Now we get to learn more about where Hana came from - as well as WHY Yori and the late Master Sensei chose her to be the one to fight Yono one day, placed her in Ron's family.
Chapter Eight
Their surroundings were lush and ancient, unsurprisingly not up to date with modern technology. Sometimes Kim had to think that maybe Yamanouchi was one place in the entire world she knew for sure would never change, no matter how much time went by. Modern tech would never pollute this natural beauty and true strength. The way of the ninja was from the heart, and the heart was mended and broken and back in a never-ending cycle.
She was greeted with sweat-spilled work of art around her: dragons of gold circled the pillars on either side of the door, and lush scenery painted every wall. The carpet was polished wood and set with tatami mats. Incense filled the air. And there was a great desk set with very little except old scrolls and paperwork that turned out to be the only things up to date.
"So, you are leader of the great Global Justice," her old friend said conversationally as she led the way in, pausing behind the door to close it as soon as her guest had arrived. "I congratulate you. And how is Stoppable-san?"
"Ron and I are married."
The smile was genuine. "I see, and for that, I am very happy. Any...children?" Yori questioned, walking over to the small fireplace behind her desk where a black kettle was brewing.
Kim sat down on the tatami mat before the fireplace, assuming this was where the hostess and mistress of the school wanted even though she said nothing. "Two kids," she answered wearily. "Jimmy is sixteen, but he's been in some trouble, and Ron and I don't know where he gets it from. And Leslie, however, is twelve now and an angel." She felt the smile, combined with her own relief that the preteen wasn't causing mayhem. The oriental woman gave a nervous laugh.
"I never had children, Kim-san, but I sometimes wondered what it would be like. My greatest joy are the students of this school." Then her eyes began to dull with the faraway familiarity. "And little Han..."
Which brought them both to the real reason why she was here.
"Yes." Kim cleared her throat. "After all these years, anything else you can tell me on Hana's birth and such will help. Like, I want to know why you and the late Master Sensei chose her out of all people to go up against the Yono, but had to place her in Ron's family of all places," she said, nodding when the other woman offered her a small cup of green tea and accepted.
"I anticipated that question," Yori stated, sitting across her and mimicking the leg cross. "It's very complicated, but not very long to explain. You see, Han is really the daughter of my elder sister who was also a ninja of Yamanouchi."
~o~
The cries were shattering to her heart when Hirotaka stood before her and Master Sensei, having returned from the village in the middle of the mountain with grim news - and with a bundle of joy in his arms.
"She's gone."
The cruel words continued to echo over and over in her head, mocking her to her core despite the teachings from early on. She was supposed to be there, but she had only just gotten Sensei back when she received the word too late that the day had come.
"I offer my condolences, Yori," the old man told her with a bow of the head. "She was a good woman. It is unfortunate that she had to die such a death - especially because of HIM." He sighed sharply.
Yori closed her eyes momentarily, aware of Hirotaka, her dearest cousin and the only blood-related knit she had left within these walls, clutching the woolen-wrapped bundle close to his being. "She suffered too much during the pregnancy. This was my cousin's, after all, and damn the father for doing this to her..." he seethed, making Yori now look worriedly at the newborn who hadn't stopped crying. She had never held an infant before, but her body moved on its own volition as she took the child from him and rocked the little one gently. She kept reminding herself over and over this was her sister's daughter...her niece...
But, like Sensei said, it was also his.
It seemed she'd been wrong, then, to assume the innocent life he never knew he conceived with the one he abandoned would be the one to pull him from his hopeless, insane conquest.
Somehow, the teenager's embrace got the little girl to stop crying. Hitomi had been with one of their greatest enemies and had gotten pregnant, given birth to a healthy baby girl only yesterday. How could such an unforgivable act befall on a powerful woman and create innocent joy which now looked upon the young ninja girl's face with unblinking, pure onyx happiness when she recognized a "mother's" touch? Did the woman's touch come so naturally?
Hitomi did NOT deserve this.
Sensei looked over the face of the child now with a kindly smile beneath his beard. "We will find a suitable home for the little one in the event of time, but she cannot remain within the walls of this monastery forever - for I fear terrible events coming forth in the near future, and I feel she is perfect to battling this evil once and for all..."
~o~
Kim felt like she was going to lose hold on her teacup, even though it was empty.
Yori was still speaking, though the oriental woman's voice was grim and sounding far-off now.
"Hitomi was one of the most renowned warriors of Yamanouchi. Our parents died when I was but three years old, perhaps four, and she was ten years my senior. She raised me whilst still a student here and eventually rose to assistant sensei at seventeen years of age. She was the greatest, rarest ninja that hadn't been seen in years...until the man who fathered Han came along not that long after Stoppable-san saved us all and the Lotus Blade. He was the one who impregnated my sister, but alas, Hitomi's suffering was worse than we all anticipated, and while Sensei, cousin Hirotaka and I cared for her, she withdrew into herself and mourned with dishonor." Tears glistened in ebony eyes but refused to fall.
"She believed she betrayed the way of the ninja and us all with her own weak heart that she barred for so long, but as her baby sister, I did not want to believe that. Eventually, my sister gave birth to her daughter just shortly after you and Ron-san helped recover Sensei from Monkey Fist and the gorilla woman -"
"DNAmy," Kim said gently, feeling the hollow clench in her gut. "Dr. Amy Hall. She passed away from cancer not many weeks ago." There was a little flicker of a light in the other woman's eyes, but nothing along the lines of revenge served sweetly. "We found Monkey Fist's statue in her garden - and because of us all, he's free again." Yori offered the tea kettle, silently asking her if she wanted more, and she acquiesced even though she didn't feel like it.
Yori didn't offer herself any, too deep in her burdens. "As I was saying, Hitomi died from complications with childbirth. We chose to believe it was the shame that ate her away. She knew he was an enemy, but her heart was manipulated against her will. I despise him for all he's done to us, and everything you stopped him for, but when I saw the child he sired with my sister and held her...I believed, if only for a moment, that he could have been here to see her and perhaps begin to see his evil ways and change. But I was wrong. Even though I rose close to match my sister and Sensei, I had been a naïve girl still."
She gritted her teeth. "I feel responsible, Yori. Because I thought he'd never be broken out of his unholy imprisonment via scientific means; now he has Hana, and we are still tracking where he may have taken her. Other possible known hiding places as well as his old castle are out of the question. He won't be stupid enough to go back to any of them, but to take her someplace we won't know for sure."
Determination lit up Yori's eyes. "We'll fight to our last breath then, Kim-san." Just like the good old days...
...but those words were also spoken when Hana was still a baby, the night the Yono wreaked havoc on this school. "Yori," Kim said after a moment, "how did DNAmy manage to get his statue away from here?"
Was it her imagination, or did those eyes flash with black fire?
"Trespasser," Yori said, venom leaking her words. "She approached with her apes - and she was still in that form as I remember - and put up a fight with me, Hirotaka and a handful of our best fellow students..."
~o~
Crispin hated to be stuck in the hospital. He should be out there helping Kim and Global Justice, tried to keep his faith up, but his neck was currently in a brace, and he could not move unless given permission. He growled to himself, gripping his fists.
The happiest day of his life turned out to be the worst.
"She's going to get you for this, you stoned bastard," he swore to the ceiling, wishing that monkey psycho would hear him. If he did, Money Fist might only laugh at him, but why should he care? He took his wife and deserved to be blown to pieces for all he cared.
"Hey, I don't like being behind any more than you do, partner, but my wife can handle it." Ron pulled out a chair and sat beside him, trying to be hopeful and optimistic. "Plus, someone has to watch the kids."
Crispin snorted. "Being made to watch over the troublemaker himself?" he asked, slumping back hopelessly. He and Han had talked about having kids, but with the way Kim and Ron were struggling with their eldest whom she'd gotten pregnant with before marriage, he was a little worried, but was Han? She seldom voiced her worries unless it was serious enough, and she didn't want to pressure him about babies so fast. Which was also why they used protection for the time being; he gladly risked his own pleasure during their times just for her. Unprotected sex always had consequences that would slap you in the face.
His brother-in-law laughed and slapped him on the shoulder, cheerful despite the fact his baby sister was currently in the hands of their worst enemy. "Good thing you and Han decided to not rush into kids so soon."
He snorted. "Too bad about you and Kim."
"Oi, kids aren't perfect. We weren't either, but it doesn't matter now. As long as Jimmy gets a good slap on the wrist, and as long as he starts to have trust established, he might look back and realize we were right all along." Sometimes Ron was too cheerful for his own good - or was he being like this just to hide how he really felt?
"Ron," Crispin said through his teeth, "I don't mean to ruin the good moment, but how can you be so calm when my wife - your sister - is out there with Stone Kong himself?"
The older man's face fell. "I don't like this, but Kim was explicit, and it's not like I am a fighter or even a sidekick anymore. She's got a damned good career, she's still the same as I remember - though she's harder than ever based on experience - and I have to be the one to make sure the kids are all right." He exhaled and sank deeper in his seat. "But Jimmy hates us both for her not being around us." He jolted up again. "Aside from that, yeah, you are right about my baby sister. Why are we sitting here when we should be helping? The more the merrier!"
Crispin grinned at him now. That was what he was talking about. As soon as he was let out, they were tagging along for the ride and assisting in getting Hana away from that demon.
"Thank you so much. I don't care we might not be helpful enough; it's better than sitting and doing nothing."
So, yeppers: Hana is the illegitimate daughter of none other than Monty Fiske and Hitomi, a ninja of Yamanouchi and elder sister of Yori. :O And Stone Kong himself has unrequited, unrealized feelings for the captive girl he has no idea is his daughter. Let's see how this goes...
