Adult-FanFiction.org : Anime

Alternate Tracks 2nd Story in Rivalry Series	By : kurahieiritrJIO Category: +G to L > Initial D Views: 2560 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Initial D, nor the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 34
- 35
- 36
CHAPTER 35

Takumi opened his eyes with a groan. Again he had moved in his sleep and it hurt like hell. The teen had instinctively shifted in bed, trying to get comfortable. His continuously throbbing thigh began hurting ten times worse which woke him from a drugged sleep.

The amber-haired youth lifted the covers to glare at the metal cage imbedded in his skin. The cage was a group of thin rods attached to small tubes that rested against his skin. Screws were punched through his undamaged skin at various points to hold his bone fragments in place so they could heal. The contraption shifted and rubbed the punctures whenever he moved. The holes that marked where the cage connected to his busted thigh bone were puffy and raw. They stung and ached although Takumi tried not to move. His doctor said it would take two or three days for the swelling to subside when he asked about the painful wounds.

The doctors had told Takumi a regular cast was out of the question due to the large bandage covering his mid-thigh. That was where the surgeon had operated on his leg. The isha sensei had drilled into the larger bone segments to place the cage on his leg on the outer edges of the main surgical wound once they had fixed his veins. The cage was used to improve his chances of a full recovery without losing any of his leg's normal length. The isha sensei had said that his bones would fuse, filling in the gaps between shards. The process would take six to eight months.

Takumi wondered how the scar would look once his leg healed as he dropped the hospital blanket back over his damaged leg. Takumi hated the line taped to his healthy leg. The hospital staff did not allow him out of bed, so could not get rid of the catheter. The catheter irritated his urinary tract, and annoyed the teen as much as the special bone cage. The catheter stuck him with uncomfortable pressure inside his dick.

The teen's entire body hurt from laying flat on his back for so long. He glanced at the remaining IV. He recalled his blood pouring out of his leg, but had not realized how bad his wound was when he tried to help Keisuke. He wondered how Keisuke was doing as his thoughts turned inward with a deeper sting than his shattered leg could ever convey. The blond was somewhere else in this hospital with a much worse injury than his.

"Great. I'm stuck in bed, and can't find out any real details about Keisuke." The teenager muttered at the ceiling.

Takumi's thoughts turned to the situation that had landed him in this room. He could still see Keisuke's crumpled body on the ground, and the agony in the other man's face as he tried to breathe. The strange foam that had bubbled from between his lips, and had oozed between his fingers as Keisuke held onto his damaged side haunted Takumi.

The teen had a vague sense of getting told that Keisuke would be upset if he worried about him during his ongoing nightmares while he slept. Ryosuke's voice, and face had popped into his dreams as the words slid into his confused imagery of Takumi chasing the yellow FD that vanished in fog banks, only to reappear much farther away. Keisuke also appeared and vanished at random in the misty patches that never ended. The teen had no memory of Ryosuke visiting after the nurse gave him the pain killers.

Takumi knew he had seen Itsuke, who had apologized for not being able to make him feel better as Takumi tried to recover from thinking Keisuke was dead. Now, he knew that the blond was alive and in stable condition. However, Takumi could not feel content. Until he saw Keisuke with his own eyes, he felt something was very wrong. Ryosuke had only replied that Keisuke was stable, but not allowed visitors during his visit that morning.

Mogi had destroyed Project D. Takumi knew he was the key to the delivered death blow given the Takahashi brother's elite team. This was his second failure as a reliable driver and teammate. The last time he blew it, the team could reschedule their race within a week of his accident. This time there would be no rescheduled battles. Keisuke would be in the hospital for some time Takumi feared. He could not drive with his leg in the agony inducing cage. Ryosuke had to leave to begin his residency soon. Takumi gritted his teeth over his worst blunder.

Takumi wondered how he would ever face Keisuke after this catastrophe. Mogi had tried to murder him and almost succeeded. Had Keisuke not fallen in love with him, the feisty blond would not be somewhere in this hospital seriously injured. If Takumi had not come to love Keisuke, he would not be so afraid of the sketchy information Ryosuke gave him about Keisuke's condition. Takumi knew Ryosuke had not told him the entire story.

A knock on the door interrupted Takumi's thoughts. Ryosuke walked in with a tired, careworn expression. Takumi doubted he had gotten much rest since the shooting. Ryosuke's haggard face reinforced his certainty that Keisuke was in much worse shape than Ryosuke had told him.

"Good Morning again, Fujiwara. You have, . . ."

Takumi launched into his argument before Ryosuke could accept blame he did not deserve. "I know that this mess is my fault, Ryosuke san. Mogi destroyed Project D, because of me. So I won't let you take the blame for my ex going insane. She was always my problem. Keisuke's injuries are my fault."

His hands balled in his lap as Takumi looked at his sheet-covered knees. He felt he had to take on the responsibility no matter what Ryosuke had said earlier. "I know I can't fix anything, or make things right, Ryosuke san. I'm begging you to tell me the truth! Is Keisuke going to be all right?"

"Keisuke's still listed as stable. I haven't even seen him this morning, Fujiwara. I only know what his isha sensei told me. As to your other complaint, Fujiwara, we've already gone over this. Both Keisuke's injury, and yours are my responsibility. Keisuke told me Mogi was harassing you. I posted the course information on the website because of fan pressure. Mogi would never have arrived at the battle site if I had used better judgement. I knew about her, but allowed myself to be arrogant in the face of her potential threat. You're here because of my bad decisions, Fujiwara. Do not make me repeat myself again!"

"Still, Keisuke got shot because of me. Mogi wouldn't have done that if I hadn't been with Project D. I'm even more responsible for Keisuke's getting hurt, Ryosuke san!"

Another voice entered the conversation from behind Ryosuke's broad back. "Shut up, brat. If Ryosuke kun says he was the one who let her know where you were, then he has the greater responsibility."

Oyaji stepped around Ryosuke, and stopped next to his bed. Takumi heard other footsteps close to the door. "Oyaji? What are you doing here? Who's going to watch the shop while you're gone? You barely make a profit margin as is."

Worry glued Takumi's eyes to his father's face. Oyaji put his hands on his hips as he looked down on him. "I've been here. You were out cold when I came by earlier. I came up here to make sure something gets done about that crazy onna that attacked you, and see if you're going to be okay. Someone has to drive the hachi roku home too. You won't be driving, or walking for several months."

"I don't know what happened to Mogi. I saw Singing Wolf san kick her, and she went down. After that I haven't got a clue where Mogi went once I blacked out."

Ryosuke surprised Takumi by repeating what he said much slower than he had spoken. A deep female voice closer to the door spoke. "You did not pass out, Fujiwara. I knocked you out. You weren't going to let me put a tourniquet on your leg otherwise. Since you had damaged veins, you would have died had I not gotten the tourniquet on your leg when I did. As for the onna with the gun, she's not a problem any longer. She can't do any more harm to anyone."

"How can you be sure?" Takumi leaned to see around Ryosuke, but failed to see the other person. Ryosuke moved to the other side of his bed so Takumi could see the Gaijin woman who had stopped Mogi. An older woman dressed in very expensive, but tasteful clothing stood next to her.

"I broke Mogi Natsuki's neck. She's a quadriplegic."

"You . . . broke . . . her neck?" Takumi asked as his stomach churned.

"That's standard procedure in such situations, Takumi san." Sammy answered with a blank expression.

Takumi felt his stomach twist while he listened to her slow Japanese. "Doushite?"

"Stalkers are mentally ill, and very unstable. If they can't make their victim do as they wish, they kill them. A broken neck, if survived creates a permeant solution. It's unfortunate that Mogi was told the gun was a toy to intimidate you, and Keisuke san to get her way."

"Matte! Mogi thought the gun was a toy?"

"From Maori's interrogation replies, hai."

"You mean Mogi didn't know that she was trying to kill me and Keisuke?" Takumi tried again to make sense of the information.

"Maori has signed a statement that they told Mogi it was a prop to insure she could speak with you. Maori stated that Tou showed Mogi rubber bullets, and claimed they were the ammunition for the illegal gun they loaned her. Maori's statement says that Tou told Mogi the weapon would temporarily stop any opposition so she could achieve her goal of forcing you to do whatever Mogi wished. " Sammy's voice was flat, and lifeless sounding.

It made Takumi ill to think that this foreigner was indifferent to such a horrific tragedy. "How could, . . . she not realize, . . . it was a real gun?"

Takumi tried to understand the situation for his own benefit, but Singing-Wolf thought he addressed her. "Either Mogi didn't recognize it was a real gun, or she chose to pretend she didn't know with the full intention of killing you, Takahashi Keisuke, or both. The only thing left is to see whether she lives long enough to go to prison for premeditated murder, or attempted murder."

Takumi looked up at Ryosuke with alarm. "I thought you said Keisuke was stable."

"He is stable, Fujiwara. Keisuke's condition hasn't changed. He hasn't woken since his surgery. The isha sensei says he can't wake up because his blood oxygen levels dropped so low. The repertory senumon-i's optimistic that Keisuke will wake up sometime today because his blood oxygen levels have risen enough so he can awaken. They allowed me to check on him not that long after his surgery. He managed a weak grip when I had his hand. Although, Keisuke didn't react until I mentioned you, Fujiwara." Ryosuke spoke to him in a calm and soothing tone.

Takumi wondered why Ryosuke was being so open about what had gotten Keisuke to react. The older man's words proved that Keisuke was in love with him. Oyaji shook his head and turned back to look at his son. He sat in the visitor's chair.

"I need to talk to my musuko. Minnasan clear out."

Ryosuke interrupted, "I hope you've considered what we discussed last night, Fujiwara san."

"I am thinking about it. I need to know what Takumi has to say before I decide anything." Oyaji snapped.

Takumi looked at the pair of men who were on either side of his bed. Both had frowns on their faces. Ryosuke nodded to him, and walked toward the door. He said something too quiet for Takumi to hear, as he stepped next to Sammy san. He left the room with the well dressed older woman that Takumi finally placed as Ryosuke and Keisuke's mother.

Samantha Singing Wolf spoke in her slow measured pace. "I will be close by if you need anything, Takumi Fujiwara." She looked at Oyaji and said, "Try to be reasonable. After all, your musuko has not asked for these things, but has endured much. This much is clear. If Kami sama ordains this, then he ordains it, Fujiwara san."

Her tone was tart as she spoke. Her silver eyes seemed to blaze in her exotic face while she challenged Oyaji. The American stood her ground until Oyaji nodded with an explosive breath. The woman stepped out into the hallway. Takumi was confused. Had Samantha Singing-Wolf appointed herself his personal guard, or had Ryosuke asked her to stay alert? Takumi looked at his father. Takumi had a hunch that Oyaji knew far too much about his relationship with Keisuke.

"If this is about Mogi, Oyaji, I didn't know she was that crazy." Takumi shifted to the topic of his attacker to avoid his premonition. Ryosuke had been open in front of his father. That suggested that Oyaji knew part, if not all of the situation.

Oyaji snorted. "Forget Mogi. I hear your teammate's in love with you, and you feel the same as him. The rest of Project D figured it out because of your ex girlfriend shooting you two. They said you flipped out when Keisuke got shot. Care to explain the reason you fell apart? Keisuke's onīsan was forced to explain a bit about his otouto's half of this mess." Anger compressed Oyaji's lips into a hard line.

Takumi looked at his angry old man's face. "I can't hate Keisuke Takahashi. I have too much respect for him, Oyaji. If that's what you want me to do, then this discussion's already over."

Takumi was in dangerous waters, and knew it. He could not back down without failing Keisuke, nor could he admit loving Keisuke without painful consequences.

Oyaji looked at him with genuine surprise. "Ryosuke kun said you'd say something like that. He told all the Red Suns something similar last night."

Takumi's stomach knotted. He ran a hand through his hair, and looked at his blanket-covered legs. If Ryosuke had told the Red Suns team that, it meant that they knew about his and Keisuke's romantic involvement. He nodded his head without a word.

Oyaji growled, "you still need to answer me, brat. What's your half of this mess that your teammates are gossiping about?"

"Keisuke san kept verbally hammering me until I got involved in racing. Then he hammered me until I joined Project D. Keisuke san always yells at me to have pride in my driving skills. So, I decided that I'm not turning on him despite anything that minnasan says about our friendship. Keisuke's a good person that deserves my respect. If you hate me for trying to understand his feelings, and be fair to him, then there's nothing left to say, Oyaji." Takumi felt his jaw clenching as he glared back.

Emotions strained Oyaji's voice. "Ryosuke's okāsan made him tell me what was going on last night. He said his Keisuke kun wasn't happy when he realized that he was interested in you. He even said that Keisuke kun was hard to cope with until after you were in that wreck a couple months ago. Ryosuke told me that you two talked and came to some kind of agreement, but he didn't know the details. Ryosuke kun also claims you two are getting along because of your talk. He also claimed that he doesn't know how attached you are to Keisuke kun. He had the nerve to say he hopes you get past your discomfort with the idea because he thinks you two need each other."

Takumi digested the information. Believing Oyaji was capable of such large amounts of speech was hard. Takumi could not quite prevent the bitter tone that crept into his words.

"So? Do you hate me because I won't turn on Keisuke san? Are you going to beat the crap out of me because I know he's a good person and I respect him too much to be a jerk over something he has no control over, Oyaji?"

"Did Keisuke really save your life when you were in the wreck?"

Takumi looked at his father. He had expected blind anger, and hatred, not another question. "Hai. Ryosuke san, Kenta, and the mechanical team all agreed that had the hachi roku been a couple hundred grams heavier, we both would have died. That's how I found out about, . . . everything."

"Is that the reason you've been teaching him the water trick? You owe Keisuke something, and are trying to repay that debt?"

"Ryosuke san says I have better brake control than Keisuke san. It seemed like a good way to help him improve, Oyaji. I offered to help because he has done a lot for me like kick my butt to push me to get better. Getting my head around his being in love with me hasn't been easy, but I'm not going to turn on Keisuke san, even if you think I should, Oyaji."

"So, you're going along with him because you feel you owe him something." Oyaji spoke in a soft voice.

"iie, Oyaji. Even if I haven't been very comfortable with everything that's happened, I can't turn my back on him because he's a genuine friend foremost."

"Are you ignoring the truth? Keisuke wants more than a buddy to hang out with, Takumi."

"I know what Keisuke san wants, Oyaji. I also know he didn't choose one day to feel that way about me. I'm not ignoring anything. I've been trying to understand Keisuke because ever since I met him, my life has gotten a lot of focus, and means something now. Without him badgering me, I'd never have made any of the choices I have. Keisuke's taught me a lot. I don't expect you to get any of this, Oyaji, but that's how I feel. This is supposed to be between me and Keisuke. We have to work this situation out." Takumi locked eyes with his irritated old man as he spoke.

The teen knew he had to make Oyaji understand why he had chosen Keisuke, but could not bring himself to say the final words. He recognized that he had evaded part of what he should have said, though he felt he failed Keisuke in doing so.

Oyaji grunted. "I don't guess I can say much to that argument. Keisuke kun put his life on the line for you twice from what I heard last night. He would have to be damned serious to do something like that." Oyaji looked down at his hands as he sat in the chair.

"Oyaji, you know Keisuke isn't a bad person. Even if you beat me to death over this, I won't change my mind just because I found out he's bisexual. I decided that I can't hate Keisuke because of something he can't control. I know how it hurts to care about someone without making any choice. When Mogi convinced me to hang out with her, I got attached, and then found out she had lied about a lot of things. We broke up because I couldn't stand knowing she was lying and seeing someone behind my back!"

"Keisuke's an otoko, Takumi. It's not right to get involved that way with another otoko, and you damned well know it." Oyaji growled.

Takumi let his own anger show as he spoke. "Keisuke's been one of the strongest allies, and best friends I've ever had the privilege to know. He's changed my life in ways I can't comprehend because he helped me, and kicked my butt to make sure I improved as a driver. He makes me push myself when I get lazy. He did those things long before he discovered that he loves me! He was my friend, my rival, and my mentor long before things got murky! I can't write him off just because he's another otoko. I know I haven't done anything that I need to feel ashamed of either, Oyaji!"

"I can understand that you respect him, musuko. However, you could be giving Keisuke kun the wrong idea. You may not even know you are, but that might make things worse for both of you in the long run."

"Keisuke knows I've had a hard time wrapping my head around this situation. I gave him my word that I would be fair, and I wouldn't lie to him about how I feel about things. I will stand by my word, Oyaji."

"It sounds like you've made up your mind. I thought he might have backed you into a corner, but the way you say things, . . . I just . . . What the hell should I think about this mess?" Oyaji sighed and shook his head.

Takumi had the impression that his father felt defeated, or disappointed in him. "Are you going to kick me out of the house because I can't agree with you, Oyaji?"

Oyaji looked at him. Takumi refused to look away. The silence stretched between them as the older man considered his question. Takumi's nerves were raw. He had not expected the reactions his father had shown. Takumi had expected extreme violence. The teenager was not yet certain that the hammer would not fall once he left the hospital. The atmosphere was tense as Takumi held his panic at bay through sheer willpower.

"Depends on you."

"What's that supposed to mean, Oyaji?"

"Just what I said!" Oyaji snapped.

"I'm not going to turn on Keisuke san! I won't write him off. He isn't holding anything over my head, or being underhanded. Keisuke's too important to me for me to treat him like he has some kind of disease. I've learned about bisexuals, and one thing I know for sure is that he doesn't have a disease. You can't catch bisexual, or gay, Oyaji. Keisuke's still Keisuke. It hasn't changed who he is inside. We have to work this out between us. Nobody else can solve this." Takumi realized he had begun to shake as he stood up to his father yet again.

Oyaji's hands were clasped in front of him as his elbows rested on his knees. "I didn't think you would turn on him to be honest. You're as stubborn as I am when you decide."

Takumi felt words spill out of his mouth. "Although Ryosuke san was the one who asked me to join the team, I never would have joined Project D if Keisuke hadn't challenged me. He made me reach for something I thought was meant for people I believed were way out of my league."

"Ryosuke kun said something similar at the meeting last night. He said Keisuke kun convinced you to join Project D, not him."

"Keisuke also convinced me to get serious about racing, Oyaji. If not for him, I never would have raced with that GT-R, or any of the others that challenged me. He fights with me to get me to accept that I have real skills, and am a real road racer whenever I doubt myself. He reminds me that I'm good enough to be part of Project D. Without Keisuke chewing my ass off over my lack of pride, I'd still think I was a second rate nobody!"

Oyaji listened to him without comment. He scratched his head. His silence unnerved Takumi a great deal. The youth continued in his dogged defense of the man who could not speak for himself. "Keisuke used to show up at four A.M. and chew me out to make sure I took challenges I received. He's the main reason we found anything to talk about, Oyaji. You can hate him all you want, because I know you think his personality glitch makes him unworthy of knowing, but I can't! Keisuke Takahashi has taught me to set goals. He's shown me how to try to reach for things I never thought I could. I don't understand his reasons, but Keisuke chose to believe in me when I couldn't understand that I was even worth believing in."

The amber-haired teen hoped Oyaji would think long and hard before he let disgust take over. Oyaji grabbed his cigarette pack out of his pocket out of habit. He recalled where he was after he had shaken several half loose from the pack. Oyaji snorted and tamped the tubes down, and returned the pack to his pocket as he thought over what Takumi said.

Oyaji's voice was soft when he spoke again. "Guess that settles it then." Oyaji stood up and started to the door.

"You never answered my question, Oyaji. Am I out of the house because I won't turn on Keisuke?"

"I haven't decided. I gotta think things over." He turned back to give Takumi a hard look. "You, that Sammy onna, Keisuke kun's onīsan, and his own okāsan have all made damned strong points about how I shouldn't hate Keisuke for being crazy about you along with the rest. I'd like to talk to that punk myself, but he's on a ventilator to make sure he gets enough oxygen in his blood. Unless he wakes up, and starts to breathe without help very soon, Keisuke won't survive, Takumi."

Oyaji stalked from the room as Takumi watched him go. The teen closed his eyes as he tried to find a sense of equilibrium. Takumi was very afraid for his blond partner. He had known Ryosuke had hidden things from him, but this was even worse than his mentor had tried to get him to believe.

'Keisuke's on a ventilator? He may die because of his injury? Even if Oyaji hates me because I defended him and kicks me out of the house, I'll find a way to handle it on my own. I know I keep failing Keisuke, and I don't deserve his faith or love. I'm begging, Kami-sama, let Keisuke live.'

Samantha Singing Wolf stepped back into the room to check on him. Takumi looked at her without comment. It surprised him when she spoke in a slow, thoughtful tone.

"Fujiwara, I am aware that you are uneasy with my words earlier. My otosān's culture has an ancient legend. I would share it with you. Perhaps it will grant peace as I cannot."

Takumi tilted his head as he considered her offer for a moment before he nodded his consent.

"Long ago, a pair of shonen grew up together. As they became otoko, one came to love the other a great deal. However, the other was drawn to a beautiful onna in their village, and did not return his dear friend's feelings in the same way, or measure."

"Do you have names for them?"

"Hai. The one who knew his love was Singing Streams, the one who knew nothing of his friend's heart, was Little Moon Dances on Water. The Great Spirit, or Kami-sama, heard the heart of Singing Streams who loved his friend Little Moon with deep devotion. Great Spirit ordained them as one because of the strength of the love that flowed from Singing Streams to Little Moon Dances on Water. Little Moon felt great confusion as the ordained pairing began to form in the lesser world because of the onna he also desired. Spring Doves had no knowledge that Little Moon loved her. She moved about the village with her sunny smile and gentle ways, unaware of what would befall her."

Sammy moved to sit in the chair. Takumi asked as he watched her shift to cross her legs under herself. "Let me guess, she married Little Moon, and Singing Streams went crazy enough to kill her? Kind of like Mogi, Keisuke, and me?"

Sammy shook her head. "Great Spirit summoned Coyote, the trickster, and gave him a task. 'You will use your trickery to undo the confusion that plagues Little Moon Dances on Water.' Great Spirit forgot to stipulate how the trickster was to carry out his task. Coyote can be a very cruel teacher, so he killed Spring Doves to remove her so there would be none left to confuse Little Moon."

"That's cruel. She had nothing to do with them, so she didn't need to die, did she?"

"All lessons have a cruel aspect, or they are not lessons, Takumi san. Singing Streams loved his friend so much that when he saw the pain in Little Moon's eyes he challenged the mighty Trickster to battle. He could not bear to see Little Moon Dances on Water, his beloved, wounded in heart or soul. Singing Streams didn't have a chance, yet fought with all his heart to avenge Spring Doves, his own rival. Little Moon Dances on Water saw his dearest friend fight, and fall. He knew Coyote would kill Singing Streams if he delivered another blow."

"So, Singing Streams died to make his friend who he was in love with feel better."

"It took such a dire situation for Little Moon Dances on Water to see the truth of who was most important to him, Takumi san. The onna he had fancied held less of his heart because she did not possess deep knowledge of him. Singing Streams, who was on the brink of death truly knew and understood him. Little Moon Dances on Water learned what love means because of what Little Steams did. He understood it was not about the joining of bodies, but of a desire to understand another person. It is the choice to seek to help another find their greatest happiness because of the knowledge one holds of another which defines unconditional love."

"Is there any good in learning something if it happens too late?"

"Perhaps. You see, Little Moon Dances on Water jumped between Coyote, and Singing Streams. He chose to fight Coyote, the original dark teacher, to save the one person who had sought his happiness above all others, Takumi san. Because Little Moon finally understood that he could not lose the one who understood him better than he knew himself, Coyote was forced to retreat by Great Spirit's earlier command. The confusion vanished from Little Moon Dances on Water's heart because of what he learned from Singing Streams selfless actions. The two mens' blood mingled as Little Moon bound Singing Streams wounds, while his own bled. The ordainment healed both of them as Great Spirit's law came to a full circle. They were of one blood, and one spirit from that day forth. That is the essence of a blood brother's strength, Takumi san."

Takumi considered her story as she fell silent. "That's a strange legend."

Sammy shrugged. "It contains many strange ideas to someone who is not of my otosān's culture. In some ways, perhaps it is still fitting for your difficulties. Perhaps you will receive your answer as did Little Moon Dances on Water. Pain forces us to re-evaluate our beliefs. That is its purpose for existence as Coyote, the Trickster, or dark teacher as we also know him, ordained it to be. To learn the difference between love, and attraction is only one lesson contained within that story's layers. The story also contains Faith and trust in this teaching tale. To be selfless for another's benefit is another lesson."

Takumi nodded as he considered Singing-Wolf's unusual ideal. It was obvious this was not a homosexual specific fairy tale.

Sammy continued. "The mingling of blood has happened already, and is yet another lesson contained inside this story. Where the heart is certain, miracles happen when blood mingles to bind destiny as two individuals become a type of family unit. To bleed for another, or mingled blood means to choose to make a sacrifice for another without concern for one's own safety, or peace of mind. You choose to bring someone else happiness, even if it might cause you pain. If there is balance between both people, friends will reward the pain suffered when the other person needs it." She rose and started for the door.

"Arigato for the pep talk, Sammy san. I appreciate it." Takumi smiled at the odd woman. The teen could not decide how he felt about her yet, however, she was trying to be friendly.

"I give it with hope that you won't decide my being a Gaijin is a bad thing, Takumi san."

"I'm not like that baka at the course the other night. Do you get that kind of treatment a lot here?" Takumi asked as his brows plunged to his nose bridge.

"I've dealt with it before. Different cultures will always conflict, Takumi san. It takes a great deal of courage for people that are very different to accept others even if they don't always agree. In my own life I come from two very different subcultures. I have always been seen as less because of being a half breed. I am both white and Indian in blood, yet not accepted by either side of my family. I learned long ago to make my own place as I see fit because of that. Here in your country, I am supposed to be a specific way, as are the rest of the people attached to the Embassy. Governments ignore subcultures completely in favor of harmony with the native population. It keeps the peace and helps to prevent excess anger."

"I never thought of it that way. I'd like to learn more about your cultures, if you don't mind telling me more of your stories, Sammy-chan?" She gave him a gentle smile and a short bow befitting his own culture.

"I will visit you again soon." Takumi had no idea whether Keisuke would wake up. Yet, her odd legend gave him a little hope as Singing-Wolf left the room.

-oo0oo-
- 34
- 35
- 36
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

Alternate Tracks 2nd Story in Rivalry Series