Gale stepped up to the big door, undaunted by its size. It had been a long time since he ad been here but Ryouzanpaku was still known for the door that was so heavy only certain strength could open it. Gale grinned knowing he had the strength. It had been a while since he had needed to use so much strength but he relished at being able to use it again.
"Hello?" He called after kicking the door to open it. "Anyone home?" His mouth almost dropped open when a beautiful blonde girl peered out the door of a large house before stepping out. She had grown much more then he had thought possible.
"Hi I'm Miu" She said holding out her hand. Gale's mouth almost dropped even further. She still sounded the same. Wondering if she remembered him, Gale reached for her hand. There was one sure way to see if se remembered at all.
"I'm Gale" He said smiling as he took her hand. He pressed it to his stomach briefly before kissing it. Miu gasped slightly making Gale smile even wider then before. Suddenly she had thrown her arms around him, hugging him fiercely.
"You thought I forgot you didn't you?" She pouted backing away. Gale held back a chuckled at her wide eyes. He didn't want Miu to get angry. Hell broke loose when that happened.
"No not at all. I didn't even plan to come here until I'd reached your strength—which I still haven't." Gale grinned before placing a hand on her shoulder. "I've missed you baby sister" Miu's eyes filled with happy tears. It had been a long time since he had called Miu that.
"Sister?" A kid walked out from the house. "Big boobs, you have a brother?" Gale glanced at Miu before looking back at the kid. She had black hair, seemed slight in build. Could this be the disciple that he had heard about? He hadn't learned much besides that the disciple was young but unusually willing to get up in a fight.
A large shadow fell over Gale before a huge hand fell on his shoulder. He gulped as he looked up into the familiar face, still complete with a white beard. The hulking figure's arms bulged with muscles but that wasn't what Gale remembered most.
"Did you think you could stop in here without seeing your Grandpa?" The figure asked gruffly before he hugged Gale. Gale felt the wind squeezed out of him before he was set down. Gale took a moment to breathe.
"Still can give good hugs Gramps." By now, the rest of the masters had gathered and all of them were smiling. The kid was the only one who wasn't smiling while she looked from Miu to Gale and back looking confused.
"Hi I'm Gale. Who are you?" He asked stepping forward. The kid opened her mouth eagerly but Hayato silenced her.
"She is the sister of our disciple and she is leaving" Elder Hayato said sternly "Apachai please take her home" The girl tried to protest, trying to explain something or another to Hayato. Apparently her brother needed saving.
"Appa!" Apachai said saluting. Gale watched as the gentle giant placed the girl on his shoulders before taking off. It wasn't long before he faded into the distance. Gale shook his head. Who needed motorcycles or cars when you could run super fast?
"Now…" Gale said turning around. A palm appeared in his vision forcing him to spin around it. As a precaution, he spun over the arm as a second palm struck at his body with blinding speed.
"You have gotten better." Akisame said stroking his mustache. Gale noticed that the master acted as if nothing had happened. "Your dodge was unique. I have rarely seen such variation in technique." Gale knelt to the ground, smiling before he punched it. The grass flattened out but the dirt looked untouched. "Interesting" Akisame mused while Miu looked confused.
It didn't do anything!" She exclaimed throwing up her hands at the interest radiating from the masters. Gale chuckled as he touched the ground, the dirt suddenly crumbling to make a large hole. Miu stared in surprise unable to believe what she was seeing.
"I call it Quies Turbides" Gale got up, dusting off his hands. "I went through hell to try and develop it, combining what I'd learned with experimentation." Of course he'd already traveled to hell and back before that.
"A dangerous thing to do" Akisame pointed out. Gale shrugged. He'd done it anyways and lived to tell the tale. No harm done except for the odd scar.
"But it worked" Gale said looking around the circle. A boy with black hair came outside, sweating greatly. It looked like he was barely able to stand. The sight made the older boy smile as he remembered his own training. With Ryouzanpaku, you went to hell for training. It was up to you to get back.
"Gale, meet Kenchi, disciple of Ryouzanpaku" Kenchi held out his hand for Gale to shake. Gale smiled ruefully before he grabbed the hand. Without a warning, Gale yanked upwards, flipping Kenchi over his head. The boy twisted in mid-air freeing himself and landing almost gracefully on the other side.
"Disciple of Ryouzanpaku indeed" Gale said before bowing to the boy who looked stunned. "But I am here to be taught by Shigure Kosaka, the weapons prodigy. Weapons are the last thing I need before I complete my Quies Turbides" The masters shared a look. Gale almost missed the movement they moved so fast.
"Go for a little more then that Gale" Ma said with a strange look in his eye. Gale started to shake his head in wonder when a woman stepped out of the dojo. It was all Gale could do not to have his jaw drop.
The woman was about his age with a chain vest on covered by a kimono—a short kimono—and stockings. A large katana was strapped to her back giving away who she was. Of course the small bulges in her kimono helped identify her as well.
Gale dropped to his knees. Bowing his head to look at the ground, the man took a deep breath. Shigure was said to be heartless. If she rejected him, his Quies Turbides would never be complete. His dream would break into pieces around his feet.
"Shigure-sensei" Gale began before the woman squatted next to him. Gale blinked slightly, looking up into her eyes. He lost his words for a moment lost in her gaze. "Will you teach me the way of the weapon?" Elder Hayato chuckled softly at something while Shigure just stared at him.
"Ryouzanpaku already has…a disciple" She said softly before pointing at Kenchi. The other boy still looked stunned. Obviously he wasn't used to success outside battle. "Can't take another." Gale felt his dream fall from great heights to shatter into pieces—gone. He could always find another one but this had been his greatest.
A hand laid on Gale's shoulder. "This is not a disciple, Shigure. Gale is the son of Ryouzanpaku. He traveled with Hayato and with Miu. He has learned from all of us and his new style proves he has been working hard. Think of it as more of partners. After all are you not the Daughter of Ryouzanpaku?" Gale felt grateful towards Akisame. Who could deny it when it was put that way? Except for an irrational person of course.
Shigure shrugged slightly, her impassionate gaze locked on Gale. He felt his heart freeze from the stare, unable to look away from the piercing eyes. After a long while, the weapons prodigy nodded.
Gale let out a sigh—maybe he could finish his Quies Turbides. Shigure crouched down next to him a puzzled look in her eyes. Gale held still unsure of how to react. Shigure Kosaka was said to be a ruthless being but was it true? She didn't seem ruthless. Gale had met beautiful and dangerous women before however. He couldn't quite judge yet.
"Your story…I'd like to hear it…sometime" She murmured before getting up. Gale rose as well glancing about at the other masters of Ryouzanpaku. Out of all of them Shigure was the youngest—almost the same age as Gale. Was she lonely? Was that what Master Ma had meant?
There was a gentle wind followed by a click. Gale sighed slightly watching Ma dance away with his camera, Shigure chasing after him with sword drawn. Elder Hayato touched Gale's shoulder, ushering him into the house. Without a word, the two of them walked into the house.
"As you can see things calmed down a bit." Elder Hayato said with a smile. Gale nodded looking around. The place also looked cleaner then it had the last time he had been here. Miu must've whipped them into shape. Grandpa Hayato chuckled softly.
"I know what you're thinking but it's really Kenchi's fault not Miu's. He has had a large unforeseen impact on Ryouzanpaku." At that moment, Kenchi walked into the room still looking a little dazed. Gale laughed at the boy unsure as to what had stunned him. At first it had seemed like his success but now it seemed like something else.
"You aren't another sensei are you?" Kenchi asked his voice shaking. Gale shook his head and the boy let out a long sigh. Gale glanced at his grandfather who just grinned before slipping from the room. Things made a lot more sense now.
"So who are you exactly?" Gale smiled thinking about how many times he'd been asked that question. Sitting on the floor, he patted the space next to him aware of a second presence entering the room. Shigure might be a shadow but even a shadow could be noticed.
"It's a long story" He said as Kenchi sat down. "I don't know exactly where I come from. Hayato—Elder—won't tell me so I guess that'll stay a mystery. Anyways Hayato claims to have found me wandering on the road during his travels with Miu. I was dehydrated and ready to lay down to die." Gale took a deep breath. He wasn't telling Kenchi everything. Some of the things about how Hayato Elder had found him were a little personal. They just hit too close to home. It was also a reason why he couldn't master his fighting style.
"Grandpa Hayato took me along with him on his travels. After a while, Miu started calling me Nee-chan and Gramps just kinda adopted me as that. He began teaching me a little as well but I always felt behind Miu. She was a natural at it unlike me. I struggled through almost every minute of it but Gramps was patient. When he started to gather Ryouzanpaku, the sensei took me under their wings to begin teaching me. I think they felt it was better then Hayato teaching me." Gale chuckled as he rubbed the back of his neck. He had more then enough scars from both sets of training.
"Anyways I eventually reached a point where they couldn't really teach me anymore. They told me to journey into the world and basically to find ways to train myself. I meditated at first sharpening my senses. That kinda led me to Quies Turbides I guess." Gale trailed off looking at Kenchi. The boy's story had to be more interesting then his own.
"So what's your story Kenchi?" The boy looked at Gale with tired eyes as if the weight of his training was hitting him. Gale knew how he felt. The masters could be tough and they hardly ever let up. Even vacation was work with them.
"I joined to protect those important to me…and in doing so have entered the ninth ring of hell." He keeled over muttering to himself while emitting a depressing aura. Gale laughed loudly as Sakaki stepped into the room.
"Come on Kenchi! It's my turn for training!" Kenchi bolted from the room, almost like a frightened rabbit. Sakaki turned, closing the door behind him. There was a small whoosh as the master took off after the disciple. Gale glanced up at the beams.
"You can come out now Shigure-san. You've heard my story haven't you?" Shigure slipped from the beam to land near him. Gale scooted over to make room for her. A slight whistling sound made him raise his hands. Catching the blade with his fingers, Gale glanced questioningly at Shigure.
"One must always…be on their guard." She said before sheathing her sword and squatting next to him. "I…liked your story but it seemed to be…missing something." Gale chuckled through his surprise. He hadn't expected her to see through him so easily. He had shortened most of it for Kenchi. Apparently Shigure wanted the whole story
"I can see you are as sharp as the weapons you carry so proudly." Gale said softly as he searched for the right words. "I gave Kenchi an abbreviated version of my story because I don't want to scare the kid" Gale's life story was scary especially for someone going through the same thing.
Shigure gave him a small smile. "Kenchi is…strong. It takes a lot…to scare him" Gale laughed gesturing around him. Ryouzanpaku scared Kenchi but that was to be expected. It was a lot to handle for anyone who wasn't a part of it.
"Well there are also personal things in my story that I don't want to tell someone I just met." Shigure tilted her head with a questioning expression on her face. Gale looked sheepishly at her. "Once we know each other a little better Shigure I'll tell you the whole story ok?" She nodded before slipping out the door, pausing briefly to glance back at Gale. Soon after Miu came to take Gale to his quarters. Minutes after he entered the room, Gale was fast asleep.