Ronin Warriors: The Bonds of Love
Chapter One
It was a beautiful spring day and everyone was trying to enjoy. A young woman sat outside by the lakeside on the property that she owned. The sun was shining bright down upon everything that it touched. The water was still and quiet. She listened to the sounds of the birds chirping around them and the soft rustle of the wind in the leaves. Everything was peaceful. Only one thing could make this day any better.
Kyo had yearned for years to be a mother. She was a foster mother, but none of the kids stayed with her for very long. She wanted to adopt kids that would live with her permanently and that she could call her own. She didn't have a husband or boyfriend that she could have children with. She just had not found the right guy and was starting to believe she never would. She was starting to lose hope.
Meanwhile, across town a time of terror was according. A young boy with blue hair and a young girl with long lavender hair ran into their room, closing the door behind them and locking it. There was big bang on it, making them back up in fear.
"You brats better open up this door or you're gonna really get it and I mean it!" yelled the angry voice of their father on the other side.
"Rowen, what are we gonna do?" asked Serenity, scared of what was going to happen when their father busted through that door.
"We gotta get outta here. Come on." said Rowen, walking over to their window and opened it. He helped his sister out first and then he followed, getting out just as their father broke through the door and came at him when he saw him in the window.
The two of them took off running and didn't even look back.
"You get back here this instant or you're gonna regret the day you were ever born!" shouted their father behind them.
It didn't stop, nor did it even slow them down. They just kept on running, determined to never look back.
Not too far away, Kyo was in a mini mart grabbing some groceries. She had run low on food in her home so she had to get more, at least if she wanted to eat she did. Unless there were kids in the house, she only shopped for groceries when she had to. When there were kids in her home, she always kept food stocked up.
All of sudden, she started getting a bad feeling. She wasn't sure why she suddenly had this feeling; she just did out of nowhere. She paid for the groceries that she had than headed out. She was walking to her car with her groceries when she saw a couple young teens run around the corner, followed shortly by a man chasing them. They looked afraid of them man chasing them.
Kyo put down her groceries next to her car than stood on the sidewalk where the two could hide behind her and she could stand between them and the man chasing them. The two teens seemed to understand what she was doing and they stopped behind her. The man chasing them stopped too as she stood between them.
"Get out of my way, this is none of your business." said the man.
Kyo just glared. She knew what this man was doing, why he was chasing these two. He knew what his type did to their own children and it made her angry and sick.
"I said, get out of my way!" yelled the man, becoming angry.
"No, I will do no such thing. I know what you are doing and I will not let you do it anymore." said Kyo.
"Lady, get out of my way or I'll call the police." said the man.
"I am a cop, so go ahead." said Kyo, determined to stand her ground.
The man fell silent, not knowing what else to say. Finally, he just turned and walked away.
"You didn't have to do that." said Rowen.
"I know. I just know his type and I don't approve. People like that make me sick." said Kyo.
"Well, thank you for your help." said Serenity as she and her brother started walking away.
"Wait, where are you going?" asked Kyo.
"I don't know, but we don't really have many places to go." said Rowen.
"How about just coming home with me? I couldn't live with myself if I didn't let you stay with me and just let you leave. I'm not that kind of person. My house is anyone's home. I am a foster mother after all." said Kyo.
"So you're not really a cop?" asked Serenity.
"Of course I am, part time. I like being a foster mom more than anything. My brother's the big time cop though. He made deputy last year." said Kyo.
Rowen and Serenity looked at each other.
"Come on. At least come and let me make you something to eat. If you want to, it will give you time to think about staying with me at least for a while." said Kyo.
The look that Serenity gave her brother said that she wanted too but Rowen's look said he wasn't sure about, but thinking of his sister first he nodded. They were hungry after all.
Kyo grabbed her groceries as Rowen and Serenity got in the back seat.
Once the three of them got back to Kyo's house, she grabbed her groceries and got out while Rowen and Serenity sat in the car for a minute, gazing at their surroundings.
"You two can come in when you're ready." said Kyo. She knew it was best to let them move at their own pace. She headed inside, walking into the kitchen and setting down her groceries, grabbing out some food and she got started cooking. She heard the front door shut a few moments later. She poked her head out of the kitchen.
Rowen and Serenity stood in the living room, kind of gazing about curiously.
"Feel free to look around if you like. This whole lake is mine." said Kyo. She then headed back into the kitchen to finish cooking. She could hear the two of them walking around, exploring. She couldn't help but smile. It reminded her of all the kids that she took her as a foster mom.
Once the food was done, she made plates for all three of them than walked into the dining room, setting each plate at a place on the table. She then headed to find Rowen and Serenity. She didn't have to look for long though, because they were upstairs checking out the bedrooms. They were each standing in one, across from each other.
"Hey. I made something to eat if you guys are hungry." said Kyo.
Both turned to look at her. Serenity seemed a little bit startled, but Rowen was more on the defensive side, as though ready for any danger.
"Thank you." said Rowen, easing up just slightly.
Kyo turned and headed back downstairs. She walked over and sat down at the dining room table, slowly beginning on her food while she waited for them.
Rowen and Serenity walked down a few minutes later. They walked over, sat down next to each other at the table, and began to eat.
"What are your names?" asked Kyo.
"I'm Rowen, this is my little sister Serenity." said Rowen.
"You know, if you two would like, I can help you. I know why that man was chasing you and what he has done to you; I've seen it enough to know. I'm guessing that the man is your father. However, if I am going to help you, I need to know just how bad it is." said Kyo.
Both of them were silent at first. They seemed to be thinking, or were unsure if they even wanted to answer. Serenity continued eating, but Rowen looked at Kyo. She knew that look.
"As bad as you can imagine I guess." said Rowen.
"Where's your mother?" asked Kyo, her heart going out to these two.
"We don't know. I was 12 when she left, sis was only 8 at the time. We don't even know why she left us, what made her leave. Or even why she would leave us with him." said Rowen.
Kyo could see Rowen clench up his fist. It was obvious to her just had sad and frustrated he was. She wished that there was a way that she could change what they had been through, that she could take away their pain, but she knew she couldn't. All she could do was take them away from it and give them a new home, if they really wanted that. She had to give them the choice; she couldn't force it on them.
"If you will let me, I can help you. I can get you away from what your father is doing to you, and if you would like, I can offer you a new place to live, a new home but only if that is what you want. I don't want you to have to go back to that. You shouldn't have to." she said.
"Why? Why would you do that? Why would you help us? Why would you want to help us?" asked Rowen.
"It's the way I am, because I care, because I want to. I've seen kids who are going through what you are going through. I may not know you guys, but I care anyway. No child should have to go through this. And I want to stop it from happening anymore. You don't have to be alone. You can trust me. I won't hurt you and I won't let anyone else hurt you again. So please, let me help you." said Kyo.
Rowen looked at Serenity and Serenity looked at Rowen. They just stared at each other for a while. Then Serenity shrugged her shoulders. Rowen sighed than looked back at Kyo.
Kyo held her breath, waiting for the answer.
"First, how do you plan on helping us?" asked Rowen.
"Like I said before, my brother is a deputy. I can give him a call and your father will no longer be a problem." said Kyo.
Sometime later found the three of them standing with Kyo's brother, Deputy Kenji Dohji and two other officers on the porch of the Hashiba house. Kyo's brother had knocked and they were just waiting for Rowen and Serenity's father to answer.
A few minutes later, the door was yanked open and there stood Mr. Hashiba, looking furious.
"Mr. Hashiba, we need you to step outside with these officers while your children grab their belongings." said Deputy Kenji.
"And why the hell should I do that?" demanded Mr. Hashiba.
"We have a court order to remove these children from your home due to abuse. Please step outside or you will be removed by force." said Deputy Kenji.
Mr. Hashiba stepped out on to the porch, glaring daggers at Rowen and Serenity as they walked by with Kyo, followed by her brother. The other officers stood in front of the doorway.
Rowen and Serenity walked to their bedroom with Kyo and Deputy Kenji.
"Grab everything that you will need. You will be staying with my sister while we track down your mother and any other relatives you may have." said Deputy Kenji.
"Don't bother, she doesn't want us. No one in our family does." said Rowen.
"It's procedure I'm afraid." said Deputy Kenji.
Rowen just nodded than he and Serenity gathered everything they needed, leaving behind what they didn't care for.
Once Rowen and Serenity had everything, Kyo drove them back her house. She helped them unload and even unpack.
Kyo headed downstairs once they were both unpacked when Rowen's voice made her stop.
"Thank you. Thank you for all of your help."
Kyo turned around and smiled at Rowen, who stood at the top of the stairs.
"You're welcome. The both of you are more than welcome here. My home is your home if you want it to be." she said.
Rowen nodded than headed back to what was now his room.