Akie Hashiba is no stranger to controversy. The first time Legends oldtimers Inui and Mk met her, she was on the verge of being disqualified in an inter-school highschool basketball match. There were complaints of Akie using illegal tactics during play but were quickly dismissed as the crowd booed and hissed the home team. Akie knew how to work the crowd, alright. Her team eventually won the match. The boys' basketball team won that day, thanks to the efforts of the team's star player Inui. It would be another five years before Akie would meet any of the guys again. And Mk, Akie and Kimmie all went to the same UN training center and later seperated after graduation. By then Mk and Akie were seeing each other and even were posted at the same Tokyo police branch.
In the beginning of the early fics, Akie has dumped Mk and was promoted (not for dumping him, though she does deserve an award IMO) to a rank above his (detective something). And then came the news that she was even going out with his best friend, Inui! What a shocker eh? Unfortunately, recent events have her fired from her job and her ex-lover Inui, promoted.
After her fall from grace, a highly embittered Akie entered a phase as a private detective in Hawaii. No other major organization would take her in due to the bad press, thanks to Inui. There are rumors of her sleeping with someone in the DA's office to get her job at the local police force but that is now regarded as irrelevant. Akie is now on her way to become the Police Commissioner, the only woman to do so, as well as the youngest. [ up ]

Kimmie Swan Soon
Akie and Kimmie can be described as close friends. They do keep in touch but aside from that... well, they aren't exactly bosom buddies. Rather, Akie is most comfortable in her role as a UN Captain amongst her military peers unlike Kimmie, who is more of a behind-the-scenes person.
With the recent disappearance of Kimmie, Akie is suddenly reminded of how she used to take their relationship for granted. She is also reminded of how little she really knew Kimmie, starting with the revelation that her best friend sided with Inui after Akie was kicked out of the UN military forces. Akie is also wary of Kimmie, after all they did date the same guy (MK). Plus, if what MK is saying is true, Kimmie did leave him for Inui as well.

Gallagher La'iku Williams
When people whisper about how Akie got her job in the Hawaiian Police Department, they talk about how she must have slept with someone for it. That someone they're refering to is Gallagher. He's the assistant District Attorney on the main island and is smart, witty, athletic and politically active. Blessed with good looks (tan, twinkling green eyes, blond hair and a surfer's physique) and an easygoing but sharp manner, he has a very good chance of becoming the next DA or even governor of Hawaii. Problem is, he doesn't want to do what others tell him to do. He doesn't like to spend his nights going to parties and hobnobbing with the social elite. He drives a motorbike to work, speaks the native tongue and is on the national water polo team. But what really irks the powers that be is his relationship with Akie. To them, she's a potential threat to their political aspirations.
Gallagher is known as a third-generation Hawaiian despite being born on the island and having a native mother. He resents the taunts he receives from his political rivals on his background but can't deny that his wealthy grandfather emigrated from Boston to Hawaii with the intent of recreating a political dynasty. Nevertheless, he strives to prove his ties to Hawaii. But why is he helping Akie, a recent immigrant from Japan and politcal outcast?
We'll just have to wait and see.

Love and Relationships

Inui Akira II
Moody and scarred both emotionally and physically, from his experiences as a member of a secret UN project participating in a civil war, Inui Akira is not a man to be taken lightly. He battles mood swings and uncontrollable bursts of violence - the result of post-traumatic stress. Things were getting better by the time he got engaged to Akie but the guilt he incurred remained a tough stain on his mental wellbeing. Despite or maybe perhaps because of his faults, Akie loved him unconditionally. She saw him through depression and countless chemo trips only to be brusquely dumped. Because of this, she is understandly bitter and angry but she cannot reject the fact that she loved him, something that even his percieved death made her realize even more.
Inui originally pushed Akie away in order to protect her. The way he did it, however, was so heinous that even Dylan - faced with the same choices Inui had, called him vile. Inui lobbied his superiors to have her fired and spread the slanderous rumors around in order to get Akie to leave the island. There were even rumors that he left Akie for someone else in the Hawaiian UN Centre. The plan backfired on him as Akie stayed and eventually got a job with the local police department. Despite it all, he still felt that he was doing her a favor - if she had stayed as his co-worker, she would have been assasinated as Sam (Jill's ex-boyfriend) was.

Couple Rating: ****

Why: They've been together through thick and thin. In the original fics, they were the first to tie the knot as well. Inui and Akie are such a well paired combination that it was absolutely insane to seperate them. Inui needed the stability he found in Akie; she craved his maturity and honesty. In the end, Inui's perceived good deeds were not seen as such; Akie lambasted his lack of trust in her because she can take care of herself. The same can't be said for Inui, who was last seen in Ireland with ex-coworker Kimmie being targeted by the secret police.

Godai Shin-Ichi (MK)
MK was always wishy-washy. First he had Akie, then she dumped him and he spent years languishing for her. Then he decided he like Kimmie better. Then she dumped him and spent some times languishing for her. Then he got back with Akie and... you get the picture.
MK and Akie were mismatched right from the beginning. For one thing, when they were both posted at the same station in Japan, she became his boss. That brought an end to that relationship. But despite their lackluster relationship, the two are really good friends. In fact, it was due to Akie's string-pulling that got the unemployed MK back on duty, once again under her authority. The two know each other so well that this time it's just going to be professional.

Couple Rating: **1/2

Why: They're just cute together - bitching about work, cracking jokes about people they abhor, ragging on each other. But when they hook up, it's as if both were just dying to drive the other insane. Poor Mk, though. He's the one who's always getting dumped.

Kaneda Mitsuo
Kaneda is Inui's distant cousin. Early in the fics, Kaneda and Akie would lightly flirt but nothing serious ever came of it. However, Kaneda has reconciled with his estranged wife, Imogen (who has ties to MK) and natural son, Bailey. Akie occasionally drops by to say hello but that is the extent of their relationship.

Couple Rating: ***1/2

Why: If Kaneda weren't married, he might have been good for a couple of stories. Kaneda's down-to-earth charms and optimistic view of life may have rubbed off on Akie. She's always been a sucker for those kinda of confident guys. [ up ]