SplitxEnd

Split 6: Ambush

"Heroes aren't born, they're cornered. Oh, I was found out. And I found out that I was no hero."

-James Belushi

Dinner that evening was eerily quiet. Sure, Keizou returned and he explained how he had a big haul of fish to sell at the marketplace, and JK was explaining that he was heading off to Kyoto for the weekend, but there was something out of place. I mean, it was nice to see father and son talking to one another, but I knew they weren't going to talk about "that incident". If someone talked about it, it was like someone was going to attack a sensitive part of their soul. It would be like a glass dome falling down on their head.

"Yayoi," said Keizou, turning to me. "Are you all right? Your curry rice is getting cold."

"I'm fine," I answered, scooping some curry into my mouth. I smiled as if to indicate that it was tasty (which it was, but that wasn't my biggest concern at this time). "Classes are the same, and my forum buddies are doing great. I don't know if KRSwan is going to be publishing another story in the near future or anything."

"That Mirror World story was pretty cool, though," said JK. "I still have that copy from America. I read it from cover to cover in one whole night! That woman has talent, let me tell you."

"She does," I replied, nodding my head. I still had to wrap my head around how she was able to go through life after seeing these strange phantom monsters and the alternate war where Kamen Riders existed as their defenders. She was ambushed by government officials and had to face the fact that her best friend nearly died in the hands of the enemy. How she's able to smile after that proves that she had such a strong will. I guess that's why I looked up to her.

"I'm done," said JK, finishing the last of his meal. He took his plate and utensils into his hands and walked to the sink. "I'll wash tonight. Then, I have to get ready for tomorrow. It's going to be a big day."

"What exactly is going on in Kyoto?" asked Keizou. "Some big get-together?"

"...Sort of," JK turned the faucet on and grabbed the nearest sponge. "Let's just say that it's going to get a little crazy for the next two days."

It had something to do with Gentaro, that I was sure of. The information I received from KRSwan was good, but it still didn't give me a broad enough picture as to what Ophiuchus wanted. I was going crazy over not getting this information, and I hated that I couldn't accompany JK to this suicidal mission. Still, I kept silent and ate my dinner, not wanting to show any tears falling down my face.

Once I finished eating, and handed JK my plate, I went to my room and closed the door. Already dressed in my night clothes, I began to study for my classes once more until I fell asleep at midnight. I didn't dream that evening, but that was fine. I had a lot more on my mind in comparison to seeing myself flying in my own dream world.

0-0-0-0-0-0-

Keizou usually left early in the morning to prepare for fishing, so when I heard the sound of a train whistle, I bolted out of bed with a scream and dropped onto the floor with a thud. I looked at my night-stand and saw my alarm clock read 6:30 AM. I went to the window and couldn't believe my eyes.

There was a train in front of the house.

I left my room and saw JK in his school uniform already leaving the dining room, a piece of toast in his mouth. He saw me and removed the toast to say, "That's the DenLiner. It's a train that travels through time. It's taking me to Kyoto so I can..."

I knew what he was going to say, so I went downstairs and went to his side. I placed my hands into his and placed a kiss on the cheek. He blushed.

"Come home safely," I told him. "I'm just a text message away if you need me. Okay?"

JK smiled and placed a kiss on my forehead. This was a good luck charm we gave each other ever since we were young. It was our way of saying, "You're not doing this alone. I'll be there for you." Right now, JK needed this more than ever. It was like he was heading off to war, and I was the girl giving her sweetheart a handkerchief as a sign of good luck. It was a horrible feeling that I could just stand there and watch as JK left for this battle, but I knew that I had my part to do. I had to continue my research to find anything relating to Gentaro, and that's it.

JK gave me a hug and grabbed his bag. Then, he waved goodbye and left through the front door. All I could do was go to the window, smile, and wave back until the DenLiner disappeared into the sky.

0-0-0-0-0-0-

I couldn't concentrate at all during class. By the time it was the last ten minutes of my Biology and Evolution class, I was resorting to excuse myself to the bathroom and high-tail it out of there. On that particular Friday, we were in the computer lab, preparing articles and stuff for the research paper due next month. The only thing I could talk about were snakes, due to the research I was going through involving the War of the Stars and stuff. As I started to find stuff about what snakes eat, I noticed something in my article.

"Scorpions are known to eat small insects, but larger ones have been capable of eating lizards, mice and snakes. They wait for the prey to come then sting it multiple times in order to weaken them with its own poison. Then, they produce a chemical and inject it into their prey to turn them into liquid in which they drink up."

Scorpions eat snakes...Remembering my research in regards to the Zodiac, Ophiuchus was smack-dab in the middle of Scorpio and Sagittarius. Hypothetically, Scorpio must've been angry at Ophiuchus and did something to him that instigated the War of the Stars. Okay, I had no evidence to support that, but a Celestial Scorpion and a Space Serpent were similar to the ones on Earth...right?

Seeing my professor tending to another student's needs, I quickly pulled open a window to the forums and began to type up another message to KRSwan. At this point, all the information I found, no matter how miniscule it was, needed to be documented and fully researched.

SplitxEnd: I read that scorpions are known to eat snakes. Could this relate to the ones in Astronomy? Do you think Scorpio had something against Ophiuchus? In fact, why did the Horoscope Constellations hate Ophiuchus? What did he do to incite their wrath?

I sent the message then patiently waited as class ended for the day. Once the professor said that class was over, I shut the computer down and slipped my backpack on. While some of my classmates stayed to chat with one another, I decided to head home. I needed to rest, relax, and probably watch the news. It was funny that I could act so calm when I had nothing to do yet also feel as I was swamped when doing the same thing over and over again.

As I approached the bus stop, I stopped walking. Someone was following me. Turning around, there was a white van behind me. The person driving it wore a long white labcoat and dark sunglasses, but something about him gave me chills down my spine. Koyomi's warning was in my head once more, but it wasn't true...right? I mean, why was I important to these people?

When I saw the door open and a foot step onto the road, I knew that I had to run. I did. I heard someone shouting, but I didn't turn around to see who did. I had to escape and find someplace that they wouldn't find me. Thinking quick, I recalled Kani-san and his croquette stand and rushed toward there. There were a few customers munching croquettes and croquette sandwiches, ensuring that the people after me couldn't capture me in broad daylight. Still, I didn't want to take any chances.

As the customers left, I rushed to Kani-san and slipped into the stand from behind. Kani-san turned around as I took in some deep breaths.

"Toku-chan," he said. "What's going on? Is it some stalker again?"

"No," I hissed, shaking my head. "There's some strange men coming after me. I don't know why, but I just know they're bad. I don't know if they followed me here—I didn't bother to look behind."

"What did they look like?"

"I saw one person through the windshield—they had a white coat and sunglasses. Why do you ask?"

"There's a giant group of them coming this way. You better stay quiet. I'll see if I can chase them off your tail."

I nodded my head and crouched down, making sure that I was completely invisble from behind Kani-san. I heard footsteps and bit my lip to stop myself from screaming. I could hear Kani-san trying his best to negotiate with these strange people, but it wasn't working. Then, I heard Kani-san gasp.

I slowly lifted my gaze as I saw the faces of many of these strange white-coated men wearing black masks with a vertebrae mark trailing down their head. It was inhuman. One grabbed onto Kani-san and knocked him out with a single punch. Another one looked over the glass panels and saw me crouching near the unconscious Kani-san. I was trapped, and there was no one to help me.

I had to do something. I had to defend myself to the bitter end. I picked up a butcher knife and stood up, ready to defend myself from these assailants. I raised it into the air but the knife was soon pulled out of my hands, and someone snatched onto my wrist, yanking me out of the croquette stand and into their evil clutches. Three other black masked thugs grabbed onto my arms and legs, immobilizing me. I saw one of these black masked assailants pull a taser from his coat, preparing to electrocute me from where I stood.

This couldn't have been happening...I was going to be taken away and no one would know where I was. There was no one to save me. Koyomi's prediction came true after all and I just ignored her! I was so stupid!

"Someone!" I screamed, desperate for someone to hear my cry. "SOMEONE! SAVE ME!"

Just as I was about to feel 30,000 volts of electricity coursing through my body, something appeared in the corner of my eye. It was red ring of runes and a hand sticking out. It grabbed onto my shirt and dragged me through, just as the wires of the taser were about to paralyze me. Everything after that went black.

0-0-0-0-0-

I don't know how long I was out, but when I woke up I heard the chime of a grandfather clock. I slowly sat up and looked at my surroundings. From where I was sitting, it was a cross between a café and an antique shop. There was this old man brewing a pot of tea on the stove, and sitting across from me were two familiar faces.

"Haruto!" I gasped. "And Koyomi! Where am I? What happened?"

"We were in the vicinity when we saw you about to be mauled by those strange men," said Koyomi. "Haruto dragged you here just as you were about to be electrocuted."

"How though? I didn't see him anywhere near that croquette stand when those strange people were about to use a taser on me."

"Ah," said Haruto, munching on a donut sprinkled with powdered sugar. "I think this would be easier if I explained it to you. See this ring?"

On his left ring finger was a large, silver ring with an image on its center. It depicted a portal with a dragon emerging from it. I nodded my head.

"Good, now," he pointed to the table to my left. On top of it was a small figurine in the shape of a fairy clutching onto a blue glass orb. "Keep an eye on the fairy."

I slowly nodded my head and followed his instructions. Then, I saw the same red ring of runes emerge, and his hand appeared, lifting the fairy figure into the air before pulling his hand back. The runes vanished as I turned my gaze back at Haruto, his hand still on the figurine.

"H-how did you do that?" I stammered out. "Was that...was it really..."

"Magic?" Haruto finished for me. He smiled. "That's right. You see, Yayoi Tokuda, I am a wizard."