Chapter 4.
Minako pulled open the door to the next car and stepped into it. This car was like the previous one she was in. People were looking around with worry written on their faces. She tightened her grip on Koromaru's leash. This was all her fault. If she hadn't been on this train in the first place then no one would be in danger right now.
"Stupid Arisato family and their stupid rule thingy. This is not the old times!" That outburst got her a couple of looks but Minako ignored them. She had to focus and make it to the first car before they slammed into another train. At least the walk to each car was easy, she didn't have to fight any monsters or thugs or anything.
Minako was about to head into the next car when she felt someone grab her arm. Her first thought was that it was one of the people that hijacked the train. She whirled her body around, her free hand ready to poke the eyes out of her attacker. When she saw who it was though she stopped. "Shinjiro-senpai," she sighed in relief. "You really shouldn't sneak up on a girl in a situation like this. I was going to poke your eyes out and sic Koromaru on you. And don't tell me you're here to try to stop me from doing this because I'm going to do this." She did the stereo-typical kung-fu pose. "I will be able to take you down."
Shinjiro did not look amused by Minako's attempt to lighten the mood slightly. "I know you are going to do this whether I try to stop you or not so I'm going with you to make sure you don't kill yourself with stupidity."
Minako blinked in surprise. She didn't expect him to agree to go with her. She had just thought he would try to drag her back to safety. Well that was a silly thought. Nowhere on this train was safe. It was flying down the tracks towards another train. There was a good chance they both would die if nothing was done. There was even a chance that they could die from trying. Well only Shinjiro would die. Minako needed to be alive for the marriage to go through.
Minako shook her head. This was no time to be thinking. It was a time for doing. "Alright," said Minako. She opened the door to the next car and walked through. They still had a couple more to pass through before they reached the first one.
She saw a little brown-haired girl weeping on one of the seats. Her mother was holding the little girl tightly. Minako turned her attention ahead of her. She couldn't let a child be hurt because of her.
"Come on Shinjiro!" she cried as she broke into a run. Koromaru followed close behind her with Shinjiro behind them. They passed the cars in quick succession. Soon the first car was in front of them.
Minako put her hand on the door and was about to open it when Shinjiro spoke. "Please don't do anything stupid."
"Can't promise you that," replied Minako as she pushed open the door and stepped into the first car. In the room was a young man in a suit. He would have been handsome if he didn't look like he was sweating like crazy. It was upsetting really. She looked around. Wait. Was he the only guy here?
"Where's the guy who's supposed to be driving this thing?" asked Minako. She glanced at the window and the fast-moving scenery.
"Don't worry," said the man. He rubbed his hands together. He was obviously extremely nervous. "I took over the train over at the station. I know a little about driving trains so it's okay. But Minako-chan," he looked at Shinjiro. "I told you to come alone."
Koromaru growled angrily and Shinjiro looked a little upset too. Well Shinjiro looked pissed. That was a better description. He stepped forward and cracked his knuckles. "I'll have this guy down in a second Minako."
The man suddenly looked more nervous. "I didn't want to have to do this…"
Shinjiro ran towards the man, his fist flying. However Shinjiro never connected with the man. In an almost odd fluidity, the sweaty man ducked under Shinjiro's fist. Something glinted in the sunlight in his right hand as he ripped something out of his pocket. Shinjiro threw his weight backwards and the knife in the man's hand harmlessly cut the air where Shinjiro had been moments before.
Koromaru's hackles were raised and the dog was barking angrily. Shinjiro backed up until he was near Minako. The man stared at them with a wild look of sorts in his eyes. He held a sharp blade of some kind in his hand. On closer inspection it wasn't a knife but a kunai. Was this guy a ninja or something?
"Minako, you get out of here," said Shinjiro. "This guy is dangerous."
"Obviously!" Minako pointed to the weapon in his hand. "He has a ninja weapon for crying out loud!" She thought for a moment. "Wait. Is the only reason why you want to marry me is to get the Arisato fortune so you can rebuild your ninja clan?"
The man stared at Minako dumbly. "How…How did you know?"
Minako had to face-palm with that comment. It was just a wild guess and she was right. Oh boy. If this was the second loony that wanted to marry her, she was afraid of what the rest would be like.
Koromaru barked again and darted towards the man. Minako yelled for the dog to come back but he latched himself to the man's leg while growling angrily. Shinjiro used this distraction to try to attack the man again but the man pulled shuriken out of his pocket and threw them at Shinjiro. While Shinjiro was dodging the throwing stars the man lifted his leg and slammed the leg and the dog against the wall of the train. Koromaru yelped and released the man and slumped to the ground.
"Koromaru!" screamed Minako. She glared at the man with such venom and anger that even Shinjiro didn't want to be in the vicinity of her. "You will pay for laying one finger on him!" She reached into her purse and took out what looked to be a small naginata about the length of half her arm. She pushed a button on it and he grew longer until it was standard naginata length.
Shinjiro just stared at her dumbly. He was trying to figure out why she had that in her purse in the first place. Plus where did she get a naginata that could get bigger and smaller?
Minako held the weapon out in the ready position. She darted forward and before the man could do anything she disarmed him with the blunt end of the weapon before twisting it around and pointing the sharp point at the man's throat. "Don't move or you're going to be headless. And don't give the excuse that I'm not a murderer and I won't do it. I'm a member of the Arisato household. I have the money to cover up any crime I did like it never happened."
The man stared down at the sharp point of the naginata against his throat. He held up his hands in a gesture of surrender. "I promise I will never do this again!"
Minako glared at him for a few moments before removing the point of her naginata from the man's throat. She slammed the butt of her naginata at the man's stomach before she bent down to check on Koromaru. Thankfully the dog was just knocked out.
Shinjiro on the other hand wasn't really sure what happened. He looked over at the man and saw he was getting up. The glint of a weapon was in hand. "Minako! Look out!" he exclaimed before tackling the man to the ground.
Minako looked up in surprise as the two men began rolling around the floor, Shinjiro trying to wrestle the weapon away from the man. Her face grew red and she looked away quickly. "Okay Minako. This is not the time to have thoughts like that." Instead she decided to focus on the two levers that were near her. The train was still going down the tracks at a very fast speed and they would hit another train at this rate.
"Which lever?"" Minako glanced back and forth between them. Just deciding to go with it, she grabbed one and pulled it. She heard a screeching sound coming from outside and the train after what felt like eternity began to slow down. It kept slowing until it reached a stop and conveniently the train had stopped at the next station.
She looked back and saw Shinjiro had pinned the man to the ground to prevent him from getting up and attacking again. Minako bit her lip and grabbed her nose.
"What's wrong Minako?" asked Shinjiro in concern as he noticed that she had slumped to the floor.
"Oh nothing," she said quickly. She lifted her head and sucked in a breath. "I'm fine now." She got up and retrieved her naginata and pressed a button to make it small again before putting it in her purse.
While she was doing this a couple of police officers came into the first car and took the man away. "I called them before I caught up with you before," said Shinjiro. "Your dad gave us a special line to call in case we needed the police."
"Of course he did," sighed Minako. She shook her head. She knew that her father's people would cover this mess up. "Let's get out of here before the media shows up." She wrapped Koromaru's leash around her hand. The dog was on his feet now. The dog seemed fine which was a relief to Minako.
"Do you always carry a naginata in your purse?"
Minako nodded. "Yup. My dad gave it to me years ago. He said it would be good for me to have a weapon." She shrugged. "Although I think a gun would be much more effective but whatever. I'll carry what I can." She headed for the door out. She was really annoyed inside. If this one had gone to hijacking a train to get her, she was afraid of what some of the others would do. "It's only a year," Minako reminded herself, "Only a year." If she could make it that long then it would all be over. No one would be in danger.
The three, two humans and a dog left the train and walked out onto the platform. Around them, people were streaming out of the other cars, all were happy that they lived. Police officers and medics were there and they were assisting people wherever they could.
"I didn't expect my Sunday to end up like this," sighed Minako.
"I have a question," asked Shinjiro "How did you know which lever to pull?"
Minako smiled and looked back at Shinjiro. "Woman's intuition!" she replied.
Okay. I know the ninja was random but yeah. Now that that is out of the way…next chapter will have some characters from the actual game appearing although I don't know if anyone caught the one that appeared in this one. There wasn't much detail but kudos if you caught who it was. Anyway, see you next chapter where a certain character with a long nose will be making his appearance!
