Chapter 24-Dearly Beloved
Walking into our school, I was relieved to see that everyone was there. I wanted to hug my friends, like I haven't seen them in forever, but then they wouldn't understand either way...
"So, ready to go to the chorus room?" I asked Jacob as he nodded. Miaka decided to join us, since she had piano lessons a couple years ago. We walked into the chorus room, and the teacher wasn't there. "Hmm... She could be busy. She won't mind, I hope." I sat my books down on a chair, Jacob did too, and gave Miaka the piece.
" 'Yankee Doodle Boy'? Oh wow... I wanna hear this." Miaka smiled as I rolled my eyes and she sat down. Jacob and I was standing next to each other. Miaka was getting a good look at the piece as I stared at piano.
"Are you still upset?" Jacob murmured to me as I nodded. "Why?"
"Let me say this: I'm not upset at you, I'm mad. But, I'll keep it in 'cause I know it's gonna be more worse today." I uttered back at him as Miaka looked at us.
"We ready?" She asked as we nodded in sync. "Alright." Miaka played Jacob's first note, and he started to sing with his accent. After we finished, Miaka looked up as we looked at each other.
"That was great! It was so good."
"Yeah, right. I have two high F's and I still can't reach it! This is making me mad!" I cried out as Miaka gave me the piece back.
"Hey, you did fine. Don't worry." Jacob assured as he tried to pat my back as I walked to my stuff, and put the piece in a folder. "Hey!"
"I'll see you in first." I murmured as I walked off with Miaka. As we was about to leave the room, we couldn't believe who we saw. "Miaka, wait!" I whispered and pulled her back into the room.
"It's Danielle!" Miaka cried out.
"Guess she made it home okay." Jacob said, walking up to us. "What about Daffney?"
"She's probably home, taking the day off." I answered for him, as Miaka walked into the Gym, and walked over to her friends. "Hey! Wait for me-"
"Brittany."
"Jacob, I wanna see my friends, so let me." He grabbed my hand, as I looked at him.
"I have to tell you something." He said as we walked into the spare piano room. He shut the door, and I put my things on top of the piano seat.
"Okay, you have my attention for..." I looked at my watch: 7:20. "...Ten minutes. Starting now."
"Listen, I don't wanna say this to you, in front of Nuriko..." He looked down as I crossed my arms.
"Yeah, what is it?" Jacob looked down at me as he closed his eyes.
"Something happened in the book." I looked up at him as he opened his eyes. "Someone died..."
"W-who?" I asked softly as he sighed.
"Mitsukake." I gasped as I looked up at him, for more answers. "Before we left, Keisuke and Tetsuya told me. I'm sorry..."
"Oh, Mitsukake... How sad..." I whispered as Jacob grabbed my hand, again.
"There are two other things I have to tell you, but don't tell Miaka this." Jacob said, pleading it seemed, as I nodded.
"Alright. Is it all bad?" I asked as he nodded, and I sighed. "Tell me."
"I have to watch over you and Miaka because...because Suboshi's here." I gasped as my hand shot to my mouth.
"Oh, god. Why is he here?"
"I have no idea, but he might be somewhere, in the school for all we know." Jacob murmured as I turned from him.
"He's gonna try to kill us! He's going to try!" I cried out as I turned to face Jacob. "I'm scared now, even though it's only one of them..."
"And, there's another thing. It's a personal matter to you." I looked up as Jacob closed his eyes.
"What? What is it that could be so personal to me?" I asked him as he opened his eyes.
"From last I heard, Hotohori was going to go out into the war." I gasped as I closed my eyes. "He wanted to protect us, and wanted to get rid of the evil that lurks there."
"N-no..." I studdered as I shook my head. "NO! He can't! He's got a family on the way! He can't go off like that!" I cried as I fell to my knees. "Not what he's done to me, and to do this- It's unthinkable!"
"Brittany!" Jacob got on his knees as he hugged me. "He's not gonna die! He won't. I promise you that he won't die!" I cried my eyes out as Jacob just held me. "He knows that he wouldn't do it to you, or to Houki! You've gotta believe that!"
"I can't! If he dies-Just, how could I tell Nuriko that if it happens?! He'd be devesated!" I said, as I didn't want to go into the school like this.
"Listen," Jacob checked his watch: 7:35, "I know that you don't feel like going out into the school, so I'll give you 5 more minutes. Dry your tears," he took his hands and placed them on my shoulders, "and I'll wait for you." He helped me up as he was about to open the door, but stopped him.
"Can I ask you something?" I asked as I shut the door.
"Yeah, what is it?" He asked as he turned to face me. I closed my eyes, and let my nerves disappear.
"Please. Will you stay with me? I need a shoulder to cry upon." I said, softly, as he smiled, softly, and I went up to him, and cried my eyes out again. "I wished that this didn't happen to me..." I whispered softly, as he comfort me.
"I know how you feel..." Jacob whispered back as we stayed in this postion for what seemed like an eternity.
~*~*~*~*~*~
"Hey, Brittany! Are you okay?" My friend, Charity, asked me.
"Oh, yeah! I'm okay." I said, as she came up to my locker. "So, how have you and Cody been?" I asked as she smiled.
"Okay. We've been great." She said as I nodded.
"Well, that's good. What did you do over the snow break?" I asked as she shrugged.
"Nothing much. I would of liked it if Cody could've come over."
"Ahh..." I closed my locker and walked to my next class. I dropped my stuff in there, and walked with her.
"So, what's up with you and Jacob?" She asked as my eyes widen.
"Ah-ha-ha-ha! Nothing at all! We're just friends, remember?" I told her as she gave me a look.
"Well, you were both holding hands." She reminded me as I gasped, inside. "And if Kevin and William seen you, you wouldn't get the end of it!" She cried out as I nodded.
"That's assuring... Thanks." I murmured as we walked into her first, which was English, and I saw Jacob in there. "But, I'm leavin'! See ya." I said as I walked out of the door, and back to first. I felt someone tap my right shoulder, and, speak of the devil, it was Jacob. "What do you want?"
"Umm, a couple saw us, you know..."
"Should I ask?"
"No. But, I'll tell you." He said, as I closed my eyes. "Harley and Cody." I sighed, happily.
"That's it? No problem." I said as he held my arm. "Now what?"
"Cody told Kevin."
"Ah, crap... Well, second isn't going to be fun..." I sighed, sadly as he nodded.
"And fourth too. Don't forget that." We sighed, as we walked towards first.
"Why aren't you stopping them?"
"Why don't you?" He asked as I looked at him.
"Excuse me?! I protect against myself, but you don't even defend me." I walked into the class, glad no one was in there, and looked at the time: 7:52. "If you don't all day, I'm gonna say that we are going out, and they'll know I'm tellin' the truth!" I threatened as he grabbed my hand.
"Oh, you wouldn't." He said as I turned and faced him.
"Oh, I would." I tried to get my hand away from him as he pulled towards the window, where it was still snowing outside. "Let me go."
"Why should I?" He asked as I glared at him.
"Because you're my friend, and... That's all we're gonna be." I whispered as he let me go, and walked over to the door, and saw Charity and Danielle there.
"Dang girl! You didn't have to be that rude!" Danielle cried out as I walked with her.
"I wasn't rude! He wouldn't let me go, that's all." I corrected as she rolled her eyes.
"Whatever." Danielle walked off and caught up with another of her friends.
"We are friends, and that's all we're going to be... Right?" I asked myself as Charity nodded.
"I guess, if you mean Jacob and you, then I don't really know..." I looked down and waved her bye. I walked into class and see Jacob, just staring at me. It started to creep me out. Time: 7:58. 'Two more minutes... Gosh, hurry up!' I felt like screaming to the clock. "Siedenberg, will you stop looking at me? It's bothering me!" I called out to him, from almost across the room, as he shook his head.
"Nah. I love to get on your nerves." He said, sarcastically, as I sighed and put my head down on my desk. The bell went off as I sighed, relieved. Getting the announcements and attendance over with, the phone ranged. I still had my head down, but got up for the pledge, my teacher called me and Jacob to come over to her desk. I looked up, and went over there.
"What is it?" I asked her as she gave us the phone.
"It's for you both." Our teacher said as we looked at each other. I grabbed the phone, put it to our ears, everyone in our class got quiet, as we listened to the voice.
"I want you to hang up the phone and listen to the announcements." The cunning voice said.
"Who are you!?" I asked as the phone disconnected. I hanged the phone up as the P.A. system went off as me and Jacob looked at each other. "Jacob, who was that?" I asked as I started to get scared.
"Good morning. You don't know me, and I don't know you. But, I do know four people in this lovely school of yours." The voice said as everyone was listening. I wondered where everyone was in the front office? "Let me say these names: Miaka, Danielle, Jacob,"
"Oh, god... Jacob, it's-" I was interupped as the mysterious voice continued.
"and Brittany. Danielle has saved me, but the other three... They killed my brother!"
"Oh that's bull!" Jacob called out to the voice as we looked at each other. "Should we say the name?" He whispered to me as I nodded.
"They won't know who he is!" I whispered back as the voice continued.
"I want to deal with them. So, a person told me about this school, and I came, and hurt several people-"
"Suboshi! You hear me?!" I cried out as the voice stopped.
"Ah, Brittany and Jacob. How nice to hear that you're here!"
"Oh, cut the crap!" I called out to the voice as my teacher and students looked at us. "Mrs. Forbes, call for an ambulance on your cell." I murmured to her as she nodded. "Suboshi, why do you want to bother us?!"
"Why she asks? I want to split you both up. You, and Jacob." We looked at each other, as everyone stared at us. "I want every single student to meet in the gym. If all don't come, I'll kill someone, and it's not going to be pretty. I want every high, and middle schooler in that gym."
"We have to make sure the little kids are safe." Jacob uttered as everyone got up.
"Will you all go down there? Go to each class and tell them to lock their doors until it's safe. If they wanna know why, tell them it's for their own good." I announced as everyone nodded, and ran out the door, to the elementary side. "We got them taken care of."
"Miaka, Brittany, and Jacob. I want to see you guys last."
"Don't you hurt anyone!" I cried out as I saw Miaka come into the room.
"Suboshi, get out of here!" Miaka cried out as Jacob talked to Mrs. Forbes.
"I will, IF, I see you three. I'll meet you in the gym."
"W-wait!" Jacob yelled as the PA system was turned off. "Damn..." He cursed softly. "Mrs. Forbes, can you and some teachers go outside and tell the ambulances what is going on." She nodded and ran out of the door, in heels!
"I'm gonna call home, and see if everything is okay there." I said, and grabbed my cell phone out as Miaka and Jacob paced. I put it on speaker as it started to ring.
"Hello?" Keisuke's voice called out as we sighed.
"Keisuke! Is everything alright?" Miaka asked.
"Yes. Everyone is fine. What's wrong?" He asked as we sighed.
"Suboshi is here in school." I said.
"OH SHIT!" Keisuke yelled loudly out on the phone. "Tetsuya, go check on Nuriko!"
"Keisuke, he has probably hurt some people in the office. He said he wanted to see us, and I'm nervous on what he means by that." Jacob added in as Keisuke moaned.
"What's wrong?" I asked as we looked at each other.
"Nuriko's not here."
"WHAT?!" I cried out as I gave the phone to Miaka and she turned it off of speaker. "Oh god no... Jacob, what do we do? We're powerless!" I cried out as he nodded and hugged me. I didn't care, I just feared for my life now. Miaka gave me the phone as I put it in my pocket.
"Keisuke and Tetsuya are on their way here. I told them to go to the front office and check if everyone is okay." Miaka said as the PA system came on.
"Jacob, Miaka, and Brittany. I want to meet you in the gym, now." Suboshi said as we ran down the hall, up the stairs, and passed the front office. He wasn't in there, so we ran to the gym, and enter the doors. Middle school was on our right, and high school was on our left. I could see John. He's sitting there, not making no movement.
"If anyone of you move, you'll be dead." He yelled to the crowd.
"Hey, Suboshi!" Jacob cried out as we moved forward towards him as he turned around to see us. His smiled grew, and mine shrank...
"So, here are the killers!"
"Suboshi! We did NOT kill YOUR brother!" I yelled, stressing every so word.
"Yeah, right! I know what you did, and I want to kill you three so bad!" He yelled as his yo-yo things swinged around his body.
"Why do it here?" Jacob asked as Suboshi laughed.
"So that I could have witnesses."
"Are you after us because of your brother?!" I yelled as he shook his head, his eyes narrowed.
"Oh, no. My brother, Danielle, and the other warriors you killed!"
"Excuse me?! We didn't kill them! The others were being killed, and they had to defend themselves! You wouldn't know that because you were drooling all over Danielle!" I cried out as his ryusesui's balls went faster.
"You're lying!" He yelled as Jacob, Miaka, and me, started to run away from him. The ryusesui was coming after me, and I was trying to run in boots, which was really hard. I slipped, and the thing went over my head. I got up and ran again, but the thing got me on my left arm, and I cried out in pain. I looked around and still ran. I didn't see Miaka anywhere, so she must of had a good hiding spot. "Come back here!" I was trying to find a place, anywhere, away from him. Jacob was right beside me as we jumped onto the stage, and got chairs.
"We'll fend him off!" Jacob said as I nodded. I started to throw a chair at him, but he invaded, and he was on top of the stage, and slashed Jacob on his right arm. He cried out in pain, and fell to the ground.
"Jacob, run!!" I yelled as he just look at me. Suboshi was on top of me now, and I his ryusesui was cutting me up. "RUN!!" I yelled again. "While I have him, go!!" Jacob shook his head. He got up and kicked Suboshi on his face. He fell back as Jacob jumped off the stage, and I ran off the stage in fell on my feet. I saw him come behind us as we ran for the exit. I couldn't run anymore, and I fell to my knees.
"Brittany! Come on!" Jacob yelled to me as I turned around to face Suboshi.
"I can't go on..." I said as Jacob ran back to me.
"I'll carry you!" He said as he help me up.
"I'm losing blood... I can't focus..." I fell to my knees, again, as Suboshi was only twenty feet in front of us. "I'm so sorry..."
"Well, guess this is the end of you both." He uttered as a rock was thrown and hit his head. "Who the hell did that?!" He turned around, and we looked up as I blinked.
"I did." Nuriko yelled as he walked forward in an outfit that the guys must of picked out.
"N-nuriko..." I whispered as everyone in the stand was looking towards him.
"Get away from them!!" Nuriko yelled as Suboshi walked towards him.
"And what if I don't?" He asked as Nuriko walked forward. He saw me as Jacob was holding me on his chest, since I couldn't support myself.
"I'll kill you myself! You are to not hurt anyone of these people!" Nuriko yelled as I started to feel faint.
"Oh, I'll be the boss of that!" Suboshi yelled across the gym as Suboshi went after Nuriko.
"Nuriko!" I yelled before I fell into a deep sleep. Nuriko went towards the library as Jacob laid me down.
"Listen, everyone!" Jacob yelled as everyone looked at him. "Go outside, towards gym two, and stay in there until everything is alright!" Everyone seemed to nod, and Jacob filed everyone out by sections. He did the middle school first. After five minutes, they were out and safe. John got up and walked over to me. Jacob told the ninth graders to go, and within minutes, they were gone.
"Brittany? Brittany? Are you there? Speak to me." John whispered as Jacob came back over to me after he told everyone to stay still. "Her pulse is barely there..."
"Brittany! Hang on!" Jacob cried out as we saw Nuriko come running back in here. There was a ball chasing after him, as Suboshi wasn't too far behind.
"Get him!" Suboshi called out to the ball, as Nuriko turned around, and it went through the glass window of the gym door. Nuriko breathed, for a moment, and the thing was still chasing after him. Suboshi grinned as Nuriko jumped over Suboshi, and he laughed.
"Ha! I got you-" He looked down, and everyone could see 2 little kids, holding onto Suboshi. It was Tamahome's family, the kids that didn't survive. Suboshi turned around and the ball went into him, and exited out of his back. Everyone in the room must've gasped. Suboshi fell to the ground, on his knees, and took Danielle's favorite ribbon out. "Danielle... I'm so sorry... Ami-bo-shi..." He fell to the ground, and disappeared, leaving the ribbon on the ground.
"He disappeared!" Jacob uttered as Nuriko ran over to me and the others. Everyone started to leave, one by one, as Miaka came running after us.
"Brittany... Is she okay?" Nuriko asked.
"No... She lost a lot of blood..." John told as Nuriko put his head down, and gripped my hand. Miaka got a strecther for us as I seemed to wake up, but seemed to be in a dazed.
"N-nuriko..." I whispered as he nodded.
"Don't waste your energy..." He murmured as I blinked once, and looked around. "You'll be fine." I smiled and gripped his hand.
"Al-right..." I whispered as Miaka ran over to us. There was a couple EMS there, as they asked me questions. "A..." My blood type. I looked over to John. They wanted to know who was I staying with.
"We was staying with her because her grandmother is in Tennessee, and her mother is there with her. There was a death in her family." John told them as I nodded. They believe it, and I was happy, at least. "Umm..." They asked who wanted to ride with me. "I think that he'd love to." He pointed to Nuriko as he nodded.
"Okay, let's go then." One EMS said as Nuriko ran with us as Jacob, John, and Miaka was inside still.
"How's everyone else?" Jacob asked as Miaka nodded.
"They was just tied up. A little cut here and there, but nothing more." Miaka said as he nodded.
"Well, Brittany got the only pain and loss..." John murmured as they nodded. They walked outside as we saw the buses. "Guess everyone is going home... Good thing too." Everyone was on a bus, or in a car, going home, where it was safe to them.
"It's good that Nuriko was here, or we'd be dead." Jacob uttered as he looked at his shirt. It was stained deep blood red, as he sighed. "Guess this shirt's gone now..." They looked at it and nodded. "Where's Keisuke and Tetsuya?"
"They left. They had to go get the book." Miaka answered as the boys nodded. "Oh, my phone!" Miaka got the phone out of her pocket, as she answered it. "Hello? Oh, Keisuke... Yeah... What?! You can't be... But she just..." Miaka went off to the bathroom as the guys looked at each other.
"Wonder what that could be about." Jacob wondered outloud as Miaka came back, walking, as she started to cry... "Hey, what's wrong?" Miaka looked up as her tears wouldn't stop.
"Brittany is going to be devesated..." Miaka uttered as Jacob and John looked down at her.
"Miaka, what is it? What happened?" John asked as Miaka's eyes were crying a river.
"In the book..."
"Yes?" Jacob said, softly, as Miaka continued.
"Hotohori is about to fight Nakago!" Miaka cried out as she fell to her knees. John and Jacob could only look at each other, knowing this has gone from bad to worse.
~*~*~*~*~*~