Chapter 28:
"Crap," Ren slapped his forehead. "Honoka's down for the count!"
He rose, cracking his knuckles, placing one foot on the ledge.
Midori grabbed the hem of his shirt and pulled him back.
Her red eyes were emotionless, but tears were still pricking the sides. Midori bit her lip and gave him a specific look.
"No."
"Aw, c'mon!" Ren raised his voice. "If we don't bail her out, she's going to die, Midori!"
"She'd rather die than receive help like this. I think we've interfered enough as is," Midori shook her head. "Let her be, Ren."
The boy stared at Midori incredulously.
"Screw you," he muttered, positioning himself to nose-dive off the top of the building.
Midori struck out in a second.
Ren tilted his head back fractionally, as a sword was thrust under his chin. He looked to his extreme left, where Midori sat, her legs swinging over the lip of the building.
He narrowed his eyes.
Damn. Was that attack…?
Midori sighed.
"Please," she begged. "Don't bring your own selfish feelings for Honoka into this," she glared at him with her scarlet irises.
Ren stared at her a long time, and their gaze wasn't dropped until Midori finally saw the submission in his eyes and stance. She flicked her wrist and slid the katana back in its holster with a sickeningly smooth hiss.
Ren involuntarily massaged his throat and sat down next to Midori once again.
She seemed like such a sweet, defenceless girl up until just now, Ren trained his eyes on Midori fixatedly, but then that attack was totally uncalled for. Not to mention potentially fatal. Is this the real power of the holder Kirasaki name?
"So, I never figured out," Ren said aloud, "who are you really?"
Midori blinked, never taking her eyes off the battle.
"Did you befriend Honoka because of her affiliation with Shigure Kousaka? Is that it? Do you want revenge?" Ren turned to her.
"No," Midori said coldly. "Meeting Honoka was purely by chance. I genuinely am from Osaka, and I really am weak. Except in one aspect," she touched the holster by her side. "I'm just trying to protect what has been left behind."
Ren hesitated, before nodding.
"I understand a little bit now, Midori-san."
…
Hirota balanced his head on his interlocked fingers, watching the parade below him. Streets were alight with laughter and fireworks, but the glittering lights and enjoyments reflected on his emotionless eyes and bounced off.
Hirota wore a hood with a red dragon design all over his back that faced the tower, where Honoka Shirahama, Halima and Ma Kensei fought.
Hirota closed his eyes and smiled.
"Finally," he murmured. "Things get interesting."
…
"What the—?"
Iron Hand took a step back as Honoka got up to her knees, and then on to her feet.
"I finally see," she muttered, "why you had that ducktape across your mouth," Honoka smiled, wiping the blood off her lower lip.
"How are you still able to stand up? I just stabbed you just now!"
Honoka straightened, cracking her knuckles.
"Unfortunately, you can't stab very well," Honoka stuck a tongue out, lifting the legs of her jeans to reveal protective gear up and down her thigh.
"Akisame-sensei created this gear as an alternative to my dougi," Honoka grinned. "It's almost as strong as Shigure's chainmail, but still as effective against sword-related attacks. You didn't really think I'd come into this fight unprotected, did you?"
"Ah…eh..ah!" Iron Hand was speechless. "My finest attacks…bounced off!"
Honoka took a tentative step towards him. "Let's see," she winked. "If they make protective gear for what I'm about to do to you…"
…
"Honoka!" Ma Kensei sped in through the window, landing effortlessly on the carpet that was sprayed with dark red fluid. He sweat dropped, looking around for his disciple.
He had Emiri under his elbow, as she was coming to.
"Honoka, where are you?"
"Here!"
Honoka waved a hand from where she sat on the ground on her rear. She smiled angelically with her palms to the ground by her side and slightly backwards.
"Honoka…are you okay?" Kensei yelled.
"Um…yeah," Honoka laughed. "Why wouldn't I be?"
"Tanaka…has been defeated?"
"You mean Iron Hand? Yup," Honoka jerked a thumb over her shoulder at the heap by the door. "I'm a little tired as well. You got Emiri, of course. Shall we go then?"
"O-of course. Honoka…I'm very proud of you," Ma Kensei smiled. Honoka beamed back.
"Ah! There you are!" Akio shouted, finally reaching the door, but stopping short as Tanaka blocked the door. "Oh…is he…?"
"Alive," Honoka confirmed. "I just knocked him unconscious."
"Great job," Akio said shakily, stretching over Tanaka. "Miss Emiri, this way, please. The limo is waiting downstairs for you."
"The f-festival…" Emiri rubbed her head. "Is the festival…?"
"It's not over," Ma Kensei told her. "Only the fireworks are left."
"Please this way, Miss Emiri," Akio grasped her in his arms and hurriedly took his jacket to cover her. "We will get you to the safehouse immediately—"
"Who's we?"
"…"
"What?" Akio snapped.
"I said, 'who's we'?" Honoka stood in front of him, blocking his path.
"I-I don't follow."
"What are yo—" Emiri started.
"Miss Emiri's bodyguards, of course," Akio furrowed his eyebrows. "They are waiting downstairs."
"No," Honoka said slowly. "Miss Emiri's real bodyguards were injured in the elevator shaft earlier today."
"I issued out more. I am the Head of Security after all—"
"It's strange how throughout, you've remained the only person unharmed, even after that explosion in the elevator shaft, you don't even carry a scratch. And when you yelled to me that the shaft was going to blow, you weren't even talking to me, were you? You were talking to the people you paid out to be the diversions, whilst you, the Head of Security, whisked her away to her 'safehouse' and killed her quietly," Honoka narrowed her eyes. "Am I right, Ling Xia, drug lord of China Town?"
Emiri faltered, staring between Honoka and Akio.
"Impressive," Ma Kensei said aloud.
Akio fumbled into his coat and took out a gun, pointing it directly at Emiri's temple.
"N-n-nobody move…o-or I'll shoot!" Ling shouted, stumbling backwards. "Th-th-this bitch deserves to die!"
Emiri widened her eyes. "A-Akio…?"
"This ain't no Akio!" Ling spat. "You think I spent six months undercover for nothing? It was all down to this! The perfect crime—"
Honoka and Kensei stared calmly at him.
"This girl is clueless…messing up our affairs!" Ling dragged Emiri to the elevator. "Halima was all it took…Halima was the one I hired to do my dirty work for me!"
"So you would end up being the back-up plan just in case Halima and Tanaka failed," Honoka assumed.
"You wouldn't understand! You're all just children, oblivious to the world around you. We can't trust anyone anymore! If you want shit done…you do it yourself!" Ling pressed the elevator button, nervously shooting glances at the two martial artists. "Don't get in my way…the both of you!"
"Wouldn't dream of it," Kensei smiled warmly.
"Al-alright. That's a wise decision. In fact, I may think of you when I'm rich and famous and send you two a little memento. Hahahaha!" he laughed deliriously. "I-I win! I finally—"
Ling stopped short.
Fear flitted across his face as a slick, white metal sword slid under his chin, pressing into his throat. Midori's face appeared by his neck, her face dark.
"Let…her go," she whispered in his ear. "Or I will…end you."
"Ooh, just like Shigure-san!" Ma Kensei chuckled to himself.
Ling dropped the gun quickly, and Emiri broke free of his grip and ran towards Honoka.
"Well, this can't be considered a fight," Ren's voice rang out. The elevator door opened and he appeared, along with five men at his feet, unconscious. "So I felt like meddling a little."
"Guys!" Honoka exclaimed, hugging Ren as she watched Midori send Ling to his knees incredulously. "Midori-san?"
"Don't stop hugging me…" Ren whined, as Honoka stared down at her torn shirt and bra and realized why he requested this of her. She kicked him in the groin automatically.
"Are you okay, oneesan?" Midori sheathed her sword, turning to Honoka nervously.
"Midori-san, you never told me you were this good with swords!" Honoka exclaimed. "Shigure would be so impressed if I used swords like that. It's so long, how do you hold it so knowledgeably?"
Midori blushed.
"You learnt a very important lesson today, Honoka," Ma Kensei stepped forward, "learning to trust is very difficult. And I'm glad you aren't as gullible,"—Honoka sweat dropped, wondering whether she could defend her brother on that actuality,"—as your brother was. I think you have a very good future in things like these, Honoka. Well done, you passed the test."
Honoka blinked, taken aback.
"This is about Natsu, isn't it?"
Ma Kensei looked away bashfully. "Well we have been talking about it for a while, and it's about time you realized you can't always trust people, especially my brother's disciple, so I was the only one free today," he whined, flailing his arms around. "And Miu promised she wouldn't hit me whilst I took pictures for three seconds if I did this so—"
"Thanks."
"…"
Honoka smiled from where she sat on the carpet. Her eyes were molten chocolate, as she smiled good-humouredly, with her fingers outstretched in front of her, as her legs curled underneath her.
"I mean, thank you all, masters," Honoka bowed as best she could. "I know about Natsu running away to Miiyu. But…this exercise hasn't helped at all, I'm afraid. Don't think badly of me, or that I don't appreciate your teachings, but he's different.
"I know it sounds strange, but I knew Natsu before Ryouzanpaku. And…and I trust him. What he's doing now, is what he thinks is best for me. He's always taking the easy way out when it comes to me. It sounds stupid, but I trust all of you. Even Ryouko-san—"
Midori bit her lip, averting her eyes.
"—so, if it really comes down to it, and he really has betrayed me…" Honoka closed her eyes. In the background, the fireworks lit the sky, loud and bright. Everyone looked up at the skyline, even Honoka. "I swear, as I am Ryouzanpaku's current disciple, that if I am confronted by him as an opponent…I will not hesitate…" Honoka exhaled. "I…I will not hesitate to fight Natsu Tanimoto to the death."
…
"Such…pretty lights."
"Yes. They are."
"Tell me Sebastian…what colours are the fireworks?"
The butler put down the ceramic cups carefully on the table by the bookcase and walked towards the French window. He stood by the lounge chair and placed a hand on it, peering out the window at the vast vista covered by trees as far as the eye could see.
The tiny girl in the chair placed a hand on the window and smiled warmly.
"There are green ones. And a red one. And lots of blue ones."
"Blue," she bowed her head. "I like blue. It's such a nice colour. It reminds me of the colour of her eyes."
"Yes ma'am. Would you like your tea now?"
"No. I'd like to sit here and watch a little longer, thanks," she smiled.
"Just don't be late for bed, you have piano lessons tomorrow. I will collect you for bed in two hours."
The girl pushed her brown locks out of her face.
