[IC] The Battle of Sea Salt Bay

[Rhythmloid]

"I well, uh, my father owns the new diner that opened up on the boardwalk. It's a big chain that's only in this state! People come from all over to try it. Maybe we could go out there sometime? If you want to of course..." Corrine blushes.

"Thank you for taking me home. I owe you one. What time is it?" She looks down at her pocket watch. It was 10:30. She still had time to get ready!

"I guess I'll see you tomorrow at school, huh? Could you do me another favor? Could you keep us a secret? If anyone found out I would be in big trouble. I might not see you ever again. Please? And thank you!" She gives him a big kiss on the cheek and runs over to the side of the house. Her small frame is seen climbing up the side of the house and onto the balcony. She blows a kiss out to him and opens the windows inside.

---

Corrine sighed wistfully. She lays out her clothes and gets ready for her guest to come. She couldn't stop thinking about last night. The party, the trip to the woods, their kiss; everything seemed like a fairytale. But she still had a wonderful time. For the next couple of hours she was getting ready for her guests and thinking about Rolo.

[TwelveOf8]

Rolo took off down the street after bidding farewell to Corinne. Down the hill, back towards Sea Salt Bay proper. To say that he was smitten with Corinne would've been the understatement of the century. She was everything he could've hoped for, and more. And to think that her father owned a chain of diners all across the state. Road trips and free diner meals. Such a proposition sounded like heaven to Rolo. Of course, he did have to play nice with her old man though. Keep on his good side and it'll be easy street from there on out. The more Rolo thought about it the more excited he got. But did he dare get his hopes up for this girl? Rolo still wasn't quite sure. Their relationship had just begun, so it was still too early to predict how things would turn out. The breakup with his last girlfriend came as a shock after all. One things for sure though, he hoped above all else that their relationship would become a serious one, perhaps even an eternal one.

And so he rode through the streets of Sea Salt Bay, fantasising about Corinne and her free diner meals. For now though they had to keep their courtship a secret; as per her wishes. Rolo understood Corinnes urge to remain clandestine, more than she knew. Such things needed to strengthen before bearing the weight of extreme scrutiny. That was especially true in a town like Sea Salt Bay. The New Royals were on the rise, which precipitated the return of the bad old days. All Rolo worried about though, was type of pancake he was gonna have. Chock-chip, strawberry, or blueberry. Decisions decisions.

[Rhythmloid]

Corrine put on one of her best dresses. She scrambles to fix her hair and overall get ready as the time is running out. She only has thirty minutes until he arrives! Oh she wishes he wouldn't come! She wishes that he would cancel and never come back!

"Miss? Are you there?" A voice called out from behind her door.

He came early.

"Oh! Y-yes! Give me one second!" She straightens herself out, puts her hair in a simple ponytail and walks out of her room. Her visitor was standing there. He had bright cerulean eyes, yet a cold stare. His blonde hair made him look like an angel. He was almost every highschool girl's dream come true.

"Hello, Klaus. I haven't seen you since we moved. H-how have you been?" Corrine asks.

"Well, hello, my fiancée. Look how beautiful you look! Let's go have lunch in the back. Is your garden finished? I heard it's exactly like the one your mother had." His thick German accentbis prominent. He seems all too enthusiastic to see her. He grips her hand tightly and practically drags her down the stairs. She's about ready to jump out a window and run away. Lord, help her.

[TwelveOf8]

"Hey dude, what's up!" greeted Switch.

Rolo was a hard person to miss. Big, round, and bound in leather. To Switch he almost looked like a bull wearing the skin of another bull. If Rolo had horns then the look would be complete. Such a figure proved to be quite imposing, especially to rival gang members. No doubt, Rolo was a great asset to the crew. A fact that Switch nor any of the other guys dared not forget. But seeing Rolo at that table on his own, with bits of blueberry on his face, happily shovelling down fat stacks of pancakes, betrayed his almost childlike nature. Such a thing, to Switch at least, was comforting. It reinforced the notion that some things never changed simply because they didn't need to. When it came to the business of running a gang, it was always preferable to deal with people who had easily fulfilled desires. Rolo himself was such a person. That was one of the many reasons why Switch considered Rolo to be not only a dependable crew member, but also a dependable friend. It was no surprise that whenever Switch felt lonely, he could always find Rolo at the local pancake place every Sunday morning.

Rolo looked up from his third helping of pancakes to see Switch approach his table. Despite his clothes looking a little disheveled and the presence of a hicky on his neck, he looked alright. In fact, Rolo noticed that Switch had a spring in his step.

"Hey bro. Looks like you had a fun night." Rolo remarked.

Switch took a seat opposite Rolo. He then put his feet up on an adjacent chair.

"Damn right I did! You left early with that little chick. Corrine was it? I mean, with the height difference and your..." Switch hesitated before continuing.

"Is she still alive!?" Switch whispered loudly.

"Hey! It wasn't like that! We just ya know, talked." replied Rolo defensively.

"Come on man! Ya think I was born yesterday!? Yous guys wouldn't have taken off early just to talk. Somethin must've gone down. And before you get all mad and dismissive and shit, remember that there ain't no secrets when gang stuff's involved. Brothers for life." proclaimed Switch.

"Yeah yeah I know." replied Rolo dismissively.

"If you must know, I took Corinne to Ghost Rock. I told her a ghost story, we made out a little, and then we fell asleep. And even if I wanted to, there ain't no back support for a guy like me out in the wild." explained Rolo.

"Classic seduction move right there. Wouldn't work with a local girl though. Not in a million years. Man I gotta try it myself, just gotta find me a new chick or a tourist or somethin." stated Switch.

"What happened to that girl last night. Cynthia wasn't it?" Rolo asked.

"You know darn well that her reputation is almost as bad as mine. Like as soon as my back was turned, off with another dude." explained Switch.

"And before you start feelin sorry for me, mission accomplished." stated Switch proudly.

"You sure know how to pick em." commented Rolo.

"And I couldn't be happier with my choices! proclaimed Switch.

"Don't doubt that for a second pal." replied Rolo.

Rolo shoved one of his plates of pancakes towards Switch. Topped with maple syrup and vanilla ice cream. It was a dish to die for.

"Here, eat up. Don't have to pay dude. I know you're a poor bitch. But don't think you don't owe me nothin. I'll be callin in a favour real soon." offered Rolo.

"If pussy was money then I'd be one rich muthafucka." replied Switch playfully.

"Oh, and thanks bro. You're probably gonna ask me to do something annoying and lame but these pancakes, these pancakes! Worth it!" exclaimed Switch excitedly.

"Eat up!" Rolo ordered lightheartedly.

[Rhythmloid]

Corrine and Klaus make their way toward the back garden for lunch. Corrine felt extremely uncomfortable being anywhere near him. Everything he does is creepy. Even when he breathes! He was so suspicious to her.

As they made their way toward the garden, there was a garden table already set up with tea and sandwiches.

"Oh? Why, you already set up everything! I knew you liked me!" He grinned and quickly walked to the table, admiring the food. Corrine was puzzled. She wasn't the one who set that up. She was getting ready before he came. Most of her brothers weren't home, it couldn't have been them. Corrine thought and thought, until she looked at the table again.

It was Charlie. He was the only one who used the green tea set. And cut the crust off of his sandwiches. She smiled knowing that she would at least have a nice lunch with the creep. She sat down and sat up straight. Her father had drilled these manner into her head; it was second nature by now.

The awkward silence was killing her. He stared at her lovingly as he took a sip of his green tea. She decided to make conversation.

"S-so.... did you have a safe trip here from Germany? How long are you staying?" she asked.

"Why yes! It took a very long time to get here, but it was all worth it to see you! I'm staying for about two more weeks! I hope I get to see you more often, my dear." Corrine cringed. How could anyone not see how creepy he is? She nodded and continued to sip her tea. She couldn't believe she was thinking this, but she actually wanted school to start! She couldn't wait to get away from him.

"My dear, is something wrong?" he asked.

Corrine shook her head.

"You look upset."

She shook her head.

"Corrine, answer me."

She shook her head harder.

"Answer me!" he yelled.

She jumped up and hid in her chair.

"I-I'm just home sick! I wanna go home!" she trembled.

"Aw~ poor baby! I'm sure you'll like it here in Sea Salt Bay! It looks like a nice town!" His tone completely changed. He was like another person. If only she had proof her father might call off the marriage. If only Rolo were here. She would have had a much better time chatting with him.

She finished off her tea and sighed. Just another hour Corrine, and the rest of the day is yours! She could try and find someone to hang with. Or maybe go back down to the beach. Anywhere but here.

She felt like she was forgetting something. Something important. But she couldn't put her finger on it. It must have been important.

"Corrine! Let's go back inside! I want to tell you about Germany. You are my fiancée after all, and I'm making you move in with me, so I think you should at least have a bit of knowledge about it, right?" He takes her arms and practically drags her to the parlor. His grip is unusually tight. She didn't want to complain or hear him yell again, so off she went to the parlor, getting a boastful earful about Germany.

[TwelveOf8]

It was a short time later when a rather unexpected visitor came to the pancake place. The bell that was attached to the door rang out as it opened, announcing his arrival. Wearing black pants, leather shoes, a camel shade button up shirt, and a wide brimmed camel shaded hat, sheriff Waxley of Sea Salt Bay Police Department was indeed the typical stereotype of a small town sheriff. A middle aged veteran with a gruff demeanour and a zero tolerance policy for sass. According to the local punks he was very much the friendly neighbourhood buzzkill. The old and the boring loved him and the young and the interesting hated him. It was obvious to all though that despite all that, the sheriff took great pride in his job.

Rumours abounded that the glock he was armed with has been fired for extralegal reasons on more than one occasion. Though such rumours had been proven to be unfounded. Still, there's been many strange rumours that have plagued the town of Sea Salt Bay and its more prominent members of society. Though many people have simply chalked them up to small town idle gossip. But some people still believed. Such people were always a treat to talk to.

Both Rolo and Switch looked up from their plates nervously as the sheriff approached. What was strange was that out of all the Sundays that Rolo ate at the pancake place, he never once saw the sheriff in there. It was obvious to the two friends that this encounter was not gonna be because of random happenstance.

"Mornin fellas, enjoyin your breakfast?" greeted sheriff Waxley.

"Good morning sir. Yeah, breakfast is good." replied Rolo awkwardly.

"These pancakes are out of this world." Switch intoned.

"Hehe I bet they are. Gertrude does a hell of a good job doesn't she? That old gal has been makin pancakes ever since the gosh darn dinosaurs walked the earth." joked the sheriff.

Both Rolo and Switch laughed nervously. The tension was too thick for a simple little joke to break it. The sheriff himself though, grinned smugly to himself. He secretly got off on the tension he created when it came to dealing with so called "tough" guys.

"And I don't think she'd take to kindly to you dirtying up her furniture son. And sit like a normal person, for heavens sake." ordered the sheriff.

"Y-yes sir." stammered Switch.

Switch then took his feet off of the other adjacent chair and placed them firmly in the ground. He glanced at the other chair briefly, to check for signs of dirt. Luckily, there was not a spec to be found.

"Uhh is there anything you need sheriff?" asked Rolo.

"Truth be told, not really, though I could do with a couple of pancakes myself. Sadly though, I ain't got the time. Somebody has to keep the local hooligans in line and such. But there was somethin I've been meanin to ask you two gentlemen about. Maybe you two could shed a little light on the subject." explained the sheriff.

"And what might that be?" asked Switch.

"Well I'm glad you asked! announced the sheriff.

"There was a little incident with a bunch of burnin tires down on Main Street. I don't suppose any of you two fine gentlemen know anythin bout that?" asked sheriff Waxley.

"Well uhh I dunno." replied Rolo.

"Yeah, we don't know nothin. It could've been anyone. We aren't the only guys who own bikes and stuff." asserted Switch.

"You know it's an offence to lie to an officer of the law right?." asked the sheriff.

"May I ask sheriff, what makes you think that we know anything about it?" countered Switch.

"Those are some mighty fine bikes you boys got out there. They look awfully like the ones those hoodlums rode at the scene." the sheriff observed.

"The Harley Davidson FL is a common and popular motorcycle. I'm sure we ain't the only ones who have em." stated Switch.

"I suppose not. Just makin light conversation. Ya know that there's gonna be an assembly about it at your school tomorrow mornin? It's an important one so make sure you boys ain't sick or nothin." explained the sheriff.

"Wouldn't dream of it. We'll be there, front row center. said Switch.

"Yeah, we will." said Rolo.

"Glad to hear it boys. Y'all have a good rest of the day ya hear!?" said sheriff Waxley.

"Don't worry, we will." relied Switch.

"Yeah, and a good morning to you to sir." said Rolo.

The sheriff then walked away from the table then out the door. The bell on the door rang once again, signalling his departure. Both Switch and Rolo looked at each other incredulously. It was the first time that any of them had ever been questioned directly by the sheriff himself. It was as clear as day that things weren't going to be so easy for the Salt Bay Turbos anymore.

[Rhythmloid]

Corrine sat in the parlor, listening to Klaus ramble about Germany and why it's a fantastic place. She could hardly keep her eyes open.

"Mein Schatz?" A voice called out to her. She quickly opened her eyes. She didn't fall asleep did she?

"You don't look so good. Are you sick? Oh no, let me take you to your room. I'll come back next week to check on you." Corrine didn't have a chance to say anything before Klaus carefully picked her up off of the sofa. She groaned as she's removed from her comfortable spot. But at least he was leaving. He carries her with ease up the stairs and into her bedroom. He lays her down on her bed and smiles.

"Now you stay here and rest. I'll go tell your brothers that you aren't feeling well. My poor baby..." He takes her hand and squeezes it particularly hard. She flinches as her hand starts to hurt. Corrine looks up at his face and notices a mischeavious smile spread across his lips. He was up to something again. He kisses her hand and leaves the room, closing the door behind him.

She felt her forehead. She wasn't burning up. Maybe she shouldn't have slept in the forest last night. She decided to stay in her room and catch up on some much needed rest.

[TwelveOf8]

"Hey there fellas, ya miss me!?" Chet greeted.

It was around eleven o'clock when Chet showed up to the usual hangout spot beneath the boardwalk. After their encounter with the sheriff, both Switch and Rolo wasted no time in leaving the pancake place. Switch himself seriously considered never going returning to said establishment if there was a chance that they would ever be hassled by the law again. Rolo on the other hand, felt differently. Truly nothing on earth could ever get between him and his pancakes. Such a prospect was inconceivable. But still, it was abundantly clear to Rolo that precautions had to be taken. Given all that had transpired, both Switch and Rolo looked and felt visibly relieved at Chets arrival.

"Dude, more than you know." replied Switch.

"Yeah, officer friendly had a little talk with us. And by officer friendly, I mean the sheriff. And what I mean by little talk I mean that..." explained Rolo.

Switch cut him off however. "He's been askin us questions about the challenge we made to the town. Man I knew it was a bad idea. It's not like the bad old days anymore. People are a hell of a lot more uptight now. Switch interjected.

"Yeah, I know. But we had to do it. All part of the plan." Chet replied.

He then took out both a cigarette and a lighter from his jacket pocket then lit up. The drag he took was slow and deep.

"Whose plan!? Your plan or the pompous little squares plan!?" asked Switch.

"Yeah! Who are we actually doin shit for!? Who's really callin the shots!?" asked Rolo.

Chet grabbed his cigarette with both the ring and index fingers of his left hand. It was after a slight pause before Chet breathed out a long plume of smoke from his mouth. He then let his left arm hang slackly at his side. Chet never failed to always have a calm and relaxed demeanour, even when he didn't feel calm nor relaxed in the slightest.

"Whose plan you ask? Why, would you believe it's both? Even though Charles and I may benefit from our mutual arrangement, as intended, let me assure you gentlemen that it'll be our master plan that we'll fulfill, not his. For now though, both our plans will coincide for the foreseeable future." explained Chet.

"And as always Rolo, good buddy, I'm the one you're actually doin shit for. I'm the one who's really callin the shots, and don't you forget it." asserted Chet calmly.

"Yeah that's all well and good, but will you ever let us in on your so called master plan!? I mean, we're your best pals and we have no idea what's goin on! Your treatin us like chumps here! expounded Switch.

"Yeah! Brothers for life! Remember!?" added Rolo.

"In due time fellas. All I ask is that you don't stop trustin me, your leader. I need your trust now more than ever! Big things are commin and we need to stick together. So just relax alright!?" pleaded Chet.

"Well, you never steered us wrong before. I trust ya. Just don't keep us in the dark forever." asked Switch.

"I still trust you to. You're a good dude." said Rolo.

"Thanks fellas, it means a lot. I promise you guys that our gang will come out on top! Don't you worry bout that!" proclaimed Chet.

Chet then performed the secret Salt Bay Turbo handshake with Switch then Rolo. A sign of solidarity, though for Switch, rang hollow. Chets grip wasn't as firm as it usually was.

"Hey, ya seen short man around?" asked Rolo.

"He's with church girl aka Miranda." replied Chet.

"For a church girl she sure is loose with her holiness. Well, not that loose. We're talkin bout Divo here guys! I mean come on!" joked Switch.

Both Chet and Rolo giggled. Switch himself let out one of his signature obnoxious hyena laughs. It was for that brief moment that Chet forgot the various issues that swirled around in his mind. So many loose ends. So many things that could go wrong. Chet began to question his leadership as of late. Such a feeling of uncertainty increased over the last week. The conversation they just had further intensified that feeling to new and uncomfortable levels. Truly, he never felt so anxious before.

Chet took another deep, slow drag of his cigarette.

[Rhythmloid]

Corrine woke up to something rather heavy on her chest. She couldn't breathe, let alone move. She squirmed around until something fluffy brushed her nose. The object jumped off of her and instead layed next to her. She opens her eyes to see Sebastian standing there with a mouse in his mouth.

"Sebby! You jerk!" She crosses her arms and growls angrily. But one look into the fat cats eyes melted her heart.

"Oh, I can never stay mad at you!" She hugs her cat tightly and swings him around. He hisses and runs off. Not without scratching her face, of course. She quickly rushes to the bathroom to wash her wound. A large red scratch wound was across her cheek. Serves her right for squeezing the life out of her cat.

Corrine got dressed, gathered her things, and decided to take a ride down to the beach. Maybe she could explore somewhere new. She parked her bike near the beach, putting a special lock on it. She had never been under the boardwalk before. She ran over to the wooden poles, only to hide behind a rock. She heard voices, but didn't know where they were coming from. Corrine stood there, hoping no one would find her.

[TwelveOf8]

"Hey there little lady!" greeted Divo.

It came as no surprise to him that Corinne would find her way down to the underside of the boardwalk. Chrinne did strike him as the inquisitive type. He watched as Corinne went from hiding behind one of the wooden pillars to hiding behind the rock before greeting her. Rather than spook her, as he initially intended, he instead opted to greet her cheerfully.

It just so happened that Divo was still in an amazing mood from the previous night. Miranda was quite the sweetheart, no doubt about it. Their night together at the party ended romantically enough, though he'd be lying if he wasn't slightly disappointed. Miranda was known as the church girl after all but Divo could tell that she had a wickedly fun side to her. A kiss goodnight was all he got, but the kiss though, was more than a little smutty. So much so that it got to a point where she was doing all of the work. A quiet girl with a sexually dominant side. That suited Divo just fine. As far as he was concerned, it was worth the wait.

"We gotta stop meeting like this." commented Divo.

[Rhythmloid]

Corrine jumped and squeaked. Someone found her?! She turned around to see that it was just Divo. She tried to stop her beating heart, but it was no use.

"Oh, its just you. You scared me! What are you doing here, anyway? Do you like coming to the beach too?" she asked.

Divo seemed to be in a peppy mood. Did something happen last night? Corrine sat down daintily on a nearby rock. She couldn't tell him that she was spying. He won't trust her anymore. Not that he trusted her too much anyways. But she needed to be more cautious. Curiosity always leaded to trouble with her.

[TwelveOf8]

Divo gave Corinne quite a bemused look. He was sure that Corinne discovered the Salt Bay Turbos unofficial hangout spot. It was in that moment that Divo realised that Corinnes courage may actually be attributed to innocence, not bravery. Such a discovery put Divo in a rather playful mood.

"Yeah I'm a real surfer dude, in case you couldn't tell. Let me just get on my surfboard real quick." said Divo.

Divo then proceeded to clamber up onto the rock behind which Corinne hid. He was surprisingly spry for such a short, stocky guy. His feet slipped a couple of times though. He stood upon the small boulder with a wide, squatting stance. His arms were stretched straight out to the sides, like a surfer.

"Kawabunga!" yelled Divo.

These antics, of course, caught the attention of the nearby Salt Bay Turbos. Rolo and Switch themselves were particularly amused.

"That ain't no surfboard ya nub!" shouted Rolo.

"Yeah! If ya want a surfboard, send your mum over to my place!" shouted Switch.

[Rhythmloid]

She giggles before hearing two familiar voices. She hops off of her rock and hides. She knows it's no use but it's a habit of hers. If you get caught, hide!, her brother always told her. People can't catch you if they can't find you.

She found it funny how they were underneath the boardwalk and not near the water like ost people would be. It was rather intriguing. She figured it must be a hangout spot. A hangout spot she could take if she wanted. But that was rather selfish of her. The beach belonged to everyone! Except it belongs to her.

"Switch is here? And R-Rolo?" Corrine blushed, remembering last nights antics.

[TwelveOf8]

"What you talkin about!? You're so broke you can't even afford Popsicle sticks!" retorted Divo.

"I've got a Popsicle stick for your mum, and she can suck it aaalll niiiigghhht Loooong." shouted Switch.

"Why you..." Divo began before stopping himself in his tracks. He didnt want his anger to spook Corinne after all.

He looked down and saw Corinne hiding away from the fellas. She seemed really shy and embarrassed for some reason. Perhaps she wished to not see the big fella himself. Perhaps something happened between them the previous night before, something embarrassing maybe? Whatever the reason was, Divo did not wish to call attention upon Corinne, for it was obvious that she desired none.

"See ya around little lady." Divo whispered loudly down to her. He gave Corinne a conspiratorial wink.

"Who ya talkin to!? Your imaginary girlfriend!?" shouted Rolo.

"Yeah! She doesn't occupy space, and even she says you take up too much room!" Divo shouted back.

"What!?" replied Rolo, who was undoubtedly confused.

"Good one Divo! Did you find that joke in the space inside your mums vagina!?" shouted Switch.

"Screw you!" Divo yelled back.

Divo hopped off the boukder with an audible thud then made his way to the group.

[Rhythmloid]

Corrine tries her best not to laugh, but she ends up cracking up. Their banter reminds her so much of her older brothers, bickering and fighting about anything and everything. She was close to tears.

"HAHAHA! Imaginary girlfriend! That sounds like something Antonio would say!"

She stands up and comes out of her hiding. She hangs onto a rock and continues laughing, wiping her tears away and forgetting that the others can see her, plain as day.

[TwelveOf8]

"What the..." Switch began to say, before being interrupted by Rolos exuberant outburst.

"Corinne baby!" shouted Rolo.

The big, hefty fella bounded and plodded through the sand of the beach towards Corinne. His body moved with the grace of a beached walrus whilst his arms waved with the erratic excitement of a hungry seagull. Seeing Rolo run was quite a rare sight. Usually it was he who made other people run. Whether by fear or obligation, they always ran. Suffice it to say, such an inspiring display brought upon a less than inspiring response from the other members of the Salt Bay Turbos. Many of which struggled to stifle their laughter.

Rolo panted and heaved heavily when he reached Corinne a couple of moments later. His face looked flushed and there were beads of sweat on his brow. Nevertheless, he wore an expression of ecstatic excitement.

"Hey, there, little, darlin." Rolo greeted quickly between his various pants and heaves.

[Rhythmloid]

"Hehe... Hi, Rolo! You seem cheery today! Did something happen?"

She takes Rolo's hand and beams. She's never really had a boyfriend. Or the equivalent to it. It felt nice to have someone care for her so much. She felt loved, quite dearly.

"I guess all your little friends are here too! Haven't seen you together since I met you!" The last time she had seen them together was when she snuck off from work and found their clubhouse. It was only a week ago yet it felt like she has known them forever.

[TwelveOf8]

Rolo took a couple of deep breaths before proceeding to speak. He felt significantly calmer after his third deep breath. Such a manoeuvre allowed him to regain his composure. Well, as composed as Rolo could get. He then wiped the sweat from his forehead with the leather sleeve of his jacket. Leather wasn't the most porous of materials, so he merely spread the sweat further along his brow.

"What're you doin down here baby girl? Is there some square givin you trouble?" Rolo asked.

"Yo! Corinne! Switch called out.

Both Divo and Chet looked visibly uncomfortable. It was like they were trying to ignore the elephant in the room. The rest of the Salt Bay Turbos murmured amongst themselves whilst looking at Corinne, wondering what her next move will be. Chet made a gesture at Divo then towards Corinne. Divo himself nodded then proceeded forth towards the couple.

[Rhythmloid]

"Oh, don't worry, I'm fine! Well, I was gonna collect some sea shells, but I guess I found you instead!" She giggled. She couldn't help bit feel the stares coming from the other members. She felt a little bad that she might have been interupting something.

"Hey, hey, what are they taking about? Why are they staring?
Are you guys having a meeting!? Oh no! I'm ruining everything, huh? I'm sorry!
M-maybe I should go."

[TwelveOf8]

And then there was one.

"It's nothin babe. Just us guys hanging out is all." placated Rolo.

A moment later, Divo approached both Rolo and Corinne. He wore of look of trepidation. Almost like he was anticipating something, something bad. Anyone who knew Rolo knew that he didn't take bad news well. It was also known amongst his peers that Rolo had an unfortunate habit of shooting the messager, so to speak. And so Divo braced himself before he passed on Chets orders.

"Corinne, it's real nice to see y-you again." Divo greeted nervously.

"And Rolo? You know the rules right? About non-members and club meetings? Look, we all like Corinne. She's a real cool cat, but..." Divo paused for a moment before getting to the point.

"Technically, according to club rules, Corinne ain't allowed to be here. She's not really a member of the Salt Bay Turbos after all. We all like her though big guy, we really do. Don't get me wrong." Divo explained nervously.

"Well Divo, little buddy. I'm glad you like Corinne. I'm glad you approve of my choices in life. And I'm especially glad that you think that I'm the kinda guy who would follow the rules." the derision in Rolos voice when he said that last word was painfully obvious.

"I'M AN OUTLAW DAMNIT! AIN'T NOBODY GONNA CONTROL ME! AND THAT GOES DOUBLE FOR A GROUP OF LAME LITTLE SELLOUTS!" Rolo shouted.

Divo backed away several steps with his hands raised in front of him. He was literally shaking in his boots. Sure, Rolo got mad before, but Divo couldn't help but notice that so,etching was different this time around. Something has changed, most definitely.

"What are you t-talking about?" stammered Divo.

"Yeah, what are you talking about Rolo?" asked Chet.

The leader of the Salt Bay Turbos approached Rolo whilst he screamed at Divo. And now he stood between the two, like a sentinel. The coldness in Chets voice was quite chilling indeed. It was rare for Chet be angry at any of the crew, let alone Rolo. Divo quickly scampered away, back towards Switch and the rest of the Salt Bay Turbos. The entire crew was silent with shock and anticipation.

Rolo made a sigh of resignation before replying to Chets question. "Whatever, Corinne lets split. It's gettin real boring around here anyway."

Rolo approached Corinne then wrapped his left arm around her shoulders. He then guided her away from beneath the boardwalk, away from the rest of the Salt Bay Turbos. Chet merely stared after them, with a look of barely contained rage in his eyes. The rest of the crew just stared on in silence. Even Switch was left speechless.

"Nevermind your pretty little head about all that Corinne baby. It's all behind us now." said Rolo quietly.

As Rolo led Corinne to his motorcycle opinion the parking lot, he felt uncertain, yet free. A combination of feelings that Rolo had never felt before.

---

"Kimiko, oh Kimiko!" called out Mr. Yoshida.

The estate in Kyoto in which the Yoshidas inhabited was a relatively large one, situated near the bamboo forest west of the city. Built in the traditional Edo period style, the Yoshida estate has been passed down for generations. All the way back to the time when the Yoshida family were loyal high-ranking retainers for lord Nobunaga Oda. Surrounded by walls that were several feet high, were the manor itself as well as the spacious and luxurious zen garden towards the back of the estate. It is within this garden that Mr. Yoshida knelt, beneath a Sakura tree. He was gazing into the koi pond in front of him, whilst pondering deeply his many burdens. Kimiko herself stood in a nearby gazebo, practicing her calligraphy with a large ink brush and several large pieces of paper. Upon hearing her fathers summons she immediately stopped what she was doing to answer his call.

"Yes father?" Kimiko answered dutifully.

"I have something I need to discuss with you, precious daughter." said Mr. Yoshida gravely.

"What is it father? Is it about that boy?" asked Kimiko.

"You were always so very clever. Why yes it is." answered her father.

"But first, answer me this. Do you know why I've insisted that we spend more time with each other, while partaking in traditional activities?" he asked.

"N-no I haven't" Kimiko answered meekly.

"It's because I wanted to reinforce within you, a lesson. A very important lesson I might add. For you see Kimiko, no matter where you go in this world, you will always have both strength and a place to call home, for the spirit of Japan will always be with you." lectured Mr. Yoshida.

"Umm what does the spirit of Japan have to do with that boy?" Kimiko asked out of genuine confusion.

"I was just getting to that. And please do not speak out of turn. It is unbecoming of a young lady of your stature." reprimanded her father.

"Sorry father, please forgive me." replied Kimiko.

"All is forgiven. Now, about that boy. It seems that he is spending a year at home all by his lonesome. Judging by my talk with him, and by what his father has told me, he is in need of guidance. And as I see it Kimiko, you are in need of a test." stated Mr. Yoshida.

"A test?" she asked with genuine curiosity.

"Yes, a test. Later on this year I will send you to America to see this boy. You shall work alongside him in order to establish a Yoshida electronics store in his town. Who knows? Maybe you'll get to know each other? Hmm?" explained her father.

Kimiko saw this coming a long way away, but to have ot confirmed like this was still quite a shock to her.

"I understand." Kimiko replied.

"Good." said Mr. Yoshida.