Need a better title.  Any suggestions welcome.

Comments and criticisms appreciated as always.

-Richard





"That was neat!"

"Was it?"

"Yeah!  The way you met the pig and threw him aside, and he's bigger 'n you
are!"

"About twice my mass, yes."

"He can wrestle real good!  It's neat to watch."

"Would you like to learn how to train pigs like this?"

"Ooh.  Yeah!  Can I?"

"Okay.  We can begin tomorrow."

"Cool!  Thanks!"

"It is my honor and my pleasure."



Legacy's Price

By Richard Lawson



Hirotaka straightened his back, hearing it creak in the process.  He
groaned, although the pain was quite familiar by now.  He watched as the
pigs gathered around the trough, jostling each other for food.

Even now, he kept his eye on the most likely candidates.  Several of the
larger pigs pushed their brethren to get to the food.  They in turn were
pushed aside by others in the continual battle.  In this way did they become
big and strong.

The battle raged for a few minutes under Hirotaka's watchful eye.  He
labeled several as good prospects, then winced.  He turned deliberately
away, letting all of his observations drain away.  What was the point, after
all?

He went over to the stile and used it to get over the fence.  There had been
a time, he reflected as he stepped carefully to the ground, that he had
vaulted the fence in one easy motion.  No more.

A car rolled into the farm's driveway as Hirotaka made his way back to the
house.  He scowled and steeled himself as best he could.  This was going to
be hell, as usual.

And yet, he couldn't help the flare of excitement and hope.  He hated hope.

Ichiro got out of the car and waved at him.  Hirotaka nodded impassively and
watched as that woman - he could never remember her name - and a gaggle of
children spilled out of the car.  They immediately began screaming and
running for the barn.  The loved to play in the modest amount of hay he kept
to feed his aging horses.  That woman yelled after them to be careful, a
look of concern tinged with disgust covering her face.

Hirotaka turned towards the front door, and Ichiro fell into step beside
him.  Hirotaka spoke without turning his head.  "It is good to see you,
son."

"And you, Father."  The words were automatic, without apparent feeling. "How
is the farm doing?"

It's barely going, I need to buy a hundred new things, repair a thousand
more, and my stock grows steadily less numerous with each passing year. But
you know all of this already.  "It is doing fine."

They entered the house together.  Hirotaka took a seat on the high-backed
chair he'd bought a few years ago to help support his degenerating back.
Ichiro sat on a couch opposite while his wife went to the kitchen to prepare
tea.

They sat in silence for a few seconds.  Finally, Ichiro spoke as if
answering an inquiry.  "Business is good.  I was made a junior partner of
the firm.  If all goes well, I believe I can split off in about five years
and start my own firm."

"How wonderful."  Hirotaka couldn't keep the bitterness out of his voice.
"You help rich men pay as little money to the government as possible.  A
noble calling for a member of the Unryuu clan."

Ichiro didn't respond.  Soon his wife came in and served them both before
taking a seat next to her husband.  She said nothing to him, having learned
from previous experience that he would not respond.

Silence for a few seconds, then a subtle clearing of that woman's throat.
Ichiro looked at her out of the corner of his eye, then sighed. "Father, we
think you have worked long enough and hard enough.  You have earned a
comfortable retirement.  We believe you should move into an apartment near
us in Tokyo and allow us to tend to you."

Hirotaka stared flatly at his son.  "Sit in this chair until I die, you
mean?"

"Your health is not good, Father-in-law."  That woman spoke with a soft
certainty.  "You cannot keep up this existence.  Please, let us help."

He didn't even look at her.  He slowly stood and beckoned.  "Son, come with
me."

"Yes, Father."  Ichiro rose and followed him out of the house.

They walked back across the yard towards the pigpen.  They were done eating
and were wandering around, some snout to snout and pressing against each
other.  Hirotaka stood with one hand on the fence, surveying the scene.
"What do you see, Ichiro?"

"I see pigs, father.  Maybe twenty or so."

"Is that all?"  Hirotaka found his voice curiously tremulous.  "I see the
Unryuu family legacy.  For generation after generation we have raised our
stock to be the finest in Japan.  People *still* come to me for my breeders.
I have a duty-"

"Father.  Modern husbandry has moved far beyond your concept of 'breeders'."
Ichiro sounded almost regretful.  "Science has moved on and you've stayed
behind.  Your breeders aren't needed any more."

"I have a duty to my ancestors.  My breeders have lineages that are as old
and honorable as our own."  He turned his head to fix his gaze on Ichiro.
"I will not dishonor them or myself by abandoning our family heritage."

"But, Father..."  Ichiro was beginning to sound frustrated.  "Pig wrestling?
Where is the honor in that?"

Hirotaka looked back into the pen, his eyes finding the eyes of the largest
and oldest of the pigs.  The pig was looking at them, and Hirotaka was
certain that the pig was listening, and understanding. "For years, there was
no television, no 'Nintendo'.  Families would gather and watch these
competitions.  The Unryuu family developed a technique for training the best
of our breeders.  My grandfather perfected the technique and produced the
first of our champions.  I was honored to be the one to pass on the
tradition."  He paused a second, then spoke with more bitterness than he
intended.  "There was a time that you were, too."

A heavy sigh escaped Ichiro's lips.  "I was a child, Father.  It was fun for
a little while, but eventually I realized how silly it all was, teaching
pigs to wrestle.  I moved on, Father.  I joined the modern world.  I feel no
shame, no dishonor.  The Unryuu family must adapt or fade away."

Hirotaka stood straighter than he had in years.  "The Unryuu family exists
for one purpose alone: to improve the quality of our stock and ensure that
Japan never wants for a source of food, medicine, or the other things our
stock produces."

"But Japan *won't* want for any of these things.  What pigs once provided,
we can now find other, better sources of.  Our pigs are superfluous."

Hirotaka slumped slightly.  "Our honor is not superfluous."

"Dammit, Father, I can't talk to you when you're like this!"  Ichiro was now
quite angry.  "You're wasting what's left of your life away here, for no
purpose.  Do you know how much this real estate is worth this close to
Tokyo?  No one needs pigs anymore, they need land.  I could make you rich
if-"

Hirotaka whirled angrily.  "That's what you're here for, isn't it?  You
don't give a damn about me, you want this farm!  You want to develop it and
sell it and trade in the last of our heritage for a few yen." Hirotaka spat.
"Understand this, Ichiro.  Our pigs will live on when you and I are both
dust.  *They* are Unryuu as much as we are, and I will *never* be parted
from them.  On my honor and the honor of the Unryuu!"

Ichiro clenched his jaw, then spun on his heels.  "Children!"  His voice
echoed off the nearby barn.  "Get out here, NOW!  We are leaving!"

Hirotaka folded his arms on top of the fence and rested his head against
them.  His relationship with his son had never been good, but he feared that
after today it would never be mended.  Hirotaka was the last of the true
Unryuu, and much would die with him.

"CHILDREN!"  Ichiro sounded more angry, if possible.

Hirotaka heard a rustling from nearby, followed by feet running.  He lifted
his head in time to see a child run around the corner of the barn and out of
sight.

How sad, for a child to see his father and grandfather fighting.  Another
log to add to the fire of his depression.

A grunt sounded from nearby.  Hirotaka met the gaze of a concerned pig.  He
couldn't help smiling.  "Will you mourn me when I pass on, old friend?"  He
reached out and scratched the pig's ear.  "Will you forgive me?"

The pig grunted in reply, but offered no absolution.

---

"Hello, dear.  How are you?  You should see the leaves, they are just
changing color.  They look beautiful in their death.

"Ah, I'm sorry, I must not think such maudlin thoughts.  Yet it is hard, so
hard, since you were taken from me.  I am old, as I kneel on the ground here
my joints ache.

"Oh, I miss you so.  Your warm, gentle smile.  Your bright personality.
Your selflessness, your total devotion to our family and the farm.  I
treasured that.  I treasured *you*.

"Our son... our son wants to abandon the farm.  To let our heritage die.  Is
that right?  You always encouraged him to pursue whatever life he wanted.
But... does that have to be at the cost of our legacy?  Is that the family's
destiny?

"Oh, I am tired.  Sometimes the only thing that keeps me going is the
knowledge that soon I'll be able to face you and tell you I've done the best
I could in life, and you'll forgive me and hug me and laugh with me and I'll
be content at last.

"It is the memory of you that lends me the strength to continue.  I... hope
it will be enough.  I will try.

"I love you, dear."

---


Hirotaka rose slowly from his bed.  He groaned as he lifted himself up.
Every day the pain was worse.  His body was slowly breaking down, sixty
years of hard labor finally catching up to him.  Idly he wondered how long
before he couldn't rise any more.

Outside a storm raged.  The rain was falling by the sheet, and he knew that
he needed to go outside to feed the pigs.  He had to be careful not to slip
and fall, because if he did he might never get up again.

The daily ritual of cleaning himself, dressing, and preparing breakfast was
as slow and agonizing as always.  The sounds he made echoed through the
dilapidated house, reminding him how much he missed his wife.  Now, however,
where his wife had been there was nothing but silence.

He tried to shake himself out of his sudden melancholy.  He began washing
the dishes when he heard a bang from the front door.  A soft chuckle escaped
his lips.  It reminded him of his wife; she'd always opened doors that way,
either pushing them violently open or sliding them rapidly aside.  It merely
reflected her energetic approach to life.

More likely it was just the storm.  He decided to ignore it, since he needed
to go outside himself.  As he went back to drying the dishes, he heard...
footsteps.  Footsteps walking down the hall.

His heart fluttered.  Maybe it was time.  Maybe she had come for him. He
called out gently to her.  "Akari?"

A voice from the kitchen doorway behind him.  "Yes?"

His heart beat even more rapidly.  It *was* her.  And yet, there was
something wrong.  The voice was far too high-pitched to be his wife.  It was
the voice of a child, and he'd never known his wife as a child.  He turned
around to see a young, wet girl looking at him slightly fearfully.

He tried again.  "Akari?"

Her voice shook slightly.  "Yes, Grandfather?"

Suddenly a voice of reason spoke to him from somewhere inside him.  His
youngest grandchild had been named after his late wife, he remembered. He
shook himself mentally and tried to become calm and reasonable.  "Where's
your father?"

She shrugged.  "Back home.  Or at work.  Probably work."

He frowned.  "Then your mother's here by herself?"

"No, Grandfather.  I'm here by myself.  Just me."  It was hard to tell
because of the long hair matted to her cheeks, but it appeared to Hirotaka
that she flushed slightly at the admission.

"Child, what are you doing here by yourself?  You can't be more than six!"

She pulled her lips down.  "I'm ten, Grandpa!  Almost ten!
Nine-and-three-quarters!"

Ten?  When had she found the time to become ten years old?  "Nevertheless,
you shouldn't be here by yourself.  How did you get here?"

"I rode my bike."  She suddenly sounded excited.  "I knew the way here
because we've driven here before, and it isn't that far from Tokyo, and left
as soon as it got light and it only took me three hours and it was fun in
the rain 'cuz I got to ride my bike through the puddles and you got lots of
them around here, this is such a *neat* farm!"  She beamed at him.

Hirotaka smiled in spite of himself.  She was vivacious if nothing else. He
tried to remember the last time he'd had that much energy and enthusiasm and
couldn't.

He looked at the plate he was still holding in his hand, and turned back
towards the sink.  "Let me finish here.  Then we can call your father and-"

The plate was grabbed out of his hand.  "Let me do it."  She grabbed a towel
and attacked the plate with it, carefully holding it away from her so that
her own drenched state wouldn't affect it.  She placed it on the drying
rack, then used the towel to remove some of the water from her face and
hair.  Whirling around, she spied the table and ran over to it, wiping it
off, carefully pushing the crumbs into her cupped hand.  She ran over to the
sink and tried to shake them into the sink, only to realize that the crumbs
had stuck to her still-wet hands.  She began slapping her hands frenetically
together.  When she was satisfied that she had the majority of the crumbs
off her hands, she looked up at him as if asking for approval.

Hirotaka's amusement deepened.  This was eagerness he hadn't seen since...
well, since Akari.  "Thank you, Granddaughter.  Now, let's go call-"

"Don't you have to go feed the pigs, Grandfather?"  She grabbed his hand and
began pulling him out of the room.  "Let's go feed the pigs, okay?"

He chuckled.  He couldn't refuse her.  "Okay."

Outside the rain smashed into him.  Normally it would have been a struggle
to get to the barn, but Akari seemed to infuse him with energy.  They
entered the barn, and Akari dropped his hand and ran to the bags of pig feed
stacked along one wall.  She grabbed one and began dragging it towards the
indoor trough.  The barn door was open; some of the pigs actively enjoyed
the rain and would stay outside as much as possible.  But they were always
hungry, and as they saw Akari make her way towards the trough they began to
gather around her, closing in on her from all sides, bumping into her.
Akari watched them with wide eyes but continued to make her way towards the
trough.

"Hey!"  Hirotaka made his way as quickly as he could towards her, coaxing
the pigs aside as best he could.  "Akari, get out of there, you'll get
yourself hurt!"

"I'm okay, Grandfather."  She reached the trough and rested the bag against
it.  She began tugging at the top of the bag, trying to figure out how to
open while the pigs grunted impatiently around her.

Hirotaka finally reached her.  He put his hand on her shoulder, which made
her look up at him.  He moved her slightly aside, then reached into his
overalls and pulled out a folding knife.  He opened the bag with it, then
upended it over the trough.  Akari tried to help, but her efforts were
mostly ineffectual as the pigs surged to the trough.

He looked over at the bags.  "Okay, now we have to do three more bags."

"I'll get them!"  Akari ran around him, somehow sliding easily through the
pigs.  She grabbed another bag and dragged it towards him.  Hirotaka was
impressed; he knew how heavy those bags were.  She was stronger than she
looked.

Working together they quickly filled the trough, then stood back as the pigs
fed.  Hirotaka kept his eyes on the pigs but spoke to Akari.  "How did you
know about their food?"

"I've watched you, Grandfather."  Her voice was surprisingly solemn.  "I've
seen you do it before."

"I see."  He'd paid her little or no attention.  While Ichiro's children
loved the novelty of the farm, they'd shown little or no interest in the
menial tasks necessary to maintain it.  In turn, Ichiro had had little
interest in his grandchildren.  Until now.  "Do... do you like feeding the
pigs?"

"I *love* feeding the pigs, Grandfather."  She stopped, and her voice became
as formal as a nine-year-old's voice could be.  "I'm a Unryuu, after all."

He turned his head to look at her, startled.  In a flash, he remembered
seeing someone run away after that last fight with his son.  "You... heard?"

"Yes, Grandfather."  She looked back at him, unflinching.  "I saw how
important pigs and stuff are to you.  It's our honor and heritage."  She
reached out and grabbed the fabric of his overalls.  "Teach me, Grandfather.
Teach me about pigs."

Something reached out and squeezed his heart for the second time that
morning.  He looked into a young girl's eyes and suddenly found a hope for
the future of the Unryuu clan.  He also heard words echoed in his mind:  "I
was a child, Father.  It was fun for a little while, but eventually I
realized how silly it all was."  There was a risk in hoping for too much.

He cleared his throat, determined to get this out as calmly as possible.
"But why, Akari?  Why do you want to learn?"

"Cuz it's what Unryuu's do, isn't it Grandfather?"

He shook his head.  "That's not enough, child.  I need to *know*.  Why?"

She spoke in a rush.  "Honor and heritage and tradition and-"

"*Why*, Akari?"

She bit her lip and stared up at him.  She began to shake slightly, and
tears fell down her cheek.  "'Cuz... 'cuz... 'cuz..."

Hirotaka spoke more gently, but no less insistently.  "Why, Akari?"

"'Cuz Mom and Dad hate me!"  She buried her face in his overalls and began
to sob in earnest.

Hirotaka felt the words like a blow.  He knelt down and hugged her.  She
threw her arms around his neck and clung to him like a lifeline, sobbing
into his shoulder.

He let her go on for a while, parental instinct still strong after all these
years.  When she'd cried enough, he spoke softly into her ear. "You mother
and father don't hate you, Akari.  They love you."

"No they *don't*!"  Her voice was muffled but still passionate.  "Dad only
ever talks about work and the 'conomy and money and how to invest and
*boring* stuff and he never wants to listen to me, and Mommy always said
that I was a mistake that four children is too much and can't I keep quiet
like my brothers and they hate me, they both hate me and hate me-"

"Akari!"  He spoke sharply to cut off her hysteria.  "Listen to me, dear.
They love you, they really do.  It's just that... sometimes they get a
little too... focused on themselves.  They... they only see how things
affect them, and they... they have difficulty feeling what you feel."

Akari lifted herself away from his shoulder and looked at him.  Her eyes
were red and puffy and her cheeks were wet with moisture of a different
kind, but her expression was thoughtful.  "They're nar-scissors?"

A chuckled escaped his lips before he could stop it.  "Narcissists.  How do
you know that word?"

"Mommy once called Auntie that, and I thought it was funny 'cuz Auntie and
Mommy are just alike, so I thought maybe she was a nar... narsist... a
whatchamacallit, too."

Hirotaka smiled, then sobered.  "I don't want you to think badly of them,
Akari.  They are your parents and deserve your respect."

"But-"  She stopped, considered, and started again.  "When you were talking
to Daddy and telling him how important pigs were, you were so tall and big
and... and *there*, and I'd never seen Dad like that, not ever.  And I
thought, if you loved pigs that much, that maybe-"  She stopped and her eyes
grew wide.

He smiled and completed her thought.  "That maybe I could love you that
much?"

She looked down at the ground and toed the barn floor with her sneakers. "If
I loved pigs too, yeah."  She looked up suddenly.  "And I can help you,
Grandfather, I can help you around the farm and around the house and I can
help you feed the pigs 'n take care of them and train them to fight and
*everything*, please please, Grandfather?"

Oh, the fates were playing with him cruelly.  Offering him so much, but he
couldn't just accept it.  He had to *know*.  "Akari, you can't just love
pigs to try and impress me.  You have to love them because you *do*.
Believe me, they can tell the difference."

Akari considered this for a few seconds, then turned towards the pigs.  Many
had finished eating and were milling about the barn.  Akari walked lazily
among them, completely unafraid despite the fact that most of them easily
outmassed her.  She peered closely at a few of the pigs, a serious and
studious expression on her face.  Some ignored her and some looked back with
idle curiosity.

One of the youngest of the pigs was still at the trough, eagerly working on
the last of the feed.  Akari peered over its shoulder as it finished the
food.  It turned around and began snuffling at her jeans.  Akari hesitantly
reached out and began stroking its back.  The pig jumped up and rested its
front hooves on her chest, its snout busy investigating her face.  Akari
held the pig up and giggled.  The pig seemed to consider her, then grunted
softly, showing no inclination to move away.

Akari looked over at Hirotaka.  Her cheeks were still tear-stained but her
smile was brilliant.  "Can I keep him, Grandfather?"

He laughed gently.  "Yes, but he'll have to stay here."

"Oh.  Uh-huh."  She looked back into the pig's eyes.  "Can I name him?"

Hirotaka's voice became slightly more formal.  "You can train him.  You can
see if he's a worthy pig, and can learn the lessons of the Unryuu school of
sumo pig wrestling.  And if you can teach him and if he can learn, then we
can bestow on him the traditional name we give all our champions."

Her voice became excited.  "Does that mean you'll teach me, Grandfather?"

He couldn't quite keep the tremendous satisfaction and relief out of his
voice.  "Yes, Granddaughter.  I will teach all I know about pigs and the
Unryuu heritage."

"Yaaaay!"  She hugged the pig fiercely, dancing back and forth on her feet.
The pig seemed to catch her excitement and squealed with enthusiasm.
Hirotaka watched and felt his depression melt away.  Now, at long last, life
was worth living again.

---

"Hello?"

"Your daughter is here."

"Father-in-law?"

"Can you pick her up?"

"Who?  Akari?  Akari's there?"

"She's been here all day.  You hadn't noticed?"

"Now that you mention it, it was a little quieter here today than usual. I
apologize, Father-in-law.  She will not disturb you again."

"She did not disturb me.  She's free to visit me as much as she'd like to."

"Oh?  Well, I'll let her know that.  Although I can't promise that she ever
will want to."

"As you say.  Foolish old man that I am, I will hold out a bit of hope."

---

"Hello?"

"Father?  Is Akari there?"

"She's out in the barn right now.  Do you wish to talk to her?"

"That's the... what, the third time she's gone out there this week?"

"She's been here every day this week."

"She can't do that.  She'll fall behind on her homework."

"I make certain she pays adequate attention to her studies.  She's a bright
girl."

"But it must take her hours to get out there!  She shouldn't be wasting all
that time."

"I happen to agree.  I pick her up after school and drive her here."

"Father!  That's not... appropriate."

"Don't you trust me, Son?"

"No, it's not that!  It's... well, she may feel obliged to come visit you
when she doesn't really feel like it."

"As you say.  I won't pick her up after school tomorrow, how's that?"

"That's... good.  Thank you, Father, for understanding."

"I understand more than you give me credit for, Son."

---

"Akari!  Where are you going?"

"She's going to the barn to do her chores, Daughter-in-law."

"Honestly, she put up such a fit today.  Insisted that I drive her out here
to play with your pigs.  She even screamed at me.  I don't know... four
children, it's too much for my nerves."

"If it is too much, perhaps I can relieve you of some of the burden. Let
Akari stay here with me for a while.  I can take her back and forth to
school, and she can come play with my pigs all she wants."

"Stay here?  But... but this is so far away, she'll get so bored out here in
this awful- er..."

"I'll tell you what, Daughter-in-law.  She can stay out here as long as she
wants.  The moment she grows bored, I'll send her back to you. Until then,
you won't have to put up with her screaming."

"Oh, that was *so* unpleasant.  Are you certain it won't be too much of a
burden, Father-in-law?"

"I'll endure it as best I can.  I helped raise your husband, don't forget."

"Oh, yes.  Well, I suppose that would be all right.  If Akari agrees."

"I would not dream of doing it without her consent.  Let us go ask her."

---

"Father, we must talk."

"Hello, Son.  It's been a while since you've been out here."

"Father, *please*.  You must convince Akari to move back home."

"I believe Akari thinks of this as her home.  But far be it for me to stand
between you and your daughter.  By all means, ask her if she wants to move
back."

"Father!"

"However, if she wants to stay here, I'm not going to be the one to force
her to leave."

"You can't keep her locked up here!"

"I've never kept her here against her will, and you know that.  Nor did I
keep her here against *your* will."

"Dammit, you tricked my wife!  'When she gets bored', indeed.  You *knew*
she was only thinking of a week or two, not three years!"

"I have yet to hear a complaint from that woman about this arrangement. She
seems quite content to leave Akari with me.  For that matter, it's only in
the past couple of months that you've become uncomfortable."

"Taking care of your pigs is one thing.  But... she's been seen in public!
Riding a pig!"

"Ah.  That, I take it, is your real objection."

"It's too much, Father!  She's embarrassing us!"

"Embarrassing you, perhaps.  She is the pride of the Unryuu family."

"Father, I must insist it stop!  Bad enough she wears pig earrings and pig
emblems on her clothing.  The... obsession she has with that pig is
unhealthy!"

"It is merely the bond that develops between a true Unryuu and our stock."

"No, no, no!  Father, I really must put my foot down!"

"Be careful where you put it."

"Dammit!  This place is like... like..."

"Like a pig sty?"

"She's coming home with me!  No more pigs."

"As you say.  I'm sure your wife will rather enjoy having an unhappy
teenager screaming to be returned to her pigs."

"That's... that's... blackmail, Father."

"Let us compromise.  I will do my best to see that she does not ride the pig
in public again.  Is that fair?"

"That... well, if you could manage that, I'd be grateful."

"I will endeavor."

"Thank you.  How are you feeling, Father?  You look tired."

"I am fine, Son, no need to worry.  Akari will be home in an hour if you
want to wait."

"No, I've got a client meeting I have to get to.  Send her my love, okay?"

"I always do, Son."

---

"Don't try to get up, Grandfather."

"Akari?  But... but I must feed the pigs, they're hungry."

"I've fed them already, Grandfather.  They're fine."

"Thank you.  You've always been a good granddaughter, Akari."

"You are kind.  Please, try to get some rest."

"An Unryuu.  You're an Unryuu, the last of the line."

"Not really.  I've got brothers, don't forget."

"Bah, they're not Unryuu.  Only you are a true Unryuu, Akari.  Don't forget
that."

"Yes, Grandfather."

"The pigs are hungry.  I must go feed them."

"Of course.  Why don't you take a nap first, and then we can go feed them
together?"

"You're so pretty Akari.  How old are you?  Ten?"

"I'm sixteen."

"Nine-and-three-quarters, that's what you told me."

"Yes.  I told you that."

"But... you're a girl."

"Er... yes, Grandfather."

"You'll get married one day, won't you?"

"Maybe."

"You will.  I know it.  And you'll take his name and you won't be Unryuu any
more."

"Then I won't take his name.  I'll stay an Unryuu."

"But your children... your children will have his name.  No, the Unryuu line
will die out, there will be no more Unryuu."

"I... I'm sorry, Grandfather.  I wish... I wish I could think of something.
I..."

"The pigs, the pigs are Unryuu, too."

"Yes, Grandfather.  You taught me that.  They are as much a part of the
Unryuu blood as we are."

"Then marry a pig.  That's one way to keep the family line pure.  If you
marry a pig, then you'll still be a true Unryuu, no matter what name you
take."

"I... Grandfather... I... I can't marry a pig."

"Why not?"

"I... I won't be able to have any children."

"Oh.  But there are men - rare men - who are as robust as a pig, gentle as a
pig, intelligent as a pig, refreshing as a pig, cool as a pig..."

"I get the point, Grandfather."

"And most of all, strong as a pig.  Strong enough to beat Katsu-nishiki.
Only a man who could do that could be a true Unryuu in spirit."

"Beat... Katsu-nishiki?"

"Promise me, Akari.  Promise me that you'll only marry a man like that."

"Um... Grandfather, I..."

"Promise me, please."

"...Yes, Grandfather.  I promise."

"Thank you, Akari.  Now, I must go feed the pigs."

"Yes, of course.  Right after your nap, don't forget."

"Yes, my nap.  Thank you, Akari."

"For what?"

"For... I don't know.  For being."

"Uh... you're welcome, Grandfather."

"And the pigs.  Don't ever forget the pigs."

"I won't Grandfather.  Not ever."

---

"Akari, enough."

Akari dumped a bag of feed into the trough, then turned to face her father.
He was still dressed in his black suit.  How impractical, Akari thought.
She'd changed out of her formal clothes as soon as she'd returned to the
farm.

When he saw that he had her attention, he spoke in a stern tone of voice.
"There comes a time when foolishness must come to an end."

Akari bit her lip.  This was going to be hard.  She was frightened and
alone, and it would be so easy to do exactly as her father wanted her to do.
But she couldn't.  She had to stand up to him or everything would be lost.
She had to be as strong as a pig.  "Which foolishness do you speak of,
Father?"

Irritation covered his face.  "Do you know how valuable this land is?  You
could sell it for fifty million.  A hundred million."

She kept her voice formal.  "I know exactly how much this land is worth."

Father swore and turned profile, his hands clasped behind his back.
"Dammit, your mother *warned* me to check the will.  I should have heeded
her words.  But no, I was certain your grandfather knew what the sensible
thing to do was."

Akari did her best to keep her voice from quavering.  "He did know.  That's
why he left the farm to me."

Father looked at her out of the corner of his eye.  "I could challenge it,
you know.  You're still my daughter.  You're only sixteen."

A vague sense of dread filled her.  "That's old enough."

"Maybe.  Maybe not.  We'll see what the courts have to say."

The dread became full-blown panic.  Father was going to fight her.  He was
going to take her to court.  What did she know about legal stuff?  Father
knew more than she ever would about the legal system.  He could tear her
apart, and she wouldn't be able to stop him.

She felt like she had to fight for every breath.  It was all slipping away.
She still felt the pain of Grandfather's ashes being lowered into the earth.
It was a deep ache, an irrational hope that she would wake up tomorrow and
he'd be there.  The only thing that kept her from breaking down completely
was the farm.  She'd quickly fallen into the pattern of activity necessary
to maintain the farm, and had found comfort there.  Now Father was going to
take that away, and she couldn't stop him, and she was all alone.

Something nuzzled her ear.  She looked behind her to see a very large pig
grunting softly at her.  In his eyes she could see love and compassion.  He
knew she was hurting, and was offering his company and reassurance.  She
smiled and reached out to scratch behind his ear, and drew strength from
him.

She turned back to face her father, calm resolve replacing most of the fear.
"If you succeed in taking the farm away from me, Father, you will destroy
everything good that remains of the Unryuu family heritage."  She tried to
look stern even as part of her quailed at what she was saying.  "And I will
hate you forever."

Father look at her in shock and anger.  "Akari!  There is no need-"

She knew she had to take it a step further, use terms he would understand.
She steeled herself as best she could.  "And when I say 'hate', I mean that
I will tell everyone I know about what the Unryuu legacy is, and how one man
decided to destroy it so he could make a few yen.  I'll tell all my friends,
and all of their friends, and maybe a few newspapers, and if I'm really
lucky a TV station or two..."

"Akari!"

"Oh, and I'll be sure to be riding Katsu-nishiki while I'm doing it."

Father took a step towards her, real rage on his face.  "Dammit, Akari,
don't even think-"

It was too much.  She ran up and flung herself at him.  She hugged him
tightly, her cheek pressed against her chest.  She was crying, but she
fought to control it, to keep it from becoming hysteria.

Father, for his part, seemed to go rigid.  After a minute, he relaxed and
put his arms around her.  They held each other for a while.

Finally, when she was sure she had control of her voice, she spoke.
"Please, Father.  It meant so much to him.  It means so much to me.  Even if
our legacy isn't as appreciated as it used to be, even if pig-breeding isn't
very prestigious, does it cost so much to let me live it out here alone,
quietly?"

His voice contained uncharted depths of uncertainty.  "Akari, I..."

"Please, Father?"

He sighed, and in that sigh she could hear resignation and frustration.
"Oh, Akari," he said gently, with just a touch of love, "you're as
pig-headed as your grandfather was."

She giggled softly.  "Why, thank you, Father."

---

"Oh, do you think this outfit is okay?  Do I look all right?"

<grunt>

"Oh, I'm so nervous.  This is what I wrote, do you think he'll like it?"

<grunt>

"Oh, I keep forgetting you can't read.  It says, 'I love you.  Please go out
with me.  It's love at first sight.'  What do you think?  Too timid?"

<grunt>

"Hmm.  Maybe he'll think it's a joke.  I'll add 'It's true.'  There.  Then
he'll know I'm serious."

<grunt>

"It's not like I have a lot of experience with this.  I never had time to
spend with boys, what with keeping up the farm and training you and taking
care of Grandfather.  Now that I have some spare time, I guess I'd better
find a husband.  So I can keep my promise to Grandfather."

<grunt>

"Okay, remember the plan.  Find a boy about my age and attack him.  If he
beats you, I run up to him and give him the note.  Then we'll get married."

<grunt>

"Well, I can't think of a better way.  Can you?"

<grunt>

"Well then, let's get ready.  Find me a good boy, won't you?  With the soul
of a pig?"

<grunt>

"Oh, and make sure he's cute, too."

<grunt>

"Okay!  Go, Katsu-nishiki!"

<grunt!>

~*~