Mia's Narrative Part 1
I was tired of being so weak! The Ronins leave me behind when a battle comes our way. I decided to find a way to be strong enough to survive an encounter with them. I went into town first to pick up some things for the guys. It was on my way back to the jeep where I
ran into an old friend of mine. His name was Kayin Amoh, and last I'd heard from him he was a musician and bounty hunter. It was nice to see him again. He was carrying his guitar case around.
"Kayin," I said under my breath. He must have heard me, because he turned to me.
"Mia," He said, "It's been a while."
"You actually remember me?"
"It's hard to forget some one like you."
"So where are you staying?"
"No where, yet. I'm trying to get out of the heavily populated areas."
"You could came stay with me."
"I couldn't. I don't want to bother you."
"It wouldn't bother me at all. Five other guys live in the house with me. I have plenty of room."
"If you want."
"I would really like to spend some more time with you. Please, Kayin."
"All right."
Kayin followed me to the house. The guys didn't trust him right away, but they spent some time
getting to know him. After several hours he was finally accepted.
At seven Cye went to the kitchen to start cooking. The rest of the guys went off to do their normal activities. Kento was bothering Cye, Sage was meditating, Rowen went to his room to read, and Ryo stayed with me to talk with Kayin.
"So do you play?" He asked pointing to the guitar case.
"Yeah," Kayin replied, "When I don't have anything better to do."
"Are you any good?"
"That depends on what you call good."
"Oh, I see."
"So what do you do for fun around here?"
"I play sports. Sage is a kendoist. Kento seems like a wrestler. Cye does house work, and Rowen
studies. What do you do for fun?"
"I usually hassle, Eiji about how much improvement he needs."
"Is Eiji a friend of yours?"
"Yeah. We trained together under his brother's guidance, but his brother ran away from home when we were younger. He's back in the country for Eiji's sake."
"Kayin," I said, "Do you think you can teach me about fighting?"
"Me? Teach? Now that's a scary thought. I could take you to see Sho tomorrow."
"Really?"
"I don't see why not. He'll still train people."
I was happy I finally found a way to improve myself. I couldn't wait to meet this guy. If only I new how sad he was, then I wouldn't have been excited.
Mia's Narrative Part 2
When the sun rose that day, I was very tired. Kayin woke me up and gave me a sword. I asked,
"What's this for?"
"Sho teaches sword techniques."
"Oh. I almost forgot about that!"
He left the room so I could get dressed. I rushed down the stairs. Kayin had his guitar case open. From it he pulled out a sword.
"How did you get that through air port security?"
"I have my ways, Mia. Come on, we want to get there while it's still early in the day."
It took us two hours to get to a forest. It took us three hours to get with in hearing range of Sho
(that is if we shouted). It was there we got attacked. I didn't understand why the Dynasty was after us. Cale appeared before us. He drew his sword slowly. I could feel my heart pounding
"Stay calm, Mia," Kayin said, "I'll handle this."
He walked up to the warlord and said, "So it's a fight you want?"
"It is, but who said I wanted one with you."
"Too bad! You're getting it! Sonic Flash!"
Kayin threw a gold fireball at Cale. It hit. Not a moment later a man with long, brown hair, and sad, brown eyes came to us. He looked at Cale, and his sorrow turned to anger.
"I warned you, Cale!" He said, "if I ever saw you hit another innocent person, I would make you pay!"
"I don't like these odds," Cale said. He ran away. The man walked over to Kayin and asked, "Did he hurt either of you?"
"No," Kayin replied, "Have you met that guy before, Sho?"
"Eiji is injured because of him."
"What?!"
Kayin rushed forward. Sho and I followed him calmly. Eiji had spiky, brown hair and the same sad eyes as Sho. He had his hand on a katana as if he were about to help his brother fight.
"He ran away," Sho said, "So just relax, I have to change you bandages."
"Are you sure you're really Sho Shinjo?" Eiji asked as he took off the old bandages. Sho said nothing and put clean ones on. Eiji put a black shirt and white coat on. He tied a red and white belt around his waist. He looked over to us.
"Who's your friend?" He asked.
"My name is Mia Koji. I've heard a lot about you from Kayin. You're Eiji, right?"
"That's right. It was nice to meet you, Ms. Koji. I have to get back to my training."
"I'll come with you," Kayin said. They both went to a clearing for a while.
Sho and I said nothing for a while. I finally said, "Sho, I need you to do me a favor."
"Huh?"
"I need you to train me."
"Fighting is no life."
"I know, I know. But I want to be able to help my friends. They can't help but fight."
"If you are willing to learn, I will teach you."
"I am willing," I said as I drew my sword.
He finally agreed to it. I wish I only knew what I was getting into.
Sho's Narrative Part 3
It was my first week back in Japan. Strange things happened that week. I decided to train Ms. Koji because she was so determined to fight. I didn't understand why.
As Eiji and Kayin went off to practice, her training began. We practiced nothing but the basics that day. As the sun set I heard Eiji cry out in pain. It seemed he had lost another fight. That wasn't unusual.
Kayin was strong, just like his father. He emerged from a small grove with Eiji thrown over his shoulder.
"It took a little persuasion, but I got him to listen," He said, "Mia, do you mind if I take him back to your house so he can hide for a bit."
"Um. . . . Sure," She said with exhaustion.
"Do you want to go now?" He asked.
"No. I'm going to stay here and train."
"If your sure. The guys probably got restless. They might be looking for you."
"Can you tell them I'll be back in a little while?"
"Oh, okay. She works almost as hard as you, Sho."
Kayin walked away. She smiled. She waited for him to be out of hearing range before she raised her sword again. She dropped to her knees. I helped her up.
"You should have gone with them," I said.
"You never show emotion in your voice," Mia said, "But I can feel the sorrow in you. What's wrong with you?"
"It's nothing I want to worry you with."
"You're hiding something from me, Sho. Please, tell me. You shouldn't keep secrets from your
students."
"It's the only way I can keep students. People don't come to me to hear my problems. Most of them never find out."
Her eyes narrowed as she looked to the ground. I could tell what she was thinking. She was thinking that I didn't trust her.
Trust. I never trusted anybody but Eiji and Kayin. Thinking about what I did made me feel worse than usual.
Mia looked at me. She said, "If you can't trust your students who can you trust?"
"No one. I ruined my life three years ago. I have no life. If I don't have a life how can I form such a relationship?"
"Please, don't talk like that. It makes me sad to hear people talk that way. Can you just give me some clues? I won't tell any one."
"I hurt Kayin in a way that can never be forgiven. I can never truly redeem myself to him."
We said nothing for the rest of the night. I just helped her get home.
When we got to her house, Mia was so tired she could barely keep her eyes open. I took her to her room then left. On the way out I heard a boy yell at Eiji.
"You shouldn't go out there!" He said, "I'm warnin' ya. Cale or any of his comrades could come after you."
I sighed knowing what Eiji was going to say and do. I went down the stairs and to the door. A boy with mid length, black hair and blue eyes was standing in front of the door. He said, "So you're Sho. Kayin told me about you. He also told me you had an encounter with the Dynasty. Be careful out there, all right?"
"Hmm......."
"My name's Ryo, just for future reference."
"I'll remember that. Good bye, Ryo."
He bowed his head as I left.
Eiji's Narrative Part 4
I went outside shortly after my brother left. I went into the forest to train alone. I was out there for at least an hour before something happened. A man laughed. I looked around with White Tiger in a ready position. A man that looked like an ogre appeared before me. He had with him a weighted chain. He swung it around as he laughed.
"Eiji, you work so hard, but you'll never be as good as your 'dear' brother."
"Who are you?"
"Anubis, warlord of Cruelty."
"You're one of them! Stay back!"
He threw his chain at me, and it hit me in the side. The blow had knocked me to the ground. I stood back up, and he threw his chain at me again. This time it wrapped around me and a tree. Anubis threw White Tiger away from the area.
"Your dear brother is on our side now, Eiji."
"I can't believe that!"
"Oh, believe it, boy! He's in Dais' possession!"
"No, Sho wouldn't get captured by you! He would never cooperate with you!"
"You think so, don't you, Eiji? Well, I'll show you."
A spider looking man appeared. He waved his hands over my eyes. I saw Sho locked away in a dark room. His wrists were bound to a stone structure. His eyes were closed, he seemed lifeless.
The spider waved his hands before my eyes once again, and the image vanished. Tears stung my eyes. I couldn't believe what they had shown me.
"Eiji!" A voice called. I knew that voice. Kento had come looking for me.
Two blue fireballs suddenly hit the warlords from behind. Kento, Ryo, Kayin, and Mia appeared to my right. Mia threw one violet fireball at Anubis.
"This fight was supposed to be between the Shinjo brothers and us," The spider growled, "But your bravery will be rewarded. Web of Deception!!"
Every one dodged the attack. Anubis said, "Sho, stay back or we'll seal your brother's fate."
"If you lay a hand on him I will send you to Hell!"
"Brave words, Sho!"
Sho rushed up to him using hishozan. The sword spin threw the warlord off balance. Since he was close, Sho used gekkosen on Anubis. The attack hit him in the face, giving him a black eye. The rest of the fight was a blur to me.
The next thing I remembered was waking up at Mia's house. Some one had already changed my bandages. White Tiger leaned against the wall near the bed. I stood up, and felling unbalanced, I put my left hand to the wall. I walked out of the room and down to the living room like that. Mia, Kayin, Ryo, and Kento were there, but I didn't see Sho anywhere. Cye, Rowen, and Sage came in the room calmly. I asked, "Where is my brother?"
"He's resting right now," Cye replied, "He took on a few minor wounds, but it's nothing that won't heal."
"Resting?" I asked. Sho wasn't the type of person that would rest very often, and I was surprised that he hadn't left. I asked, "How did you manage that?"
"It took a little persuasion," Rowen replied, trying to be polite.
"Actually, Kento locked him in our room," Cye added.
"I bet he's not happy about that," Ryo put in.
"I don't like the sound of that myself," I towards the stairs, "I'm going to let him out."
I went back upstairs and to Kento and Cye's room. I unlocked the door and went in. Sho was sitting against the far wall, near the window. He liked the feel of the cold, night air. He was used to it. He stood up as I entered. He had bandages all over his right arm and some just blew the first two straps on his leg.
"Hello, Sho," I said as I approached him, "I see they beat you up a bit."
"Not as badly as they hurt you."
"I don't feel that bad."
"Try to raise your right arm."
I did as he asked. I felt a sharp pain down my side so I quickly lowered it. He said, "That's what I thought. You can't fight in your condition. Please, be careful."
"Sho?"
"Eiji, you and Kayin are all I have left in this life. You're the reason I'm still here. I care about you."
My brother. He's always giving me advice and telling me to believe in my self. Whenever I feel sad, I think of his words and I fell much better. I thank you, my dear brother, Sho.