MEETING THE ONIWABANSHU
"Now, Chikara, it's time you meet the remaining Oniwabanshu. Shinyo has known them and it's time you do as well." Chikara beamed up at her father. She was dressed in a brown kimono with lavender crysanthemums. "Yes, Father. Are they scary as Shinyo says?" Chikara, at age 5, asked. Aoshi glanced down at his female heir. He chuckled lightly. "You'll see."
Aoshi opened the double doors into a grand room. Everything was finely furnished with neat furniture. A wooden round table was in the center of the room. Six chairs were around it, four of them occupied. "Good evening, Okashira." They greeted thier leader. Chikara stared at the strange men. There was a rather enourmous man with dark hair and tan skin. His eyes were so high she couldn't see any color to them. Just by observance and the smell of his breath she could tell his buck teeth were made of flint. He had no shirt, just white hakama pants.
There was a tiny man, not much bigger than herself. His hair was dark and spiked up into a mohawk. His eyes were wide but sharp as a cat's. He had a pointy nose that seemed to steal the attraction of his face. He wore dark gray hakama pants and shirt, a blue vest with purple, and tabi shoes.
Next there was a man with so many battle scars and muscles he looked like a patchwork quilt. His hair was long, red, and bushy. He had black pants similar to her father's with three belts. He had a distinctive scar on his face. A cross down his forehead to his chin. And from the other side of his nose to his ear. She knew that that scar had come from her father.
The last man wore purple pants and a blue vest over a skin-tight black shirt. The sleeves had bold black and white stripes down his arms. She couldn't see his eyes because they were behind a ghoulish mask with crossing fangs and horns. He was very large and blocky with broad shoulders, muscular arms, and lean legs. The stripes on his arms were hypnotic, forcing her to fall into the mystery length of his arms.
"Meet the Oniwabanshu, Hyottoko, Beshimi, Han'nya, and Shikijou. Oniwaban, meet Chikara." Aoshi introduced. They stood and gave a brief bow. When Aoshi looked down at Chikara he was confused to see her spell-bound. Her curious blue-green eyes were fixed to one sight and refused to move. Then just like that she ran. Aoshi tried to pull her back but missed. Her little legs ran at Beshimi and pounced. "Nekome kawai'i!" she shouted. Even though his eyes were already wide, Beshimi's eyes widened even more. Aoshi sweatdropped. What kind of fighter yelled 'Cateye is cute' about her comrade? 'Well, she is in training...'
Shikijou bellowed out in laughter. "Hey there, squirt." Chikara releashed Beshimi and smiled up at Shikijou. "Hiya!" Then she giggled. "Shinyo said you were all scary. He lied!" She shook hands with Shikijou and Han'nya. "Why do you wear a mask? Are you trying to hide?" She asked Han'nya. He nodded. "Yes," he told her quite plainly. She nodded back to him bubbly-like. "Okie!" Then she ran to shake hands with Hyottoko, more like her hand shaking his pinkey.
Chikara offered a candy to Hyottoko. "Because your teeth are flint and gas is on your breath I'm guessing you drink gas. But you should know it makes your breath stink. So have a candy." The Oniwaban members smiled. At such a young age she would be a great addition to the group when she grew up.