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Debra Wallen had expected her day to be filled with the usual drudgery of an Interns life for Fashion Blitz magazine. She never expected to be interviewing one of the world’s newest and biggest fashion designers this day. Not only was the woman a force to be reckoned with but a true mystery as well. Debra would be the first person to ever had a one on one interview with Ren Nagata. This was Debra’s big chance and she really wanted to impress her boss by coming back with an interview worthy of her trust. Little could Debra see how this one interview would affect her life or how it would influence her career.

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Chapter 6
Higashi residential district, Shibuya ward, Japan, Thursday November 11, 2004
Goto-Kono Senior High School, private girls' school, Higashi district

Amanda had just taken her seat in her homeroom class when the bell rang. Her best friend Josie looked over at her smiling. “I see you’re running late again Amanda. What was it this time, girlfriend?”

“Oh, shut up, Josie. I’m not late.” Amanda snapped as she smoothed out the collar of her uniform. “God, I hate these stupid fuku uniforms.”

“What’s got your panties in a twist girl? You’ve never been this pissed off before.” Josie whispered so that Jane Miller the Class Rep won’t report them to their teacher. “You’ve never let being a little late get to you like this.”

Keeping her voice barely above a whisper Amanda admitted to what had her so mad. “The Head Mistress stopped me in the hallway as I was coming in this morning. We got a new student joining our class today. I get the pleasure of showing her around the school. Isn’t that supposed to be the Class Reps job?”

Before Josie could answer Jane Miller their Class Representative to the Student Council walked up to Amanda. “Sullivan, did Head Mistress Sasaki tell you that you’re to escort the new girl?”

Amanda sighed and held her anger in. “Yah yes she did, Jane. Now, bugger off already before I put my foot in your ass.”

“Look, Amanda, we don’t need the new girl getting a bad idea about our Class.” Jane started off only to have Amanda snap.

“How can she not get a bad idea of our Class? Fuck’s sake Jane get a God damned clue, already will you? We’re Class 3-E. The losers of the school.” Amanda had gotten dead into Jane’s face as she snarled out her anger. “You can stand there and get all preachy about how we need to improve our grades and shit. Or you can do something about getting us some teachers that actually give a fuck for a change.”

“Miss Sullivan, Miss Miller,” Both girls turn to look at the front of the classroom at their teacher. “That will be quite enough ladies. Now take your seats.”

Both girls glared at each other before bowing to their teacher and taking their seats. Once they were seated their teacher waved for a young girl to step into the classroom. The second Amanda saw the Japanese girl she knew that this was the girl she was supposed to escort around the school. That meant the next student to be introduced would be her albatross. It also ruined her mood even more as the girl was really cute. Even in that stupid uniform. Some how the girl had been able to take the fuku style uniform and make it her own while still fitting within school guidelines. The more Amanda looked at the girl’s uniform the more she was able to take in the subtle differences that made it look cute on her.

“Class I would like to introduce our newest student to Goto-Kono Senior High. Miss Ren Nagata from Elizabethtown, Kentucky.” Their teacher said grabbing Amanda’s undivided attention. She now knew why their Head Mistress wanted her to escort this girl around the school. Miss Sasaki figured that they would have something in common being from the same area. “Miss Sullivan thank you for offering to be Miss Nagata’s guide for the day.”

Sadly, Amanda knew that it was a colossal waste of time. She had never set foot in the USA, let alone been anywhere near Elizabethtown, Kentucky. Sure, her dad’s company was headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky but she had never been there. Hell, her parents had even been back to the states since she was five. Her dad’s work didn’t require him to travel back and forth. He may work for Louisville Doppler Radars and Radios, but they had him here to work on the radars and radios that had been placed in Tokyo International Air traffic Control Tower. Amanda’s dad was the lead corporate liaison for the company in Japan.

Knowing that she couldn’t get out of the assignment Amanda stood and bowed to her teacher. “I’ll do my best Ojima-sensei.”

Ren bowed to Mrs. Ojima then turned and walked down the isle to take the desk next to Amanda’s. Bowing slightly to Amanda. “It is a pleasure to meet you Amanda-san.”

Amanda could tell that her teacher and head Mistress were both massively wrong about where this girl was from. There was no way in hell that this Japanese teenager ever set foot in the US. Let alone Elizabethtown, Kentucky. She is way too mannerly for any part of the United States, but especially the Midwest. Then there was the fact that the girl didn’t have any type of accent.

“Are you sure that you’re from Elizabethtown, Kentucky?” Amanda asked bluntly once Ren had taken her seat.

“Oh, I am American. Only the staff seem to think that Fort Knox and E-town are one and the same.” Ren smirked before sticking out her hand in a whisper. “Ren Nagata, one-hundred percent Army BRAT at your service.”

Ren’s wise crack got Amanda to giggle which drew a look of displeasure from their teacher. Ren quickly stood up and bowed to Mrs. Ojima. “Please forgive me Ojima-sensei. I asked Amanda-san if she knew when lunch was as I have not yet eaten today. I did not mean to cause a disturbance to our lesson.”

“Please hold any such questions until between classes Miss Nagata. We do not conduct our classes in the manner that you are used to in the United States.” Mrs. Ojima turned back to her lecture notes. “Now, before we went on break we were discussing the leading causes that lead up to the outbreak of World War One. Today we will be going over Japan’s involvement in the First World War.”

For the next half-hour Ojima went over the Japan’s involvement in the First World War until Ren raised her hand, then stood up and proceed to correct Mrs. Ojima. Amanda was amazed that the new girl Ren was actually able to give a better explain of Japan’s involvement than that of Mrs. Ojima. Amanda and a few others sat in stunned silence as Ren stood up and CORRECTED their teacher at one point.

“Excuse me Ojima-sensei. But I believe that you are slightly misrepresenting the impact that the Japanese people had on the First World War.”

“Oh. And how would you describe their impact on the war, Miss Nagata?” Ojima let her ire over being corrected by a student fill her voice.

Ren just gave the woman a small smile. “While the distances prevented the Japanese Army from directly influencing the battle fronts in Europe. They did have a massive impact on the War in the Pacific theater. What most of the world forgets is Japan participated in World War I from 1914 to 1918 in an alliance with Entente Powers and played an important role in securing the sea lanes in the Western Pacific and Indian Oceans against the Imperial German Navy as a member of the Allies. Politically, the Japanese Empire seized the opportunity to expand its sphere of influence in China, and to gain recognition as a great power in postwar geopolitics.”

Mrs. Ojima was slightly perplexed by Ren’s answer. “Please explain your answer Miss Nagata. Go into as much detail as you can over the next half hour.”

Mrs. Ojima may have thought she had Ren but failed to see the trap that had been set by the teenager. Ren just smiled standing there and then began to lecture on the First World War in the Pacific Theater. Much to Miss Ojima’s displeasure.

“Japan’s military, took advantage of the great distances and Imperial Germany's preoccupation with the war in Europe. They used the opportunity to seize German possessions in the Pacific and East Asia, but there was no large-scale mobilization of the economy. It was Foreign Minister Katō Takaaki and Prime Minister Ōkuma Shigenobu who wanted to use the opportunity to expand Japanese influence in China. They enlisted Sun Yat-sen, who was at the time in exile in Japan, but they had little success.”

The more Ren talked about the part Japan played in the First World War the more her classmates paid her attention. Even Ojima was forced to show respect at the American teenager’s grasp of the topic. “The Imperial Japanese Navy, which at that time was a nearly autonomous bureaucratic institution, made its own decisions to undertake expansion into the Pacific. It captured Germany's Micronesian territories north of the equator and ruled the islands until they were transitioned to civilian control in 1921. The operation gave the Navy a rationale for enlarging its budget to double the Army budget and expanding the fleet. The Navy thus gained significant political influence over national and international affairs.”

Ren had gotten into a real swing now that she wasn’t getting the stink eye from Ojima anymore. “The Versailles Peace Conference in 1919 saw Japan’s representative Saionji Kinmochi sitting alongside the ‘Big Four’ leaders; Lloyd George, Wilson, Clemenceau, Orlando. The Peace Conference granted Tokyo a permanent seat on the Council of the League of Nations. While, the Paris Peace Conference confirmed the transfer to Japan of Germany’s rights to Shandong. As for Germany’s more northerly Pacific islands they came under a Japanese mandate, called the South Pacific Mandate. Despite Japan’s prowess on a global scale, and its sizable contribution to the allied war effort in response to British pleas for assistance in the Mediterranean and East Asia, the Western powers that were present at the Treaty of Versailles rejected Japan’s bid for a racial equality clause in subsequent Treaty of Versailles. Japan nevertheless emerged as a great power in international politics at the close of the war.”

Ren turned slightly as she went into the rest of her impromptu lecture. “Sadly, the prosperity brought on by World War One did not last. Although Japan’s light industry had secured a share of the world market, Japan returned to debtor-nation status soon after the end of the war. The ease of Japan’s victory, the negative impact of the Showa recession in 1926, and internal political instabilities helped contribute to the rise of Japanese militarism in the late 1920s to 1930s. Between these factors and the failure of the Western Powers to deal with Japan on an equal footing racially lead to the rise of the Nationalist movement during this time.”

The bell rang interrupting Ren’s lecture. Mrs. Ojima gave Ren a smile. “Thank you, Miss Nagata for that very informative discussion on this mornings topic. May I know where you gained your background on the topic?”

Ren looked down at her feet before answering. The strong, outgoing, confident, teenage Japanese girl had fled the room. In her place was a shy, awkward, self-conscious, teenager hiding a lot of pain. “My father taught me, Ojima-sensei.”

Mrs. Ojima had been briefed on the circumstance that had brought Ren Nagata to her school. She also knew that any references to Ren’s parents was forbidden on the part of the teachers. The Head Mistress had warned them all that she would fire the first teacher to break that rule. Mrs. Ojima wasn’t going to be that example. “Thank you, Miss Nagata. I hope that you will be able to bring a more insightful discussion to our classes in the future.”

With that Mrs. Ojima left the classroom. With this break most of the girls clustered around Ren. As did Amanda only she was the first to say anything. “Thanks for covering Ren. You didn’t need to do that though.”

“Wrong me amigo.” Looking to make sure that Ojima had left the room Ren gave Amanda a sly look. “That old bat was looking at gunning you down, so she could saddle me with someone else. I don’t want some bootlicker showing me around. I want someone who will become a friend first.”

“Wow! You shot from the hip. I like that. I don’t know how you pulled off that prime and proper bullshit but you sure fool Ojima-sensei. Where did you learn to act like that girl? You sure as hell didn’t learn it on no Army post.” Amanda smirked. She knew enough Military BRATS to know that much.

“My mom taught me.” Ren whispered. The pain was still too raw for Ren to talk about the death of her parents and how her mom taught how to act.

Amanda was many things but stupid and insensitive was not one of them. “Oh, sorry to bring up bad memories. I didn’t mean anything by what I said.”

“Forget about!” Ren quickly said in a bad New Jersey accent. “Now, where’s the rat squad hang out? I got enough beefs at my old school with them that I don’t need any here. Besides, my aunt Yoshi would skin me alive if I got in trouble.”

“You live with your aunt.” Amanda gave Ren a strange look. She knew enough about the American Military thanks to her friends here at the school to know that they always look for the closest family for dependents. If Ren was here with her aunt that meant her father and his family was also dead or unable to take care of her. “Sorry, about your parents, Ren. If you ever need to talk you can come to me.”

“Thanks Amanda.” Ren sniffled then wiped her nose. “Right now, I just want to get settled into school and get caught up on my studies.”

“Speaking of that, how come you’re in our class? I mean you’re what fourteen fifteen?” Amanda asked politely. “This is a Sophomore class.”

“This is where the Head Mistress and the Staff felt I should be placed after they saw my test scores.” Ren shrugged her shoulders. “They said something about being only five points from a prefect national score. Whatever that means.”

The four girls that had been eavesdropping on their conversation fell out of their chairs at hearing Ren’s scholastic score. Jane Miller who was one of them jumped up in Ren’s face. “You have got to be kidding me? FIVE POINTS OFF PERFECT?”

“Yeah, so what? I don’t see what the big deal is? I could care less.” Ren told the girl with a snarl. Ren figure that if she put on the juvenile delinquent act the rest of the girls wouldn’t go looking to hard into her personal life. “I mean it wasn’t that hard. I had harder subjects while in DOD schools.”

Amanda saw right through Ren’s act but backed her play any way. “Yo, chill, sister. Butting heads with our classmates is a sure fire ticket to the Head Mistress Office. Not good on your first day.”

Amanda could tell that Ren was fighting with her self and how she wanted to deal with her new classmates. “Sorry, guys. It’s just been a tuff couple of weeks for me. Forgive me?”

“Sure, if you’ll tell us how you were able to score so high on the placement tests.” Megan Marshal asked her. “I mean no one has ever come that close to a perfect score. At least not on the National level like that.”

“I don’t know how really. I grew up bouncing around the world with my parents thanks to my dad’s army career. To make sure I didn’t fall behind my mom and dad tutored me during each transfer.” Ren got a faraway look in her eyes that pulled at Amanda’s heart and soul. She could see the pain of these memories in the young girl’s eyes. “They were both really smart and had college degrees in different fields.”

“So, you like had your own college tutors thanks to your parents?” Ohmie Ito was the next to ask Ren a question. “Where did they get their degrees?”

Ren didn’t want to answer but knew that sooner or later her classmates would pester her until they had their answers. “My mom got her master’s degree of science in Criminal Justice from Southern New Hampshire University. While my dad got his master’s degree in military history from the same university. They both wanted to do something with their educations when my dad retired from the Army.”

The quiet way that Ren answered Ohmie’s question really grabbed Amanda’s attention. Before she could stop the other girls from asking the question Jane Miller jumped all over the chance to put the new girl in her place. “Speaking of which, why aren’t you over with the rest of the BRATS at Douglas MacArthur? What are mommy and daddy trying to keep their little princess from learning bad habits?”

The smack sounded like a whip crack in the suddenly quiet room. Amanda was ready to deliver a second blew as Josie stepped between her and Jane. Amanda wasn’t the only one to suddenly be ready to pound their Class Rep. In fact, more than half the class was ready to hang Jane by her Mary-Janes. Ren though just clenched her fists in a cold and silent rage. If anyone had cared to look into Ren’s eyes, they would have seen the burning barely contained fury. It was a good thing that Yoshi had made sure Ren had no weapons in her bookbag. Because Ren would have gutted the girl and not given it a second thought.

“Back off now, Jane. You may be our class rep, but you’re still out of line.” Josie was dead up in Jane’s face. “You do not have the right to ask that question. Nor do you have the right to know anyone’s private life. You can only take that you’re just doing your duty as Class Rep horseshit so far.”

Jane looked over at Amanda and snarled. “You’ll pay for that slap, bitch.”

Amanda just smirked and returned the glare. “Bring it on bitch.”

Jane just spun on her heel and walked away. Ren looked over at Amanda. “What’s up that British bitch’s ass anyway?”

“She’s been the top cunt in our class for the last two years.” Josie sighed as she looked over at Ren. “That was until this year. Look, Ren, the best thing you can do is just stay away from the cunt. Especially until you can get transferred to one of the other classes and out of Three-E.”

“Okay, guys. What the hell does that mean?” Ren asked with a puzzled look. “Just what am I missing here? What does me being in the Class have to do with anything?”

“Ren this is the class that the Head Mistress and the rest of the staff put the misfits, social outcasts, and delinquents. All of the girls in here fall into one of those three categories. All except Jane. She’s in here to act as the Class Council’s and the Head Mistress’s spy.” Amanda explained with look of pain.

Ren just chuckled. This drew the other girls’ attention. “Then I guess that I’m in the right class after all. I’m probably the biggest misfit of us all.”

“I doubt that. You’re the biggest girly-girl in here. You fit right in with the rest of the school.” One girl said with a look of discomfort. “This is the class that they put the LGBT girls. You know the lesbians, and bisexual girls.”

“What about the transgender girls?” Ren asked politely.

“Honey child there hasn’t been a t-girl in this school in the last six years. Well, I shouldn’t say that. We HAD a t-girl for three months last year, at least until she transferred to Fukuda High for the rest of the year.” Kathy Steward answered.

“Yeah, Shelly was really cool. Did anybody find out why she transferred?” Another girl asked from the other side of the room.

“I tried talking with her over summer break.” Amanda said before angerly giving the girl’s answer. “Shelly was getting bullied by the other classes. Not in school, but everywhere else. Online too. It got so bad her father burned all her pages.”

“Damn that’s harsh. No wonder she bailed when she did. I’m surprised that she even stuck around for as long as she did.” Amanda said quietly.

Before the girls could talk some more the bell rang for the next class to begin. They all rushed to take their seats as the teacher for the next class entered the room. Amanda knew that Ren would have a hard time in this class. Japanese language skills. So, did almost every other girl in the room.

Amanda leaned over and whispered to Ren while the teacher had her back to the class. “Ren if you have any problems, I’ll do what I can to help.”

Ren just giggled and smiled over at Amanda. “I doubt that I will need much help Amanda-san. I’ve been speaking Japanese from the time I could walk. I may be an Army BRAT, but my mom taught me about her home country. A long with the language and it’s costumes. Trust me, I’m more Japanese than American at times.”

“Miss Nagata, I know that you are new to our school but please remember your manners. I will answer all questions at the end of class.” Amanda wanted to bust out laughing as she knew that Mrs. Endo was trying to catch Ren out.

Ren just stood up and bowed deeply to the new teacher. “Please forgive my rudeness honored sensei. I was just informing Amanda-san that I would not be needing her help. I grew up speaking Japanese and living in a Japanese home.”

Ren’s answer caused Mrs. Endo to look like she just sucked on a lemon-lime icing covered turd. More than just Amanda had to hide a giggle fit behind her hands. Mrs. Endo though did not find Ren’s apology funny at all. The woman was so pissed that she disparately wanted to punish the upstart smartassed American teenager for daring to standup to her. Yet she couldn’t as the girl had been both respectful and correct in her speech. The only other girl in the school to have pissed her off like this was that little bitch Rukia Kuchiki in Class 3-A.

“Take your seat Miss Nagata. We have much to go over today.” Mrs. Endo ordered before turning her back on the class. Ren just returned to her seat. The funny part was that the rest of the class never saw the slight smile playing at her lips. Amanda spotted the smile before Ren could cover it. The thought of having this new girl in her class seemed to being a similar smile to her own. Over the next three periods a pattern developed. One that Amanda quickly picked up on.

Ren was going out of her way to shutdown the teachers before they had a chance to screw with her. It was as if she knew about the teachers’ habit of targeting the new kids to find out just how much they knew. Amanda and the other girls were constantly fighting to remain straight faced. The one time that they all did fail was during their English Class. Their teacher for this class was from the United Kingdom and spoke proper Queen’s English. Ren’s use of a thick and very obvious fake New York accent had to greet their teacher had better results than she could hope. For starters, Mrs. Doolittle winced in obvious pain hearing this murder of her home nation’s language and secondly rounds of giggling from her classmates.

Unfortunately, Mrs. Doolittle caught onto Ren’s joke faster than the class would have liked. Mrs. Doolittle gave Ren a witty smile saying. “Thank you, Miss Nagata, for that very entertaining example of your home nation’s most recognizable accent.”

This of course got Ren’s new class mates laughing even harder. Only Amanda could see that Ren was disappointed by being caught out by Mrs. Doolittle. With a slight bow of her head to the teacher Ren answered. “Yes ma’am. I won’t do it again.”

“Thank you, Miss Nagata. Though I may call on you for demonstrations of other uniquely American accents if you are able.”

“I can provide you with you examples of a two Southern, a Midwestern, three Northeastern, and two Southwestern accents, Doolittle-sensei.” Ren quickly answered. “For any of the Pacific coast accents I’m afraid that I cannot help you.”

“That is more than I could have expected, Miss Nagata.” Mrs. Doolittle was actually surprised that Ren was offering to help in this manner. “Open your books to chapter five class. Today we’ll be going off the formations of paragraphs.”

At lunch time Amanda joined Ren who had a traditional Japanese box lunch called bento. Amanda could tell right away that this was not a store bought bento, but homemade. Amanda was actually a little jealous of Ren. She never had a homemade bento before. Her mother just bought the prepackaged ones for her to take to school. Ren’s bento was a typical sashimi style bento only it had three slices of salmon and four slices of abalone with no tuna. It also came with four pieces of crunchy roll, two dumplings and steamed rice. Amanda really want to snag one of the crunchy roll pieces. Another thing that made Amanda jealous was the way she worked her chopsticks. It just showed that Ren really had grown up in a Japanese home.

“Damn girl. Where did you learn to use a pair of chopsticks like that?” Chiral Michaels asked. At Ren’s blank look Chiral giggled. “In case you haven’t figured it out yet Ren. Ninety percent of this school is made up of foreign dependent students. The main teaching language is English. There are only twenty-six actual Japanese students in our total Class. With a grand total of one-hundred-four in the whole school. Most of which are only here because their parents work in the International Community.”

Ren started to chuckle. “I hate to tell you guys this but if we’re going off of that criteria for school admittance. Then I’m right where I belong.” Ren picked up a piece of salmon, dipped in soy sauce before sticking in her mouth. A few chews Ren swallowed with a smile. “You got to remember that I’m an American Army BRAT. Besides my aunt Yoshi really wants me to go to this school.”

“Um… Ren please don’t take this the wrong way. But is your aunt Yoshi, Yoshi Nagata of the fashion shore owner?” One of the girls asked Ren quietly.

“Oh, come on, Casey. There is no way that Ren is related to Yoshi Nagata. I mean Ren is rocking that fuku uniform I’ll give you that, but there is not one sign of her being a Lolita.” Amanda answered for Ren.

“I hate to tell you this Amanda. You’re wrong. My aunt Yoshi is Yoshi Nagata Owner of Nagata Lolita Designs.” Ren smirked before popping a piece of crunchy roll in her mouth. After swallowing. “I can’t do much with the uniform, but I am a Lolita. I even work for my aunt as a model and her kōhai.”

“WOW! You must have all the inside info on the new Takashi Shimizu lines.” Another girl asked Ren. The girl was practically bouncing in her seat. “Oh, I’m Mary Keller. If you need to know where anything is just ask.”

“She’s also our resident gossip expert.” Another girl told Ren. “If you want the four-one-one on somebody Mary’s got it.” the girl held out a hand. “Kim Slone.”

“Nice to meet you girls.” Ren looked over at where Jane Miller was eating her lunch. “Now can anyone here tell what I did to piss off our Class Rep?”

Amanda sighed. “Don’t take this the wrong way Ren but when you told everyone that you got a score that was five points off the National best you really slammed Jane.”

“Okay, once again, what is up with my score being so fucking important? I couldn’t care less one way or the other.” Ren sighed.

“It’s because until this year Jane’s score was good enough to place her in the other classes.” Kim told her. “You see, your standing in this school is based solely on your academic test scores. If you’re in our class that means Jane’s chances of ever getting moved to one of the more acceptable classes are almost nil.”

“I still don’t get it. Why would my scores have anything to do with her being stuck in our class?” Ren was really confused.

“The National Tests are only held twice a year. At midterms and end of the year. Until then Jane is in here with us. The losers in the eyes of the school body. Each year has one class that is filled with the lowest scoring students or trouble makers like me.” Kim answered with smirk. “Yeah, I got busted for fighting in the first week of our freshman year. That along with my juvie record kind of got me stuck in this class. Amanda is our confirmed nonconformist.”

“Proud card carrying member of the Liberalist Feminine Party at your service. If you join us today, you’re eligible for our new t-shirt with our logo and saying printed on it. Welcome to the Dark side. We have milk and chocolate chip cookies at all our meetings.” Amanda joked.

“Damn girl that just ain’t right.” Ren shook her head as she chuckled. “You would get along with my buddy Christen just fine.”

“Thank you, I hope I can meet this enlightened individual sometime.” Amanda sniffed airily. Which of course got the other girls giggling. Amanda couldn’t keep up the act and joined them in their laughter. “Say Ren you want to join us after school for tea and cakes at the local pastry shop?”

“Sorry guys, but my aunt is taking me to the Yasukuni Shrine after school. I need to do something for my mom and dad today.” Ren got extremely quiet as she talked about her father and Amanda picked up on it fast. Only she wasn’t fast enough. “We’ll be making a few other stops today as well. I think they’re the Memorial Park for the Tokyo War Dead, the Tokyo Memorial Hall, and the Cenotaph for the City Air-Raid Victims of the Pacific War.”

Jane Miller overheard one of her hot topic buttons getting pushed. “Which one of you, skanks is going to the Yasukuni Shrine?” she demanded.

Ren just looked up at her and glared. “I am. Why cunt?”

Amanda could tell that Ren wasn’t your normal Army BRAT just by the way she has been acting. When Ren flipped her chopsticks sideways to hold them in a knife-like manner Amanda slide her chair back out of the way. Before she warned Jane. “Jane, do yourself a big fucking favor. Walk away before you get hurt. Not all of us have problems with Japan honoring their war dead and veterans.”

“That is just so typical of you Sullivan. Taking the side of another war mongering military slut. Just so you can try and get in her panties.” Jane snarled. “Fucking carpet muncher. Why won’t you just drop out already?”

“You know something Jane, I was just going to hand out the life altering ass beating that you so desperately need. Instead, I’m just going to put your ass in the morgue.” Ren growled out as she snapped her chopsticks. Several girls moved at once to get out of Ren’s way. Only Amanda moved to block her. “I’ve had enough of that cunt’s mouth Amanda. Get out of my way.”

“Not going to happen Ren. I can’t let you waste your time beating the shit out of her.” Amanda looked over her shoulder at a now very scared Jane Miller. “Besides, you can’t fix stupid, not even with duck tape.”

“Let go Sullivan. I can handle this little girl.” Jane said as she popped her knuckles. “Besides, I think she needs to be taught her place.”

“Jane, if I were you. I would shut up and do as I told you.” Amanda snarled. “Because she won’t be the only one beating the crap out of you. Look around and take a real good count of the number of girls wanting a piece of your ass. The only reason you’re our Class Rep is because Mrs. Ojima appointed you. You don’t have any friends here. Class mates only at best.”

Jane could tell that she wasn’t wanted and took the hint to leave. Amanda turned back to Ren. “Sorry about that Ren. Jane has a big time problem with anyone who even thinks about paying respect to veterans or the those who died in the last war. Do the rest of us a favor and give us a chance to prove we’re not a bunch of idiots?”

“I know you’re not Amanda. I just don’t understand what her whole beef is with me paying my respect to our veterans.” Ren sighed out.

Amanda looked at her friends. “Looks like I get to tell you what’s going on with Jane and the Shrine. You see there are some major controversies surrounding the Yasukuni Shrine. It’s a Japanese Shinto shrine to those who died while serving the Emperor of Japan during wars from 1867–1951. Most of the controversies surround the civilians involved the with the service and government officials. Yasukuni is a shrine to house the actual souls of the dead as kami. While this activity is strictly a religious matter due to the religious separation of State Shinto and the Japanese Government. The priesthood for the shrine has complete religious autonomy to decide whom and how enshrinement may occur. The current clergy believe that enshrinement is permanent and irreversible. One of the big trouble spots is the enshrinement of individuals that were found to be war criminals by the International Military for the Far East. With the approach to the war museum considered by some to be nationalist. People like Jane’s family, the Chinese, and Koreans, have called the Yasukuni Shrine a microcosm of a revisionist and unapologetic approach to Japanese crimes of World War II.”

“I can understand the Chinese, Koreans and some of the other South East Asian countries having a beef like that, but not Jane. I mean you can tell that she is a Brit.” Ren said to the gathered girls.

“You remember that school she mentioned?” Kim asked to have Ren nod her head. “Well that school is the one that most of the Embassy kids go to.”

“So, what does that have to do with her hating on me and the Yasukuni Shrine?” Ren was really perplexed now.

“Her daddy works in the British Consolette. Just like her grandfather did, and her great grandfather. One of the Consolettes that have been pushing to get the Shrine closed. That or show how the Japanese played a larger part in the war crimes of World War II.” Amanda explained the major contention for the Shrine and memorial. “See the Yasukuni Shrine operates a war museum of the history of Japan. The problem is some observers have criticized the museum as presenting a false revisionist interpretation of history. There’s a documentary-style propaganda video shown to museum visitors portrays Japan's conquest of East Asia during the pre-World War II period as an effort to save the region from the imperial advances of colonial Western powers. There are displays portraying Japan as the victim of foreign influence, most especially Western undermining of trade. One of the major problems with the museum is it has no mention of any of the atrocities committed by the Japanese Imperial Army, including the Nanking massacre.”

“I get it now. I think, let me know if I’m wrong.” Ren took a deep breath. “Jane’s grandfather fought the Japanese during the Second World War. Her family has been stuck here ever since working in the embassy in one way or another. And because the Yasukuni Shrine operates a war museum that, in her eyes, gives a false impression. Anyone who visits the Shrine is wrong regardless of their reasons. Never mind the fact that the Shrine is protected by the constitutionally religious separation of Shinto and the Japanese Government.”

“Yup, you got it in one.” Casey answered quickly. “How did you figure that out?”

“When my dad was stationed in Europe, we visited a few of the war memorials there.” Amanda saw that Ren had a faraway and forlorn look in her eyes as she talked about her parents. “There are more than a few memorials over there that are just as controversial as the Yasukuni Shrine.”

“I don’t mean to pry Ren, but why are you living with your aunt and not your parents?” Kim asked politely. “We can see that you really do want to be with them.”

“Is it because they’re at some kind of hardship duty assignment?” Amanda asked.

“My parents were killed by a drunk driver a little over two months ago.” Ren whispered. “My aunt Yoshi and my mom’s family were the only ones who could take me in. Even then it took the Army and US government over six weeks to straighten everything out so that they could.”

It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out the rest. Amanda quickly apologized for the gathered girls. “Sorry for being a bunch of nosey asshats, Ren. It’s just that we normally don’t get military BRATs in this school. If you need to spilt after school, we understand. Forget about that cunt Jane. We’ll deal with her.”

“What has my dipshit cousin done this time?” A new girl asked Amanda in a polished English accent. Ren turned to look at the new comer. “Rebeca Miller, Class President, and Jane’s worse fucking nightmare.”

“Pleasure to meet you, Ren Nagata. Newest student to Goto-Kono Senior High.” Ren said with a slight smile. “And apparently your cousin’s newest enemy.”

Rebeca chuckled at Ren’s description of herself. “Okay what you do to piss off my oh so lovely cousin on the first day?”

“She only missed having a perfect score for the Nationals by five points for starters. Oh, and doesn’t care about her national standing. Then manages to shutdown Ojima’s plan for replacing Amanda as her school guide before it ever gets started. Speaks Japanese as if she grew up speaking it. Has the never to be a military BRAT and attend our school instead of MacArthur.” Amanda smirked as she listed off Ren’s accomplishments so far for the day. “I haven’t even gotten to the good stuff, yet.”

“Damn she did all that on the first day?” Rebeca asked with a smile. Only to have the gathered girls just nod their heads as Ren blushed. “You go girl. I can’t wait to see what you do on your second day.”

That brought a round of giggles from the other girls as Ren just blushed even harder. Rebeca placed her hand on Ren’s shoulder. “Just let me handle my cousin, Ren. I know how she gets at times. The only thing that would piss her off even more was if you were going to visit the Yasukuni Shrine today.”

“Um… actually I am going to visit the Yasukuni Shrine today with my aunt. When she found out she kind of went ballistic on me.” Ren looked at the other girls before looking back up at Rebeca expecting to see the same hate that Jane held. Only to be surprised to see understanding instead.

“Trust me, Ren, I understand how my cousin gets. Sadly, she has been pumped full of the family history bullshit. About how our great grandfather stood up to the Axis Powers and their fascist movements. Just ignore her for the next two months. After that you won’t have to worry about her.” Rebeca told Ren.

Amanda picked up on what Rebeca was saying faster than the others. “Where is she going Becca? Over to MacArthur.”

“Nope. She’s going home. Her dad has been recalled to England. That means we will no longer have her company after the Holiday break.” Rebeca gave everyone a mile wide smile. Right before she started to giggle. “My mom and dad said they can’t wait for the New Year to start. For the first time in six years we won’t have to deal with my aunt, uncle, and bratty cousins.”

Ren gave her a strange look. The reason is she never really had any close family other than her mom and dad. “Is that normal? I mean family not liking each other?”

“Doesn’t your family fight Ren?” Rebeca asked her.

“I only just met my mom’s side of the family recently. As for my dad’s side I only have one aunt and she is in a long term care facility.” Once again Ren got quiet as she talked about her family. “I never really had much contact with my extended family until the past few weeks. My dad’s career kind of made it nearly impossible.”

The other girls understood better than Ren expecting, especially Amanda. “We kind of understand where you’re coming from Ren. Most of us here at Goto-Kono have never visited our parents home countries. Gretchen over in Class two-B has never even seen a windmill. Yet she’s from Holland. She even has Dutch citizenship but has never set foot in the country. She’s spent her entire life here in Japan.”

“I thought that this was a school for the children of Corporate Execs and Embassy Staff. You make it sound like it’s a boarding school of some kind?” Ren said looking around at the other girls.

“In some ways it is boarding school. Only it’s one where the students get to go home at night to be with their families.” Rebeca told Ren with a smile. “I should say our immediate families. With the exception of Jane’s parents, I never met any of my other uncles or aunts. I know that we have two uncles and one aunt back in England. Not to mention all four grandparents. What about you? Any aunts or uncles?”

“Oh man does she ever. Her aunt is Yoshi Nagata.” Kim was practically bouncing as she told Rebeca this juicy gossip.

Rebeca’s eye widened at hearing this. “IF you don’t start spilling the beans on the new Takashi Shimizu’s winter lineup.”

Ren held up her hands laughing. Once she regained control Ren turn deadly serious before holding up her right hand. “Sorry guys but I’m under an oath of secrecy, with the threat of banishment if I should reveal any of Takashi-sama’s designs. As much as I would love to help you out, I just cannot tell you that the new winter line will be featuring heavy wool wraps as an accent. Nor can I point to the use of powder blues and ice whites in tribute to the season.”

Ren sat there with her hand raised and eyes closed telling all about the new winter line that Takashi was soon to release. Her antics had the other girls in giggle fits. Only Amanda and Rebeca could tell that her behavior was forced. That Ren had taken the chance to change the topic and ran with it. Neither girl was going to ruin Ren’s ploy at escaping a painful topic.

When classes resumed Ren was back to her outgoing self once more. Amanda was happy to see her return to this lighter, happier, self. Their last three classes were Math, Biology, and Social Studies. All three of which Ren stayed relatively quiet but still participated in each class. Their teachers noticed that Ren was a very bright and serious student. Something that was missing from the class before. For Ren the day could not have gone better. She made her first new friends, had fun in class for a change, and best of all learned that she could fit in with people of her age group. She just had figure out how to keep them from pestering her about Takisha’s upcoming fashion designs.

-----tbc-----