The Memoires of Cordelia Chan

Nothing of much significance broke the now established routine. The second heat of the second round of the National Championship came and went. I managed two wins, six draws, and one loss placing me third in the heat but doing little to my overabl position. Marcus sent me another dress the following Friday and we went to another charity do. Then on the Wednseday prior to the Easter break, I was thrown another curve ball.
We were about half way through the second lecture of the morning when the Head of Faculty entered the hall and requested to address the students. The University had just concluded an exchange agreement with Nagoya University in Japan and there were three places available for the Year commencing in September. Usually to be acceptable for an exchange program a foreign student must pass the Japanese language exam in the December prior to the year of their enrolement.
Due to the lateness of the agreement and the desire to get the program underway this summer a special dispensation had been obtained. A group of examiners would be here on the 16th and 17th, which would be the Thursday and Friday prior to the recommencement of term following the Easter weekend, to conduct written and oral examinations in Japanese. Any student who wished to be considered for the exchange program, and who felt they could pass exams, should let him know by the end of play on Saturday.

As the Head left the theater everyone immediately started speculating on who'd be applying and who'd likely to get a place. The disruptive effect was so bad that we were dismissed from the lecture early. The rest remainder of lectures and tutorials that day faired little better.
I knew very well I could pass the oral exam, although the written paper might prove problematic. By the evening my initial enthusiasm had waned drastically as reality took hold. If I took this opportunity then the chances of completing the plans I had carefully set in motion were negligible. Should I sacrifice my long term future for short term gain.

It proved to be much harder to avoid the Faculty Head, now that I had reason to, than I had thought possible. Every where I went he seemed to be there, almost as if my place on the exchange had been pre-booked. Somehow I managed it until late Friday afternoon, just when I thought I'd escaped. Dealing with Charles's, Ryan's, and Alexis's reactions when I told then I wasn't applying had been difficult enough, but it was nothing compared to the lecture on stupidity I got when I told the Head I wasn't.

After escaping the Faculty Head I thought the matter closed but there was another curve ball waiting for me. With most of the campus heading home I'd gone to the pool for a swim and then back to my apartment. Perhaps I'd still been distracted by the head's lecture, but I failed to notice there was someone in the apartment until after he spoke. It was also one of the last people I'd expected to be there, but never the less siting on the sofa was Sato.
"Miss Chan, so nice of you to drop in. I was expecting you a little earlier, but since you're here now please come sit down."
I scanned the remainder of the flat from where I stood by the kitchen doorway.
"You're perfectly safe. I've better things to do than start a war. If I'd known who you were before hand things might have been slightly different. Now come and sit down I have an offer to make you that may change your mind about applying for the exchange placement."

This last statement took me completely by surprise and I stopped in mid expletive. Changing tack I went in to the kitchen and poured myself a drink before returning to sit on the sofa opposite Sato. It was at that point I noticed the tea service had been set out. Sato picked up the pot and proceeded to pour two cups. I knew something was definitely awry.
"I find myself in rather a difficult situation Miss Chan. Like yourself we prefer to keep matters within the family but in this instance, keeping it in the family has not worked and if the matter is not resolved will cause me serious difficulties. As head of the family it is incumbent upon me to ensure that the actions of its members do not bring disgrace upon us, but there is currently a situation developing that cannot be resolved using usual methods"
"You mean you can't kill it or beat it to a pulp!"
He smiled at me and continued. " My youngest brother's daughter will in a few months turn 15. Unfortunately, she has got herself involved with a group of teenagers from a rival family, one which it would do us no good to annoy. All of our efforts so far have only succeeded in increasing her rebelliousness"
"And apart from the fact that it's your brother's daughter, why haven't you beaten her to a pulp?"
"because there are other factors that you need not be aware of"
"So what is it you want from me?"
"I would like you to take her under your wing and provide her with a more suitable role model."
"And what happens if I can't get her to change her ways?"
"Nothing. You have my word"
"And in return for this I get?"
"You'd be a guest of the family. You'd also be assured of getting an exchange place. "
"No. I either get the place on my own merits or there's no deal. Being a guest of the family is a necessity of the task. There is a more traditional accommodation that should suffice. "
I walked into the bedroom and returned with the Katana Sensei Toguwara had given me. Sato went pale.
"Do we have a deal?"
"Yes. Now draw the blade."

After Sato left I wrote a letter of application and dropped it into the Head's mailbox on my morning run.
I attended Tai-Chi classes as usual and then trained as usual on Saturday night. The first two days of the holiday I used to catch up on some of my college work, then spent the rest of the week at the bike lot going over things with Jena. The impending trip to Japan would alter timescales slightly and I needed her help to ensure they came to fruition.
The Easter weekend itself was the third, and dashio, heat of the Bujinkan championship. Three wins and 4 draws earnt me joint first in my group, and moved me from joint last to joint third overall in my group.