Broken Bonds
Chapter IX: Preparation
Time: 11:45
Date: August 9, 2010
Location: Germany
"Hitomi! Time for lunch!" Mira called from the bottom of the stairs.
"I'm coming!" Hitomi rushed down stairs, wearing her denim jeans and black sports top.
"Can you get Ein? He should be in the Dojo with your Father."
"Hai~!" She replied and promptly exited the house. She made her way to the dojo, a short five minute walk, and entered through the main doors to see her father sparring with the brunette they had found collapsed in the forest a few days prior.
The brunette thrust his fist hard at Jack, following with a swift roundhouse before following through with two quick jabs to the older man's head. "You take well to Karate, Ein." Jack commented as he blocked the strikes.
"Thank you, Jack-san." Ein replied, no hint of fatigue in his voice as he continued to kick and punch with pin-point precision and deadly force.
"Lunch is ready." Hitomi called as her father countered Ein with a hard push to his midsection. Ein seemed open to the attack and Jack's victory over the brunette was assured; until Ein flowed around Jack's fist with a previously unforeseen fluidity. Ein's movements were so quick, that, for a moment, Jack believed he had been fighting a mirage.
Ein ended behind Jack, all three karate practitioners wading in a stunned silence, Ein more so than Jack and Hitomi. "That's the third time you've used that move to evade me, Ein." Ein just stood rigid as a statue. "It could be a memory. A fighter never fully forgets his training, even if his mind leaves him."
"I…I don't know, it's all still a blur to me."
"Take your time, Ein." Jack walked behind Ein and gave him a hard pat on the back. "If you don't get your memory back, you can always help Hitomi manage the dojo!" The old master chuckled at the idea. "Given that she can be a klutz sometimes."
"Vati!" Hitomi exclaimed, running to confront her father with reddened cheeks. Jack just laughed at his daughter's expense.
"Thank you, Jack-san." Ein interjected, relatively unfazed by the conversation. "That would be nice."
"Anyway," Hitomi added, regaining her composure. "Okaa-san has lunch ready."
"I'll clean things up here." Jack motioned to the exercise equipment that lay along the outer ring of the arena floor. "You two go ahead and get some food." Jack turned to grab the dumbbells and placed them on the racks lined across the wall.
"Okay, Vati." Hitomi grabbed Ein by the arm and pulled him toward out of the dojo's doors. "C'mon, Ein."
Hitomi and Ein were halfway back to her home when she slowed the pace of her walk, a question nagging at the back of her mind. "Hey, Ein. Did Vati seem…tired, to you?"
Ein paused, stopping in his tracks as he thought back to the older man. "He did seem a little sluggish to me." He looked back to the brunette with a raised brow. "Why do you ask?"
Hitomi lightly bit her lower lip, her features poorly hiding her worry. "It's just that…" Hitomi worriedly looked behind herself, hopeful that her father had not caught up with them. "For the last few months, Vati has been acting weirdly. I think he may be sick with something."
"Has he said anything about it?"
"No." Hitomi replied, her worry mounting in her tone. "I tried asking him about it, but he just says he's fine and that I shouldn't worry about it."
"He has been working a lot lately. I'm sure I'm not helping matters."
Hitomi stepped in front of Ein and shoved her finger in his face, her worried expression shifting to a more stern variation of her usual peppy features. "Don't you start that again, Ein! You have amnesia for crying out loud! The doctors can't find your family anywhere and we can't just let you wander around on the street."
"But I-"
"No buts!" Hitomi firmly countered. "We don't mind taking care of you. You've even pulled your own weight these last few days, so don't worry about it!" Ein just rubbed the back of his head, looking away from the brunette as not to look her directly in the eye. Hitomi just released a tired sigh and took his face in her hands, turning him back to look at her, her features soft and warm once again. "Don't worry, okay? Believe me, if you were a problem, Okaa-san would've said so."
Ein chuckled awkwardly at the statement. "Mira-san is surprisingly blunt for someone as petite as she is." They both shared a laugh at the remark, the mood lifting for a moment. "I just hope that Jack-san is fine."
They continued towards Hitomi's home where they were greeted with the alluring scent of fried rice and hamburgers with potato wedges. "This looks delicious, Okaa-san."
"Thank you, Hitomi-chan." Mira took her own seat at the table and took a great interest in Ein. "What about you, Ein-kun?"
Ein picked up a potato wedge, scrutinizing the culinary treat before placing it in his mouth. The initial sting of salt washed over his tongue before the fried skin touch his taste buds and bit the wedge in half, the soft insides mixing with the other elements in a tasty mush.
"This is really good." Ein replied, taking another bite. "Where'd you learn to make this?"
Mira gave an amused smirk before shoveling a spoonful of rice into her mouth before replying, "I learned it from an American cookbook. Not the healthiest thing I've made, but it's very tasty."
"I'll say!" Hitomi beamed as she bit into her hamburger, swallowing a large chunk of the thick sandwich. "We don't eat fried food often, but when Okaa-san or Vati cooks, it's always a treat."
"Speaking of Jack," Mira added, her tone calm, but commanding. "He's been moving rather sluggishly as of late." Hitomi and Ein shared a look of worry between them. "You two wouldn't happen to know anything?"
"No, Okaa-san." Hitomi replied.
"Hitomi thinks Jack-san might be sick, but I haven't noticed any visible symptoms." Ein added. Mira pursed her lips in frustration, worried for her husband's well-being. "He could just be overworked. Martial Arts require a lot of physical and mental discipline. I wouldn't be surprised if he just needs a rest."
"Perhaps you're right." Mira replied, relaxing into her chair with a visible slouch. "He can go overboard sometimes."
"Doesn't help that the dojo isn't very popular at the moment." Hitomi added. "No one's really into Karate anymore."
"The MMA scene has been gaining in popularity. Younger people have been moving towards that just because it's new." Mira scooped another spoonful of rice. "Can't say I blame them."
"I wouldn't worry about it too much." Ein added. "Give it a few months and things will balance out." By now Ein had finished most of his lunch, a small bite of his hamburger remaining. "I wouldn't be surprised if MMA's recent popularity is due to the upcoming tournament."
"Dead or Alive?" Hitomi replied, furrowing her brow. "I guess. I don't see the point in trying to learn MMA now. The tournament starts in a week and there are no late entries allowed."
"Still," Mira interjected with a note of dejection in her tone. "With so many people trying to learn MMA, the dojo isn't bringing in as much revenue as it used to. There should be enough to last us another three months as long as-"
An ambulance siren resounds through the walls of the home, interrupting Mira and drawing the room's attention. "Wonder what that's about." Ein commented with a passive interest. The front door erupted into a frantic roar as someone hammered away from the other side.
"What could possibly be so important that they have to bang on the door?" Mira made her way to the door, leaving Ein and Hitomi alone.
"I hope it's nothing serious." Hitomi commented.
Ein was about to reply when Mira ran toward a closet door nestled in the hallway leading to her and Jack's room. She quickly grabbed a light weight jacket for her, Ein, and Hitomi.
"Hurry and put these on!" Mira urged, her tone filled with worry.
Ein and Hitomi took the jackets, Ein in his red and black leather jacket with a white fur collar and Hitomi's denim jacket. Hitomi's face shifting to wide-eyed worry as she pieced the clues together in her head. "Was that ambulance…?"
Mira hurried toward the door, replying back to her daughter as she did. "We need to get to the hospital. They found your father collapsed on the street!"
Time: 12:42
Date: August 9, 2010
Location: Japan
Zell and Mason sat under a heavy waterfall in the forest outside of Tokyo, both letting the hard falling waters cascade across their bare backs and shoulders. Zell wore only a pair of black cargo pants, his legs crossed with his hands resting on his eyes, his palms opened as the water pooled into his palms before spilling through his parted digits. Mason sat to Zell's left, wearing white track pants, and mirroring his Brother's posture.
'Deep breaths…' Mason thought in his head, his monochrome hair flushed flat against his skull. 'Pain is an illusion…' Mason kept his eyes shut, electing to focus the natural energy flowing through the spiritual channels of his body. 'Just keep control and I won't feel anything.' He willed his energy to flow throughout his being, constantly adjusting to match the fluctuating patterns of the heavy falling waters.
"You holding up?" Mason heard Zell comment next to him.
"Pretty well, all things considered. I'm getting better at managing ki." Mason peeked opened his right eye to examine his scarlet haired counterpart.
"I'll say, we've been sitting here for an hour and a half. You used to pass out after half an hour." Zell's tone hid his amazement at his friend's progress. 'Not to mention we've only been practicing his ki manipulation for little over a month now. Took me four months to get to this point.'
Mason just shot air through his teeth before responding, "Wasn't that good at channeling ki at first. I just kind of threw it around with no real goal in mind." Mason emphasized his point with an apathetic shrug.
"And now?"
Mason adjusted his posture slightly, his shoulder popping after being immobile for an extended period before settling into a more upright position. "It's much easier to manage. I don't even feel tired."
"Hmmm…" Zell mused to himself. "In that case, let's move on to something more complicated." Zell lifted his right hand and curled his fingers to create a makeshift cage. "You've managed to master manipulating your own ki; let's see how you manage focusing it." As Zell uttered his challenge, the water that had been cascading down his arms began to move up his skin in a mesmerizing pattern that curved and flicked until they reached his palms, forming a small pool that gradually grew in size until it formed a perfect orb at the tip of his fingers.
Mason eyed the entire process, analyzing how the water moved up Zell's arms, taking note that the orb his brown-skinned companion held was dripping through the gaps in his fingers. Mason raised his own right arm, scrutinizing his palm before focusing his energy through his arm. As he tried to gather the energy into his hand, he found a sudden pain in his arm, abruptly interrupting his focus on his inner energy; allowing the full weight of the waterfall to crash across his upper back. The feeling of the heavy falling waters made Mason flinch before refocusing his energy through his body again.
"Not so easy, is it?" Zell playfully mocked.
"Just…threw me off a little…" Mason replied back, taking another look at his palm. 'I tried moving the water the same way Z did, and yet, it felt like my energy was trying to burst through my skin.' Mason tried once again to mimic Zell's example, only to experience the same sharp pain in his arm as before. "Damn…" Mason cursed under his breath. "That really hurt."
Zell just laughed at Mason's expense. He cancelled his manipulation of the aquatic sphere and let it fall to rock on which they sat. "You're doing it wrong, Mace."
"How? I'm doing exactly what you're doing." Mason replied back, still puzzled as to why he was not having any success in manipulating the water to his will.
Zell just laughed again, "That's the problem." Mason raised a brow at the response, an unamused scowl on his features. Zell disregarded the expression and continued with his explanation. "When you channeled your ki through your body, what were you actually doing?"
"Rather redundant question, Z." Mason replied with a matter-of-fact stare. "I'm controlling how much energy I'm putting out at any given moment. We spent the last month practicing this."
"True," Zell replied, adjusting his posture. "But we never practiced directing the ki flow through the channels, only how much of it flowed through said channels." Mason just eyed Zell with a raised brow. "I see I'm losing you." Zell raised his hand again, urging Mason to do the same. "Let's try it like this. Focus on increasing the amount energy that flows to the tips of your fingers, and watch the water along your arms. You'll figure it out."
Mason kept his brow raised, returning his attention to his palm, analyzing it as thoroughly as he could for some hidden detail before he shrugged off his analytical thoughts in favor of just following his friend's instruction. 'Might as well see what Z's talking about.'
The monochrome haired teen focused his attention on the tips of his fingers. He focused his ki into his palm, this time electing to focus the flow of his ki to the tips of his fingers, only focusing on the amount of ki flowing to the tips of his digits. As he began to conduct the flow of ki through his arm, he noticed that there were several channels that he had not noticed beforehand. The channels turned in an erratic pattern up the length of his arm, a slight cackling rolling under his skin, the droplets of water now followed the erratic patterns of Mason's outstretched limb.
"So that's what you meant." Mason stated as he turned his arm over to carefully analyze the phenomenon. "The ki will get where it needs to go, all I need to do decide how much gets there."
Zell just smirked at the comment, then extended his hand again. "Your natural element is electricity, I'm not surprised your channels are this erratic. Mine are more sporadic than anything else just because my natural element is fire." To accentuate his point he conjured a crimson flame in the palm of his hand, the flame flickering from the spray of water brought on by the waterfall.
"This will allow me heal faster and take more damage during a fight right? It will make the tournament much easier."
"Just remember, you're still a relative novice at channeling ki. It'll take some time before channeling ki becomes as natural as breathing." Zell rose from the rock and jumped to the side of the waterfall, landing on a weathered stone before hopping to the damp grass below. "And since you have an uncanny affinity for controlling ki, I don't think it will take much time."
"We only have a week until the qualifiers." Mason replied, hopping down behind Zell. "I doubt it'll be any use by then."
"Maybe; but what are the odds that you'll need it in the Qualifiers?"
Mason cupped his chin, contemplating the possible prospects that he may encounter in the upcoming tournament. "Isaac's not going to be in the tournament, and neither is Ayane-chan…so unless you plan on entering, my martial skill should be enough to carry me."
"You forgot about the champion." Zell added a he reached for one of the red towels the two had brought.
"You mean…Kasumi-chan?" Mason replied, grabbing the second towel and proceeded to dry his hair. "Didn't she disappear?"
Zell momentarily paused at the comment, remembering his time in Germany, but quickly composed himself. "Yeah, though I think it's probably a publicity stunt." He finished drying himself and reached for his shirt.
"Mmmm, I'm not so sure." Mason replied, drying himself in the process. "She doesn't seem like the type to just…do something for attention…kinda like Tina Armstrong. I hear she's going into show business."
"You think she won't show?"
Mason put his shirt on, replacing his towel on his slightly damp hair. "I think that anything can happen. I just don't believe Kasumi would disappear for publicity. Especially since she wasn't openly endorsed by DOATEC."
"Then it seems like you have nothing to worry about. The only people that I can think of, from the last tournament, that would give you trouble are Jann Lee, and Zack, just because of how unorthodox his style is." Zell grabbed their storage bag and began moving away from the waterfall, Mason following behind as they left down the dirt forest path.
"You're telling me! Never seen a guy kick that fast with one leg."
"You'd think it would snap off." They approached the forest edge, the midday sunlight beaming through the opening. "Do you have a plan for facing your competition yet?"
"If there are new competitors, I'll just have to see what styles they use and go from there. Can't predict how a fight will go if I haven't fought an opponent yet."
"I'm only really worried about Jann Lee. He has an above average proficiency with Jeet Kune Do. He probably would've won the entire tournament if Isaac hadn't been able to keep pace with him. Gen Fu has gotten quite old. I'm not sure if he can still participate in tournaments."
"He did fairly well against Ayane-chan." Zell added as they passed the forest's edge.
"Despite her holding back." Mason off-handedly commented. "If that fight with Bankotsubo is any indication."
Zell frowned at the mention of the winged menace. "Yeah…I'm still concerned about that. Especially since he was intent on going after that girl."
"Have you heard anything since then?"
The scarlet haired teen stared up into the noon sky, searching his thoughts for any recollection or clues to the roaming Tengu's whereabouts, but found nothing of relevance. "No." He replied with a shake of his head. "He just disappeared after the fight. There's been nothing in regards to a rampaging demon in the news…the food court is going to be under renovations for the next few weeks."
"I'm surprised at how little damage there was."
"Considering that Bankotsubo blasted three holes in the floor, not to mention you and Isaac shorted out some of the electrical equipment."
"Heh, not our fault they weren't properly insulated." Mason replied with a satisfied grin.
"Yeah, well, try not to fry anything in the apartment. The Landlord's a dick and I'd like to only deal with him when the rent's due." Mason laughed at his friend's expense, receiving an unamused frown in return for his glee. "It's not funny, Mace."
"Actually, it is." Mason continued to laugh.
Zell gave a tired sigh at the response. "Whatever. Tomorrow we work on your form. Make sure you bring those scrolls your family left you. I'll need them if I'm going to help you learn your family's style."
"I hear you."
Time: 12:42
Date: August 9, 2010
Location: Mugen-Tenshin Village, Tenjin-mon sect
Akihiko moved through his family home. The large complex completely devoid of life. He wore only the bottom half of his gi, a pair of socks, and a white shirt. In one hand was a bamboo cup, the other held a white sheet of paper. He carefully analyzed the writing on the paper as he sipped his tea.
Katsu,
Your Mother and I have been sent on an errand for the Council. I'm not certain when we will return to the village. Remember to continue your training; the Council is always looking for capable individuals to sit against their ranks.
Also, your Mother says there is Onigiri in the fridge.
Akihiko folded the paper and placed it on a small table as he passed. Still sipping from his bamboo cup as he exited onto the outside walkway of his family home. He took in the scenery before him, the main plaza of the Mugen-Tenshin village a short distance from where he stood. He sat on the wooden walkway, bathing in the high noon sun.
'The weather will be changing soon…it will make training difficult.' He took another sip from his cup as he contemplated the upcoming winter season. 'At least my ki increase will improve faster. Need to keep an eye out for frozen rivers.'
He kept his eye on the main plaza, noting the many villagers moving about from stall-to-stall or socializing near the well in the center of the plaza. 'Nobody is even aware of Bankotsubo's release…Genra-sama must been very persuasive to get the Council to keep silent about it.' A small chill crept up the teen's spine, the thought of the demon still loose on the world unnerving to Katsu. 'Ayane was ambushed by that monster on her birthday. She almost got killed if the accounts are to be believed…Though her companions are another story. Three teens, two with an above average understanding of Ki manipulation and then there was that other guy, Isaac…he was the one that blocked the Rekku Jinpu Satsu from Raidou.' Katsu rose to his feet and turned back into his home. 'Wish I had a little bit more say in the village. I would advise we seek him out. Or at the very least place him under surveillance. Someone with that kind of power cannot be allowed to simply wander.'
Katsu returned to his room placed a more appropriate pair of grey jeans on before making his way to the main plaza; all the while contemplating recent developments. 'Given that Isaac seems to be the friend Ayane was talking about, I suppose he won't be a major problem for the Mugen-Tenshin. That just leaves the other Two. From what I can gather from our field operatives, their names Are Mason Storm and Zell Natsumoto, they share an Apartment in Tokyo and beyond that we know next to nothing. No family records, no birth certificates, not even an academic transcript. It's as if they just appeared…'
Katsu released a sigh as he entered the main plaza, politely bowing his head to elderly men who were playing Shoji. 'I preferred it when all I had to do was organize the archive.'
"That's outrageous!" Katsu was jarred from his thoughts when he heard a familiar caterwaul and turned to see a familiar head of lavender hued hair standing at a stall with an extremely agitated shopkeeper. "5000 yen for one herb?!"
"If you don't like it you can pick it yourself?" The shopkeeper replied with an increasingly displeased expression darkening his features.
Ayane, dressed in her black leather jacket and pants with matching boots, glanced to her right, scrutinizing the wooden sign emblazoned with white chalk. "It says 620 yen on the sign."
"The price just went up." The shop keeper surly replied.
"Like Hell it did!"
"Then how about you go somewhere else? I got customers that I actually care about waiting." He motioned to a line that had form to her left.
Ayane shot a glare at the growing, many of the customers flinching away while others tried to seem unfazed by the cold stare only to find theirs eyes glancing anywhere but the scarlet gaze in front of them. "I can take a wild guess as to why you're giving me hard time, but I'm not leaving without those herbs!"
'Looks like Ayane-chan is about to raise Hell…' Katsu thought as he watched the two clan members stare each other down. A stirring in him was pushing him to intervene before the situation escalated further. 'I know I'm gonna pay for this later. Especially if Otou-san hears about it. And he always does.'
Katsu approached the stand, Ayane and the Shop Keeper still staring the other down, "Sumimasen," Katsu began, keeping his voice even, gaining the attention of the arguing pair. "Is there a problem?"
"Just this harlot won't get off my back!" The Shopkeeper spat.
"A Harlot charges for something that should be free. You charging quadruple for something that can be found. I'd say a Harlot is more dignified than you." Ayane replied hotly.
Katsu suppressed a chuckle, thinking it would not help his case, but noticed some customers in the ever growing line begrudgingly crack a smile at the Lavender haired kunoichi's quip. "Now, now, let's be civil." Katsu urged, turning his full attention to the Shopkeeper. "Just let Ayane make her purchase and you can start making this line a little shorter."
"I'd rather not." The Shopkeeper adamantly replied.
"Why? Money is money. Doesn't matter who you get it from."
"…" The Shop Keeper kept silent, his response caught in in his throat.
"Doesn't matter if you like the person or not." Katsu continued. "Can't really deny someone service unless they're trying to rob you. And Ayane doesn't seem to be armed at the moment." He motioned to the still annoyed Kunoichi.
The Shopkeeper begrudgingly relented. "…Fine…" he put a stack of herbs on the counter, Ayane paying a significantly more reasonable price for her goods before walking away with naught but a glare darkening her features.
Katsu gave a polite bow to the Shopkeeper before following after the Lavender haired Kunoichi. Noting the passive glares she was receiving as she made her way through the plaza. 'Knew she got a lot of crap for just being alive, but this is ridiculous.'
"…Arigatou…" Katsu was so preoccupied with the people around him, he almost missed what Ayane had said.
"Sumimasen?" Katsu replied, stopping next to a dilapidated shack near the edge of the plaza.
Ayane just released a sigh and repeated herself, a neutral expression adorning her features as she turned to regard the ninja. "I said, Arigatou."
"Uh…don't mention it…"
"I won't." Ayane replied. "Just know that I appreciate it." Ayane turned to leave, Katsu standing awkwardly near the wall of the abandoned shack.
"Uh, Ayane-san." Katsu called before Ayane got too far out of sight, gaining the Kunoichi's attention. Katsu took a few steps forward, rustling his hair as he chose his next words. "How was your birthday? I heard Bankotsubo attacked someone at the time."
Ayane frowned at the memory, wondering just how much Katsu had heard about the encounter. "Yeah. He was going on and on about a bride. And tried to attack this little girl, I think her name was Mizu Kawa-chan. She's pretty timid, probably no more than fourteen years old."
"Did you sense anything from her? The reports are pretty mixed. Some say that only Bankotsubo was emitting any kind of signature, others say that there were two, and some claim there were three."
Ayane furrowed her brow, recalling the events of the day. To her dismay, she found that she could not recall sensing any suspicious signatures, to her shame she concluded that it was because she having fun for once in a very long time. She took a moment to examine her surroundings, looking for any notable Tenjin-mon ninja that may be within earshot of her conversation; but she knew in her heart that there were always ears where she could not detect.
Katsu's concern began to grow as Ayane continued to scrutinize the area around them. Ayane suddenly gripped Katsu by his wrist, her expression stern. "Come with me."
"Nani?!" Katsu exclaimed as he was forcibly dragged towards the Hajin-mon sect.
"I'd rather not talk about this around so many people." Ayane replied curtly. "I don't know what the general populace is aware of and I'd rather not have any more finger pointing aimed at me."
"Okay, but where are we going?" Katsu asked as they passed over a small wooden bridge.
"Somewhere no one goes anymore…" Ayane replied under her breath.
After a ten minute walk, the two came to a secluded forested area on the eastern edge of the Mugen-Tenshin territory. The resting near the edge of a small drop-off. The view painted before them was of impossibly tall rock pillars standing tall in the distance, small streams cascading down the sides of the earthen spires, the mid-day light reflecting off the light mist floating on the winds casting wide rainbows across the blue sky.
Katsu stood awkwardly between two thick trees while Ayane leaned against a tree to his right, her bag placed at her feet. "So the reports are mixed?" She suddenly asked.
"Yeah. People are concerned that Bankotsubo is raising an army."
"I don't think he's raising an army. Seeking an Ally is the more likely option. He was very focused on finding his "Bride". And given that he's had little more than a week to acquire any kind of following, it's unlikely he's even thought about an army."
"Not to mention it would be difficult to gather that many demons without anyone noticing. That just leaves the conflicting energy reports."
"…Honestly, I wouldn't know." Ayane Reluctantly admitted, earning a raised brow from Katsu. "My attention was elsewhere at the time."
"That's unusual for you."
"Yeah, well, that whole day was unusual for me." Ayane replied with a tired sigh. "At least I had fun for the most part. I just remember talking to Isaac-san and these other two guys, then Isaac-san froze up like he'd saw a ghost. Next thing I know, there's a loud thoom and then a crater in the floor."
"Isaac…-san?" Katsu asked, his brow raised at the foreign name.
"I met him during the tournament." Ayane replied, feigning disinterest. "He told me I could visit sometime if I felt like it. And on my birthday, I felt like visiting him."
"What did you two…do? If you don't mind me asking."
Ayane eyed the brunette, examining his person with a quirked brow. "Isaac-san took me shopping. I guess he wasn't expecting me to show, despite me sending him a letter a few weeks prior."
"He took you shopping?" Katsu asked skeptically.
"Yeah, that's what I just said." Ayane replied, her impatient tone returning to her voice momentarily. "His Mother works with a woman called Momo Kawa, she owns a clothing and beauty store in Tokyo, and he was able to get a discount."
"I've heard of it." Katsu added, stepping slightly closer to the lavender haired kunoichi. "Okaa-san has been paying a visit to Momohime's at least twice a month. Even the girls our age are frequenting the shop for various things."
"Yeah, the clothing is pretty high quality." Ayane added. "I got some denim clothing, a new swimsuit, and some make-up…not really sure what I'll do with it. Don't really have time for make-up. Even if I did, the rest of the village would just use it as an excuse to call me a whore. Then again, it never stopped them before."
Katsu suddenly appeared at her side, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder and stepping into the kunoichi's line of sight, barely a foot away from her face. He hadn't noticed his movement, nor did he expect the words to that came out of his mouth: "Screw what the village thinks!" Katsu firmly insisted, much to the wide-eyed surprise of the kunoichi. "You shouldn't restrict yourself, just because someone else will call you names. Make a choice because you want to. Whatever reason it may be."
Ayane blankly stared the brunette. Blinking in absolute shock at the string of words that had been placed before her. The only thing that she could think to say was: "You're a little close, Katsu."
Katsu leaned back slightly, removing his hand from Ayane's shoulder and awkwardly rustling his hair. "Gomen nasai. Just thought I had to say something."
Ayane looked back towards the earthen pillars, absorbing the words Katsu had said and ruminated on their overall meaning, before looking back toward Katsu, who was finding the ground very interesting at the moment. Ayane leaned against the tree, letting her body relax for the first time that day.
"Thanks." Ayane finally said, gaining Katsu's attention. "I don't hear encouragement that often. Ryu and Momiji-san are kind to me, but that's when I have to work with them. It's nice to hear it from someone in the village."
"Uh, no problem." Katsu added. "So this Isaac-san, is he entering the Dead or Alive tournament again?"
"No." Ayane replied. "He claims he has no interest in it. I don't really blame him. He only entered to kill Raidou."
"Nani!?" Katsu exclaimed, causing the kunoichi to jump from surprise.
"Yeah…Raidou did something to his family when he was exiled."
Katsu just shook his head, a disgusted look crossing his features. "That bastard brings misery wherever he goes."
Ayane grimaced at the analogy, a brief image of her childhood flashing in her mind. Mixed feelings of hurt and joy filling her being as she absently replied: "Yeah. He was a pain in the ass. If Kasumi did anything right, it was killing him."
"Wonder what she's doing now?" Katsu absently asked.
"Hopefully dead in a ditch somewhere." Ayane bitterly spat. "Save me the trouble of hunting her."
"You really hate Kasumi-san, don't you?" Katsu rhetorically asked. "You guys used to be friends, right?"
Ayane glared in return. "What gave you that impression?"
"I remember seeing you two play around a lot when you were little. Now that I think about it, you practically clung to Kasumi-san's side like a lost puppy."
"I AM NOT A PUPPY!" Ayane blared, a raging fire in her eyes. Katsu staggered back at the outburst, his eyes wide with fear as the kunoichi stalked towards him. "I don't know how you got that idea in your head, but you'd better forget it ever happened! GOT IT?!"
"Y-yes. I got it." Katsu put his hands up, trying to quell Ayane's rage. "I won't mention it again."
"Good." Ayane grabbed her bags and preceded to walk back to her cottage. Leaving Katsu to catch his breath.
'That was…unexpected. I wasn't trying to offend her.' Katsu looked back toward the serene backdrop that he had been shown. An image of a smiling Ayane and Kasumi running happily through the village entered his mind suddenly, juxtaposing the ball of fury that had just left him alone. 'But…I do wonder why she hates Kasumi. It happened after the summer festival…now that I think about it, that's when she started wearing her hair short.'
Time: 16:22
Date: August 9, 2010
Location: Gospel Home
The doorbell rang incessantly throughout Isaac's home. The high pitched ringing slowly beginning to grate on his nerves. He stormed down the stairs, dressed only in a pair of black sweatpants and a rose red T-shirt with bronze writing that read: "I'm out of bed, I'm dressed, what more do you want?" his sunglasses and necklace, and threw open the door to see the Harbinger of his aural misery.
There stood a very disgruntled Momo, dressed in a form fitting green T-shirt with black tight fitting jeans with red flats. "Took you long enough." She said.
"I was in the bathroom!" Isaac shot back. "You'll have to forgive me if I want to wipe my-" He stopped his rant short when he noticed the four familiar kids behind her. "What are they doing here?"
"Mom and Dad are worried." Momo replied. Her playful tone far from existent. She hurriedly entered the house, her scowl a black cloud within the calm walls of the home.
"Come in, sit down, take a loud off." Isaac sarcastically added, the four teens entering after the disgruntled shop owner. Mizu was dressed in a lavender sundress with a white mini jacket and shoes. Tsuchi was dressed in an olive shirt with the white outline of a bare tree branch with a brown jacket and blue jeans with tanned cowboy boots. Kaze was dressed in a forest green jacket, partially unzipped to reveal a white shirt underneath with blue jeans and white shoes with green trimming. Kai was dressed in black jeans with a red shirt and speckled orange spots giving the image of a flickering flame with a black jacket and maroon shoes. "You mind telling me what this is all about?"
"We're worried that…thing; is trying to kidnap Mizu." Momo bitterly replied.
"And yet she's still here." Isaac replied, motioning to the nervous teen, who was sitting on the couch with her other friends.
"There's been nothing serious yet," Momo sarcastically started. "Just random clog prints and Mizu's room in nothing but tatters when she comes back from school. We've been using enchanted sutras to block demons. ENCHANTED. SUTRAS! Do you know how annoying it is to have those all around your home?"
"I can guess." Isaac replied dryly. He eyed the rest of the group, his lensed glare boring into the teens with a cautious inquiry. "Has this affected you two as well?"
"Somewhat." Kai replied. "Don't really need sutras at the moment."
"Father and Mother have a history with temple and shrines." Kaze added. "They've had sutras around the house since before I was born."
"So what's the problem?" Isaac added. "You seem to be fine as is."
"Not when we're away from home." Tsuchi added.
Isaac raised a brow at the comment, Mizu elaborated on her sister's words, "Lately, I've felt like someone's been watching me. Whether I'm at school or on the train, I always feel like there's someone watching me, barely a hair's breadth away from snatching me like some firefly at night surrounded by children."
"Hmmm…" Isaac mused. "That monster was pretty fixated on you to be his wife. You must have charmed him with your looks." Isaac grinned, chuckling at the idea in his head. "You could learn a thing or two from your little sister, Momo."
"Ha, ha, very funny." Momo dryly replied. "But this is no joking matter, Izzy. My sisters are in trouble and so are Kaze-kun and Kai-kun."
"So what do you want me to do about it?" Isaac shot back moving to the kitchen, grabbing a glass from the cabinet and filling it with water before taking a sip. "I don't know where that thing is, or if I can even kill it."
"Maybe. But you know how to fight where they don't."
"And there's the root of today's visit." Isaac replied, placing his glass on the marble counter top.
"Yes. Our parents as well as Kaze's and Kai's parents want them to take up a martial art. Preferably one that allows them to hold a demon at bay long enough for them to get away."
"So you put my name forward as a potential mentor?"
"That's right." Momo confidently replied. "I saw you fight that monster with those other three martial artists. Figured you'd be the best to teach them. Your Kufaragua can save their lives."
Isaac just sighed, shaking his head in annoyance. "It's not that simple. My style is self-taught and by the time it becomes even remotely useful, that demon may have kidnapped any of them by then."
"So there's nothing you can do?" Momo replied, her tone shifting to frustration.
"Not with my own brand of self-defense. Not with what you would like for me to do."
"Then what are we supposed to do? I thought you'd be able help us."
Isaac held up an objective hand, grabbing his glass of water. "I never said I couldn't teach to defend themselves." He takes another sip of his drink. "I just said the Kufaragua is too complicated for them to handle. Honestly any martial art will suffice in terms of just keeping them alive. If you want them to get away, they're gonna need something a little more advanced to give them an edge over their opponent, but simple enough that they can ease into the basics without severely hurting themselves."
"Like Judo?" Kaze suggested.
"Not necessarily." Isaac replied. "Judo could help, but Judo itself wouldn't be enough unless you're a genius in the style. You'd either need to learn several supplementary styles, or a style that requires you to learn how to manipulate your own natural energies or be at peace with your mental state…" A sudden idea struck Isaac, one he had not considered since the time he was a child. He moved toward the table in the center of the main room, a stack of envelopes piled neatly on the edge of the glass and wood framed table. "Then again…"
"Then again?" Momo parroted.
"Then again, I could teach them to fight demons, without teaching them a useless or straining style." He flipped through the mail until he found one particular envelope with the DOATEC logo imprinted on the front.
"How?" Kai asked, intrigued at the idea.
"I got a letter to participate in the second Dead or Alive Tournament." Isaac replied, pulling out the golden letter. "I can either enter or watch." He eyed the children through his glasses. "I can even bring up to five guests. Probably a way to boost publicity. The Tournament starts next week. I'll vouch for the four of you, in return, you will watch intently and find a style you want to learn. Then, after the tournament, we'll practice the motions on a practical level. We call this Vitendo (Swahili word for Practical)."
"Vitendo?" Kaze questioned.
"Essentially, learning by doing." Isaac explained. "I'll teach you how defend against someone trying to kill you. You'll learn quickly by doing and hopefully grasp the basics in a relatively expedient amount of time. At least, that's the general idea."
"That seems flawed." Kaze said, his brow raised skeptically.
"I learned my style that way. And I made it to the semi-finals of the first Dead or Alive tournament with it. I was also the best hand-to-hand fighter in my village, so~."
"Then it's settled!" Momo interjected. "You'll teach these guys to defend themselves, and hopefully that demon will give up and go away."
"One can only hope." Isaac added.
"Alright, come on you guys. We need to let Mom and Dad know what the situation is." Momo said, glancing to Kaze and Kai. "Same goes for you two."
"Just know that I will not go easy on you." Isaac warned before his guests walked out of the door, closing it gently behind them. Asili meandered down the stairs, a drowsy look on her face as she yawned. "Looks like things are going to get a little bit lively around here." Isaac absently replied.
Time: 18:22
Date: August 9, 2010
Location: Germany, Unknown
Wandering through the backstreets of a small German town, Kasumi lumbered aimlessly. Clad only in a tattered long sleeve cloak and ragged jeans, she kept close the shadows. She had spent weeks searching the countryside for her brother. The cold air stung her exposed cheeks and nose, tinting them a rosy red as she tightly clung to herself for warmth. Her hopes at a low, her search coming to a dead end.
Now lost, dejected, and hungry she continues to move down the backroad. 'Hayate…where are you?' She questioned as she passed an elderly man, who gave her a wide birth due her disheveled appearance. Her knotted hair and dirt covered face, not helped at all by the mild stench that wafted off of her. 'Maybe I should have listened to Ryu. At least I'd be back in Nippon…even if I would be on the run the moment I set foot there.' She rounded a corner wandering through a mostly barren market. 'Now what do I do? I've been living off of berries for the last few weeks and I don't know a single word of German.'
"Hurry now if you want to join the second Dead or Alive Tournament!" An announcer blared from a television in the window of the shop Kasumi was passing, drawing her attention to the small CRT.
'Second Tournament?' She thought. 'Why would they…Hayate!' She suddenly thought. 'They must have captured Hayate again!' She quickly surveyed her immediate surroundings, searching desperately for any a clue or hint to give an idea of what to do next. 'I need to get back to Nippon. They are sure to be there at some point.' She was drawn to the sky when she saw a large passenger jet descend from the sky to the south. 'An airport…Hopefully it's an international airport. I'll be able to stow away until I reach I Nippon.'
Kasumi made her way in the direction of the slowly descending plane. Praying that she'll be able to safely travel back to her homeland.
Hey guys, I guess I'm back. Had some stuff to take care of, but I will let you know that it may still be sparse. School and all that. I'll try not to neglect it. Also, the Ngoma Pori is now the Kufaragua, the swahili word for improvise. Figured it fit the character better, not to mention it sounds cool.