Chapter 21: Getting back what's mine

They could not find the jade hairpin. Seeing that it is too dark, Hanzo suggested that it was best to search for the little girl in the morning. Izumi could only accept and walked back to the inn disappointedly.

Despite the tiredness from the previous days and a restless night, they are back on the same street the next morning. Izumi, Hanzo and Musashi walked aimlessly for hours, searching every corners of the town, but no sign of the girl they are looking for. While having a short break, negative thought starting to creeps into her head. She couldn't help but feels dejected.

"Don't be sadden princess." Hanzo tried to cheer her up.

"I'm sorry, we should have been going on our way by now..."

"It's not your fault. Don't worry. We'll definitely get it back." Musashi chimed in.

"Thank you." It's the time like this when Izumi felt glad that she has someone to depend on.

As the sun positions raised above their head, it was the time when the town is fully bustling with activities. It became difficult for them to find the specific girl with many people. But luck seems to be in their favor, they finally spotted a small familiar figure with disheveled hair, who appeared in the crowd not far away from where they stand.

"Is that her?" Musashi asked

"That's her!" Hanzo confirmed. He remembered the shawl that the girl wearing, which was once belonged to Izumi. He rush to the girl before she could disappear into the sea of people.

Hanzo caught her and brought her away from the crowd. She shriek and thrust around to let herself go but no avail. Hanzo didn't grab her too tight to hurt her but it was enough to bind her where she stands. She finally settle down, seeing that her struggle was pointless.

"I think you have something that belong to us." Musashi said with expressionless face. Being cornered, the girl look around desperately. Her violet eyes is starting to brimmed with tears but she hold it in as hard as she can. The sight of the girl tucked at Izumi's heartstring. How can a child this young do something like this?

"Let her go. I want to speak with her." Izumi speaks calmly not wanting her to be hostile.

"Do not even think of running away." Hanzo looked sharply at the girl and released her arms. Musashi blocked the other side of Hanzo incase the girl decided to run away.

"I'm sorry, we won't hurt you. I just want to ask you something." Izumi gaze softly at the girl, who stood still and looked warily at her. She seems reluctant to speaks, but soon after, there's a growling protest of the girl's empty stomach.

Izumi grinned slightly as the girl blushed. It reminded her of the first time they met. She looked nearby to the food stand next to her and to see a mouthwatering sweet bun. She quickly brought the piping hot sweet bun from the shop vendor and hand it to the girl.

"Here, be careful it's hot" The girl looks cautiously at it before grabbing the sweet bun away from her hand. She groan from the steaming hot sweet bun that stung her tongue. Izumi couldn't help but snickered slightly at the girl's reaction having already warned her about how hot the bun is. She does looks endearing when she stuff her cheek full of food like a squirrel.

"What's your name?" With a friendly smile, Izumi asked the girl who just finished chewing the sweet bun.

"...Rei." She's still look hostile at Hanzo but starting to open up to Izumi.

"That's a beautiful name. I'm Izumi, this is Musashi and Hanzo. They are my friends." Rei stare at Izumi with a confuse look on her face.

"Sorry for asking, but how old are you Rei?"

"...Twelve." Izumi was surprised to hear that Rei is older than she expected judging from her petite frame. She is certainly too skinny and too small for her age. Hardship hasn't been kind to her.

"Are you alone? Where're your parent?" It was a touchy subject but Izumi wanted to know if she has anyone to depends on. But when the girl look down instantly, she knows the answer.

"I have no parent." her voice cracked slightly.

Izumi tap her head lightly to sooth her. "There, there. It's okay."

"Why are you so kind to me? I just stole your hairpin." She finally admitted without Izumi asking, but right now she wanted to help this girl.

Izumi continue to tapped her head and speaks to her in a soothing tone. "I know how it feels to have no parent. It was hard isn't it. You don't need to hold it in."

Since her mother died, no one has ever been kind to her. For the first time in awhile, Rei finally let down her walls to the strange lady, whom she just met. To have someone who understands her and lend a helping hand really touched Rei. She sniffle and hind her face in her hands and let her tears falls.

Hanzo looked at the unexpected situation unfolding before him, the culprit who stole his princess hairpin is being comforts by her. He knows that's the princess is kind and doesn't hesitate to help people out. He adores that side of her, but at the same time his duty is to look out for her, incase someone taking advantage of her kindness.

Her expression changed, she seems to have an idea of going somewhere with the girl as she tucked on to her hand. "Come on, Rei. Let's go" said Izumi with a cheerful tone in her voice.

"Princess what are you doing?" Hanzo decided to interrupted having stay quiet for too long. She only give him a wink and lead all of them into a market. What he and Musashi could only do is to follow her.

After buying the simple but warm kimono for Rei they all head back to their inn, where Izumi helped cleaning Rei up. Behind the partition, as Rei took off her old kimono Izumi was shocked to discovered scars and bruises littered all over her back. It was definitely inflicted by beating. Rei look away quietly knowing that Izumi must have saw her back.

Izumi didn't say anything but tapped her head and smile to reassured her. She cursed inwardly to the person who ever done this to a young child.

"Rei, close your eyes for a moment. Don't open until I said so." Rei was confused at first but slowly shuts her eyes.

Making sure Rei won't see her power, Izumi starting to wipes the dirt with warm cloths. At the same time a soft glow from her hands gradually heal all the bruises and scars which fainted slightly. She didn't want to used too much of her power so she stopped it at that.

Once done with cleaning, she helps Rei into her new kimono and continue to comb her tangle hair. It took a lot of patient to do since she knows Rei hasn't really been paying much attention to her appearance for a long time.

Izumi open the partition so Hanzo and Musashi could see them. "You can open your eyes now." The result of her hard work was worth it when Izumi saw how Rei looked at her reflection with an awe.

"Is this...me?" Rei was shocked at her appearance. She looks tidy and clean in her new kimonos that goes with her violet eyes, and her natural honey color hair has become straight and smooth with Izumi helped.

"Is this even the same girl I've seen before?" Said Musashi, while scratching his head.

"Well, Rei is pretty no matter what she wear. She just need a little help." Rei blushed at Izumi compliment.

"Real smooth...I wonder if Izumi's a man. She could be a real ladykiller, not that she isn't right now." In low tones, Musashi said to Hanzo, who could only clear his throat and glared at him.

"I couldn't possibly accept this." Rei said timidly.

"Nonsense! I can't leave you in those kimono. You'll freeze to death!" Izumi said half joking half true. She was amazed that Rei was able to survive in her old kimono. It was so worn out that it can barely keep her away from cold. Izumi smile kindly at Rei and wrap the shawls that was given to Rei since they first met around her shoulders.

"This is yours now. Take good care of it."

"I'm sorry I stole your hairpin…" Rei has a guilty looks plaster on her face before bow down excepting the bad deed she done.

"Can you tell us where is the hairpin?" Musashi asked her having seen the opportunity arise.

Rei bits her lips before saying, "I gave it to my guardian." She looked down to the floor hiding her expression. It seems like fear.

"Can you tell us where's your guardian is?" Izumi asked her only to earn a reject.

"I can't. They'll...hurt you." Rei trembled. Izumi could only assumed that Rei is mixed up with bad source of people. But Izumi wasn't about to give up. She brought Rei's hands to her own chest and stare directly into her violet eyes. "Please Rei. The hairpin is very important momento to me. I really need to have it back."

After a few moment of silent Rei finally give in with a little sighed and muttered "...Follow me."

Rei leading them out of the town, she seems to know this area very well. Some path were so narrow it was difficult for Musashi to follow up. They soon come to a stop where they could see a cave from afar. Rei turns to them and speaks, "I'm sorry, but I can't go any further than this. I don't want them to know that I brought you here."

"That's alright Rei. Thank you for leading us here. I hope I'll see you again." Izumi squeezed her hands lightly.

"...Be safe." Rei muttered before departed.

They turn their attention back on the cave. Izumi could only wishes that her hairpin wasn't sold away to any travellers before she could go and retrieves it back. Another things that bothers Izumi is that Rei seems to be afraid of her guardian. He or she could be the causes of Rei's battered back. Rei also mention 'they', so there wasn't only one of them. She reminded herself to be cautious once entering the cave. Izumi give a quick nods to Musashi and Hanzo, showing them that she's ready.

"Everyone stay on guard." Hanzo reminded everyone before venturing into the lair

Once entered, they looked around only to see that it looks like a normal stone cave.

"There's nothing here?" Musashi looked around confusedly.

Would Rei tricked them? Izumi doubted that. She felt it in her guts that there's something suspicious going in this cave.

It does look like nothing's here but her eye rested at a particular spot where the large boulder rest near the wall. Hanzo spotted where Izumi gazed at, he give her a small nod and walked up to examine the boulder.

She was right. There's a small gap between the cave wall and the boulder. It was big enough for a single person to fit through. Musashi has a slight difficulty to fit through since he's so tall but he did make it in.

Upon entering the dim and narrow passage, they to walked in a single file with Hanzo in front and Musashi right at the back. The only sound they could hear are their footstep and the water dripping from the cave's wall.

Musashi whispered, in case there's any enemy around. "I don't like the looks of this cave… It's a suitable place for any underground activities."

As the passage comes to an end, they were surprised to see a high ceiling cave, but that didn't surprised them as much as rows of cages with people in them. They looked drained and malnourished. She assumed that these people could have been what the dry good storekeeper told her, the slave trader.

She can hear a groan from a person in the cage near them. "W...wa...ter, please..." a man with horses voice begged them. Instinctively, Izumi frantically looked around for any source of water in the cave.

Her eyes accidentally turns to one corner of the cave to discovered a horrifying sight. There are trace of old blood covering part of the cave's wall with a pile of dead bodies. It was beyond what she could imagine. She felt sick to her stomach. 'How can they be so cruel! How can they treated people like this!' Izumi felt anger rises. This was beyond what she could imagine.

Before they could move around any further come an unexpected face that Izumi remembered, a crooked teeth man from the souvenir shop.

"Well well, hello m'lady. I must warn you that there's no refund policy. What else I can help you with today? I do hope you come here to do a 'special' business today." He smiles creepily, showing his crooked teeth.

"We actually come for the hairpin. But we didn't expected to see... this." said Musashi.

"...Oh I see. Well, you got me. I bet that useless little girl ratted me out. Tsk, kids these days had no sense of loyalty. I'll discipline her once she gets back here." He sigh and said it as a matter of factly. It only anger Izumi more knowing that this is that man who hurts Rei, and on top of that, tortured and imprisoning these people.

"It's a shame you have to find me here. You could have wait for me at the town." He has a twisted grin on his face. There's no trace of remorse or nervousness in him. It only warned Izumi to be very cautious with this man.

"Who are you?" Izumi asked the man to confirmed her suspect.

"Don't you get it. Do I have to spells everything out to you M'LADY?! I AM THE BLACK MARKETEER. I'll sold all the good that thieves stole for me. Didn't little Rei told you?" He sneered.

'How dare he make a little helpless child do that.' Izumi stare at the man coldly, she finally reached her limits.

"In the beginning, I was to come here and retrieved my jade hairpin peacefully. But you are a bigger problem for people around here." She draw her weapon and looked straight at the man in front of her. Her gaze didn't falter.

"Ooh, come to claim your good for yourself? How brave of you. But didn't I told you that there's NO REFUND." He chuckle manically.

"Be careful princess." Hanzo muttered and close his distance to her.

"Let me warned you, everyone around here knows not to mess with me. You better turn your back right now and pretend to forget about all the things you sees here." He threaten them with a cold twisted smile.

Musashi quickly close his distance to Izumi and cover her back. They feel presence of many people approaching them.

"So, you're not only a black marketeer but you are also supporting these bandits?! How low can you get!" Her shouted rang in the cave.

"We're doing this for living princess lady. Someone like you wouldn't understand."

"I rather died than seeing people suffer from what you called making living. You are too far gone beyond recovered!" Her fearless shout seems to angered him more. She gets ready for any ambush to come.

"Shut up! Don't come in and tell me what to do! Boys get rid of them!" At that, the fight broke out.

I know I haven't been consistent with updating this story, but I'll try my best. I never plan on giving this story up. So Thank you to those of you who still support me. Happy new year everyone. I do hope you had a wonderful coming year. Bless you guys who review, follow, or favourite ;) Love - Momamommam