door to the back, where he saw Renka hiding in a bush.

Just a few moments earlier, Chikara opened the drawer at the side of the bed just as the walkie-talkie’s beeper went off, warning her to get out. Before it could register in her mind, she noticed the familiar metallic case inside the drawer. She picked it up and opened it, and her eyes widened in shock when a ring identical to her own returned her gaze. It had the same stone and markings on the gold band. She didn’t want to believe it, but the proof didn’t lie.

Chikara heard footsteps trotting up the stairs and knew it was time to leave. However, she couldn’t go just yet. She confirmed the existence of the second ring, but she still had no explanation as to how her rival obtained it. Maybe if she left it out in the open, Michiko would tell her friends. It was a long shot, but Chikara just had to know and this could have been her only chance. She left the open case on the dresser, closed the window and hid in the closet just as Michiko and her friends walked in. She then raised her walkie-talkie to her lips and whispered, “I’m staying in the closet. Get ready on my command.”

From the thin wood grating of the closet door, Chikara could see them walk into the room, passing under the smoke detector hanging from above the door. Michiko removed her jacket and threw it on her study chair. Chisato and Yukiko sat on her bed, while Kaijin stood against a wall out of everybody’s way. With an amused grin, Yukiko asked her friend, “So did you really kiss Kagekuro?”

Michiko groaned, “Yeah, I did. He told me Kusaka and he did it, so I… I don’t know what I was thinking. Sorry Kaijin-kun, it meant nothing.”

Kaijin just nodded, although the true pain of her actions stabbed him in the heart like a katana.

“I can’t believe Renka would do a guy like him,” she said, a tinge of jealousy imprinted on her lips. “I mean, she’s always been dependant and submissive but… damn, I don’t get it.”

From within the closet, Chikara clutched her fists. Kagekuro had a lot of explaining to do when this was over. If this was true, all the darkness in the cosmos wouldn’t protect him from her wrath.

“At least she’s getting some at all,” added Chisato. The girl then noticed the strange case left on the drawer. “Hey, what’s this?”

Michiko turned around and saw the exposed ring on her dresser. She swore she put it away that morning. “Who took that out?”

“It was just here,” replied Chisato, who couldn’t tell why her friend was so mad.

Yukiko made the connection immediately. “Wait a minute… isn’t that Kaminari’s ring? It is! You actually took it?”

Michiko darted over and closed the case. “No, it’s… it’s mine.” She quickly opened the drawer and threw it inside like a toxic substance.

Chisato stood up and put her hand on her friend’s shoulder. “Michiko-chan… we’ve been friends forever. If something’s hurting you, you can tell us.”

Michiko looked into her friend’s sincere eyes and felt her heart soften. The thought of revealing the truth always frightened her, but getting it off her chest suddenly didn’t seem so bad anymore. “Kaijin-kun, go downstairs.” As instructed, Kaijin left the room. When his footsteps stopped, Michiko sat down by her computer and logged on to the internet. “I’ve never told anyone this before.”

Yukiko said, “Hey, that’s what friends are for, right? What’s wrong?”

Chikara couldn’t see through the closet door, but she could hear the sounds of typing. She listened hard for what they had to say.

Michiko typed a name into a search engine and brought up a picture of a handsome Caucasian man. “Who is that?” asked Chisato.

“His name is Maxwell Chillingworth. He’s my father.” The girls gazed back at the photo. The man looked to be in his early fifties, with well-groomed brown hair and a charismatic smile, but one detail in particular caught their attention the most. His haunting gray eyes that radiated through the computer screen were a perfect match to the young woman who claimed to be his daughter.

“That’s… your father?” asked Yukiko, still shocked at this awkward revelation.

Chisato recognized the name. “Chillingworth? Like the diamonds?”

“Yes, he’s the heir to the Chillingworth jewelry company. He was also the United States’ Ambassador to Japan, and later to the United Nations.” Michiko spoke with a depressing tone. Chikara, who had always suspected her nemesis to be part Caucasian, listened carefully.

“I always used to ask my mom who my dad was, but she would just clam up and change the subject. Last year, I just got so mad, I shouted at her to tell me, and she did. She told me how he came in to the parlor for a massage, and how it led to the one night stand that made me. She never even called him. She didn’t want to damage his damned career!” Michiko started to tear up. Her friends touched her shoulders in an attempt at comfort.

Chikara couldn’t believe this. Although she truly felt bad for her, she couldn’t help but also feel a sadistic sense of satisfaction. She couldn’t recall ever seeing Michiko cry or display any empathy towards another human being, and hearing her sob while talking about her absent father gave her a feeling of poetic justice.

Michiko continued, “So I tried to get in touch with him. I sent him a few letters, but he never responded. He didn’t care. So I tried to blackmail him. That would get his attention. I told him I’d tell the media and his wife if he didn’t respond to me. His career would be over. The bastard just sent me twenty-five thousand American dollars in hush money. So I did it again… I just wanted him to talk to me. What was I supposed to do? I just wanted to get to know him.”

She walked over to her drawer and pulled the lead case back out. “Instead, he sends me this thing… a weird ring in a metal case. He wrote a note telling me to wear it for a while, but not too long. He said it would give me great power. I don’t know what that meant. So then I tried to call him, and I found out he was dead. He died of cancer and all he gave me was money and this worthless ring.” At this point, she completely broke down and collapsed on the bed. Chisato and Yukiko ran to her side to offer their arms in support.

Chikara stood there dumbfounded. How was this possible? A parent dies of cancer and leaves his child a ring that grants supernatural talents, telling her not to wear it too long? The parallels between Michiko’s story and her own couldn’t have been coincidence. This had to be much bigger than she thought.

Michiko continued to cry her eyes out while her friends tried to cheer her up. When she returned to her senses, she wiped away her tears and said, “Thanks, guys. Who needs him, anyway? I can have whatever I want.”

Chikara figured Michiko was finished revealing her secrets. She raised her walkie-talkie and whispered, “I’m done. Get me out of here.”

Yukiko raised her head and asked, “Did you guys hear something?”

“Oh oh.”

Outside, Gen heard the order and tried to come up with a way to extract Chikara without the trio upstairs seeing her. He noticed a utility pole near the street and came up with a crazy idea. “Renka-chan… make them scared.”

“What?”

“Change their emotions to terror. I’ve got a plan.” He concentrated on the space above the electric cables and formed a giant guillotine-like blade above them. As the huge razor cut through the wires, Gen created a hand that grabbed onto the pylon transformer and crushed it into scrap. Within seconds, the lights in every home on the block went out. Wasting no time, Renka thought of everything that scared her and channeled it into the three girls upstairs. When Gen heard the sounds of females panicking, he used the newly-formed darkness to create a horrifying dragon head. He extended the monstrous creation into the window and heard the girls scream in fright. When he heard slamming door and trampling down the staircase, he lifted himself into the window on a rising dark pillar and shouted, “Chikara-san, let’s go!”

Chikara exited the closet. “What did you do?”

“I hit the lights. I can’t do anything without pitch black, you know that. Come on, get on the pillar.”

Before she reached the window, Chikara said, “You were right. She has her own ring, just like mine. Do you see the case?”

Using his night vision, Gen looked around the room. “No, it’s not here.”

“Damn! She must have held on to it.”

Gen lowered the pillar to the ground. Noticing the lack of light in any neighboring houses, Chikara yelled, “What the… did you take out the whole street?”

“If we had stuck to my plan…”

Renka interrupted, “Guys, don’t you think we should leave before the police show up?”

“Good idea, let’s go.” Gen led the way behind the back yards out of view of witnesses. Having nothing but his ability to see in the dark to guide them, Renka and Chikara followed.

***

Nagasado Nyoko walked back down the stairs, her flashlight leading her through the dark house. “I checked, girls. No dragons up there.” She used a lighter to ignite the candles, allowing them everyone to see.

“But Mom, we all saw it! It was huge and black and had sharp teeth!” Michiko still couldn’t get the horrifying creature out of her mind, and her friends were just as scared. She didn’t even notice herself holding onto Kaijin, who enjoyed comforting her.

Nyoko wasn’t the least bit concerned. “It must have been an owl or something. The mind plays tricks in the dark.” Michiko had never known her mother to show fear. She must have been the most laid back, unworried person in Japan, or even the world.

Chisato, still on the phone with her parents, came back from the kitchen. “Hey, I have to get home. My mom asks if you can drive us, Ms. Nagasado? She doesn’t want me walking in the dark.”

“Sure, I’ll drive you girls. Let’s go, everybody.”

“Wait, Mom,” Michiko interrupted. “Kaijin and I have to talk so, how about you just drive Chisato and Yukiko home?”

“What do you have to talk about?”

“Just drive them home.” Without further inquiry, Nyoko grabbed her keys and walked out the door. The worried girls looked back at their friend, hoping she wouldn’t do something she’d regret.

After they left, Kaijin nervously looked at Michiko and asked, “So… what do we need to talk about?”

Michiko wrapped her arms around his shoulders and kissed him. Although surprised and unprepared, Kaijin didn’t resist. She cuddled him close to her body and whispered, “I need you. Protect me.”

***

By the time the trio reached Gen’s apartment, Chikara had finished telling them what she learned. “So that’s the whole story.”

Renka felt awful. “That’s terrible. I always wondered why her father wasn’t around. It must hurt her so bad.”

Renka tried to feel Gen’s emotions, but only felt a sense of excitement. He said with a grin, “A wealthy American politician gives his illegitimate daughter a magical ring. The tabloids would have had a field day with that one.”

Chikara frowned back, “You seem overly enthusiastic about this.”

“Of course. We just got a huge puzzle piece thrown onto the table. We now know where Nagasado got her ring, and if we get lucky, we may be able to find out where your mother got hers. Starting tonight, I’m going to dig up everything I know about this Maxwell Chillingworth. I’ll use every resource at my disposal.”

“Like what?”

“Oh, I have my sources. Good night, you two. We make a great team.” He opened the door to his apartment and left them in the dark.

The girls walked back to their homes, unsure of what to say. “She didn’t even mention her ability when she explained everything. What if she doesn’t know what the ring does?” asked Chikara, seeing Renka’s depressed expression. “What are you thinking about?”

“I’m just mad at Chillingworth. What kind of man doesn’t even contact his own daughter? That’s so rotten.”

“Well, he’s dead now. You’re right, though. I guess not having a dad would really suck.” For the first time, Chikara actually felt sorry for Michiko. She couldn’t even imagine life without her own father in it. Behind that mean, selfish exterior sat a lonely, neglected girl who only wanted a father to love her. She always thought women like that were prone to bad relationships with men.

***

Michiko stared thoughtlessly at her rotating ceiling fan, still in disbelief over what she just did. Kaijin wrapped his arms around her and kissed her cheek. “I love you.”

Michiko didn’t respond. Her feelings of weakness and dependency reviled her and made her want to throw up. She got out of bed and put on her robe, not even giving Kaijin a second glance. “This was a mistake. We shouldn’t have done that.”

Her earlier suggestion still lingered in Kaijin’s mind. “Mistake? But you said you needed me.”

“I wasn’t thinking. Now I just feel… unclean. Please, just get dressed and go.”

“But you’re nice to me. I need you too. I love…”

“Get dressed and leave!” Michiko had tired of him already. His lack of confidence and clingy dependency were as annoying as his whiny voice. As he obediently put on his clothes, Michiko noticed the metallic case she had set on the dresser. It must have been that damned ring that made her defile herself like that. Her repressed desire for a man in her life overloaded her reason. “Here, if you want a reminder, take this. I don’t want it anymore. It’s terrible. Take it.”

Tears streamed down Kaijin’s face. Although his body couldn’t resist the commands, his mind wanted to run away in shame. He needed her more than air or water, and he couldn’t stand the thought of not seeing her again. He took the metal case and ran outside, sobbing all the way home.

Back inside the darkened house, Michiko curled up in her bed and tried to sleep. She wondered if a part of her really didn’t want to be happy. Would she be alone and miserable forever? She quickly banished this thought from existence. She had the power to make everybody want her and she swore to use it, even if the entire school had to be her guinea pigs.

When Kaijin arrived home, he opened his gift and studied the odd ring, vowing to cherish it forever.

CHAPTER 7

THE CONNECTION

Nokoribi Kaijin woke up in agonizing heat. He threw the covers off his body and quickly shed his pajamas, desperate to cool off, but he still felt like he had fallen asleep in a blast furnace. He put on a robe and walked to the bathroom, hoping a cold shower would lower his unusually high temperature.

As the cool water splashed across him, Michiko’s beautiful smile dominated his thoughts. How she would smile when she saw him and thank him for buying her food. How she shared with him the most passionate, intimate experience a person can have with another. And then she threw him out of her life for no reason. He looked at the ring she had given him and wondered why she reacted so harshly. Was it the hormones that make people do crazy things, or was she truly ashamed of him? He didn’t know, but he vowed to find out.

After the shower, he still felt like a roasted pig. The steam clouded the bathroom’s mirrors, despite the water’s coolness. He toweled himself off and walked to the kitchen, where his father watched the morning news. “Dad… I think I’m sick.”

“Again? What’s wrong with you?” Nokoribi Nobu couldn’t understand how his son kept getting sick. He must have had the weakest immune system in Japan. “Here, I’ll feel your head”. The heat emitting from his son’s forehead made him flinch. He had felt skin could be that hot. “Geez. Stay home today.”

“But what about my homework?”

“Have that girlfriend of yours bring it over. You know, the one you keep bragging about. I’m going to work.” Mr. Nokoribi left the house without even a goodbye and got in his truck. As he headed to the construction site, his son trotted back to the bathroom and prepared a cold tub of water. He found himself envying Michiko for having a mother and no father, the reverse of his own situation. When he submerged himself in the cold water, feeling only slight improvement, he studied the strange ring on his finger and wondered why his soulmate gave it away.

***

As she walked her usual route to school with Chikara, Renka took out her phone. “I’ll text Gen-kun and tell him to meet us in front. We’ll see if he’s found anything about Chillingworth.” Chikara wanted to see Gen for another reason. If he really did touch Renka, she would repay him with an instant-death attack to the gut she had been practicing for years. Renka didn’t seem all that different, which made Chikara doubt the accuracy of Michiko’s claim, but she had to be sure.

When they reached the school, Gen greeted them. “Good morning Renka-chan. Chikara-san.”

“Good morning Gen-kun,” replied Renka with a pleasant smile.

Chikara asked, “Did you learn anything about Michiko’s father?”

“You bet. Maxwell Chillingworth, son of Winston and Margaret Chillingworth, heir to the global jewelry company. In 1993, he was appointed the United States’ ambassador to Japan. In 2001, he graduated to ambassador to the United Nations. In 2008, he retired from politics and devoted his time to the company. He died last year after a long battle with cancer.”

“Anything about his family?” asked Chikara, more interested in the personal details.

“Actually, no. The Chillingworth family is known for being secretive. In fact, I found some informative websites that charged them with being part of the New World Order, like the Rothschilds.”

“The who?” asked Renka.

“That’s not important,” replied Gen, who didn’t want to talk about the Collective, the cabal of rich people that supposedly ruled the world. He knew the girls wouldn’t believe him. “I did learn that old Maxwell was known for his quick wit and genius-level intellect. They say he could work out the perfect solution to any problem and easily convince anyone of anything.”

Chikara scoffed, “I see how an illegitimate kid could ruin all of that.”

“But he was already dying,” added Renka, still saddened over Michiko’s painful story. “He could have at least visited.”

“Yeah, you’d think so. Maybe his wife would have killed him before the cancer did.” Gen chuckled at his own bad joke.

Chikara got back to business. “So now for the big question… where did he get his ring?”

Gen shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t know. Since he owned a jewelry company, it’s possible he made the rings, but as for the stones

no answer.”

“But if he made the rings, how did Ms. Kaminari get one?” asked Renka.

Gen flashed Chikara a curious glance. “Now that’s the big question.”

“It is. We have to get to class. Thanks for the update.” Chikara was eager to leave.

“Okay. Bye, Gen-kun,” added Renka in her usual pleasant tone.

“Oh, hey, Chikara-san, what was your mom’s maiden name?”

“Akasha. Why?”

“Just in case. Bye, girls.” Gen headed to his own class. Chikara felt calmer now. Renka and Gen didn’t show any sign of having “something more”, or at least nothing she could see. Sex changes everything between people, and she knew that it would do Renka a lot more harm than good.

“Why are you so concerned?” asked Renka.

Chikara had stupidly forgotten about her friend’s emotion-sensing. She made up a convenient excuse. “I’m just really worried about this whole thing, about my mom and Michiko and Chillingworth… all this weird stuff.”

Renka felt the stinging pain in her head and replied, “Did you forget about my lie detection?”

Chikara mentally slapped herself again. “Okay, it’s something personal that I really can’t talk about.”

Renka probed her friend’s mind even deeper. After practicing for so long, she no longer felt any guilt in using it. She couldn’t feel any irritation from Chikara… just a sense of confusion and worry. “You’re concerned about someone you care about. It’s me, isn’t it?”

“Please, just stop. It’s really embarrassing.”

“Okay, I’ll stop.” As they walked to class, Renka felt other emotions spiraling throughout the hall. She felt a bit scandalous, as if she knew an embarrassing secret. She looked around and noticed a few girls glancing at her. They quickly turned away once they made eye contact, faced each other and giggled. Homing in on them, she felt the feelings of scandal increase. She could even feel disgust coming from some of them. Walking past them, she felt the same thing coming from others, all of whom looked at her with a hint of pride. “Chi, why are these people laughing at me?”

Chikara wasn’t sure what she meant. “Why do you think they’re laughing at you?”

“I can feel it. They think I’m… dirty… gross, but they’re afraid to tell me directly. They’re gossiping. What’s it about?”

Chikara’s sense of fear shot through the roof. She immediately knew what they were gossiping about, and it didn’t take long to figure out who spread the rumor. She tried to think about happy things in an effort to trick Renka’s power. It didn’t work. Renka knew something was up, but decided to find out herself.

***

When the bell rang, the students opened their notebooks and prepared to copy down that day’s lesson, counting the days until the end of the school year. Before the teachers could start their lessons, the building’s intercom system broadcasted a message throughout the school. “Good morning, students and faculty. This is your principal, Asashi Masaru, here with a very special announcement. Our wonderful school has been chosen to participate in a fun and challenging experiment.” Renka could feel her class’s collective sense of suspense.

“Thanks to a hefty donation from a very important person, Eisai High School will be holding its first senior prom.” The principal clarified for the confused students. “In the western world, a prom is a dance held for students at the end of the year. You will wear your tuxedos and dresses and dance the night away as you celebrate the end of your high school years. You may ask another student to be your date, and most importantly, we will crown the Prom King and Queen after an election.” Renka felt the joy radiating from the students. She shared their enthusiasm. How lucky could this school be to have a western prom, a concept Japan had never practiced?

“This prom is open only to seniors and their dates, but if it is a success, we may have one for other grades in future years. The election will be held Wednesday, March 21st, and the prom will take place in the gymnasium on Saturday, March 24th. Elections will be held by ballot, and nominations for Prom King and Queen are due on the 19th, with more information coming soon. Enjoy your day. We hope to see you there.”

The principal ended his broadcast, causing the students to chat amongst themselves. Hibana Taichi couldn’t believe the news. “I knew it. The rumors are true.”

Chikara turned to him and asked, “What rumors?”

“That this school is a secret experiment to turn kids into westerners. Not that I’m complaining.” After a few seconds of excited discourse, the teacher commanded the students to be silent and prepare for the lesson.

Later that day, Renka tried to copy down Ms. Minsei’s lesson into her notes while simultaneously trying to figure out what the other students were thinking. She could still feel their excitement and worry about the upcoming prom, which occupied their minds so much that she couldn’t dig any deeper.

Minsei’s lesson taught of Japan’s economic boom and its eventual collapse in the late 1980s, an unusual topic for a Japanese history class. She explained how the economic bubble burst due to artificially inflated land prices and bad investments brought upon by corrupt politicians in the pockets of the Yakuza. She even showed a clip from the movie Marusa no Onna (the Taxing Woman), a satire of the corruption directed by controversial filmmaker Jozu Itami. She promised next time to show a clip from another Jozu film, Mimbo, which showed the extent of the Yakuza’s extortion.

“But don’t worry about our American friends, kids,” joked Minsei. “They learned their lesson about the weaknesses of our system and ensured no economic collapse would ever happen over there.” The class laughed at the superpower’s financial misfortunes, thanks to Wall Street’s derivatives, toxic assets and bad housing loans.

As the lesson continued, Renka scanned each person’s mind individually for clues to her dilemma. They all seemed to be their usual happy selves, but Michiko’s feelings seemed a bit different. She displayed confusion, as if her thoughts bounced all over her skull. She also felt angry, though it seemed more internal than outward. Renka had to get her nemesis to think about her, so that her mind would reveal her true feelings. When Minsei set the DVD player to show the next movie clip, Renka turned around and looked right at her, giving a neutral glance that wouldn’t bias the results.

Michiko noticed Renka’s glance, so the empath turned back forward and carefully scanned her rival’s emotions. She felt an extreme jealousy, more vile and contemptuous than anything she had felt in the past week. She felt underappreciated and inadequate, as if the object of her attention stole everything she cherished. What do I have that you want, Mi-chan? A boyfriend? Is that why you took Gen-kun to dinner? A friend like Chi… or a father?

If Renka could read minds as well as emotions, she would have heard Michiko’s conniving plan. What’s that look, Ren-chan? Is that pity? You think I’m pathetic, don’t you? I’ll show you. I’ll become the Prom Queen and make everyone love me.

Once the class broke for lunch, Michiko and her friends went to the cafeteria. She wondered why Kaijin didn’t show up, but given how he acted the night before, she figured he was too depressed to show his face. She discussed her plan with her pals and asked them what other girls would be likely to try for the crown. After compiling a short list, she sat down next to each potential competitor and “politely” told them they didn’t want it. Not surprisingly, they all agreed.

Up on the roof, Renka sat next to her friends. Yui, Hirono and Tomo, their newest addition, all gave her weird looks like the rest of the school. “Hey, Renka-chan,” said Hirono, who tried her hardest to conceal her grin. “How’s Gen-kun doing?”

Renka detected Hirono’s scandalous thoughts and lost her patience. “Okay, can someone please tell me what’s so funny? I’ve been getting weird looks all day and I don’t know why.”

Yui said, “You mean you didn’t hear the rumor?”

“No, what rumor?” asked Renka, the suspense killing her.

“You know, the one about you and Kagekuro-san… being very… intimate.”

Without embarrassment, Hirono added, “She means you and Gen-kun are hitting the sheets.”

Renka stood up and shouted, “WHAT? That’s not true!”

“Really? Didn’t you go to dinner with him?”

“Yeah, but that was it. We didn’t even shake hands. Where did you hear this?” Any moral restrictions she had on using her gift disappeared. She scanned all of their feelings for signs of guilt.

Mizuho, her cheeks red with humiliation, replied, “Hirono told us just now.”

Hirono quickly saved herself. “I heard it from Noroboshi Mayu in class.”

Nikki added, “I heard it from several people. It’s all over the school, Renka. If it’s a lie, someone must really hate you.”

Renka already knew the culprit’s identity. “I’ll be back.” She stormed off to the stairwell, her anger superseding any rational thought. The worried Chikara followed her.

“Renka… I have something to say.” Chikara looked around. No witnesses needed to hear this.

“What?”

“When I was hiding in Michiko’s room, she told her friends that Gen said you had sex.”

“Why? We didn’t!”

“I don’t know why he said it. Maybe he was goofing around, but… that’s what I heard.”

Chikara felt a rush of anger fill her heart. The desire to punch the nearest object clouded her thoughts and made her clench her fists. “Renka… you’re making me angry.”

“Then you know how I feel. First I’m going to find Gen-kun and clear this up, and then I’m going to find that bitch and make her pay for this… and I’m doing it alone.”

As she stormed off, the concerned Chikara followed her. “Wait! She’ll control you too.”

Renka willed a feeling into her friend’s head. You don’t care at all about this. Chikara just shrugged and replied, “Fine, make your own mistakes,” and walked back to the group.

Renka continued on her path. You’re not the only one who can take control, Michiko! I’ll show you!

***

In the Democratic Youth League’s classroom, Gen laid out his plans for the next rally. “Okay, people, I want posters of Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. all over the backdrop. These champions of equality and tolerance will stir the emotions of our young brethren.”

Suekichi raised his hand. “Hey, didn’t Gandhi kill his wife by refusing to give her medicine?”

Gen shrugged his shoulders. “Let’s just forget that part… like the rest of the planet.”

Before he could explain the construction of the backdrops, Renka opened the door, giving everyone a sudden rush of anger they couldn’t explain. “Gen-kun, can I talk to you?”

Gen replied, “Renka-chan, we’re in the middle of a…”

“Alone, before I call Chikara in here?” The rest of the club, still smarting over Chikara’s treatment at the restaurant, quickly retreated. “Did you tell Michiko that we had sex?”

Gen curled his lip. He knew he would regret that the moment he said it. Renka felt his guilt combined with embarrassment, both for himself and for her. Gen sighed and admitted, “Yes. She mind-controlled me into taking her to dinner, and she started asking about our date. I had to get her to stop, or she would have made me admit everything that happened Saturday. She would’ve known that you feel people’s emotions, I control darkness, Chikara-san’s ring did this to us, and worst of all, I destroyed that jet. It was all I could think of. I’m sorry, but I couldn’t risk it.”

Renka didn’t feel the sting in her brain, indicating his honesty. Even so, her anger peeked to heights she had never felt before. Gen could feel her raw rage pouring into his mind. “Is that… your anger?”

“Yes, Gen-kun, I’m angry. Not at you

at her. She’s been screwing with me for ten years and now she’s taking my boyfriend on a date, asking you all about me and telling the whole school I’m a slut. I am sick of it! I’m going to face her right now.”

“But wait, she’s going to… boyfriend?”

Renka froze just as she reached the door. She cursed her anger for making her reveal the ultimate Freudian slip. “Yes, Gen-kun, I like you. I know you like me too. I feel it whenever you’re around me. You want to say it, but you’re nervous.”

The two teens took a moment to look at each other and contemplate this revelation. Gen felt Renka’s feelings invading his mind against her wishes. He sent one back to her against his own.

“You’re glad… you’re glad it’s out in the open.” Renka lit up as her anger turned to relieved happiness.

“Not just that,” replied Gen. “I’m glad you’re ready to stick up for yourself and not be a pushover.” He walked up to her and smiled. She smiled back, still a bit nervous but happy to be acknowledged. Gen’s feelings flowed into Renka and her feelings flowed into him, forcing them to embrace and stare deep into each others’ eyes. Gen moved his lips toward hers.

Renka pushed him away. “No. Not now.”

“Why not?”

“I want to stay angry.”

Gen laughed, letting Renka know that he was proud of her. “Go get her.” Renka headed to the cafeteria and prepared to settle the score.

***

Michiko couldn’t stop thinking about the upcoming prom. She wondered what kind of dress she would wear and how she would look with the crown on her head. She told her friends, “I can’t decide. Should we get a limo? Reserve a table all to ourselves? Oh, it’s going to be so much fun.”

Chisato also looked forward to the event. “We should do everything. Maybe you can use that extra money you got from…” She stopped midsentence, not wanting to remind Michiko about her father again.

Yukiko looked away before saying, “You know, I’ve been thinking about something. Do you have a passport?” Michiko shook her head. “Because I always wanted to visit New York City. If you get a passport, maybe we can all go together. We can see a Broadway show… visit the zoo… you know, before we all go to college.”

Chisato noticed Yukiko’s hands twitching and saw the uncertain look in her eyes. She asked, “Yukiko, doesn’t your family have money problems? How can you afford to go all the way to New York?”

The nervous Yukiko stuttered out her answer. “I’ve been saving my money from work, so… I think I have enough.” Chisato could tell her friend felt tense about something… probably just senioritis.

Michiko, too full of herself to notice such things, took to the idea. “That sounds great. I’d love to see New York. I’ll get that passport tomorrow after school.” The relieved Yukiko sighed.

The arrival of an angry presence interrupted Michiko’s thoughts of her bright, shining future. She turned around to see Kusaka Renka standing over her casting a bitter, accusing stare. Michiko tried to keep a straight face to appear in control, unaware that Renka could feel her discomfort. Renka spoke to her for the first time in years. “Mi-chan…”

“Ren-chan… how’s Gen-kun?”

“Fine. What the hell are you doing spreading rumors about me?”

The confrontation attracted the eyes of the other students, who wondered why they felt so mad. Michiko stood up and asked, “What are you talking about?”

Renka felt the sting of deception in her mind. “You’re lying. You told everyone about me and Gen-kun, except it’s not true. He lied to you to see how gullible you are.” Renka felt her opponent’s annoyance and promised to turn it into guilt.

“Then what’s he doing dating me in the first place? He must not like you as well as you think.”

She felt her head sting again. “I don’t need to control a guy to get him to like me. I actually care about others, not just myself… unlike you, you mean little bitch.”

“Excuse me?”

Renka felt the anger radiating from Michiko, as well as the interest of the onlookers. You don’t want to control me. You can handle this yourself. She sent the thought into her enemy’s mind along with feelings of pride and arrogance, ensuring her safety from her opponent’s unwanted commands.

Michiko felt a surge of pride. “I don’t need to control you. You’re so nice and cuddly with everyone

you can’t hurt a damn fly.”

“I think you’re jealous of me. I have everything you want and you can’t stand it.”

Her anger at its peak, Michiko shouted, “I don’t need what you have, Kusaka. When I become Prom Queen, I’ll have everything I want, and I won’t need you!”

“You want to be Prom Queen? Nobody’s going to vote for you because the whole school hates you! Just like your father did!”

The fight died. The speechless girl looked back at Renka, whose anger changed to pain. She suddenly felt alone, exposed and humiliated worse than she ever had before. Before she could go any further, Michiko grabbed her purse and calmly walked out of the cafeteria, the entire room staring in disbelief. Michiko’s friends ran after her as the students chatted amongst themselves, offering their own commentary. Renka made a hasty exit.

***

When she reached the locker room shower stall, Michiko curled into a ball and burst into tears. Chisato and Yukiko held onto her in a futile attempt at comfort. “Screw her. She doesn’t know what she’s talking about,” said Yukiko. “All the guys like you, not her.”

Chisato said, “You didn’t deserve that. Don’t worry about it.”

Michiko knew better. She spread that rumor around the school out of petty spite, and now it had returned to bite her back. She didn’t expect mild-mannered Renka to explode like that, and she definitely didn’t expect her to know about her father.

“How did she know? Did you tell her?” She had only told her two cohorts about Chillingworth, making them the prime suspects. They denied saying a word about it. “She’s spying on me. She must have found some way. She’s a stalker.”

Yukiko hugged her. “It’s okay. She’s nothing. You’re going to run for Prom Queen, and you’re going to win. Then you’ll show her. Then we’ll go to New York together, all three of us, and laugh about it.”

Michiko could only laugh at the thought. Her inevitable victory would be the ultimate revenge against Kusaka Renka. She let go of Yukiko and covered her frown with a smile. “You’re right. I will win, and she’ll regret this. Let’s get back to class.” The three girls got up and left the locker room, eager to work towards their new mission.

With ten minutes left until class, Renka returned to the roof in a depressed state. Only Chikara remained, the others already back in their classrooms. “So, how did it go?”

“I yelled at her, so she walked away.”

“That’s it? That’s all it took?”

“I… told her some other things too.”

“Like what?”

“I kind of said her father hated her.”

“What? You said that out loud?”

“Yeah…”

Chikara saw the guilt on her friend’s face. “How do you feel?”

“Terrible. When I felt it, she just… suffered. It felt like agony. I didn’t want to hurt her that much.”

“Don’t worry about it. I’m actually kind of impressed you pulled it off.”

The girls headed back to class. Renka clenched her fists with renewed anger. “I just hate her so much. She wants to be the Prom Queen, and with her gift she can control everyone into voting for her. It’s not fair. I hope

I hope a demon flies down and takes her away.”

Chikara scoffed. “Who cares? Prom’s just some American invention for spoiled teenagers anyway.”

“She doesn’t deserve that crown. It’s injustice. Somebody should… I can do it!”

“What?”

“That’s right! With my powers, I can compete against her and take the crown myself. It will be the ultimate payback. Chi, do you support me?”

Chikara could only stare in bewilderment. “You want to use the supernatural gift my mother gave you to manipulate people’s emotions so they’ll vote for you to be Prom Queen?”

“Why not? It’s just some American invention for spoiled teenagers anyway. Besides, my competition won’t be playing fair.”

Chikara smiled and surrendered. She put her hand on Renka’s shoulder and said, “No one’s more qualified than you. Come on, let’s get back to class.” Renka strolled down the halls with a newfound confidence. Chikara, however, couldn’t help but feel that this was a bad idea.

Before the next class started, Renka was opening her notebook when the familiar sensation of hate entered the room. She didn’t even look at Michiko or her friends as they walked to their desks in the back. She concentrated on their minds and felt their projected contempt. Michiko still felt humiliated and angry, not just at Renka, but at herself for causing the object of her hatred to lash back. Chisato worried about her friend, and thought about ways to cheer her up.

Yukiko, however, seemed to show signs of fear and guilt. Focusing only on her, Renka felt a shiver of fright at the thought of being exposed and her loved ones hating her if they ever found out. Renka wondered what the henchman was hiding that frightened her so much.

The day ended without further incident. Renka talked to her friends and announced her candidacy for Prom Queen. They promised to tell all of their friends and help in any way they could. Likewise, Michiko kept an eye out for any popular students she passed in the hall. With a simple suggestion, the students pledged their votes.

***

That evening, with no club meeting to attend, Gen took a trip to the library in hopes of learning more about Maxwell Chillingworth. In the International Relations section, he found a few books from diplomats and ambassadors who mentioned the charismatic American. They said he made an excellent impression with everyone he met and could convince any diplomat that his ideas were also in their best interests. He served under Democrats and Republicans alike as ambassador to both Japan and the United Nations, and used his genius to sway the UN Security Council his way.

Gen knew that such a feat required true talent. The UN is not a democracy. The only countries that matter are the winners of World War II… The United States, the United Kingdom, France, China and Russia, the permanent members of the Security Council. If any one of these five countries objects to a binding decision, it dies. It would take a skilled negotiator to convince these clashing nations to support a controversial action, and Chillingworth looked to be that man. He was patient, calculating, brilliant and persuasive… a politician born. If cancer didn’t cut his life short, he could’ve been president.

After reading what the UN ambassador from China had to say about Chillingworth, Gen opened the autobiography of the UN ambassador from Russia. He made the same claims about the man, but also mentioned his amazing talent at Chess. Chillingworth would often challenge potential allies to the game, and he would beat them in moments with little effort. The Russian ambassador wrote of their game, where the American sacrificed his queen on his third move for no reason, but won the game anyway. The Russian later realized it to be a show of fearlessness. When he asked how his opponent learned to play so well, Chillingworth simply replied, “Just a special gift, I guess.”

Finding little of value in the books, Gen focused his attention on the missing link between Chillingworth and Chikara’s mother. He reserved a computer and hit every search engine he could find, entering words such as “Chillingworth”, “Maxwell”, “Akasha”, “Kaminari”, “Mika” and “ring”. Nothing clicked. He closed his eyes and thought of everything he knew about the two subjects. They both passed power-granting rings on to their children. One could see the future, the other seemed to have great talent in calculation. They were both successful, one in diplomacy, the other in investments…

With that thought, he remembered something Chikara told him the day she presented the ring. “My mother was very wise. She was the best investor in town, and she even went to Africa to help starving children.” Apparently, Mika and Maxwell both had an interest in international relations. He entered “Akasha” and “Africa” into the search engine, but once again found nothing important. He then entered “Chillingworth” and “Africa”. Twelve searches in, something of interest caught his eye. An American website that documented supernatural occurrences had an article called “Attack on Sierra Leone UN camp: Guerillas or Aliens?” Gen clicked the link and read the bizarre story.

“On the morning of February 3th, 1985, a group of United Nations volunteers were extracted from their village in Sierra Leone. The team, part of an international program directed towards hunger relief in third-world nations, had called in for help the night before, warning of an attack by a band of militants from the Sierra Leone United Militia. When the rescue team arrived, the strange, chaotic scene left doubts of a mere raid.

“Entire huts were thrown all over the village as if a hurricane had passed through. While many villagers and guerillas had been shot, some of the militants died of what appeared to be blunt force trauma to their bodies. Several corpses were found with their limbs and heads severed. A bloody mess of human remains lay in one of the huts as if someone just shattered, while outside another body looked like it had exploded.

“Only six survivors were reported, all with no injuries. They claimed that the militants had fired into the village in search of diamonds, and then followed the villagers into the forest. Further investigation cast doubt on their story, but the survivors claimed ignorance.

“Of the six survivors, two are well-known to the public. Maxwell Chillingworth, heir to the Chillingworth jewelry company, became a successful diplomat and ambassador to the UN, while Rev. Jeremiah Neuhaus founded Focus on the Christian Nation, a powerful and influential religious organization. When questioned about the incident, both men continue to decline comment.

“The case remains unsolved to this day.”

Gen couldn’t believe his luck. Chillingworth involved in a massacre of an African village where strange deaths occurred? He knew he had struck oil. He searched the Internet for any more information on the incident, hoping to find photographs, details and the names of the other survivors. At last, another paranormal website provided a photo of the team. Staring at the picture, he found a familiar face huddled in the crowd. “Jackpot!” The other patrons around him went, “Shhhh,” so the embarrassed teen sat back down and printed the document. When he left the library, he called Chikara and Renka and told them to meet at the Kaminari shrine as soon as possible.

***

“Okay, what did you find?” Chikara figured it had to be important, given Gen’s excited tone on the phone.

“The missing link.” Gen handed her a series of printouts describing the strange incident in Sierra Leone.

“I can’t read English.”

“Oh, I forgot. I found out that a village in the West African country of Sierra Leone was massacred in 1985 by a pre-civil war rebel group.” After conveying the eerie details of the case, he continued, “One article names Maxwell Chillingworth and some right-wing Christian activist named Jeremiah Neuhaus as survivors.”

Renka listened to the tragic tale in wide-eyed fascination. “That’s awful. Those poor people… but what was Chillingworth doing there?”

“The articles say he was part of the volunteer group, but I doubt that. Sierra Leone is rich in minerals, especially diamonds and gold. I don’t think the heir to a massive jewelry company would be there just to save the children.”

Chikara could tell that Gen had uncovered something important. The odd circumstances detailed in the story hinted at supernatural events. “This is pretty strange, Gen-san… but what does it have to do with us?”

Having waited for this big reveal all evening, Gen pulled another paper from his backpack. “Didn’t you tell me your mother went to Africa?” Gen handed her the printout. “Here’s a photograph taken of the group. See anyone familiar?”

Chikara studied the picture and the diverse group of people it portrayed. A few Caucasians stood out from the crowd of gaunt, malnourished Africans who made her feel even worse for the plight of the third-world. Chillingworth stood in front, looking well-groomed and polished. It reminded her of an old Imperial British illustration that made whites look almost angelic and blacks look dirty.

Then she saw what Gen had alluded to. Amidst the crowd, only one Asian could be seen… a young, beautiful woman who looked as morose as the starving people around her. A small tear crawled down her left eye as she finally saw the connection.

“Akasha Mika, in plain view,” said Gen, still proud of his discovery. “She and Chillingworth were in the same place, same time when a whole village died in unnatural ways. They never told a soul, and now their kids get super rings. It all fits.”

Wiping away her tear, Chikara asked, “What do you know about Neuhaus?”

Gen logged on to the internet and brought up a video of a middle-aged man standing on a large church stage. “Rev. Jeremiah Neuhaus, head of the Allied Baptist Megachurch in South Carolina and founder of Focus on the Christian Nation, a think-tank that organizes religious voters and supports Republican candidates. It’s extremely influential. Neuhaus rose to prominence with a massive faith healing operation in his church. People would go on his stage and let him cast out demons or whatever, and he supposedly cured them of their ailments.”

In the video, a well-dressed family led their blind daughter to the stage as the gigantic crowd of believers waved their arms in jubilation. Neuhaus placed his right hand on the girl’s forehead and shouted at the top of his lungs, “I command the foul spirits that torment this child of the Lord to come out! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, free this innocent soul from your evil grasp! Be gone! Let the light of the Lord cure this girl!”

Neuhaus pushed her over, allowing the family to catch her. She held her hands to her face and looked around in complete shock before shouting to the congregation, “I can see!” The crowd rejoiced and praised God for his infinite mercy.

“That stuff actually works?” asked the disbelieving Renka.

“I don’t know. We’ve seen some miracles ourselves.” Gen watched Neuhaus closely, suspecting the girl’s treatment may not have been God’s doing after all.

Chikara turned off the video. “We should talk to Mr. Neuhaus right away. Do you know his number?”

Gen’s resourcefulness never failed to impress. “My sources gave me the number to Allied Baptist in South Carolina. It is 9:00 here, so the American east coast time should be… 8:00 in the morning. We can try right now, if you want to.”

“Then let’s do it.”

“Uh… can I use your phone?” Gen showed a hint of embarrassment.

“Why?”

“I’m broke, and Mom looks at the bills.”

Chikara forced a smile as she handed over her cell phone. “You’re an enigma, Gen-san. You’re so smart, you’re fluent in English, you work after school… you even put up a good fight against me on that rooftop… but you still can’t handle money.”

Gen showed a look of insult. “That’s because my mom couldn’t see the stock market’s future. Now what’s your long distance code?” He dialed the number and waited for a reply. He couldn’t believe he was so close to finally solving this mystery.

“Allied Baptist, this is Ester speaking.” The girl sounded young and Southern, with a certain naiveté in her voice that made Gen doubt she was that bright.

“Hello, Ester,” spoke Gen in his most convincing English. “I wish to speak with Reverend Neuhaus, please.”

“I’m sorry, sir, but Reverend Neuhaus is not here right now. If you leave your name and number, I can leave him a message.”

“I really have to talk to him. It’s very important. Can I have his home number?”

“Sir, we can’t give out personal numbers because we get death threats. Now, can I have your name and number?”

“This is a matter of life and death,” begged Gen, who decided to execute Plan B. “It’s my sister, she… she wants to have an abortion.” When he heard the horrified gasp on the other end, he knew he had her. Nothing tugs at an American Christian’s heartstrings like the abortion issue. “She forgot about God and gave into sin. Now she’s scared and confused, and I just can’t convince her to keep the baby. She’s here right now. Are you scared, Sarah?” Gen held the phone up to Renka and whispered, “Say yes.”

Oblivious to what she was agreeing to, Renka nervously said, “Yes” in her best accent.

“I hear Rev. Neuhaus can save anyone’s soul, so I have to talk to him. Please, he’s our only hope.”

Gen crossed his fingers and hoped that his desperate ploy worked. Ester replied back in a trembling voice, “Okay, I’ll tell you. He’s at First Baptist Hospital. I’ll give you the number.”

After he wrote down the number, he asked, “Thank you, but why is he in the hospital?”

“He’s battling cancer. It’s looking very bad.”

Gen’s face drooped in shock. “Th… thank you. You’ve been a great help.”

“Thank you, sir. I hope he helps your sister.”

He hung up and pondered this disturbing revelation. Seeing his glum expression, Chikara asked, “What did you learn?”

“Neuhaus is in a hospital. He has cancer.”

Renka shared the shock she felt from both of her friends. “Just like Chillingworth… and your mother.”

Chikara couldn’t believe this. Three of the people that survived Africa succumbed to cancer, a terrible fact too improbable to be coincidence. What if all of the survivors developed cancer? Worse yet, what if she and her friends did too?

Gen got back to business. “Should I try to call him?”

Chikara could wait no longer. She had to know what really happened in Sierra Leone. “Do it.”

Gen dialed the number and waited for an answer. Finally, he heard a man pick up the phone. “Good morning, First Baptist, this is Chris. How can I help you?”

“Hello, Chris. I need to speak with Mr. Neuhaus right away.”

“Mr. Neuhaus isn’t taking any calls.”

“It’s urgent. Can you tell him it’s about Chillingworth?”

Gen heard a groan from the other side. “Hold on.” He waited there for several minutes, praying harder than before that the good reverent would take his call. Finally, Chris took him off hold and said, “Okay, he’ll talk to you. Be careful, though, he’s a bit grumpy.”

“Renka-chan, do you think you can make me more confident?”

Renka sensed his nervousness. “You got it.” She thought of confident actions and beamed them into Gen’s head, allowing him a needed reprieve from his anxiety.

The other line picked up, and a gruff voice answered, “Hello?”

The now confident Gen went to business. “Good morning. Is this Jeremiah Neuhaus?”

“Yes. Who’s calling?”

“My name is Kagekuro Gen, Rev. Neuhaus. This is very important. I’m calling about the incident in Sierra Leone in 1985.”

“How many times do I have to tell you people? Guerillas attacked us and ran off. That’s all I know.”

“I understand, sir, but I need to know about the other volunteers. Do you remember their names?”

“I’m hanging up. Goodbye.”

With his one lead about to disappear forever, Gen called out his trump card. “Sir, I have Maxwell Chillingworth’s ring that gave to Akasha Mika.” Gen heard a pause, followed by a small, knowing laugh.

Neuhaus coughed for a while, revealing his failing health. “You have Max’s ring?”

“Yes.”

“So I take it you’ve been… doing things people aren’t supposed to do?”

“Yes.”

“What’s your gift?”

“I control darkness.”

“Darkness. That’s a new one.”

“Rev. Neuhaus… Mika gave the ring to her daughter, and she’s been sharing it with me. We don’t know where it came from or how it does these amazing things, but you must know. Please, you’re our only chance to solve this. If you help us, we’ll be forever in your debt.”

Neuhaus chuckled some more, and then concealed his terrible cough. “You know, kid, Mika called me not too long ago. She told me she wrote about everything that happened that day, and she locked it in a safe in her attic.” With that, he started laughing again. “I get it now. She wanted me to tell you.” He sighed and looked at the framed photograph of the old team next to his bed. Mika stood next to Maxwell, Esteban and Shannon, obviously regretting her decision to volunteer. They took the picture right after the discovery that changed their lives forever.

Gen asked, “Do you know anything else, sir? We need all the information we can get.”

“Is Mika’s daughter there?”

“Yes, but she speaks no English.”

“Give her the phone.”

Gen reluctantly handed the phone to Chikara. “He wants to talk to you.”

Chikara took it. “Hello?”

Neuhaus replied, in almost-perfect Japanese, “Everyone who survived Sierra Leone is dead, young lady. I’m the last one, and I don’t have long. We all got cancer from radiation exposure.”

“From what?”

“Here’s some advice. Take a boat into the Pacific Ocean and throw that ring as far as you can. God help you.” With that, he hung up. Chikara closed her phone and thought about his suggestion. With everything that had happened the past week, she wanted to agree.

“What did he say?” asked Gen and Renka at once.

Chikara stared at the box containing the ring. She finally understood the purpose of the lead casing. If Gen and Renka found that they had exposed themselves to a radioactive stone, they would never forgive her. “Nothing. What did he tell you?”

“He said your mom wrote about the incident and hid it in a safe in your attic.”

“Then what are we waiting for?” Chikara walked out of her room and led her cohorts upstairs.

***

Meanwhile, Michiko told her mother about her plans to win the Prom Queen’s crown. Nyoko promised to help her in any way she could. She suggested making colorful campaign signs and hanging them across the school. Passing out free drinks during lunch time would also be a great idea. Michiko took them into consideration as she walked back to her room and planned her strategy. It involved lots of mind control and gallons of lemonade.

Her cell phone interrupted her brainstorm, and she huffed when she saw Kaijin’s name on the caller ID. She answered the call, intent on telling him off. “Kaijin-kun, what is it?”

“Hello, Michiko-sama. I just wanted to hear your voice. I’ve had a bad day.”

“Why? Are you sick? Is that why you weren’t at school?”

“I was really hot, just burning everywhere. You know, I fell asleep in the bathtub and…” he paused to laugh, “…all the water evaporated. Can you believe that?”

Michiko didn’t believe this obvious attempt at catching her interest. “Kaijin-kun, look… I made a mistake with you, and… I don’t want any reminders. I’m sorry, but I just want to be friends, okay?”

He sounded hurt. “But you need me. You said you needed me. I can’t just forget that. I need you too.”

She just sighed. “No, I don’t need you, and I don’t want you. Just stay away from me, or I’m calling the cops. Goodbye.” She hung up, wondering if her earlier command or Kaijin’s natural clinginess were to blame for this.

Kaijin held the phone in despair. How could she do this? It wasn’t fair. He needed her like a fire needed oxygen. His sadness turned to anger that boiled in his soul, making him clutch his phone. In a sudden burst of heat, his hand exploded into flame and melted the phone into liquid plastic. He jumped and screamed as the fire raged from his hands. He couldn’t even feel the pain or heat. He ran to the bathroom and turned on the faucet to douse the flames.

His father came up the stairs and saw him on the bathroom floor. “What happened?”

He couldn’t gather a credible explanation. “There was a fire. I don’t know…”

Nokoribi Nobu inspected his son’s room. “Did you burn your phone? You know how much that thing cost?”

Kaijin knew what happened when he challenged his father. “I don’t know what happened. It just… burst into flame! I swear!”

In a fiery rage, Nobu punched the wall and stormed off into his room. “You’re paying for that phone! Stupid idiot!” He slammed the door, leaving his son in the bathroom on the verge of tears.

Kaijin remained curled on the floor, remembering why he hated his life. He hated his father, he hated his mother for leaving, he hated school… only one thing mattered to him anymore. Only one person made him feel significant. She made him feel wanted, but she didn’t realize it yet. He needed to show her.

His tears fizzled and evaporated as soon as they left his eyes. His hands ignited again, but it no longer frightened him. Instead, he watched the flames flicker and dance in his palm so beautifully

so free

like Michiko on the stage. He noticed his beloved’s ring still on his finger. Realizing the source of his transformation, Kaijin smiled. She gave him this gift, and with it came this power

power that only he owned

power that he could control. She really did love him, but couldn’t admit her affection through mere words. He clenched his fist and extinguished the blaze. “I won’t be ignored.”

***

Chikara entered the code into the safe as Renka and Gen watched in anticipation. “I didn’t see anything but the lead case last time I opened this safe,” she said. “I hope he told us the truth.” She remembered the combination. 030285. The third of February 85. Clever, Mom.

She opened the door and looked inside, finding nothing else on the shelves. Disappointed, she turned to her friends. “Nothing.”

“Let me have a look.” Gen inspected the safe with his penlight, hoping to find something hidden. “Aha!” He shined the light on a back corner of the safe’s floor.

“What do you see?” asked Renka.

“A tiny hole in the corner.” He turned around and pointed to an old coat rack. “Renka-chan, can you hand me one of those coat hangers, please?” He took the hanger and bent the hook. He then stuck it inside the small hole and lifted the floor as high as he could.

“A false bottom?” Chikara admired her mother’s ingenuity. She looked under the trick floor and noticed a folder. She pulled the hidden item out and opened it, revealing a small stack of papers.

“What is it?” asked Renka.

“It’s the story. It’s everything we need.” Chikara finally had her answers.

“Care to do the honors?” Gen sat next to Renka, eager to hear the tale. Chikara took a breath and began to read…

CHAPTER 8

THE NOMOLI

In the winter of 1984, I joined the United Nations’ International Hunger Relief program. It was a spur of the moment decision. College bored me, my boyfriend dumped me and I got tired of cold winters. My parents begged me to stay in school, but I needed to get out of Japan for a while and explore the world. Besides, with the economy doing so well, I reasoned school could wait.

They assigned me to a small village in Sierra Leone, an impoverished West African nation with a starving population. Tensions with the government had brought the country to the brink of civil war, with rebel groups like the Sierra Leone United Militia (SLUM) rapidly gaining influence, but my reckless thirst for adventure made that all the more exciting. I boarded the plane, unaware that the journey would change my life, and the world, forever.

When I reached the village, I stared in awe at the living conditions. Huts made of plaster and mud bricks provided unsafe shelter, the smell made me want to vomit and the brown water made dehydration preferable. The huge mosquitoes quickly took a liking to Japanese cuisine, forcing me to submerge myself in insect repellent. If I hadn’t taken malaria suppressants before I arrived, I’m sure I would have died. I immediately wished I had thought this through better.

After signing in, I met the other volunteers that I would be working with. They came from all over the globe and shared my desire to help the less fortunate. Shannon O’Malley from Ireland joined after hearing the popular UK song “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” The pretty redhead was always singing the song, and she wasn’t half bad. Next, I met Esteban Soto-Mendoza, a muscular man from Chile who wanted to get away from the despotic Pinochet regime that dominated his country. He carried a huge stack of wooden beams to a hut, putting his strength to good use in the construction effort.

I then met Mary Gawanas, a native to the village. The young, coal-skinned girl acted as a translator for the villagers who spoke the Krio language instead of English. I later learned she was the chief’s daughter and dreamed of attending university in England.

Jeremiah Neuhaus introduced himself in the medical center, a roofless, makeshift hospital made on the cheap. The aspiring American doctor wore a small golden cross around his neck to show off his strong Christian faith to the whole world. He told me he became interested in Sierra Leone because a group of South Carolinian blacks he knew, called the Gullah, descended from the country. He also said God had called him to help the less fortunate, which made my reasons sound selfish. He treated a young villager with hydrogen peroxide and wrapped his bruise with gauze before sending him on his way back to digging holes.

After meeting the other villagers, who impressed me with their friendliness, I met the head of the relief project. The young, handsome American, surrounded by five armed guards, shook my hand and said, “You must be Ms. Akasha. Nice to meet you. I’m Maxwell Chillingworth.”

I gazed into his mesmerizing gray eyes and replied, “Hello. Please call me Mika. Why do you have guards?”

“It’s just for protection, Mika. There’s talk of SLUM gaining steam here, and this village could be in danger. Here, let me show you to the food court.” He took my arm and walked me to the outpost where they served meals. Chillingworth instructed a villager named James to show me around the kitchen. Before he left, Maxwell shook my hand again and said, “I’m sure it will be a pleasure to work with you, Mika.” He then bowed down farther than he needed to and got back to his work. Despite his clumsy imitation of Japanese manners, I felt rather charmed.

I would spend my days serving food to the villagers. They mostly survived on a diet of spicy rice, but we provided many different selections that kept them full. After breakfast, the men would go to work on the other side of the village. I stayed behind and helped the women with house maintenance and other chores. The extended polygamist families were very tight-knit, forming a community where the people took care of each other. The women would talk to me about their traditional animist religion, which had much in common with my Shinto upbringing.

I shared a hut with Shannon and Mary. During the nights, Shannon would play David Bowie, Phil Collins and Sting on her Walkman. Luckily for me, she brought along some Jimi Hendrix cassettes too. We would talk about life in our countries while Jimi would work his magic on the wah-wah pedal. Shannon told us Irish legends, Mary would recite African fairy tales, and I would tell them about samurai, dragons and youkai. These conversations made me feel better for coming to Africa. Despite our cultural differences, the three of us found common ground and became as close as sisters.

As the weeks went by, my regrets had faded. I felt like I was really making a difference to those less fortunate than myself

like I was saving the world in my own tiny way. My relationship with my coworkers also deepened. On Christmas Eve, the town held a celebration at the campfire. In-between the villagers’ dances, Esteban would play beautiful Spanish Christmas carols on his guitar, captivating everyone. We all liked him for his sly sense of humor and general good nature. Maxwell would sit next to me, and we would talk about our interests and dreams. He wanted to be a diplomat because of his interest in foreign relations. I told him all about Japan and joked that he should be a diplomat there.

Maxwell opened up to me about his impending marriage to Karla Kloors, the heiress to the Kloors brewery company. It wasn’t what he wanted. His family pushed him into the marriage for financial reasons. I didn’t think such things happened in America, like they did in Japan. “Do you like her?” I asked.

“She’s got a mind of her own,” he replied with a huff. I could tell he wasn’t happy about the arrangement. “Sometimes, it’s her way or the highway.”

“You shouldn’t marry someone you don’t love.”

“I’m… not exactly the favorite son. My father makes that perfectly clear to everybody. I’m starting to think he sent me here just to get me away for a while. I don’t want to disappoint him.”

“So you’re going to spend your life with someone your parents chose?”

Maxwell showed apprehension. “She’s not all bad. She’s got a temper, but… she’s pretty, I guess.” I could see how he wasn’t the favorite son. A more confident man would have stood up for himself.

Over the campfire, I saw Shannon grinning at me like a fox. She must have thought Maxwell and I had a connection. Sadly, her instincts proved correct. I really was falling for the handsome American. It could have been his looks, his family fortune, his beautiful eyes, my youth… or it could have been the potential challenge of making him break out of his shell and live his own life. As we grew closer over the next month, I grew increasingly infatuated whenever I saw him.

***

Village operations continued as usual throughout January. We made great progress in building a small school for the children to attend. I usually worked in the kitchen with James, providing meals to the hungry people. During all of this, I never visited the worksite where the men labored every day. It just never occurred to me to look at the other side of town. I saw enough digging in the village itself, but I never questioned what they were searching for. On the morning of February 2nd, Jeremiah, Shannon and I took a trip to Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone, to pick up some more supplies. Having spent so much time in the poor village, I had no idea such a city could exist in this country. Alongside the beautiful mountains, I saw modern hotels, restaurants and government buildings, as well as crowded streets cluttered with markets.

While walking through the busy market, I spotted a man selling necklaces in a private booth. I scanned through the selection until I spotted a necklace with the Japanese symbol for “remember” on the pendant. I thought it would be the perfect gift to give Maxwell, so he would always remember me when we went our separate ways. I bought the item and drove back to the village with my friends. When we returned, I decided to see Maxwell where the men worked. I asked Mary to show me the site, so she led me to the larger dig site on the other side of the village.

What I saw shattered my optimism forever. Inside the massive clearing, a hundred African men toiled in the unbearable heat digging up the earth with shovels and pickaxes. Some hauled the dirt around in wheelbarrows, while others stood up to their waists in filthy brown water and sifted through pans. Chillingworth’s armed guards stood on high watchtowers and watched through binoculars over the concrete walls that surrounded the area. At first, I thought it was a slave camp, but Mary didn’t seem upset. “What are they doing?” I asked her.

She replied in her broken English, “They pan for diamonds and other valuables. We sell to Chillingworth Company and make big money.” She led me through the dry pathway, and I watched as the men searched through their pans, hoping to find a valuable item. We entered a makeshift building on the edge of the clearing and heard Maxwell talking to the village chief.

“My men are trained professionals. They’ve lined the surrounding area with landmines and walls. The only way in is through the village. Those rebels won’t dare attack this site, I guarantee it.”

The chief replied, “I hope you are right. This is closest diamond mine in area, and these ruthless men need money.”

“I assure you, your village is safe.” Maxwell tried to sound confident, but I could sense the hesitation in his voice.

Just then, a villager that I saw working in the pit earlier ran past us and spoke to the chief in jubilation. Revealing ourselves, Mary and I saw the man present a small diamond. As the elder inspected the find, the worker stood there smiling, like a dog waiting for a treat. The chief put the diamond in a small pouch and said something in Krio to the worker, who ran back outside in joy.

Maxwell noticed us and said, “Oh, Mika and Mary. You’re back from Freetown already?”

Mary asked, “Did we get much diamonds today, father?”

“Yes. Mr. Chillingworth will pay fortune for these.”

Maxwell said, “I sure will. Your village is in good hands.”

When Mary and the chief left to oversee the workers, Maxwell turned to me and asked, “Is something wrong, Mika?”

I didn’t know how to answer. What I had seen baffled me. “Those villagers… is that what they do all day? Dig up diamonds for your company?”

He replied as if reading from a memorized script, “We have a prosperous partnership. They provide what we need for a fair price, and in return, we provide security against rebel forces.”

“But you’re exploiting them.”

“Exploiting? This is a legitimate business deal. Everyone prospers. Besides, they prefer dealing with us than SLUM. Those animals will chop off their hands and force them to work at gunpoint.”

“Does the United Nations know you’re doing this, or is this a secret operation?”

He put his arm around me in an unwelcome attempt at comfort. “Mika, I understand this is a lot to take in, but… this isn’t America or Japan, its Africa. They conduct business not with contracts and deals, but with AK-47s and machetes. Only American-style free enterprise can provide this village with the wealth and protection it deserves. If those incompetent bureaucrats at the UN ran this show, they’d be tangled in red tape while SLUM controlled this place and sold the diamonds for guns and rockets.”

Maxwell tried his best to justify his actions, but I deduced the truth. His father got him into the UN group for the sole purpose of securing the digging site, but as revolting as it sounded, I had to admit that he was right. The rebels really would destroy this village to seize control of the diamonds, and Chillingworth’s occupation of the land at least offered protection and profit. My parents warned me about Africa. They told me tribal, religious and militant groups warred with brutal dictators over valuable resources, and no amount of foreign aid would ever help. I started to see their point.

I removed the necklace from my pocket and gave it to him. He studied my gift and asked, “What’s this?”

“It means remember,” I told him. “I can’t do this anymore.” I walked away and went to file a transfer request. I couldn’t stand this violent hellhole of a country anymore… or maybe I just couldn’t stand him.

“Wait,” said Maxwell as I left. “We still need you. You’re an important part of this…”

Before I could leave both the building and the continent forever, Esteban burst through the double doors and called out, “Max! Max, come quick!” He looked sweaty and out of breath, as if he had run there without a break.

“What is it, Esteban?” asked Maxwell.

“We found something… in the village… buried underground.” The strong Chilean could barely breathe as he revealed the news. “It’s got some markings on it. Come on.”

Before Maxwell followed him out the door, he turned to me, his face showing no guilt. “Are you coming?”

I hid my contempt. “I was heading there anyway.”

We walked back to the village across the trail and spotted the huge crowd that had gathered around a pit. I understood now why they had been digging all those holes in town. We pushed through the crowd and saw the amazing discovery that the villagers had unearthed. A huge, ugly stone head stuck out of the dirt with a grotesque face that scared the children. It seemed to threaten us, or perhaps warn us to leave it alone. Chillingworth, however, did not fear the statue. I could tell he was thinking of profit already. “Keep digging,” he said as the villagers flung the dirt away. Esteban jumped into the pit and joined in, impatient to see the finished product.

After two hours of intense digging, the statue sat exposed for all to see. The six foot figure had a large head and flat skull disproportionate to the smaller body, with hair and a beard tied in traditional African tufts and engravings covering its body. It sat on a circular platform with its legs crossed and its stubby feet pointing to the ground, but its most impressive feature had to be the treasure trapped in its hands. The statue grasped a large, black stone that no one could identify.

“What is this?” I asked no one. I couldn’t think straight with that thing staring at me.

“It is nomoli,” replied Mary, who looked just as enthralled as I was.

“A what?”

“Nomoli. It is statue for fertility and rice harvest. They are very old, from culture no one remembers. They say angels cast from heaven became men, and nomoli remind man of fall from paradise. It holds sky stone, piece of heaven.”

Maxwell knew the subject. “I thought nomolis were smaller. This one is huge.”

We inspected the nomoli, paying close attention to the drawings carved across. Despite unknown centuries of erosion, the engravings looked like new, as though the artist carefully melted lines into the stone itself. On the head, I saw a man flying through the air with a flock of birds following him. Another picture showed a man transforming into a cheetah. Others portrayed a woman whose hands spewed fire, a man with spikes protruding from his body and a child who seemed to be trapped in a tornado.

“Look at this guy.” Esteban pointed to a drawing of a shaman surrounded by skeletons, who stood in triumph holding a body in mid-decay. “Pretty sick, man.”

“Ohhh, this one’s a lady’s man.” Shannon observed a naked man surrounded by a dozen bare women who couldn’t resist him.

“This is unbelievable,” said Maxwell, dollar signs already on his mind. “It’s like a prehistoric comic book. Mary, tell them this archeological find will make this village very rich. I’m going to call the embassy. Tomorrow, we’ll all be famous!” He ran to his hut, anxious to reveal this discovery to the world.

“I need my camera. We’re going to be in National Geographic.” Shannon ran through the crowd of villagers, who looked intimidated by the monstrous nomoli. Jeremiah ogled the strange black stone the statue gripped. “Fascinating. I can’t tell what kind of stone this is. Any idea, Mr. Soto-Mendoza?”

Esteban felt the nomoli’s treasure. “I don’t know rocks, man. I got some equipment in my hut. Maybe we test it out.” He left the pit, leaving Jeremiah and I to ponder what this meant.

“God has rewarded us, Mika,” said Neuhaus, looking to the sky. “This is a sign from heaven.”

“I don’t think God put this here, Jeremiah.”

“Why not? Don’t you believe in miracles?”

“Not really, no.” He gave me a disappointing look. I elected to not question his beliefs any further. The man took his faith very seriously, as that cross around his neck showed.

Shannon jumped back in the hole and snapped pictures of the nomoli, while Esteban went to work on the stone. He scratched it with a scalpel. “It’s very hard, scratch resistant, smooth, no luster… let’s check it with the Geiger.” He removed a Geiger counter from his pack and waved it over the rock. To our surprise, the device immediately went crazy. “Joder! This thing’s radioactive!” We quickly climbed out of the hole to escape.

Maxwell, overseeing us from the edge, walked back to his hut. “Where are you going?” I asked.

“I’m going to call them again. I’ll tell them to bring hazard material protection.”

After he called the right people, Maxwell suggested we take a group photograph to commemorate the occasion. He stood in front and flashed a satisfied smile. I couldn’t look happy if I tried. I had this crazy feeling that something terrible was about to happen.

***

After all of the excitement, I was glad to get some sleep. I still felt betrayed by Maxwell, but with the discovery of the nomoli, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to transfer anymore. Maybe I would change my mind the next day, when the reporters came to reveal the find to the world.

That night, I had a horrible nightmare. I saw myself running through the village as the sounds of gunfire, screams and explosions echoed around me. I saw Esteban dashing into a crowd of men who shot him with automatic rifles, but the bullets bounced off his skin. As Esteban killed his attackers, I heard Maxwell ordering his guards to fire upon them, and in a cowardly panic, I ran to the medical center for protection. Before I could reach safety, a quick, agonizing pain entered my stomach and made me fall. I clutched my gunshot wound as my vision blurred and my hearing deafened to a whisper. Jeremiah kneeled over me, but he couldn’t save me. I heard him shout, “Mika! Stay with me!” as I blacked out and died.

I screamed when I awoke. It was so real. I could still feel the gunshot in my chest. Panicking, I inspected myself, finding no wound and no blood, but I had developed the worst headache I had ever experienced. My head throbbed faster than a heartbeat. I got out of my sleeping bag and put on some clothes, intending to head to the hospital, when I noticed my roommates acting strangely. Shannon tossed and turned in her sleeping bag while moaning nonsensical words. At first, I thought she had taken drugs or something. Mary shivered in her bed. She shook so fast, I thought she’d fall apart.

I shook the Irishwoman until she awoke. “Shannon, what’s wrong?”

“Mika? Whazz goin on? I feel all wobbly…” She eyes darted around in their sockets. I unzipped her bag and helped her out. I then turned to Mary and felt her freezing head.

“Mary? Why are you so cold? It’s 100 degrees out there.”

“Mika? I’m so cold. Please help.” She could barely speak through her shivering.

“Don’t worry, Mary, we’re going to get Dr. Neuhaus and he’s going to make you warm again. Just stay here.” I grabbed Shannon and guided her outside, resisting the pain of my massive migraine. When we got to the medical center, we saw almost the entire village lined up outside. Some people held their heads in pain, while others rubbed their hands or wobbled in a daze. It made no sense. How could an entire town fall victim to different symptoms?

Esteban and James caught up with us. The Chilean walked slowly, as if his body couldn’t move straight, and the village cook held on to an ice pack. “What’s happening?” I asked, as if they knew something I didn’t.

“I don’t know,” said Esteban, who struggled to move his jaw. “The whole town’s come down with something. I can’t even move.”

“It is the nomoli,” said James, who threw his now-warm ice pack on the ground. “Nothing like this happened before we found it. It is cursed.”

We entered the medical center, where Jeremiah tended to the children as their parents watched. A young boy lay on a gurney in a trance. Jeremiah checked his heartbeat and pulse and said, “All vitals are normal. I don’t see any problems other than…” The parents gasped as their son sank into the gurney and fell through the bottom, leaving his clothes on the table. Neuhaus ducked under and found the boy on the ground, his body sharing the same space with the platforms wheels. He tried to touch him, but his hand slipped right through.

We then turned our attention to another screaming set of parents. Their daughter lay on another gurney, her skin turning pure white before our eyes. The skin then disappeared, exposing her muscles. Then the muscles disappeared, revealing her skeleton and organs. In another moment, all we could see were her clothes on an invisible body. The girl’s father became so scared while grabbing her, his hands burst into flame, and we heard the girl shout as the fire scorched her transparent skin. The villagers displayed many other strange skills.

Maxwell then entered the hospital, clutching his head just like I had done. He took a quick look at the people who levitated, burned and spit acid that ate through the floor. “It seems our discovery comes with side effects.”

“Side effects?” cried Jeremiah, who held the cross around his neck. “This is insane! People don’t move through solid matter and float!”

“Calm down, Jerry. Aside from initial discomfort, these new abilities don’t seem to be hurting us too badly. We need to maintain order in this village until help arrives, so tell the villagers there is nothing to worry about.” He sounded calm, collected and in-control, oddly unfazed by the impossible chaos surrounding us.

I approached him, my head still pounding. “Maxwell, that nomoli did this to us. It must be the radiation. We have to bury it again.”

“Bury it? Mika, that thing is the greatest archeological find in history. It’s bigger than King Tut. We can’t just bury it. Besides, the embassy already knows.”

“And what happens when they get it? How many people will touch it and become monsters? What will your government do… use it on soldiers?”

Maxwell considered the idea. I guess he understood my point. “Perhaps, but reinforcements will be here tomorrow, with reporters in tow. Unless… Esteban, the rock in the statue was the only radioactive part, correct?”

Esteban stiffly replied, “Yeah.”

“Then that is the cause of our mutations. If we remove and hide the stone, that will be the end of it.”

“But the statue’s hard, man, and the rock is in there tight.”

“Then get a sledgehammer. We can blame the damage on erosion.”

Just then, one of Max’s guards burst into the hospital, holding his hands around his ears and moaning in pain. “Sir… Mr. Chillingworth… I’m hearing things… I’m hearing everything. It’s so loud.”

“We’re all experiencing supernatural changes, Ernest.” I couldn’t believe he could say that with a straight face. Maxwell seemed to accept everything that happened without question.

“But sir, I’m hearing something far away. It sounds like cocking guns and jeeps. I hear singing. It sounds like the rebels.” We all froze in our tracks. Just the mention of the Sierra Leone United Militia would make the villagers panic. They had heard all too well of the barbaric atrocities SLUM had committed in their war against the government. The rebels would massacre entire villages and amputate the arms of the survivors as a warning against voting. They would castrate young boys, or coerce them via drugs into joining their army, and they would force young girls into prostitution.

Maxwell took the guard outside and commanded everybody to be silent. When the noise died down, he asked Ernest, “Now what do you hear?”

Ernest pulled his fingers from his ears and concentrated on the far-away sounds. He pointed to the east. “They’re coming from that direction. Six jeeps. No, seven. They’re singing a war song. Yeah, they’re SLUM. Can’t be more than two miles away. One of them is talking. He says they’re taking the black stone. It will make them rich.”

“Damn. Somebody must have tipped them off.”

The village chief angrily approached Maxwell. “You said they would not come.”

“Yes, for the diamond fields, but this priceless stone is sitting in the middle of the village. They think it’s worth the risk.” He then addressed the crowd that waited in line for treatment. “If those rebels get that stone, they will become just as powerful as we are. They will give these extraordinary abilities to all of their soldiers and topple the government, and maybe all of Africa. We must stop them before they succeed. I want everybody with an offensive attack with me. The rest of you hide in the medical center. Move!”

The old Maxwell Chillingworth would never have been this brave and commanding. I realized then that the nomoli had changed his personality. He gathered his guards and sent them to the huts surrounding the statue. He then went after villagers who demonstrated threatening powers, like the man with burning hands and the man spitting acid, and told them to assist the guards. One villager showed off his ability to fire pulse blasts from his hands. Maxwell said, “Good man. Join the others.”

When I heard the first shots being fired, I ducked down along with the rest of the villagers in the medical center. My headache didn’t bother me anymore, and the rest of them didn’t seem to be in pain either. We were all just scared. Truckloads of armed guerillas were waging war on our land and only a small team of inexperienced superheroes stood in their way. I couldn’t believe this was happening. Why did we have to dig up that cursed thing?

One villager couldn’t stay quiet. The chief stood up and cried, “Where is my daughter? Mary?”

I had forgotten all about her. “She’s still in her hut. I’m going to get her.”

Neuhaus said, “No, Mika! Maxwell told us to stay here.”

“The hell with Maxwell! I’m going!”

Esteban followed me out, having regained his mobility. “I’ll go with you. Stay low.” The two of us maneuvered our way to my hut, keeping as far away from the battle as possible. Taking refuge behind a wagon, I peeked through the wheels and saw a villager I had served meals to throw a glowing ball of light at one of the jeeps, blowing it up and taking three rebels with it. Before he could take cover, they shot him, only to receive return fire from another man’s pulse blasts. My body started to freeze in panic. My horrible nightmare had come true.

Remembering Mary, I slapped myself back to reality. Esteban grabbed my arm and led me behind another hut, where Chillingworth ordered his men to open fire on the pack of rebels that approached the nomoli. When I got a better look, I saw that they were just boys, probably kidnapped from their massacred villages and forced to join SLUM. I noticed something small fall from the sky, followed by an explosion that blew the boys to pieces. I looked up and saw one of the flying men dropping grenades from fifty feet up. Unfortunately, the rebels noticed him. They fired into the air and shot him down, making him land on and detonate another jeep.

When we finally got to my hut, I could hear Mary screaming from inside, followed by a panicked shriek from a man. I ran inside and saw the icy statue of a militant standing over my friend, a horrified look frozen on his face. The man then fell over and shattered into a thousand pieces of ice, leaving Mary to scream in terror, “He just touched me! I didn’t do it!” The hut’s temperature started to rapidly fall. I couldn’t touch her, lest I wind up frozen too.

The objects in the room started to freeze until the moisture itself crystallized around her, forming an impenetrable shield of ice. I escaped before the entire hut became a frozen fortress. At least she would be safe in there. I then saw James being shot by a large man in a mesh vest and red beret. In his final breath, he raised his hands to his assailant and released a blast of microwave heat, cooking him until he exploded.

Esteban ran to me and reached for my hand. Before I could take it, several militants dashed towards us and unloaded their guns into his chest. He fell on his back, making me shriek in terror, but as quickly as he fell down, he got back up. Bullet holes adorned his shirt, but the exposed skin didn’t show a scratch. Realizing he couldn’t be hurt, Esteban said, “Run! I’ll distract them. Hijo de putas!” He ran to the closest militant, bullets bouncing off his invincible skin like BBs. With a mighty right hook, he punched his attacker’s face so hard, his head ripped off and rolled backwards. I had seen enough. I dashed back to the medical center as fast as my legs could take me.

The remaining militants concentrated their fire on Esteban as he tore through them. Maxwell noticed this and shouted, “Open fire! Take them down!” His guards shot into the scene, killing the guerillas and making Esteban mad. “Hey! I’m on your side!”

I bolted to the hospital, confident that I would be safe. Before I could make it to safety, I felt the sharp, agonizing pain of a stray bullet burrowing into my belly. I fell on my back and held my oozing wound as my vision and hearing faded. I must have gone through the five stages of grief right there in the dirt. I denied that I could die so young. I felt angry at myself for signing up. I bargained with spirits to let me live, and I sunk into depression as my mind began to shut down.

Jeremiah kneeled over me and shouted, “Mika! Stay with me!” He put pressure on my bleeding wound and encouraged me to live. I would have thanked him if I could have spoken, for I knew this was the end. Just as I accepted my demise, I felt the agonizing pain in my stomach lessen after the bullet squeezed itself out. Within seconds, my wound sealed itself until the pain disappeared, leaving no trace of a gunshot. Jeremiah’s healing touch saved my life. He held his cross and smiled. “Still don’t believe in miracles?”

The fire fight continued, growing fainter with each passing second. It seemed as though Maxwell’s plan would work and the rebels would lose, saving Africa from their genocidal ambitions. Just then, Jeremiah pointed to a new problem. A little girl wobbled around the front of the medical center, searching desperately for her family. I called out for her to come back to safety, and she acknowledged me before a bullet entered her shoulder. Kneeling down in pain, she shrieked and begged for help.

Before I could build the nerve to rescue her, the child’s terrible gift emerged. Above the crying girl, the air began to swirl in a large circle that rapidly gained speed, pulling everything and everyone in the village closer to it. We watched in horror as the violent twister created a gigantic rip in space, a black hole that threatened to devour everything in its path. Immune to its vacuum, the child stared at the vortex and tried to shut it down, but the portal had grown completely out of her control. I heard Max shout, “Everybody hold something!” and saw him grab on to a tree. His guards and the SLUM soldiers were not as lucky. They lost their grips and flew directly into the center of the vortex, disappearing forever in its hungry maw.

The villagers ran for their lives from the growing vortex. I held on to the nearest tree and closed my eyes, unwilling to see the poor souls who got sucked into the vacuum, screaming all the way. The terrible cries of those poor men, women and children still haunt my nightmares to this day. The vortex also caught the huts and vehicles, swinging them around in the whirlwind. The screams died down as villagers and aid workers flew into the black hole, and tears ran down my cheeks as I accepted that I would soon join them.

Through all the unbearable noise, I heard the faint sound of a gunshot. The power of the vacuum died down, lowering me to the ground. I watched as the spiraling vortex collapsed on itself and disappeared, taking almost the entire village with it. Maxwell holstered his pistol and climbed down from the tree to join the rest of us in the darkened medical center. I saw the bleeding body of the little girl and realized what Maxwell had done. He looked at Jeremiah, Shannon, Esteban and me and asked, “Any more survivors?”

Overtaken with rage, I slapped him. “You killed that girl, you bastard!”

Unfazed, he turned back to me. “Did you want to get sucked into that black hole, Mika, because I didn’t. It was the only way.” This was not the same man I once had feelings for. He had turned into a creature of pure logic, with no emotions affecting his decisions.

Esteban answered his earlier question. “I’ll check on Mary.” He ran to her frozen hut and punched the ice walls down, finding her safe inside. When she learned that her entire village, everything and everyone she knew and loved, had been destroyed, she dropped to her knees and cried in anguish. I couldn’t imagine the pain she felt. Shannon and I hugged her tight and didn’t let go.

Jeremiah reconnected the spotlights while Esteban looked around the area with his flashlight. “Hey, the statue’s gone. They took it.”

Maxwell said, “No. I saw the nomoli get sucked into the black hole. It’s gone.”

Shannon, still clutching the sobbing Mary, was glad to hear the news. “Good. This should never happen again.” Mary’s crying turned to slurred speech and uncontrollable wobbling. I started to feel funny as well, like I had taken some kind of drug. The others felt their heads and looked around in a daze, apparently feeling the same effect.

Maxwell deduced the cause of this strange feeling. “Shannon, stop that. I need to think.” He walked away from Shannon’s delirium-inducing pheromones and thought of how to explain this. “We can’t mention the powers or the vortex, but we can’t account for the lost village and destruction without them. Our only option is to feign ignorance. We’ll tell the world the rebels came for the diamonds, and shot into the village. We fought back, and the villagers ran off into the forest, so the rebels followed them. Other than that, we don’t know the specifics. It’s not air-tight, but it’s the only plausible story I can deduce.”

“So what do we do after that, man,” asked Esteban. “Put on costumes and fight crime? Be the Fantastic Six?” Having just been through hell and seeing dozens of people die, nobody laughed at his joke.

“No, Esteban, we go our separate ways and never tell a soul about this. Agreed?” Maxwell looked at each one of us, silently commanding us to promise. Except for Mary, too traumatized to think, we all nodded.

When the rescue teams arrived, we told them our cover story. As expected, they didn’t believe us after surveying the destruction, but we stuck to our tale. After we flew to the United Nations HQ in New York City and personally told them our tragic story, they cleared us of any wrongdoing. I suspect Maxwell’s persuasive words and political connections had something to do with that. As soon as I was cleared, I said my goodbyes to my friends, grabbed the first plane back to Japan and never looked back, even when the weakened SLUM reorganized into the Revolutionary United Front and brought Sierra Leone into civil war.

As time went by, I became more proficient with my ability to see the future. I regret to admit that I used it selfishly. I started to gamble, which brought in some easy money, and then I moved to stock market investing. At least with that, I could help small businesses prosper while benefiting myself. I even used my gift to find the right man for me. I saw my possible futures with hundreds of men before I settled on my classmate Kaminari Masakazu, who I married after a year of dating.

That all changed when Maxwell Chillingworth, then the US ambassador to Japan, paid me a visit, still wearing the necklace I had bought him. He lied to us all. When nobody was looking, he chipped off two samples of the nomoli’s black stone and hid them before the attack on the village. He presented me with a gold ring made from one of the fragments, probably as an apology for starting this whole mess. I could tell he still cared about me, even though he had gone ahead and married Karla Kloors.

When I shook his hand to say goodbye for the final time, I saw the vision that would haunt me forever. I saw millions of people under the control of a tyrant. I saw entire cities destroyed by tsunamis, earthquakes and volcanoes, caused not by natural phenomena, but by others with these terrible abilities. I heard the dying screams of tens of millions, all crying out for a hero to save them. This horrifying vision became my obsession. I accepted the ring and vowed to use my gift to prevent such a future from happening. After foreseeing thousands of possible scenarios, I set in motion my plan to save this world. That is where the three of you come in.

Chikara, Renka and Gen… when Robert Oppenheimer saw the blast of the first atomic bomb, it reminded him of an Indian story where Vishnu revealed himself to an evil king and said, “Now I am become death, the destroyer of worlds.” I understand this quote. He realized that through technology, mankind can now destroy the world. However, thanks to the gifts granted by the nomoli, now it only takes one man to destroy the world. It is up to you three to stop this terrible future from coming true.

That’s why I gave you this power. That’s why I gave my only daughter an uncommon male name… so you would stand out and grow to be the strongest, most courageous hero the world will ever know. Chikara, remember that an evil man can do a good deed under the right influence. No matter how much you hate him, show mercy when you can. I’m counting on you, and I know you will succeed. After all, I’ve seen it.

***

Chikara put down the manuscript and tried to process what she had read. Gen and Renka did the same. It all sounded too insane to be true.

Gen broke the silence. “So that’s it. She chose us to save the world. I wish she were more specific.”

“This is unreal,” said Renka. “How are we supposed to stop earthquakes and volcanoes? I don’t get it.”

Chikara knew her mother well enough to answer, “She wants us to learn as we go. She never told me the whole story

she just dropped hints so I’d figure it out.” She choked up as she finally realized the gravity of her situation. “I have to save millions of lives. Why me? Why did she put that burden on my shoulders?”

Feeling her every insecurity, Renka hugged Chikara and projected happy thoughts into her head. “Because you’re the greatest, Chi. You can beat anyone in school. That tyrant she wrote about won’t stand a chance against Kaminari Chikara, the greatest superhero in the world.”

Gen added, “And we’ll be there holding up the globe with you. Of course, first you have to fulfill your promise.”

“What’s that?” asked Chikara, though she already knew the answer.

“You need to wear the ring. You’ve put it off for too long. Take what’s yours and help us fulfill the destiny your mother wanted.”

Chikara couldn’t keep the tragic secret any longer. She sighed and revealed the truth. “When I spoke to Neuhaus, he told me that everyone who survived Sierra Leone died of cancer. He’s dying from it right now. The radiation from the rock poisoned them… the same radiation coming from that ring.”

Gen and Renka felt their pulses stop. Nobody said a word for what seemed like forever until Chikara broke the silence. “Maybe you’ll be fine. It wasn’t the whole rock, just a small piece, but… now you know why I’m scared. I’m sorry.”

“Yeah, your mom wouldn’t give us something that would kill us,” said Renka. “That’s crazy.”

“What if she saw it as a necessary sacrifice?” Gen had never been this scared. He had to appreciate fate’s sense of humor for giving him a magical gift that would kill him. “My grandfather saw the effects of radiation poisoning in Hiroshima. When they cremated his mother, her bones had softened into mush. I don’t want to end up like that.”

“I guess we won’t know for twenty years.” Chikara could tell that nothing would cheer them up now. “Think you can spare us some happy feelings, Renka?”

“For some reason, I can’t think of any.” Renka’s fear for her own mortality started to leak into the others’ minds.

Just then, Chikara’s father poked his head through the attic’s entrance. “Are you still here? It’s 10:30.”

“Sorry, Dad. Guess we lost track of time. I’ll see you guys tomorrow.”

“Yeah, thanks for the story. Come on, Renka-chan, I’ll walk you home.” Gen led Renka out, leaving Chikara alone with her father.

“Dad… did Mom ever tell you about Africa?”

“Not too often. She would always change the subject when I asked. Why?”

Chikara didn’t want to tell him the whole truth, but she knew it was the only logical option. He would find out eventually when she went off to somehow stop earthquakes and tsunamis. She swallowed her fear and said, “I think we should have a talk.”

Outside, Gen and Renka couldn’t think of anything to say. The unpleasant news that they had absorbed cancerous radiation left them full of dread. When they passed the city park, Gen finally summoned the courage to speak. “Renka-chan… about what you said today.”

“About how I like you?”

“Yeah. You’re right

I like you too. You’re sweet, happy, kind… I wish more people were like you.” They stopped under a street lamp, too enamored with each other to keep walking. “So… what do you like about me?”

Renka tried to answer, but she could barely think through her jumbled emotions. “You’re strong… and handsome… and you’re really dedicated to something, you know, what you think is right. Plus, Mrs. Kaminari wanted us to save the world together, right? I guess that’s our destiny.”

He laughed. He never believed in such a concept before, but he couldn’t argue with it now. “Yeah… our destiny.” The two teens stood under the light and nervously waited for the other to make the first move. He softly said, “I didn’t get to kiss you before. You wanted to stay mad.”

She blushed and pulled him closer. “I’m not mad now.”

A half an hour later, Chikara finished telling her father the whole story, with a few details left out. Masakazu looked at the discovered manuscript in disbelief, as she expected, but eventually sighed and said, “That’s interesting.”

Chikara didn’t expect him to take it this well. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you before. Mom didn’t exactly specify how to break it to you.”

“That’s your mother… always hinting, never telling.” Masakazu never understood his wife’s love for superheroes and manga, but his daughter’s unbelievable story somehow clarified it.

Chikara asked, “Gen wants me to wear the ring, but I don’t want to yet. Do you think I should?”

“Did Kagekuro destroy that American airplane?”

Chikara dreaded this question. “Yes, but I don’t think he’ll do it again. Renka and I… talked him out of it.”

“I see. Then you’re already crossing a few moral lines working with him, aren’t you?”

Chikara couldn’t contest that a dark-controlling terrorist had become her ally. “I need him for whatever Mom wanted me to do.”

“You should wear the ring whenever you’re ready. Nobody can decide your destiny but you.”

“Thanks, Dad. Good night.” Chikara headed to her bedroom, in need of serious sleep after the day’s excitement.

“Chikara,” said Masakazu. “Your mother loved you, and whatever she wanted you to do, I’m sure you’ll turn out okay.”

“Thanks Dad.”

After his daughter left, Masakazu kneeled at his wife’s memorial shrine and said, “You could have told me about this. No, I guess I wouldn’t have believed it.” He remembered the day he found Maxwell Chillingworth visiting Mika, and how his wife panicked after she shook his hand. He wondered why that man would give her such a vision.

CHAPTER 9

FIRESTARTER

Chikara ran through the bright, complex space station looking for a weapon. Her fists alone wouldn’t be much help against the hideous creature chasing after her. She dashed across the metallic bridge, not daring to look down at the bottomless pit illuminated by the light from the station’s thermonuclear reactor. Ignoring the sound of the huge monster on her tail, she pushed two alien cyborgs off the bridge, dodging the blasts from their laser pistols.

Above her, human fighter ships battled the legion of alien cruisers. Within the lead fighter, a heart painted on the hood, Renka maneuvered through the blaster fire and positioned her crosshairs over the lead enemy ship. Michiko dodged the proton torpedoes and returned fire, taking out Renka’s engine and forcing her to eject. Before she landed in the space station’s reactor core, Gen flew across the arena in his giant mecha and caught her. Safe in his mechanical hands, Renka shared an affectionate glance into the robot’s optic cameras.

When she reached the end of the bridge, Chikara spotted her bokken stuck in a lead block. She dashed forward and pulled the wooden sword from its prison. She stood her ground as the pursuing creature approached. The monstrous stone nomoli lurched towards her holding its black rock. She raised her weapon, hoping to scare it away. “Get away from me!”

The nomoli moved closer and presented the stone to its victim. Like a scared animal, she swung her weapon with all her might, cracking the nomoli across its disgusting face. The crack quickly spread, making the stone plating fall apart until Kaminari Mika stood on the pieces. She shrunk the stone into the gold ring and walked towards Chikara. “Take the ring.”

She backed away. “No! I said I don’t want it!”

“It is your destiny.” With each step, the mother’s body weakened and her hair fell out, until she became the same cancer-ridden corpse they buried. She held the radioactive ring to her daughter and offered her the same fate. “Find the spark.”

“NO!” Chikara awoke in a cold sweat just before her alarm clock could ring. She wiped her forehead and observed her room, making sure that the nightmare was really over. She crawled out of bed and started her morning workout.

She put on her school clothes and walked down the stairs. Her father was talking to someone on the phone. “You better not. You don’t want me to wear that thing myself and find you. Goodbye.”

“Who were you talking to, Dad?”

“Coworker. Are you ready for school?”

***

Renka put on her uniform and walked to the kitchen for breakfast. Her parents had scolded her last night for coming home so late, but more pressing matters occupied her thoughts at the moment. “Good morning, Mom. Hey, do you think we can have broccoli and cauliflower tonight?”

Flattered that her daughter appreciated her cooking, Mrs. Kusaka asked, “I guess. Why do you want that?”

“I… hear it prevents cancer.”

“Honey, you’re young and healthy. You don’t need to worry about cancer.”

“You can never be too careful.”

“Okay, I’ll make some tonight. Now, what are your plans for becoming Prom Queen?”

“Hirono and the others are printing banners and posters. We’ll decorate the whole school with them.”

“Sounds like a winning strategy.”

“I hope so.” Renka planned to use her emotional advantage over others as well. If she had to get cancer, she figured it best to go in style.

***

Gen ate his breakfast and watched the news. Since his experiment in revolution didn’t work out, he considered taking on organized crime, so he had to keep abreast of injustice plaguing the city. However, the streets seemed pretty clean, with no homicides or burglaries. He sighed and buttered his toast.

When the phone rang, Mr. Kagekuro answered and handed it to Gen. “It’s for you.” Gen took it and asked, “Hello?”

“Kagekuro Gen? This is Kaminari Masakazu… Chikara’s father.”

“Good morning. Sorry again about last night. We didn’t check the time.”

“I’m not calling about that. My daughter told me about the ring, the powers… and your attempts at international terrorism.”

Gen’s blood froze. How could Chikara let that slip? It was supposed to be their dirty secret. With his father next to him hearing the conversation, he had to divert his accuser’s attention. “I understand that you’re upset, but I assure you it won’t happen again.”

“My daughter says she needs you for whatever she has to do… but I’m warning you, if you hurt her in any way, I’ll take it upon myself to stop you.”

Gen understood where Chikara inherited her strength. “You don’t need to worry, sir. It’s all been settled. I won’t inconvenience you.”

“You better not. You don’t want me to wear that thing myself and find you. Goodbye.” Masakazu hung up, leaving Gen feeling guiltier than before about his actions.

Gen father put down his newspaper and asked, “What was that about?”

“We stayed too late last night.” Gen made a mental note to talk to Chikara about this later.

***

After caking her face with makeup, Michiko stared at her reflection and thought about her situation. She would have little problem winning the election, but she couldn’t imagine how she would deal with her enemies. Chikara still had the identical ring, Renka knew about her father, and clingy Kaijin wouldn’t go away so easily. She shrugged and considered these problems temporary. Soon, she would stand in front of the prom audience, the crown and sash magnifying her beauty, and all her jealous rivals would sit at their tables and sulk.

Her cell phone rang. Seeing the caller’s name, she picked up and asked, “Yukiko?”

“Hey, Michiko. What’s up?”

“Just doing my make-up. What’s new with you?”

“Something freaky. Kaijin-kun just called me and asked if you would be at school today.”

“What did you tell him?”

“I said yes and asked why, and he just hung up. He sounded really excited. Any idea why?”

“No, but I’ll handle it. Did you design those posters?”

“Yeah, I’ll bring them to school.”

“See you there. Later.”

She hung up and pondered her plan to get rid of Kaijin for good. She walked through her bedroom door, passing under the smoke detector, and headed to the kitchen for breakfast.

***

Kaijin put on his uniform, applied his finest cologne and walked to the kitchen to pack his lunch. His impending victory over Michiko-sama’s heart dominated his thoughts. He could almost taste her sweet kisses and feel her gentle embrace. Soon, she would take him back and everything would be fine again.

His father headed out the door without even looking at him. Still tired and grumpy, Nokoribi Nobu said, “I’m going to work. Buy a new phone.” When he was out the door, Kaijin lit his hand aflame again to ensure that it still worked. He watched the bright fire dance gracefully in his palm and marveled at its beauty. After he extinguished the flame, he walked out the door and prepared to put his new talent to good use.

***

When Chikara and Renka reached the high school, they noticed Gen waiting for them in front. He gave Chikara a suspicious look and said, “Good morning, girls. Great weather, huh?”

Renka’s mood worsened when she felt Gen’s hidden anger. “Good morning, Gen-kun. Is something wrong?”

“Yes. I got a call from Mr. Kaminari this morning. Apparently, his daughter told him everything that’s happened in the past two weeks. Everything.”

“Yes, Gen-kun, I told him about the powers. He’s going to find out eventually and I need his support for whatever we have to do in the future.”

“You didn’t think you should’ve discussed this with us beforehand?”

“Okay, maybe I should have, but after we read that story… I just felt like I had to.”

“Are you sure we can trust him to keep this quiet?”

“He’s my father, Gen. Look, this isn’t some anime where the parents aren’t involved in their kids’ lives. This is real life and we need to let our parents know.”

Gen understood her point, but still protested. “I’m not upset about that. I’m upset because you told him about my… crime. I thought we agreed to keep that a secret. If he calls the cops, our careers as protectors of the planet are over.”

“I didn’t tell him that. He figured it out himself. Don’t worry, he won’t tell anyone. He respects my mother’s wishes too much.”

“I hope you’re right. What about you, Renka-chan? Are you going to tell anyone?”

Renka sensed both her friends’ feelings on the issue. “No, I don’t want to reveal anything now. It’s just too much, you know?” She felt Gen relax.

“Okay, as long as it won’t be a problem. I won’t be revealing anything until we have a better understanding of our mission.”

Chikara said, “Fine. Now, any other matters of importance before we head to class?”

“Oh, now that you mention it…” Gen lit up, as he always did when he uncovered a clue, “I tried to find more about Shannon O’Malley, Mary Gawanas and Esteban Soto-Mendoza, but my sources didn’t find anything relevant. They just found a marriage announcement in a Dublin newspaper. O’Malley married Shamus O’Shaughnessey in 1988. That’s about it.”

Chikara asked, “Did they have any children?”

“I didn’t read about that, but you know the Irish.”

“Gen…” Chikara wasn’t amused, but Renka let out a giggle.

“Come on, it’s a joke.”

“Well, keep me posted. We have to get to class…”

“Actually, Chikara,” said Renka, “I’ll catch up with you.”

“Uh… okay.” Chikara walked away, and when she turned around to look at them, they were still watching her. It seemed they hadn’t forgotten about her eavesdropping during their date. When she left the scene, they continued their nervous discussion.

“So… Gen-kun…”

“Renka-chan. What’s up?”

“I really enjoyed our kiss last night and… I was wondering if you wanted to go to the prom with me.”

Renka felt Gen’s sense of elation, with a twist of trepidation. He smiled and replied, “Of course. I can’t think of anyone else I’d love to go with.”

Renka threw her fist up. “YES! I mean… great. I can’t wait.”

“You don’t think this will hurt your election?”

“For Prom Queen?”

“Yeah. My views aren’t the most popular around.”

“I wouldn’t be too concerned about people’s feelings

if you know what I mean.”

“Oh, so that’s how you’re going to play it.”

“My opponent controls minds too. Fair is fair.”

“Ha! I guess you’re right.”

Just then, an unfamiliar student passed by. “Hey, you two, get a room.” They noticed the rude boy walking with a tall figure in a black, silk Arabic burqa. The rest of the students in the hallway watched this unfamiliar stranger, whose veil completely her face, but her partner proudly walked her past the crowd straight to their classroom.

Insulted, Renka asked, “Who was that?”

“That’s Takabe Ryouta from my class,” said Gen. “He’s just a smartass

ignore him.”

“Then who’s that girl, and why is she wearing that

set of drapes?”

“I don’t know. Some kind of show, maybe?”

Renka looked at the time on her cell phone. “Oh, I have to turn in my application to be on the ballot. I’ll be seeing you, prom date.”

“Later, Prom Queen.” The two went their separate ways, both eager to see the other again.

***

Michiko met up with her henchmen to discuss their campaign. Yukiko, as promised, designed a dozen posters featuring the three of them smiling and holding hands. “See, you have to make it seem like everyone is doing it

like it’s the hip thing to do, in this case, voting for you. It’s the number one rule of advertising.”

Michiko liked the idea. “You’re a genius, Yukiko. It’s simple, upbeat and highlights my beauty. Chisato, your plans?”

Chisato took a baby bottle filled with red liquid out of her lunchbox. “Instead of lemonade, I think fruit punch would be a better choice. Red is a fiery color that holds your attention.

“I like it. Why is it in a baby bottle?”

“I ran out of time and couldn’t find another container.”

“Fair enough. Can I have a sip?” When Chisato agreed, Michiko twisted off the rubber nipple and drank the fruit juice. “Delicious. We’ll set up the stand tomorrow.”

Just then, Kaijin walked up to them with an uncharacteristic confidence. “Good morning, girls. Isn’t it hot today?” Chisato and Yukiko didn’t know what had changed, but they now found him more attractive than before.

Michiko, however, was not amused. “Girls… go to class.”

The henchmen headed off to their classroom. Yukiko said to Chisato, “Wow, he’s in such a bright mood today. What happened, did he get laid?”

Chisato thought for a second. “Actually… that’s a good question.”

When her friends left, Michiko looked back at Kaijin, still confused over his good mood. “Kaijin-kun… do you feel better now?”

“Sure do. I was burning up yesterday, but I feel great now.”

“Listen… I screwed up. I gave you false expectations and hurt your feelings. I’m really sorry about all this but… I’m just not that into you.”

Kaijin’s upbeat posture remained intact. “Michiko-sama, I understand that you’re very confused right now. Yesterday, I didn’t know what was going on either, but now I know what you’re really feeling. You proved it when you gave me the gift.” He raised his hand and showed her the ring.

“That thing? I just gave it to you because I didn’t want to think about it anymore. I hate it.”

“But… it gave me and you…” Kaijin realized she didn’t know what the ring could do. He decided to save this knowledge for the right time. “That is… you’ve changed me. I was weak and miserable, everyone bullied me and treated me like garbage, a nobody, but now… I feel so strong and powerful, like no one can hurt me again.”

“Kaijin-kun… you’re scaring me.”

“You don’t need to be scared. I’m special now. I’m somebody, and it’s all thanks to you. I heard about that prom thing this school’s doing and… I want to go with you.”

Michiko finally had enough. “No! Never speak to me again! Now go away!”

Once again forced to obey her cruel commands, Kaijin turned around and left. The tears that slithered down his face quickly evaporated from the growing heat boiling under his skin.

***

When class started, Gen learned the mystery of the cloaked girl. She stood in front of the class as Ryouta introduced her. “Everyone, I’d like you to meet Hannah from Saudi Arabia. She’s visiting Japan and my family agreed to let her stay with us for a day. She’s really excited to be here, and she’s having a lot of fun seeing our culture up close.”

The hooded girl nodded her head, though she probably didn’t understand her chaperone’s words. The rest of the class still felt a shared discomfort, due to the newcomer’s ability to see them while they couldn’t see her behind that veil.

One student, who clearly didn’t know about Middle Eastern culture, raised his hand and asked, “Why does she wear that thing?”

Ryouta replied, “In Saudi Arabia, women have to cover their bodies in burqas so men can’t see them. It’s their custom. She won’t be showing her face around here.”

Their science teacher, Mr. Tamashi, wasn’t convinced. “Takabe-san, how did your family receive this foreigner again?”

“My parents arranged it.”

“Because I’m involved in the student exchange program, and I don’t recall any deals with the Middle East, especially not Saudi Arabia.”

Ryouta shrugged his shoulders. “Hey, I didn’t question this. I’m just glad to lend a hand and show someone the joys of the Japanese culture.”

The suspicious teacher said, “Okay, thank you for introducing us. Fursa Sa’eeda, Hannah.”

The masked Muslim turned to him and responded, “Marhabtein.” She then sat down in the reserve seat.

Like Mr. Tamashi, Gen didn’t buy the story. He knew enough about Takabe Ryouta to know that he wasn’t the helping type. His story didn’t make sense, and he showed signs of deception when the teacher questioned him. He also found it hard to trust a foreigner who wore a full-body burqa in Japan. That type of burqa wasn’t even popular in Saudi Arabia, where they at least showed their faces. Only total theocracies like Afghanistan required them. The thought of a planned attack by Islamic terrorists on the school crossed his mind, but he dismissed this as ludicrous. Ryouta may have been a jerk, but he was no terrorist accomplice.

As class went on, Gen couldn’t help but sneak looks at the young Muslim. This whole situation stunk, and he needed to know why. He reached for his cell phone in the compartment under his desk and entered a text message without looking. He sent it to Renka without the teacher noticing. With Renka reading the stranger’s emotions, maybe he could get to the bottom of this mystery.

That day’s science lecture dealt with sound. Mr. Tamashi read through his lesson plan and wrote his points on the chalkboard. “Sound has an important effect on the human brain. Since the dawn of man, certain drumming patterns have been used to stimulate the mind and increase focus, insight and creativity. The music of Mozart and Brahms has been shown to lighten depressed moods and relieve anxiety. Excessive noise can disturb your concentration and hinder your bodily movements.

“Why does sound affect us? Let’s look at how it enters the ear. The outer ear amplifies high frequency sound and funnels it into the ear canal, where it reaches the eardrum and becomes mechanical energy. The three small bones of the middle ear vibrate to create a unique pattern. This vibrates the fluid-filled membranes in the inner ear, which sends more signals to the brain and determines pitch, loudness and tone. The left lobe of the brain, which interprets language and logic, and the right lobe, which interprets emotion and creativity, can be affected by the complexity of the sound because it stimulates the neuronal pathways in the hippocampus.”

The lecture gave Gen an idea. He raised his hand, and when called he stood and asked, “Sensei, do you think it’s possible to change someone’s mind using special sound?”

A few students giggled at the nerdy question. Mr. Tamashi asked, “What do you mean, Kagekuro-san?”

“Let’s say you can generate a frequency that can make someone highly susceptible to persuasion, or that can forcefully change their emotions. Is it possible?”

Tamashi laughed, “You read too much manga, but you’re on to something. I’ve heard of silent sound’ technology that can change peoples’ moods. If it truly exists, it may be possible to alter reason and emotion through sound.”

“Thank you.” Gen didn’t mind his classmates thinking him foolish. He now had a better understanding of Michiko and Renka’s abilities, and with further study, he wondered if he could turn this to his advantage.

***

At lunch time, Gen met with Chikara and Renka on the roof and discussed his concerns about the foreigner. “Something’s not right here, and I’ve learned to trust my instincts in these situations. She’s in the cafeteria right now. Will you help me spy on her, Renka-chan?”

“Sure. I’m getting used to sneaking around and spying.”

“It’s not as exciting as breaking into a Navy base, but I wish you guys luck,” said Chikara.

As they headed to the cafeteria, Renka told Gen, “You feel bad. Is it because of Chikara?”

“She’ll never let me forget what I did, will she?”

“I guess not. She’s not the forgiving type, but at least I’m over it.”

“Now her dad knows. They’ll have me on a dissection table in no time.”

“Relax, Gen-kun. I’ve known Mr. Kaminari all my life. He’s strict and all, but I don’t think he’ll tell anyone.”

“I hope not. Come on, let’s find that Arab.” As they approached their destination, they noticed others students sneaking jeers at them. “I see they still believe that rumor Michiko spread.”

Renka’s anxiety about the gossip had worn off. “Don’t worry about it. Who knows, pretty soon, it might be true.”

Gen stopped in his tracks. “What? I mean… hey, you’re testing me, aren’t you? You want to see how I’d feel.”

Renka returned a snide smile. “Guilty.”

“So how did I feel?”

“You already know.” She continued the trek to the cafeteria, leaving her boyfriend teased and uncomfortable. She must’ve liked sensing him this way, he thought.

When they arrived, Gen and Renka sat at a corner table and watched Takabe Ryouta and his guest. He sat with his small circle of friends, who seemed to ask a lot of questions about the masked visitor he had brought. Michiko and her friends sat across from them and discussed their advertising campaign. Kaijin sat across the room by himself and watched them. Gen said, “Okay, focus on our mysterious guest. What do you feel?”

Renka concentrated on the Saudi’s mind. “Okay, she’s nervous. A little jumpy. She has to do something, but isn’t sure if it will work. She’s worried if it fails… someone will hurt her.”

“Who?”

“I don’t know.”

“Okay, what about Takabe? He must know more than he’s letting on.”

Renka switched her focus to Ryouta. “He’s excited. He’s getting something… something he wants badly. He doesn’t know everything, but doesn’t care. Wait, something’s happening.”

The Muslim nudged Ryouta, as if passing a signal. He got up and walked to Michiko’s table. He stood right in front of her and leaned over, establishing his dominance. Offended at this intrusion of her space, Michiko asked, “What do you want?”

“Hello, Nagasado-chan. I hear you’re running for Prom Queen.”

“Yes, I am. Do I have your vote?”

“No, I’d rather commit seppuku than vote for you.”

Every student in the surrounding area watched the confrontation, some with fear, and others with excitement. They wanted to see what Empress Michiko would do to this idiotic joker. “Is that so?” she asked, already contemplating what to make him do.

“Yes. You insult everyone, you think you’re so pretty and smart, you think you’re entitled to everything, but you know what? I think you’re a bossy bitch who doesn’t deserve to be the refreshments server let alone the Prom Queen.”

Michiko hid her anger. “Do you have any idea what I could do to you?”

“What? Make me lick your feet? I only lick decent shoes.”

“Tell you what… how about you strip naked and streak across the school?”

Gasps emerged from the crowd. Renka and Gen shook their heads, expecting him to do as commanded. However, Ryouta just stood in place and laughed. “Why would I want to do that?”

Michiko didn’t understand. It had always worked before. She poured more energy into her voice. “Come on, go streaking.” Her intended victim still laughed at the ludicrous order.

Gen asked his cohort, “Renka-chan, what’s going on? What’s he feeling?”

Renka tried to read Ryouta’s feelings, but she could sense nothing. “Gen-kun, I can’t feel anything. It’s not working.”

Ryouta looked at his Islamic friend, who nodded her approval. “Those eyes of yours are freaking me out, so I’ll be on my way. Maybe we can streak together some time.” He grabbed his soda and left the cafeteria, leaving Michiko stunned and embarrassed. The witnesses, still too scared to applaud, silently thought him a hero.

Michiko sat back down. “Why didn’t it work?”

As usual, Chisato tried to calm her down. “That guy was a total jerk. He had no right to say that.” Yukiko, usually the outspoken one, didn’t say a word. She looked at her food and tried to hide her worried face.

Kaijin, however, boiled in anger. How dare this bully insult and degrade his lover like that! He felt his hand ignite in flames under the table, so he extinguished the fire and followed Ryouta out.

Under her opaque mask, nobody saw the girl in the burqa smile.

***

Back on the rooftop, Renka reported the strange development to Chikara. “So let me get this straight…” she said. “You felt suspicious feelings from Takabe and his Arabic friend, and then he publicly humiliated Nagasado. She tried to control him, but it didn’t work?”

“Yes. He just laughed at her.”

“And your powers didn’t work either?”

“I couldn’t feel anything.”

Gen replied, “I knew something was wrong here. Why would both of your special gifts shut down at the same time? Unless…”

Chikara expected Gen to figure things out. “What’s your theory?”

“Today in class, I heard that special sounds can alter peoples’ minds. I figured Nagasado’s voice emits a certain frequency that stimulates the logic center of the brain, and Renka-chan can sense and alter feelings through sound waves that travel from the emotional center. One controls the left lobe, the other controls the right.”

The impressed Renka said, “That makes sense.”

“So I started to wonder if we could block out her commands by creating a counteracting frequency that neutralizes the one in her voice. It seems Takabe has beaten us to it.”

“But how?” asked Chikara. “He doesn’t sound like a science pro to me.”

Renka lit up. “Wait… what about the foreigner? This didn’t happen until she showed up.”

“Exactly,” said Gen. “That burqa is a perfect disguise for someone working undercover. I say we find and question her.”

Just then, the faint sound of the fire alarm echoed across the roof. Chikara opened the door to the staircase and saw the sirens flashing. “Great, what now?”

***

Earlier, Takabe Ryouta covertly entered the boys’ locker room. He inspected the area to ensure that no one could hear him and made a phone call. “Hey, it’s me. Yeah, it worked like a charm

she couldn’t do anything to me. No, I had no problem with the teachers. I want the rest of the cash by tonight. Hold on…” He heard the doors open, forcing him to end the conversation. “Talk to you later.”

Kaijin revealed himself to his target. Ryouta tried to ignore him, but the angered boy never broke his accusing stare. Finally, Ryouta acknowledged his presence. “Who the hell are you?”

“I’m Nokoribi Kaijin, Michiko-sama’s boyfriend.”

“That must be rough.”

“Why did you do that to her? Why did you say such awful things?”

“None of your business.”

“I’m her protector, so it is my business. Tell me why you humiliated Michiko-sama now!”

Ryouta laughed at his foe. “Dude, are you that much of a whipped puppy? Go change your tampon, I’m busy.”

With his anger at its peak, Kaijin’s hands and hair burst into flame. Ryouta could only stare in shock as the burning man crept towards him and backed him into a dead end of lockers.

“I’m not going to ask you again. Why did you hurt my Michiko-sama? Tell me!” Kaijin raised his hands and released two blasts of flame that singed his victim’s sides.

Now frightened out of his mind, Ryouta said, “Okay, I got paid to do it.”

“You got paid? By who?”

“Some white guy. He told me to bring the Muslim to school and provoke Nagasado. I had to say something to hurt her ego and make her do that mind control thing everyone says she does. He said it wouldn’t work on me.”

Kaijin lessened his torches. “This was a test. They wanted to see if they could disable her voice. It’s a conspiracy and you worked for them.”

“Come on, man, it was nothing personal. I just wanted the money. Let me go.”

Kaijin’s flames turned bluer as his fury increased. “You hurt my Michiko-sama! I’ll never forgive you!” He released another stream of fire and heard Ryouta’s screams echo throughout the locker room.

Moments later, he put out his flames and looked at what he had done. The sprinkler system tried its best to stop the fire, but the intensity of his inferno had already melted the lockers and blackened the walls. He wanted to feel bad when he looked at Ryouta’s charred corpse, but he really didn’t. Michiko’s safety from whoever wanted her was all that mattered. He increased his personal temperature to dry his clothes and left the crime scene.

***

The students and teachers quickly evacuated the school, mostly thinking a prankster had set off the alarm, but when the firefighters took too long and the paramedics entered with a stretcher, they realized this was no joke. With the students starting to panic, a police officer spoke to the crowd over a bullhorn, “Attention, school is canceled due to the fire. I repeat… school is canceled due to the fire. Go home.” Many satisfied students left, while some stuck around in hopes of finding out what had happened. The paramedics then wheeled out a covered body, answering that question.

Watching from a distance, Renka grabbed Gen and Chikara’s hands. “Oh no. Who was it?”

“I don’t know,” said Chikara. “He must’ve been burned in the fire. How could that happen?”

Gen had an idea. “Renka-chan, is your empathy working again?”

“Yes, no problem.”

“Scan the crowd. See if anyone knows anything.”

Happy to have her powers back, Renka felt the emotions of the students, faculty and rescue workers. “There’s so much confusion… sadness… they want to know who died and why. They’re scared. Wait, somebody’s angry. They’re looking for someone. No, now they’re out of my range.”

Kaijin searched for Ryouta’s partner through the crowd. Wearing that black burqa and missing her escort, she shouldn’t have been hard to find. After looking at the parking lot and seeing nothing, he realized that a member of a vast conspiracy wouldn’t escape in such an obvious way, especially with law enforcement surrounding the school. More likely, she would try to get out through the maintenance exit around the back.

He ran to the back of the building, and sure enough, he saw the veiled girl heading towards a black van with tinted windows. “Hey, come back here!” The Muslim turned to her pursuer and started to run to the vehicle. Kaijin ignited his hands and released another violent jet of flames, setting her disguise ablaze. She screamed in terror and pulled the burning garment off, finally revealing her true face.

Kaijin looked at the fair-skinned Caucasian whose fiery red hair could not have come from the Middle East. Above her golden shamrock necklace, her green eyes showed the surprise and fear from her mission going all wrong. After a moment of shock over her true appearance, Kaijin increased his flames. “Who are you? Why are you after my Michiko-sama?”

Too afraid to take chances, the redhead raised her hand and connected her thumb to the index finger. With a simple snap, Kaijin fell over in agony. It felt like a bomb had exploded in his ears, leaving nothing but sharp, excruciating pain and a constant ring. He rolled around in the grass and clutched his ears, too hurt to think straight.

As he struggled against the pain, the foreigner walked to the van. “Too bad. You were kind of cute.” She opened the door to the back seat and let the driver take her to safety. Before Kaijin could fire another blast at the van, it had driven out of his range. The redhead dialed a number and said, “It’s Clover. We have another problem.”

***

That evening, the students of Eisai High watched the news for any answers on who died and what caused the fire, but the local reporters did not reveal the vital details. Luckily, Gen’s sources in the police department disclosed the information. When he hung up with his trusted inside man, he turned to Chikara and Renka. “The body was charred to the bone, but they’re pretty sure it’s Takabe Ryouta. He’s the only student unaccounted for.”

Renka looked miserable. “That’s horrible. No one deserves to die like that.”

Thankful to have such a caring person in her life, Chikara put her arm around her friend. “First he brings some disguised person to school, then he challenges Michiko without being controlled, and then he gets burned to death? This is crazy. How do you even start a fire in a locker room?”

Gen replied, “My source says he appears to have been hit by a flamethrower, but that’s impossible. Who can sneak something like that into a high school and take it out without being seen in the crowd? Unless… oh damn.”

“What are you thinking?” asked Chikara.

Gen pointed to the lead case on the dresser. “You know what I’m thinking.”

“Someone has fire powers?”

“It makes perfect sense, but who would want to kill him? Maybe that Muslim girl wanted to shut him up. We never did find her.”

Renka remembered, “Hey… didn’t Nokoribi-san follow Takabe out of the cafeteria?”

“Who?” asked Gen, unfamiliar with Michiko’s cohort.

“You know, the boy with the blonde-dyed hair that sat next to Michiko? Yes, I remember, he left after Takabe insulted her. I couldn’t sense his feelings, but he looked really mad.”

Chikara asked, “Then how can he control fire? Wait… he was there when Michiko showed off her ring.”

“He must’ve stolen it,” said Gen.

“Only one way to find out.” Chikara opened her phone and dialed a number.

“Who are you calling?” asked Gen.

“Michiko. I need you to talk to her.”

“I thought we didn’t want her to know anything.”

“There’s been a murder, Gen-kun. The rules have changed. Here, talk to her, she’ll trust you more than us.”

Gen took the phone and said, “Mrs. Nagasado? Good evening, this is Kagekuro Gen and I really need to speak with your daughter. It’s an emergency.” When Michiko picked up, he continued, “Michiko-chan, hey, it’s Gen.”

“What do you want?”

“Listen, this is an emergency… you know that ring your father gave you?”

“What… how did you know?”

“Never mind, just tell me if you gave it to anybody.”

“No, you tell me first how you know about this.”

“Ughh… fine! That ring emits a radiation that gives people supernatural powers. That’s where your mind control comes from. Now, somebody is burning people and we think your ring is responsible, so tell me who has it.”

Michiko paused and processed the new information. “Supernatural powers? That’s crazy!”

“Look, Chikara-san’s mother could see the future. She warned us about things like this and it’s all coming true. Takabe Ryouta is dead! Someone burned him alive in school today! I know we’ve all been at each other’s throats, but if we don’t cooperate, more people are going to die! Now please, tell me who has the ring!”

“I gave it to Kaijin.”

“Crap! Listen, if you see him, call the police. You’re not safe.”

Michiko hung up, too scared and confused to listen any further. Before she could put these sudden revelations together, she received another call. She saw Kaijin’s name on her phone and immediately picked up. “Kaijin-kun? Is that you?” She heard no answer. “Talk to me.” Again, he didn’t speak. “Kagekuro Gen called me and said you burned Takabe today. Is that true? Did you kill him?”

Kaijin tried to explain himself, but the words just wouldn’t come out. His mouth felt like mush whenever he spoke, preventing him from warning her of the evil conspiracy that sought to take her from him. He remembered her earlier command to never speak to her again and realized his attempts wouldn’t work.

“Kaijin, answer me!” Her command would not work over the phone. Kaijin hung up and pounded his fist on his living room table. The only option he had left was to confront Michiko and tell her somehow, but what if the redhead or anybody else got to her first? He had no time to think anymore. He had to act.

Nokoribi Nobu stumbled into his living room with a half-empty bottle of Kloors beer, still inebriated from his after-work drinking binge. Kaijin hated when he got drunk. Nobu said, “Using my phone. Did you buy a new cell?”

“No, Dad, I had a busy day and I have more important things to worry about.”

“Don’t you talk to me like that, you ungrateful brat!” Nobu threw the beer bottle at the wall, and the noise hurt Kaijin’s damaged eardrums. “I took care of you when your bitch mother left, working construction twelve hours a day, and you act like a damn homo!”

Normally, Kaijin would profusely apologize at this point and take the punch, but the fire that burned in his heart could take no more. “No, Dad, you just drink all day to forget why Mom left, and you hit me and treat me like I’m nothing!”

“What did you say?” Nobu clenched his fists and prepared to use them.

“I killed someone today, Dad. I burned him alive in school. He was a bad person who hurt my Michiko-sama, and I made him pay. I’ll make them all pay… that white girl and anybody else who gets in my way, and you know what? I don’t think I need you anymore!”

Before the father could unleash his anger, the son ignited his entire upper body in scorching flames and fired them in every direction. The cheap walls and flammable furniture quickly caught the fire and spread it across the house. Nobu screamed in horror as the inferno consumed his flesh, but Kaijin ignored his cries and continued to release his blazes at everything he hated.

With the fire raging out of control, Kaijin left the house. His shirt had been incinerated, along with everything he owned, but he no longer cared. Only protecting Michiko mattered now. He ran into the nearby woods to formulate his next move.

Shorty afterwards, Gen, Renka and Chikara arrived at the burning Nokoribi residence, having obtained the address from Gen’s police source. Firefighters did their best to extinguish the flames while the trio of teenagers watched with dread. Witnesses described seeing Kaijin flee the scene shirtless and unharmed, making him the prime suspect. When the firefighters finally put out the blaze, rescue teams in fire proximity suits entered the site.

Renka felt their emotions from behind the perimeter of caution tape. “They’re worried… Okay, now they’re surprised… they found something… it’s really bad.”

“It’s a body,” said Gen. “Probably Nokoribi’s parent.”

“We have to stop him before anyone else dies,” said Chikara. “Gen-kun, if you really have all these sources, now’s the time to put them on alert.”

“Should Michiko know about this?” asked Renka. “He may come after her next.”

Chikara sighed, “You’re right. I only hope he still has that ring. We need to get it back before somebody else finds it.” Her cell phone rang, displaying her father’s number. “Dad?”

“Where are you?”

“We’re at a burning house. One of our classmates got the other ring and went insane. He’s killed two people, and he’s still on the loose.”

“Your classmate is killing people? Are you sure?”

“Yes, Dad.” Chikara couldn’t believe she had to say this… “We just found our first supervillain.”

CHAPTER 10

INFERNO

Mr. Mochizuki worked on a sudoku while Mr. Fukazawa listened to the situation on the phone. While they usually rushed to help man the hoses with the other firefighters, the chief assigned them to guard the station on this particular night.

Fukazawa hung up and told his coworker, “That was the chief. The house is toast, one body in the living room. Witnesses saw the kid who lived there fleeing the place. They’re ruling it arson.”

Mochizuki had a bad feeling. “Just like the school. That’s two in one day. What do you think? Serial arsonist?”

“I don’t see how a kid could almost burn down a school. What, did he breathe fire or something?”

The two firefighters heard a loud crash from the downstairs entrance. They ran to the brass pole and slid down to the ground floor, noticing a shirtless young man standing in the doorway. The doors lay on the cement in pieces, seemingly melted into liquid. Mr. Fukazawa yelled, “Hey, that’s the kid.”

“What are you doing here?” shouted Mochizuki.

“I need a fire suit. My clothes keep burning.” Kaijin expected more guards on duty, but he supposed the rest of the fire unit were still responding to his burning house.

Fukazawa took out his cell to call the chief. “Listen, kid, just stay calm and we’ll have the cops here to straighten this out.”

“I said… I want… a fire suit!” Kaijin ignited his palms and blasted them with twin barrages of flame. With his opponents out of the picture, he searched the station for a suitable costume. Amidst the collection of fire-resistant clothing, he found a silver fire proximity suit designed for entry into intense heat. He put on the boots, jacket, pants and hood. As he didn’t need to breathe as much as before, a side-effect of his unique talents, he left the breathing apparatuses in place.

***

Chikara woke up and started her workout, needing to keep alert in case Kaijin resurfaced at school that day. Midway through her usual set of thirty push-ups, she heard a knock at the door. Renka entered her room looking equally tired. “Good morning. School’s cancelled.”

Chikara had let Renka and Gen sleep overnight, figuring they were all safer together. “I kind of expected that. Are you okay?”

“I’m sleepy. We spent all night searching for Nokoribi-san. I’m going back to bed.”

“Fine, but we’re going to search for him all day today, so be prepared.”

Renka paced back to her guestroom like a zombie.

Chikara headed downstairs for breakfast, only to hear Gen talking to her father. “The power’s gone to his head.”

“Is that what happened with you?”

“Hey, I didn’t kill anybody. The worst I did was bump a few heads.” Gen then noticed Chikara and handed her the newspaper. “He struck again. He broke into the fire station, killed two firefighters and stole a protective suit.”

Chikara read the story and tried to hide her frightened expression. “Damn it, I can’t believe this. Four people are dead for no good reason. How could Nagasado give him that ring? That idiot.” She took a few breaths to calm herself down.

Gen allowed her to relax.“If he’s going after Michiko, we have to watch her. We’ll probably have to tell her about what happened in Africa.”

“She’ll probably make us tell her.”

Mr. Kaminari poured himself some orange juice and asked, “So… this boy is burning people left and right, and you want to look for him?”

Chikara said, “We’re the only ones who can, Dad. If the police find him, he’ll kill them too.”

“And don’t forget he still has Michiko’s ring,” Gen said. “He grows more powerful with every minute he wears it, and if the cops get a hold of it, this mess will blow up even more.”

“So we have to apprehend Nokoribi without getting barbequed, get the ring back from him and hope Michiko doesn’t make us kill ourselves. I can’t wait.”

Gen cut into his eggs. “A heads-up would have been great.”

“What do you mean?”

“You know… if somebody could see these things ahead of time and warned us, thus preventing these deaths? That would have helped.”

The two Kaminaris gave him a menacing glare, so he elaborated, “What? It’s a fair question. Why didn’t your mother tell us about this when we could have done something?”

Chikara didn’t know what to say. Would her mother really allow people to die so things would end in the best way? “Everything she planned worked out in the end.”

“Not for those four guys.”

“Enough,” said Mr. Kaminari. “You’ll figure it out eventually.”

Chikara and Gen finished their breakfast, wondering how they would track down Nokoribi Kaijin and what they would do when they found him.

An hour later, after forcefully waking Renka with the power of coffee, Gen called Michiko’s residence. Ms. Nagasado answered.

“Ms. Nagasado, it’s Kagekuro Gen again. I need to talk to Michiko.”

“I’m sorry, but she and her friends went out to celebrate the day off.”

“Do you know where she is?”

“No.”

Frustrated by the woman’s naiveté, Gen resisted the urge to raise his voice. “Can I have her cell number, please? It’s very important.”

After obtaining the number, Gen tried calling. After several rings, he heard, “Hello?”

“Michiko-san, it’s Gen. Listen…” The call immediately ended. “Damn it! She hung up on me.”

“I guess she’s still freaked out from yesterday,” said Renka.

Chikara shook her head. “Typical. A pyrokinetic serial killer is looking for her and she decides to go out and party.”

“Actually, if he can’t find her either, that might buy us some time,” replied Gen. “Hey, do you have her friends’ numbers?” Chikara found Chisato and Yukiko’s home numbers in her directory, so Gen called them and obtained their cell numbers from their parents. They did not answer. “They’re not picking up either.”

“Then I guess we have to find them ourselves.” Chikara asked her father, “Dad, can I borrow Mom’s car?”

“Of course. It’s your graduation present anyway.” Masakazu betrayed a happy grin. He had been saving this gift until after the ceremony, but this crisis seemed even more appropriate.

Chikara hugged him. She had always loved that Honda Inspire. “Thank you, daddy. I’ll take great care of it.”

“Okay, then. Let’s go find us a supervillain.”

***

Kaijin found himself running down an empty street in the desolate part of town that he called home. Just hours ago, needing to cover his stolen fire suit, he had broken into a clothing store. When he finished concealing his silver costume, a black Mitsubishi Lancer pulled up to the melted door and the man in the passenger seat tried to shoot him. Escaping through the back of the store, Kaijin had led them around the area until he was prepared to spring a trap.

Seeing the mysterious car in the distance, he ran from the alley into the open street to grab their attention. The vehicle swerved around and headed towards him, so he ran as fast as he could into an abandoned factory, the perfect place to pick them off. The Mitsubishi stopped and four muscular men got out, each holding a gun. They entered the factory and pointed their weapons in every direction. From his vantage point, Kaijin saw the colorful tattoos crawling along their exposed necks and arms, the identifying marks of the Yakuza.

The assassin in front looked to the youngest member and said, “Cover the exit.” The young man looked nervous and didn’t seem to have many tattoos. Kaijin figured him to be new to the life of organized crime. The leader then said to the others, “You guys come with me. He shouldn’t be armed.”

When the three experienced killers ventured further, Kaijin sprung his trap. He focused on the door and mentally excited the air particles surrounding it, causing the only exit to burst into a wall of fire. He concentrated harder to increase the heat, transforming the orange flames to blue and then white. With his assailants distracted and unable to escape, Kaijin ignited another fire in the center of the entrance, catching the three older gangsters instantly. They screamed as the raging inferno incinerated them, making the younger one panic and fire randomly into the factory. Hearing his empty clip, Kaijin walked out and dissipated the fire in the center, leaving only three charred husks on the floor. He kept the fire at the door going, preventing the survivor’s escape.

The hired killer tried to reload his weapon, so Kaijin lit a small fire on the man’s hand. He yelped in pain and dropped the gun. Kaijin walked over the burnt corpses and lit his own hands aflame, hoping to intimidate his prey. “What’s your name?” The terrified yakuza didn’t speak, so Kaijin increased the mass of the flaming door. “Your name!”

The gangster’s survival instinct overrode his code of honor. “Izo Kouji.”

“Who sent you?”

“I don’t know. Takahama handled everything.” He pointed to the charred body of the leader.

“Then you’re useless to me.” Kaijin aimed his flaming hands at Izo and prepared to cook him just like his partners.

“Wait!” cried the frightened assassin. “Takahama said a name in the car… some foreigner… it was… uh…”

“Who?” Kaijin expected a foreign name, due to his encounter with the redhead the day before.

“Galt! Yeah, John Galt!”

Kaijin didn’t recognize the name, but figured he must be connected to the redheaded girl. “Give me your phone.”

Izo took out his smart phone and did as instructed. No longer needing him, Kaijin incinerated him quickly with limited pain. He then used the phone to search the Internet. “Who is John Galt?” The search turned up thousands of websites, many with obvious political leanings, which asked that very question.

Kaijin learned that John Galt was a character from an influential book called Atlas Shrugged. He had heard of the novel, but never thought to read it. John Galt led a strike of businessmen and producers against an oppressive government, preaching an ideology of self-reliance and selfishness as a virtue. One quote summarized his beliefs: “I swear-by my life and my love of it-that I will never live for the sake of another man, nor ask another man to live for mine.”

Kaijin ended the search and left the factory disappointed. He could tell the mercenaries had been given an alias. The quote angered him too. He didn’t want to live his own miserable life. Only Michiko’s life mattered.

***

Chikara, Renka and Gen finished their noodles and paid their bill. “What time is it?” asked the exhausted Renka.

“6:05 in the PM. Are we ready to search again?” Gen could see his partners’ fatigue. They had looked all over the town’s hotspots for Michiko and her friends with no success. Nobody at the mall, carnival, mini-golf course, bowling alley, arcade or community pool had seen them. If peoples’ lives weren’t at stake, they probably would have given up.

A thought came to Chikara. “Hey, what’s that club on the south side of town?”

“You mean the Yandere?” Renka had been to the club before, but the unending string of perverts trying to pick her up made her boycott the place forever.

“Yeah, Hirono told me that Michiko loves that place. At this hour, she just might be there.”

The trio hopped back in the Honda Inspire, and Renka looked up the location on her smart phone. Gen, confined to the back seat at Chikara’s insistence, tried to start a crafty conversation. “Funny how we’re trying to save our arch-enemy, huh?”

Chikara said, “I wouldn’t call her that, Gen-kun.”

“Really? She fits all of the qualifications.”

Renka looked interested. “Enemy’s have qualifications?”

“Of course. The hero and their arch-enemy usually have a special connection, or they hurt the hero in some way. Also, they could be a dark reflection on the protagonist, like an evil twin. With Renka-chan, they used to be friends, but now hate each other, and by dating me, she wanted to make you jealous. With Chikara-san, her father had a… special thing with your mother, and now you two are at each other’s throats.”

“Thanks for reminding me,” Chikara scoffed.

“I’m serious. It’s like the animosity passed down in the bloodlines. As for me, I guess I’m just along for the ride. She’s just a stock enemy for me.”

“So she’s like our Joker?” asked Renka. “Or Dr. Doom?”

Despite her childhood spent reading her mother’s comic books, Chikara hated being involved in a geek’s conversation. “Renka, Nagasado Michiko is no Dr. Doom, Green Goblin or whatever. She’s just a stupid, selfish preppy girl who never thinks about others. She’s not our arch-enemy, she’s just a nuisance. Nokoribi is killing people, so I’d say he’s our number one concern right about now.”

“I hope you’re right,” said Gen. “It would be terrible if someone else is our arch-enemy. Someone we haven’t seen yet.”

“What do you mean?”

“Remember that Muslim girl that cancelled our powers? We don’t know who she is, how she did it, how she knew about Michiko’s ability, or what she really looks like under that cloak. I trust my instincts, and I have a feeling that this thing is bigger than we think.”

“We will know. If she comes back, we’ll get her.” Chikara had been wondering about the enigmatic spy as well, but stopping Nokoribi Kaijin’s rampage topped her agenda. “How much longer, Ren-chan?”

“It’s just a few miles away. Turn left at the second light there.”

***

Michiko, Yukiko and Chisato sat at their usual table in the club. Rather than mocking the bad singers, they tried to forget their latest problem with a little celebration. Chisato stretched her arms and said, “Thanks for taking us to that mall, Michiko, but why did we go so far? It had to be forty kilometers away.”

Michiko sipped her drink. “I just wanted to get away for a while.”

“With school cancelled, it was a special occasion.” Yukiko seemed much happier about the abrupt day off than the others. “Too bad Kaijin-kun couldn’t come with us. He looked so handsome yesterday.”

The henchmen noticed Michiko cringe. Yukiko asked, “What’s wrong?”

Chisato already knew. “Didn’t you see the news? Kaijin-kun’s house burned down and his father got killed, and he’s the prime suspect. The police have been looking for him all day.”

This surprised Yukiko. “Wow, that’s… that’s horrible.”

“It has to be a misunderstanding. Kaijin-kun wouldn’t kill anyone, right, Michiko?”

She didn’t answer. Gen’s disturbing phone call from yesterday dominated her mind, raising more questions than she wanted to learn the answers to. When Gen, Chikara and Renka unexpectedly showed up at her table, she groaned and said, “I don’t want to hear it.”

Chikara didn’t want to talk to her either, but she had no choice. “Naga… Michiko, look, this is important.”

Gen said, “We’ve been looking all over town for you all day. Why didn’t you answer our calls?”

Michiko replied, “I’m not in the mood.” Yukiko and Chisato then understood why she asked them not to answer their phones.

Renka took out Kaminari Mika’s manuscript and threw it on the table. “Chikara’s mother wrote this. It explains everything, especially Maxwell Chillingworth.” She then filled the henchmen’s heads with uneasy feelings, just as Gen had suggested.

Yukiko said, “I don’t feel good. I think I need some air.” Chisato joined her.

With her cohorts gone, Michiko stared at the story without any desire to read it. Renka felt her trepidation and forced it to change to curiosity. Thanks to this unusual change of heart, Michiko grabbed the document. Renka continued to scan her feelings, interested to discover her reaction.

***

Outside, Yukiko lit up a cigarette while Chisato kept her distance. “I wish you would quit those things, Yukiko. They shorten your life span and make you smell terrible.”

“I know. I’ll get around to it.” She inhaled another puff and felt her anxiety decrease.

“I don’t know why you’re so jittery lately. Is it because of graduation?”

“No.” Yukiko turned her head away, ashamed to be seen.

“What then? Is it because of our trip to New York?”

“I don’t think we’re going.”

“What? Why not?”

Yukiko exhaled deeply before admitting her secret. “I did something for money and… I think I got involved in something I shouldn’t have.”

“What did you do?”

“You know about my parents’ money problems, right? On Monday, someone approached me and offered me a lot of money if I did a favor for her. I had to convince Michiko to get a passport and become the Prom Queen.”

“What? Who would pay you to do that?”

“Some foreign girl. She had red hair and spoke perfect Japanese, and she offered me 854,700 yen.”

“A foreigner? Why such a random number?”

“I checked and found that it’s about 10,000 dollars in the United States. I mean, I didn’t think much of it, and I needed the money… it all seemed harmless… but now with all these people dying and Kaijin the suspect… I don’t know what I’ve done.” She put the cigarette back in her mouth, and then spit it out when it burst into flame. Yukiko noticed Kaijin standing at the side of the building and accusing her with his stare.

“Kaijin-kun?” said Chisato. “What are you doing here?”

He kept his gaze on Yukiko and replied, “I’ve been looking for John Galt’s agents all day… when one was here all along.”

Yukiko asked, “Who is John Galt?”

“The man who wants to take my Michiko-sama away from me. For that, she needs a passport out of the country, and you helped him.”

“Kaijin-kun… just calm down… let’s talk about this…”

The two girls backed up in fear as Kaijin’s body exploded in flames, burning off everything but his fire proximity suit and Michiko’s ring. Chisato panicked and ran back into the club, but Yukiko could only stare in disbelief. “How… how are you…?”

“Michiko-sama gave me the power to protect her from all of her enemies… all of them!” Yukiko felt her skin boil as the air around her ignited in blaze. She ran after Chisato back into the club, and Kaijin followed, vowing to have his revenge.

***

Michiko put down the manuscript and shook her head. “I don’t believe this.”

“You better start believing it,” said Chikara. “These rings are dangerous in the wrong hands, like your boyfriend’s.”

“He’s not my boyfriend.”

“Whatever he is, he’s been killing people, and we need to stop him. Why did you even give him that ring in the first place?”

Michiko broke eye contact. “I just… I didn’t want to think about my dad anymore.”

Renka felt her inner pain and almost put her hand on Michiko’s shoulder to comfort her, but she stopped herself.

“But I didn’t even wear that ring until last Tuesday, and I’ve been controlling people before that.” continued Michiko. “Why didn’t I need it then?”

Gen said, “I’ve thought about that. I think your father passed this ability onto you, so you have it naturally. The ring just increased it. Wait, you wore it Tuesday?”

“Yeah, why?”

“That must mean your control has increased. Instead of a few hours, it may now be permanent. Did you… say something to Nokoribi to make him do all this?”

Her words from the fateful night she gave into weakness rang through her head. “I need you. Protect me.” Rather than share this embarrassing secret, she shook her head. “No.”

Renka felt the stinging sensation in her brain. “You’re lying. What did you say to him?”

The sound of screams ended the conversation. Chisato and Yukiko ran into the club in terror, a stream of blue flames following them through the entrance. The other partying teens could only look in disbelief as Kaijin ran through the door engulfed in fire and shot lines of blazes at the horrified girls.

“Son of a bitch,” said Gen. “There he is!” They all watched as Kaijin collected a huge fireball in his hands and shot it at Yukiko’s back. She screamed and fell onto the dance floor, no longer a girl but a sizzling ball of flame. Shrieks echoed throughout the club as panicked teens bolted to the exits.

Officer Maeda saw the boy with the burning hands and drew his gun. “Freeze! Drop the… fire…” Kaijin increased his heat instead, prompting the policeman to shoot him. The bullets passed through the field of intense heat and hit the silver fire suit as harmless blotches of melted metal. Kaijin then neutralized the threat with another jet of flames.

Renka felt the cop and Yukiko’s agony and ran to her side. Chikara kicked open the glass cover of a fire extinguisher and ran to help them, praying she wasn’t too late. Gen stood in front of Michiko and held her back.

His body still raging with blaze, Kaijin faced Michiko and tried to tell her of the conspiracy. He wanted to warn her of her friend’s betrayal and of John Galt, but the words wouldn’t escape his lips due to her earlier command. Michiko couldn’t speak either, as the horror of seeing Yukiko burning alive rendered her mute. Disguising his fear, Gen tried to calm him down. “Kaijin, listen… I know this is a lot to take in… I know you’re scared… but you have to stop now. Nobody else has to get hurt.”

“You don’t understand, they’re after her. The foreigners want to take her away from me.”

Gen turned to Michiko. “Use your power on him. Make him stop!” Too frightened to understand or comply, Michiko pushed him aside and ran to Yukiko. Chikara had extinguished the flames, leaving only a scared, whimpering mess of charred flesh clinging to life by a thread. Michiko grabbed Yukiko and called her name, but her very touch hurt the burnt girl even more. Renka felt her agony as if it was her own, but she felt nothing from the cop, proving he was dead already.

Gen called out, “Get her out of here. I’ll take care of him.”

“Gen-kun, no! He’ll kill you too!” Renka cried.

“I’ll be alright. Just call the cops… and the fire department… call everyone.”

Chikara and Renka picked Yukiko up, despite her cries of pain, and ran her to the exit. Michiko followed, so Kaijin tried his best to yell to her with no success. With this distraction, Gen looked for some way to shut off the lights. He spotted the fuse box behind the drink counter and dashed to it, leaping over the incinerated guard along the way. Before Kaijin could react, Gen opened the box and switched off the main fuses, engulfing the nightclub in darkness.

Kaijin lit himself on fire to create light and wondered why Kagekuro would do that. Then a giant, dark figure with boxing gloves appeared behind him and punched him in the face. The light from his flames had weakened the attack, but it still had enough force to knock him to the dance floor. A small army of dark samurai materialized all around him and got ready to charge with their swords. Kaijin increased the brightness of his flames. “You have powers too? You must be working for him.”

Peeking from behind the counter, Gen asked, “Working for whom?”

“John Galt. The man trying to take her. Tell me

who is John Galt?”

“John Galt is a one-dimensional, cardboard cutout character from a poorly-written piece of capitalist propaganda!” Gen ordered his shadow warriors to strike. Kaijin shot two jets of flame to dissipate two, but four more closed in on him and struck their swords against his joints. He fell in pain and exploded again, taking the shadows out. Gen created more boxers, hoping to knock him unconscious, but Kaijin burned himself so brightly, the shadowy creations faded before they could get close enough. Realizing his opponent had figured out his inconvenient weakness, Gen decided on a new strategy.

As Kaijin continued to burn as brightly as he could, preventing the strange shadows from getting close, a table flew through the air and hit him in the back. The boxers threw bottles, chairs and other solid objects that would not disappear when exposed to light. Forming a shield of intense heat, Kaijin blew the projectiles away with his powerful force and searched for his elusive foe. “Let’s see you hide in this!” Charging the heat within his body, he blasted blue fire in every direction, setting the curtains and walls ablaze. With nowhere to hide, scorching heat everywhere and ashes flying through the air, Gen knew he had to finish this up close.

Outside, the escapees watched the building ignite in flames. Many called the authorities, while some used their phones to record the blaze and put it on the Internet. With the terrified Michiko and Chisato looking after Yukiko, Renka looked at the burning nightclub and said, “I have to go back.”

“Are you out of your mind? That place is an inferno! You’ll suffocate before you get in!” Chikara tried to hold her back.

“I have the power to stop him, Chi. You didn’t wear the ring, so you don’t. I have to… I have to save Gen-kun!” She ran through the crowd straight into the club. Chikara, now regretful of her rejection of the ring’s power, ran in after her.

Gen poured all of his concentration into holding his dragon’s form together, adding more darkness to it as the fire’s light weakened it. The black monster picked up the DJ’s platform and tossed it at Kaijin. Unable to blow it back, Kaijin blasted his full force to the ground and propelled himself backward like a jet. Dodging the platform, he ignited the air around the dragon and made it disappear. Gen coughed and ducked to the ground to avoid inhaling the thick smoke that grew with each passing moment. He knew he had to end this fight immediately, and that meant hitting Kaijin with everything he had.

Gen formed large blocks of darkness over his opponent and sent them crashing into him, but Kaijin’s personal field of fire destroyed them before they landed. Kaijin sent out more lines of flame in every direction. “Why can’t you all leave me alone? All of you! Why can’t I just have Michiko-sama without you all getting in the way?”

He felt guilt and sorrow fill his mind fill. He dropped to his knees as his heart lost all will to live. He felt so sad and sluggish, he wanted to fall into darkness and never leave. He spotted Renka standing near the burning entrance concentrating on him. “You’re… you’re doing this! Go away!” Kaijin gathered the most powerful blue inferno he could imagine and fired it at her.

Time seemed to stop as the terrible stream of fire approached Renka. She froze in panic, too scared to even scream. Before the flames could reach their target, Gen jumped in front of her and held them off with a thick black shield. He emptied his dark force into his blockade, but the light and heat soon overpowered him, obliterating his shield and pushing him back into Renka. His body protected her but absorbed the full impact of the blast. Renka kneeled over him and looked at his charred body. She took off her jacket and smothered the flames on his clothes. Gen could only moan in pain.

Kaijin stalked toward them, ready and willing to finish them off for good. Before he could fire another blast, he heard footsteps coming from his right. Chikara ran at him, her bokken in her grip and more angry fire in her face than he could ever generate. She leaped off a table and held her weapon high, preparing to strike a mighty blow. Kaijin shot her in midair with a continuous stream of flames. Renka watched in horror, paralyzed from the fear, but Chikara ignored the flamethrower and pressed forward.

Kaijin could only stare in disbelief as the girl passed through his steam of fire and swung her sword with all her strength, bashing him upside the head with enough force to crack his skull. Kaijin fell over unconscious on the dance floor, and the flames covering his burning body finally extinguished.

Chikara patted away the flames covering her clothes. Then she removed the ring from the finger of her fallen enemy, slipped it in her pocket and carried him to the exit. “Renka, get Gen out of here now!” Renka did as she was told, and both girls left the nightclub before the raging fire covered the exit. Just as they reached safety to the amazement of the crowd, the paramedics and fire department finally arrived.

As the police questioned the witnesses and the firefighters trained their hoses on the nightclub, the paramedics lifted Gen onto a gurney and rolled him to the ambulance. The terrified Renka followed him. “Gen-kun, are you alright? Speak to me!”

Gen removed the oxygen mask over his mouth and tried to talk. “Renka-chan… I don’t… think I can go to prom with you now.”

Although still fearful for his life, Renka was thankful that he would be alright. She also felt his own happiness, both from beating the villain and saving her. “It’s okay. You’re a hero… my hero… and that’s all that matters.” Losing all inhibition, she leaned over and kissed him. It kind of hurt his burnt skin, but he still loved it.

After seconds of true bliss, the paramedics forced them apart and loaded Gen into the ambulance. Before they closed the doors, Gen smiled back at Renka and said, “Don’t worry. I’ve got universal health care.”

Chikara watched the scene and felt her heart go numb. Gen showed true bravery back there, and he even took a blast of fire to save Renka. She watched the lovebirds kiss and decided to forgive Gen for his previous crimes. He had proven that he was right for Renka after all. She then looked to the other side of the parking lot and saw a less inspiring scene. Michiko and Chisato held each other and cried as the paramedics pulled the white sheet over Yukiko and rolled her into the ambulance.

Her heart full of rage, she walked over to them. When Michiko noticed her, Chikara lost control and slapped her as hard as she could. “This is your fault, you stupid bitch! You used your power selfishly and controlled Nokoribi, and now all these people are dead.”

“Chikara…”

“I hate you! I hope you die too!” She walked away in disgust, leaving Michiko shocked, insulted and guilty. Not even Chisato’s hugs could comfort her.

Chikara embraced Renka and asked, “Do you want to follow them to the hospital?”

Renka felt Michiko’s suffering from across the parking lot. She had never felt such a paralyzing sorrow in her life, even before she felt the sadness of others. She walked across the parking lot and embraced her enemy, letting her cry into her shoulder. Years of animosity, jealousy and hate seemed to rinse away as the two shared in each other’s misery. When she noticed the ambulance taking off, she let go of her and said, “It’s not your fault.” She wiped away her tears and told Chikara, “Let’s go.”

***

That night, Nagasado Nyoko cuddled her hysterical daughter. Michiko hadn’t stopped crying since the police drove her home. Nyoko couldn’t imagine losing a friend at such a young age. “It’s okay, honey. Just let it all out.”

Michiko tried to form words through her sobs. “It’s my fault… I controlled him and… he killed her. It’s all my…”

“Hush, now. It’s not your fault. You didn’t make anybody kill anybody. It’s okay.”

She couldn’t feel secure even in her mother’s arms. Chikara’s true words stung to her core. She treated Kaijin like a slave, showed no concern for his feelings, led him to her bed and then cast him out of her life. She built him up and then tore him down, and this horrible treatment had driven him mad. She hated him for killing Yukiko and the others, she hated her father for giving her that ring and her cursed voice, she hated Chikara for just knowing of her shame and Renka for forgiving her, but most of all, she hated herself for existing.

“I want to go to bed now.”

Her mother got up to leave. “Do you want to sleep with me tonight?”

“Go away.”

Nyoko left without another word. After sitting on her bed sobbing for what seemed like hours, Michiko reached into her work drawer and pulled out her red box cutter. Her hand trembled as she clicked the button and pushed the blade forward. She heard it would all be over quick if she cut across the wrists vertically. Tears streamed down her cheeks and her fingers lost all sensation as she tried to gather the courage to go through with it. Her chest felt like an empty hole and her legs turned to putty. He didn’t want the pain anymore. She had to make it go away.

Before she could end her misery, her television turned itself on, showing nothing but static. She gasped in surprise, then grabbed the remote and turned it off. She focused back on her wrists, but the TV activated again. This time, the static cleared up to show an image of a kneeling man holding the world on his shoulders. A coiled snake lay in the center of the world, ready to strike whatever came close.

“Good evening, Michiko.”

She froze and stared wide-eyed at the TV. The unfamiliar voice spoke in a low, creepy tone that scared her even more than the blade in her hands.

“Do you know who this is?” asked the unknown broadcaster. “It’s the guy who’s going to torture and murder your mother if you don’t drop that box cutter.”

Michiko could only stare in shock. She looked around the room for anybody else, but saw nothing.

“See, you’re very important to me… to all my plans… and if you’re not around, well… I’m going to be very angry, and I’ll have to take it out on poor little mommy. Who knows what I’ll do? Maybe I’ll tie her up and hold a blowtorch to her face. Yeah, I’ll just hold it there for a while and listen to her scream before I turn it on. Works every time. Or maybe I’ll do it with a chainsaw… not the little ones for branches… I’m talking the whole tree, here. I don’t know… it has a classic feel to it. Maybe I’ll pour acid on her face… drip by drip by drip… and hit her with a baseball bat

wood, not metal. I can’t think of anything worse than that, but if you have any ideas, I’d love to hear them.”

The man on the TV chuckled to himself, enjoying the horrible thoughts of what he planned to do to her mother. Michiko dropped the box cutter and trembled in absolute terror.

“Good girl. I knew you’d come to your senses. Now listen… I need you firm and healthy for what’s about to come, so get a good night’s sleep. Oh, and don’t worry about that little… problem of ours. I’ll take care of it. Good night. Oh, and remember

I’m always watching.”

The TV turned itself off. Michiko watched the blank screen, waiting for the image to come back. When it didn’t, she fell asleep with the lights on.

***

Kaijin woke from his short coma, his vision cloudy and his ears ringing. His head felt like a semi truck had smashed into it at full speed. He promised to pay Kaminari Chikara a visit later.

When his senses came back, he realized he was in a hospital and someone had cuffed both hands to the stretcher. He figured a guard or two stood outside his room right now. Fools. Do they really think they can hold me? He ignited his arms and burned them as hot as they could get, melting the cuffs off. He thought about all the revenge he would soon take on his opponents and anybody else who threatened Michiko.

Just then, the window shattered from the inside outward, letting the cool breeze inside the room. Staring bug-eyed at the unexplained phenomenon, Kaijin felt his body becoming lighter. He looked around and noticed that he floated over the bed. A powerful force then threw him from the stretcher and into the open window. He grabbed hold of the sill and held on as an increasing vacuum pulled him further away from his room. At last, the suction became too strong. Kaijin lost his grip and floated ten stories over the hospital parking lot. He had always been scared of heights, so he panicked and screamed to the empty cars.

Hearing a faint laugh, he turned his head forward and saw a man in a black coat floating just meters away. The handsome man looked back at him and smiled like a cat playing with a doomed mouse. Kaijin knew he had finally come face to face with John Galt.

“Sorry about this, Kaijin,” said the stranger, “but I can’t have you harming her.” He reached his fist forward and extended the thumb. “That privilege belongs to me.”

Kaijin concentrated on the air surrounding his enemy to incinerate him quickly, but his hovering opponent moved faster. He jerked his extended hand into a thumbs-down and let Kaijin plummet to the ground. As he fell, Kaijin looked once more at the floating man and realized that all was lost. He smashed into a parked car and released a final explosion with his dying breath, creating a fireball so destructive it set off the nearby car alarms.

The floating man flew away with a sinister grin on his lips. “This god

this one word:”

“I.”

CHAPTER 11

CALM BEFORE THE STORM

Renka woke up expecting to see Gen’s handsome face next to her, but saw his bandaged body cast instead. When she stretched herself out of her waking dream, she remembered that Gen had been sent to the emergency room and treated for his injuries. She and Chikara had spent the night looking after him so his family wouldn’t have to miss their jobs.

Chikara still slept in the other hospital bed. Creeping carefully so as not to wake her, Renka leaned over Gen’s bed and snuck a look at him. The second-degree burns would take two to three weeks to heal, meaning he would have to skip school and the prom. Renka groaned when she heard. She wouldn’t have minded wheeling him to the prom on his gurney.

Chikara flopped over and opened her eyes. “Renka? What time is it?”

She looked at her cell phone. “It’s 9:30.”

Chikara rolled off the bed and started her push-ups. “I really need a shower.”

“I think we all do.” Renka peeked through the shutters, not wanting to wake Gen from his much-needed rest. “Chi… take a look at this.”

Chikara looked through the blinds and saw the huge crowd that had gathered in the hospital lot. News vans covered the streets, and reporters from the major networks talked in front of cameras. The civilians watched the grisly scene and hoped for something phenomenal to happen. “Why are they here?” asked Renka.

“All those people at the club saw Kaijin burning the place, so the media is here to report it. This is the absolute last thing we need.”

“Do you think they know about us?”

“They better not. We were so careful.”

Renka noticed her best friend’s hand. “Chi, you’re wearing the ring.”

Chikara looked at her hand with a sigh. “Yeah… I guess I can’t resist Mom’s plan any longer.”

“How do you feel? Any changes?”

“No. I don’t feel any different.”

“About time.” Gen groaned through the irritation that stung his whole body.

“Gen-kun! You’re awake!” Overwhelmed with happiness, Renka hugged him as tightly as she could. Gen shouted, “OWWWWWWW!”

“Oh, geez, I’m so sorry.”

“It’s fine. At least the nerves are still intact.” He wanted painkillers.

Just then, a female nurse entered the room, leaving two cops in the hallway. “Good morning, girls. The police are here to question Mr. Kagekuro, so you need to exit the room.”

“But Gen-kun needs to sleep so he can heal,” said Renka.

“I’m sorry, but this is important,” said one of the intruding officers. “There’s been arson and murders all over town and now the suspect is dead. This boy has some questions to answer.”

“Wait, what do you mean the suspect is dead?” asked Chikara.

The other cop said, “Nokoribi Kaijin jumped out of his window last night and hit a car. You didn’t hear the explosion?”

“He jumped and exploded on a car?”

“Yes. You can wait in the lobby while we talk to your friend here.”

Chikara had to be sneaky. “Gen, these fine police officers want to ask you about the fire at the club last night… where you bravely talked to the killer while everybody fled and helped take him into custody.”

“Oh yeah, sure. I’ll tell you all about it. Can I have some painkillers first?”

Confident that he would keep the intimate details secret, Chikara and Renka left. Renka beamed her feelings of admiration into him just before she walked out, and Gen replied with a wink.

The girls headed to the parking lot on the opposite side of the hospital to investigate Kaijin’s demise. A crowd had gathered around the destroyed car, and the reporters stood as close as they could without showing too much of the gruesome scene. Renka held her mouth and looked away, but Chikara studied the charred body that could still be seen through the wreckage. This proved that his fireproof skin had returned to normal after death, so at least the coroner wouldn’t be making any unwanted inquiries.

“This is horrible. Can we go?” Renka looked ready to vomit.

“It’s too far away. He wouldn’t have fallen this far from ten stories up.” Chikara looked up to the shattered window. “We have to look in that room.”

“But the police will be all over it.”

“Not with you around.”

After an elevator ride to the tenth floor, the duo made their way to the crime scene. Cops surrounded the floor and questioned the nurses and patients. Renka did as instructed and filled the police with a nauseating feeling of emptiness. One by one, the officers left the room and headed to the bathrooms, leaving the girls free to inspect the premises. Chikara closely observed the room, especially the window. “The gurney has scorch marks, but the window doesn’t look burned at all. It looks pushed outward.”

“Yeah, because he jumped out of it, right?”

“But why crash through when he could just incinerate the glass? He had no problem torching everything else in his way.” She looked out the broken window at the scene below. The car where he landed must have been ten meters away from the building. “Yes, the car is too far away. There’s no way he climbed out and dropped.”

“Do you mean somebody pushed him?”

“I don’t know what to think.”

Just then, a cop returned from the bathroom feeling much better. “Hey, what are you doing there? This is a crime scene.”

Renka filled his mind with pity so that he would understand Chikara’s excuse. “We’re sorry, sir, but Kaijin-kun was our friend and we wanted to see it. We’ll leave now.”

“Alright, but stay out of trouble.” The two teens then left, both more confused than before. They headed back to Gen’s room to share their findings.

***

Things returned to normal over the weekend. Though the media dedicated a huge chunk of their coverage to the strange events in the area, it wasn’t long before bigger, more reportable stories popped up in other cities. Chikara wasn’t focused on the news. She was more interested in what the ring would do to her. All day Saturday, she still felt the same. She woke up Sunday perfectly normal as well. She considered wearing both of the rings at once, but the grisly thought of her mother’s cancer-ridden body put an end to that thought.

That Monday, Chikara and Renka returned to school expecting everyone to ask about the incident. As they approached the bushes outlining the walkway, five familiar young swordsmen leapt out from behind them, posing in their usual battle stance.

Chikara groaned and routinely pulled her bokken. “Come on, guys, I’m really not in the mood today.”

Kidou Hiroshi, the irritating captain of the Male Kendo Club, approached her. “Kaminari Chikara… I have decided to run for Prom King.”

“Yeah, I heard.”

“Every king needs his queen, so I propose a challenge. If I defeat you, you will be my date. If you win, I won’t bother you again.”

Chikara lowered her weapon. “A battle… for prom?” She giggled, and then burst out laughing. “Why don’t you just ask me?”

“Ask you?”

“Yes, ask me to the prom like a gentleman. It will impress me a lot more than your mediocre fighting skills.”

Hiroshi lowered his weapon and cleared his throat. His underlings in the Male Kendo Club did the same. Renka scanned Hiroshi’s thoughts and felt both the fear of rejection and the building courage to overcome it. The boy approached Chikara, kneeled on one knee and asked, “Kaminari Chikara… will you go to prom with me?”

She laughed at his incompetence, finding it cute rather than annoying for the first time. “Yes, Kidou-kun, I will.”

Renka felt Hiroshi’s explosion of excitement, but saw him keep a straight face. “Thank you. I’m sure we’ll have fun.”

After they exchanged numbers, the surprised Renka asked, “Chi, why did you say yes? I thought you didn’t like him.”

“He’s the first one with the balls to ask me. He may fall short of worthiness, but he’s closer to it than any other boy in this school.”

“Ha! You’ll never find a man.”

“Plus, his club has additional uses… more votes for you, and tickets for our club to the prom.”

“What do you mean?”

“You have to be a senior or the date of a senior to go to the prom, right? The Male Kendo Club has just enough seniors so when paired with the Female Kendo Club…”

“Then everyone can go. Chi, you’re a genius.”

“What about you? With Gen in the hospital, are you taking something else?”

“Don’t worry… I have a plan.”

***

An aura of curiosity blanketed the school. Everybody talked about what had happened at the nightclub, or rather what they heard had happened. Some said that Kaijin attacked the place with a flamethrower, while others argued that he had lit himself aflame in a fit of insanity and ran into the club in a panic. Some claimed that Kagekuro Gen had heroically battled the pyromaniac, but received terrible burns in the process. Others brought up Chikara’s intervention, especially the Female Kendo Club, who congratulated their leader on her successful victory. Many more said that Michiko had driven Kaijin crazy. The students had many questions for those involved, but none of them wanted to discuss it.

In their shared classroom, Chikara and Renka didn’t even look at Michiko and Chisato. Their combined sorrow depressed Renka so badly, she forced her empathy off and had to concentrate throughout the day to keep it that way. The two candidates didn’t even talk about the prom, much less bother to campaign, even with the election in two days.

During the break, the girls met as usual on the roof. Having heard the stories of how she dragged the unconscious killer out of the nightclub, everybody looked at Chikara like a god. Yui asked, “Did you really defeat him, Chikara-sama?”

“I heard you carried him over your back out of the burning building, and it looked like a movie,” said Hirono.

Chikara wasn’t prepared for this boost in celebrity. “Guys, it was nothing. I ran in, hit him with my bokken and ran out. Gen did most of the work.”

Kayoko asked, “Can anybody defeat you, Chikara? It’s like you’re invincible.”

Chikara remembered how Kaijin’s flames didn’t hurt her. “I guess I’m just tougher than average.”

Takako asked, “But what about Nokoribi-san? Why did he kill himself afterwards? Was it because of Nagasado?”

Renka felt Tomo’s growing sadness. She had a thing for Kaijin before this whole mess, and now she felt terrible about his mass murder and sudden demise. “Don’t worry, Tomo-chan. I’ve seen a lot of guys giving you the eye.”

Tomo’s mood lightened. “Really?”

Chikara didn’t like where this conversation headed. “Look, I know you guys are excited about this whole thing, but maybe you should be less curious. Right, Renka?” Renka understood the coded message and ended their curiosity.

After turning their interest into apathy, Renka changed the subject. “So, are you guys ready to campaign for me tomorrow?”

“We sure are,” said the confident Mayumi. “I’m gonna pass your picture around my entire class.

Hirono sighed at the freshman’s plan. “Mayumi-chan, only the seniors can vote.”

“Really? Awwwww.”

Renka laughed. “Tell them anyway. Maybe they can influence some seniors.”

“Will do.”

“Why tomorrow?” asked Kayoko. “We still have half of today.”

“They’re honoring the victims today. It wouldn’t be right.”

That afternoon, the school held a memorial ceremony in the gymnasium. The entire student body gathered in the gym to honor and grieve for Takabe Ryouta, Sasaki Yukiko and Nokoribi Kaijin. The students walked past the collage of pictures donated by the families. The photographs of Yukiko usually showed her having fun with her friends and posing as a model, her desired career. Renka and Chikara remembered what she looked like after her burns, a horrible comparison to her seductive photo shoots.

Ryouta pretended to ride motorcycles in his pictures. He drove through a forest’s dirt road on a four-wheeler, giving a thumbs-up when he finished. Kaijin’s only photo was from the year book. He looked sad and lonely, a bleak yet accurate portrayal of his life.

The students sat on the bleachers and listened as the principal, teachers and grief councilors spoke at the podium. Ryouta’s brother Junichiro gave an emotional speech about his younger brother’s love for life and bright future, but he broke down and cried before he could describe all they used to do as kids. In front of everyone, he kneeled before his brother’s small memorial and said a prayer.

As Yukiko’s parents took the stage and tried to keep from sobbing, Renka whispered to Chikara, “I don’t feel much sadness in this crowd. Some of the girls are kind of glum, but I mostly feel boredom.”

“I’m not surprised. One was a preppy girl, one was a murderer and the other was a jerk.”

“You’re sad, but not too much.”

“I’m sad because I know what really happened and I saw Yukiko die. I didn’t like her, but she didn’t deserve that. Everyone else… they only care about their own lives. They’ll sympathize, but just continue as normal tomorrow.”

The two became silent as Yukiko’s mother finally broke down and collapsed. The terrible grief became too much for Renka, so he turned off her empathy.

Michiko and Chisato watched from the front row and started to sob as well. Chisato still couldn’t believe her best friend was gone, and at the fiery hands of another friend. Michiko felt a worse emotion. Her guilt over what she had made Kaijin do made her feel heavy and empty, like she had been tied to a boulder and sinking into the ocean. Fear accompanied the grief. Whoever called her and threatened her mother could have been watching at that very moment.

When the ceremony ended, the administrators sent the students home early to reflect. After disregarding the sad event, they planned on finishing their homework, hanging with friends or preparing their attire for the upcoming prom.

***

On Tuesday, Renka and Michiko continued their campaigns for Prom Queen. With the election the next day, time was running short.

During their break, Michiko and Chisato sat at their table in the hall wishing Yukiko could be there with them. Chisato passed the students fruit punch while Michiko told them, “Vote for me. Vote for me. Vote for me.”

Chisato could see the sadness in her face. “Do you still want to do this?”

She said without looking, “Yeah, I’m fine.”

“Are you going to the funeral?”

She paused before answering, “Yeah.”

“Michiko… I have something to admit. I’ve been keeping it secret because I’m scared but… I can’t hold it in anymore.”

“What?”

“The night of the fire… Yukiko told me that somebody paid her to make you get a passport and become the Prom Queen.”

“Paid her? Who?”

“She said it was a white girl with red hair. Then, Kaijin-kun appeared and accused her of working for… John Galt. Yeah, that was the name he used. John Galt.”

“John Galt?” That must have been the man who spoke to her that night. “What does he want with me?”

“What, you believe him? He was crazy. And fire burst out of his hands! I saw it!”

“I know, Chisato. I’ll be back.” Michiko headed to the computer lab and researched John Galt. She could only find material related to Atlas Shrugged. The various covers of the book displayed the same picture of a man holding the world that her television showed her, only without the snake in the middle. She dropped her head onto the keyboard in despair. Another stalker. Who are you?

***

After they matched the dates of the two kendo clubs, Chikara and Renka visited Gen in his hospital room. Renka brought flowers, but the nurses wouldn’t allow them inside due to the risk of germs. Gen’s body had been covered with fresh bandages and didn’t need a face cover anymore, a sure sign of improvement. “I missed you,” he said.

“Gen-kun, I was here yesterday,” said Renka with a smile.

“Still too long.”

Chikara asked, “So how is the treatment going?”

“I had my first skin grafts today. It hurt like hell. The doctors say my chest is permanently scarred and I probably shouldn’t take my shirt off at the beach anymore. I pee in a bedpan, the reporters didn’t leave me alone all weekend, and I’ll probably have to repeat this semester to graduate… but other than that, I’m doing great.”

“You had skin grafts? Oh, I’m so sorry.” Renka rubbed his bandages, hoping her care would ease his pain.

“Thank you. So, did you campaign today?”

“Yes, our friends put up all these posters and we appealed to the cliques. I think we have a shot.”

Gen could tell that she was very excited. “You’ll definitely win. I just wish I could be your king.”

“You’ll always be my king.” Renka bent over and kissed his forehead.

***

That night, Michiko did her homework in front of her blank television. Chisato’s revelation of her new stalker’s name made her fear him all over again. Even after she finished her studies, she watched the idle screen, hoping his deep, haunting voice would come back and explain what he wanted from her.

After an hour of staring, she finally worked up the courage to speak. “Your name is John Galt, right?” No answer. “I know you can hear me. I want to know who you are and why you’re stalking me.” Again, the TV did not respond. She started to think she had gone crazy and imagined everything.

Michiko opened her drawer and pulled out the box cutter again. She clicked out the blade and held it to her wrist. “I’ll do it this time, you bastard. I don’t care what you do to Mom. Now show yourself!”

Her cell phone rang, startling her so badly she almost slipped and nipped her wrist. The screen displayed “UNKNOWN”, proving that her unseen opponent was smart enough to disguise the number. She answered the phone, put it to her ear and heard, “Silly girl. The TV can’t talk back.”

The caller’s condescension made her skin crawl. “Are you John Galt?”

“No, this is not John Galt speaking. I’m just an admirer of his. His message of liberty, individuality and self fulfillment changed my life for the better.”

She noticed his unusual speaking pattern. He seemed to add too much stress to his syllables. “Why do you want me to be Prom Queen?”

“Now where did you get that idea?”

“You made my friend convince me to run for Prom Queen and get a passport. Why?”

The enigmatic voice laughed. “You’re more resourceful than I gave you credit for. Your dearly departed friend chose to work for me of her own free will, and I did this because I knew you wanted it. That’s the kind of female you are… you need everyone to love and appreciate you because you don’t love yourself. How sad

the self is the only thing one should love. But I can give you what you want. Forget the school… imagine the whole country… or all of Asia… or the entire world loving you.”

“What… what do you mean?”

“I’m saying that if you join me, I’ll give you everything your heart desires. If you oppose me, I’ll destroy everything you love until you change your mind. Your mommy, your grandparents, your aunt Machi, Chisato… I’ll do to them what I did to your worthless boyfriend. It’s that simple. All you have to do is win the contest, and I’ll tell you everything.”

“Please… what do you want from me?”

“I just want to be free. Free from the arrogant fools who tell me how to live. Free of the unclean hands that take my property. Free of the botched and impotent creatures who think they should be my masters. The lazy, insignificant looters and moochers

parasites who feed off the talent of others and return nothing! I want to bring freedom… real freedom… to this world, and you are the key. Sweet dreams, Michiko.”

Michiko heard John Galt hang up. She sat on her bed in disbelief before she grabbed her pillow and walked downstairs to sleep on the massage table. The threatening voice still haunted her. Every slight noise made her jump and look for what tried to get her.

***

The next day, the seniors of Eisai High prepared to vote. Right after Ms. Minsei’s class, Michiko and Renka dashed to their booths for one last push on the electorate. Michiko, fearing John Galt’s punishment for her failure, hypnotized as many students as she could. Renka spread an aura of likeability over everyone around her, making them admire her to an almost unhealthy level.

The voters who heard both messages struggled to make a decision. They felt like voting for Renka, but a strange urge told them to vote for Michiko. As Renka smiled and greeted all of her potential supporters, she remembered how Gen told her that she controlled the right lobe of the brain while Michiko controlled the left. She wondered which side would ultimately win.

In the final class hour, the teachers handed out ballots to every senior and instructed them to fill in the ovals next to their names with pens. They were also told not to speak while voting, as not to influence anybody else’s decision. The two contests for Prom King and Prom Queen had two names each. Chikara studied her ballot and filled in the oval next to Kusaka Renka.

The race for Prom King came down to Kidou Hiroshi, Chikara’s future date to the event, and someone she had never heard of. She figured he must have been some kind of protest candidate. Realizing that Hiroshi would probably win on name recognition alone, she planned to vote for the other guy, but her date’s promise to vote for Renka made her change her mind. She looked at Renka, who crossed her fingers with anticipation and wished she could fully read their minds to find out who would be wearing the crown.

The students turned in their ballots and studied until school ended. The teachers then delivered the boxes to the principal’s office. The principal stacked the boxes in his room and locked up. His secretary asked, “Sir, aren’t we going to count the ballots?”

The principal replied, “They told me to count the ballots on Friday.”

“Who?”

“The guys who gave us the donation. It was one of their rules.”

“Who are these people again?”

“I don’t know. They did everything over the phone. Look, we needed the money, and I’m not going to complain about some secrecy. See you tomorrow.” He left the building while he admitted to himself that he really did want to know who was financing this prom.

***

That night, a perfect circle etched around the doorknob to the administrative office. The knob fell out of the door, allowing two figures to enter the room. After doing to same to the door leading to the principal’s office, they turned on the light and opened the ballot boxes.

“Explain to me again why we’re doing this.”

“Come on, man, we’ve been over this.”

“No, really. You can fly in and take her whenever you choose. Why go through all this unnecessary trouble? A prom, rigging the votes, this whole show you’re planning

you’re introducing a lot of variables into a simple plan.”

“It’s all theatrics, my friend. Just taking her would be no fun. I want to introduce myself to her in the loudest, most surprising way possible. I want to see the look on her face when she finally knows the full extent of my power.”

“Murphy’s law. Anything that can go wrong, will.”

“And if it does, you can brag all you want. Now, let’s get to work on these votes. Democracy

what a crock, huh?”

The two intruders carefully separated the ballots into two stacks. The skeptical one then took a ballot from one stack and placed his finger on the marked ovals next to Kusaka Renka. He slid his finger down the thick paper, moving the ink from the circle into the oval for Nagasado Michiko. After changing a sufficient number of votes, the two put the ballots back in the boxes and turned off the lights. They replaced the doorknobs and reintegrated them back into the doors as if they had never been separated.

CHAPTER 12

PROM NIGHT

On Thursday, the students awaited the end of the school year. Just a few hours more, and they would be mostly free for another month, except for the extra prep classes their parents would make them attend.

Most teachers graded final papers and gave their usual lectures, but Ms. Minsei decided to change things for her last seminar. “Class, we’ve survived the year, and I’m glad to see you all off to your futures. For our last class, I’d like to discuss not Japan’s history, but its future. Where do you think our country is headed? Anyone?”

Taichi raised his hand and answered, “We’ll all be cyborgs.”

“Cyborgs?” asked the smiling teacher.

“Yeah, like Ghost in the Shell.” The class erupted in laughter and groans.

“Oh, Hibana-san, I’ll definitely miss you. Anybody else?”

Renka raised her hand. “Didn’t China just surpass us as the second-best economy?”

“Sadly, yes. You can thank America for shipping all of their manufacturing jobs there. How will this affect our economy?”

Taichi offered his view. “My dad says rising unemployment, the national debt and the lack of a population increase will lead to a new depression. We’ll end up like Greece.”

“A scary prediction, Hibana-san, but how can we turn our country around?”

“Like I said… cyborgs.”

After the class laughed, Minsei said, “Hibana is amusing, but he raises a good point. Technology has become our greatest resource. Without the technical ingenuity of the Japanese people, where would we be? Still, when does technological advance go too far? When do the Japanese and their machines become so intertwined, we mix together like in Ghost in the Shell?”

“They’re already building robot women,” said Chikara with a scowl. “I guess the real women weren’t womanly enough for the otaku scientists, so they had to make androids.”

The discussion continued for the rest of the hour. Minsei and her students brought up the economy, politics, cinema, anime, foreign relations and other cultural topics. Although a few students predicted a gloomy future for Japan, most remained optimistic that their country would always have their back. This was probably wishful thinking for the purpose of self-interest, they had to admit, but they held onto the hope that the job market would still want them when college had ended.

Throughout the seminar, Renka felt the mood of the class passing through her mind. They switched from the joy of high school being over to the fear of their adult lives beginning at last. She shared their conflicting feelings of excitement and dread. One mind, however, projected only fear. Renka couldn’t understand what Michiko feared so much. She expected to feel more grief and sadness, but the girl mostly displayed a morbid sense of unknowing that left Renka deeply curious.

Before the bell rung, Minsei said her final farewell. “This class is over. It has been an honor teaching you, and I thank you for being one of the best classes I’ve ever known.” Renka felt the teacher conceal her sadness for losing the class, as well as her pride for their transitions into adulthood. Minsei bowed and ended with, “Sayonara.” The class bowed and did the same.

Once the after-school clubs ended, the underclass student body left the school and prepared to enjoy another summer. The seniors and their dates, however, couldn’t stop thinking about the next day. When they got home, they called their partners and made the arrangements. They just knew the prom would be the most fun they had ever experienced.

***

After the short graduation ceremony the next day, Chikara drove her new car to the cemetery. She hadn’t been there since her mother’s funeral and never wanted to go back, but the need to revisit the painful site ate at her conscience until she couldn’t take anymore. She brought Renka along, even though the empath would be feeling her sadness throughout the entire visit. She didn’t want anybody else to see her in this moment of weakness.

She stopped by the large, well-maintained gravestone and laid a bundle of lilies at its foot. Her mother always liked lilies. Renka stood far away from her, allowing Chikara to talk to Mrs. Kaminari in private. Instead, she watched a funeral taking place in another section of the cemetery.

“Hi, Mom. It’s me. I know you like lilies, so I got you some.” A sudden breeze blew through the cemetery, prompting Chikara to smile.

“School’s over. Hard to believe it went by so fast. Kayoko won the election to be next year’s captain. She’ll do a good job. I’m really going to miss them.” Chikara imagined her mother watching this conversation however many years ago during one of her meditations. She wondered if her choice of words would change the past and thus the present.

“It’s been a rough three weeks. I’ve been wearing the ring, but nothing’s happening. Why isn’t it working? All these powers and death… It’s been pretty quiet ever since Kaijin died, but… I feel a strange dread for the future, like this is the calm before the storm. I guess I got that from you, huh?”

Renka swore she recognized some people at the funeral. She moved closer to get a better look.

“Why didn’t you warn me about Kaijin? I could have taken that ring before he killed all those people. I could have saved Takabe, the firefighters… and poor Yukiko. I didn’t like her, but she didn’t deserve that. It was a test, wasn’t it? A preview of the rest of my life? You let them die so I could learn to fight your supervillains’, didn’t you? I thought I knew you.”

Renka got close enough to see the grieving family members. She finally understood when she saw the large printed pictures of the deceased. She walked back to Chikara and said, “They’re burying Yukiko.”

Chikara looked over at the funeral and saw the grieving relatives. They wore black suits and dresses, and some wore Buddhist prayer beads. She saw Mrs. Sasaki holding a shiny green urn decorated with porcelain leaves and knew that it held Yukiko’s ashes. Usually, the urn was buried in the family crypt on a later date, but it seemed the Sasaki family buried their dead earlier.

Chikara and Renka watched as the family lowered the urn into the hole. The mother never stopped crying and clutching her husband, who broke down and sobbed with her. The pure misery overwhelmed Renka. She turned her power off and tried to think of happier times. With all the strange events Maxwell Chillingworth’s rings had brought into their lives, the girls had forgotten about the true victims. The family had suffered a loss that would torment them for the rest of their lives.

The two noticed Michiko and Chisato in the crowd. It seemed the family considered the two girls worthy enough to attend. Michiko looked at the ground in a dazed stupor, like she still couldn’t believe this was happening. Renka focused her mind on her and said, “She’s guilty. She knows it’s her fault and she feels terrible.”

“She should.”

Renka didn’t like that. She took the paralyzing guilt radiating from Michiko and sent it into Chikara, who fell to her knees and covered her leaking eyes. It felt like her heart had stopped and her body begged to feel it pump again. “That’s what it feels like,” Renka said. “Nobody should feel like that.”

“Okay, I’m sorry. Make it stop.” Feeling the remorse wash away, Chikara got back up and wiped away her tears. “You’re right. I guess I’ve been too hard. The night we fought Kaijin, I lost it and attacked her, and you hugged her… gave her a crying shoulder. You’re a better person than me.”

“Don’t say that. We need each other. I was talking to Gen-kun in the hospital, and he compared us to some show about a warrior princess.”

Chikara laughed. Her mother always liked that show. “Yeah, I guess we are like that.”

Michiko noticed the duo watching from the distance. After staring blankly for a moment, she raised her hand and waved to them. They waved back awkwardly.

“Renka… does she hate me?”

“No. She’s too sad.”

Once the grieving relatives started to leave, the girls decided to go. Chikara looked to her mother’s grave one final time. “This all better work out in the end, or you’ll have lots of explaining to do when I see you next.”

As Yukiko’s parents wept over their daughter’s grave, Michiko built up the courage to approach them. She bowed her head and said, “Sir… ma’am… Thank you for inviting me. You know Yukiko was my best friend.”

Mr. Sasaki gave her an appreciative look. “Thank you, Michiko-chan. She loved you.”

Michiko forced herself to say, “Look, I have some extra money I got from… someone, and I know you have money problems so… I want to pay for the funeral.”

Funerals in Japan rank among the most expensive in the world, an average service costing 2.31 million yen or 25,000 dollars. Michiko couldn’t bear the thought of her best friend’s family going broke for her actions. Mr. Sasaki shook his head and said, “No no. We will find a way to pay. Save your money for college.”

“I will pay for the funeral.”

Mr. Sasaki changed his tone. “Very well. Thank you so much for this.”

Mrs. Sasaki embraced Michiko and cried into her shoulder. “Oh thank you. You were like a sister to her. Thank you.”

The father asked, “How could we repay you?”

Michiko continued to hug the mother while she thought, Just forgive me.

***

Chikara put on her prom dress and inspected herself in her full-length mirror. The dark blue, strapped dress extended to her thighs and sparkled whenever she turned, reflecting the light off of its bejeweled surface. The fancy garb was tighter than she wanted, but she had spent too much money on it already. She decided to go with it, knowing that her date wouldn’t be touching anything anyway.

She showed her dress to her father. “You look good.”

“You don’t think it’s too tight?”

“You’re showing more skin than usual.”

Chikara laughed. “Don’t worry, Dad. I only ordered it short so I could fight better if need be.”

Her father laughed harder. “I’m sure you’ll be fine. Have a great night, honey.”

“Thanks, Dad.” Chikara stopped by the shrine to her mother and kneeled before it. “Hey, Mom. Tonight’s the big night. My date’s not the best, but I can’t find anyone better, so he’ll have to do. Please give me and all my friends a great night. I guess you already knew how it would turn out. I hope you saw something positive.” She walked to her car and prepared to pick up her friend and her date.

When she reached Renka’s house, she stared at her friend’s bizarre replacement date. Renka, clothed in a hot pink dress with a medium-sized, crimped skirt, carried a large wooden stick with a photographed cut-out of Gen glued to it. “Are you serious, Renka?”

“What? You thought I’d go with someone else?”

“It’s a stick with a picture on it.”

“Yeah, he’s here with me in spirit. Besides, it’s more animated than your date.”

“I guess you got me there. Hop in.”

***

Meanwhile, Michiko put on her own dress. Nagasado Nyoko gasped when she saw her daughter in the strapless, sparkling red gown that stretched to her feet. “Michiko, it’s beautiful. You’ll be the talk of the prom.”

“Thanks, Mom. I thought you’d like it.”

“And what about this mystery boy you’re going with? How will you meet him?”

“I’ll meet him there.” At least, Michiko hoped to meet him at the prom. Her enigmatic stalker wanted her to win so badly, he had to show up, and once she saw his face, she would control him in the worst ways possible. She would humiliate him in front of the entire prom and ensure he would never come near her again. She couldn’t wait to stare John Galt in the face and speak the vilest commands she could imagine.

***

The students arrived at Eisai High and made their way to the gymnasium. Lush cloth and confetti decorated the halls, and signs made by friends congratulating other friends hung along the walls. Round tables covered in white cloth surrounded the dance floor in the center, and a large projection screen hung on the far wall. A DJ played the day’s most popular music on a high platform overlooking the audience.

The boys wore identical black tuxedos, each with a boutonniere given to them by their date pinned on their jackets. In turn, the boys gave the girls a corsage to pin to their dresses. The groups of friends took pictures of each other with their digital cameras and hung around the snack counter for cookies, cheese slices and fruit punch. Everybody laughed, danced, sung and cheered, which proved the event to be a success. The impressed Principal Asashi considered expanding the prom for next year. His school would be the envy of Japan.

Michiko sat in her chair and watched Chisato dance with Utatane Suekichi, her date from the Democratic Youth League. She had noticed the boy sneaking in looks at her friend during their previous encounters with the left-wingers, but she didn’t think he’d actually ask her out. Disregarding them, she scanned the gym for anyone giving her strange looks. She bet John Galt was watching her right then and there, planning his move. She didn’t even care about winning the Prom Queen crown anymore. She just wanted to learn the identity of her stalker.

Chikara sat at her table with her friends, with Ms. Minsei as their chaperone. Renka placed her stick with the picture on the seat next to her as if it were really Gen. Yui sat with Taichi, her date for the evening, but she had a hard time seeing the DJ with his huge hair in the way. Hirono went with some guy from another class she had met just a week before. Her friends figured it would end next week.

Chikara and Hiroshi paired their team members with each other so that all could attend, even freshman Mayumi, who wasn’t too comfortable going with a senior. The girls didn’t think much of their dates, but knew they could take them in a fight from previous experience. The two teams even agreed to bring their weapons along just in case they felt the urge to duel.

Principal Asashi swung around to their table. “Good evening, students. There’s plenty of room on the dance floor, so why don’t you have some fun?”

Chikara raised her hand and asked a question that had bugged her since she arrived. “Principal, why aren’t there any police officers here?”

“Police?”

“Yes, in case something goes wrong? I thought all events like this need one.”

“Uh… you’re the best graduation class I’ve had. I don’t think police will be necessary.”

Renka’s lie detector activated. When the principal left, she tapped Chikara’s shoulder and said, “Chi, the principal lied.”

“That’s strange. Why wouldn’t he want any police here?”

Principal Asashi continued his efforts to excite the students. He didn’t know why his mysterious contributor demanded that no cops be present, but he didn’t care as long as the donations kept coming.

Hiroshi took Chikara’s hand. “May I have this dance?”

“Certainly.” Chikara went with him, hoping he could dance better than he could fight. After the first song, she found herself deeply disappointed. He danced like he had hands for feet.

Renka saw Chisato dancing with one of Gen’s friends, and then spotted Michiko watching them from her table. Renka pinpointed her intense fear through the ocean of joy the other students projected. She wondered what her troubled nemesis dreaded so much and decided to find out. She picked up her Gen poster and sat casually sat down at Michiko’s table. “Hi.”

“Hey.” Michiko spoke without looking. Renka felt the fear turn to discomfort and humiliation.

“No date, huh?”

“He’s coming.”

“Who is he?”

“I don’t know. Nice printout.”

“Thanks.”

“I’m sure he… he would have liked to come.” She struggled to speak. Renka felt her guilt at the thought of Gen fighting Kaijin.

“Listen… Mi-chan… whoever wins this contest… I don’t want to leave this school as enemies. I want to apologize for saying your father hated you.”

Michiko’s guilt lightened. She replied, “It’s okay. I’m sorry for spreading that rumor and being so mean. I’m so sorry.” A tear dribbled down her cheeks, forcing Renka to offer her a comforting hug. The sadness overloaded her, who started to tear up as well. The two friends embraced and let years of hostility wash away like rain.

“Attention, students,” spoke the principal over the microphone after stopping the dance music. “It’s time to crown our first Prom King and Prom Queen. Please take your seats.” The students made their way back to their tables.

Renka let go of Michiko and wiped away her own tears. “May the best girl win.”

“Yeah. Good luck.”

Renka sat back at her table, taking her Gen picture with her. Chikara asked, “What was that all about?”

“We made up.”

“Oh.”

“You should forgive her too. It’s not good to leave school hating someone.”

“I’ll… think about it.” Renka scanned her feelings and knew she wasn’t ready.

“Okay everybody, time for the results.” The principal set three envelops on the podium and opened the first. The students looked on. “And this year’s Prom King is… Kidou Hiroshi!”

The crowd cheered for their chosen candidate. The result surprised nobody, but choosing their favorite classmate gave the students a sense of satisfaction.

Hiroshi raised his hands in victory and walked up to the riser. The principal put the crown over his head and handed him a sash marked Prom King. He put it on and stood as the students cheered for him. He then grabbed the microphone and started to thank all of his supporters. Chikara didn’t care for any of it. Only the Prom Queen winner mattered.

Principal Asashi opened the second envelope. “And now for this year’s Prom Queen. The winner is…”

The principal held off answering in order to build more suspense. The eager students listened with more anticipation than the last announcement. Everyone was excited except the two candidates. Michiko and Renka had more important concerns on their minds.

“Nagasado Michiko!” About half of the students cheered, while the others just clapped their hands and pretended to be happy. They had hoped for Renka to win. The surprised Michiko remained seated in shock, so Chisato shook her and said, “Michiko, you won. Get up there.” Startled, she stood up and walked to the stage to receive her crown and sash. She looked more dazed than satisfied.

Chikara shook her head and put her arm around Renka. “Tough break, Ren-chan.”

Renka just shrugged. “It’s fine. At least she’s not depressed anymore.”

Michiko took the microphone and spoke in a soft, humble tone. “Thank you, everyone. I’m glad to be chosen. It’s… it’s been a weird month.” She searched for something else to say. The students, most of whom still feared her for her bizarre control over others and her unclear involvement in the nightclub fire, hoped for an explanation.

She held back tears and continued, “I want to apologize to all of you for everything. I’ve never really had any power before, and once I got it, I

used it selfishly. I thought I could have anything I wanted, and I forgot about other people and how I would hurt them. I’ve hurt a lot of people, and I’m ashamed of myself. Shindo-chan, I’m sorry for making you lick my shoes.”

Yui gave her a blank stare. She then nodded her head before turning away.

“Yazawa-san, I’m sorry I made you attack your friend. That was stupid and wrong.”

Kayoko curled her lip and broke eye contact, untrusting of her enemy’s mea culpa. Chikara touched her shoulder and reassured her of Michiko’s sincerity. Kayoko reluctantly nodded her head and forgave her.

“And Chikara-san, I’m sorry for everything I did to you. You were right. I’m such a little idiot and I can’t say how…”

“It’s fine,” said Chikara. “I forgive you.”

“Thank you.” Michiko wiped away another tear. “And Ren-chan, I’m sorry for years of being so mean to you. You’re a great person and you deserve this crown more than I do.”

Renka smiled and lip-synced, “Thank you.”

“To anyone else I hurt, I beg for your forgiveness. Please don’t let me leave here with all this guilt.”

The students didn’t know how to react. Renka calmly clapped, prompting the others to join her. As the audience applauded their acceptance, Michiko felt her heavy burden lift off her soul. She wiped away her remaining tears and said, “Thank you.”

Principal Asashi interrupted, “Okay, with that done, it’s time to welcome our guest of honor. Prom Queen, will you read the letter?” He handed Michiko the third envelope.

Michiko asked, “Why me? Aren’t you supposed to announce these?”

“They asked that the Prom Queen make the announcement. Come on, open it.”

She opened the envelope and said into the microphone, “Okay, our guest of honor is…”

Inside the envelope, Michiko found not a name on a card but a series of photographs. The top photo showed an overhead view of her lying on her bed in her school uniform reading a textbook. Her face morphed into a terrified expression that confused the audience. She flipped to the next photograph and saw herself watching TV from the same angle. The next photo showed her eating a snack while doing her homework. Vertical bars obstructed the view of each picture, but revealed enough of the scene.

Renka felt Michiko’s curiosity turn to terror. She and her friends watched as the Prom Queen flipped through the pictures, her face growing more and more horrified with each passing moment. Chikara felt a bad omen and grabbed her bokken by instinct.

When Michiko came to a photo of herself putting on the dress she was wearing at the moment, she noted the angle of the picture and remembered the position of her smoke detector. Someone must have hidden a camera behind it, explaining the grate covering each picture. Her stalker had been watching her longer than she had thought. He had been watching her every action for his own sick, voyeuristic pleasure.

At last, she came to the final picture. The old Polaroid was turned backwards and had “Welcome to the family” written in red marker. Her angst at its peak, she turned the photo around and nearly fainted in shock. There stood Maxwell Chillingworth amongst a beautiful stream near a forest. Dressed in fishing gear, he held a large bass and smiled for the camera, happy to show off his catch. Next to him stood a younger man who held up a smaller bass. The boy looked into the camera with the same mesmerizing gray eyes as his father and flashed a devilish, conniving grin that paralyzed Michiko with horror.

She could already feel his presence. She looked to the back of the gym and saw him standing by the doors. Four other foreigners surrounded him, each amused to see the look on her face when she realized who they were and what they wanted.

Michiko dropped the photographs and stared at the leader, her eyes pried open with terror. “No!”

Damian Chillingworth smiled back. “Oh yeah.”

CHAPTER 13

FAMILY

With her pulse pounding and her nerves shot, Michiko fainted on the stage. When she regained her senses, she realized that she had not fallen. Something had kept her standing even as her body failed. She could still see the man who called himself John Galt and his four cohorts staring at her from the back.

After savoring the climactic moment he had waited months to see, their leader stepped forward and made his way to the stage, smiling all the way. Before he could pass their table, Ms. Minsei stood and asked in her best English, “Excuse me… who are you?”

The young American stared daggers in her direction and replied in almost-perfect Japanese, “What do you want, Minsei?”

His command of her language stunned her. “This is a private event for Eisai students and faculty only and I’d like to know what you people are doing here.”

He put his hand on his stomach to take a bow. “Please allow me to introduce myself. I’m a man of wealth and taste. Damian Chillingworth, at your service.” He gave a slight bow with a certain sarcastic pomp. “Who do you think paid for this private event?”

“You?” Minsei had heard of the Chillingworth diamond company and its monopolistic business practices, but never thought she would meet the heir.

“Yes, me. I planned this little spectacle for you, so I think I’ve earned a little gratitude.” He gave the teacher a look that made her want to shield herself.

Principal Asashi grabbed the microphone from Michiko. “Mr. Chillingworth, everybody. Please give him a round of applause.” The nervous class clapped for the intimidating foreigner. Minsei sat back down, still unsure as to what was happening.

Renka and Chikara looked at the five strangers in disbelief. Chillingworth, who looked to be in his mid-twenties, had black hair and wore a trench coat, expensive shoes and dress pants in that same color. His haunting gray eyes distracted attention from his blood-red collared shirt. When he turned around, the witnesses could see the shape of Atlas holding the world embroidered on the back of his coat, with a coiled snake in the center threatening not to be tread upon.

His skills with the Japanese language confounded everyone. He spoke the sentences perfectly, although he used the rudest, most direct words possible, but he pronounced many of the syllables like an English speaker would say without practice. It was as if he knew Japanese fluently, but had never spoken it.

Chikara’s face widened when she saw the necklace around the menacing stranger’s neck. A jade stone with the Japanese symbol for “remember”, held by a gold chain, erased all doubts she had with her mother’s story of the incident in Sierra Leone. She felt stupid for never considering the possibility of Maxwell Chillingworth having other children. “Renka, what do you feel from this guy?”

She scanned him. “He’s excited. He wants to… hurt something… anything.” When in sync with Chillingworth’s mind, she felt like a superior human being surrounded by insects unworthy of her notice.

Chikara then looked to the American’s associates. The blonde-haired young man in a white suit had a golden Christian cross around his neck, the same cross she saw Jeremiah Neuhaus wearing in his videos. Despite his unconcerned expression, Renka could feel his anxious desire to leave.

The redheaded girl in the green and black, skin-tight leather and vinyl wore a golden shamrock for a necklace. Chikara also noticed her green high heels and clover earrings. Renka felt her uncontainable excitement, similar to Chillingworth’s but without the hostile desire to fight. In a strange way, the situation kind of turned her on.

The dark-skinned young man in a black suit stood on the side of the blonde. Tall and handsome, he looked like someone from a Latin-American romance movie. He held a cell phone in one hand, but didn’t use it. Renka felt from him a passing feeling of interest in the situation but a complete ignorance of its purpose.

Lastly, Chikara looked at the short black girl in the yellow dress. She wore her hair in a traditional African fashion and looked around the audience with delight. Most of the witnesses focused on her, having never seen a kokujin up close before. Renka felt a sudden admiration for Chillingworth when she scanned this girl, a naive attraction that she couldn’t understand.

Chikara took another look at the whole group and realized that they looked just like the survivors of Sierra Leone. All seven children of the ones that found the nomoli were now united under one roof. She grabbed her cell phone and moved to call the police, only to find that the device wouldn’t respond. She couldn’t call, text or even take a picture. She noticed the other students fiddling with their phones, proving that something had taken control of the machines.

Just then, Renka felt her mind clear. The emotions that swirled around her stopped. She tried to turn her ability back on, but she could feel nothing from anybody. “Chi, my powers are off again. I can’t feel anything.”

“Just like before.” It seemed Gen was right when he said powers could be inherited. These strangers had unique talents just like their parents.

Chillingworth stalked to the stage and spoke in his deep, condescending tone, “Nagasado Michiko

at last we meet. Great speech, by the way. It really touched my heart.”

Michiko couldn’t speak. She could only gaze into the identical gray eyes that approached her step by step. As a little girl, she would look into the mirror for hours wondering why nobody else had eyes like hers. Now those eyes pierced into her soul like knives.

“What’s wrong,” asked her stalker, laughing at his prey’s fear-induced paralysis. “Hello Kitty got your tongue?”

“John Galt.”

“Please… call me Chillingworth.” He pulled a corsage from his pocket. “Here, Prom Queen. You’ll be needing this.”

Michiko took a step back, refusing the gift. She shook off her terrified face. “What do you want?”

“I want a dance with the Prom Queen. It’s every guy’s fantasy.” He turned to the Prom King and asked, “You don’t mind, do you?”

Confused and a little threatened, Hiroshi said, “Sure. I guess so.”

Chillingworth looked back at Michiko. “There’s also the matter of the missing money.”

“What?”

“My father died recently, and I noticed that my inheritance came up a little short. The lawyers blamed it on overseas expenses and tax havens, but you and I know the real story

don’t we, Mich?”

Michiko scowled at her stalker. She had to get rid of him. “Get out!”

Chillingworth flashed an amused grin. “But I came so far. I can’t leave before I have my dance.”

“I said get out!”

“So assertive. I like that.” He reached down to grab the pictures she had dropped and stuffed them in his pocket.

Michiko didn’t understand how her gift had failed her again, just like in the cafeteria the week before. Scared beyond her threshold, she walked off the stage and headed for the exit.

Chillingworth laughed to himself and held his hand out in a claw-like shape. Michiko stopped in her tracks and struggled to move. She felt like some invisible force held her in place and refused to let go. In front of the entire audience, Chillingworth spun his finger in a circle, making she spin around and face him.

“Get your yellow ass back here.” Chillingworth pulled his arm back, forcing her to slowly slide towards him against her will. The students watched in shock as their Prom Queen’s body glided across the floor without moving her feet.

The terrified Prom Queen poured all of her strength into her voice. “Stop it! Let me go!”

Chillingworth pointed to his head. “Are you trying to get in here, Michiko? Having trouble?” He and three of his four followers laughed at her, the blonde one not amused by the situation.

“That’s right, baby

I’ve found a way to disable it. Takabe Ryouta was my test subject. I hired him to see if I could shut off your voice, and it worked like a charm. Then, of course, your little buddy Yukiko helped me get you here right where I want you. Too bad Kaijin had to turn them into burnt marshmallows. That wasn’t part of the plan, but as promised, I took care of that nuisance. I still don’t know how he got those powers… you wouldn’t know, would you?”

She still moved closer to him against her will. “Please… Damian, this is a mistake.”

“Oh… like you were?” Once again, his cohorts laughed at his mean joke.

Chisato, although afraid of this maniac and what he was doing to her friend, got out of her seat and approached him. “Hey, leave her alone, you bully! She didn’t do anything to you!”

Chillingworth rolled his eyes in annoyance. He stretched out his hand, connected his thumb to his middle finger and flicked into the air. Chisato felt a powerful impact smash into her nose, propelling her backwards. The students screamed and gasped as they saw her land on the ground, her broken nose bleeding like a faucet. Her attacker gave her a threatening look. “Michiko just lost a good friend, Chisato. Do you want her to lose another?”

Michiko screamed, “STOP IT! PLEASE, JUST STOP!”

“You can’t control me, little sister…” She felt an invisible force slap her across the face and hurl her to the ground. Then it lifted her four meters into the air upside down. As she floated there powerless, her tormenter pulled her closer to his face. “I control you.”

The Hispanic boy slipped the DJ some money and told him to take a break. Heavy metal music played over the speakers without any change of disc, prompting Chillingworth to lower Michiko to the ground and begin their dance. He spread his fingers and manipulated her movements like a puppeteer controlling a marionette. She spun and twirled, ducked and flipped in impossible ways, holding a terrified expression the whole time. Her body danced against her will no matter how hard she struggled. At last she knew how her previous victims felt.

“Please…” she managed to speak, “I’ll pay you back, I promise.”

“I don’t want your money, Michiko,” he said as he pulled her closer and pointed to her throat. “I want this… your voice. You’ve been wasting your gifts on powerless teenagers, but think of what you can do to people with real power. Your voice can enslave, but it can also liberate… free their minds from the shackles of everything that imprisons them. Government… religion… philosophy… with your voice and my brain, we can make the world

shrug. And to think… if you didn’t blackmail Dad, I never would have known.”

The audience watched in awe at the dance that defied gravity. Hirono hit her cell phone in hopes that it would work, but the screen wouldn’t activate. The Hispanic boy smiled to her. “It won’t work, chica. I told it not to.”

Hirono replied, “And just who are you again?”

“Miguel Soto-Morales. I’d ask you to dance, but we’re on a tight schedule.”

“I might’ve accepted if you didn’t keep such bad company.”

“Oh no, Damian’s great company. He’s got a plan that’ll stick it to the man and keep it there.”

Clover O’Shaughnessey snuck up on Miguel and hugged him from behind. “Forget about her, hot-stuff. You can dance with me anytime.”

Miguel groaned, “I know where you’ve been, Clover.”

She pouted. “At least I’m more fun than Jesus-freak over there.”

Quinn Neuhaus gave a disappointed growl from the exit he guarded. A student approached him and asked, “Uh, I need to use the bathroom.”

He looked to her and said in almost-perfect Japanese, “Hold it until we’re done here.”

“Come on, I really need to go. Please open the doors.”

Quinn touched the center-line where the double-doors met. The doors melted into each other and merged into a solid wall. He looked back at the terrified girl and asked, “What doors?”

Chikara watched Chillingworth and Michiko’s physics-defying dance and whispered to Renka, “That’s him.”

“What?”

“It all makes sense now. He’s the man my mother wanted me to stop.”

“You mean your arch-nemesis?”

“Whatever. With Michiko’s powers under his control, he could do anything he wants. We have to save her.”

“But how? He’s disabled me, and Gen-kun’s in the hospital.”

“Then it’s up to us.” She signaled to Hiroshi, who walked back to the table. “Hiroshi-kun, gather your fighters. We’re going to face him and save Michiko.”

He looked back at the dancing partners. Chillingworth spun Michiko around in the air like a cartoon as the speakers played a hardcore metal solo. Then he flung her away and pulled her back in like a yo-yo. “Are you sure about that? I don’t think that guy is human.”

“If you’re worthy of that crown you’re wearing, you have to prove yourself.”

Hiroshi nodded and told his club members to prepare for a fight.

Chikara turned to Kayoko. “Tell the girls to ready their weapons. We have to take this guy down.”

Kayoko didn’t argue. “We’re with you, Chikara, until the bitter end.”

“Let’s hope not.”

Once the song ended, Chillingworth pulled Michiko close and said, “Now, let’s have a demonstration of our combined might. Here’s what I want you to do…” He whispered into her ear and pointed to the microphone in the principal’s hand. It pulled itself out of his grasp and zoomed across the air, landing in his hand. He gave it to his half-sister and prompted her to speak. “Don’t even try turning it on me, or you’ll regret it.”

Michiko did as instructed. “Everybody… never reveal what happened here.” The entire audience felt the familiar tingle in their minds. Chikara now understood that Chillingworth wasn’t so reckless after all. With the witnesses silent and all recording devices frozen, nobody outside the gym would even know he was here. This was a demonstration of his power and cunning, like giving up the queen in Chess.

“Good, Michiko,” he said, confident with his cover-up. “I knew you’d see things my way.”

He looked over to the snack table and spotted his African accomplice stuffing her mouth full of as much food as she could. “Josephine, calm down on that. You’re going to expand like a blimp.” He blew into his cheeks and made himself look fat.

Josephine Gawanas put down her marshmallow treat, smiled and extended her middle finger while sticking out her tongue. Chillingworth found it cute and smiled back. He then noticed Quinn pointing to his watch from the back. As much as he enjoyed his diabolical masterpiece of a set-up, he figured he had frightened his target enough. “It’s time to go, Michiko. Good night, Eisai High! Don’t have too much fun!” He dropped the microphone and approached the exit with his valuable hostage. Quinn prepared to unscramble the molecules of the doors.

Before they could escape to freedom, Chikara and her team sprung their trap. The ten students ran to the door and blocked the only exit, holding their weapons in a threatening pose. Chikara stood in the center of the pack and gave Chillingworth a menacing stare. After a brief moment of surprise, he laughed and asked, “What anime did I walk into?”

“Big brothers are supposed to protect their little sisters,” she said, “Not smack them around.”

“Do I look like someone who cares about your norms and mores? Hey, I know you… you were snooping around Michiko’s room last week. What were you looking for?”

Chikara now knew that Chillingworth had been watching his half-sister for some time. This also proved that he didn’t know about his father’s rings. That was why he had to search the world and recruit the children of the other Sierra Leone survivors… he didn’t know of anyone else with such power.

She ignored the question. “You’re not leaving here with her or anyone else. Get out!”

Standing behind the blockade of Kendo students, Quinn Neuhaus said, “Just push them aside, Damian. We have to get out of here.”

Chillingworth shook his head. “I swear, Quinn, you’re no fun at all.” He pointed to one of the boy’s swords. He forced it out of his hands and made it float in front of his accomplice. “Come on, make me my favorite.”

Neuhaus growled and grabbed the sword. He slid his hand across and carefully rearranged its molecular structure, giving it a round hilt, a guard and a straighter blade. He kept the blade blunt so his battle-hungry partner wouldn’t cause his opponents too much pain. The wooden katana had now become a European rapier. Neuhaus threw the sword to him. “If you kill anybody with it, I’m out.”

Chillingworth caught the weapon and pushed Michiko towards Clover. “If she moves, blow out an eardrum.” He held his sword to his ten opponents in a classic fencing position. “Okay ladies… its showtime!”

He charged his enemies, who stood in their most defensive stances and prepared for an attack. Just before he got close enough, Chillingworth jumped over the group with a gravity-defying leap. As if in slow motion, the students looked up and saw him soaring over them and giving a mocking wink. He landed on the other side and slashed his rapier through the air, creating a terrible gust of force that flung the whole group backwards. They slammed into other students’ tables and into the walls, prompting the scared bystanders to run to the corners and watch. Chillingworth raised each of the young male fighters into the air and slammed their heads against the walls, knocking them out cold.

Before they could regain their senses, the girls fell towards the gymnasium’s ceiling, leaving the boys behind. They plummeted upward in a diagonal path to avoid the skylight and stopped just before they hit the roof. They then fell onto the ceiling free of injury. Chikara looked up and saw her classmates gazing in amazement from the ground. She had underestimated her enemy. He didn’t just move objects through the air… he could literally bend gravity itself.

Chillingworth flew straight up and hovered just above the ceiling. He then rotated 180 degrees and landed feet first, walking upside down across the roof like it was the floor. He pointed to the ground. “Hey… what’s up? Get it?”

Not amused and with no time to adjust to her new sense of direction, Chikara charged him. He held his best fencing stance and diverted her blows with expert skill. Kayoko and Takako charged from the side, but without looking, he pushed one into the other, knocking both over. He punched the air and sent Chikara flying backwards into the large Japanese flag draped from the wall. It fell off, entangling her and forcing her to navigate her way out.

Mizuho, Kayoko, Takako and Mayumi came after Chillingworth in a square formation to hit him from all sides. The crafty villain spun himself like a tornado and gravitated to the youngest, stabbing and thrusting at her with a relentless assault of sword play. She held him off the best she could, but as soon as his sword pushed hers away, He punched her in the face with a hard left and pushed her to the wall.

Mizuho slashed her opponent with a newfound fury. “You’ll pay for that, you bastard!”

Chillingworth pushed her into the air, flew from behind and smacked the back of her head with his sword’s pommel. “Unlike you, I can afford it.” Mizuho hit the ceiling on her back and struggled to get back up.

When Kayoko and Takako charged him from both sides, he flung the two into the air and crashed them into each other above him without looking. This gave him a funny idea. He pulled the four girls towards him and threw them high. As each fell into his hands, he juggled them like a clown, laughing at their misfortune.

Chikara freed herself from the flag and saw her enemy juggling her friends. With his satisfaction peaked, he let them fall back to the ground, softening their impacts on the plastic tables. Chikara clutched her bokken and gave him a deathly gaze. “Are you that weak that you have to use your gifts to beat up women? Fight me normally, you freak!”

Chillingworth shrugged his shoulders. “You are one tough chick. Okay, I’ll warp my own gravity only. En guard!” Chikara ran to him, her weapon raised high and aimed straight for the head. Her enemy ducked, parried and counterattacked faster than she could comprehend, but she held her stance and kept swinging.

From the ground, the students gasped, shouted or stared blank-eyed. Clover, Quinn and Josephine looked disturbed, like their practical joke had gone too far. Miguel, on the other hand, grinned and nodded his head like he was watching a lucha libre wrestling match. The horrified Renka knew she had to stop this, even without her powers. Seeing his cross and realizing his identity, she ran to the young man guarding the door. “Mr. Neuhaus, please stop him!”

Neuhaus looked puzzled. “How do you know my name?”

“I know about your father. He’s a good man and he’s healed a lot of people. Please, don’t let that guy kill my friend!”

“I’m sorry, but this has to be done.” He spoke in a regretful yet duty-bound tone.

“Why?”

“It is God’s will. Thy will be done.”

She continued to beg for his help, but he ignored her and concentrated on the fight. Now in a panic, she ran to the Irish girl. “Your mother was Shannon O’Malley! She was friends with Akasha Mika in Africa!”

Clover asked, “What? How do you know that?”

“That girl up there is Mika’s daughter! Please, you have to do something!”

“Really? Wow, she’s hot. Tight dress, too.” She kept watching, unconcerned with this new information. Renka couldn’t believe it. All of these people were as crazy as their boss.

Chillingworth pointed up (actually down) and let Chikara fall to the ground. She landed on her feet in a crouch, thankful that he at least cushioned her fall. She saw him falling onto her with his rapier stretched out, so she rolled away and dodged the attack. They continued to fight in front of the fascinated audience, the ultimate battle between fencing and kendo with neither combatant giving up.

With the other Female Kendo Club members too injured to fight, Renka took matters into her own hands. She ran to the snack table, grabbed an apple and threw it at Chillingworth as he fought Chikara. Sensing the small gravitational field of the incoming object, he swatted it away with barely a thought and went back to fighting. Renka realized she needed something gravity could not affect.

Chikara didn’t know much about European fencing, but she knew that it involved thrusting and defending. Chillingworth’s style was to thrust constantly and allow his telekinesis to defend him from attack. His sloppy, disjointed technique didn’t seem to match his nearly-flawless skill. It was as if he knew everything about the discipline but hadn’t practiced as long as most professionals, much like his Japanese language skills. She wondered how he could learn so much without practice and suspected one of his accomplices.

Chillingworth floated away and caught his breath. They shared gazes, one threatening and confrontational, and the other amused and entertained. Both knew who had the upper hand. Without powers, she didn’t stand a chance. As Chillingworth stalked around and intimidated her, Renka ran past his back and looked to Chikara while covering her ears. See her heading for the speakers, Chikara charged her opponent to provide the right distraction. Chillingworth held his defensive stance and hoped to aggravate her some more.

Renka grabbed the microphone from the stage and covered her ears with her upper arms. She remembered how loud the heavy metal music had been turned up and knew that this would not be pleasant. She dashed to one of the speakers and held the microphone against it, creating a cacophonous feedback that screeched into everyone’s ears.

Clover O’Shaughnessey used her control over sound to mute the reverberating vibrations from the speakers, but it came too late to help her boss. Stunned for a split second, Chillingworth couldn’t react to the sharp kick to his stomach from Chikara’s heel. She followed by uncovering her ears and whacking him across the head with her bokken as hard as she could. Shocked from the impact, he quickly moved himself into the back wall and watched as she charged him one last time, intending to knock him unconscious and win the battle.

Chikara raised her weapon high and prepared to strike the top of her enemy’s head with all the force she could gather. This was it. She would defeat the villain, save the world and fulfill her mother’s wishes, and she didn’t even need a gift. With Chillingworth struggling to remain conscious, nothing would stop her devastating attack.

He saw her just before she struck. With a wave of his hand, the bokken snapped in half with a perfect cut. He dodged her shortened attack, willed the detached stick into his hand by the pointed end and slashed upwards across the face.

***

“CHIKARA!” cried Renka as she saw her friend fall. Blood gushed from the deep, vertical gash over her left eye, and the audience could hear the girl’s agonizing scream. Chillingworth’s henchmen looked on in horror. They had never wanted this

nobody was supposed to get hurt. Michiko held her mouth along with the students and teachers, still in shock that this could happen.

Chillingworth discarded the broken sword and grabbed Chikara by the neck. He slammed her into the nearby wall while chuckling at her misfortune. The faucet of blood leaked down her face and stained her dress purple. He had mutilated her left eye beyond recognition. He could see the disgusting vitreous jelly through the torn socket. He shook his head and said, “Wow. I… uh… I guess I went a little overboard.”

A small surge of blue electricity emerged from Chikara’s damaged eye and intensified. Just as Chillingworth’s grin turned to alarm, a massive electric surge exploded from Chikara’s body. All of the power she had been storing for years came out in a single blast, burning her enemy’s body and forcing him to push away. The students gazed in terror as the fighter watched her lightning-charged hands emit hundreds of thousands of volts.

Chillingworth moved himself further from the electrified girl. His body burned everywhere, especially his unprotected face. His chest went into convulsions as he struggled to keep his heart going. His cohorts ran to his aide, with Josephine crying in panic and Clover clutching the equally terrified Michiko. Thanks to his father’s background in medicine, Quinn knew to give the victim mouth-to-mouth and then start CPR. Damian was still breathing, but his pulse was very thin and his skin damaged beyond repair. His bones had fractured due to the stress of the contracting muscles. “Theatrics, huh?” said Quinn. “You wanted a big show?”

Chillingworth tried to speak, but his body wouldn’t move. Only his split-second, instinctual push away from Chikara had saved his life. He looked back at the living Tesla coil that had mutilated him. Mika Akasha’s kid. So that’s who you are.

Miguel Soto-Morales reached into his suit and pulled a six-shot revolver, thankful to have packed it just in case. He aimed it at her and said, “Puta loca!”

Still in shock and unaware of her surroundings, Chikara barely noticed the gun. Miguel felt the firearm flip downward as small metal objects in the gym flew backwards from electromagnetic repulsion. The gun turned around and fired, putting a bullet into his heart. He fell and dropped the gun, which moved back with everything else.

“MIGUEL!” cried Clover, who ran to his side and tried to help. Unlike the gang’s leader, the young Hispanic was beyond help. He breathed just a few more times before his pulse stopped.

Clover looked to Chikara, who held out her hand and seemed to prepare an electric blast. The redhead inhaled deeply and released a devastating supersonic scream that pushed Chikara backwards into the corner of the gym, almost liquefying her eardrums.

Quinn took out his cell phone and found it working properly. The distortion field had vanished without Miguel’s mind controlling the machines, allowing the hundreds of witnesses to call for help and take pictures. “Damian,” he cried. “The cell phones are active! You have to get us out of here now!”

Chillingworth wanted to end Chikara right then and there, but he knew that Quinn was right. With communications restored and him needing urgent medical attention, he had no choice but to retreat. He shattered the skylight, spreading the glass all over the outside roof. He then levitated himself and his five cohorts, including Miguel’s lifeless body, up towards their unconventional exit. Michiko panicked and waved her limbs across the air, hoping desperately to fly away, but her captor wouldn’t let go. Renka watched them hover towards the skylight and felt Michiko’s absolute terror, for she was now a prisoner of a madman with sinister plans for her special gift.

With her remaining eye, Chikara shared one last hateful look with Damian Chillingworth. She raised her arm and tried to fire another electric bolt, but her body gave out from blood loss and exhaustion. She collapsed onto the floor, blue lightning still sparking in her damaged eye, and watched them fly out of sight.

CHAPTER 14

DESTINY

Chikara could barely see the paramedics as they wheeled her into the ambulance, but she could hear the sounds of the vehicle’s sirens and Renka’s voice calming her down. After passing out again, she heard the conversations of the men in white coats and felt the needles poking her arms. She didn’t feel much after that.

When she regained full consciousness, she laid in a gurney in a dimly-lit room. She felt hungry, thirsty, fatigued, angry and useless all at once. Her mother wanted her to stop that psychopath and she failed.

The agonizing sting across her face had dulled to an aggravating throb. She touched the left side of her face and felt the fresh bandages that the doctors had applied. She closed her right eye and saw nothing from the left, not even the thin light that peeked through the gauze. It had not been a dream after all. That bastard had broken her sword and brutally slashed open her face.

Renka showed up at the door with a candy bar in her hand and a growling stomach. Seeing her friend awake, she ran to her side and embraced her, making sure not to touch her face. “Chikara! I was so scared!”

Chikara hugged her back. Tears flowed from one eye and blood flowed from the other. “What happened?”

“They operated on you… I was in the waiting room and… they told me… they said…”

Chikara already knew what Renka tried to say. The cut damaged her eye beyond repair and they could never fix it. She had been blinded and deformed. “That freak! That goddamn sick son of a bitch!” Her whole body erupted into a surge of electricity, forcing Renka to back away. Renka knew if she hadn’t been sedated when they pulled out her eye, the whole world would have known.

Chikara cried into her hands, forgetting that only the right side could sob. She was a one-eyed, scar-faced freak that electrocuted everything she touched. No man would ever marry her now. Nobody would want to talk to her. Society would turn their backs and fear her. She would be an outcast in a collectivist culture, the only kind she knew. All she had left were her friends and hatred for the man who did this to her.

She heard a familiar voice yelling at a nurse from the other room. Renka looked out into the hall and shouted, “Mr. Kaminari! Over here!” Kaminari Masakazu ran to the hospital room and took in the horrible sight of his daughter with a cast over her face discharging electricity from every pore. He went to comfort her, but Chikara pushed him away. “Don’t, Dad! I don’t want to hurt you.”

“You won’t hurt me.” He reached over to embrace her. The electric field settled and faded away. He hugged his daughter and cried for the first time since his wife’s death. He had been taught to never let his emotions betray him, but he couldn’t hold back. “Who did this to you?”

“It was…” Chikara struggled to speak, but her mouth wouldn’t let her. Her lips turned to jelly, her tongue slurred and her voice wouldn’t activate. Renka tried to talk, but her body went through the same effect. It seemed that Michiko’s earlier command had worked all too well.

Chikara wiped the tears from her remaining eye and told her father, “Dad, I want to see Mom’s will right now. Could you please bring it over?”

Masakazu didn’t understand why she wanted to see that DVD again, but he didn’t question the request. “I’ll be right back.”

Chikara then looked to Renka. “Can Gen get out of bed?”

“I can make it happen.”

“Get him.”

Chikara turned on the news while she waited for Renka to return and saw the reports on the prom. The reporters revealed all of the bizarre details, including the door that had melted into the wall, the shattered skylight, the fired gun and the hundreds of witnesses who wouldn’t speak a word of what had happened. They then discussed the reports of an injured female who had lost an eye in the incident. Chikara switched the channels, only to find the same report on each network.

She heard what sounded like a helicopter circling around outside. She then found a news channel showing a view of the hospital from said chopper and a crowd standing outside. Many had been there the week before to see the pyromaniac who crashed into the car and didn’t want to miss anything else that could’ve happened. Disgusted, she turned off the TV.

Renka returned with Gen draped over her shoulders. His face burst into surprise when he saw Chikara’s bandages. “Chikara! I… I saw the news, but… I didn’t know it was you. What happened?”

She tried to speak, but the words wouldn’t come out. Rather than explain the events of the evening, she said, “Nobody can tell.”

“What do you mean? It was Michiko, wasn’t it? Did she make everybody quiet?” The girls couldn’t even nod. “The news said the gym doors melted into the wall and someone broke the skylight. Nobody got anything on video either. You guys can’t do that, so… there must be others, right?”

Chikara held up her hand and ignited a ball of blue lightning from her palm. “There’s one less now.”

Chikara’s father walked in with the DVD. “I have it.”

“Thank you, Dad. May I watch it with my friends?”

When Masakazu left the hospital room, Renka put the disc in the hospital’s TV and pressed play. They fast-forwarded to Kaminari Mika’s final message. “Chikara, listen to me. Throughout your life, I’ve taught you to be a good person. I’ve taught you to be fair, honest, reliable and strong. So far, you’ve turned out just as I wanted you too. I’m so proud of you. However, things are about to change. Events outside of your control will soon require you to do things no one has done before.”

“There are extremists in this world, Chikara. Fanatical men and women who seek power, and with this power, they will attempt to mold the world to their radical ideas. I have seen what they are capable of, and the results will lead only to terrible destruction.”

“Yes, mother. I see that now.” Renka felt Chikara’s indescribable surge of anger. Why hadn’t her mother just told her about Chillingworth and his desire to kidnap Michiko?

“Your duty

” Chikara watched as Mika drooped her head and made a regretful face. She then covered her left eye with her hand, as if feeling a tinge of pain.

The trio froze. Chikara’s body went numb as she finally understood the meaning of that random act.

“I never wanted to drag you into this. I’ve looked at every possible outcome, and nothing ends happily except this one. I’m so sorry. I wanted to save you from this but

“

Chikara held both hands forward and expelled a violent lightning bolt that destroyed the television. Gen and Renka backed off as her whole body exploded in a field of electricity. She screamed into her hands, “You knew! You knew, you evil bitch!” The sudden surge of power made the whole hospital experience a short blackout. The backup generators saved everyone on life support. The crowd outside saw the blast through a window and the hospital’s loss of power, leading to cheering and gasps of shock from outside.

After crying into her hands for a few moments, her friends approached her. Chikara’s body let down its defenses and let them hold her. The surge had burned off the bandages covering the left side of her face, revealing the deep gash sealed with stitches and her empty eye socket. She stopped crying and looked at the broken TV. “I don’t have a choice, do I?”

“We don’t have a choice,” Gen said.

Just then, Chikara’s cell phone rung from inside her purse. Renka pulled it out and saw that it came from a secret number. Gen grabbed the phone and put it on speaker before holding it up to Chikara. He didn’t want to risk her shocking it to death. “Hello?” she asked.

“Hello, Chikara. How’s the hospital’s ice cream? I like strawberry… that’s my favorite.” Chillingworth’s hoarse voice sent another chill down her spine. Her empty eye socket surged with electric power brought on by anger.

Chillingworth coughed and moaned in pain. He was in no condition to chat for long. “You really did a number on me. I can barely move. That’s the only reason you’re still alive. Seeing as how we’re both incapacitated, I propose a truce. Let’s cut our losses and call it even. Deal?”

Chikara wanted to curse and threaten the maniac that had cut out her eye and kidnapped her friend, but she calmed herself. If she hoped to defeat him, she would need stealth, surprise and enough time for preparation. She gritted her teeth and replied, “Okay.”

“Great. OW! Watch it!”

Chikara heard Clover O’Shaughnessey on the other end. “You want the gauze or not, you big baby?”

“Fine. Say goodbye to your friend, little sister.”

“Chikara?” Michiko’s trembling voice answered.

“I’ll find you,” she replied before the phone hung up.

Gen solved the mystery. “Little sister? So he’s…”

“The man I’m going to kill.” Chikara ignited a ball of lightning in her hand and snuffed it out.

***

The next day, Renka found Chikara already out of bed and doing her morning workout against the doctors’ orders. She had fresh bandages on the left side of her face and a determined expression on the other. Renka reported on her visit to the Peaceful Tranquility massage parlor. Nagasado Nyoko told her that her daughter had left on a trip and wasn’t coming back for a long time. Renka felt the fear radiating from the mother’s thoughts and knew that Chillingworth and his crew had gotten to her. They probably grabbed all of Michiko’s essentials the night before and made her brainwash her mother into staying silent.

Chikara figured they would do that. Chillingworth had to cover his tracks. Right now, the five of them were probably on a private jet halfway across the Pacific Ocean, and she had a good idea of where they would stop first. His injuries needed rapid healing, and given his partnership with Jeremiah Neuhaus’s son, he knew just who to ask. This gave her a short window of time to track him down. She had Gen call the hospital caring for Neuhaus again, only to learn that he had moved to another location without telling them where.

On Sunday, Chikara had many visitors. Detectives asked her what had happened, but just like the other students, she couldn’t say a word. They finally left her alone when Renka “convinced” them that she knew nothing.

Hirono and Yui reported that the members of the two kendo clubs still suffered from head trauma and concussions but were expected to make a full recovery. Tomo and Yui brought flowers and candy. Chisato came to her with the broken bokken wrapped in a blanket. Chikara’s blood had already dried into it.

She didn’t accept the gift. “Keep it. I’m using real steel from now on.”

“Kaminari-san… what’s going to happen to Michiko?”

She grabbed her hand. “Don’t tell anyone this, but my friends and I are going after her. I promise we’ll find her.”

“Thank you so much.” Chisato knew that if anyone could save her friend and stop the bad guys, Kaminari Chikara could.

Hibana Taichi came in that afternoon. Chikara had Renka summon him earlier that morning. He took one look at her face and went silent. Chikara said, “Hibana-san, I need your help.”

“Uh… okay. What do you need?”

“Weapons. Electric weapons. Ones that I can power myself. You’re the best electronics guy I know. Do you think you’re up to the task?”

His face lit up. “Are you kidding? I’ll get right on it.” After they discussed the specific tools she would need, Taichi ran home, opened an energy drink and got to work.

The day after that, Chikara checked herself out of the hospital against all advice from the doctors. She had them clean her wound one last time. The stitches along the cut would have to remain for several weeks, and she declined a fitting for a glass eye.

In Gen’s hospital room, Chikara told her two cohorts to inform their families that they would be going on a trip to America for an indefinite amount of time. College would have to wait.

“Should we tell them about what we can do?” asked Renka.

“I don’t know. If you have to, go ahead.”

“I will,” said Gen. “I’ve been thinking about what you said, and I’ve decided to admit everything to my family.”

“Even the plane?”

Gen groaned, “Yes, even the plane.”

“Uh… I guess I’ll admit it too,” said Renka. “I’m sure they’ll sympathize.”

***

That night, Gen called his family to his room. He created shapes from the darkness surrounding him and told them everything. He explained Kaminari Mika’s adventure in Africa, her will granting the ring to the three of them, his destruction of the American jet and Kaijin’s rampage. Since he didn’t know the details of the prom, he just said that he and the girls had to rescue Michiko from her kidnappers in America.

Kagekuro Shuya couldn’t control his excitement. “Wow! My big brother’s a superhero. This is so cool.”

Their father Inajiro wasn’t as pleased. “I’m disappointed that you kept this from us and destroyed that jet, but I’m glad that you’re making up for it.”

Kimie told her son, “Since you were a baby, you wanted to help other people. Then you wanted to punish the bad people. I guess now you have your chance.”

“Are you going to have a sweet codename?” asked Shuya. “Or a costume?”

Gen laughed. “No, little buddy. I think we’ll be fine without them.”

***

Renka planned on using her gifts to influence her parent’s opinions, but at the last minute she decided against it. She felt that controlling her own parents would make her no better than her enemies. She told the bizarre story and changed their emotions only as a demonstration. Her parents expressed disappointment that she would be putting college on hold, but ultimately approved of her decision. She agreed to call them every day to report her progress.

Relieved, Renka walked to Chikara’s shrine to see how she was coping. Renka found her in the basement in deep meditation and surrounded by a powerful electric field. She watched as Chikara slowly lifted herself off the ground and levitated several meters high. Before she reached the ceiling, the metal pipes hanging above her snapped and spilled water all over her. She fell down and quickly mended the pipe with her electromagnetic control.

Renka asked, “Are you okay?”

Drenched, Chikara knew that Renka could sense her humiliation. “I need more metal if I’m going to fly. Let’s go to Hibana’s and see what he’s made.”

“Shouldn’t you get cleaned up first?”

Chikara let another body-wide surge of voltage dry her off. This burned her clothes, prompting a quick change of attire.

When the girls arrived at Taichi’s house, they found him in his workshop surrounded by empty energy drink cans and advanced equipment. They didn’t expect him to build so much in just one day. “Kaminari-san, you’re just in time.” He looked jittery but pale, suggesting that he hadn’t slept since he started. “Here’s what I got for you…”

He held up a woman’s bodysuit. “Your battle armor, woven with an aluminum-magnesium alloy to make it light yet strong. The cloth itself absorbs heat, so don’t worry about zapping yourself naked.” He laughed, but the girls didn’t find it funny.

Taichi then showed off some boots and wrist gauntlets. “Okay, check these out. They’re iron-plated between the leather layers. If you can generate big enough electromagnetic fields, you should be able to fly.”

“Next up, my patented remote-controlled boomerangs. I’ve added an extra surprise… they can emit an ear-piercing noise and a blinding flash guaranteed to stun your enemy. I call them Flasherangs.” Chikara inspected the devices, remembering how she fought them before.

“Finally, my magnum opus… your sword, my lady.” He knelled before her like a knight and presented the futuristic weapon. Though shaped like a katana, the sword’s inward blade consisted of a dark blue material that Chikara couldn’t identify. Inside the translucent substance, she saw a series of tiny transistors, diodes and circuits. The blunt end of the sword consisted of black metal, and the handle looked like a long solar panel wrapped in a pattern of electrical tape. She saw half of a menuki ornament on each side of the hilt. They formed a black lightning bolt, her new symbol.

“Your own body acts as a generator, pumping power into the low-permittivity conductors and creating a dielectric current that energizes the plate and cathode, which activates the Zener diodes and…”

Chikara cut him off. “Japanese, please?”

“Taichi laughed, “Heh heh, sorry. Basically, it focuses and channels your energy.”

Chikara let her electricity flow into the handle’s circuits, letting the blade surge with incalculable power. She swung it through the air and got a feel for its weight. Although heavier than her old bokken, it would have to do. She swung the sword downward and watched as a wave of lightning extended outwards and left a scar in the wall.

Renka could only stare in awe. “Wow.”

“Yeah, she’s a beauty,” said Taichi. “And the swords not bad either. I call it the Electrosaber.”

Chikara looked satisfied. The weapon suited her perfectly. “What do I owe you, Hibana-kun?”

“Are you kidding? I’m helping a real superhero save the world from a diabolical villain. That’s all the payment I need.”

Chikara looked around the room and noticed an item Taichi didn’t mention. She picked up the jagged piece of metal shaped like a lightning bolt. “What is this?”

“Oh, that was going to be a dagger, but I didn’t get around to finishing it.”

“I have a better idea.”

After some instructions on how to use the Flasherangs and Electrosaber, Taichi bid them farewell. “Good luck. Hey, when you defeat those guys from the prom, tell them Taichi sent you.”

“Sure thing, Taichi.”

***

That night, Gen checked himself out of the hospital. The doctors gave him some papaya paste to encourage the skin to heal and sent him home. The three young heroes started packing for their trip. Mr. Kaminari arranged for a flight to America, hoping his daughter’s new equipment wouldn’t cause much of a problem in customs.

When Chikara finished packing, she noticed the sounds of thunder and rain echoing throughout her shrine. She had forgotten about the predicted storm that night. She carried her new sword upstairs to the balcony as if called by the sounds of the thunder. Without regard for her safety, she opened the doors and walked outside. The rain came down as if it shooting the earth, but she didn’t mind. She looked to the clouds and saw the frequent flashes of lightning that scarred the sky.

Each shock of atmospheric discharge only reminded her of Chillingworth. With each clap of thunder, she imagined herself striking him with a worse electric blast than before. She wanted to disfigure that smug, mocking grin on his face just like he did to her. She would be a bolt of lightning herself… sudden, powerful and lethal, and her thunder would be heard all across the world.

She felt as one with the flashes in the sky. She understood them and they called to serve her. She lifted the Electrosaber and commanded the sky to touch her with its abundant power. The clouds responded and sent a bolt of lightning straight into the sword, which absorbed the massive amount of voltage and channeled it into its owner. Chikara felt every gigawatt course through her body and cleanse her of all weakness. At last she had found the spark

herself.

Once the storm calmed, she walked back inside and dried off. She then located some cans of paint from the basement, sat down with the jagged piece of metal and decorated it. Satisfied with the terrifying design, she held it to her scarred face and let the resulting electromagnetic field hold it over her eye. She looked into a mirror and proclaimed, “Now I am become death, the destroyer of worlds. Your world, Damian.”

EPILOGUE

I can see Renka and Gen approaching my house. They’re holding hands and making lovey-dovey faces. I don’t care anymore. She can do what she wants. Justice is now my only concern.

I tried to run and hide from my mother’s plans. I thought I could choose my life freely and live in peace, but I realize now that nobody can change their destiny, and I was born to do this. Now that I have my weapons, my friends, my power and my will, nothing will stop me. I feel like I have been reborn. I feel like an oiwa in Noh plays… a woman’s ghost who returns for revenge on the man who wronged her.

Mom told me the path would be difficult

that I will be hurt and hardened. But in the end, I will prevail. I will go to America, find Michiko and disrupt Chillingworth’s plans. Once I have my chance, I will wrap my hands around that psychopath’s throat and choke the life out of him… him and any other extremist that threatens the world.

I open the door and walk outside to see my friends. I called them here to discuss our travel plans. Renka is shocked and astounded by my evening wear, but Gen smiles. He’s glad that I’ve finally embraced my future. I walk towards them in Taichi’s metallic suit, boots and gauntlets. I carry my new weapon, still sparkling with electric current, and I wear my half-mask… the blue and black painted lightning bolt that conceals my scar. A simple mirror covers the eye hole so my enemies can see their own terrified faces when I come for them.

Gen and Renka are excited and scared, I can tell. They don’t know if they’re up to this, but I know in my heart that with them by my side… we will save this world.

“I’m ready.”

To be continued in

I Am Become Liberty