Chapter Four
Kanda
It was getting late. Haku and Okami were late picking me up. I had felt the Fighter and Sacrifice unit again right after the bell hand rung for school to end. I was a little worried about Haku. I sat on a bench next to the school gates and waited. After about ten minutes I felt the sensation from this morning coming on again. I got off the bench and the ringing started. I dropped my bag and covered my ears. It was a lot louder than this morning, meaning the unit was closer this time.
All the sudden, the ringing stopped. I uncovered my ears and looked around. I looked down the street and saw nothing. The sun was beginning to set and there was no one around. I turned and picked up my bag. When I straightened, there was a pair of guys standing twenty feet from me. I stopped moving and stared at them.
The taller one had long hair and was a little crazy looking. The shorter one had neck length hair and was the more composed and calmer looking. He looked at me and I felt like a huge weight was on my chest. I grabbed the front of my shirt, over my heart, and started feeling a little dizzy. I fell backwards, but I was caught by someone.
I looked up and found Haku holding me upright. Haku was breathing had, he had probably been running. I looked around, but I didn't see Okami with him. That worried me. That pain in my chest was getting worse. I grabbed Haku's arm for support and he pulled me to him.
"I call for a challenge of spells!" Haku shouted at the pair down the street.
The taller of the two stepped up and smiled at us. "We accept."
The wind picked up and the world went black. We were surrounded by darkness and there was no light, but we could still see each other and our opponents. The pain was gone and I stood up on my own and glared at the two. Haku stepped up to take his place in front of me.
The shorter of the two, the sacrifice, smiled cruelly at Haku and me. "Well Haku are you going to introduce us to your brother?"
I spat at him and smirked back. "I don't need introductions. You're not going to be around long enough for your names to matter much to me."
The fighter glared at me. "Seimei can I kill them now?"
"Not yet Nisei. Sensei still has a need for the two of them." Seimei replied. Then he turned his attention to me.
I felt his attack hit me and I pulled up a barrier to block him. It wasn't easy, this guy was no amateur. But the attack was weak; he was trying to see my reaction speed. The pressure subsided and I put the barrier down. Seimei didn't seem to be all that impressed so I decided to wipe that smug look of his face. I gathered my power and struck at him right in the face. Seimei was a little caught off guard and he didn't have time to block before the hit came.
I smirked as Seimei was knocked back a few feet. He turned his head a glared at me. I glared right back and raised my barrier for his next move.
"Nisei I think that little boy could be taught a lesson on respecting his elders." Nisei smiled and I watched as he brought his power together.
"Brake!"
Lightning shards shot out at us and went right for me. "Protect!" A barrier of green light came around us and reflected the lightning. Haku stepped in front of me, cutting off any further advance towards me.
"Very good Haku; what a good older brother you are. But do you really think you can stop us?" Seimei smiled coldly at us. "We really are not interested in you, but if you intend to get in the way then we will have no choice but to kill you."
Haku glared at him. "I don't know what you plan is and I don't know what you want, but there is no way in hell you can beat Kanda and me."
I nodded and, to emphasize his words, I threw another attack at Seimei. He was ready this time and pushed the attack away, but I called it back and rammed it into Nisei. Nisei was shocked by the hit but he regained his concentration and attacked Haku. Haku batted it away and threw an attack back.
We went on like this for a little bit, until Seimei and Nisei stopped attacking. We waited to see what they were doing.
Seimei's power was being brought into Nisei's and it was doubling what they were alone. Then Nisei was beginning to chant. I felt the spells effects right away. It was a binding. I tried to bring a shield up, but nothing was responding to me. I looked down and found that my legs had chains around them. I fell to my knees.
"Kanda!" Haku ran to me and tried to break the binding, but a chain appeared around his hand. Haku broke that one and came to me. He grabbed my hand and bowed over our entwined hands. I felt his power and mine join and we both closed our eyes and began to chant. The chains disappeared and we stood up.
Nisei glared at us and lifted his hand to attack again. But he was stopped by Seimei grabbing his arm and pulling him back. Seimei shook his head at Nisei and the spell died. "We have done enough for one day." Seimei looked back at us and smiled. "You can't stop it now. Okami's memories are already coming back to her. She is going to know everything before too long. How will you two explain to her that you have kept your partnership a secret from her?"
I was a little taken aback. Okami's memories? What did that have to do with anything? Who gives a damn! This guy is threatening your sister! I brought my power to full strength and threw it at Seimei and Nisei as hard as I could. Seimei's shield came up, but I bowed threw it and knocked the snot out of both of them.
Nisei went flying and Seimei landed on top of him in a much undignified manor. The darkness evaporated and we were back on the street. I picked up my bag and observed my handy work. Seimei was kneeling down next to an unconscious Nisei. He turned and glared at me.
I smirked back. "Don't you dare threaten my family or me. You're playing with the big boys now. And you just lost to a fifteen year old." I turned and walked away from him, with Haku following behind.
We got home and I rushed upstairs to Okami's room. She was laid out on her bed and she looked a little pale, but other than that unharmed. I walked over and pulled her desk chair over to the bed. I sat down and waited for Haku to come up.
Haku finally walked in and sat down on the floor next to the bed and leaned against the bed. We sat there for a moment and just stared at each other. "So, what happened at school today?"
Haku told me about meeting Seimei and Nisei, and how their classes match his and Okami's perfectly, and how they had fought after school. I was a little shocked to hear that Okami had used flames to get Nisei under control. I looked at my sister and was glad to know that she was one of us after all.
Haku told me that Okami passed out after the fight and he had brought her home before coming to find me. The rest I knew. So, Seimei and Nisei came to the high school looking for Okami and Haku. Why? What could this unit have to do with us? We didn't know them and we had never had a confrontation with them till know. So, why start a fight with us all of the sudden?
I asked Haku what he thought and he shrugged. I looked at Okami again and something clicked in my head. What had Seimei said about her memories returning? Could that be their reason for coming here? They wanted Okami to remember something?
I asked Haku and he seemed to get a dark expression. "Seimei said something about Okami forgetting someone." Haku had a pained expression now. "He said something about an older brother and that seemed to trigger something in Okami."
Older brother? Okami didn't have an older brother, well except for Haku. Her family had been killed when she was little and then our parent had adopted her. There was no older brother. I looked at Okami again. That we know of at least.
Haku got up, said goodnight, and then went to bed. I waited a few more minutes before doing the same. I went into my room and shut the door. After changing into shorts and a sleeveless tank top I got onto my computer.
I looked up the car accident that had killed Okami's parents. I read the article and it said nothing about children in it at all. It didn't even mention Okami. I logged off and lay down on my bed. It was strange to me that the report hadn't said something about Okami in it. I laid there for a few minutes and then drifted off into an uneasy sleep.
I woke up the next morning to the smell of bacon and eggs. I went down stairs and expected to find Okami cooking. But instead it was Haku and he had just set the table for two people. I went back upstairs and found Okami sleeping like before. She had more color to her face, so that was a relief. I went back down stairs and had breakfast.
After eating I got changed and walked down stairs with my backpack. I told Haku I was going out for a bit and then walked out the door. I walked outside our gate and I thought I saw a man duck behind the corner down the street. I turned the other direction and walked away. After a couple of blocks, I was aware of someone following me. I turned to find no one there though.
I kept going and I started to hear footfalls behind me. I tuned again and found nobody there. I was a little annoyed now so I kept going. I ducked into the arcade and waited for someone to enter from behind me. But no one came. I played a few games to pass time, and still no one walked in. I walked back out and headed toward the police station.
I got there and walked in to find that it was extremely quiet. I walked up to the reception officer and she smiled at me. "Can I help you with something sweetie?"
Sweetie? What do I look like, a five year old? I pulled out the article that I had printed off the internet last night about the car crash and handed it to her. She looked it over and then gave it back to me.
"It's a shame what happened. Did you know those people?" she was trying to be sympathetic but it was really annoying.
"Ya I did. Their daughter is a friend of mine. Why does the article say nothing about her?" I tried to be as nice as possible but I don't do nice very well.
She looked at me and frowned. "Well there probable wasn't any children if they were not mentioned. Are you sure you have the right accident?"
Of course I'm sure, nut case! Instead I tried a different approach. I smiled lightly. "No I might be a little confused. Do you think you could look the parents' names up for me?"
She smiled back at me and typed in the names I gave her. She turned the computer toward me so I could see.
Yep those were them alright. I looked through the information files but there was not mention of them having a son, or a daughter for that matter. I thanked the lady then walked out.
That was strange. How could Okami not be in their files? It was almost like she had never existed. I started to walk back to the house and I heard those footfalls behind me again. I was almost ready to run when I felt a hand grab me from behind. I turned around and jerked away from whoever had grabbed me.
Haku was standing there looking at me like I was nuts. He had bags of food in his hands. "What are you doing in this part of town Kanda?"
I sighed with relief. It was only my brother. "Nothing just doing some research." As we walked home I told him about the article and police files. He agreed that it was strange, but he didn't think it was important.
We got back and I helped put food away. Haku started to make dinner and I sat there thinking about what I had found out today. It seemed like someone had gone in and erased any evidence of Okami ever existing in her families lives at all. But why would someone want to do that? I was finding more clues then answers and it was really pissing me off. I guess I'm just going to have to wait for Okami to wake up.
I heard a shuffle by the doorway leading into the dining room. I looked up to find I wasn't going to have to wait very long. Okami was finally awake.
