There are a few nice descriptions that I still like here, though, notably the recap of the game/early story chapters.
Chie dropped into another deep leg stretch, for the third time so far this morning. She looked up at Yousuke, standing a few meters away, and gave an impatient groan.
Dressed in the white keikogi that Kanji had made, Yousuke could only shrug his shoulders. “This isn't my fault,” he muttered.
Chie had to remind herself (again, for the third time) that he was right. This was the first day that Kanji had asked Yousuke to wear the uniform during an actual sparring session – to make sure that all of the little folds, seams, and tucks of the jacket and pants moved well in a real fight situation – and he had stopped the fighting whenever he noticed this or that imperfection. At the moment, he was re-examining a troublesome shoulder-seam that had almost split after Chie had tried to grapple Yousuke.
Even Naoto was getting impatient, evidenced by the exasperated sigh she let go. “Kanji-chan,” she snapped. “These constant interruptions are not conducive to their sparring.”
Kanji turned halfway around from his place at Yousuke's side. “Hey, presentation's very important.” He turned back to the other man, gave him a once-over glance, and clapped him on the shoulder. “How does that feel?”
Yousuke lifted and dropped his arms. “Good,” he replied simply.
“Not too tight?” Kanji asked.
“Nope.”
“A'right, good.” Kanji sniffed, nodded, and stepped back again. He gave Naoto an almost-condescending sneer. “You can continue....”
Naoto glared at him, but then she inhaled deeply and closed her eyes, in what looked to be a calming exercise. When she opened her eyes again, she lifted her arm between Yousuke and Chie. “Hajime.”
Both fighters dropped into starting stance, taking a brief moment to observe and wait. While Yousuke had a tendency to strike first, Chie had sometimes been surprised by his patience in waiting to see what she would do. She usually couldn't wait more than a few seconds (in that way her fighting style was quite similar to Kanji's), but today – with only two days left until the big fight with her father – she wanted to take a different tactic. So she sucked on her lip and waited, counting nearly to twenty before he gave up the patience game and struck.
Yousuke lunged, a short strike from his left hand first, followed by a longer one with his right. Chie stepped back, catching his second strike and using his momentum to push him past her, so that they switched positions on the field. She swung her leg in a high kick, catching him in the back of the shoulder, driving him to the ground. He caught himself with his hands and immediately retaliated with a kick of his own, his foot catching her in her torso, forcing the wind out of her.
“Good counter,” her grandfather commented softly from the sidelines.
Chie caught her balance by retreating a few steps, cursing Yousuke's longer reach for a brief second. But he was already up again, using the swing of his kick to bring him back to a half-standing position. He charged her, striking with a flurry of knee kicks to her side. She forced her hands down to block, and when he dropped his leg for the third time she took the momentary opening to punch him with a backhanded fist, causing him to stagger. He responded with a somewhat messy side kick, just to make her keep her distance, but she was a better fighter than to fall for that kind of amateur move.
She closed on him quickly, punching out with and twisting one fist into his shoulder in a grappling move. He grabbed her outstretched arm, and she felt him shift his weight to throw her. He might have even managed that, except that Kanji suddenly started yelling:
“Stop! Yame, yame!”
Naoto scolded him from the other side of the impromptu sparring ring: “Kanji-chan! I am supposed to say that!”
Yousuke immediately released Chie and tilted his head toward her side. “You okay?” he asked, standing straight while Kanji came up to fiddle with the keikogi again; apparently, he'd gotten used to these tailoring interruptions.
Chie looked up at him with a smile. “Yeah,” she murmured. She reached up and touched his cheek, where her knuckles had connected with the bone. “What about you?”
Yousuke snickered and shrugged off her concern. “Come on. You've given me worse hits than that one.” He glanced down at Kanji, in response to a quick tug at his side. “I can take it off, if that's easier....”
“Nah,” Kanji muttered. “This'll just take a minute.”
Naoto stepped briskly toward them, her arms crossed in front of her chest. “We are wasting valuable time,” she huffed. “If you are not willing to take this seriously-”
“Hey,” Kanji replied, turning toward her again. “I'm takin' this very seriously. Just 'cause I ain't a super-smart strategist like you, don't mean my contributions don't matter. So just...chill, okay?” He shook his head, then directed his attention back to the keikogi jacket.
Naoto was silent, but she glared at the blond man for a long moment. Then she stalked back to her place on the outskirts of the grass, her arms still crossed in front of her chest. Chie could swear she heard her grumble something beneath her breath but didn't want to press the petite detective any further; while usually cool and collected, Naoto did have a formidable vicious streak.
“I think you made her mad,” Yousuke muttered with a snicker.
Kanji sniffed. “Ah, she's just....” He shot a quick look to Chie, then forced a smile. “Forget about it, dude. You're gonna be great.” He stood up and clapped Yousuke on the shoulder. “And in this Tatsumi Special, you're a made man.”
Yousuke chuckled. “Thanks.”
Kanji stepped back, nodding. “Better get back to it, though. She's mean when she's pissed.”
Chie smiled, but she couldn't shake the strange look in Kanji's eyes. Nevertheless, she and Yousuke took their stances again, and waited for Naoto's signal to start.
“Hajime,” Naoto said again, her voice low and taut.
Yousuke's gaze darted across Chie's form, and then he snapped forward, sliding out with one foot as he punched with one hand and brought his opposite knee up at the same time. Chie blocked, kicking away his attacking leg, but his other hand reached out and took her by the shoulder, spinning her about like a partner in a frantic dance. He locked his arm around her, but she dropped her center of gravity, kicking her leg behind her in a high sweep that hit him in the back of the head. His grip loosened enough for her to grab his arm with both hands and flip him over her back to the ground. She punched him squarely in the middle of his chest, and Naoto called them to stop.
Chie extended a hand to Yousuke, who stood up with a sharp, “Dammit!”
Naoto crossed to them again. “Are you deliberately holding back?” she asked Yousuke pointedly.
“No!” he told her. “I just...got a little dazed, that's all.”
“You cannot become 'dazed' on Sunday...!” Naoto scolded.
“She kicked me in the head!” Yousuke said defensively. “How is that not supposed to daze me?”
Chie broke in between the two of them. “Guys! It's okay – it's just one fall.” She glanced from Yousuke to Naoto and back again, then sighed softly. “Look, we're all a little off this morning. Maybe we should just come back to this tonight.”
Naoto's jaw was set, but she nodded. “Fine,” she muttered.
“Yeah, sounds good,” Yousuke agreed, rubbing at the back of his head. He started to undo the ties of the keikogi, as Kanji approached them, now, too.
The blond man accepted the jacket, nodding. “Hey, you guys wanna get lunch in town today? I should be done with all the alterations by then.”
Chie smiled. “Yeah, I could do that.”
But Yousuke shook his head. “I doubt it. I wanna get as much done in the office today as I can – leave tomorrow open.” He looked down at the keikogi pants. “Uh, can I change out of these at your shop?”
Kanji nodded. “Yeah, come on.” He jerked his head in the direction of the street, leading the way.
Yousuke followed, pausing to bow to Kazunori, who had sat through the entire session, merely watching. “Thanks for coming, sensei,” he said with a halting smile. “It's nice to know there's at least one other Satonaka who doesn't totally despise me.”
Chie frowned, but her grandfather offered Yousuke a chuckle as he stood up. “Suitors throughout the ages have had issues with the fathers of their beloveds,” he said. “You should count yourself among a fabled fraternity.”
Yousuke snickered. “Thanks,” he muttered. “I guess.” Then he bowed again, swiftly, before following Kanji out to the street.
Chie watched him go, then turned to her grandfather. She smiled hopefully. “He's better, right? I mean, he can win this.” She swallowed, hard. “Right?”
Kazunori made no move. “He has made significant progress,” he said with a smile. Then he inclined his head to Naoto, as she walked up to them. “Due in no small part to the support of your friends, I should think.”
Naoto hummed. “I would feel better for our chances if we had more time....”
Kazunori sighed. “Time is the most precious of our possessions, but it exists for each of us in sadly limited quantities.”
Chie felt her spirits sink. “That doesn't really answer my question.”
Her grandfather gave a gentle shrug. “If he does his best, he will succeed. Nothing can take that away from him. Or from you.” He rose up, sighing again, albeit softly. “Does that answer your question?”
Chie looked away, muttering, “It's not really the answer I wanted to hear.” Then she turned back to the two of them, coaxing a not-very-convincing smile to her lips. “Thanks anyway, though.”
Naoto blinked her eyes. “I apologize, Chie-san. I fear that my...overzealousness with Hanamura-san's training has blinded me to the true purpose of these activities. I will have to rethink our strategies for this challenge.”
A much more natural, comradely smile came to Chie's lips. “Naoto-chan, really – you've done so much already. I can't ask you to-”
But the petite detective shook her head. “At his current level of proficiency, Hanamura-san will not be able to defeat a master such as your father. We should consider alternative avenues....”
A sudden wave of near-crushing emotion hit Chie, like a kick to the stomach, at Naoto's cool, concise articulation of her fears for Yousuke and his abilities. But she reined in the tears that threatened to erupt, tempering them with a low, disheartened sigh.
“I know,” Chie whispered, dropping her gaze to the ground. “I know our chances aren't good. But I can't just give up-!” She looked up at Naoto, almost pleading; if the detective were still in the habit of wearing her cap, Chie would have looked to her to pull a magical miracle from between its threads. “I know there's only two days left. And I know that if Yousuke-chan has a hard time beating me, then my dad's gonna be next to impossible.” She clenched her fists, then, and squared her jaw. “But we've come so far-! I can't give up on him now. I won't.”
Her grandfather touched her shoulder, smiling softly. “Mushi,” he whispered. “No one is telling you to give up. Two days may not be much time in the grand design of the universe...but worlds can change in an instant.”
Chie sucked in a breath, sharing a knowing glance with Naoto, as she recalled the final battle in Mayonaka, when Souji and the rest of them had faced the goddess Izanami-no-Okami. The fate of that battle – and, indeed, two worlds – had changed in a single powerful moment of decision made by one young man. Even the lesser paths of their lives had been altered by actions and words, sometimes simple, sometimes grand: an accidental step through a TV; an acceptance of a yellow-eyed doppleganger; a kiss beneath lamplight between friends seeking more; a foolhardy challenge from daughter to father. All of these were moments where her life had changed, mere seconds when her destiny could have gone one way or the other, for better or worse. And how many seconds were there in a minute, or an hour, or a day? Enough to change the presumed course of her fate, or Yousuke's, or the fate that they could share together.
Kazunori smiled gently, seemingly oblivious to how literal his words were in their truth. “Be strong for your Yousuke-chan. He needs that now, more than ever.”
Naoto nodded, too, now. “A strong woman is a man's greatest inspiration,” she muttered. Then her eyes and mouth softened, a strange look for her usually-cool countenance; Chie thought this must be the face that she only let Kanji see, or Rise. “I did not mean to belittle our efforts. We are stronger together, after all.” She paused, and laid a comforting hand upon Chie's. “And we have always been blessed with Fortune,” she said with a smile.
Kazunori chuckled. “Your friend,” and he inclined his head to Naoto again, “is a formidable combination of logic and insight. You would do well not to dismiss her judgment.”
Naoto's smile remained intact as she turned to the elder. “Thank you, Satonaka-sama.” Then she returned her gaze to Chie, her smile now tinged with a serious resolve. “I will work on revising our strategy, Chie-san. As you know, I do not admit defeat easily. Nor, do I think, should you.”
Chie nodded to her. “Never say die,” she murmured.
“Now that,” her grandfather said with another chuckle, “is the granddaughter who has made this family proud.”
Chie giggled. “I come from strong stock,” she said, and gave him a brief hug.
“Ah, ah,” Kazunori grumbled in mock-protest.
Naoto's lips curled in an expression resembling a smirk, and then she gave a crisp bow. “I'm afraid I must be on my way. We shall return here this evening?”
Chie nodded. “After dinner, like usual.”
Naoto returned the nod. “Then I shall see you then.” And she turned, walking at her usual brisk pace toward the torii gate and the street beyond.
Chie watched Naoto as she went, passing Yousuke on his way back in, and she gave him a little wave. “Another costume change?” she teased as he approached, once more in his regular clothes.
Yousuke rolled his eyes. “Shirogane must be rubbing off on Tatsumi. I've never seen him so bossy before. 'Shoulders down, stand straight, no moving.' Sheesh.”
Chie hooked her arm through his. “Well, I think you look good in your uniform. Right, Ojii-chan? Doesn't he look handsome in his dogi?”
Kazunori must have caught some look from Yousuke, because he only chuckled and bowed to excuse himself. “I believe that is my cue to leave, as well.” He offered both of them a warm smile. “You should be very proud of the progress you have accomplished together.”
Yousuke returned a low bow. “Thank you, Satonaka-sensei.”
Kazunori spared them one more quiet look, then nodded and headed on his way.
As soon as they were alone, Chie took the moment to rise up on her toes and kiss Yousuke briefly on the lips.
“What was that for?” he asked.
She settled back on her heels and smiled at him. “Just...for being you,” she murmured, reaching up to brush her fingers along his cheek.
He settled his hands on her waist and snickered. “Oh. Well, in that case....” And he dipped his head toward hers, laying a gentle kiss on her lips, now. He pulled back for a second, then tilted his head to the other side and repeated the action with a second kiss. “That...is for just being you.”
She giggled, leaning her head against his chest to listen to the delightful pattering laughter from within, and took the moment as it was: just another second in another day.
The second part - Kanji's original conversation with Chie - will be posted shortly.
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