Chase the Sun
Disclaimer: I do not own SkipBeat or the story that this title makes allusion to. In the interest of creating a more western feel, some of the names of the main characters have been slightly altered.
Chapter 11 – Angst, Revelations, and Confrontations
Independence, Missouri:
Ren set the food down and said, "I'm glad to hear that you have a protector. I guess that you won't be needing my help anymore. Good night, Ma'am."
And with that, Ren Tsuruga stalked off into the dark.
Yashiro saw Kyoko's horrified expression as Ren disappeared into the night. He wanted to stop the man, smack him on the side of the head, and tell him to go back and make things right… but he was just as taken aback by Ren's boiling fury as Kyoko was. Kyoko continued to stare off into the darkness for several more minutes before she shook herself and returned to her cooking tasks like someone in a nightmarish daze. Yashiro watched her sympathetically until everyone was served and then he stepped in to help her to collect any of the utensils that belonged to the chuck wagon.
Kyoko looked at Yashiro listlessly, as if to protest, but then she continued about her tasks with machine-line movements. Finally, when everyone else had drifted back to their own wagons or to the main fire, he spoke, "Kyoko… may I ask a question?"
Kyoko nodded listlessly.
"Why was this Sergeant Reino following you… and why did Fuwa the Kid rescue you?" Yashiro cringed at his own impolitic boldness, yet his writer's curiosity, and his concern for the budding relationship between his two friends, pushed him on.
Kyoko sighed, "The sergeant probably followed me because I saw him cheating at cards and I spoke up. Shotaro probably followed him because he wanted to make the man pay for trying to cheat. I just got in the middle of it all."
Yashiro noticed, not for the first time, that Kyoko never even considered the idea that the two men might have been interested in her. He wondered how she could be so oblivious to her own natural appeal. Then his mind fixated on another detail, "You called the Kid 'Shotaro.' Does that mean that you know him?" He wanted to ask if the two might have been in some sort of relationship, but the immediate drop in temperature and the eerie, dangerous feeling emanating from her after the other question made him stop.
"We were once… childhood friends. That was a long time ago and now he is the most despicable, vile man on earth. Do you have any more questions?" There was a fire of hatred pouring out of Kyoko's eyes that caused Yashiro to step back.
"Ummm… nooo…. You have a good night, Miss Mogami… I have to go now." And with that he made his escape.
The following day was tense in many different ways. Boosters for several different routes west were harrying the wagon train, trying to drum up volunteers.
Matsunai, furious at having been made to look like a fool by Takarada and the man's granddaughter, was quick to switch to the southern route. Not content with just leaving on his own, he was actively moving through the camp, spewing out his vitriol against Takarada. Since he had been made to look like a fool over the issue of the two young ladies, he chose to focus instead on the fact that three families of ex-slaves were lingering out on the plains, waiting to join.
This argument worked well on about one-fourth of the total group who had departed St. Louis with the train. They made a grand show of their departure, but most of those who remained said "good riddance!" It didn't have any adverse effects on the total numbers because other families and singles were petitioning to join. Most of these had travelled here from north or south independently, hoping to find a wagon train to join up with before tackling the frontier. They were eagerly accepted.
Kanae and Kyoko were kept busy all day, re-stocking, re-packing, and reassessing for the beginning of the long journey into the plains. Kanae could sense Kyoko's discomfiture, but she knew better than to intervene. She had also heard the rumors, though she had no doubt that Kyoko was the innocent party to everything. She found it remarkable that so many handsome men gravitated towards Kyoko, but even more interesting that Kyoko was completely oblivious about the attention being poured out on her.
Kanae did sense that Ren Tsuruga was interested in Kyoko, and for some reason this man made Kanae's hackles rise. She never considered for a moment that she might be afraid of the tall man stealing her best friend away. She was, however, aware that the man seemed to have a much greater impact on Kyoko than any of the other men… and she knew that he had done something to make Kyoko miserable.
Perhaps it was this that caused her to place herself in front of Ren's horse that late afternoon. Ren was startled, and Jesse reared up. When the big man had settled his horse down, he turned to confront the woman who stood there with her fists on her hips, glaring at him. "What can I do for you, Miss Kotonami?"
"You can't do a thing for me, but you can fix whatever you did to Kyoko," Kanae half-snarled.
Ren felt his temper rising. All day long he had been fighting back the fierce feelings of jealousy that boiled under the surface. In the past five years he had managed to gain control over the raging emotions of his teen years. Now that golden-eyed girl was breaking down all of his carefully constructed barriers and bringing out the monster underneath. He forced his voice to remain calm as he replied, "I don't know that I have anything to do with Miss Mogami's situation. Maybe you should ask…"
"Bull!" Kanae said, not even flushing at her very un-ladylike use of such a vulgar term, "I don't know what Kyoko feels about you as a man, but as a person she has deep and probably undeserved respect for you. She holds you in the highest esteem. So when you dismissed her and wouldn't even listen to her version of what took place yesterday, you stepped on her soul and crushed it. Friends don't do that, Mister Tsuruga."
Despite the fury in her delivery, those last words struck home. Ren finally realized that his actions might have caused pain to Kyoko, and that was inexcusable. Damn my temper! It's starting all over again.
He met Kanae's blazing sapphire eyes and softly replied, "I'll speak with her, Miss Kotonami." Then, before turning Jesse so that he could return in the direction he came from, he commented, "You are a good friend to her. Thank you."
Kanae was too dumbfounded to form a reply before he had ridden off.
oOoOOoOo
Sergeant Reino groaned as some anonymous barmaid dabbed at his bruises and cuts with a wet cloth. His corporal sat beside him, waiting for a reply. Reino pushed the girl away and sat up, grimacing. "No, of course we can't join the train now. It wasn't a workable solution in the first place. Instead we'll head out into the grasslands and do a little of our own exploring. Surely there are some renegade bands who are up for a little mayhem if we offer the right incentives."
Reino had over $100 dollars in gold along with whiskey and other trade items. With all of that he could make sure that Takarada's wagon train enjoyed plenty of mishaps along the way. "Did you find out where that moron with a gun is?"
The corporal chose not to mention that "that moron" had been the one who put Reino into this condition. "Rumor is that his boss-lady wants to join Takarada's wagon train."
"Well, well…" Reino mused, "So he can't seem to stay away from his little golden-eyes after all. Interesting relationship those two have." He closed his eyes and tasted her anger again like the sweetest honey. "We'll definitely have to keep that wagon train company, now won't we?"
oOoOOoOo
Yashiro saw Ren dismounting from his horse and walked over to him. He had been intending to speak with the man all day, but the tall scout was always on the move. Now he wanted to speak his peace… but before he could do so, Kyoko stepped out from between two wagons with several vegetables in her arms. "Auuugh…" she exclaimed, and then hung her head to pass in silence.
Ren spoke up, "Miss Mogami, I apologize for my earlier attitude. Although I still feel that going into town by yourself was foolish and dangerous, I don't see how you could be blamed for getting in the middle of a struggle between that sergeant and the gunfighter. Still, please remember in the future that you are an essential part of this company, and if you get injured, it will be a burden on those who have come to depend upon you."
Yashiro was frustrated with Ren's cold words. He was hoping for some confession of jealousy… or better yet, for Ren to declare his feelings and stake his claim. But then he saw Kyoko's almost-tearful relief, "Yes, Mr. Tsuruga, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be so irresponsible with my actions. In the future I will try not to be so foolish."
Kyoko felt her spirit lift for the first time all day and she could finally breathe right again… until Ren spoke one more time, "Though I must confess to being confused about that Fuwa kid. He isn't normally the type to care about anyone, even damsels in distress. Does he know you somehow?"
Both Yashiro and Kyoko froze, unable to find the right words. Kyoko's eyes drifted over to Yashiro, as if to ask if he had already told the taller man what he knew… but Yashiro shook his head. Kyoko knew something of the often-discussed rivalry between the scout and her childhood friend… though she didn't know if they had ever actually met. Still, she sensed quicksand ahead. Well, best to tell the truth…
"Ummm… Mr. Tsuruga," a female voice interrupted. All eyes turned to see Itsumi Momose standing there. She and her family were one of the new arrivals and she was already making friends with both Kanae and Kyoko. But it wasn't her presence that caused everyone to freeze… because beside her stood a tall, blond gunslinger who was sneering at the group. "This gentleman was looking for Kyoko and… well… I thought that she might be in this area. I apologize if I am interrupting…?"
"Don't worry about interrupting him," Sho declared with a final appraising look before he turned his focus on the tall man by Kyoko. It rankled him to discover that the famed "two-gun Tsuruga" was actually four inches taller than him… and just as good looking as people declared. Still, Sho didn't think that the man was that good looking… but he didn't like his proximity to Kyoko for some reason. "I'm sure that he has some important scouting duties to perform to keep us all safe. Meanwhile, I wanted to talk with Kyoko."
Ren took an immediate and fervent dislike to this young punk; not the least because of his casual familiarity with Miss Mogami's first name. He turned to speak to Kyoko and found her glaring balefully at the boy, "Shotaro, I don't know why you are here, and I don't care. This is wagon train territory only. Not a place for useless gamblers and petty gunslingers."
Sho's temper immediately flared and he snapped back, "Hah! Like a plain, boring little snippet like you has any business on a wagon train going west! Why don't you go home where you belong and leave the west to people who are actually equipped to handle it!"
"Yeah, right! Like you? If it weren't for me you would already be in debtor's prison or hanging from the end of a rope, you little…" Kyoko stopped herself when she caught the smoldering anger of the man beside her. This was precisely the type of situation she had wanted to avoid.
Ren was shocked at the fierce argument, and even more bothered by the familiarity with which the two of them argued. Whoever this boy was, Kyoko obviously had history with him. "Miss Mogami," he began in his cold, steady voice, "How… exactly… do you know this man?"
Sho looked back and forth between the pair… No! He corrected himself, not a pair… Then he saw his own advantage in this. Obviously his rival was interested in Kyoko… though that didn't make sense… and was unaware of his history with her. "What, are you the only person who doesn't know?" He doubted anyone but Shouko Aki knew, but that didn't prevent him from taunting the man, "Kyoko and I go way back. In fact, we go clear back to our early childhood. Kyoko is my family's…" He struggled with the best word.
Kyoko beat him to it, "Servant, Shotaro! Just say it and get it all out there: I was the Fuwa's servant. I was raised in their hotel, cleaning their rooms, scrubbing their sheets, and cooking their food."
That wasn't quite what Sho had wanted to intimate, but he was still pleased at the shock in the big man's eyes. "That's right. So that means that she belongs to me…"
Kyoko blazed in fury, ready to attack the idiot, but Ren moved faster. In an instant his long legs took him right up to tower over the younger man, "This is the west, Kid. Whatever she might have been in Boston, she is free now." The menace that blazed from his eyes made Sho step back. His hand fell to his gun, but a click behind him made everyone pause and look up.
"Now boy, in these parts, if a man touches his gun, that means some pretty serious things," Kijima drawled, "And I, for one, don't have any intentions of patching anyone up or serving on a burial detail. So I suggest that you get that hand away from your gun."
Sho felt cold fear at what had almost taken place, but he only sneered and dropped his hand. "That's fine. This is a long trip and a lot can happen. I'll be seeing you, Kyoko." And with that he walked away.
Kyoko felt her hot anger cool into a cold knot in her stomach, but she managed to focus her eyes on the tall scout. His own anger seemed to have vanished and now he was looking at her with a question in his eyes. Kyoko glanced at Yashriro, who was the only other person still standing there, "I… I have to get the supper meal prepared. After that… if you wish… I'll tell you both the story"
That night, as Kyoko finished her tale and Yashiro uttered words of disgust at Sho Fuwa's behavior, Ren felt a cold knot in his stomach. What he heard… though she didn't ever say it directly… was that Kyoko had come west with the intention of marrying Sho Fuwa. That didn't work out, but the earlier argument did show that the man still held a place in Kyoko's mind. And now the man had joined their wagon train.
Ren was not happy about that; not one little bit.
Notes: Sorry, it has taken a long time for me to produce another chapter, and that isn't that good. I will attempt to do better in the future.
I dedicate this chapter, such as it is, to Jhiz, who inspired me with her western story and who got me back on the writer's track. Thanks.