A New Light
Chapter 55
The Sounds of Truth
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Morning steadily rises like a loaf of freshly cut bread inside an oven.
Coincidently that's what Motoko smells as she too rises from her all too familiar room. Not her room in the Hinata-sou, but her room in the Aoyoma Residence. The mansion is a traditional Japanese house from the past, some what close to the Hinata-sou's layout but about fifty times more larger. It has to be larger in order to accommodate for the hundreds of young female swordswomen sleeping and training under the mansion's ceiling and dojo.
Motoko stands up and stretches.
She undresses, walks to her suitcase, and picks up her traditional red and white Gi. She stares at it for a while. For ever since the trip to the beach a couple months ago she hasn't worn her Gi that much at all. She's always been wearing the casual clothes 'normal' teenage girls wear and seeing the red and white from her training Gi gives her a nostalgic feel.
But also the article of clothing gives her a gentle reminder.
"That's right……I am a Shinmei-Ryuu clans member…."
Slowly she dresses up and shuffles out her room. Leaving it neat and organized.
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"Hmm. Hmmmm. Hmm. Hmm. Hmm."
Tsuruko hums a happy tune as she carefully lowers the loaf of bread into an immaculate plate on the dining room table. She pans out and oversees the breakfast she just made. It was a western breakfast. Complete with a series of scrambled eggs, pancakes, bread, and thinly cut strips of bacon on the side.
The gorgeous woman looks over to her daughter who sits politely at the end of the table.
"What do you think? I wanted a western style breakfast today."
Setsuna sweat drops. "Um. There seems to be a lot more then usual today Mother. Even if we do have Motoko-sama here with us."
Tsuruko waves a hand. "Don't worry Setsuna. Motoko eats a lot for her age. Hehehe."
"Onee-sama!" Motoko blushes as she storms into the room. "I do not eat to much. I eat a very well balanced diet thank you."
"Really?"
"Onee-sama!"
"Hahaha. I'm just kidding Motoko. I just thought you would be hungry a bit more because of the car ride here. You instantly went to bed when you came home instead of eating."
Setsuna dives into her food. "Hmm?"
Motoko sighs. "Alright." She takes her seat next to her niece and looks around. "Your cooking seemed to have gotten better Onee-sama."
"A lot has changed since you left Motoko. Thankfully I improved my cooking skills before I burned down the whole house. Right Setsuna."
"Not just burning down the house Mother. But destroying Father's stomach along with mine."
Tsuruko glares at Setsuna with her one menacing demon eye. "WHAT DID YOU SAYYYYY!.!.!"
Setsuna and Motoko fall back off their chairs.
"No-nothing!"
"Sh-she said that your cooking definitely got more delicious then before Onee-sama."
Tsuruko returns to normal. "Oh. Thanks Setsuna." She cheerfully says.
Motoko leans towards Setsuna a bit and whispers: "She hasn't changed one bit has she?"
"She did change a bit. But unfortunately, that habit of going berserk is still there."
"I see."
Motoko and Setsuna manage to pull themselves up and sit back down on the table to only be met with Tsuruko sitting down as well. Happily eating her breakfast.
"So Motoko." Tsuruko points. "Why did you come back so early? I thought you wanted to stay at the Hinata-sou until you were done with you formal education?"
Motoko nods. "That's right, but I thought I could come home once and a while…"
"Oh really? Or is it that you have some questions for me…"
Motoko freezes in mid bite.
Setsuna continues to eat.
"Your….right. I have some questions for you…I guess I can't hide anything with you…"
"Of course, you're my little sister. Its natural."
Setsuna looks up. "What were you going to ask Mother, Motoko-sama?"
Tsuruko shakes her head a bit. "That can wait until after breakfast…" She glances towards Motoko. "Right?"
"……What ever you say Onee-sama."
"Ok. Then meet me at the study in an hour…"
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Sunrise peers through Keitaro's window.
All the girls already went downstairs, leaving Keitaro alone on his futon as he lazily dreams by himself.
But a shadow drifts into the room.
It glides gently on the hard wooden floor, and wheels to a stop right besides the sleeping manager.
Then it speaks: "Keitaro-san…."
Keitaro fidgets in place.
"Keitaro-san…."
Keitaro responds at the unknown voice by sitting up and slowly opening his eyes.
"Keitaro-san wake up."
"Sh-Shinobu?"
He looks towards the voice. To him, the voice gave out a gentle aura, something close to Shinobu's. Yet it was different. Very different.
His eyes get used to the morning light to see a blushing Eve looking down at him from her wheelchair.
"Oh...Eve….Its just you." Keitaro yawns…..thinks….then his eyes go bug-eyed. "EVE?.!.?.! Yo-your talking!" He says as he falls flat on his back.
Eve winces but chuckles.
"Bwhahaahah!" Suu comes out from the shadows and laughs. "You should've seen the look on your face! It was priceless!"
Sakura, Asuna, Shinobu, and Makie come strolling in behind Suu, with guilty pleasure all over their faces.
"Sorry Papa, I couldn't help it."
"I am sorry as well Papa, they persuaded me to join."
"Auuuuuu, Suu made me join in too Keitaro-nii."
"Now your calling him Keitaro-nii Shinobu. How many pet names do you have for our manager."
"Ma-Makie! I was just experimenting, that's all, and Keitaro-nii…well….felt more natural."
"Right…….Right…."
"Ma-Makie!"
Keitaro quickly sits up. "Hehe, Don't worry about it too much Shinobu."
"O-okay."
Keitaro then glances back at a still blushing Eve. "But…Wow. You can actually talk now."
Without moving her lip she speaks: "I know. It's all thanks to Suu."
Suu pops out of no where behind Eve. "No problem! It was a pleasure trying to find you a way to speak. And also a challenge!"
Keitaro tilts his head. "But how does she talk?"
Sakura stands up and bats away a part of Eve's hair to reveal a sort of neckband wrapped around her neck. It's pure black with a nice onyx feel to it with a few lights emitting from the sides.
Suu pokes it: "This neckband retrieves the electrical signals that were supposed to go to her damaged voice box and acts as an artificial speaker or another voice box for her, with out the need of using a tongue or anything else. Basically translating what she wants to say from electric signals from the brain to sound. The problem for me was trying to make it sound like a normal human, so I used Shinobu's voice as a base and worked from there."
"Amazing. " Keitaro says with wonder as he stares at the neckband. "So that's why you sound like Shinobu."
Both Shinobu and Eve unknowingly blush even more.
"Yea, surprised me when I heard two Shinobu's behind me."
"Indeed."
"Now I'm going to be a bit confused…"
"Aren't you always Makie…."
"In this household….yes."
From the hallway Sara comes in with her uniform and backpack. "You're all going to be late for school if you all keep this up."
"Eeek! We are! Come on!"
With that sudden information everyone piles out of the room faster then Keitaro could watch. For suddenly he was now alone with Asuna and Eve.
"Why aren't you two going?"
Eve shakes her head. "I don't have school yet. I was home schooled by my parents but now that I am here I have to sign up for school."
"I see, how about you Asuna. Still not feeling well?"
"Yes Papa. Is it okay if I…..stay home for today. I still have a bit of a headache from yesterday. But I'm still fine, I just don't want to go to school and make it worse." She lies.
Keitaro looks on at Asuna with a worried look but hastily brushes it away and smiles.
"……That's fine with me. Just rest for a bit, I'm sure you'll be back on your feet by tomorrow."
"Of course."
"See you later Asuna-chan." Eve waves as she is wheeled away by Keitaro out of the room.
"…………"
Now she is alone. Something she didn't want to be yet still…..she is alone.
"…………"
And a familiar feeling arises from her.
Then she hears it…
"Hehehehehe…"
A giggling sound….
"Hehehehehe…"
It was silent at first, but it grows louder by every passing second.
"Hehehehehe…"
She covers her ears but it had no effect.
Her eyes wonder to the full mirror at the corner of the room.
But her reflection…"Hehehehehe."…Laughs back at her.
With Red Glowing Eyes.
She turns away and closes her optics shut.
But the laughing continues.
"HeheheheheheAsunaHehhehehehehAsunahehehehehehehASUNA!"
Asuna jolts her eyes open to see Keitaro in front of her. His hands gripping onto her shoulders
"Pa-Papa!"
"Areheheheheyouhehehhehereallyheheheokay?"
The giggling in the background fades to a low volume, but was still there nonetheless.
"Ye-Yea. I just got dizzy a little…"
Keitaro looks square into her eyes and sighs. He reaches a hand over her head and carefully tightens a loose bowtie on one of her ponytails.
"It was kind of loose. So I fixed it for you."
And like that, the voices disappear…..the laughing stops….
"Th-thanks Papa."
"You're welcome. I just want you to be back to your cute, all knowing self again."
"Hehe. I'll try."
With smiles on their faces, they both leave…
Leaving behind a smirking, disappearing reflection on the mirror.
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-Creeaaak-
Old double doors open to reveal Motoko.
She walks silently into the dusty, untouched study. Books after books after books greet her vision and along with it came a shroud of blackness that covers everything in sight as closed curtains cover the only window in front of her. Only a gasp of light pierces through the curtain's fabric but it was enough light to illuminate everything for her too barely see.
"………"
Through the dingy walls she could here the many training grunts and strikes from the trainee's just across the building at the dojo. Her mind fills with past memories with every grunt she hears. The place she was born into, the place she was trained under, the place that had her family, and still does…
It was this place right here.
"Feeling a bit nostalgic Motoko…?"
"Onee-sama…."
Tsuruko walks calmly into view, right in front of the curtains, blocking out the only source of light in the room and leaving only a very dark feminine silhouette of Motoko's sister in view. Dark light surrounding her from the curtains.
"This was the same place you would hide after a training session or when you would want to play hide and go seek….remember?"
"Of course I would remember the place I would hide after you beat me in everything…"
"Yea, I was kind of harsh during training ….wasn't I."
"Harsh might be an understatement Onee-sama."
"If it could make you feel better, I don't train like that anymore. Except for the occasional 'hard' lessons. But the point is that I don't forcefully train like I did with you. I learned that people have their own way of training and have their own rate of improvement and that I can't change that…"
"Yea…I know that I am not in par with everyone's expectations like you when you were my age Onee-sama, but that doesn't mean I can never surpass you. I am slowly but surely improving and one day we will fight to see who is really better."
"Good. Because you are to take over the position as leader of the Shinmei-Ryuu. And I would be honored to let my little sister proceed me in rank….and in skill."
"………"
"But anyways, back to the task at hand. What is it that you wanted to ask me?"
"What I wanted to ask was…. Do you know a man named Tenshi Natsuki…."
A piercing silence follows soon after her question was revealed. Tsuruko only turns around and -Swiifft- opens the curtains letting all the light in.
Motoko winces and covers her eyes as they get used to the sudden change in brightness.
"Indeed."
"Hmm?"
"Indeed I know a man named Tenshi Natsuki. He was a very close friend of mine."
"Friend?"
"You know about the two basic energies that make up this supernatural world we live in. Correct."
"First lesson you taught me years ago Onee-sama. The two energies that comprise most attacks are either Mana or Ki. So? What does that have to do with anything?"
"Just follow along please Motoko. Yes, that was the very first lesson I taught you because it was the fundamentals. Ki is the power within one's self, we the Shinmei-Ryuu clan use that and perfect it into our swordsmanship to become stronger. While Mana is a power outside of one's self, more like in nature and in random objects like trees or buildings. Everything has Mana. Mages use Mana by gathering them into themselves using spell books and wands to collect and unleash them into devastating attacks."
"And to be powerful with Ki, one must use it expertly and also increase the capacity in oneself. While to be powerful with Mana one must increase the rate he or she gathers Mana and also how much Mana one can store before unleashing it into an attack. Why are we reviewing this Onee-sama?"
"Just listen Motoko. We are a clan that watches over society over demons and other humans who try to use Ki for evil purposes. Wouldn't it be logical if there was another group, another organization that deals with Mage's and their use of Mana as well. You know the name for this organization Motoko…"
"The Kanto Magic Association."
"Yes. Even though I am the leader of the Shinmei-Ryuu clan right now. I only look over all situations and disputes over the Kanto region of Japan, the prefectures surrounding Tokyo, because that is the job of the Main branch. It is impossible to look after all of Japan or the world for that matter, so I focus on this region while other branches of our clan work at other regions all over the world and I keep in touch with every region leader monthly for updates. Same with the Kanto Magic Association. I work with them because they too only handle disputes in the Kanto region that involve Mages and other supernatural occurrences…"
"So….are you saying…..Tenshi is-"
"No he isn't the leader of the organization. Tenshi didn't even belong to the group. He and his family stayed outside of groups like ours and just lived by his own accord. Occasionally keeping in touch with me and the leader of the KMA. Anyway, he didn't need to be in a group to take care of demons and other mages out to do wrong. He was powerful enough to handle it himself. It was me and the leader of the KMA that needed HIS help in times of need. That is how we have a bond. But now that he died…..it is our turn to help him…and Kaiko, his wife."
"You mean…..Asuna and Sakura…."
"Bing. Bing. Bing. Bing! She got that part right!" Says a quite irritating high pitched voice.
Motoko looks around the study to find nothing till a cute black cat hovers around Tsuruko.
"Calm down Kuro. You'll scare Motoko. Now go back to Kanako." Says a ruby haired girl as she walks beside Tsuruko from a random bookcase. Holding a red beret.
"Scared…" Says another girl not too close behind. She enters the room with her black gothic attire and long black hair flowing behind her. "You mean annoyed."
Kuro turns to see Motoko standing in the middle of the study confused. "Aaaaw. Moko's all grown up! Hiya!"
"M-Moko?"
Tsuruko chuckles to herself. "Don't mind this black cat here. She's a bit ditzy a times."
From behind Motoko a very familiar growl emits: "Sometimes? She's always ditzy all the damn time."
"Now. Now. You should calm down as well."
Motoko looks behind to see both Durante and Seta standing at the study's doorframe. Looking on at everyone.
"Seta! Durante!"
"Yo."
"Long time no fight. Eh?"
"Wh-What's going on here Onee-sama?"
Motoko looks back at Tsuruko who only smiles.
"Like I said, we are here to help Asuna and Sakura."
"What do you mean by help!"
"Help as in to protect them. To protect them from an evil that seeks what is rightfully theirs."
"Rightfully theirs? An evil?"
"I know your confused so let me clarify things. The Natsuki family may not be affiliated with any powerful groups, but that doesn't mean they aren't important. The greatest mages ever known to man came from the Natsuki family for the blood that runs in their veins contain power no man has ever seen before. They are the only people that can truly master magic in it's purest form and this made Tenshi a force to be reckoned with. This came to be for this family due to the responsibilities that were pushed unto them."
"Then how can….this seemingly all knowingly powerful person….Asuna and Sakura's father…Tenshi…..die in a car accident…"
Tsuruko only stares at Motoko. Sadly.
"Because...he didn't."
Motoko's eyes widen. "Then what? Some one killed him?"
Seta nods. "Yes. He didn't die from a car accident, someone murdered him, plain and simple. Murdered him and Kaiko…."
"Bu-but who is powerful enough to kill Tenshi if you say he was so powerful…"
"That is why this group you see here before you has come together. Both me and the leader of the KMA has assembled a team together to investigate Tenshi's death and to protect Asuna and Sakura from the people after them. So the leader of the KMA decided to place them into a home that would be ideal for their protection and close to her relatives…"
"Who is the leader of the Kanto Magic Association? Wait….close to relatives? …You mean…"
"Me…"
From behind Tsuruko. An old woman walks into plain view.
And Motoko couldn't believe her eyes.
"G-G-Granny Hina!"
Granny Hina could only smile and waves with her small little cane.
Calm and collected she speaks: "Hello dear. Nice to see you once again…"
-----------End of Chapter 55----------
