Chapter Two
The afternoon sun beating down on him,Akito Hayama raced off after a group of thieves who stole from his friend and boss. The horse he rode on left a trail of dust behind him as he journeyed south out of town. In the distance, Akito could see a wagon. It was the one he was looking for,he could tell. He urged the horse to go faster.
The horse caught up to the wagon. Akito came up behind it. He caught a glimpse of a small jewelry box inside the wagon. A box he's seen in Tanaka's house before. This was the thieves. Akito had the horse get closer. The thieves on the wagon were completely unaware of him.
Akito stood up on the horse,and jumped onto the wagon. He climbed inside. One of the thieves turned and saw him. Taking advantage of the thief's state of shock,Akito hit him upside the head. The thief went down. There were still three more.
One turned and saw Akito. He said something to the others. The guy stood up and drew his gun. The wagon started to slow down. Akito ducked down behind a crate as the guy shot at him. A corner blew away,inches away from Akito's head.
The gunshot spooked the horse pulling the wagon. The wagon sped up. The thief with the gun stumbled,giving Akito a chance. He tackled the gunman,taking the gun from him. The driver got the horse under control and stopped the wagon.
Akito got out of the back of the wagon. The three thieves got out too. Akito didn't give them a chance to do anything. He tackled the one from before,taking him to the ground. Another one aimed his gun at Akito. He quickly stood up and kicked at the gunman. The gun fired,the bullet whizzing past Akito's face and hitting the dirt.
Thinking fast,Akito punched the thief in the stomach. He dropped the gun,then dropped himself. The last assailant drew a knife and stabbed at Akito. Akito dodged the blade,backing into the wagon. The guy smirked,bringing the knife to Akito's chest. At the last second,Akito dropped to the ground. The knife lodged itself into the wood.
Akito pulled out the gun he took from one of the thieves. He pistol whipped the man across the head. He fell to the ground unconscious,bumps already beginning to bruise. Akito took a minute to catch his breath. He looked around at the three unconscious men laying on the ground.
Taking deep breathes,Akito felt his heart pound beneath his ribcage. This was it. He found it. The answer to his boring repetitive life. He looked down at his hand. It was shaking. Akito sighed,a slight smile appeared on his face.
Akito lifted up the three thieves one at a time,and put them in the wagon. Akito went to the front,and saw that,somehow,.the horse broke free and ran off. He moaned in defeat,until he turned around and saw the horse he borrowed from Tanaka.
The white horse trotted up to Akito. She nuzzled Akito's head. Akito petted her,happy to see her. Akito hooked the horse up to the wagon,and the horse set off back to town. On the journey back,Akito thought about everything that had happened.
His heart was still pounding. Never before today had he felt anything close to the rush of chasing those thieves. The thrill of fighting them,taking them down,and now taking them back to town. Akito didn't know what to think,just that he wasn't bored anymore.
Akito rode back into town. His first stop was the jail. He explained what had happened,and the thieves were removed from the wagon and locked up. Then,Akito drove the wagon back to Tanaka's farmhouse.
Farmer Tanaka was sitting in a rocking chair on the porch. As the wagon came up to the house,Tanaka stood up and walked up to it.
"Hey,Tanaka." Akito said,dismounting the white horse.
"A,Akito?" the farmer asked.
"Yeah?"
"What did you do?"
"I got your things back." Akito said. "Take a look." Akito led Tanaka to the back of the wagon. The farmer took one look and cheered.
"Yes! Akito,thank you! Thank you so,so much!" Tanaka gave Akito a big bear hug.
Tanaka and Akito then spent the next eight minutes taking the farmers valuables from the wagon into the house. Then Akito helped Tanaka put things back where they belonged.
"Thank you again,Akito. I never thought I would see any of these things ever again." The farmer couldn't stop smiling,his eyes tearing up with joy.
"No problem. It was my pleasure." Akito smirked.
"I owe you so much. If there is anything you need,just let me know." Tanaka offered.
"Thanks."
The white horse Akito borrowed came up to him,nuzzling him again. Akito petted her.
"She seems to like you." Tanaka said.
"Yeah. Seems like it." Akito said.
"That horse there hasn't really been friendly to anyone. I'm a bit surprised." Tanaka told him. "She also hasn't been out like that in a while. That's probably why she likes you."
Akito continued to pet the horse. He smiled at her.
"Tell ya what." Tanaka said. "See as you two seem to like each other,I'll let you come and ride her whenever you want. As a thank you." the farmer smiled.
Akito looked at Tanaka. "Okay." Akito left a little while after that,returning to his home. Natsumi was already there,sitting in the living room. The two ate dinner,then Natsumi went to bed. Akito laid in his bed,staring up at the ceiling.
He tossed and turned,unable to get comfortable,the events of that day circling in his mind. Akito eventually fell asleep,dreaming about what he did to those thieves.
/
He awoke to his sister knocking on his door. She left,he ate breakfast,and then he left. Akito walked to Farmer Tanaka's farm,thinking. 'Strange. One day of excitement,and the normal seems twice as dull then before.'
Akito waved to Tanaka and got to work. While on his break,Akito decided to visit the horse. He went to the stable,and walked to his horse's pen. Akito caught himself,and he petted the horse. He had thought 'his' horse. He smiled as he pet 'his' horse.
On a whim,Akito decided to take the horse for a ride. He led her out of the stable,and climbed on. He took her for a slow canter at first around the property. Then he sped up. Then sped up again. Then some more. Akito was amazed at how fast the horse could go. And how much he enjoyed it. Akito's heart sped up a little,excitement building up inside him. But,no matter how fast the horse galloped,it wasn't enough.
Akito slowed the horse down to a stop. He directed her back into the stable,and Akito finished his work. When the work was finished,Akito bid good night to Farmer Tanaka,and the horse,and went on his way.
At home,after dinner,Akito laid in bed thinking. Riding the horse wasn't enough. Something was missing. What was it? What else did he do? He beat up a group of guys. But Akito didn't want to be a thug.
Closing his eyes,Akito finally drifted off into sleep. In his dreams,he saw flashes of images. Him,riding his horse. Him,being chased by law officials. Him,stealing back what the thieves stole. Him,stealing. For the fun of it.
Akito bolted awake,his heart pounding away in his chest. That was it. He found it. Maybe.
