This Story No Title
A School Rumble Fanfic

Chapter 19:  New Year's Irresolution  

By John Biles

****************
	
	"I will kill them for this," Eri said as she laid on the 
bed.

	The boy next to her, who happened to be her, at least 
in some sense said, "Killing won't work."

	"We can't just lie here and take it!" Eri said.

	"Of course not, but that's what contest rigging is for," 
Otoko-Eri told her.  "You decide who you want to win and 
then you push to ensure they do so."

	"I like winning honestly," Eri said.

	"Well, you can stay out of it and end up becoming 
engaged to Buddha or something," Otoko-Eri said.

	Eri grimaced.  "Well, since I'm not competing in it, I 
can't REALLY cheat."

	"See?  That's the spirit.  This is ridiculous.  Your 
mother is just ripping off those first years, anyway," Otoko-
Eri said.  "If you work with Harima, you can beat this."

	"What if he won't listen to me?" Eri asked.

	"Oh, that can be guaranteed.  But if we're going to date 
him, then we'll have to learn how to work around his 
selective deafness and his quirky re-interpretation of things 
and his stubbornness," Otoko-Eri said, stretching.  

	"He can be such an ass," she said, sighing.

	"Yeah, but who wants a pushover?" Otoko-Eri said.

	So true, she thought.  "We should get up."

	"You're sleeping," he reminded her.  "When the body 
says yes, then we get up."

	Well, I'll work better with more rest, anyway, Eri 
thought.  That's the ticket.

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

	Sagano was woken up by Nakamura peeling bottles 
and bowls off her.  She looked up and now the ballroom 
had a large sign tacked on the wall.  '2006 Who Wants to 
Marry A Millionaire Heiress?' it read.  There were sign-up 
slots on the wall; she could see Harima, Yakumo, and 
Imadori's names up there.  

	"What, is it open registration?" Sagano asked.

	"I prefer not to think about it," Nakamura said.

	Hell, if Yakumo's entering, maybe I should, Sagano 
thought.  Get me and Yuuki and Fuyuki a sugar mama.  

	"Don't even think about it," Nakamura said.

	Sagano was not so easily stopped by words.

	Her complete lack of anything to write with, on the 
other hand, could stop her.

	She yawned.  "Gonna go sleep properly," she said.  
She staggered off back to her bedroom, where Yuuki was 
hogging the bed.

	She climbed into bed, pushing Yuuki over, only to 
have Yuuki cuddle up to her in her sleep.

	Sagano didn't mind; she got into bed and drowsed.  
After what could have been minutes or hours, Yuuki said, 
"You awake?"

	"Yeah.  We need Fuyuki if you're wanting to make 
out, though," Sagano said, relaxing and enjoying her 
langorous feeling.

	"You're very sweet," Yuuki said softly.

	"You too," Sagano said, yawning a little.

	"You're my best friend in all the world, Megumi-san," 
Yuuki said softly, resting her head on Sagano's shoulder.

	"You too, Tsumugi-san," Sagano said, enjoying 
having a source of body heat next to her.  "You're not going 
to tell me you're about to die, are you?"

	"No, not at all," Yuuki said.  "I'm just...trying to figure 
out how to say I'm grateful for how you always try to help 
me."

	"Well, you help me too, so we're even," Sagano said.  
"I just need to either get you a boyfriend or get you into bed 
with us," she continued.

	"Megumi-san, do you really want me in bed with you 
and Fuyuki, or are you just saying things without thinking 
about it?" Yuuki asked softly.

	"Why would I...I mean..." Sagano began.

	"Megumi-san, you say all sorts of things just because 
you like to be outrageous and tease people.  Do you really 
want me like that?" Yuuki asked again.  "Or are you just 
desperate to find a solution to my man troubles?"

	Sagano stared at the ceiling, then said, "I'd have to try 
it to know for sure.  Experimenting is always best."

	"What?" Yuuki stared at her.

	"I don't understand my own thoughts well enough to 
tell without trying it," Sagano said.  "I would just give you 
a test drive, but I do have a boyfriend and I'm trying hard to 
be faithful, and it wouldn't be fair to him, and I fear he's 
going to wuss out."

	Yuuki gently headbutted Sagano.  "You need to 
understand your own feelings, you know."

	She sighed.  "I know, Tsumugi-san.  Anyway, I'd like 
to try it, see if it is what I want or if my brain is obsessing 
again."  She turned to face Yuuki.  "But being a good 
girlfriend has to come first, so everyone has to want it."

	Yuuki nodded.  

	"You feeling lonely?" Sagano asked, concerned.

	"Not with you here with me," Yuuki said softly.  "I'm 
not alone when you're by my side."

	"And neither am I, Tsumugi-san," Sagano said.  "We 
should get up, get clean, get dressed, gloat about Tomo, get 
some breakfast."

	"Sounds good to me."

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

	Harima woke up in an empty room; he could smell 
breakfast, though.  He quickly got dressed and headed out 
to the dining room, where most of his company was 
assembled.  Hanai and his harem, however, were not 
present, Harima noted.

	Jenny said, "Harima, can see if Miki and Masahiro and 
Suou and Hanai are going to join us?"

	"Sure," he said.  "I want lots of pancakes."

	"That's fine."

	He ambled down to knock on their door.  It swung 
open, giving him a glimpse of everyone in Santa suits, or 
more precisely, half-naked and half in Santa outfits.  
Harima could feel himself going blind as he looked at 
them.

	Then Miki shrieked and he ended up taking a boot to 
the face.  He slammed the door and ran, feeling his vision 
slowly return as he stumbled back in.

	"Kenji-kun, are you okay?" Yakumo asked as she laid 
out fruit and glasses of fruit juice.

	"Fuckers are busy..." Harima mumbled as he staggered 
to a chair.

	"Damn, they're insatiable," Jenny said, laying out 
platters of pancakes as Keiichi brought out syrup, bacon, 
and eggs.  "They still celebrating Christmas?  Dressed up as 
Santa and his naughty elves?"

	"HOW DID YOU KNOW?" Harima bellowed.

	Jenny laughed.  "Did you and Yakumo-san play that 
too, hmmm?"

	Yakumo blushed.

	Harima said, "That's our business!"

	Tenma blushed now and mumbled about superheroes 
and 'fastest man alive', whatever that meant.

	Harima sat down to eat, hoping the food would burn 
the image from his mind.

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

	Asou was dragged out of sleep by Sara shaking him, 
which surprised him, as she'd gone to sleep in a different 
room.  "We have to go to Mass!" she shouted.  "Get up, get 
dressed, I have to find something to wear, I can't believe I 
forgot..."

	Suga grunted, "Er, what?  Massachusetts?"

	"You don't have to come, Suga-san, unless you want 
to," Sara said.  "Come on, get up, Asou, we have to...where 
are we going to find Mass in the mountains?"

	"But I'm not even Catholic," Asou mumbled, tired.

	"You have to bring your boyfriend on Christmas," 
Sara announced.

	"You do?" Asou asked, now starting to get up.

	"Yes," Sara said firmly, though she'd just made it up.  
"Get up, I'll find us some way to get to Mass."

	"Yes, master," Asou mumbled, and blearily staggered 
off to the closet.

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

	"I can drive you, Miss Sara, but I have no idea where 
to find a Catholic service out here," Nakamura said.  "But I 
have a laptop in the limo; we can see about looking 
something up online."

	"Thank you," she said.  "I can't miss it, and it's already 
so late in the morning..."

	"Is this an important day for you?" he asked.

	Sara boggled.  She would never get used to this part of 
living in Japan.  "Yes, it's a holy day."

	"At the same time as Christmas.  That must be 
inconvenient," Nakamura said, smiling a little.

	"I...are you teasing me?" she asked.

	"Just a little," he said.  "Come with me."

	She nodded and followed.  I should get Lala-san too, 
she thought.  

*************
	
	Eri asked, "So you're leaving until New Years?" 

	Her mother nodded.  "Enjoy your stay.  Your father 
will run the first event; I must go to Sweden and deal with 
some issues."  She looked thoughtful.  "Also, I want to see 
about getting your friends a record deal."  She began 
peeling an orange; they were having breakfast together.

	Eri's eyes widened.  She froze up with her coffee cup 
in hand.  "You liked them that much?"

	"They have a lot of talent," Eri's mother said.  "It 
shouldn't be wasted."

	"I...thank you," Eri said, picking up a piece of toast.

	"No need to thank me.  They deserve it.  I would 
appreciate it if we had no more sleigh borne party 
disruptions, though," her mother said.

	"It wasn't MY idea," Eri said.  Something suddenly hit 
her.  "I'm surprised you didn't insist Imadori join us."

	"He has a hangover," her mother said.  "Not 
surprising.  I expect he's just lying around, moaning."

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

	Imadori wished his head would stop aching.  He told 
himself he shouldn't be crawling around inside the ceiling.  
Spying was dangerous; it was the job of flunkies.  

	But he couldn't help himself.  Why Karen was so 
much more attractive to him now that she was dating 
Harry, he didn't understand.  He just couldn't bear the idea 
of her dating some horny American bastard who would 
only make her cry.

	He had to move slowly and carefully to avoid falling 
through the tiles; only the framework which held them up 
supported him, but it was sturdy.  Sound carried weirdly up 
here; he could hear bits and pieces from all over, and he 
prayed he wasn't lost.

	Best to stop and tip a tile up, get a look at what might 
be down below him.

	He opened it up and looked down.

	Lala, standing on a chair, looked up at him.

	"Sorry, I took a wrong turn at Albuquerque," he said 
instinctively.

	She grabbed him.  "Let me help you along."  She 
opened the window and threw him as far towards 
Albuquerque as she could.

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

	As the limo drove along, they spied Imadori stuck 
headfirst into a snowbank.  Stopping the car, Mr. 
Sawachika pulled him out, dusted him off, and sat him 
down in the limo.  "Good of you to join us," he said.

	"You're welcome," he said, smiling feebly.

	There was no easily accessible Catholic mass out here, 
but there was an Anglican service, which would have to do.  
Lala, Sara, and Asou rode with Mr. and Mrs. Sawachika, 
Eri, and a baffled looking Imadori in the limo.

	"We're not going off to get married right this instant, 
right?" Imadori asked again.

	"We're going to a church service for Christmas," Eri 
said.  "Don't you know ANYTHING?"

	"Why would you go to a temple on Christmas?" 
Imadori asked.

	"Because it's the birth of Christ!  And we're not going 
to a temple, we're going to a church!" Lala said.

	"There's a difference?" Imadori asked.

	Sara quickly sketched out the story of Christmas; 
Imadori listened in his usual diffident way.  Finally, he 
said, "So how does Santa fit into this?  Was he one of the 
Wise Men?"

	Eri buried her face in her hands; her mother looked 
amused.  Her father was lost in a phone call and didn't 
notice.

	"He was a bishop who brought children presents, the 
way the magi brought them to the Christ-child," Sara said.  
"That's the short answer."

	"So he is Bishop Santa," Imadori said slowly.

	"Yes."

	Lala had to fight the urge to throttle Imadori for being 
too stupid to already know all this.  He was no doubt 
leading up to some stupid thing where her breasts would 
get grabbed.

	Lala became more tense as he fell silent.  His very 
silence no doubt indicated he was gathering his idiot 
strength for something supremely foolish.  

	She glanced off across the snowy scapes.  I hope Papa 
made it to Mass, she thought.  Or is it not Christmas there 
yet?  She always got confused by how the international date 
line worked.  

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

	"Oh god, we've been thrown backwards in time!" Mr. 
Gonazales said, staring at the calendar.

	I hate international travel, Mr. Hanai thought.  

	"Maybe we can catch up and stop ourselves from 
going to attack the party..." Mr. Gonzales said 
speculatively.

	"It's just the time zone difference," Mr. Hanai said.

	"Do you time travel that often?" Satsuki's father asked.

	This is going to be a very long trip, Mr. Hanai thought.

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

	"Want to ski with us?" Nara asked Tenma and 
Karasuma after breakfast.

	Tenma glanced off.  "Should we wait for Miko-chin 
and Hanai-san?"

	"I think they're still busy," Nara said.

	Akira stared off out the window.

	"Well, we can go without them, I guess, then."  She 
paused.  "Let's get Kenji and Yakumo."

	Nara glanced over at Akira, who continued to stare out 
the window.  "That good with you, dear?"

	"I...what?" she asked, turning.

	"Harima and Yakumo with us?" he repeated.

	"Just fine," Akira said.  "I'm ready."

	"You okay?" Tenma asked, worried.

	"I'm just fine," Akira said firmly.  "Let us go."

***********	

	Yukari stared at herself; she had awoken, hugging a 
loaf of bread.  But why?  She had dim memories of 
someone wanting bread...but I didn't want bread, did I?

	Nyamo opened the door, then stared at Yukari 
hugging a loaf of bread.  "I'll...come back."

	Yukari tossed it aside.  Maybe I got too many and 
forgot to put it back or something.  "Come in," she said.

	"How are you?" Nyamo asked, putting bottled water 
down on the table.

	Yukari snagged it and drank.  "Hungover, tired, 
frustrated by sleeping alone.  You?"

	"I feel wonderful," Nyamo said.  "I think maybe this 
time it will really work out."

	"Not if he's another bread-loving freak," Yukari said 
crankily.  

	"YOU brought us the bread," Nyamo said firmly, 
though she worried a little herself.  

	"You shouldn't flaunt you getting some when I can't 
get any," Yukari grumbled, finishing the water and trying 
to toss it into the garbage.  It missed, but she let it lie.

	Nyamo went over, picked it up and threw it out.  "You 
always flaunt it."

	"It's so rare I get the chance."  

	Yukari paused.

	"I meant..."

	Nyamo began to laugh loudly.

	"Oh fine, be that way," Yukari grumbled.

	"He's too young for you," Nyamo said.

	"Let's not have this fight until my head stops 
spinning." Yukari got up.  "I'm going to get a shower."

	"I'm off to find some breakfast, then.  See you," 
Nyamo said, and took off.

***********
	
	Karen sat with her bandmates, eating breakfast.  Harry 
lurked next to them quietly, looking bored as they talked 
shop.  She felt bad about that, but what could she do?

	Yuuki said, "We really do need a band name."

	"The Band With No Name is fine with me," Karen 
said.

	"Sounds like a cowboy," Sagano said.  "But I like 
riding cowboys."

	Fuyuki laughed.  "Roaming the range too?"

	"Exactly," Sagano said.  She and Yuuki laughed in 
unison, which was a little eerie.

	"We need to find out if we can stay a while," Fuyuki 
said.  "I know my family doesn't need me."

	"I'm good," Karen said.

	"My folks may want me home, but I will beg," Sagano 
said.

	Yuuki nodded.

	"You think she can get us a contract?" Fuyuki asked.

	"She can afford to buy a record company," Sagano 
said.  "I think we're good."

	"Cool," Fuyuki said, then put aside his leftovers.  "We 
should hit the slopes."

	"Sounds great to me!" Sagano said.  "High danger 
slopes, HERE I COME!"

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

	Tenma slowed down part way down the slope, then 
pointed at a huge white thing tumbling down the far slope.  
"What is that?"

	Karasuma peered hard.  "Sad Sagano-san in snow," he 
replied.

	"More like 'MAD', I think," Akira said.

	"Hmm, she'll beat Imadori-san for snowball size," 
Nara said.

	"I'm sure she'll feel relieved to know that," Akira said. 
deadpan.

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

	Lala was approaching the point of utter insanity.  
Imadori STILL hadn't done anything stupid.  Which meant 
that he would likely try to grope one of the servers during 
Communion.

	Not that he should be taking Communion.  Not with 
the massive burden of sin on HIS soul.  

	She could hear Sara whispering something to Asou, 
something about...cannibalism?  She felt confused, but it 
must be something holy, given Sara's status, she was sure.

	It was only when it was time for the Lord's Prayer that 
she realized the bad side of...well, another bad side of 
sitting next to Imadori to be ready to kill him.

	She was going to have to HOLD HIS HAND.

	As everyone rose and joined hands, he held out a hand 
to her and the other to Eri.  She felt gratified that Eri looked 
as reluctant as herself.  But they couldn't hold off for long, 
not when Mrs. Sawachika gave them both the LOOK.

	She took his hand reluctantly, then decided the best 
approach was to crush it.  Eri seemed to have done 
likewise, as she could see him tense while his face 
remained bland.

	Holding his hand made her want to just beat him to 
death; her whole body was super-tense.  But the prayer 
went quickly, only to make her then realize that they'd be 
wishing God's peace on everyone, which would mean 
shaking his hand and wishing him peace instead of a 
painful death.

	This got even worse when Sara kissed Asou instead of 
shaking his hand, leading Mrs. Sawachika to say, "Eri, you 
should follow Sara's example with your fiancee."

	Eri defied silently, grabbing Imadori's hand and 
shaking his arm like a jump rope.  

	Imadori looked disappointed, but turned to offer his 
hand to Lala.  "Unless you want to kiss me."

	Anywhere but church, it would have been KILLING 
time.  But all she could do was tremble and take his hand.  
"Peace of God be with you."  

 	"And also with you," he replied.  "Lighten up, Lala-
chan.  You look very pretty today."

	HOW DARE HE BE SO FAMILIAR.  But she 
grunted out, "Thank you."

	Mrs. Sawachika smiled benevolently, then whispered 
to Imadori who nodded.

	Imadori and Asou didn't go up to Communion, which 
removed some of Lala's worries.  Other than the possibility 
he might be staring at her butt the whole time, anyway.

	By the time Mass was over, Imadori STILL hadn't 
done anything, pushing her into a state of absolute 
paranoia.  There was no way he could behave himself like 
this.

	Dammit, what was he up to?  

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

	"Don't brood," Mikoto told Hanai later that day as they 
skiied together.

	"I'm not brooding," he said, as he wondered again 
what the hell was going on with Akira.  Had she been 
honest?  Or was this another one of her traps?  He wished 
he could trust her like Mikoto did, but she'd used that up a 
long time ago.  

	As he brooded, he nearly hit a tree.

	Mikoto frowned.  "Something's eating you."

	"Nothing," he said.  She was too sympathetic to Akira 
to discuss this with.  But he had to talk to someone.  But 
who would possibly understand?  It would sound like 
arrogant bragging.

	It was times like this he most regretted having a father 
too crazy to discuss things with.

	She sighed, wishing he'd be honest with her.  It was 
probably Akira.  

	"Come on, slowpokes!" Miki shouted from further 
down the slope.  "Don't let us beat you!"

	Turning around to shout this caused her to clip a tree, 
stumble over, and take out Masahiro as well.

	Mikoto pushed forward, catching up to them.  "You 
guys okay?"

	"I'm fine," Masahiro said, stumbling to his feet, then 
helping Miki up.  

	"We should have a race," Miki said.  "But without any 
running into trees."

	"Next time down," Hanai said.

	"So you can finish brooding?" Masahiro asked.

	"I AM NOT BROODING," Hanai said, turning to 
pout off down the slope.

	"You can tell us, can't you?" Miki asked softly, taking 
his hand.

	He stared at her, then softened a little.  "I really 
shouldn't talk about it; it involves confidences."

	Mikoto was surprised Hanai was covering for Akira, 
but it made her feel a little better.  

	Miki looked disappointed.  "Okay."

	"We'll just have to torment you too much to think 
about it, then," Masahiro said.

	Mikoto laughed softly, then said, "Let's get moving."

	They took off down the slopes together, and Hanai 
made himself not dwell on it.

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

	They had seen Eri's parents off and were on the way 
home, when Imadori said to Lala, "Smile, it's Christmas."

	"What are you up to?" Lala hissed.  "You can't 
possibly act this well for so long."

	"He's good at faking it in front of my parents," Eri 
said.

	Imadori looked hurt.  "Would you rather I 
misbehave?"

	"NO," Lala said.  

 	"Then why are you complaining?"

	"Because I know you must be up to no good!" Lala 
said.  "I hate hypocrisy."

	"I am trying to give my fiancee some good Christmas 
memories," Imadori said.  "Is that so wrong?"

	Asou sighed.  "Can't we try to not fight just for one 
day?  Or at least not in a moving vehicle?"

	"Christmas is a day to forget and forgive," Sara said.

	"Fine," Lala said.  "I'll kill him tomorrow."

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

	Tenma sped up her skiing a little, nervously, then 
relaxed as she kept things together.  I'm really getting it, 
she thought, as she skiied along with Harima, Yakumo, 
Akira, Nara, and Karasuma.  She smiled at that, and Akira 
saw her and gave her a tiny smile back, which made her 
feel better, as she'd noticed Akira was tense.

	She just wished Mikoto and Eri were with her, but 
Mikoto was off with her...her harem.  Tenma could hardly 
believe what those four were up to.  Whatever it was, 
exactly.  Which probably had something to do with 
whatever exactly the fight between Hanai and Akira had 
been over.

	I need to do something about that, she thought.  But 
what?

	She glanced over at Harima and Yakumo; they were 
skiing happily together, but Harima...Eri...

	Tenma sighed.  She wanted Eri to be free of the 
engagement, but Eri needed to understand Harima belonged 
to Yakumo now.  Also, why was Yakumo entering the 
contest?  What was going on with them?

	But she was afraid to interrupt this moment of their 
happiness, so she didn't say anything.

*************
		
	Karen, Lala, Harry, Sagano, Yuuki, and Fuyuki raced 
down the slopes.  Harry and Lala were in the lead.  Karen 
could have pushed ahead, but she was, as usual, not feeling 
all that competitive.  

	As they zoomed along, Sagano asked Karen, "How are 
you doing?"

	"Great," Karen said.

	"So, all over Imadori?"

	"I've put him out of my mind," Karen lied, dodging a 
tree.  She liked Harry, but Imadori was just...she was just a 
little jealous of Eri.  Even though she wanted to forget 
about him.  "Harry is my guy now."  

	"Good," Sagano said.  "You should seduce Lala; she 
needs a lover."

	"..."

	"And she is a fine piece of woman," Sagano said.  
"Plus, your extra-dimensional selves were lovers, so it's 
probably destiny."

	"One...Harry is as much as I can handle," Karen said.  
Lala was very pretty, but Karen was interested in men.  
Though she wondered, sometimes...the other thems had 
generally all been pretty similar to her world's people, so 
maybe she and Lala could...but no, she had a boyfriend, 
and that was that.  Not everything was the same, after all.

	"Well, that's what Fuyuki always tells me," Sagano 
said.  "How long is he here for?"

	"I'm not sure," Karen said, suddenly realizing she 
didn't know.  "At least this whole school year."

	"Which is now two-thirds over.  Good luck," Sagano 
said.

	Karen sagged a bit.  She hadn't even thought about 
that.  She looked up at him.  If he left...she didn't want to 
lose him that way.  But what could she do?

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

	At dinner, Harima doodled on his napkin, trying to 
figure out exactly how much Mihama-san and Masahiro-
san now owned his soul.  As far as he could tell, Mihama-
san got about 40% of his soul and Masahiro got about 
fifteen percent.  Which at least left him with a plurality of 
45%.  

	Once the manga started bringing in money...the 
manga!  "Yakumo-san, we have to draw tonight," he said.

	"That's fine," she said.  "I'm glad to help."

	"Thanks," he said.  "I gotta keep the money coming in, 
so I can afford to pay back everyone.  Eventually."

	"Debt issues?" Akira asked.  "Perhaps I could help you 
settle your finances."

	"Could you?" Harima asked.  "I'd appreciate it."

	"Okay, we can go over it after dinner."

	"Thanks."

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

	Akira finished her calculations.  "I see that you're now 
a fully owned subsidiary of Chiyo-chan."

	"Yes," Harima said ruefully.  

	"I have a little money," Yakumo offered.

	Harima shook his head.  "I decided stupidly to show 
off; you shouldn't have to pay for my largesse."

	There was a knock on the door.  "You guys having 
sex?" Miki asked.

	"NO," Harima shouted. "And you'd better not be doing 
it in the hallway!"

	Miki giggled, then opened the door, bringing in a 
wrapped box, labeled 'To Santa H from Sawachika 
Matsura'.  It was about the right size to hold a microwave.  
"Looks like someone felt they ought to reciprocate," she 
said to Harima.  "Whoever this is, they sent my Masahiro a 
box too."

	Harima took it.  "Well, that was nice of them."  He 
sounded stunned.

	Akira studied it curiously.

	Yakumo produced scissors and handed them to 
Harima.  "Here you go."

	He opened the box, and found, to his surprise, two 
bottles of champagne, a box of chocolates, a jar of caviar, 
and a huge hunk of cheese with several boxes of crackers.  
A note inside said, "Merry Christmas to Santa and his 
Elves."

	"Wow, it's a party in a box," Harima said.  

	"May I?" Akira asked.

	"May you what?" he replied.

	She picked up the Caviar, then studied it.  "Not the 
very best, but this jar is worth more than you are.  
Especially since Chiyo-chan owns you now."

	Yakumo vibrated gently.

	"Well, at least she has a nice dog," Harima said.

	"There are worse masters.  I'll call her and discuss a 
deal for paying all this off."

	"See if she wants some caviar," Harima said.  "Maybe 
we can sell some of this to help pay her off."

	"We should have a Santa and Elf party," Yakumo said, 
looking tempted by the cheese and crackers.
	"That's true," Harima said.  

	Akira got on the phone to negotiate, while Harima and 
Yakumo had a little champagne and snacked and worked 
on the manga.

	"She wants you to pick her up at her school on your 
motorcycle sometimes, as part of the deal," Akira said.

	"But...that would look like she's my girlfriend or 
something!" Harima protested.  "And she's like...eight, 
right?  It would hardly be safe."

	"She's eleven," Akira said.  "She skipped five grades 
and is a second year high school student like us.  She'll be 
twelve soon."

	"So she's a super-genius who owns me," Harima 
mumbled.  "I still think she's too small to ride on a 
motorcycle."

	"Okay, I'll see if I can...how about in a side car?"

	"I don't HAVE a side car," Harima said.

	"Well, if she buys you one..." Akira said.

	"..."

	"Is that a 'yes' or a 'no' boggle?" Akira asked.  She 
cocked her head.  "Osaka wants to ride too.  And Kagura."  
She cocked her head.  "Something about cats..."

	I'm going to be a taxi, Harima thought.  "Well, if we 
set a good enough taxi rate, that could help pay off faster, 
right?"  Yakumo could ride with him, and if they paid for a 
side car, then his taxi passenger could ride in the side car, 
even if it wasn't very cool.

	"Good thinking.  Get as many customers as possible, 
rack up the bucks," Akira said approvingly.  She began 
jotting down who all Harima would be driving all over 
creation in the future.

	Yakumo felt a little jealous, but told herself that after 
the nice gift Kenji had given her, she had to be 
understanding of him paying his debts.  She fingered her 
pendant, then smiled.  And she was using the pencils he 
gave her.  And he was wearing the shirt she'd made for 
him; she thought he looked handsome in burgundy.  Really, 
there was no reason to get worked up, since Sawachika-
sempai wasn't here to try and steal him.

	Harima tried to focus on drawing, but he had the 
feeling that slave labor was closing in on him from all 
directions.  At least I'm unlikely to be attacked by gorillas 
during this, he thought.

	"Also, she wants you to finish teaching her how to talk 
to her dog," Akira said.

	"Fine," Harima said.

	"And the others want to learn too."

	"Fine."

	"How amenable are you to wearing a cat costume?" 
Akira asked.

	"Not at all," Harima said.  He knew who likely wanted 
that.  Best not to encourage her cat fetish.

	"I thought as much," Akira said, with a hint of a smile.

	"You'd look cute in a cat outfit," Yakumo said, 
blushing slightly.

	Oh bugger, Harima thought.  "You want Sakaki-san 
chasing me?"

	"No, but..."  She sighed.  "Never mind."  She returned 
to drawing.

	"Another gift for you, Harima," Miki said, coming in 
with another box.  "This one is from...Sawachika Kaitou."

	"Umm, put it on the table," Harima said.

	Miki did so.  "Looks like you made some friends, 
Harima-san."

	I just wish I could remember who any of them are, 
Harima thought.

	Akira looked thoughtful, pulled a second phone, and 
began having two conversations at once.

	Harima stared at her in surprise, then went back to his 
work.  She knew her business and he knew his, and he'd let 
her handle it.

***************  
	 
	"Oooh, very clever, Akira-chan," Eri said to Akira 
over the phone.

	"Of course," Akira said confidently.  "Just see if you 
can give them a little nudge.  I expect his wide generosity 
impressed some people."

	"I'll get right on it," Eri said.  "I can have the calls and 
e-mails go out tonight."

	"Any clue from your mother what the contest will be 
like?" Akira asked Eri.

	"No, but I'll slip you any hints I find.  Also, Asou 
wants to help."

	"We'll find a use for him," Akira said.  "Thank you, 
Eri-chan."

	Eri smiled.  "It's what friends are for, right?"

	"That and crushing enemies together."

	"Exactly," Eri said.  She was looking forward to some 
crushing.  

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

	Harima stared when he opened the huge box.  "A 
tailored suit?  How did they get my measurements?"

	Akira smiled.  "The costume shop, probably."

	"But...this fast?"

	"The rich can make things move," Akira said.  "As 
you will learn."  She turned back to the phone a moment, 
then said, "Yakumo-san, you willing to take one for the 
team?"

	"I don't understand," Yakumo said.

	"Renting out snuggle time with Iori to help pay Kenji's 
debt," Akira said.

	Yakumo felt a burst of jealousy, but then said, "Of 
course.  For my boyfriend."

	"You don't have to," Harima said.

	"But I will," she said.  "You just have to wear that suit 
for me sometimes."

	"Sure," he said.  Wearing, that was free.  At least, he 
hoped it was.

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

	Imadori's phone rang.  He answered it.  "Imadori 
Kyousuke, at your service."

	"Hello, Kyousuke-san.  I'm calling you to let you 
know what the first contest will be."  It was Mrs. 
Sawachika.

	"I hear and obey," he said.

	"Each of you will have to organize a party, one for 
New Years' Eve, one for New Year's morning, and one for 
the evening, since we have three contestants.  I will add 
more if anyone else enters the ring.  I am assigning New 
Year's Eve to you," Mrs. Sawachika said.  "I will have you 
wired a sum of funds to cover the basics; anything else will 
have to come out of your own pocket."

	"And of course, to really impress, we'll have to spend 
more," Imadori said.

	"You are indeed wise, Kyousuke-san."

	"I do my best," he said, smiling.  "Thank you for the 
news."

	"You're welcome; I'll be calling the others now."

	He nodded, not that she could see it.  "Alright.  
Farewell, lovely lady, then."

	"Farewell, Kyousuke-san."  Click.

	He rubbed his hands.  Time to call in the mob and get 
to work, he thought.

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

	A party, Harima thought.  HOW AM I GOING TO 
AFFORD A PARTY?  Unless he borrowed more money 
from Mihama-san.  The kid was going to own his soul at 
this rate.  Though this 'subsidy'...what the heck is a subsidy, 
anyway?  Maybe he could sell it to raise money for the 
party.

	Plus, he knew almost nothing about organizing parties.  
He'd spent last New Years kicking the asses of idiots all 
day.  But that really wouldn't do.

	Who parties...Imadori.  That wouldn't help.  Really, 
his class was lacking in par...Sagano.  She partied.  Right?  
Or maybe she was naturally insane.  Well, hell, it couldn't 
hurt.

	He glanced over at Yakumo, who was taking a call.  
She finished and hung up.  "What was that about?" he 
asked.

	"I have to organize an evening party as part of the 
contest," Yakumo said.

	"Wait, you're in it?" he said, boggling.

	"Yes," she said, a little defiantly.  "Sawachika-san 
shouldn't have to be forced into an engagement with some 
guy."  And she shouldn't get her claws into my Kenji, 
Yakumo thought.

	"But that's why I'm doing it!," Harima said.  "You 
think I'm going to lose?"

	I know you find her attractive, she thought.  That's 
why.  "The more horses in the race, the better the odds," 
she said.

	He tried to figure out what that meant.  "I don't want to 
have to fight you," he said.

	"I can't back out now," she said softly.  But now she 
was regretting her action.  This was going to come between 
them.  But she couldn't just sit back.

	He frowned.  "I guess not."  Dammit, he thought.  I 
could do this easier with her help.  "But I can't go easy on 
you."

	"I won't go easy either," she said.  

	They both stared down at their manga work while 
Akira continued to negotiate a money deal for Harima in 
the background.

	Akira said to Harima, "Should I open negotations with 
Mihama-san for more money for the party?"

	"Yes, dammit," he mumbled.

	Yakumo frowned, then told herself to not be jealous.  
There was no way a kid like that was after him, or that he'd 
take that kind of interest, even if he did seem so 
comfortable around her and...no, no stupid thoughts.  

	"I'm going to need some money too," Yakumo 
mumbled.

	"We can talk about me loaning you some later, 
Yakumo-san," Akira said.

	"Thanks, sempai."

	They went back to work, mired in thought.

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

	"Why are you in this anyway?" Sara asked Yakumo 
over the phone.

	"I can't let her have my boyfriend," Yakumo said.  
"And he's in the contest."

	"That's not very boyfriendy of him," Sara said, 
frowning.

	"Well, he...you know," Yakumo said, sighing.

	"Can't make up his mind, yes.  I'm glad I have a 
boyfriend who knows what he wants.  I'll ask the others, 
but I'm sure they'll help too," Sara said.  

	"Thank you," Yakumo said.  

	"Anything for my best friend," Sara said.  They 
discussed plans a while, then hung up.  Sara went and 
found Asou, Suga, and Satsuki, who were playing poker 
with Eri, Imadori, and Harry.  

	"Where's Karen?" Sara asked Harry.

	"Working out with Lala.  Do you want to join us?"

	"Sure," Sara said.  She'd ask the others later, in 
private.

***************
	
	"Sure, I'd be glad to help out," Umino said to Eri.  
"You really have it hard for this guy, eh?"

	"No, I just want to be free of this stupid engagement!" 
Eri protested.  

	"Uh huh.  I'm sure Nyamo-san will help too," he said.  
"But I fear Yukari-san will defect to Imadori-san."

	"As if she's a threat," Eri said.  "From what I saw of 
that woman, she couldn't organize a party for anyone above 
the age of six or so."

	"Just don't say that in front of Nyamo-san, or she'll 
slug you," Umino said.

	"She likes that freak?" Eri asked.

	"Don't ask me why, but yes," Umino said.  "Anyway, 
I'll contact your boyfriend, see about helping him."

	"Thanks," Eri said, smiling  "You're a dear."

	"You can repay me by getting my girlfriend some nice 
dresses.  I'm no good at picking out that kind of thing," 
Umino said.  He shook his head ruefully.

	"Sure, I can take her shopping," Eri said.  "Any idea 
what size she wears?"

	"Not even a tiny clue," he said.

	Of course not, she thought.  What do men learn from 
their fathers, anyway?  Not that Harima really had much of 
one.

	She suddenly felt guilty about that.  But what could 
she do?  

	Better to focus on what she could do things about, like 
getting her freedom back.  

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

	"She's outside, skiing with Karasuma," Mikoto said to 
Harima.

	He nodded.  "Thanks," and went outside to find her.  
He couldn't see her on the slope, but maybe she was further 
down.

	He began pouring on the speed; he didn't see Tenma 
after a bit, but he did see Masahiro and Miki and their 
college gang.  He dodged to one side and shouted to 
Masahiro as he pulled up along them, "You know much 
about organizing parties?"

	"Some," he said.

	"I'm going to need your help organizing one for New 
Years," Harima said.  "If you're free."

	"Sure," Masahiro said.

	Miki looked suspiciously at Harima, who was making 
moves on her boyfriend, AGAIN.  "But honey..." she 
began.

	"Thanks!" Harima said, racing on ahead before Miki 
could finish.

	Kasumi said, "Too late, Miki."

	Miki pouted as Harima raced off down the slope.  
Where was Tenma?  He couldn't see her anywhere?  She 
wasn't trapped somewhere, with a broken ankle, crying for 
help and no one could hear her?  Had that cad Karasuma 
abandoned her?

	He reached the bottom; no sign of her at all.  Frowning 
at that, he went back to the top and tried again, catching up 
to the college brigade just as they almost reached the 
bottom.

	"Damn, you're fast," Keiichi said.

	"What time are we meeting?" Masahiro asked.

	"How about in an hour or so?"  Harima zipped around 
to pass them on the side he was on.

	"Alright," Masahiro said.  "See you then."

	"But..." Miki began, and then Harima zoomed on past.

	"What's the hurry?" Jenny shouted after him.  "You 
wanna race?"  She wanted a real test of her skills.

	"Trying to find Tenma!" Harima said, looking back.

	"She's on the easy slope with her boyfriend!" Jenny 
shouted.

	WHAM, Harima crashed into a tree and took himself 
out of action.

	Jenny pulled to a halt by him; the others soon did so.  
"I'll take this fool back up," she said.  

	Ought to leave him in the snow for trying to steal my 
boyfriend, Miki thought.  

	"I can help," Keiichi said.

	Jenny threw him over one shoulder.  "Get his skiis and 
poles, honey," she said.

	He did so, and they took Harima back up.

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

	"I'd be glad to help you," Tenma said to Yakumo.  
"Together, WE WILL FREE HER!  ONEE-CHAN 
POWA!!!!!!"

	Yakumo smiled shyly.  Nothing could defeat onee-
chan powa.  They couldn't lose!

*************
	
	"BASTARD!" Harima shouted, though still knocked 
out; he punched the air.  "I've got you fuckers now!"

	Jenny frowned, glancing at him.  She was watching 
him to make sure he didn't choke on his own spittle or 
something.  "No idea who the 'Steel Hands' are?" she asked 
her brother on the phone.

	"I don't track the gangs I clobber," Harry said.  "Why 
are you even asking?"

	"Harima's having flashbacks to some fight with them.  
Just trying to see if he's likely to...damn, I don't know, I'm 
just curious," she said.

	Harry laughed.  "That's my sister.  I'll see if Lala-san 
or Karen-chan knows.  But honestly, no clue."  He 
frowned.  "Is he going to be alright?  If he dies before I get 
to kick his ass, I'm gonna be pissed."

	"KISS MY ASS!" Harima bellowed, kicking the air.

	Jenny laughed loudly.  "I think he'll be fine."

	Osaka wandered in.  "Have you seen Tenma-chan 
anywhere?  I've come to...thing."
	
	"Thing?" Jenny said.

	"What?" Harry said.

	"Nothing.  See you, brother.  Bye."  She hung up and 
turned to Osaka.  "Why are you here?"

	"I...Tenma...I don't remember," Osaka said.

	Harima nearly punched her lights out.  "THIS IS FOR 
WHAT YOU DID AT TANAKA BRIDGE, BASTARD!"

	"I only dropped a can without looking for a garbage 
bin!" Osaka yelled, jumping back.  "Don't hurt me!"

	"Tsukamoto headed over to the Sawachika place with 
Yakumo to go plot evil with Sara or something."

	"YOUR ASS IS MINE!" Harima howled, eyes still 
shut, grabbing and shaking something invisible.

	"But...I need my ass," Osaka mumbled, backing away.

	Jenny led her away from Harima.  "He's high on head 
pain.  Your friend's over at the Sawachika place."

	"Oh.  He's having a flashback?"

	"I think so," Jenny said, then looked around.  Where 
has my boyfriend wandered to?  He was supposed to be 
getting some beer!

	"I know how that feels," Osaka said.  "Okay, thanks!"  
She ambled off.

	Jenny shook her head.  Something wrong with that 
kid.

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

	Spades did not work quite as well with three people, 
but Nara, Mikoto, and Hanai had not been able to find a 
fourth.  

	As Mikoto was about to deal, though, Karasuma 
appeared, saying, "May I?"

	"Sure," Mikoto said.  "You can be Nara's partner; we 
can start over."

	"I think he prefers women," Karasuma said.

	"..."  Mikoto felt her brain melt.

	Hanai laughed, putting a hand over his mouth.

	Nara smiled a little.  "Partner for cards, Karasuma."

	He seems so mellow about it, Mikoto thought.  Or 
maybe he's just being polite.  Or...no, bad brain.  She'd had, 
just for a second, a picture of Nara in a dress in her mind in 
Hanai's arms.  I'm being as silly as Miki gets, she thought.  
Akira was the one out to steal my...no, she's not out to steal 
him, she tried hard to make him come to me.  She just 
wants sex with him and thinks he is hot and...

	"Mikoto-kun, are you okay?" Hanai asked, waving a 
hand in front of her face.

	Mikoto breathed out.  She was a little curious if Nara 
was really as good as Akira said, but not enough for 
anything like that, and really, it was a waste to think about 
it.

	"I'm fine," she said.

	"Very fine," Karasuma said.

	Is Karasuma-san hitting on me, Mikoto wondered.  Or 
am I just being totally vain?

	Hanai took the cards and shuffled.  "Are you alright?"

	"I'm fine, and not imaging anyone naked," Mikoto 
said.  "At all."

	"I can draw us all naked, if you need me to," 
Karasuma said helpfully.

	Nara blinked at Mikoto, then at Karasuma.  "Akira-san 
would probably like that."  He paused.  "I mean..."

	"Oh, I wish I had known, I could have given her such 
a drawing for Christmas," Karasuma said matter of factly.

	Hanai's eyes widened.

	"But...I..you...I mean, wouldn't we have to pose?"

	"Unless you have hidden tattoos or blemishes 
normally hidden by clothing, I can easily extrapolate any of 
you naked from your clothed appearance and my 
knowledge of how clothing hangs," Karasuma said.  He 
looked over at Hanai's frozen hands.  "Would you like me 
to shuffle?"

	Hanai did not resist, eyes crossed.  "You 
don't...normally, right?"

	"I've never drawn any of you naked," Karasuma said.

	Mikoto relaxed.  

	Karasuma began dealing.  "Though I suppose Tenma 
might like a nice nude for Valentine's day."

	I liked him better when he never spoke, Hanai 
thought.

	"Nude?" Mikoto said.  Tenma isn't...no...  She shook 
her head.  I'm in no place to talk.  I've seen Miki and 
Masahiro naked and...and...  She started feeling warm; this 
was not the place for it.

	Karasuma studied his hand; everyone else started and 
picked up theirs.  Mikoto was pretty pleased with hers; she 
had five spades, no hearts at all, and two kings (Clubs and 
Diamonds).  Her ton of low Diamonds might mess things 
up, though.  

	After a few hands, she could tell she and Hanai were 
up against some intense competition.  Nara was only 
average, but Karasuma seemed to be a brilliant player, 
always knowing what everyone had and always bidding 
exactly the right amount for the tricks he took.

	She had to play as well as possible, but she wasn't so 
good at this, though Hanai covered her as best she could.

	By the fifth hand, they were losing, 310 to 187.  Not 
horrible, but it could be hard to make a comeback.  It didn't 
help that she kept wondering if he'd ever drawn any of 
them naked.  Probably Tenma.  Guys were like that.  But 
Karasuma wasn't a normal guy.

	Karasuma's phone rang.  He answered it, "Hello, 
Sagano-san."

	Nara studied his hand, then said, "I bid...three."  

	Hanai smiled confidently, which MOST of the time, 
meant he had a good hand.  Except when he didn't and 
Mikoto screwed them both counting on it too much.  "SIX."

	Her eyes widened.

	"No, I wasn't in your dreams last night, Sagano-san," 
Karasuma said.  "I was busy with Tenma-chan."

	WHAT?, Mikoto thought.  Hanai looked over at 
Karasuma in confusion.  Nara seemed to have passed into a 
magical land of just not being surprised any more.

	Karasuma said to them, "I bid one."

	Ten bid so far.  But Mikoto could see she had the King 
and Queen of Spades, the Ace of Diamonds and the Ace of 
Hearts, plus two more spades.  Surely that was a four bid 
minimum, maybe even a five bid, right?  But with Hanai 
going six...

	Mikoto fretted.

	Karasuma said into the phone, "I am quite sure I can 
tell the difference between you and Tenma.  You were just 
dreaming of me normally."

	Mikoto began imagining things, then made herself 
stop.  If I go four, we can go ten for two hundred...why not.  
"Ten for two hundred," she said.

	Karasuma blinked.  "You bid ten all on your own?"

	"No, I bid four.  Plus six is ten!" Mikoto said.

	"OH," Karasuma said.  "That's reasonable."  To the 
phone, he said, "Trust me, there's no way I could make a 
mistake, Sagano-san.  You'd know."

	How do I get into these things, Mikoto wondered.

	Akira now came out and silently embraced Nara, 
making Mikoto more jumpy.  

	Hanai studied the bids.  "Your lead, Karasuma-kun.  
Your team bid four, we bid ten."

	"We're going to make lots of money," Akira said into 
Nara's ear, a little loudly.

	"Cool," he said, sounding a little guilty.  "Anything I 
can do to help it?"

	"Well, Kenji-kun may need your help," Akira said.  

	"Is this that engagement contest thing?" Hanai asked.

	Karasuma said into the phone, "Yes, exactly, the 
breasts are an unmistakable clue."  He threw out the three 
of diamonds.

	Do I go for the guaranteed win, Mikoto thought.  Or 
do I take a chance, knowing my ace will be good later 
unless someone goes short...  She threw down her Jack of 
Diamonds.  

	Akira glanced over at Karasuma, an eyebrow slightly 
raised, then said to Nara, "That one."  She pointed.

	"No helping," Hanai said a little crankily.

	"I would knock first, of course," Karasuma said into 
his phone.

	Nara played down the Queen of Diamonds, the card 
Akira had picked.

	"Everyone knows what knocking is," Karasuma said 
into the phone.

	Hanai studied his hand thoughtfully, then slapped 
down the Two of Spades.  "Mine," he said.

	Nara frowned.  Hanai took the trick, then laid out the 
Eight of Clubs.

	Karasuma idly threw out the six of Clubs, then said 
into the phone, "I really should go.  I'm playing a game 
with Nara and Akira and Mikoto and Hanai."

	Beat.

	"No, we're good as-is," Karasuma said.  "Goodnight," 
he said, then hung up.

	There was a distant shout from Harima, "YEAH, OH 
YEAH, EVERYONE'S GOING DOWN NOW!"

	Akira frowned.  "I'll go check on him."

	"Need help?" Nara asked.

	"No, you have fun," Akira said, kissing his cheek.  
"Bye, Mikoto-chan, Hanai-san, Karasuma-san."

	Karasuma's phone rang; he eyed it like a hungry 
serpent.

	Mikoto now remembered to play.  "Bye, Akira-chan."  
She threw down the nine of clubs, the best she could do.  
She had a bad feeling Hanai had screwed up with his lead.  

	"Anything bad happen if we end up with a negative 
score?" she asked nervously as Nara took it with a jack.

	"Stripping," Nara said.

	Mikoto's eyes widened.

	"That's a joke," he said hastily.

	But she wasn't sure.

**************
		
	Akira came in; Harima was still punching and kicking 
the air.  "What happened?" she asked Jenny and Keiichi, 
who were watching TV, drinking beer, and keeping an eye 
on Harima as he lay on the coffee table.

	"Skiing accident," Jenny said.  "I'm surprised he's 
freaking out so much."

	"ALL YOU FUCKERS WILL DIE!" Harima 
announced to the world.

	Akira shook her head and walked over to him.  "Oh 
no, Tenma is on fire," she said flatly.

	Harima gave a hideous scream and leaped off the 
table, ready to run.  "Where? Where is she?"  He looked far 
more with it now.

	Akira said, "I lied."

	"Dammit, don't lie like that!" Harima said angrily.

	"You were making a pain of yourself with very loud 
flashbacks," she said, looking him over.  "Does it hurt 
anywhere?"

	"No, I'm fine," he said.  "Flashbacks?"

	"Shouting about killing various gangs," she said.  "I've 
got all the details set up.  Did you call Tenma?"

	"She was skiing, so I tried to find her," Harima said.  

	"Well, try calling her instead of injuring yourself.  I'm 
going to get to work," Akira said.

	"Thank you for helping me," Harima said.  He was 
trying to get better at thanking people.

	"I need the money and you're a friend," Akira said.  
"And I want to get Eri-chan out of hock."

	"Well, I'll give Tenma-san a call, then," Harima said.

	He rang her up and she answered.  "Kenji-kun!  You 
should be helping your girlfriend with the contest!" Tenma 
said.

	"But I got in it first!  She should be helping me!" 
Harima protested.

	"You already HAVE a woman," Tenma said.  

	"So I have to let her get a woman too?" Harima asked 
in confusion.

	"Exactly," Tenma said.

	"..."

	"And a man shouldn't compete with his girlfriend," 
Tenma said.

	"I always heard it the other way around," Harima said 
a little heatedly.

	"They lied to you," Tenma said.  "You really should 
help Yakumo."

	"I can't just abandon Eri-san like that!" Harima 
protested.

	"You could help Yakumo help her!" Tenma replied.  

	"I'm in too deep to back out now," Harima said.

	"Well, with Osaka and I on the case, I'm afraid you're 
going to lose, brother-in-law.  We are INVINCIBLE."  
Tenma sounded quite confident.

	That got Harima's back up.  "Well, we'll just see about 
that.  Person isn't BORN who can beat me."  Harima's 
competitive streak had a life of its own.  A mostly 
victorious one, if you didn't count Karasuma.  

	"We'll crush you!" Tenma proclaimed.

	"Bring it on!" Harima shouted back.

	"WE WILL!"  Click.

	Harima grimaced.  They think they can kick my ass?  
No way in...

	Then it sank in that he'd just had a fight with Tenma.  
And was likely in trouble with his girlfriend.  Just because 
he was trying to help Eri out.  

	A fight with Tenma.

	He'd never really had a real fight with her before.  But 
what could he do?  He couldn't back down.  Not now when 
Eri needed him.

	It would have been easier just staying a delinquent, he 
thought.  But now he was in too deep to run.

	It was like the Yakuza, but without any cool tattoos.  

	Dammit.

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

	"I would be happy to act as your video supplier," 
Buddha said to Imadori.  "What kind of videos do you 
need?"

	"All possible Doujibirion, any good mecha stuff...hold 
on, I have a list."

	Imadori now carefully read it off to Buddha.

	Buddha cocked his head, listening, and writing.  "I'll 
see what I can find."

	"I need them pronto," Imadori said.  "Also, contact the 
rest of the mob; I'm going to need some muscle and 
workers."

	"I will do so," Buddha said.  "Fuyuki is already there, 
right?"

	"Yes, I'll take care of him and Nara myself."

	"Then I'll call you once I have news."

	"Okay," Imadori said.  "Good luck, and thanks!"

	"You're welcome." Buddha hung up and went to work.

***************
	 
	"I need your boyfriend," Imadori announced to 
Sagano.

	Sagano was about to head out, skiing, with Yuuki, 
Fuyuki, Karen, Harry, and Lala.  "Ooooh, yaoi!" she said.  
"Only if I can watch."

	Imadori froze in place, crumbled to dust, and blew 
away.

	Fuyuki said, "Not like that!"  He paused.  "Right?"

	"Not like that at all!  I need you to take some pictures 
and help me measure stuff for my party."

	"Oooh, party?" Sagano asked.

	"Yeah, we're going to have a New Years' Eve party as 
part of the contest," Imadori said.

	Karen frowned.  "Is it really right to use Sawachika as 
a prize?"

	"Her parents can decide however they like," Imadori 
said.

	"You really want to marry someone who hates you?" 
Harry asked.

	Imadori frowned at Harry.  "She's just playing hard to 
get.  And at least I don't roam around, randomly assaulting 
people."

	"Take that back or I'll kick your ass!" Harry said.

	"At least he's not a breast-grabbing pervert!" Lala said, 
advancing on Imadori.  "You use and discard women like 
kleenex!"

	"You're so pretty when you're angry," he said amiably, 
leaving her flustered.

	"And you're seeing that teacher!" Karen said, starting 
to get angry.

	"We're just friends," Imadori said.

	"Liar!" Karen said, getting more worked up, half 
angry, half about to cry.

	Sagano looked over at her.  Imadori was somewhat of 
a jerk, but if she didn't do something, he would probably 
get his ass kicked, and she thought he'd already been beaten 
enough.  And part of her admired him for standing up to so 
many angry people.

	"You're making my girlfriend cry!" Harry said.

	Fuyuki and Yuuki watched all this warily.

	"I am not.  I haven't said anything bad about Karen," 
Imadori said.  "She's a kind, sweet person, who deserves a 
better boyfriend than you."

	He has less self-preservation than me, Sagano thought.  
But I'm so bundled up in winter clothing, I can't even try to 
harem-ninja my way out of this.  I need winter clothing that 
rips off in a dramatic gesture.  Or to learn a transformation 
sequence.

	I could just kiss Harry.  That would certainly distract 
everyone, Sagano thought.  But my boyfriend would kill 
me.  

	Or I could strip Fuyuki right here...that would drive 
off everyone and avoid violence!  It's perfect, Sagano 
thought.

	"All this emotion...can't control myself any more..." 
Sagano said, drawing on her hours and hours of watching 
original Star Trek.  "Must have boyfriend now..."  She 
turned and pounced on Fuyuki.

	"Hey, people watching and..." Fuyuki began; her lips 
silenced him.

	Yuuki stared.

	Everyone else stared a moment, then scattered in all 
directions, except Imadori and Yuuki.

	Yuuki looked over at Imadori.  "Why aren't you 
running?"

	"I do not fear Sagano's naked body.  Actually, I'm kind 
of curious," he said.

	"But it also means looking at Fuyuki naked.  So you 
like naked men?" Yuuki asked.

	"I...no!" Imadori said.

	"Well, you'll be able to see him butt naked pretty 
quickly if Megumi ever remembers how belts work," Yuuki 
said, strangely calm.

	"But..."  Imadori spluttered, then said, "I...I hear 
Sawachika-sama text messaging me!  Gotta run!"  He ran 
off.

	"So, should I go ski without you two?" Yuuki asked, 
looking tense.

	"You wanna join us?  I can't get this damn belt off," 
Sagano said.

	"Not out here in public," Yuuki said tensely, glancing 
off in the various directions people had run. 

	"We can do this later; let's ski while we can," Fuyuki 
said nervously.

	"Okay," Sagano said.  "My plan worked perfectly!"

	"Except now I'm half-frozen," Fuyuki said, getting up 
with her and buttoning his shirt.

	"And the other half is ALL MAN," Sagano said, re-
dressing herself.  "Okay, let's go ski!"

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

		
	"What's wrong, onee-chan?" Yakumo asked her sister 
softly as Tenma moped on the bed.  

	"I had a fight with Kenji," Tenma said mournfully.  "I 
hate fighting with people I like.  But he needs to be a good 
boyfriend and support you."

	"Well..." Sara began, trying to figure out how to 
delicately broach the subject.  They were meeting in her 
room.  

	"It's okay, I understand, onee-chan," Yakumo said.  
"I'm just glad I have you and Sara-chan and Osaka-san to 
help me."

	"I suppose eloping is out of the question," Osaka said.

	Yakumo blushed.  "I don't think Sawachika-san would 
do that.  The goal is to win the contest here, not to elope."

	"Well, you would look good in a wedding dress," 
Osaka said.  "So what are the weakpoints of the 
competition?"

	Tenma said, "Imadori is very good at seducing women 
but not very smart or tough.  But he knows everything 
about robot shows. Kenji is very kind but not very smart.  
He's a good fighter, and a good artist.  But now he's mad at 
me!"  Tenma began to wail.

	"So if you make your party something which appeals 
to intellect, you'll play to their weaknesses," Osaka said.  
"Then you can take them DOWN."  She scribbled 
frantically on paper.  "Okay, so they enter the party here, 
and we put a sphinx, who will eat them if they can't answer 
its riddle..."

	"I don't think the party is supposed to be a death trap, 
Osaka-san," Yakumo said to Osaka.

	"Oh."  She crumpled it up and tossed it in the garbage 
can.  "So we're not out to capture or kill them?"

	Yakumo's eyes crossed.

	Tenma said, "We're not out to kill them."

	"So we won't need the abbatoir," Osaka said.

	"Swedish rock won't help us," Tenma said.

	"Actually, maybe it would," Sara said.  "Doesn't 
Sawachika-san's family company do business in Sweden?"

	"But how will we possibly get Abba to come to our 
party?" Yakumo asked.

	"Begging can be good," Osaka said.

	"We could pray for a miracle," Sara said.

	"Maybe Eri knows Abba," Tenma said.

	"But Sawachika-san's never been to Sweden, has she?" 
Yakumo asked.

	"It can't hurt to ask, or maybe we could call Mrs. 
Sawachika," Sara said.

	Yakumo nodded.  "Well, we could do a Sweden 
theme; have vikings and fjords and forests and Abba."  She 
paused.  "Though those might take a lot of work."

	"Well, we can draw backdrops and things," Tenma 
said, perking up.  "You're good enough to draw pro manga, 
after all, sister."

	I'm just the assistant, she thought.  But she couldn't let 
her sister down.  "I will do my best."

	"Alright, let's see if we can get Abba and we can plan 
how to decorate everything," Tenma said.  "LET THE 
OPERATION...BEGIN!"

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

	"You've got to be kidding me," Eri said to Asou.

	"I kid you not," Asou said.  "Do you think your 
mother will do it?  And do we want it to happen?"

	"If they get Abba, we'll need a counterweight for 
Kenji's party," Eri said.  "And Mother might think it funny 
enough to throw her weight around.  However, if Kenji 
thinks of it," she said, looking meaningfully at Asou, "then 
he could get Karen's band.  They're not as famous as Abba, 
but they aren't old and worn out, either."

	"If...ahh..." Asou said.  "I warn you, I am not good at 
subtle."

	"You are still better than Kenji," Eri said.  "So your 
girlfriend is helping Yakumo-san?"

	"Yes," Asou said, sighing.  "She couldn't say no to her 
best friend."

	Eri nodded.  "I understand.  I will try and see if 
Imadori has any good ideas or if he will self-destruct 
without me."

	"I'm sure he'll self destruct even WITH good ideas," 
Asou said.  "Sounds good."

	"Then let's do it.

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

	Imadori wandered around with a camera, taking 
photos as needed and feeling aggravated because he'd 
failed to get Fuyuki.  At least Nakamura had been kind 
enough to help.

	As they measured a doorway, he said, "Thanks, 
Nakamura-san, for helping me."

	"Mistress Sawachika is fond of you," Nakamura said.  
"And it is my job to help.  Good luck with your party."

	"It'll be great," Imadori said.  He tapped the floor.  
"We're right over the foundation, no basement, right?"

	"Right," Nakamura said.

	"Good, less chance of breaking."  

	Eri now sauntered up.  "Planning to redecorate?" she 
asked.

	"For the party," Imadori said.  "You're invited of 
course."  He smiled at her, making her wonder again what 
he really thought of her.

	"Picked a theme?" she asked.

	"Sausage," Imadori said.

	"Sausage?" Eri asked in confusion.

	"Yes.  The whole place will resemble a giant meat 
packing plant when I'm done," Imadori said.

	Eri's eyes crossed.

	"And smell of it.  Ahh, sweet fragrance of sausage," 
Imadori said.

	Eri started to look slightly green.

	"Organ meats.  Nothing really says 'Spring is coming', 
like the smell of pig kidneys," Imadori said gleefully.  

	"You'll stink up the house for weeks!"

	"Yes, but school will make us go back in a few days 
after the party, and it smells GOOD.  Don't you want to 
smell good enough to eat, Eri-chan?" Imadori asked.

	"NO," Eri said.

	"Hmm, I should see about getting some English 
sausages; your mother will like that."

	"Mother does like Cumberland sausage with an egg 
and muffins for breakfast, but...you can't just make this 
whole place all sausage-y!" Eri protested frantically.

	"Well, I could throw in bacon for some variety.  And 
eggs.  I like eggs," Imadori said.

	Nakamura said hesitantly, "Variety is good."

	Well, look on the bright side, Eri thought.  That's the 
stupidest party theme ever.  What could be worse?

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

	"I'm thinking gang violence may not sell our 
audience," Masahiro said to Harima.

	"We're not trying to sell the guests into slavery, are 
we?" Harima asked.

	"..."  Masahiro sat mindlessly on the bed, staring at 
Harima as he paced.

	"How about a Street Fighter theme?  Everyone loves 
Street Fighter," Harima said.  "I'd make a good M. Bison, I 
think."  He struck a pose.

	"We need something with dignity and grace," 
Masahiro said.  "If we're to impress wealthy folk like the 
Sawachikas.  Also, you have a lot of high class food and 
things given as gifts so, I think a high-class theme is 
better."

	Harima frowned.  "How about if we cross Street 
Fighter with Gangster movies?  Gangster movies have lots 
of people in Tuxedos."

	Masahiro tapped his cheek.  "You know, a Gangster 
theme might well work.  Play some jazz, everyone in fancy 
evening wear and pin-stripe suits...I like it."

	"Cool," Harima said.  "Mobsters are bad-ass.  I could 
be Capone and you could be Lucky Luciano."

	"I should be Clyde, since I have a Bonnie," Masahiro 
said.  "Miki would love that, I think," he said.

	"We'll need fake g...Akira!  She's already got an 
interest in this," Harima said.  "Her guns are awesome.  
And we can get Hanai to be J. Edgar Hoover, since he's got 
a no-fun stick up his butt like Hoover did."

	"Or Elliot Ness," Masahiro said.  "Or the guy...anti-
mobster mayor..."

	"Dewey," Harima said.  "Can we afford a duck 
costume?"

	"I don't know," Masahiro said.  "We should 
probably..."

	"Hey guys, you planning your party?" Asou asked.  
Neither of them had seen him come into Harima's bedroom  
where Harima was meeting with Masahiro.

	"Yeah, but we can't let any spies for Sara in," Harima 
said.

	"I'm not spying for my girlfriend!" Asou protested.  
Technically true, he thought.

	"You can't fool me," Harima said, crossing his arms.  
"Tell Yakumo-san I'm sorry, but I can't give this up."

	"I'll do that," Asou said.  "I suppose you don't want to 
know about Imadori's secret plan, then."

	Yes, he did.  But he couldn't admit it.  "Naah, I'll beat 
him without it," Harima said.  "I doubt you'd know it 
anyway."

	Asou started to get mad, then reined himself in.  "Fine, 
if you want to be the only party with no live band..."

	"A band!  We need jazz musicians," Harima said.  "Is 
Louis Armstrong alive?"

	"Dead for decades," Masahiro said.  "But maybe your 
class's band can help us. They were really good."

	"Hmm, that could work."  He imagined the band in 
period clothing and began to sketch out what he saw.  "I 
wonder if any of them can play the trumpet."

	"Not a clue," Masahiro said.  "Hmm, We'd better find 
Akira."

	Asou stood quietly, listening.  I can learn a lot for 
Sawachika-san this way, he thought.

	"Also, we need to get rid of the spy," Harima said.

	"I'm not a spy!" Asou said.

	Harima rose and Asou ran, for his own safety.

	"Maybe we should call your sugar-mama too," 
Masahiro said.

	"She's not my sugar-mama!  She's not even...I mean, 
she's basically WAY TOO YOUNG," Harima said.

	Masahiro laughed.  Harima was so easy to tease, just 
like Miki.  "Okay, okay.  She might have some good ideas 
and I think she does like you and will want to help."

	I need more friends my own age and sex, Harima 
thought.  But he'd always been better at hitting guys than 
befriending them.  "Well, if we're going to turn Hanai into 
the Fuzz, we'd better get him too.  And Mikoto."  A thought 
hit him.  "The Lindbergh baby!  Who got kidnapped.  That 
could be Mihama-san."

	"..."

	"Perfect," Harima said.  "Okay, let's round everyone 
up."

*************
	
	"Mission semi-accomplished," Asou said to Eri.

	"Good, now..."

	"I can't spy on Sara for you," Asou said.

	"Hrmph," Eri replied.

	"I'll happily spy on Imadori or Harima, but not my 
girlfriend," he said.

	"Sausage," Eri replied, tapping her fingers on the arm 
of the nice plush chair she sat in.

	Asou leaned against the nearby chest of drawers.  
"Sausage?"

	"Imadori's chosen theme is...sausage.  I should be 
happy he can't possibly win, but since he goes first, he's 
going to stink this place up and make it unlivable before 
Kenji's party."  She grimaced.

	"Can't you use your wealth to maybe pre-emptively 
buy up the available sausage?" Asou asked.

	"I'd have to buy all of it in the world or he might ask 
Mother to rush-ship him some," Eri said.  "Also, my 
allowance is not godlike.  I am not Richie Rich."

	Asou turned and looked at himself in the nearby wall 
mirror, thinking.  "I'm sure he'll call in the rest of Buddha's 
hentai club.  Maybe you could bribe one of them to be the 
inside man."

	Eri's eyes lit up.  "Yes, very clever.  I like how you 
think."

	Asou smiled at himself in the mirror.  "Thank you.  
Yoshidayama has rather a thing for you, I think.  He's 
probably the ideal pawn."

	"He does?" Eri asked.

	"What, you haven't noticed?" Asou said, turning.  

	"He's never said anything," Eri said, now sounding 
slightly fretful.

	"So, with just a little sugar, I expect he can be baited," 
Asou said.

	Asou has a down right evil streak once he starts 
plotting, Eri thought.  I'm glad he's on my side.  "Yes, I 
think we can use him," she said, supressing the small 
amount of guilt she felt at using someone who had a crush 
on her.  "It will be payback for the time I ended up in the 
river."  Oh yes, it would.

	Never get Sawachika angry at me if I can help it, Asou 
thought.  She can be evil.  

*************
	
	Lala looked over at Harry; they were both at the top of 
the slope, about to ski down.  Karen and the others were off 
practicing with their band.  She turned back to the slope, 
focusing herself.

	"Hmm?" he asked, curious.

	"Nothing," she said.

	"Planning to steal Karen-chan from me?" Harry 
teased.

	"No, not like that!" Lala said in a panic.  "Just 
wishing..."

	Karen came tromping out.  "Aren't you going to come 
practice with us, Lala-san?"

	Lala looked embarrassed.  "Do you want me to?"

	"Sure, you sing very beautifully," Karen said.

	"Okay," Lala said softly.  "Sorry, MacKenzie-san."

	"That's fine," he said.  "I'm sure I won't have any 
horrible accidents on the difficult slope by myself and lie 
mangled and alone for hours."

	Karen turned pale, and Lala stared.

	He laughed.  "Just joking.  I'll be fine."  Though now 
he did feel just a little jealous.

	"Well, you..." Karen began hesitantly.

	"I'll be fine," he said, walking over and kissing her 
quickly.  "Go have fun."  He was only a little jealous.  

	She smiled brighter.  "Okay!  I'll come join you when 
we're done."

	"Good, we can have a race, winner gets to be on top," 
he said.

	Karen turned red, while Lala looked back and forth in 
confusion with the vague feeling it was probably a dirty 
joke.  "Don't say freaky things," she snapped on general 
principle.

	"I'd rather do them," he said grinning, waved, and 
headed off to go ski.

	After his first run down the mountain, Imadori came 
stomping out into the snow.  "You had lunch?" he asked.  
He was holding a long wrapped roughly cylindrical thing.

	"No," Harry said.  "I am kind of hungry."

	"Here, you can have this.  Just let me know if it's good 
or not."  Imadori handed it to him.

	"You experimenting with food?" Harry asked, 
unwrapping it; it smelled wonderful--a sausage sandwich 
with cheese, onions, and sauerkraut.  "This looks great."

	"Cool." Imadori turned to go inside.  "Just let me 
know how it tastes, okay?"

	"Fine with me."  Harry had the vague feeling he was 
being used.  But if that got him a nice sandwich, it would 
be worth it right now.

***********

	Miki posed back to back with Masahiro, pretending to 
hold a gun.  "Yeah!" she said.  "This will be great."

	Masahiro was relieved she wasn't worrying about 
Harima trying to seduce him again.  

	"Hmm, so I will be law enforcement with Mikoto?" 
Hanai asked.

	"Someone has to be J. Edgar Hoover," Harima said.

	"Who am I, then?" Mikoto asked.

	"Miss Marple!", Nara said.  

	"Like in the anime?" Mikoto asked.  "She's an old 
woman!"

	"Yeah, but she fights crime," Nara said.

	"We can do better," Akira said.  "You could be Alaska 
P. Davidson, the first female special agent of the FBI."

	"Alaska?  Isn't that a country?" Mikoto asked.

	"It's part of the USA," Akira said.  "A state."
	
	"Hmm.  Did she do anything cool?"

	"She had a big gunfight with Dillinger," Akira made 
up, not knowing anything about the woman besides her 
name.  "And wiped out the Cock-Eyed Gang."  It wasn't 
like anyone would ever figure out she was making things 
up.   

	"Sounds cool," Mikoto said.  "Shouldn't we get 
Tenma-chan in on this?"

	"She's helping Yakumo," Akira said.  "But Yakumo 
has Sara's harem working for her."

	"Harem?" Mikoto asked nervously.

	"I don't think they're her personal harem," Nara said.  
"It might be better if..."

	Harima shook his head.  "Yakumo-san won't back 
down and neither will I.  We have to see this through to the 
end."

	"Does this mean you broke up?" Nara asked.

	"No," Harima said hastily.

	Akira shook her head.  "Though you can't waffle 
forever, Kenji-san."

	Harima frowned.  "I'm not waffling!  I'm trying to help 
Eri-san!"

	"I know," Akira said.  "I will help you help her.  But 
you cannot let yourself remain divided."  Softly, into his 
ear, she whispered, "Trust me, I know."  Then she glided 
away from him.

	I'm not divided, he thought.  I just can't make up my 
mind.  All his certainty was gone, knowing he could never 
have Tenma.  The worst of that was over, but now...he just 
didn't understand his feelings.  It would be so much easier 
if he could just obsess on one of them like he did with 
Tenma.

	It's not that easy, Onna-Harima whispered to him.  
Now that you're finally growing up, you may never know 
that certainty again. 

	He sighed.  Then an idea hit him.  "That's it!"

	"What?" Akira asked.

	"Mihama-san can be Baby-Face Nelson!" Harima 
said.

	There was silence, then guilty laughter.

	"Well, when she arrives, you can ask her," Akira said.  
"I can't think of anything better."

	"Okay," Harima said.  "Now, let's get back to 
planning."

**************
	
	Tenma hung up her phone.  "Sweet, ABBA will be 
arriving the day before New Year's Eve so they can get 
some skiing in before they perform for us, and so they can 
practice."

	"Wow, I thought they'd retired," Satsuki said.  

	"Offer enough money, and anyone un-retires," Suga 
said.

	"I'm kind of surprised I talked her into it," Tenma said.  
"But I just tried to think of how Daddy would have argued 
it."

	"Your father's a good debater?" Sara asked.

	"He could talk the King of Saudi Arabia into buying 
sand, oil, and camels from him," Tenma said.

	Karasuma walked in.  "Planning a party?" he asked.

	"Yes, can you help us?" Tenma begged.

	"Yes."

	Tenma danced for joy.  

	"We need to do a lot of backdrops and things to make 
this place look like Sweden," Sara said.

	"The snow is a good start," Karasuma said.

	Sara laughed.

	"Okay.  Asou and Suga can help me build the sauna," 
Karasuma said.

	"Sauna?" Yakumo asked in confusion.

	"Yes.  They like saunas.  It gets the cold out," 
Karasuma said.

	"We'll need supplies," Suga said.

	"Then let's go get some."

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

	Yoshidayama sat on the train.  Finally, a reason to get 
out of his folks' house and enjoy himself.  At Sawachika's 
country getaway no less!  This would rule!  And they'd get 
to crush Harima too.

	His phone rang.  "Yo, the great one is here," he said.

	Eri was on the other end of the line.  "Oh, I'm so glad 
it's you.  You have to help me," she said pleadingly.

	"What's the problem, babe?" he said, trying to play it 
cool while his heart beat 3000 times a minute.

	"Imadori is trying to make me his slave by winning 
this contest, and I need someone to warn me of his evil 
plans before he wins the contest and forces me to marry 
him," Eri said, sounding forlorn and alone in the world.

	Yoshidayama gulped.  "That sounds horrible.  But if 
they catch me spying, I'll be killed."  Male unity was 
important to Yoshidayama.  But not as important as scoring 
points with Eri.

	"Oh, I can protect you.  I don't have that horde of 
bodyguards for nothing.  And if you do fall, I can ask my 
dear friend Akira-chan to wreck a horrible vengeance on 
those who hurt you," Eri said firmly.

	For a moment, Yoshidayama thought he heard 
whispering on the other end of the line.  "And if you do a 
good job, I'll give you copies of my Christmas photos of 
me in my nice, expensive, low-cut dress."

	Bits of brain began to overload.  
"Christmas...photos...dress...," Yoshidayama mumbled, 
then looked around him.  Most of the group was asleep or 
lost in electronic games. 

	He whispered into the phone, "I'm your man.  We're 
on our way to help out Imadori, but I don't know the plan 
yet, beyond us bringing a bunch of videos with us.  I'll 
report in once I know."

	Eri's voice was sugary sweet.  "You're so nice, 
Yoshidayama-san.  I knew I could trust you."

	He blushed.  "Okay," he said.  "I'll let you know!"

	"I know you will.  Bye, handsome!" Click.  

	His heart pounded.  Handsome.  She thinks I'm 
handsome.  He imagined her in the dress, and now he 
nosebled and passed out.

	Buddha cocked his head, turned and looked at 
Yoshidayama, shook his head, then returned to playing his 
hand-held game of Yahtzee.

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

	Eri walked down the hallway, about to go out and ski, 
only to see Harry walking along, eating...a sausage 
sandwich.  She stomped up to him.  "Did Imadori give you 
that?"
	
	"Yeah," Harry said.  "So what?"

	"He is trying to taunt me," Eri said, frowning.  "You 
shouldn't let yourself become part of his sausage plan."

	"Sausage plan," Harry said flatly.

	"He's going to turn this whole place into a giant meat 
packing plant," Eri said.

	"Uh huh," Harry said, wondering what she'd been 
smoking. And if he wanted some.

	"We will all smell of sausage, even your cute 
girlfriend," Eri said firmly.

	"I can dig it," Harry said, teasing.

	"Men are insane," Eri said, storming off.

	Not as crazy as women, he thought.

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

	Akira passed Yakumo a check.  "Here you go.  This 
should help pay for..."  She stared off across the grounds at 
where Suga, Karasuma, and Asou were hard at work.  
"What is that?"

	"A sauna," Yakumo said.

	"Hmm, how much will you be charging to use it?" 
Akira asked.

	"We'll have to see if it works well," Yakumo said, 
having no idea.

	"As I'd like to buy some time in it, if it works," Akira 
said.  She paused.  "You will have attendents?"

	We will now, Yakumo thought.  "Of course."

	"Good, good, it's more fun that way.  So you're doing 
a sauna theme?"

	"Sweden," Yakumo said.  

	"Sweden? Oh, Sweden theme," Akira said.

	"MY THUMB!" Suga howled in the background, 
dancing around.

	Akira said, "Don't forget you'll need pipes for the 
water.  Anyway, good luck."

	Yakumo nodded.  "Thank you for the loan, Sempai."

	"You're welcome," Akira said.  "You're a good Kohai, 
so I'm glad to help you out."

	Yakumo smiled at Akira, who gave back about as 
much of a smile as she ever managed outside a bed.

	And then Akira took off, and Yakumo went inside to 
help with the art.

	Tenma was almost done with a backdrop; it looked 
pretty good to Yakumo, with its trees and mountains 
and...wait...  Yakumo bent over and studied the picture.  
"The Vikings were pigs?"

	"They were in the video we rented," Tenma said, 
pointing.  

	'Muppet Show', Yakumo read.  Oh dear.  "Where is 
Osaka?"

	"She's...umm..." Tenma looked around.  "Osaka-chan, 
where are you?"

	"I've fallen and I can't get up!" they heard Osaka say 
from behind the big backdrop.

	Moving it, they could see Osaka was pinned under a 
mocked up longboat; Tenma and Yakumo began shoving as 
hard as they could, but it wouldn't move enough.

	"We need someone stronger," Tenma said.  "I'd say to 
call Kenji, but..."
	
	Yakumo said, "I'll go get the guys."  Pause.  "Where is 
Sara?  And Satsuki?"

	"Digging a fjord," Tenma said.

	"..."

	"What?"

	Yakumo said, "Where?"

	Tenma waved an arm vaguely.  "Outside."

	Yakumo nodded and headed outside, sending Suga 
and Asou in to save Osaka and searching for Sara and 
Satsuki, who she found busy digging in the snow and using 
water to freeze the sides of their trench to make an ice 
trench.  "What's this for?"

	"Decoration and we can put the longboat in it," Sara 
said.

	"But won't the fjord freeze once you put the water in?"

	"Salt water doesn't freeze so easily," Sara said.  
"Everyone will get to ride to the house from the parking lot 
in the longboat, if they want."

	"Oh," Yakumo said.

	Satsuki grinned.  "I'm going to be a valkyrie.  This 
will rule."

	"Dress warmly; it will be cold," Yakumo said.

	"I know," Satsuki said.  "But this should be neat.  I 
hope."

	It did seem like it could be cool.  "Okay," Yakumo 
said.

	She watched them work a little.  I am so lucky to have 
so many good friends to help me, she thought.  "Do you 
need my help?"

	"You should help your sister with the art," Satsuki 
said.  "Sara and I came out to do this because we're not so 
good at it as you."

	Yakumo nodded.  "I'll do that.  Thank you, both of 
you."

	Sara smiled.  "Anything for you, Yakumo."

	We'll leave them in the heartwarming glow of 
friendship among the chill winter cold and turn the page 
to...

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

	Chiyo-chan adjusted her hat, then brandished her 
tommy gun.  "I'd advisez youse to keep diahlin'," she said.

	Mikoto laughed.  "Perfect.  Don't you think so, 
Harima-san?"

	He grinned.  "Perfect."

	"Do we all need to get press-on tattoos?" Chiyo asked.

	"I don't think American gangsters are usually 
tattooed," Harima said.  

	"You couldn't tell in these suits, anyway," Masahiro 
said.  "Well, now we have to figure out decorations."

	"With my artistic skills," Harima said, only bragging a 
little, really, "THAT will be easy.  Here's what we're going 
to do..."

***************
	
	At the train station, Imadori took Yoshidayama aside.  
"I have a special mission for you," he said.  "No one else 
here has the cunning to pull it off."

	Yoshidayama nodded.  Of course not.  His group were 
great guys, but they were too straightforward.  Only his 
clever mind could handle REALLY SNEAKY plans.  
"What do you need, boss?"

	"You need to go pretend to join Harima's group and 
steal their secrets for me," Imadori said.

	"I can do that."  I get to stick it to Harima, 
Yoshidayama thought.  And make Sawachika-san happy.  
AWESOME.  "So what's our plan?"

	"Sausage and meat-packing," Imadori said.  "If you 
can make off with Hanai's secret sausage recipe, I'd 
appreciate it, but he is kind of out of your league."

	"HAH," Yoshidayama said.  "I can handle it.  He may 
LOOK smart, but I've got street smarts and broom hair for 
sweeping my enemies under the table."

	Imadori stood in silence a few seconds, then said, 
"Then I entrust it to you.  Crush our enemies and drive 
them before you!  Just don't let them know you're a spy, 
though, or they'll fold, spindle and mutilate you.  And it's 
wisest you don't hit on the hot college chicks, even if they 
DO dig your hairstyle these days in colleges."

	"Really?" Yoshidayama asked.

	"Yeah, it's all the rage.  Lucky for you, the guys over 
there, their hair just can't handle the style like yours can," 
Imadori said.  "Too short and too weak, whereas, your hair 
has got it going on."

	Sweet, Yoshidayama thought.  "Are they hot?"

	Imadori fanned pictures of Miki, Jenny, and Kasumi.

	"HOT," Yoshidayama said.  Who knows, maybe I'll 
have my own harem by the time I'm done.

	"Just don't let Akira catch you hitting on them," 
Imadori said.  "Or doing your other spying.  She's tricky."

	"Yeah, I know.  Anything else, boss?"

	"That's enough trouble for anyone for one day," 
Imadori said.  "Good luck."

	Yoshidayama gave him a thumbs up.  "I can't lose."

	This was going to be great.

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

	Yuuki was playing piano instead of her keyboard, 
since the lodge had one.  Everyone else had their usual 
outfits. It felt a little weird with Lala and Karen singing in 
cocktail dresses, lounging on the piano.  It was the moving 
in synchronicity part which made her head swim; it was 
kind of surreal and sexy at the same time.

	And she could tell Fuyuki kept staring at them, while 
trying to not stare.  Men just can't control themselves, she 
thought.  Though she couldn't help staring herself, some.  

	Fortunately, Sagano seemed amused instead of angry.  
As they reached the end of a song, she said, "I'm going to 
try playing a wind instrument; we really need some horns 
or something."

	Fuyuki said, "You can play a trombone?"

	"I'm a little rusty, but it comes back quick," Sagano 
said.

	"Can you control rats like Hanai?" Karasuma asked.

	"..."  Sagano stared at him.

	"He can control rats?" Yuuki asked.

	"With music," Karasuma said.

	"Oooh, we could dress up rats as gangsters..." Sagano 
began.

	"Where are we going to find rats?" Fuyuki asked.

	"Or rat-sized gangster outfits?" Yuuki asked.

	Sagano pouted.

	"I can play the flute," Lala said.

	"But you sing so beautifully," Sagano said.

	Lala looked slightly embarrassed.  "I am just saying it, 
that is all."

	Sagano dug around in the instrument boxes.  "Here we 
go."  She was now holding a nice trombone.

	"Let's go!" she said, and started playing.

	Their fears were relieved when she did, in fact, sound 
pretty good.  

	Things were really getting underway when the cat ran 
in and jumped on Sagano's head; she went down like a 
chump, howling.  "AAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!"

	Yuuki came over and tried to pull the cat off her, but 
only got herself tangled up.  Finally, Fuyuki managed to 
peel them all away and toss the cat out of the room; he 
locked the door as the cat scratched at it.

	"Geez, what's with that cat?" Sagano asked.

	"He's obviously not a jazz fan," Fuyuki said.  "You 
okay, honey?"

	"I'm fine," Sagano said.  

	They could hear the cat headbutting the door.  

	"I'll call Nakamura," Sagano said.  "He'll take care of 
it."

***************
	
	This is what happens when you rent a haunted lodge, 
Nakamura thought.  He carefully tucked the cat away in the 
laundry room and closed the door, then went to check on 
Imadori.  "How's it going, sir?"

	Buddha, Imadori, and some of their friends, were busy 
scribbling all over a map of the place.  "Very well," 
Imadori said.  "Did you place the order for the giant 
sausage prop?"

	"Yes, sir," he said.  "I don't see how it relates to your 
theme, though."

	"It's dis-information," Imadori said.  

	"Inform...right.  I will be preparing sausage for dinner 
as you instructed, also."  He looked around at all the giant 
robot toys and videos.  "We only have one TV, sir."

	"That has to be fixed," Imadori said.  "So how's the 
flirtation practice coming?"

	"I've been so busy, I haven't had time to practice."

	"Well, in that case, we'll handle dinner and you can go 
out and practice," Imadori said.

	"Sir, my duty..." Nakamura began.

	"Everyone blames me for everything anyway," 
Imadori said.  "Let me handle it, and you can go and 
practice.  You need to have your kids when you're young 
enough to still have energy to deal with them, after all."

	So true, Nakamura thought.  "With your permission, 
then, sir, I will prepare for a night of conquest."

	Imadori slapped him on the back.  "That's the spirit!  
Let me know how it goes!"

	Once he was gone, Buddha said, "Are we sure he 
won't rat us out to Sawachika-san?"

	"So long as he knows we won't hurt her, we're fine," 
Imadori said.  "He and I have an understanding."

	Buddha checked his watch.  "Let's turn on the 
Yoshidayama cam.  This should be entertaining."

	Imadori grinned.  "Sounds good."

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

	Jenny and Kasumi were about to head down the 
slopes, having gotten tired of waiting for their boyfriends to 
come back from the bathroom.  "Are you sure..." Kasumi 
began.

	"I'm always sure," Jenny said.

	That's the problem, Kasumi thought.

	"Mmm, ladies looking FINE," Yoshidayama said to 
them, standing with his hands on his hips and his legs 
slightly spread.  He was looking pimpin' inside his own 
mind.

	Kasumi and Jenny both jumped, having not noticed 
his approach.  "Uh, hello?" Kasumi asked nervously.

	"Hey, you're the broomhead kid!  Harry mentioned 
you," Jenny said.  "Wow, you really do have broom hair.  I 
thought he was shittin' me."

	Yoshidayama strutted forward, grinning confidently.  
"You can touch it if you want."

	Jenny did so, laughing softly, while Kasumi stared in 
confusion.  "So bristly," Jenny said.

	Yoshidayama had rarely been so proud of his hair in 
his life.  

	Then ominous shadows fell over him, and Keiichi 
said, "Who's this guy bothering you, Jenny?"

	Jenny looked surprised, then smiled.  "This is one of 
their high school classmates...Yoshi something?"

	"Yoshidayama.  Yoshidayama Jirou, Blood type A, 
Birthday is Valentine's day, I'm an Aquarius."  He smiled 
confidentally at the tall, pretty blonde.  Yeah, he thought.  
College chicks dig me.

	"Can you rap?" Jenny asked, smiling broadly.

	"I can rap the socks off a dog," Yoshidayama said.

	"Stop flirting with my girlfriend!" Keiichi said loudly.

	Shinichi stared at him like he'd been possessed.  
Kasumi's eyes widened slightly.

	"Hey, I don't hear the lady complaining, kid," 
Yoshidayama said, lounging insolently.  "Who the hell are 
you?"

	"I'm Matano Keiichi, dammit!" he said angrily.  "I'm 
her boyfriend."

	Jenny looked at Keiichi with a little bit of surprise, 
then smiled very broadly.  
	
	"I don't see a sign or a 'sold' sticker on her," 
Yoshidayama said, hands on his hips.  "I can't help it if the 
chicks dig me."

	Shinichi stared at Yoshidayama, then at Keiichi and 
wondered if he was on the right planet.

	"Why, you..." Keiichi started to lunge forward, but 
Shinichi grabbed him.

	"Let's settle this like civilized men," Shinichi began.

	"But we can't play baseball in this weather," Kasumi 
said.

	Shinichi paused, looked at her, then smiled softly.  "I 
have trained you well," he said, then turned back to them.  
"A skiing match.  Loser has to leave."

	"I'm gonna have to borrow someone's skis and poles," 
Yoshidayama said.  "I didn't come armed."

	"That's fine, I'll loan you mine," Shinichi said.

	Jenny looked extremely amused by all this.

	Kasumi looked around, wondering if everyone but her 
had gone mad.

	Shinichi and Yoshidayama went over to the benches 
by the house to swap gear.  "The other lady your 
girlfriend?" Yoshidayama asked.

	"Yeah," Shinichi said, smiling.  "I'm a lucky man."

	"She's pretty hot," Yoshidayama said as he strapped 
the skis on and rose to his feet.  "Thanks, man."

	"No problem.  I like watching a good sporting event," 
Shinichi said.  "This may not be baseball, but competitive 
skiing is nice and fast, very exciting."

	Meanwhile, Keiichi was storming back and forth, 
while Jenny watched, smiling, and Kasumi fretted. Finally, 
Yoshidayama returned with Shinichi.  

	"I will referee," Shinichi said.  "First one to reach the 
bottom wins."

	"I will crush you, kid," Keiichi said.  

	"Yeah, yeah, bring it on, old man," Yoshidayama said.  
"Your hair is WEAK."

	"At least I don't look like a human broom," Keiichi 
said angrily.

	"Okay, ladies and germs, let's go," Shinichi said, then 
shouted, "BANG!"

	Keiichi and Yoshidayama stared at him.  "Was that 
supposed to be the starting gun?" Keiichi asked.

	"Yes."

	"Then let's go," Keiichi said, grimly launching himself 
down the slope.

	Yoshidyama soon passed him, moving at crazed, 
breakneck speed.  He could see victory in his grasp.  Sure, 
he'd never been skiing before, but how hard could it be?

	He jumped off a small slope and got a huge adrenaline 
rush as he seemed to hang in the air forever.

	It was only when he realized he'd jumped far enough 
to collide with a tree that he panicked for the second or so it 
took to hit the tree.  He slammed sideways into the ground, 
rolled, and soon tumbled down the slope into another tree.

	Keiichi passed him, gliding on down the slope.  By the 
time Yoshidayama disentangled himself, Keiichi had a 
strong lead.

	Yoshidayama had to push himself hard to catch up, 
but now found it was very hard to dodge at this speed; trees 
kept pounding on him, while Keiichi lithely, grimly dodged 
every obstacle.

	Finally, he misjudged a swerve and slid too far, 
smacking into yet another tree.  Yoshidayama tumbled 
again, then lay on the ground, trying to catch his breath, 
which seemed to have caught the last train to Clarksville 
without him.

	Keiichi reached the bottom now and waved his pole.  
"I win!"

	Dammit, Yoshidayama thought.  But she digs me; I'll 
get another chance, I'm sure.  "I had to go find Harima-san, 
anyway."

	"Then GO," Keiichi said angrily.

	"Once I remember how to walk, anyway," 
Yoshidayama mumbled.  The snow was so nice and soft.

	Keiichi sighed.  "I'm gonna drag you back up by your 
hair then, and then GO."

	"Only chicks get to touch my hair," Yoshidayama 
said.

	"Well, have fun freezing," Keiichi fumed, stomping 
off.

	Perfect, Yoshidayama thought.  When I'm done with 
her, she'll be ALL MINE.

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

	Yakumo was trying to draw when the sound of a 
steady thumping drew her away from her work and through 
the house, until she came to the laundry room, finding the 
house's cat trying to escape.

	"What's wrong, kitty?" she asked, picking up and 
petting the cat.

	Slowly, it relaxed in her arms, and she smiled a little.  
"You're a good kitty.  Are you hungry?"

	She tried putting out some milk and food for the cat, 
who ate hungrily, then came and rubbed against her legs.

	Yakumo smiled and petted the cat.  "Good kitty."

	Then it took off like a streak towards the sound of 
jazz, ramming into the door over and over.

	Yakumo followed it curiously, then knocked.  "Can 
the cat and I come in?"

	"No, not the cat!" Sagano yelled.

	"It wants in," Yakumo said through the door.

	"IT WANTS MY FACE!  That cat is an enemy of all 
jazz!," Sagano yelled back.

	The poor thing will hurt itself, Yakumo thought.  She 
picked up the frantic cat, which wasn't easy, then stared 
into its eyes.  "You can't get in.  You should nap," she said 
softly.

	The cat's eyes swam, and it fell asleep.  Hauling it 
away, she carefully set it down on the couch, then crept off 
back to her work.

*************	
	Yoshidayama opened the door, hobbling a bit.  "Yo!" 
he said.

	He found himself confronted by pinstriped gangsters 
with guns; some of them looked sort of familiar, but he 
now realized he'd clearly walked in on the wrong meeting.  
Especially as the guns all swung around to face him.

	"Ahaha, wrong room," he said quickly, and tried to 
close the door, but one of the gangsters barelled up and 
grabbed him.

	"What the hell are YOU doing here?" the guy said.  
Yoshidayama knew this voice.

	"Harima-san!  I've come to help!" he said.

	"You have?" Harima asked suspiciously.

	"Yeah!  A bunch of us came out to hang with 
everyone, so I thought I'd come find the badass team," 
Yoshidayama said.  "You look even more badass than 
usual."

	Harima grunted, then put him down.  "How do I know 
you're not here to spy for Imadori?"

	"You'd kick my ass!  I'm not crazy!" Yoshidayama 
said.

	"You look like someone did kick your...beat you up," 
Hanai said.

	"Just a little scrap with some guy who couldn't handle 
his woman liked me more than him," Yoshidayama said 
confidently.

	"So, in other words, Keiichi-san kicked your ass for 
hitting on Jenny-san?"  Akira asked.

	"How did...hell no!  We had a race!  Damn tree 
jumped out in front of me," Yoshidayama said.

	Harima looked at Akira.  "Keep him or beat him and 
send him back to Imadori in a pine box?"

	Akira studied Yoshidayama.  "I can use him for a 
special project."

	"Okay, he's all yours," Harima said.

	I don't want the man-woman, Yoshidayama thought.  
"Fine by me," he lied.  He knew enough of espionage to 
know when to hide his preferences.  He'd be getting hot 
college women soon enough.  Mmm, blondes are the best, 
he thought.

	"Excellent," Akira said.  "Come with me, 
Yoshidayama-san."

	He followed her out, and down the hallway.  She said, 
"Don't try to seduce me; my boyfriend wouldn't like it at 
all."

	"NO danger of that," he said more emphatically than 
was perhaps discreet.

	She turned, regarding him cooly, and he felt his limbs 
forget how to work.  

	"For the best," she then said.  "You would not last 
long if he cut loose on you."  

	"Oh come..."  He started to retort, but now his mouth 
shut down as she stared at him.

	Finally, she said, "I need strong arms and an empty 
mind.  I expect you can handle that."

	He grumbled and she led him outside to a pile of 
lumber, where she equipped him with hammers, saws, and 
nails.  "We'll need some crude speakeasy tables.  Get to it."

	"Hmm," he said.  Never made furniture before.  "This 
will be easy," he said confidently.  I can do this, he thought.

	"Good," she said, turning to go.  "Call me once you're 
done."

	He picked up a hammer, thumped it into his palm, 
then went to work.  I've gotten at least one big secret.  Now 
I know they're doing a gangster theme.  And...I should call 
Buddha.  We can put spy cameras in the tables.  Yeah.  I 
am BRILLIANT, he thought.

	Akira wondered idly, as she walked away, how soon 
he would notice the fire ant bed the lumber had been sat 
down on.

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

	Keiichi grumbled.  Jenny said, "Still jealous?"

	"Yes," he muttered.

	"Good, you're sexy when you're angry," she said, 
pulling him close and stopping him under a tree as they 
made their way back up the slope.  She pulled him in close 
and kissed him fervently.

	He turned red, but kissed her back, embracing her as 
best he could when she was all puffed up in winter 
clothing.

	Finally, he broke it off and said, "Just don't flirt with 
the little punk again, okay?"

	"Yes, dear," she said, though she resolved to keep it in 
reserve; never abandon a winning tactic was her motto.  

**************
	
	Eri turned and stopped, having reached the bottom of 
the slope first.  "Ha!  I win!"

	Harry slid up to her.  "This time.  I'll win the next 
time, though," he said, grinning.

	"Aren't you mad your girlfriend left you out here by 
yourself?" Eri asked him.

	"Naah.  Let me give you some advice--a guy only 
wants his woman clinging to him 24-7 if he's seriously 
insecure.  Or trying to taunt someone.  I'm here to ski, not 
perform, so I'm fine.  It's not like we won't see each other 
later."  Harry flashed one of his extremely confident smiles.

	Eri felt a burst of jealousy at that.  "You and Karen 
seem pretty close."

	"We are," Harry said, his eyebrows insinuating exactly 
how much.

	Not that Eri didn't know from all the noises they made 
at night.

	"So are you covertly aiding Harima in this?" Harry 
asked.

	"I'm staying strictly neutral," Eri lied.

	He shook his head.  "You can't fool me.  I can tell how 
you feel about him."

	Eri stared at the snow, swaying back and forth.  "I 
can't...I don't even know how we could have a future 
together."

	"Don't worry about the future," Harry said.  "If you 
love him, take him for yourself now, because now is what 
we have.  I don't know what Karen and I will do when we 
leave, but that just makes me want to enjoy it more while I 
can."  He flashed his confident smile.  "Maybe I can get her 
to come back to my hometown for her last year."

	"Where are you from, anyway?" she asked.

	"Houston," he said.  "I'd love to show her around 
there."

	Eri cocked her head, studying him.    "Hmm.  Maybe 
we could go there for our class trip.  I wouldn't mind seeing 
Houston.  It's not as ugly as Newark, is it?"

	"NOTHING is as ugly as Newark," Harry said.  "Class 
trip...hmm, I'm sure my folks would like her."

	"Well, we'll have to see," Eri said.  "It would beat 
Kyoto, which is the usual."

	"Hawaii, that's what I want to see," Harry said.  "Well, 
shall we go up another round?"

	"Sounds good to me."

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

	Yuuki nudged Sagano.  "Ever going to open the 
door?"

	"That damn cat is waiting for me...watching...ready to 
strike.  I can feel it," Sagano said.

	"I'm sure the cat is outside or something," Yuuki said.

	Fuyuki sighed.  "I'll take point, okay?"

	"You're the best of all boyfriends," Sagano said to 
Fuyuki, stepping aside.

	He opened the door and almost instantly had a face 
full of cat.  He yelped, staggered backwards, and fell on 
Karasuma, who toppled.  

	He and Karasuma writhed on the floor as Fuyuki and 
the cat thrashed about.

	It then leaped off Fuyuki onto Sagano's head even as 
Tenma came running in to find Karasuma and Fuyuki 
tangled on the floor.

	Her eyes crossed and she fainted.

	Yuuki began trying to pull the cat off Sagano's head.

	Yakumo and Sara now ran in and looked around, with 
Suga and Asou close behind.  "What's going on?" Asou 
asked.

	Yakumo walked over, made a meowing noise, and the 
cat calmed; she took it into her arms.  I hope I can do this 
well with Iori when I get home, she thought.  "Nice kitty," 
she said softly.

	"That thing's a killer!  Even if it did try to give me 
some yaoi action!" Sagano said.

	"She's a nice little kitty," Yakumo said defensively.

	"Who KILLS," Sagano said.

	"You probably did something to irritate her," Lala 
said.  "You are good at that."

	"I like kitties!" Sagano protested.  "And I didn't do 
anything to the cat."

	"Well, I'll just keep her busy away from you," 
Yakumo said.

	"Thank you," Sagano said.

	The cat purred nicely, snuggling up to Yakumo, who 
walked away with her friends while the cat planned more 
revenge on the evil trumpet player.

**********
		
	Distantly, Harima heard screaming drawing closer.  
He frowned.  "Trouble.  Hanai, come with me."

	Hanai nodded and followed him; so did Mikoto.  

	They headed out to the door and saw Yoshidayama 
running back and forth, covered with fire ants.  

	Harima swiftly ran, grabbed the nearby hose, and 
hosed him down with water, getting rid of the ants.

	For about a second, Yoshidayama was very grateful, 
and then the cold hit him and his clothing froze.  
"AAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!"

	"Man, you just can't be satisfied by anything," Harima 
said.

	"He's going to freeze!" Hanai said.  "That wasn't very 
wise, Harima-san."  He ran over and began hustling 
Yoshidayama inside. 

	Harima went over and hosed down the fire ant bed and 
washed the fire ants off the half-finished furniture.  "Hey, it 
worked."

	Mikoto said, "Won't that put ice all over the 
furniture?"

	Harima frowned.  "Dammit."

	Hanai took Yoshidayama inside, while Mikoto and 
Harima studied the wet, half-finished furniture.  "Not bad 
job he's doing," Harima said.  "I don't suppose you can 
punch the water off this by any chance?"

	"No," Mikoto said.  "But we can move it to the 
garage."

	He grumbled, then nodded.  "Right.  Let's do it, then."

	And they went to work.

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

	Hanai filled the tub with hot water and simply popped 
the frozen, shivering Yoshidayama into it.  The hot water 
quickly revived him.  "What happened?"

	"Stupid ants interrupted my work," Yoshidayama said.  
"Dammit, my clothing is over at Sawachika's place.  But 
this is drenched."

	"I'll see if Nara can loan you something," Hanai said.  
"You can't go out in the cold while so wet; we can run your 
clothing in the drier."

	"I'm gonna kill that bastard for hosing me down," 
Yoshidayama mumbled.  "Nara?  Is he here?"

	Hanai blinked.  "You didn't notice him?"

	"He doesn't really stand out," Yoshidayama said.

	"Well, I'll see if he can loan you something," Hanai 
said.

	"Okay, I'll stay here and plan my revenge," 
Yoshidayama said.  It would be a TERRIBLE one.

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

	Eri and Harry trudged back up the slope to the top; 
Karen watched them come up, telling herself to not be 
jealous.  He's not after her and she likes Harima, Karen told 
herself.  He's not going to leave me like I left Imadori.

	She suddenly felt guilty, which she didn't like.  He 
used me, she thought.  And now he's Eri's fiancee.  Unless 
he loses the contest.  Which she wanted him to.

	Even though she didn't want him back.

	At all.

	She breathed in and out.  Calm, she told herself.  
Smile.  

	Harry gave her that smile that always made her feel 
warmer, and some of her stress left her.  "Hi, boyfriend.  
Ready for another go round?"

	"Sure thing," he said.  "Wanna race us, Sawachika-
san?"

	"Sure, I haven't got anything else to do," Eri said.  And 
Karen probably won't even really try to win.  I should have 
had everyone possible stay with me, Eri thought.  Though 
Mikoto would want to stay with her...whatever they were, 
exactly.  She was feeling pretty curious.

	They began racing.  As they cruised down the hill, Eri 
could see Karen lagging behind.  That wouldn't do at all. 
But how to motivate her?  

	Threatening to kiss Harry might result in HAVING to 
kiss Harry, after all.

	Harry pulled ahead of Eri while she was brooding, 
zooming past the 'finish line', two trees which arced 
branches together over a clear space.

	Eri came in on his heels and Karen a bit behind her.  
Harry turned and pulled her into a kiss which gave Eri a 
distinct feeling of having become the third wheel.  

	Time to go find someone else to bug, Eri thought.  But 
who?

**************
	
	"Ahah!" Harima said.

	"What?" Akira asked curiously.

	"Perfect," he said.  "I know just the way to neutralize 
Imadori's theme of sausage and meat packing."

	"Hungry American tourists?"

	"Better.  DOGS," Harima said.  "Tadakichi can lead a 
pack of dogs 'accidentally' into it and eat all the sausage."

	"YUM," Tadakichi said.

	"Sounds good," Mikoto said.

	"Alright.  Well, I think we have everything planned, 
so I'm gonna go ski," Harima said.

	And they all scattered.

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

	"Gangster theme," Imadori said thoughtfully.  
Yoshidayama had called them while waiting for his 
clothing to dry.  
	
	"Not half as cool as ours," Buddha said.  

	Imadori nodded.  "Having the FBI bust them all might 
be useful, though."

	"They have no jurisdiction in Japan, you know," 
Buddha replied.

	"When did that ever stop Americans?" Imadori asked.  
"And it doesn't have to be real FBI; we can use it as a 
theme for gate-crashing."

	"True," Buddha said.  "Let's go for it, then.  What 
about the Sweden theme?"

	"I think they will freeze their guests to death," Imadori 
said.  "And that if we try to interfere, somehow I will end 
up in a giant snowball."

	"That's what Yoshidayama is for," Buddha pointed 
out.

	"True.  Well, once he recovers from wrecking things 
for Harima, we can try sending him after Yakumo's 
faction," Imadori said.  

	Buddha munched on a sausage sandwich.  "You know, 
it probably wouldn't be bad if sausage was our theme."

	"I don't know enough about sausage to do a good job," 
Imadori said.  "Anyway, come help me with this model."

	Buddha nodded, and they went to work.

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

	Hanai's phone rang as he was about to go outside and 
ski with Mikoto, Akira, Nara, Miki, and Masahiro.  
"Hello?"

	"Hi, this is Suga," Suga said.  "Do you have a minute?  
I need some advice, and you're the only guy I know who 
will answer this question without making fun of me first."

	Hanai felt a little flattered; it was nice to see someone 
realized he was a man who takes things seriously.  "Sure, 
what's the problem?"

	"Well, umm, Satsuki and I are going to try 
and...well...do it finally.  But I only know the basics, so I 
was hoping you could give me some...pointers," Suga said.

	"..."

	"Hello?"

	Hanai looked around at those around him.  Mikoto and 
Akira looked back at him quizzically.

	"I...well...hold on, I suppose I'll need some privacy for 
this."  He turned to Mikoto, "Sorry, dear, I have to give 
someone some private advice."

	Mikoto nodded.  "Okay."

	"Suga looking for sex advice?" Akira asked.

	Hanai's jaw dropped.

	Nara laughed, as did Masahiro.  Miki's eyes widened 
slightly, while Mikoto looked hornswoggled.

	Hanai said, "Just...some...stuff..."

	"About sex.  Tell him he should ask Nara too for the 
good advice," Akira said smoothly.

	Nara laughed nervously.

	Hanai said, "I'll...uh...do that...  Be back later."

	Then he ran before Akira could start giving advice or 
suggesting a demonstration or something.

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

	Yakumo sat with Sara, taking a rest from work.  "So 
tired," she said, leaning on Sara.

	"You can take a nap, if you want to," Sara said.  She 
patted her lap.

	Yakumo slumped over, legs on the couch, head on 
Sara's lap.  "Sara-chan, have you..."  She couldn't quite 
bring herself to ask.

	"Not yet," Sara said, knowing intuitively what 
Yakumo meant.  "Things keep coming up.  And Suga-san 
and Satsuki-san are so afraid of disaster, they haven't done 
anything either."  She sighed.

	"I just...I want..."  Yakumo sighed.  "I'm afraid."

	"Don't be afraid," Sara said.  "You're very beautiful.  
And lucky to have a boyfriend who doesn't just want you 
for sex.  A lot of guys are like that, you know."  She gently 
stroked Yakumo's hair with a hand, feeling Yakumo relax a 
little.

	"That's true," Yakumo said softly.  "But...Sawachika-
san..."

	"She's not half as pretty as you," Sara said.  "His heart 
has just been broken; until he heals, he'll run around like a 
chicken with his head cut off.  You just have to be ready for 
when he gets a new head."

	She felt Yakumo relax more; she could sense Yakumo 
was about to sleep.  "Though I am wondering what you're 
going to do with Sawachika-san if you win."

	Yakumo thought about Otoko-Eri and blushed 
slightly.  "I just have to make sure she can't make him 
marry her," Yakumo said softly.  "And it'll make onee-chan 
happy."

	Sara nodded.  "Sleep," she said softly, and Yakumo 
slid off to dreamland.

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

	"Hey, you got a minute?" Suga asked Fuyuki.

	Fuyuki blinked.  "Sure, what's up?"

	Suga looked around, then took Fuyuki outside and 
around to one corner of the house.  "Look, I know you and 
Sagano are having sex."

	"Uh, yeah?" Fuyuki asked in confusion.

	"See...do you ever have trouble with...well..."  Suga 
looked very nervous.

	"If you try to do it too often, the body just won't 
respond," Fuyuki said.  "Also, you have to get enough 
sleep."  He leaned against the house.

	"No, I mean...wait, you think I mean..." Suga's eyes 
crossed.  "I don't have any trouble with THAT."  He was 
lying, of course.  "I mean...how do you keep things from 
interrupting?  Ghosts, fathers, riots..."

	"OH," Fuyuki said, straightening his glasses.  "We just 
lock the door."

	"That doesn't seem to work for us," Suga said.

	"Well, beyond that, I honestly don't know what to 
say," Fuyuki said.  "Have you tried asking Asou and Sara 
to stand guard?  You could take turns covering each 
other's...fun."

	"They're being all pure on us," Suga said, sighing.  
"But I guess they might help."

	Fuyuki nodded.  "I'll ask Megumi-san if she can think 
of anything."

	"Thanks.  She's got a creative mind."

	Too creative, sometimes, Fuyuki thought.

****************
	
	"Hmm.  Perhaps they are...CURSED," Sagano said.

	"Cursed? Why?" Yuuki asked.

	Sagano began to pace back and forth while Fuyuki and 
Yuuki sat on the bed.  "Perhaps they angered some god in 
the other world, who seeks to deny them nookie.  Or 
perhaps...Hmm, perhaps God wants to keep Asou away 
from Sara, but his aim is bad..."

	Fuyuki laughed.

	"Somehow, I doubt that," Yuuki said.

	"I think we should stand guard over them one night, 
see what we can observe," Sagano said.  "I am intrigued by 
this."

	"Alright," Fuyuki said.  Compared to a lot of Sagano's 
ideas, this one was pretty reasonable.  "We'll need lots of 
coffee."

	"And tea," Yuuki said.

	"And Dr. Pepper.  Also holy water, stakes, silver 
bullets, garlic and..."  Sagano tapped her cheek.  "What 
repels mobsters?"

	"Income tax audits," Fuyuki said.

	"Hmm, that part will be tricky."

**************
	
	"Er, what?" Eri said to Sagano.

	"We need a source of income tax related things, for 
frightening gangsters, just in case," Sagano said.  "Your 
family is rich, so..."

	Eri said, "Hmm.  I can't help you there, but if you 
think they really need guards, I'll help."  It would be more 
interesting than sleeping by herself again and wondering all 
night if Yakumo was trying to get Kenji naked.  

	Sagano smiled broadly.  "That's very nice of you.  
Sure, more people will help us stay awake.  Oooh...we can 
play a proper game of spades with four.  Excellent.  Also, 
since your fiancee is doing the sausage theme, you can 
make him supply us with tasty sausage snacks."

	Eri wrinkled her nose.  "Are you sure?"

	"I'll come running for a taste of a man's sausage," 
Sagano said.

	There was a moment of silence.

	Sagano slapped her forehead as Eri began to laugh so 
hard she fell over against the wall of the hallway.

	"I didn't mean it like THAT," Sagano said.

	Eri stumbled around, laughing.

	"I'm faithful to my boyfriend!" Sagano protested.  "I 
don't eat anyone else's sausage!"

	Eri fell to her knees, leaning against the wall, laughing 
fit to die.

	"I mean, sometimes I think a sandwich with Yuuki 
would be nice, but she doesn't have a sausage, just... 
AAAAA!!!!!"  Sagano cursed her mouth.

	"Just melons," Eri managed to laugh out.

	"Yes, she has some nice melons, and I wonde... 
dammit, I do not think of everyone as food!  I don't!  I AM 
NOT A CANNIBAL!" Sagano shouted.

	Eri laughed so hard that speech was impossible.  She 
felt better than she'd felt in days.

	"Just because I want..."  Sagano finally clapped a hand 
over her mouth.  Never speak again, she resolved.

	"So you want a sausage and melon sandwich," Eri 
said.  "With mayo?  Or mustard?"  She managed to stagger 
to her feet, laughing.

	Don't speak, don't speak, Sagano thought.  "I think I 
hear my mother calling.  See you tonight!"  She turned and 
ran off.  

	Eri leaned against the wall, laughing, until finally she 
calmed.  She smiled a little.  I feel so much better, she 
thought.  I should find someone else to tease.

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

	Nervously, Satsuki walked up to Karen.  "Sempai, can 
I have a few minutes of your time?"

	"Sure," she said.  "Satsuki, right?"

	Satsuki nodded, and took Karen off to a quiet room 
and sat down.  "You...well, you've..."

	"I've...?" Karen asked, confused.

	"You and Harry," Satsuki managed to say.

	"We...?  We're dating, yes."

	"Sex," Satsuki blurted out.  "You have, right?"

	Karen's eyes widened.  "Umm, yes?"

	"I...do you...can you...I mean..."  Satsuki looked ready 
to transform into a tomato.  "I only sort of think maybe I 
know what to do.  I have these...I mean...I don't watch porn 
or anything so I just know things people say and they might 
not be true and every time we try to do anything, something 
ruins it, but maybe not tonight."  She looked winded from 
the speed of her speech.

	Karen felt very nervous.  "I only have a little 
experience, but I can try and tell you about it.  Though it is 
kind of embarrassing."

	"I would be very appreciative!" Satsuki said, head 
bobbing up and down.  

	Karen gulped.  "Okay, it's like this..."

	Satsuki took notes of every word.  	

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

	Yakumo stood before the altar with Otoko-Eri, arm in 
arm, with Sara all gussied up in priestess clothing, ready to 
administer the vows.  Everyone was there, two great hordes 
of friends and relatives in the pews, while stained glass 
images of Jesus, Buddha, and Santa Claus looked down 
benevolently from the windows behind the altar.  

	He was so handsome, smiling at her; she blushed a 
little at Otoko-Eri's gaze.  

	He grinned back confidently; she found confidence 
very attractive.

	"Is there anyone who would object to this union?" 
Sara asked.

	Then Buddha EXPLODED, and Harima crashed down 
through the window, a gun in each hand.  "ME!" he 
shouted.  He threw Otoko-Eri over one shoulder and 
Yakumo over the other and began to run; the crowd rushed 
them, trying to tug them both out of his hands.  Divided, he 
couldn't hold onto either very well.

	Yakumo tried desperately to hold onto him, but they 
kept pulling...pulling...

	She suddenly yanked awake to Tenma tugging her 
foot.  "Hey, Yakumo-chan, it's dinner time," she said.

	Yakumo could see Sara had fallen asleep too.  
"Thanks, onee-chan," she said, then wondered if Kenji 
would ever make up his mind.  And how to help him do so 
the right way.
	
*************

	Karen caught herself humming the Doujibirion theme 
as she walked down the hallway; she could almost hear it 
coming from somewhere.  She thought about having gone 
to see the movie with Imadori and got depressed.

	Somehow, she was just outside the door of the room 
where his gang was planning their party.  He was talking to 
someone, maybe on the phone it sounded like.

	That woman from the party...the drunk one...she 
realized.  Sounded like he was chatting her up.  Everyone 
else was busy talking about models and mecha.  

	She felt an intense burst of anger which scared her.  
She made herself lean against the wall and do a breathing 
exercise.  He wasn't her boyfriend; he could do whatever he 
wanted, she told herself.

	Her body, however, ran away from there, ending up 
running outside and leaning against a tree, until the cold 
began to get her.

	And then Lala was there, in a coat, holding another 
one.  "Don't go out without a coat.  If you freeze to death, 
I'll never revenge myself on you."

	She turned and hugged Lala, squeezing her tightly.  
Lala started, then hesitantly put arms around her.  "Did 
Harry do something stupid?" Lala asked angrily.

	"No, I'm just...thinking about Imadori," Karen said, 
sighing.

	"Don't waste your time.  He's beneath you.  I should 
just go pound him flat," Lala said.

	"Don't," Karen said softly.  "I should go hang with my 
boyfriend. That will make me feel better."

	She hoped he wasn't running around on her, but it did 
seem like Harry was faithful.  

	A cranky looking Yoshidayama stomped past them; 
his hair had frost in places.  Lala idly wondered what was 
up with him.

	But he was too stupid and weak to really matter.  

	Finally, Karen said, "Thank you.  I feel better."

	"Good.  We should go wrestle.  It'll make you feel 
better."

	"I really should practice.  Okay."

	Lala took her inside and went to change into 
something suitable.

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

	Sara knealt and prayed; she hoped to...with Asou...that 
night.  Which she thought was okay, but now she was 
worried she was just rationalizing.  She hadn't taken any 
sort of oaths, after all.  That came later.  

	On the other hand, getting a taste for it might not be 
wise.  Something you'd never had couldn't be missed like 
something you HAD had.  

	But why would God give me these feelings if he didn't 
want me to act on them, she thought.  Not that she had a 
really good understanding of what to do.  But why did she 
want it so badly?

	"Are you troubled?" came a voice from above.  The 
same voice that had sent her and Yakumo off to find 
Harima.  

	"Is that you, God?" she asked.

	"I am who I am," the voice replied.

	It is him, Sara thought, suddenly feeling very nervous.  
His voice sounded oddly muffled; probably the acoustics 
were strange, due to the ceiling tiles.  "Lord...I..."

	"You desire to lie with Asou, but fear punishment for 
it," the voice said.

	"Yes," she mumbled.  

	"Soon enough, you will take your oaths and be lost to 
men forever.  Sow your wild oats while you can, so that 
you may choose your future with eyes wide open, rather 
than having regrets for what you never tried," the voice 
said.

	That's true, she thought.  It means more to give up 
something you know you...like...than to give up something 
you never tried.  And I'll never know if maybe this is the 
road for me, if I don't try it.  She felt so much better.

	"Thank you, Lord," Sara said.

	"You're welcome.  You should tell Suga and Satsuki 
to stop pussyfooting around, too.  Either do it or forget 
about it."

	She nodded.  "Yes, Lord."

	She waited, but he now fell silent, so she rose and 
went off to find Suga and Satsuki.

	Meanwhile, Imadori went back to crawling through 
the ceiling, stringing wire they'd need for the party.

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

	"Damn, your nookie keeps getting shut down?  That's 
got to suck," Yoshidayama said to Suga.

	Suga nodded.  "So we have a guard detachment.  Eri, 
Yuuki, Fuyuki, and Sagano will be keeping watch."

	This is a good way to infiltrate, Yoshidayama thought, 
feeling cunning.  "How about if I help?  I can kick ass."

	"Sure," Suga said.  He'd make good cannon fodder.  
"Just make sure they don't mind."

	Yoshidayama nodded.  "No sweat."

	Sara now came up to Suga.  "God spoke to me again, 
Suga-san."

	"I didn't do it!" he said frantically.

	She blinked.  "Do what?"

	"Whatever I'm in trouble for!" he said.

	"You're not in trouble.  God just says he wants you 
and Satsuki to either...you know...or to stop pretending to 
try."

	"BOOM," Yoshidayama said, grinning.

	"Ahahaha.  We're trying," Suga mumbled.

	"I'll be...well, I'll be wishing you good luck, but I'll be 
somewhat distracted," Sara said, laughing nervously.

	They both laughed nervously at each other a while, 
and then Sara said, "I'm going to go see Satsuki."

	"Okay," Suga mumbled.  "See you."

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

	Kenji was in bed asleep, hugging a tommy gun, when 
Yakumo arrived.  She carefully removed the gun, changed 
outfits, took a bath, and went to bed; she would have to 
wait to try anything, it looked like.

	Disappointing, but he would need his rest or he'd get 
cranky.

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

	"Is it really necessary to pile up furniture blocking the 
hallway?" Eri asked Sagano.

	"Yes.  Our command post must be well fortified so we 
can lay down fire along the lines of approach without being 
sniped, should anything, like that DAMN CAT, try to 
interrupt the nookie we are defending," Sagano said.  She 
now put hard-hats on everyone's head.  "Just remember, 
nookie is a sacred thing, and we must be willing to die to 
defend it."

	Eri shook her head, while Yuuki laughed softly.  She 
got out her cards and began shuffling.  "Draw for 
partners?"

	"Sure," Fuyuki said.

	She spread the cards.  Fuyuki got the 10 of Hearts and 
Eri got the Queen.  Yuuki got a 6 of Spades and Sagano 
scored the Three of Diamonds.  "Oh man, gonna have to 
play against my boyfriend," Sagano said.  She then said to 
Fuyuki, "I won't go easy on you, you know, just because I 
love you."

	"That's good, I won't win in three hands that way," he 
said, grinning a little.  

	"I'll show you!" Sagano said.

	Eri smiled a little.  That was how a relationship ought 
to work; if you couldn't ever compete with each other 
without fighting, you'd all go crazy.  She said to Fuyuki, 
"We will bury her in five, instead."

	"I don't think so," Sagano said.  "Yuuki, deal, it's time 
for me to KILL."

	And the game began.

**************		
	
	Yoshidayama lurked in the ceiling space, wondering 
what all the wires running all over were for.  But his main 
purpose was to ensure that no trouble descended from 
above.  Which didn't seem too likely to him, but hey, he 
could just nap up here and score some points which would 
hopefully get him in the good graces of the Yakumo 
faction.

	And at least he wasn't getting frozen this time.

	But where did all these wires come from, anyway?

	Curiosity overcame him and he began exploring to 
find out.

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

	"The voice of God?" Asou said to Sara.

	"Yes, he spoke to me from above," Sara said, smiling.

	Asou looked up at the ceiling.  "Above? As in, 
through the tiles that we know open into a crawlspace that 
Imadori's used to peep on Lala?"

	She frowned.  "It was just the same as the voice at the 
church that sent Yakumo and I to find Harima."

	Asou said, "I have a rather strong feeling that 
Imadori's been scamming you."  He rose.  "And I'm going 
to find out."

	"But..."  She was afraid to know the truth now...what 
if she had been tricked?  A nun should know better.

	He opened the door, finding Eri, Yuuki, Fuyuki, and 
Sagano deep in a card game.  "Don't mind me," he said, 
carefully making his way through them.  

	"Something wrong?" Sagano asked.  "We're supposed 
to be keeping you and Suga's teams from being interrupted.

	"I have to go beat up Imadori until I get some 
answers," Asou said.  

	Eri frowned.  "What did he do?"

	"Possibly impersonating God," Asou said.

	"..."

	Sagano said, "How the hell did he do that?"

	"That's what I'm going to find out," Asou said.

	"You want backup?" Eri asked.

	"If I can't handle Imadori on my own, I don't deserve 
to live," Asou said, striding off.

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

	Suga licked his lips nervously as he ran through the 
exercises.  His body, which had been working all day, 
complained at him, but he ignored it.  It was just some stuff 
for limbering up.

	Satsuki looked around the room, then said, nervously, 
"Turn around."

	"Aren't we going to see each other naked anyway?" 
Suga asked a little warily, lifting his leg up onto the bed.

	"Yes, but not while I'm putting this on," she said, 
holding a bag.

	He looked at the bag and wondered how she was 
going to wear it.  "Well, okay," he said, turning around.

	He continued to exercise while listening to stripping 
noises.  It was hard to fight the urge to peep, and he 
wondered what exactly she was doing.

	He got his answer when suddenly she jumped onto his 
back and tried to put him into a hold.  He twisted to one 
side and began wrestling with her; she seemed to be 
wearing a sort of bathing suit, one-piece, very bland, in 
Sukuran school colors.  "Is this really the time for a 
wrestling match?" he asked as he tried to pin her arms, only 
to have her legs come up and lock his head, pulling him 
back.  

	"Yes!  Winner gets to choose who is on top," Satsuki 
said.

	"Ahh, well, in THAT case..." He twisted around and 
got her from behind, pulling her arms back, only to have 
her grab his legs with hers and wrench them around to fall 
on the floor.  

	They continued to wrestle vigorously, both determined 
not to lose.  

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

	Imadori had just finished changing into his 
Doujibirion pajamas when Asou pushed the door open.  
"Imadori," he said.  "Have you been trying to fool Sara by 
pretending to be the voice of God?"

	"I have never claimed to be God," Imadori said.  "Not 
that god, anyway."  He looked around for his mecha cup, in 
which he kept water on the nightstand.  He always seemed 
to awaken with a really parched mouth.

	"Did you lurk up in the ceiling and give my girlfriend 
advice on the assumption she would think you were God?" 
Asou demanded.  

	"Whatever conclusions she draws from advice is 
beyond my power to stop," Imadori said.  His voice was 
calm, but Asou could see his hands shake a little as he took 
his drink of water.

	He's lying, Asou thought.  But he couldn't prove it.  
Unless Imadori confessed.

	"Did you give her any advice at all?" Asou said 
angrily.

	Imadori carefully put the cup down.  "Are you saying 
it's wrong to give people advice?"

	Asou's hands clenched.  "Yes or no!"

	Imadori said, "She loves you very much.  Shouldn't 
you be with her right now?"

	"I don't want YOU interfering in our love life!" Asou 
said.  "So did you talk to her through the ceiling?  And why 
were you up there?"

	"I've been getting ready for the party I'll be hosting all 
day.  Beyond that, it falls into the category of 'trade secrets', 
given you're working for my rival, Yakumo," Imadori said.  

	"This isn't about Yakumo!  It's about you messing 
with my girlfriend!"

	"I have done nothing to hurt her," Imadori said.  "And 
it's..."

	Before he could finish, the ceiling tiles broke and 
Yoshidayama fell through the ceiling.  His hair took 
Imadori in the face as Imadori looked up.  Imadori yelled 
something incoherent and went down like a chump.  They 
crashed onto the floor, tangled like wrestling apes, and 
passed out.

	Asou grimaced, then decided that was probably 
punishment enough.  The fact that Imadori hadn't just 
denied it made him pretty sure Imadori was to blame.  

	He stomped off back to his room as Buddha and others 
came running in.

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

	Satsuki finally managed to get Suga into the hold she 
wanted, and held him until he stopped struggling.  "Haha! I 
win!  I get to be on top."

	Silence.

	"Don't be a sore loser," she said, rolling him over, only 
to find he'd passed out.

	"..."  Now what do I do?

	In a panic, she got her phone and tried calling Karen.

	Karen finally answered groggily.  "Hello?"

	"He passed out!" Satsuki said frantically.

	"Do you have smelling salts?" Karen asked.

	"No."

	"Better let him rest; if he wakes up, you can continue, 
if you want to, otherwise, try...um...wrestling more gently 
tomorrow."  Karen yawned.

	"Okay," Satsuki said.  "Thanks for the help!"  She 
hung up and sat down to wait for him to recover.

***********

	Asou was just making his way back to his room 
through the card game when Eri suddenly felt a cat on her 
head.  

	Eri toppled over as the cat pushed off her, leaping at 
Sagano, just as Asou got in the way.  He got a cat to the 
groin and fell back, smacking his butt into Sagano's face.  
His feet kicked the cards into the air as the cat leaped off 
him, hit the wall, and bounced down at Sagano.

	Fuyuki dived to intercept, body-checking the cat, and 
slamming into Sagano and Asou, rolling them both into the 
wall, even as Yuuki whipped out a slingshot and Eri 
staggered to her feet.

	Sara stuck her head out just in time to see Yuuki repel 
the cat with a fired rock and to see her boyfriend sitting on 
Sagano's face with Fuyuki half on top of him.  She turned 
red and quickly withdrew.

	The cat waved its tail like an angry mob brandishing 
torches, then charged at Yuuki, dodging shots as the 
Sagano / Asou / Fuyuki trio tried to disentangle themselves.  
It leaped for Yuuki, only to have Eri snatch Yuuki out of 
the way, then catch the cat.  It struggled fervently, and she 
called Nakamura.

	"This thing's gone crazy," she said.

	Nakamura took it and it instantly calmed down, 
looking innocent.  "I'll try to keep it away from you, but it's 
part of the purchase deal."

	Eri grimaced.  "Well, we need to break the contract or 
something.  This crazy thing is nothing but trouble."

	"Its rage against Jazz is truly, deeply wrong," Sagano 
said.

	Asou left them debating the cat and slipped into his 
room, finding Sara looking depressed on the bed.  She'd 
changed into her pajamas.

	He closed the door, then came over and sat down by 
her.  "Yeah, it was him," he said.

	"He confessed?" Sara asked softly.

	"No, but he refused to give an answer," Asou said.  
"Close enough."

	Sara stared off at the floor.  "Well..."

	"Anyway, you should be careful about any more 
voices," Asou said.

	"Am I really gullible?" Sara asked softly.

	"Everyone is about something," Asou said, leaning 
back on the bed, and spreading his arms out.

	Sara leaned back onto his right arm.  "Now I don't 
know what to do.  I want...but maybe I shouldn't."
	
	"Well, I'm too cranky to do anything tonight.  And 
tired."  He sighed.  "We shouldn't rush, anyway."

	"Yes," Sara said, wondering if she was wise to be 
cautious or just a coward.

	He gave her a brief hug, put on his pajamas, and went 
to bed.  Soon, they drifted off to sleep.

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

	Yoshidayama hung from the ceiling by his feet, hair 
swaying just above the floor.  "It was an accident!" he 
protested.

	"Uh huh," Imadori said.  "Why were you up in the 
ceiling?"

	"Trying to infiltrate the Yakumo brigade."  
Yoshidayama explained it all.

	Imadori turned to Buddha.  "What do you think?"

	"Sounds reasonable.  Now he has to go fix all our 
wires, though."

	"What are the wires for?" Yoshidayama asked.

	"Controlling the various sausage and meat packing 
devices and transmitting food video," Buddha said.

	"Ahh."

	Imadori let Yoshidayama down.  "Go spy some more.  
See you tomorrow."

	Yoshidayama saluted.  "Will do!"  And he took off.

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

	"You know, with your mother gone, there's nothing 
stopping you going over to see Harima right now, is there?" 
Sagano asked Eri.

	"There's the security men," Eri said, grumblingly as 
she studied her cards.

	Sagano looked around carefully.  "I don't see them."

	"They hide like crazy.  Always watching me," Eri 
said, grumbling.

	"I haven't noticed them since the Christmas Party," 
Yuuki said.

	Eri looked around thoughtfully.  "Ahhh, Fuyuki's 
getting fresh with me!" she tested.

	No one came out and clobbered him.  "HEY!" Fuyuki 
said.

 	Eri licked her lips nervously.  "Maybe...I could.  It is a 
fair walk, but..."

	"They may be ringing the building or something, 
though.  Or that snowball incident may have made them 
wary," Sagano said.

	Yuuki tapped her cheek with one finger.  "I have an 
idea."  Her glasses glinted.  "A truly brilliant plan."

	"Oooh, the best kind," Sagano said.  "Enlighten us."

	"This is what we're going to do..."

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

	Much to Satsuki's relief, Suga finally woke up.  "I 
guess I lost," he mumbled.

	She laughed nervously.  "Yes.  Are you okay?"

	"I'm fine.  Wow, you fight hard," he said, sitting up.

	She climbed into his lap.  "You up for trying now?" 
she asked softly.  Or did I ruin everything, she wondered.

	He thought about Hanai's advice.  He was SO glad 
he'd done the stretching before they wrestled, or he'd 
probably be all broken right now.  "I think we should try.  
I'm not going to give up this easy!"

	She gulped nervously, but smiled, then twisted around, 
kissing him on the lips and pushing him down onto the bed.  
He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her down on top 
of her, and continued to kiss her, his body partly dangling 
off the bed.

	He had just peeled her one-piece off down to her waist 
and was trying to manuever their bodies to let him kiss her 
chest when Yoshidayama removed a ceiling tile and stuck 
his head down.  "You guys still need me on guard duty?" 
he asked.

	Satsuki shrieked, near