Monday Morning, Tokyo City, Japan
Momoko buttoned her shirt and slipped off the table. "So how am I?"
"Much better than last time, that's for sure. Still not how I would like."
Momoko rolled her eyes. "Sensei!!!"
"Fine, fine!" The doctor held up her hands. "I'll tell your instructors you're cleared for active duty again. Your bruises are almost gone and your legs don't seem as strained. What was it you said you were hit with?"
A harpy. "A bat." Momoko lied. "And some rocks" a building "and fists."
"Must have been a steel bat, to leave bruises that big for this long," the doctor remarked, checking some boxes on a chart. "But you should be fine. Just don't get into any more fights. Especially with gangs."
"I totally didn't mean to!" Momoko shrugged into her jacket and reached for her cap. "But how could I just let them hurt everyone? Right in front of me like that! Innocent people! I had to stop it."
"You're not an officer yet," the doctor pointed a pen at Momoko. "And definitely not one in America. Besides, interfering with gang activity is dangerous; you need to learn how to do that sort of thing properly and it takes time. You should have gone for the proper authorities."
"People could have been killed, sensei. I can't let that happen. No matter how bad I get hurt."
"All you cadets are such heroes! You could have been killed, you know. And then where would those people be?" The doctor rolled her eyes fondly and gave Momoko a light push towards the door. "I guess it's cadets like you who keep me in business. Go get back to work, hero."
Momoko left the clinic with a sigh that she had to lie to such a nice person, then pulled out her phone to send a quick handwavy text to update Scully on her injuries, "Just left school clinic. All fine now. Told you so."
"Well, that's good to hear." A male voice came from behind her, causing Momoko to jump slightly and spin around.
"Eh?! Ah! Sato-sempai! What are you doing at the clinic?"
"Looking for you, of course." His grin grew a bit more foolish. "Glad to hear you're okay."
"Thank you," Momoko kept her smile friendly. It was sweet of him to worry, but saying so would totally encourage him. "Why were you looking for me; is something wrong?"
"Only that you won't go out with me."
"Sempai...!" Momoko sagged in frustration and Sato raised his hands in protest.
"No, no. You asked! But that's not why I was looking for you! Minakami-sensei asked me to check on you. You're in the tournament next week?"
Momoko nodded. "Well, the women's division. I made the last spot on the team. I was totally surprised!" She'd thought she'd done worse, her attention was so focused on not using most of her strength while all the other women were using theirs.
"According to Minakami-sensei you're ranked 5th in your class." Sato gave a small snort. "He was pretty mad that you got hurt. He's asked me to spar with you a bit, make sure you're okay to fight." He nodded in the direction of the dojo, tugging at Momoko's sleeve.
Momoko grinned and shrugged, returning her phone to her pocket as she obliged and turned in that direction. She could use the practice, having spent a week on the sidelines because of her Bordertown adventure. "I'm totally not good enough to spar with you, sempai. You'll have to go easy on me!"
"I totally doubt that, Akatsutsumi. Not the way Sensei was talking." Sato laughed, falling into easy step with her. "But seriously, my family has a kendo dojo. I think if I can't do some basic sparring, my father will be ashamed of me."
"Eh? A professional! Totally not fair, sempai." Momoko chuckled through her blush, wondering what in the world Sensei had been saying about her.
"Nowhere near professional; just better than some. Like you, apparently. I'm actually looking forward to this match. Even if you are still wounded, you can't use less than your full skill."
"I wouldn't do that!" Hold back her skill, no, her strength, yes. "Besides, Sensei says I'm all healed up!" Momoko curled her arms as if to show her muscles.
He chuckled. "So I heard. You were texting someone? Your family?"
Momoko shook her head. "My friend, back in America. Scully gets upset when I get injured."
"Was that who you were visiting?"
"Oh no! I was with Leda. She lives in a whole different place. Scully's still at school, actually. But she works in the clinic there and she likes to yell at me when I get hurt."
"So you get injured a lot, then?" And his tone had Momoko looking to him in confusion.
"I... Not all the time? And I heal really fast anyway."
Sato stopped sharply. "Is someone hurting you, Akatsutsumi? Is that why you won't go out with me; you're in a bad relationship?"
That totally floored Momoko. "What?!"
"You won't date or even talk about it. When you go away on furloughs, you don't communicate with anyone or say where you're going. You come back injured or upset when you visit your 'friends'... I can help, Akatsutsumi! You just need to say it. I can see that you're not happy!"
"Eh?!" Momoko was still totally stunned. How long had he been thinking THAT? "Sempai! That's totally not it! I just..." She sighed and set her hand on his arm. "Thank you. But that's totally not what happened. It really was a gang and I really was trying to save someone. Lots of someones. It's who I am: I can't just stand by and let evil happen."
"And I can't date you because," Momoko took a breath. Wow, she could tell the truth this time? "Because I'm still totally hurting from breaking up with my ex-boyfriend."
His eyes softened a bit at that, lost the intense look he'd been giving her a moment ago. "He broke up with you?"
Hmmm. "It... wasn't what I wanted." Which was as far as Momoko was willing to go with that.
He was silent as they started again for the dojo. "I could help you get over him?" he finally said as they reached the door.
Momoko smiled and patted his arm. "How about you help me with my kendo, Sempai. If you win, maybe I'll sit with you at lunch."
He smiled. "You know how I get when challenged," he reminded her.
"If you lose, I totally get your dessert," she called, waving as she headed off to the women's locker room and totally glad he hadn't noticed her lack of a response to his 'you're not happy' observation.
A few minutes later, they were dressed in the practice armor and acknowledging each other. Feet shuffled for a few moments as the two gauged each other, and finally Momoko spotted a chance.
Klank!
[NFI, cause no cel phones on the dojo floor; NFB for distance; Long meandering post is long, sorry. "Klank" leads to a cool youtube music video. In English, promise.]
"Much better than last time, that's for sure. Still not how I would like."
Momoko rolled her eyes. "Sensei!!!"
"Fine, fine!" The doctor held up her hands. "I'll tell your instructors you're cleared for active duty again. Your bruises are almost gone and your legs don't seem as strained. What was it you said you were hit with?"
A harpy. "A bat." Momoko lied. "And some rocks" a building "and fists."
"Must have been a steel bat, to leave bruises that big for this long," the doctor remarked, checking some boxes on a chart. "But you should be fine. Just don't get into any more fights. Especially with gangs."
"I totally didn't mean to!" Momoko shrugged into her jacket and reached for her cap. "But how could I just let them hurt everyone? Right in front of me like that! Innocent people! I had to stop it."
"You're not an officer yet," the doctor pointed a pen at Momoko. "And definitely not one in America. Besides, interfering with gang activity is dangerous; you need to learn how to do that sort of thing properly and it takes time. You should have gone for the proper authorities."
"People could have been killed, sensei. I can't let that happen. No matter how bad I get hurt."
"All you cadets are such heroes! You could have been killed, you know. And then where would those people be?" The doctor rolled her eyes fondly and gave Momoko a light push towards the door. "I guess it's cadets like you who keep me in business. Go get back to work, hero."
Momoko left the clinic with a sigh that she had to lie to such a nice person, then pulled out her phone to send a quick handwavy text to update Scully on her injuries, "Just left school clinic. All fine now. Told you so."
"Well, that's good to hear." A male voice came from behind her, causing Momoko to jump slightly and spin around.
"Eh?! Ah! Sato-sempai! What are you doing at the clinic?"
"Looking for you, of course." His grin grew a bit more foolish. "Glad to hear you're okay."
"Thank you," Momoko kept her smile friendly. It was sweet of him to worry, but saying so would totally encourage him. "Why were you looking for me; is something wrong?"
"Only that you won't go out with me."
"Sempai...!" Momoko sagged in frustration and Sato raised his hands in protest.
"No, no. You asked! But that's not why I was looking for you! Minakami-sensei asked me to check on you. You're in the tournament next week?"
Momoko nodded. "Well, the women's division. I made the last spot on the team. I was totally surprised!" She'd thought she'd done worse, her attention was so focused on not using most of her strength while all the other women were using theirs.
"According to Minakami-sensei you're ranked 5th in your class." Sato gave a small snort. "He was pretty mad that you got hurt. He's asked me to spar with you a bit, make sure you're okay to fight." He nodded in the direction of the dojo, tugging at Momoko's sleeve.
Momoko grinned and shrugged, returning her phone to her pocket as she obliged and turned in that direction. She could use the practice, having spent a week on the sidelines because of her Bordertown adventure. "I'm totally not good enough to spar with you, sempai. You'll have to go easy on me!"
"I totally doubt that, Akatsutsumi. Not the way Sensei was talking." Sato laughed, falling into easy step with her. "But seriously, my family has a kendo dojo. I think if I can't do some basic sparring, my father will be ashamed of me."
"Eh? A professional! Totally not fair, sempai." Momoko chuckled through her blush, wondering what in the world Sensei had been saying about her.
"Nowhere near professional; just better than some. Like you, apparently. I'm actually looking forward to this match. Even if you are still wounded, you can't use less than your full skill."
"I wouldn't do that!" Hold back her skill, no, her strength, yes. "Besides, Sensei says I'm all healed up!" Momoko curled her arms as if to show her muscles.
He chuckled. "So I heard. You were texting someone? Your family?"
Momoko shook her head. "My friend, back in America. Scully gets upset when I get injured."
"Was that who you were visiting?"
"Oh no! I was with Leda. She lives in a whole different place. Scully's still at school, actually. But she works in the clinic there and she likes to yell at me when I get hurt."
"So you get injured a lot, then?" And his tone had Momoko looking to him in confusion.
"I... Not all the time? And I heal really fast anyway."
Sato stopped sharply. "Is someone hurting you, Akatsutsumi? Is that why you won't go out with me; you're in a bad relationship?"
That totally floored Momoko. "What?!"
"You won't date or even talk about it. When you go away on furloughs, you don't communicate with anyone or say where you're going. You come back injured or upset when you visit your 'friends'... I can help, Akatsutsumi! You just need to say it. I can see that you're not happy!"
"Eh?!" Momoko was still totally stunned. How long had he been thinking THAT? "Sempai! That's totally not it! I just..." She sighed and set her hand on his arm. "Thank you. But that's totally not what happened. It really was a gang and I really was trying to save someone. Lots of someones. It's who I am: I can't just stand by and let evil happen."
"And I can't date you because," Momoko took a breath. Wow, she could tell the truth this time? "Because I'm still totally hurting from breaking up with my ex-boyfriend."
His eyes softened a bit at that, lost the intense look he'd been giving her a moment ago. "He broke up with you?"
Hmmm. "It... wasn't what I wanted." Which was as far as Momoko was willing to go with that.
He was silent as they started again for the dojo. "I could help you get over him?" he finally said as they reached the door.
Momoko smiled and patted his arm. "How about you help me with my kendo, Sempai. If you win, maybe I'll sit with you at lunch."
He smiled. "You know how I get when challenged," he reminded her.
"If you lose, I totally get your dessert," she called, waving as she headed off to the women's locker room and totally glad he hadn't noticed her lack of a response to his 'you're not happy' observation.
A few minutes later, they were dressed in the practice armor and acknowledging each other. Feet shuffled for a few moments as the two gauged each other, and finally Momoko spotted a chance.
Klank!
[NFI, cause no cel phones on the dojo floor; NFB for distance; Long meandering post is long, sorry. "Klank" leads to a cool youtube music video. In English, promise.]