MHG-V1-2 (Initial Draft)

Chapter 11 - Watch out! Who's that girl?

A.11

Ken walked glumly along the street. It had been a hard day at school, which didnt help with all the things going on in his private life as well.

Suddenly he heard a screeching sound from behind. Turning his head he saw with horror the image of a car heading straight for him.

Ken froze. Was this the end? Suddenly, before it hit the curb and came flying toward him the car shrieked to the right, the back of the chasis sparking as it brushed heavily against the concrete curb and then came to a breaking halt a few meters down the road.

"Sorry!" Teruko blurted out suddenly in his ear. "Bp got the better of me for a second then. But I promise it wont happen again!"

"Black Petal?" Ken repeated. So it was like this? She had the same power as Teruko, and she wasnt afraid to use it to try and terminate his life. Then.. the only thing he could do was to hope Teruko was stronger?

"But this means she took the bait." Teruko said giggling. "She was a bit slower than I expected but she got there eventually.."

"Slow? It was only yesterday that I handed in that report.."

"And her attack started from yesterday." Teruko explained. "Only she didnt know it was you until just now. Thats why up until now her attacks had been only at your father and his business."

"My father?" Ken said with alarm. "Then thats why.."

The scene from last night replayed through his head - his father coming back to the house early and looking drunk. He had looked at Ken with a gaze of bewilderment for a second before tears had started dribbling down his face.

"Even though im tough one you, its for your own good." He'd said, walking over and placing a hand gently on Ken's shoulder. "When im gone please remember that. It was for you. All for you."

At the time Ken had assumed it just to be the ramblings of a drunk man, and it had annoyed him to think that the only time his father ever treated him with gentleness was when he was drunk. But if what Teruko had said was true, and if black petal had been targetting his father..

"Dont worry." Teruko said as Ken choked back a tear. "Ive been busy protecting that buffoon of a father of yours. He got a little shook up but he was never in any real danger. It was probably good for him.."

"Not in real danger?" Ken asked. "Like me just now?"

"Ken!" Teruko said shocked, "You dont think I would ever have let that car hit you, do you?"

"Not on purpose." Ken replied. "But it was a close call.."

"Silly!" Teruko said giggling. "I have to feign incompetence in front of my foes sometimes too. Its all part of the strategy of war!"

Feign incompetence? Ken shuddered at the thought of what that had just implied for him here in the real world.

"Anyway, she's taken the bait." Teruko said. "Now its time for our next move. We have to lure her to do something outrageous so as to expose herself. Then the real war will begin."

Ken sighed. He felt a little like a pawn in a big game of chess.

 ----

Ken slumped down at the foot of his bed. It had been a long day, and since Teruko was busy doing things which he couldn't help her with, he finally had some time to himself. Not that he particularly wanted it, but he appreciated being able to take a rest.

"Email." Ken commanded, and an application opened up in the space in front of him. It was generated by the holopad lying in the center of the room.