“I like your idea of culling the dregs of our groups and assigning them to the outskirts as our workforce. Use your charisma to find a way to make them go willingly . . . as long as we have a way to ensure they never decide to rebel with their greater numbers.”

— Memo from Founding Matriarch Yolanda Cortez to Founding Father Elliot Tucker. Oath Keepers Archive of Truth, Volume 16

Kiriai hurried through Jitaku Park on her way home. Eigo should come to dinner tonight. If she was lucky, she’d have a moment to pull him aside and get his opinion on her quandary.

You cannot avoid decisions in life. If you do not make them, they are made for you.

Kiriai’s stride stuttered. Yabban?

Yes, Kiriai.

What was that? About decisions?

Kiriai felt a pulse of pleased accomplishment from the ancient gaming AI.

Did you like it? Did the words help you with your predicament?

Kiriai picked up her pace again and threaded her way through the passersby, trying not to look like she was having a conversation in her head. A suspicion formed in her mind.

Yabban, did you spend that attribute point?

Yes. Now Yabban’s voice felt uncertain. Don’t you recall giving me permission when you finished advancing your final novice moves from unlocked to learned? You said you were grateful.

Just tell me which personality attribute you chose.

Wise sayings. Wisdom is a valuable attribute for young players advancing into adulthood. Don’t you think? Also, studying concepts that history has marked as wise should increase my ability to act more human.

Kiriai digested the information, unsure whether to laugh or groan.

It is too late to change now. I have already assigned the attribute point.

Don’t worry, Yabban. I’m sure I’ll get used to it, just like your jokes.

What did the plate say to the other plate?

Hey, I said I’d get used to it.

Dinner is on me.

A snort escaped before Kiriai could stop it.

It appears that you appreciate my humor attribute more than my wise sayings. I will attempt to find more appropriate and enjoyable sayings.

Kiriai knew Yabban could sense her response and didn’t bother replying. Besides, she was home. A quick glance around their yard showed no one was around in the dusk of the early evening. Kiriai slipped around to the back of their small house and let herself in through the back gate. Being as quiet as possible, she made her way through the tidy garden Ojisan still insisted she spend a few hours a week taking care of. She’d suggested that they had enough credits now to hire someone to do the work. Ojisan had responded with a mixture of outrage and disdain. Kiriai let her hands trail through the vibrant green tomato stalks. As her tension fell away amidst the peace of the thriving plants, Kiriai had to admit her grandfather was right. Spending regular time among growing plants was valuable.

She slid the back door open with a careful movement and stepped inside their home dojo and work space.

“Kiriai!” Eigo said in a loud voice from across the open space. He stood by one of the supply shelves, a stack of cloth napkins in one hand.

“Shh.” She waved for him to keep his voice down.

He responded immediately by holding up one hand for her to wait before turning and hurrying back into the main house.

Kiriai walked to her area and deposited her gear bag in its slot on the bamboo shelf that held her equipment. She shrugged out of the light jacket she’d worn and hung it on its peg. She had just made her way to the lightweight sofa against one wall when Eigo came back into the room and joined her.

With the quiet and ease of longtime friends, they both turned and plopped back into the comfortable cushions.

“Well, you look beat,” said Eigo in a soft voice that wouldn’t travel out of the room. “What did you want to talk to me about without your grandfather hearing?”

“What makes you think I have some big secret to discuss? Maybe I just wanted some time with my best friend.”

His eyebrows rose. “The best friend you hardly ever see any more?”

Kiriai flushed. “Sorry about that. If I weren’t fighting so much—”

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. I know how many of the outer rim properties we’ve lost. We need you and the rest of the other scrappers to fight Raibaru Hood. None of us want to be Western Burb’s latest conquest. Preventing that is more important than spending time with a friend.”

Kiriai let out a tired sigh and leaned against Eigo. He tucked her into his shoulder and Kiriai wished she could push aside all her problems and just enjoy Eigo’s unconditional friendship.

“Now is the part where you tell me all your problems and I give you elegant and amazing solutions so you never have to worry again.”

A soft chuckle escaped Kiriai. If only it were so easy. “I could definitely use some elegant and amazing solutions right now.”

Eigo stayed silent, giving her the space to explain.

“Boss Akuto asked me to be one of the tributes he’s taking to the brawler tournament.”

Eigo sucked in a surprised breath. “Am I supposed to be excited for you or horrified? I know you’ve always wanted to be a brawler, but Chief Kosui wants your head on a platter.”

“Exactly!” Kiriai said, glad that Eigo understood the problem. “It’s actually another ploy that Jaaku has his nasty fingers involved in. Supposedly, Chief Kosui won’t choose me even if I make it to the final selection circle. But I’m a good enough fighter to satisfy the tribute requirements.”

Eigo straightened and turned sideways to face her. “Wait. They want you to go poke an angry bear like the chief just to take the spot of one of our other top fighters because you won’t get chosen?” Eigo was shaking his head. “And why does our boss even have to resort to this kind of trickery? Chief Kosui should take care of his hoods, including us. If we’re short fighters, he should send us more. Not only that, why doesn’t he make us exempt from sending tributes when we’re losing precious ground in the war?” Eigo frowned. “Is he trying to give our hood to Western Burb?”

Kiriai reached for his hand and gave it a squeeze. Eigo took a breath and calmed down. “I’m sorry, Kiriai. You’ve already risked so much fighting for our hood. It just makes me angry that they’re coming to you again. This is something our leaders need to work out between themselves, without shoving a scrapper into the middle of the problem.”

Kiriai felt relief wash through her. She let her head fall back against the cushions and closed her eyes.

“Um. Why am I the one stressed and yelling while you’re relaxed now, with a smile on your face? Did the universe just turn inside out?”

Kiriai’s smile widened. She opened her eyes and turned back to her best friend. “Thank you, Eigo.”

Eigo lifted a hand and shrugged. “I’m not sure what I did, but I’m happy to accept your thanks.”

“You helped me decide and now I’m feeling much more relaxed. You’re right. This is an issue between leaders and this time I won’t let them drag me into it. Let them get some other scrapper to risk her and her family’s life this time.”

Now Eigo’s grin matched hers and he bumped her with his shoulder. “Now you’re talking.”

“Plus, this will prevent any problems with Sento.”

“Sento?” Eigo’s voice flattened and Kiriai immediately regretted bringing up her boyfriend. Why couldn’t the two men in her life get along with each other?

“He’s hoping the boss chooses him tomorrow, and I told him I was fine not being considered for the spot. How do you think he’d feel tomorrow if he didn’t get chosen and I was?”

“Happy that his apprentice has surpassed him?”

The ludicrous statement made a laugh spurt out of Kiriai. Eigo looked pleased. “What? Just because he sponsored you as a scrapper last year doesn’t mean he’ll always be the better fighter. And if he truly loved you, he would be happy for your success, not jealous.”

Eigo’s expression had sobered, and Kiriai fought between a desire to defend Sento and a creeping sense of foreboding. “He would be happy for me, if I hadn’t burned my chance to be a brawler last fall. Besides, it would upset anybody to lose their dream only to see it go to someone else, especially someone who just insisted they didn’t want it.” She stopped and shook her head. “I just hate to keep messing things up between us.”

“Whoa! He’s lucky to have you. You’re not messing anything up.”

Kiriai appreciated her friend’s loyalty, but she had to face the facts. “I’m the one who took forever to let go of my anger before I could trust again. Sento waited patiently for months.”

“Rage at the brutal beating, the ricing he was a part of?”

Kiriai knew she must be slipping to have brought this up again. It was a topic in the ‘agree to disagree’ area that she and Eigo didn’t discuss. “Eigo, I love Sento and I want our relationship to work, regardless of the past. So I’m trying not to jeopardize it, all right?”

Eigo made an ambivalent gesture, but gave her a half smile and placed a hand on her arm.

A quiet moment passed with both lost in thought. Kiriai focused on how lucky she was with the people she had in her life.

“Wait!” Eigo said, startling Kiriai. “What will happen when you tell Boss Akuto no? He doesn’t tolerate disobedience.”

“No. That’s the good part,” she said, quick to reassure him. “Because of everything I’ve done for him, this time Boss Akuto told me I have a choice. I don’t have to go if I don’t want to.”

Eigo looked skeptical. “You believe him? He’s not just saying that?”

Kiriai shook her head. “He assured me a few times that he wouldn’t hold it against me if I chose not to go. I have to believe him.”

“Hmm. Stay home with my friends and family where I’m fighting arena battles against our vicious neighbor or travel to Southern Core where I can remind an even more brutal burb leader how I challenged him and wiped the floor with his champion last fall?” Eigo held up both hands and looked at them as if he were choosing between two pieces of fruit. Then he held up one with a triumphant look on his face. “Stay with Eigo, it is.”

Kiriai laughed and Eigo joined her. The carefree moment was even more precious considering how few she’d had lately.

“I thought I heard voices back here.”

The two friends looked up to see Isha standing in the doorway, a dish towel in one hand and a large spoon in the other. “Come in and sit down. Dinner’s ready and I don’t want it to get cold. And Ojisan said he has something important to discuss with you afterward.” She turned to head back into the house but paused and looked over her shoulder. “It’s nice to hear you two laughing again. You should do it more.”

She disappeared through the doorway before they could answer.

Kiriai and Eigo exchanged a happy look, and she had to agree with Isha. More often was a good idea.