Originally posted February 8, 2010
((Chance gets an opportunity to unwind before his next adventure. The phone call he receives tells him that Gale has been arrested and is on her way back to Japan to face charges for murder. The song lyric is Lyric by Zwan.))
Chance walked down the street, past the 10 meter snow sculpture of Chibi Maruko-chan, past the 20 meter rendering of The Royal Palace of Baekje, to purchase tasting servings of Jingisukan and Kanimeshi. Buying a Sapporo, he settled down at a table and made himself as comfortable as he could in the cold. He missed the opening ceremonies and an opportunity to meet the official Ice Queen. Depending on his mood, he might meet an unofficial member of court soon enough.
He had decided to return to Japan on a commercial carrier, playing on his dad's guilt to upgrade to business class. It didn't quite match the Arasaka corporate jet, but it gave Chance a stopover in Narita that he used to meet with Roz. They traded information and debriefed. The young hero left with ample reading material for the second leg to Sapporo.
After checking in at a local ryokan, Chance started walking around, taking in the sights. Jet lag threatened to pull him deep into a futon, but the many sculptures and people kept his mind awake. In all the time he had spent in Japan, he had never made it to Hokkaido. He enjoyed the new experience.
He watched and listened, enjoying his mutton, crab, and beer. She would find him soon enough, until then, he contented himself playing tourist.
--
Chance set down the phone, stood up to retrieve another beer, then returned to the table.
Little bits and pieces made sense at last. He would not feel guilty confessing the conversation eased pressure on his conscience. He had avoided Gale since learning what happened. His mind couldn't reconcile a quintuple murderer without some consequence. After Eddie told him about the assault on the cop outside his door, it seemed clear to Chance that Gale needed some help out of that sphere of surreal un-reality her sensei and circumstance had placed her in so many years before.
That came as a surprise. It didn't seem like Kori to not follow up. Who could judge what went through her mind 13 years ago? Twelve. Gale was twelve when she was in Japan. Thank Christ. Even with the recent juvenile judicial reform in Japan, it was unlikely Gale would face hard prison time. Japanese juvenile detention centers differed greatly from their American counterparts. If Gale could handle it, if she could and was willing to learn and change, should could end her incarceration with a sealed record and a much firmer grip on reality.
Assuming Gale's mother didn't "poof" her and that Kori's deception fooled the Yak. Chance did what he could in that regard.
Chance thought back to his anti-gang work and the kids in his Rogers Park Neighborhood. For some, disadvantage and abuse became the fire that drove them, empowered them to tear up the label of victim and move on with their lives. He'd seen it. Chance had witnessed that moment when some kids younger than Gale made that choice and stuck to it in the face of difficulty.
That same fire consumed others, burned different size chunks of their souls away until the teens stood as husks. It came down to personal choice, personal responsibility; about actually doing and not just thinking about, the next right thing.
He told Diana he would help any way he could. His guilt ridden father still had contacts at the Japanese State Department that might help ease things or offer protection. If Gale was truly willing to take these steps, Chance would offer whatever aid he could. He had done it for other, more anonymous teens.
The empty beer can made a hollow noise against the edge of the dust bin. Chance stood and adjusted his coat against the cold. He hadn't played tourist in any of the years of his adult life. He could enjoy this. Kori would contact him when she was ready.
--
Dutch travelers always seem so happy to find someone who speaks their language outside of The Netherlands. When the two blonde co-eds discovered Chance spoke fluent Japanese as well, he suddenly gain two new best friends, if not for life, at least the evening. He enjoyed the opportunity to practice that tongue. With its tendency to cram as many vowels and consonants together in a word as possible, switching from Dutch to Japanese and back posed a nice challenge. Actually, Aaf and Hada spoke English quite well and Chance couldn't fault their taste in beer.
The three of them wandered Sapporo's streets, taking in the many sculptures of ice and snow. Chance took the time to explain each dish sold by street vendors. The three of them settled on a safe Korean BBQ for dinner, then ended up at a tiny bar listening to a Japanese three piece work through rock hits of the 00's.
"You did a nice job on that Fuel tune," Chance complemented the lead guitarist in Japanese when the band took a break.
"Thanks, you play?"
"A little." He extended his hand and ordered a beer for the performer. "I'm Chance." He introduced the girls."
"Toshiro. Where you from Chance?"
"Chicago," it got out before Chance remembered that he didn't live there anymore. It still seemed like home.
"Chicago, Al Capone, Bang-bang." Toshi revealed the extent of his English with the typical Japanese response.
"Chicago, Smashing Pumpkins, Twang-twang." Chance responded with an eye roll.
All four of them laughed. Aaf and Hada had asked about gangsters earlier that afternoon. They chatted, Chance translating back and forth between them. Near the end of their break, Toshi asked Chance," You want to do a number with us? Some Smashing Pumpkins, maybe?"
The girls had to prod Chance before he repeated the words in Dutch, blushing. They encouraged him. "Zwan?" asked Chance.
"We will definitely need two guitars then." Chance looked across the smiling faces. This would be the first time he ever performed on stage, "uh, I don't think so…"
"Go on," goaded Aaf in Dutch, holding an empty beer can. "Only the sun shines for free. Consider it payment for your next beer."
Chance followed Toshi to the small stage with all the enthusiasm of a trip to the guillotine. Damn clever, cute Dutch girls and their excellent taste in alcohol.
He spent a moment adjusting the alien guitar as Toshi introduced Ichiro, the drummer, and Midori, bassist and vocalist. Chance blushed and tuned the instrument as Toshi introduced the "Supeshiaru Gueshito Sutaru."
Chance stepped up to the mic to a smattering of applause. "Good evening," he said in Japanese. "I'm happy to be here with… " He had forgotten the name of the band. "With Toshi and the guys." He blushed and chuckled. "I'm not with the band. I don't get paid. I will be happy to accept offerings of beer, though." He smiled with the few laughs he got from the crowd.
He looked to Toshi to synch the timing on the song they agreed on. It wasn't Smashing Pumpkins, but it was pretty close. He breathed, counted, and started the riff….
Here comes my faith to carry me on
A faith, not a grave
A fight to stay strong
So I stand accused of playing numb
I know it as wrong
For I give my strength
I give my heart
Take these chains
And hold them as ours
For I must shine
And I will a star
In a season all mine
A lyric, a time, a crusade, a line
One minute, a friend, a road without end
A lyric, a time, a crusade, a line
One minute, a friend, a road without end
So here is the view
I cast about
I'm leaving no room
For you to get out
You'll never get out
Dove, can't you cry without an aside
Be warm invite (Chance never felt sure about this line)
I need you as my way
Across my life
To spend these years
Create a new thought
For I give you strength
And offer my heart
Take these chains
And hold them as ours
For I must star
And I will shine
In a season all mine
A lyric, a time, a crusade, a line
One minute, a friend, a road without end
A lyric, a time, a crusade, a line
One minute, a friend, a road without end
A lyric, a time, a crusade, a line
One minute, a friend, a road without end
A lyric, a time, a crusade, a line
One minute, a friend, a road without end
A road without end
Chance smiled at the clapping, gesturing right and left to acknowledge the band. He looked down to his mic stand and noticed the fifteen or so beer cans piled up around it. He looked out into the crowd. There couldn't have been more than 30 people in the bar. Aaf and Hada shot him a thumbs up.
Toshi stepped next to him. "I think they like you. What else you got?"
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