Magic Knight Rayearth Fan Fiction ❯ Lion Heart ❯ Of the Strong-Willed ( Chapter 5 )

Lion Heart: Chapter Five: Of the Strong-Willed

***

February 25th, 1992

To Miss Hikaru Shidou:

Congratulations! You have been accepted into San'iku Academy for Talented Girls because of your fine talent in kendo. The term will begin at the beginning of April. Please be sure to buy your school uniform before the 25th of March. We are honored to have you on our campus.

Hikaru smiled. Now she could attend the same junior high and high school as the rest of her friends, and her brothers would be pleased with this news. She was sure of that. After moping about it for a week, Kakeru finally decided that it was best (though he never did say why), and Masaru had been supportive from the beginning. Satoru, however, wanted to make absolute sure that this was what she wanted.

It really was, but at first only because Fumiko, Sera, and Rei had been accepted. Later, she felt that she should attend the school, but she could not pinpoint exactly why. Masaru thought that it was because it was her heart's desire. Kakeru took it as a sign that she should take up kendo once again.

She hadn't agreed to it at first, but...

"But, Kakeru-oniisama, if Father comes back and I beat him again..."

"Oh, don't worry about it! I'm sure he's not that dishonorable as to abandon us again!"

After much convincing from Kakeru and eventually Satoru, she decided to train herself once again. She only had had a month before the testing was to take place, after all. Amazingly enough, she had managed to defeat Satoru.

Fear had struck her immediately. After only two weeks of sparring against her eldest brother, she defeated him. This boded poorly for the sake of her father staying home when he returned home; he would leave again if she beat him, wouldn't he? This time, Kakeru may hate her--his hatred for their father seemed to have lessened.

Yet, once the Academy received word that Hikaru managed to defeat a full-grown man now and back when she was in kindergarten, it seemed as if they had no need to test her.

This letter was proof.

"San'iku Academy," Hikaru breathed, her smile never wavering as she read and reread the letter.

***

"YES!"

Masaru and Kakeru cheered wildly in the living room once Hikaru ran off to tell Satoru the good news. Masaru tossed his script up in the air, and Kakeru stood on top of the small table, his fist punching the booklet Masaru had thrown. The bundled pile of scripts slammed against the wall, but neither brother paid any concern to it.

"I knew she could make it into San'iku Academy!"

"Now there's no chance that any boy would dare date Hikaru-chan!"

The boys laughed menacingly. Kakeru hopped off the table in fear that his mother would walk into the room, but his grin seemed to have been pasted on with super glue. It was the best thing that had happened to him since Valentine's Day.

In which, by the way, he received more chocolates than all of the other boys in his school.

But his little sister getting into an all-girls' school was better than all the chocolates in the world.

"Any boy who wants to date Hikaru-chan, well, let's see him try to be accepted by her! Surely she wouldn't date some random boy off the street!" Kakeru said, crossing his arms determinedly.

Masaru chuckled. "That and the mere fact that you won't get in trouble every time she interacts with any guy other than Yuujirou and Hidehiro, eh, Kakeru?"

The younger brother flinched, but his smirk remained. "Shut up."

"Come on, Kakeru," Masaru said as he sat down back down at the table. "You really need to learn to trust Hikaru-chan. She can take care of herself, you know."

Kakeru slumped back down into his seat and sighed. "I know."

"You know it, but you don't believe it," said Masaru. "She's starting junior high next month--and San'iku Academy is on the outskirts of Tokyo."

Kakeru crossed his arms atop the table and scowled. His little sister's junior high school--and high school--is that far away from home? "She's going to take the train?"

"And bus," Masaru said. "Could you give me back my script?"

"And bus." Kakeru reached behind him to grab the stapled booklet. "And bus." He handed the script to Masaru. "She's going to take the train and the bus. For how long, do you think?"

"Oh wait," Masaru said. "Maybe she'll just have to take the bus. I'll have to look at the bus schedules on Monday." Kakeru glowered. When Masaru caught his eye, he smiled and waved his hand. "Oh, don't worry, Kakeru! I'll probably end up riding the bus with her anyway."

Kakeru sighed as he stood. "Fine, fine."

His stomach demanding food, Kakeru marched around the table to get to the kitchen. But as he walked past Masaru, his older brother's voice brought him to a halt. "Kakeru, why did you encourage Hikaru-chan to take up kendo again?"

"What?" Kakeru asked, turning around only to see Masaru's back.

Masaru continued, "Why did you tell Hikaru-chan that it was okay to take up kendo again?"

Kakeru sighed. "San'iku Academy is for girls who excel the best at a specific subject. Hikaru is best at kendo. It only makes sense."

"But she gave up kendo for Father, remember?"

"I know," Kakeru growled.

Masaru glanced behind his shoulder, his eyes curious yet demanding. "Kakeru, do you not want Father to stay when he comes back?"

Kakeru trembled; it was the real reason why he ceased the opportunity for Hikaru to become involved with kendo again, but he could not allow anybody to know. "Of course. But what does that have to do with this?"

Masaru stood and walked to Kakeru, placing his hand on Kakeru's shoulders. "Kakeru... you do know that she managed to defeat Satoru-niisan, right?"

"Yeah. So?" Kakeru replied defiantly. "She got into the Academy because she did, didn't she?"

Masaru shook his head. "But Kakeru, why did you do such a thing?"

"I wanted her to get into San'iku Academy. Father has absolutely nothing to do with this," Kakeru said. He stepped out of Masaru's grasp and turned back towards the kitchen. "After six years, I don't think he has anything left to do with this family."

"Kakeru!"

"That's all I have to say."

Kakeru stepped into the kitchen.

"Kakeru," Masaru said softly, "would you still not care if Father died now?"

Kakeru froze. That conversation from six years back was coming back to haunt him. He clenched his fists and teeth. "No. I wouldn't care at all. And after all this time without hearing anything from him, he probably is dead."

***

"This?" Fumiko stared in disbelief at the outfit the clerk held up. "This is the uniform for San'iku Academy?"

"It's not bad, Fumiko-chan," Hikaru said.

Kyousuke laughed. "It's actually really cute!"

"Cute?" Fumiko growled. "Cute?!"

Satoru smiled with amusement.

The uniform had a white blouse with an inflated bow near the collar. The overcoat was maroon and long-sleeved, but it only reached the tip of the skirt. The skirt itself was a dirty gray. A thin red stripe streaked near the hem. The socks, which lay on top of the counter with the shoes, were knee high and gray, also with a red stripe at the top. The shoes were just plain, black dress shoes.

"Would you like to try it on?" the clerk asked with a bright smile.

Hikaru perked up immediately. "Yeah! Come on, Fumiko-chan!"

The clerk smiled and led the girls to the dressing rooms, with the uniform in hand. Hikaru and Fumiko were about the same size, so she would not have to worry about getting another size quite yet. Of course, the girls were still growing, so they might have to get different sizes as the years go on.

Kyousuke turned to Satoru, a smile still pasted on both of the men's faces. "I don't think your sister will ever get out of her cute phase," he said. "At least, not while she's friends with Fumiko."

"If Kakeru ever heard you say that, you know how he'll react."

Kyousuke chuckled. "Even your little brother is cute. Not many older brothers who are close to their little sisters as Kakeru is to Hikaru is that overprotective of her. Most siblings fight day and night."

"That's right," Satoru said with a sigh, "you haven't seen Masaru and Kakeru put in the same room. They do tend to... disagree on a lot of issues."

Kyousuke rolled his eyes mockingly. "Brothers."

Satoru looked at Kyousuke with an amused twinkle in his eye. "You don't have any brothers or sisters, Kyousuke-san."

"If you count the guys, I do," Kyousuke said proudly. Suddenly, he frowned and looked away from Satoru. They were finally alone. "You know, Satoru... remember what I advised you? About finding somebody to, well, spill out your heart if you were ever troubled?"

"Kyousuke-san..."

"You still haven't gotten a girlfriend, after all those admirers you had back in high school," Kyousuke said. He clenched his hands into a fist. "So... I'm just wondering..."

Kyousuke trailed off. He had no clue how to put into words his feelings for Satoru's well-being. Not only his well-being, but for his sheer life and emotions and... Satoru.

"Kyousuke-san, I already have you," Satoru said reassuringly. He placed a hand on Kyousuke's shoulder.

He glanced at Satoru in surprise. "But..."

"You've offered to help me with the dojo," Satoru continued. "You can almost read my emotions perfectly, and you've managed your time to help me get over all of my stress. You even came shopping for school supplies with us."

Kyousuke looked sheepishly back at the ground. "But I--"

"You once told me, back in high school, that we were close friends but not at the level of best friends. Kyousuke-san, I refuse to believe that. Of course we're best friends. I wish I knew how to pay you back for your kindness."

"Oh, when it comes to true friendship, you don't need to pay me back!" Kyousuke said with a laugh. This was good and everything, but he knew that he didn't deserve this. "I'm just happy that you're thankful for me--my help."

And yet, if you really considered me to be your best friend, Kyousuke thought, I wish that you would open up some more. I want to know your true feelings, Satoru. I really do.

Fumiko grunted heavily as she trudged back to Kyousuke and Satoru. "Cute. Cute!"

Kyousuke jolted out of his personal anguish. "What's the matter, Fumiko?"

"That lady--" She pointed to the general direction of the dressing rooms. "--said that I looked cute in that... that... uniform thing! Cute!"

"What's wrong with cute?"

"Don't even get me started, Togawajun-senpai!"

"Is Hikaru almost finished?" Satoru asked.

Fumiko turned to him and pouted. "That lady girl is just all over Hikaru about how cute she looks. Poor Hikaru. She doesn't deserve that torture."

Kyousuke laughed. "Okay, okay," he said in an attempt to bring Fumiko into the bright mood that she had been in when the trip started. "How about after we pay for this, we eat lunch and do a little 'fun' shopping. Any store you want; I'll buy you each something."

Fumiko stared at Kyousuke skeptically. Then she sighed and waved her hand. "Fine, fine. Hikaru!" she called, running back over to the dressing rooms. "Hurry up!"

"Kyousuke-san, I already have you." Satoru had said.

Kyousuke sighed. I wish you meant what I want you to mean.

***

"Hello?"

"HI--DE--HI--RO!"

Hidehiro yelped and pulled the phone away from his ear. He could still hear the voice of his friend on the other end, frantically saying something. Hidehiro couldn't tell if there was happiness or anger in his voice.

"Hikaru-chan made it in! Hikaru-chan made it in!" the voice on the other end whooped.

He tentatively placed the phone against his ear. "Ka... Kakeru-san?"

"Hidehiro! Did you hear me?" Kakeru cried. "Hikaru-chan... made it in to... San'iku Academy! San'iku! Hikaru-chan! To San'iku Academy! WOO!"

Hidehiro laughed softly, but the shock still had yet to wear off. "She... she did?"

"We got the letter just yesterday!"

Hidehiro frowned. "And you're still this excited?"

"She got her uniform today! She's going to San'iku Academy! San'iku! An all-girl's school! San'iku! Hikaru-chan's going to San'iku Academy for Girls! No, wait. That's San'iku Academy for Talented Girls! She's got skills! She's talented! Ha! She really is my sister!"

A smile reappeared on Hidehiro's face. He shook his head. "Kakeru-san, do you think you're going a little overboard with this?"

"Of course not! Of course not!" Kakeru paused. In a more restrained tone, he said, "She's going to an all-girl's school. You do know what that means, right?"

"Um..."

"No boyfriends for her!" Kakeru said proudly. "That's good. That's very good. Normal boys aren't worthy of my little sister. Oh no, no normal boys for her. First, I'll have to challenge him. I still have my kendo skills, so it'll be okay. Then, if he somehow manages to defeat me, we must exchange diaries! Ha! And then... and then... oh, hell. Hikaru-chan's not going to get a boyfriend unless I know him first."

There was a short pause. Hidehiro wondered if he should make a joke. Kakeru would either take it too seriously or understand it.

Hidehiro decided to take his chances.

"So, it would be okay if I decided to go out with her?"

Another pause. Hidehiro twirled his fingers into the spiral telephone cord. Did I just make a mistake?

"Eh," Kakeru said. "Why not? You're worthy enough, I suppose."

Is that a joke?

"You do realize it was a joke, right?" Hidehiro asked.

Another pause.

"Oh. Duh me!" Kakeru laughed.

Hidehiro chuckled nervously. "You know, back in elementary school, I would have been surprised to hear you say that."

"Back in elementary school, I wouldn't even have said it!"

"Exactly."

Kakeru whistled. "Times have changed, haven't they? I mean, back when you were in second grade and I was in fourth, we hated each other. Or did I only hate you? I was surprised to see Hikaru-chan forgive you so easily and quickly."

"So was I."

"Hidehiro, sheesh, I should have said this a long time ago," Kakeru said. "But I'm so sorry."

Hidehiro frowned. "For what?"

"For not understanding. I can only imagine how it would have been like if I had been dropped two grades. Well, okay, not really. Mother would have killed me first. But that's besides the point. I mean, getting teased by every single person in the school? That must have been harsh."

Hidehiro shook his head. "That didn't mean I had the right to pick on anybody."

"Hidehiro..."

"At least I'm catching up now, right?" Hidehiro said. He decided he would rather not talk about it. "I've now only dropped one grade. A fourteen year old in seventh grade instead of a fourteen year old in sixth grade. All thanks to Hikaru-san."

"Hey, where would we be without her?" Kakeru asked warmly. "Oh, crap. I have to go. Masaru wants the phone. I'll talk to you in school tomorrow?"

Hidehiro nodded. "Sure. I'll see you!"

"Bye!"

Hidehiro hung up. Hikaru had made it into San'iku Academy, the campus for girls with extraordinary talents. Fumiko, Rei, and Sera were going as well.

If Hidehiro hadn't made good friends with Kakeru and Yuujirou, he would have felt lonely. After all, Hikaru was the first person who opened up to him since he stayed held back in second grade for two years. With her and her friends' friendships, Hidehiro found himself passing all of his elementary school courses. In fifth grade, the teachers decided to put him in the sixth grade. That was as far as he was going to go, he knew that much, but he knew that without Hikaru, he couldn't have done it.

She deserved to go to San'iku Academy for Talented Girls if that was what she really wanted. After all, she was the kindest person Hidehiro had yet to meet.

***

After Kakeru handed the phone to Masaru, he wandered into the heart of the Shidou Kendo School. The dojo that his father had left behind for Satoru to handle.

The room was dark, illuminated only by the moonlight and lights of his home. Barely, Kakeru could distinguish the wooden practice sword racks and the scrolls with delicately painted Chinese characters. The words "Lion Shrine" hung on the wall in front of the dojo--Kakeru only knew it because he had been in here many times when he was younger. In fact, "shi" and "dou" were the first two kanji letters he ever learned.

His father taught him that.

The following kanji he learned were sober, tender, flight, and light. Those were the kanji that hung near the corners of the dojo.

Kakeru grabbed a wooden sword from the rack and began muttering the lessons that his father taught to his brothers and sister and to the students of the kendo school.

"Sober: one must take serious judgment before making any decisions."

He swung the sword to his left and took a step.

"Tender: one must love his family and peers."

He spun on his heel and slammed the sword on top of mid-air.

"Flight: one must allow his spirit to soar."

His grip on the handle tightened. He frowned.

"Light," said Kakeru. He fell to his knees and dropped the sword in front of him. "Light: one must... no. I can't! I can't!"

Kakeru had broken most of the values of the Shidou family. One must take serious judgment before making any decisions? He had been rash in declaring hatred for his father. Before thinking, he had threatened Hidehiro back in fourth grade. He would say things without taking into consideration how others would feel.

One must love his family and peers. He still hated his father. At one point, he hated Hidehiro.

One must allow his spirit to soar... Kakeru knew that because he let himself do that, he went against sober and tender. His spirit flew everywhere he went. It was the only lesson that he still followed. Masaru would say because it was his nature: his name meant flight.

Satoru was sober.

Masaru was tender.

The light lesson was the most important one of all--it carried two lessons. Forgiveness and will. One must always forgive.

Hikaru was the light.

"How can I ever forgive you, Father?" Kakeru growled. He glowered at the sword in front of him. "How can I ever even begin to forgive you for what you've done?"

He looked up. He could see the full moon. The light. Kakeru shook his head, remembering why Hikaru had refused to take up kendo again at first. She wanted their father to stay if he returned. But Kakeru had told her that it didn't matter; he wouldn't leave again if he truly loved the family.

Kakeru really meant that he had no intentions of letting Hikaru fight their father again.

He was going to do it.

And he was going to defeat him.

***

Hikaru gazed at the intricate building with awe. Behind a beautiful fountain with lions and dragons sprouting water stood a structure that resembled much like a church. It had rose thorns carved delicately into the frames of the doors and windows and across the edges of the walls. Near the top of the building was a round glass-stained window. The design was school's emblem: a burning heart with a sword piercing through the top.

"This is so cool!" squealed Rei from beside Hikaru.

"It is one of the best schools in the nation," Sera said.

Hikaru couldn't peel her eyes away from the main building of the school. "San'iku Academy..."

"OH!" Fumiko groaned from behind them. Only then did Hikaru turn around. She was met by her friend's exasperated expression with a pamphlet in her hand. "First these weird uniforms and now this?!"

"What's wrong, Fumiko?" Sera asked.

Fumiko shoved the open pamphlet into Sera's face. "The field trips. Look at the field trips."

Sera read the paper carefully. Rei peeked over Sera's shoulder while Hikaru looked at the two curiously. Why is Fumiko-chan upset for? We don't get field trips?

Sera glanced up from the pamphlet. "I don't see anything wrong with the field trips. In our second year of high school we're going to Europe for a month and in third year of high school we're going to America for two weeks."

"America?" Hikaru asked curiously.

"I'm not talking about the high school field trips," Fumiko said, pointing at a certain line in the pamphlet. "Look at the junior high school ones!"

"Our first year, this year, we're going to Sunshine 60," Sera read, "and in our second year--"

"In our second year, we're going to Tokyo Tower!" Fumiko exclaimed. "What kind of field trip is that? I've been to Tokyo Tower five times in my life already! I don't want to go there for a field trip! What a waste! Thank God that they're making up for it by taking us on a trip to Fuji-san during our third year and during high school other countries! But Tokyo Tower?"

Hikaru giggled. "You never know, Fumiko-chan. Tokyo Tower just might be fun."

**To Be Continued**