A Dragon's Clutch

by Alica Mckenna Johnson

  * * *

  My head was yanked back. I came up on my toes to relieve the pressure. Shin obviously knew about the braid pulling because today’s class focused on getting away from someone when they grabbed your hair. Every time it happened, I had to remind myself that I was safe. My breath came in shallow pants, and I was pretty sure I would scream if someone pulled my hair one more time.

  “You’re supposed to get away,” Shin said.

  I looked into his dark eyes and forced a smile. “But you’re so pretty. Maybe I’m happy right where I am?”

  “Kayin, Sapphire is flirting with me.”

  “Don’t make me throw a fireball at you,” Kayin said grinning from across the room where he had a hold of Taliesin’s white braid.

  “Ready to try and get away?” Shin asked.

  “Sure.” It was a new move, so I did it slow step by step. Punch to the armpit. Knife hand to the forearm then into the jaw and finish with an elbow strike to the other side of the jaw.

  Shin reacted to each move as if I’d actually hit him. “Good, again.”

  We went over the move again and again. Then he grabbed my hair with the other hand, and I had to start all over again.

  “Sasha, crap that hurt.” Miu rubbed the back of her head.

  “I’ll be more careful next time.”

  “Shin, how am I supposed to grab Kayin’s hair?” Taliesin asked.

  Kayin’s close cut black and red curls left nothing to hold onto.

  “Reach around and either grab the back of his shirt, or his ear.” Shin reached out and grabbed my braid again.

  Growling, I struck. Punch to the armpit, hit with the forearm. He moved his hand for me to hit instead of his jaw. Shin blocked my elbow strike then took a step back.

  “Oh crap, Shin, are you okay?”

  “Yeah, I’m fine. You hit like Taliesin. Let me get a focus bag and you can try and hit hard this time.” Shin winked at me while Taliesin glared at him.

  “So, what happened?” Shin asked.

  “I guess it’s getting to me. The hair pulling and the people trying to sneak up on me. I’m fine now. I won’t do it again.”

  “You had better not. I expect you to actually hit hard this time,” Shin said. “Hit like Miu, not Taliesin.”

  “You know what, Shin, maybe we should trade partners and then we’ll see how hard I can hit.” Taliesin stepped away from Kayin.

  Shin grinned. “Excellent suggestion.” Tossing the focus bag at Taliesin, Shin rushed over and grabbed Kayin. “Try and get away from me baby.”

  “Hey, your hand doesn’t go there,” Kayin yelled.

  Laughing, I turned to Taliesin who shook his head. “So do you want to be the attacker first?” I asked.

  His phone buzzed. “Hey, I gotta go. I’m Skyping with my mom and Shante in a bit.”

  “Okay, tell them I said hi.”

  “I will.”

  I started to stretch and cool down. Kayin and Shin were wrestling/flirting while Sasha and Miu argued about something, so the normal way our class ends.

  “Miu,” I called out hoping to end their bickering. “What should I get your brother for his birthday?”

  “You don’t need to get him anything,” Miu said giving Sasha an odd look over her shoulder before sitting next to me and stretching. “I mean we’re having the family party earlier that day. We’re doing karaoke and dinner with his friends.”

  “Will his friends not bring him gifts?” I frowned as Miu’s nervousness pricked at my shields.

  “I just think it isn’t a good idea if he gets too close to you. I don’t want him to think you like him or something.”

  Miu was afraid I would get her brother hurt. Like I had Ramsey. The memory of Emiko warning me off made me shiver. “Maybe it’ll be best if I don’t go at all.” I stood, I had to get out of here.

  “No, Sapphire,” Miu began.

  I grabbed my stuff and left.

  “You can’t go alone,” Sasha called as he ran to catch me.

  It didn’t matter, nothing mattered. Someone tugged my braid as we walked through a crowd. I didn’t even bother to turn around and see who it was.

  “They’re being stupid, and Hiroshi will be upset if you don’t go to his party.”

  I shrugged.

  “Come on, we can get him a gift together. Miu doesn’t want me at the party either because I keep flirting with her friend. We can be the ‘bad crowd’ together.”

  My lips twitched. “The bad crowd? With two people?”

  “The dark twins?”

  I smiled at that one.

  “The evil duo.”

  Chuckling, I pushed him. “Stop it.”

  Sasha draped an arm across my shoulders. “It’ll be great you and me. In black leather and see through shirts. We’ll sit in a dark corner being moody and mysterious, smoking cigarettes.”

  “Should we go get piercings and tattoos?”

  Sasha frowned. “I don’t know, if I become sexier than I already am, people might faint in the streets.”

  “How can you walk with an ego that heavy?” I asked laughing.

  “Hey.” He placed a hand over his heart and tried to look offended. “I’m not bragging this is just fact.”

  Shaking my head, I looked at him. “What should I do about Hiroshi’s birthday?”

  “Go to the party, and we’ll get him a gift together.”

  “Like what?”

  Sasha shrugged. “Gift card to an art supply store?”

  “Yeah, okay, that should work. Thanks Sasha, I’m glad you’re here.” I wrapped an arm around his waist.

  “Me too, even though I miss my mom, and my asshole of a dad. I’m glad I’m here.”

  Chapter Nine

  Gavin paced in the courtyard of the ryokan. I’d just told him and Anali about what happened with the Gaki.

  Anali wrapped her arms around herself. “Oh, Sapphire, I should have insisted Gavin go with you.”

  “I’m fine.” I reached out and rubbed her shoulder. “It’s over and I needed to understand what was happening.”

  “Oh.” She sat looking at her stomach.

  “Are you okay?” Gavin asked, kneeling next to her.

  “He kicked. He did it again.” She grabbed Gavin’s hand and placed it on her baby bump. I started to move away then she grabbed my hand and put it next to Gavin’s.

  We waited a minute, holding our breath, when we felt a little thump.

  “I felt him,” Gavin said his eyes filling with tears.

  That was cool, and kind of creepy. Something inside you kicking and moving and stuff.

  Gavin and Anali looked at each other, then at their hands on her baby bump.

  “You have to leave,” I said suddenly understanding.

  “We had planned to stay until we all left Japan,” Gavin explained.

  “Yes, I remember. Philip is going to come while I finish the tour,” I said.

  “But since I can’t protect myself from other people’s emotions ...” Anali added.

  “You need to leave sooner, and I need to stay and finish things here in Japan, and the rest of the tour. And being close to Gavin grounds and protects you both from other people’s emotions, so he needs to go too,” I said. “Michael has us scheduled until the end of July and then the troop takes a break until early August, several weeks before the baby is due.”

  Gavin rubbed his face. “Michael and Nyota said they would look after you, and Philip is going to get here as soon as possible. He wasn’t planning on being here until the end of the month, so it’ll be a bit.”

  “I’m so sorry, Sapphire.” Anali’s eyes filled with tears.

  “It’s okay. The baby comes first. I understand.”

  “God, I hate that,” Gavin said. “It shouldn’t be like this. You shouldn’t understand. I don’t understand how I’m supposed to choose. You are important. You are just as important as our baby. You’re coming with us. Michael will have to figure something out.”

  I b
linked, trying to hold back the tears. “Uncle Gavin, I can’t leave the Gaki here. It’s killing people. This is my destiny, right?”

  “It’s been here for thousands of years. A few more months won’t make any difference.”

  “Between fifty and a hundred people kill themselves in Aokigahara forest every year. I looked it up. Uncle Gavin, we can’t ignore that.”

  “What about your dreams with the snakes or the hair pulling? Those are getting worse.”

  “True, but you can’t shelter me from this.”

  Gavin grunted. I looked at Anali. Tears ran down her cheeks, but she nodded and reached out to him. “Gavin, darling, I don’t like this either, but what choice do we have?”

  “Right now everything is focused on me: the Sons of Belial, the hair pullers whoever they are, and the magical beings. All of that focus is on me, which means until we figure all this out you need to get Anali somewhere safe,” I said.

  “I’m going to take Anali to her parents and get her settled and then I’m coming back to you,” Gavin said.

  “Uncle Gavin,” I began.

  He held up a hand. “I will come back for you.”

  Taking a deep breath, I nodded. There’s no point fighting with him. I was sad but not angry, this is simply what needed to happen.

  * * *

  Kayin and I curled around each other while Nirvana played in the background. During practice different people would plug in their iPod, and each day brought a different musical experience.

  “Good job, guys,” Michael said. “I think you’re ready to add that one-handed lift into our performance routine.”

  “Really? I still feel wobbly.” I picked up my towel and wiped the sweat off my face and arms.

  “Little sister, you are better than you think, and I won’t let you fall.”

  “It’s up to you two. But I think you’re ready.” Michael smiled and went to check on the clowns.

  “What do you think?” I asked Kayin.

  “I think we should add it in tonight.”

  I bit my lip but nodded. “Okay, let’s do it.”

  He hugged me tight, picking me up off the floor. “It’ll be great. I’m going to find Shin. I’m training with him in Chinese pole.”

  “Have fun.” I sat in the corner I’d claimed by spreading my stuff over the floor and pulled out my laptop. Jump rope practice was in forty-five minutes. I had time to get some work done. Yay math.

  “Sapphire, can I talk to you?” Taliesin asked sitting in front of me. Sweat beaded on his skin and his chest rose as he took deep breaths.

  “I guess.” I finished the last geometry problem, hit send, and closed my laptop. “What’s up?”

  “More school work?” He frowned at me. “Aren’t you like a semester ahead at this point?”

  I shrugged. “Why wait? It doesn’t matter. There won’t be homecoming dances, proms, or graduation. So why drag it out?”

  “Would you have wanted to go to homecoming and prom?” he asked sitting across from me.

  Did he really care? What’s with all the questions? Was he bored because Emiko hadn’t been around since yesterday?

  “It doesn’t matter now. So what’s up with you?”

  “Well, I have an idea I want to run by you.”

  “Okay.” His nervousness prickled against my shield.

  “Sasha is having a lot of fun training in trampoline and German Wheel. He has told me that when he is good enough to perform he wants to switch to those from silks.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry. You two are amazing performing together.”

  Taliesin smiled and his cheeks pinked a bit. He got complimented from fans all the time. Why was he blushing?

  “Thank you. What I want to do next is a love story. I want to choreograph a piece of a man and woman falling in love.” His blue eye got a little glossy as he imagined the set. “I will start out high in the silk while she is on the ground. I see her and start showing off, getting lower and closer to her. She hides behind her silk, then starts to climb. At first it’ll look like she is meeting me halfway, but then she goes higher. Up and down the silks we’ll play, teasing, chasing each other, until the end, when I will take her into my arms.”

  “Oh, Taliesin, that would be amazing. I can’t wait to see it.”

  His happiness bubbled around me. “Well, I was thinking you might be willing to do it with me.”

  “Oh, well thank you for the offer, but do you think I’m the right choice? I mean no one would believe we’re together.”

  Taliesin stiffened. “Of course, you're right.”

  “I didn’t mean to upset you.” What had I said? “I think it’s a wonderful idea.”

  He stood. “No, you're right. I will find someone better suited.”

  “Maybe Michael can help you find someone?” I offered trying to fix things.

  “Perhaps.” He walked away, his posture stiff.

  I hoped he wouldn’t be upset with me for too long. Surely Michael would help him find someone else. I mean who would believe someone as beautiful as Taliesin would see me and fall in love?

  * * *

  Gavin pulled me into a hug. “I am coming back. As soon as I can.”

  Sighing, I hugged him back. The sky glowed with bright colors as the sun set over the horizon. “You should stay with Anali, but I won’t argue with you right now.”

  “I’m going to count that as winning,” Gavin said. “I’ll miss you.”

  “I’ll miss you too, and we can Skype.” I pulled back. “Come on, I’m sure Anali is anxious to get going.”

  Anali waited by a cab saying goodbye to everyone, while the driver loaded their suitcases.

  “’Bye,” I said hugging her.

  “Oh,” she sniffed and clung to me. “I’m so sorry.”

  “No, you need to take care of yourself and the baby. I’ll be fine and I’ll meet you in India before you know it.”

  Anali cupped my face in her hands and looked into my eyes. “I can’t wait for you to meet my family, your family too now. Promise me you’ll come soon.”

  “I promise.”

  Anali kissed my cheek. “I love you.”

  “Love you too, Aunt Anali.”

  Gavin squished me against him. “Love you, kiddo.”

  “I love you, Uncle Gavin.”

  “Gavin,” Michael said squeezing his shoulder. “I will take care of her. I promise to do everything I can to keep her safe.”

  “I know, thank you.” Gavin climbed into the cab and it drove off, both of them waving to me as they left.

  Nyota moved next to me. “You know what this means, don’t you?”

  “No, what?”

  “You’re mine now,” Nyota cackled like a super villain.

  Grinning, I moved closer to Michael. “Your dad will protect me.”

  Michael cracked his knuckles. “Please, this is all part of our evil plot.”

  “To do what?”

  Nyota wagged a finger. “Nope. There will be no evil monologue in this story.

  You’ll just have to find out as our master plan unfolds.”

  “But first, we have condition class,” Michael said.

  Rolling my eyes, I followed them.

  * * *

  I stood with my toes touching Kayin’s shoulders as he lay on the floor. He reached up as I bent over him, his hand gripping onto my arm above my elbow. My fingers wrapped around his forearm and I tightened my muscles pulling myself up and over him. Tiny waves of nervous excitement came from the crowd as we performed our new trick. Kayin turned his arm, and me, until my legs were suspended over his. Bit by bit he turned onto his side, onto his arm, and then raised to his knees.

  I took a deep breath as he moved to standing while I stayed balanced above him on one arm. My body trembled. Kayin froze. Closing my eyes, I took another deep breath and let it out regaining my focus. Kayin started moving again, skipping one hold and bringing me around to his back. I clasped his other arm and Kayin moved me around his body. We
moved to the floor, each motion slow and distinct. We lay curled around each other when the crowd began to clap and cheer. I flinched at the wave of emotions. From backstage I sensed the troupe’s pride and happiness at our successful new trick.

  “You guys did it,” Shin cheered, grabbing Kayin into a hug once we got backstage.

  Nyota wrapped an arm around my shoulders and squeezed.

  “Good job.”

  “Thanks.” I walked over to change into my jump rope costume stopping to accept congratulations on the new trick, even though I didn’t do it perfectly. After I changed I took a coconut water and sipped it and headed to the side to watch the next performance.

  “You and Kayin looked great out there tonight. The new move looked very nice.” Sasha stood next to me, already wearing patchwork overalls for jump rope.

  “Thanks.”

  The clowns ran off the stage as black silk fell from the ceiling. Fast jazz piano signaled the German Wheel. The performer spread out like Vesuvius man as he made the large silver wheel turn and roll across the stage.

  “I heard you’re going to start doing German Wheel and trampoline. I’m going to miss watching you perform silks with Taliesin.”

  “Silks is beautiful, but I wish to do something more dynamic, more fierce, less…”

  “Less like ballet?” I asked.

  Sasha nodded. “Less like ballet. I heard he asked you to join him for his new project.”

  “Yes, but he’ll find someone better.”

  “Better?” Sasha asked. “How do you mean better?”

  “Guys, we need to move jump rope up to before intermission,” Nyota said. “One of the woman in the contortion act just fell and twisted her ankle. Miu is tending to her, but the others need a bit of time to talk over how they’re going to re-work the act.”

  “Okay.” I grabbed my jump rope and headed to the back of the stage.

  * * *

  Mr. Kurosawa was back, chatting with performers and asking for pictures with us, once the other fans had left.