11 MAY 18
Small clean up.
Soon the laughter stops… his face looked tired and ready to leave, "Yuki… check on the girls for me. When it gets quite like that, it means they're up to no good…"
She looks at the back of his head, "Mar… Marco… are you sure?"
He lets out a deep breath, "Yes, I'll be fine. There are a few more things I need to talk about with the Captains."
Miia and Ryoko kept their heads down not sure what will happen next.
""I'll be right outside, just call for me if need be." Yuki picks up a wooden sword and steps out. She watched the girls having fun running around and fighting each other.
Slowly she makes her way to them, "Hey girls, want me to show you guys a few things your father taught me when I was around your age?"
The girls run up to her and stand in a line, "THAT WOULD BE GREAT?!" Ember was more than ready to take her up on the offer.
"Great to hear, what about you two?" She looks at the other ones.
"I'm game." Gidget shrugged her shoulders.
"Sounds fun!" Maria was really warming up to Yuki now.
"Alright guys, first you need to grip the blade like this. This tool can cause some serious damage, but you could use it as a blunt object if you don't want to harm the person." She starts to show them the ins and outs on how to properly handle the weapon.
The girls mimic her actions and the training begins.
Back In The House
"I'm sorry about before… I haven't been well with all this going on right now." Marco was tapping his finger on the table watching his hand.
"We understand… not a day has gone by without us wishing to go back and change things for the better." Ryoko met every word.
"Our lives could have been different if Asuka was here today…" Miia always daydreamed of what could have been.
"You're right… we would have had a home much like this… all of us. I would have more or less had kids with you guys…" Marco was really giving it a lot of thought now that his fears were truly confirmed.
"I could see it now… we would have had a massive bed for you Miia… waking up every day and training the kids… Asuka always yelling about something… cozying up to the fireplace at night and reading them stories… it could have been a very nice life…" The thought of having this life pained his heart.
"That sounds wonderful Reaper… if only it would have happened…" Ryoko had dreams like this many times.
"I'm sure you and Asuka would still go back and forth like you use too… everyone knew you guys would make a wonderful couple!" Miia gave a small smile to him.
"I can confirm on that, I even won the pool when you guys first shacked up. I was going to cut you two on the deal but I feared for my life!" She did repay them by getting them some good booze.
"The whole unit was sure you guys were going to kill each other… then everything changes after that night… I still think you liked me the most out the group!" Miia pulls the tip of her tail up to make a heart shape with it.
Marco wipes the tears from his face and stands up, making his way to the weapon leaning on the wall, "Shoulda… coulda… woulda… no reason to pain all of us with the thoughts… I think it's time I leave."
The women watched him turn his back at them, "WAIT…! why don't we have a celebration in your returning? The men would be so happy to see you again!" Miia didn't want him to leave like this.
"That's a great idea! We've been meaning to have a party! I think this would make a great reason and everyone would come!" Now Ryoko was jumping along with the idea.
"Your kids would be bombarded with stories from back in the day, what do you say? Please stay Reaper…" The women were hoping he would take them up on the offer.
"I don't know… I still have a lot of work to patch up thing with my family, and Asuka…" He couldn't bear the thought of everyone calling him Reaper again. It was his fault that so many died in his name.
Ryoko stands up and looks him in the eyes "We're begging you… just stay a little longer? We'll go with you to see the Priest if you'll let us?"
They must have known it was the next stop on his trip.
Marco reaches his hand to her face as she holds it, "How could I ever say no to that face? Sure… LET'S PARTY?!"
Just like that, the women jump back on top of him. The front door opens, "Mom? Are you home?"
Marco's ears start to twitch hearing a young male's voice, "You think my mother is here also?"
"In here honey, why don't you come in the dining room and meet your hero?" Ryoko picks him up.
The two young men walk in and see their mothers with their arms warped around the back of Marco's neck and giggling.
"Hero?" Reaper looks over to both of them.
"No way… is… is… that REAPER?!" Ryoko's son was ready to have a heart attack.
"HE'S STILL ALIVE?!" Miia's son was ready to shit himself.
Marco makes his way to them and offers his hand, "I'm guessing your mothers told you about me?"
They each shake his hand entirely way too long not believing he was standing before them, "YOU'RE THE REASON WE EVEN HAVE THIS PLACE, SIR!" Ryoko's son was smacking his face to make sure this wasn't a dream.
"SIR… IT IS SUCH AN HONOR TO BE IN THE SAME ROOM WITH YOU RIGHT NOW!" Miia's son's tail was wiping all over the place.
"I heard once, a cobra bit your leg. After 5 days of excruciating pain, the cobra died… IS IT, TRUE, SIR?!" In Ryoko's son's room, there was a post with 100 true facts about the Reaper.
"It was 2 days actually, but the truth can be blurred sometimes." Reaper was loving the dumb joke.
"Sooooo cooooooool" They said ready to fall over.
"That's great to hear, want to tell me your names?" Marco was getting a kick with all the praising.
"OF COURSE, OF COURSE… I'm Slayer and this is Rep… NAMED in your honor, SIR!" Slayer, Ryoko's son was kicking himself not able to control his voice volume.
They were both 17 years old.
Marco looks back at the women as they kept giggling, "Really now?"
"Yup, Slayer was your name the enemies called you before finding out your true name. I'm more than sure you can tell where Rep's name comes from!" Miia knew they were silly names, but the young men grew into them very well.
"I see, are you guys any good with those?" He was pointing to their swords across their backs.
"YES, YES… our mothers TAUGHT us everything WE know!" Slayer was stomping his foot on the ground with how pissed he was making an ass out of himself.
The older male placed his hands on their shoulder, "Boys, I'm not sure what they told you about me… I'm just a normal guy, okay?"
"THAT'S NOT TRUE, SIR…! you signal handily gave your men the drive to win a war that could have ended all of us…" Rep could recall almost every major battle like the back of his hand.
Marco pulled his hands back and slapped them together, "Well then, I think a good sparring match is in order then gentlemen. What do you say?"
They looked back to each other and then back to him, pulling out each of their weapon and nodding like small kids. They couldn't believe the turn of event for them.
"To the backyard then." He nods his head to the women to follow him.
Outside
Yuki looks over to the door seeing Marco smiling, "Hey girls, we're going to need this space for a few. Why don't you take five?"
The girls each stab at Yuki as she dodges their blows, by the end of it, Ember was able to land the sword between her body and her arm.
"OHHHHHHH… you got me… now I'm dead…. BLLLLLLLAAAAAAAA!?" Yuki falls on the ground with her eyes closed. She opens one eye and looks up to him.
Marco's heart started to stab with pain after what Yuki did, that and even felt like he seen a flash of Auska's dead body for a moment. He calmed himself and spoke, "I think you overplayed the death part, tone it down a little next time" Then gave her a smile and pulls the Jinko onto her feet.
"They seem to be buying it!" She points at the giggling girls.
"Yeah, yeah… now beat it guys, daddy has some work to do." He throws his thumb behind him.
"YES DADDY" The girls yell back to him and moved over to the women.
Ember jumped onto Miia lower body, "I could stay right here for the rest of my life!" She rubs her face on the pink smooth body.
The Lima laughs and pets her head, "You know, that was your father's favorite spot also?"
She looks up to the older woman, "Really? So that's where I get it from?"
Her sisters start to laugh at her, "Could you get any weirder?" Gidget was sitting on Ryoko's lap indian style.
Ryoko starts to tug at the hybrid's horns, "Those must have been a pain for your mother when she popped you out little one!"
Gidget was self-conscious about her horns and starts to cover them up, "I'm sorry… I know they are not normal, but I get them from my mother…"
"I think they're beautiful, never be ashamed of who you are!" Ryoko wraps her arms around the girl and pulls her into a tight hug.
"… I guess I'm the only normal one out the group." Maria sounded disappointed when she said that.
Yuki pulls her head into her lap and plays with her ear "You're perfect just the way you are. I see a lot of your father in you, you're going to be a great person when you grow up and have your own Army one day.
"Are you saying your father is normal just because he's fully human like you?" Miia asked.
"Daddy… is just my daddy?" She knew a lot about him, nothing really about how great he was to these people.
"We'll change that tonight, you'll all learn a new side to him!" Ryoko was glad he was going to stay and couldn't stop smiling.
The tiny girl blushes when she hears all of that and holds onto Yuki's knees tighter.
"Okay men, we'll start hand to hand one at a time." Marco stabs the bottom of his weapon on the ground as it stands on its own.
Slayer makes his way to him and bows before readying himself, Marco retunes the jester and the battle begins. Reaper was back to being 110 percent and was laying down the law on the two, midway he allowed them to team up against him.
"I can see a lot of my fighting style in you two, don't think I'll let up on you for a chance!" Slayer's speed and Rep's tail was giving him a run for his money.
"We owe it to you, SIR!" Slayer was getting burnt out going full force the whole time.
"GIVE THEM HELL REAPER!" Ryoko was so proud of all of them.
"YOU GOT THIS BOYS, HE'S JUST A RUSTY OLD MAN!?" Miia could tell, they were finding his chink in the armor.
Gidget couldn't take her eyes off Slayer, his movement were so fast, she could barely keep up with it all, "Oooooh I think someone has a crush Ryoko?"
She looks down at the blushing girl, "That's so cute"
"I DON'T HAVE A CRUSH ON HIM?!" Gidget was shaking her head violently.
"You think Rep would let me play with his ears later Miia?" Ember found something new she wanted to touch.
The three adults start to laugh.
"That's enough! Take a break and ready your weapons." Marco makes his way to the scythe ready to use it for the first time.
"SIR… if you would, we're ready right now!" Rep was huffing and puffing, but ready for more. He hits Slayer's arm to grabs his weapon.
In a hush whisper, Slayer leans over, "Dude… I'm ready to pass out. This guy is no joke, all the stories are true… he's going to kill us!"
"With that thinking then he is going to win, just follow my lead and watch out for my tail. You step on it one more time and I'm going to knock you across this yard!" Rep had no plans on a losing and his partner better get his shit together.
"Well then-" Reaper draws the scythe with both hands bringing it over his head as the men both swing downwards making contact with the center of the handle. Marco bends his knees and delivers a massive kick to Slayer's chest.
"Hssssss… that's going to leave a mark…" Even Yuki felt that one.
Rep looks over to his teammate down on the ground as he feel Marco twist the scythe and the bottom end making contact with his face.
The Human turns the scythe back into a shield hoping on giving them a better chance, but it did little to change the tides of the battle.
"They should have taken him up on the offer for the brake…" Miia didn't like seeing him going full force with the boys, but knew the young men wouldn't be happy if he let up on them.
Sounds of grunts and clashing weapons were heard over and over until the men had taken a knee and submitted, "Sir… we surrender…"
Both their heads were pointing down at the ground not willing to show their failure, "STAND UP!" Marco was wiping the sweat from his forehead.
They were on their feet and afraid of what was going to come next, "I'm proud of you and I'm more than sure your mother's feel the same way. I knew men with twice your skills not last nearly as long as you guys did!"
Their chest started to pump up, "Slayer, your speed and agility far passes anyone I've ever gone against. Work on your stamina and I'm sure you'll be the victor next time!" White lie never hurt anyone, it gave him something to work on and to be better.
Marco looks over to Rep, "Now you, your tail is your greatest weapon. There were more than a few times that thing sunk up on me and nearly went through my chest. Rely on your mother for training and you'll draw blood next time." While true, Marco would have cutten it off the first time it was anywhere near him in a real battle.
"YES SIR!" Their confidence was found again after hearing those words.
"It'd be a pleasure to have you men fight beside me…" He deeply wished that time would never come.
Tears started to fall from their eyes, Marco slaps them on the arms, "Now go to your mothers, I bet they are going to kick my ass after this!" They all start to laugh.
The boys limp over to their mothers into a deep hug, the pain will last for a short time. The words of wisdom will last with them for a lifetime.
"You guys did great out there, now you understand why we were able to win the war?" Ryoko was bandaging up the Slayer.
"She's right you know, you just went up against one of the greatest men of our time. If Auska was here today… she would have slaughtered you guys!" Miia was working on some splint for the wounded limbs.
"Yes, Ma'am… your stories can't compare to the real thing. Is it weird that I can't feel my tail mom?" Rep was having a hard time holding himself upright.
"Yeah… he did kick our butts, but I feel better knowing that he didn't make us feel like crap afterwords." Slayer didn't know how Marco could put him in so much pain while still feeling great about it.
"That's why we all fought like hell for him guys, just pray you never have to see him up against someone that thinks that they can kill him… let alone an Army!" Ryoko was glad to see the Reaper back in action and never lost his touch.
Marco's girls started to help with patching up the boys as they were formally introduced.
"That was fun to watch Reaper!" He tightened his grip on the weapon.
"Where have you been? You're not avoiding, me... are you?" Marco looks up to Asuka.
"Nah… just the last time we saw each other… I thought you could use some space." She was back to looking normal and he was grateful for it.
"How considerate of you… what have you been doing all this time?" Miia and Ryoko were patching up the boys and watched as Marco was talking to nothing.
"She must have popped back up… I hope she lightens up on him." Miia was hoping for the best.
"Same here… I'm sure all this is playing hell on him…" Ryoko tells the group to head into the house and they make their way to him.
"You mind showing yourself to them… it would really mean a lot to me if you would." He wanted his old group back together.
"What's in it for me?" Auska just wanted to play hard to get.
"Do it or I'll have my mind spit-shined by that Priest!" He didn't mean it, but she wouldn't dear to call his bluff.
"Ugh fine… should I freak them out?" She was excited now.
"Nothing too crazy now." He gave her an evil grin.
"You okay over there Reaper?" Miia didn't know how he would react.
"Just peachy… you guys ready to see something cool?" They looked back at each other.
Asuka revealed herself with her hand below his holding the weapon, the women damn near jumped out of their skin holding onto each other.
"ASUKA?!" They could have died right there on the spot.
"Geez… you guys act like you have seen a dead person… oh… wait…" She was hysterically laughing at her own joke.
"Fun-ny… were you always like this?" Marco was snickering at the dumb joke also.
"H-O-L-Y shit… I've never seen anything like this…" Ryoko was the first to regain her composure.
"Wha… what she said…" Miia was shivering in fear.
"Long-time no see… how's my favorite misfit Captains?" Even Asuka was enjoying this little gathering.
"They've done very well after all the shit we've done… I'm glad you showed up when you did Asuka. I felt kind of crazy talking about all this without any proof" He looks over at her as she look at him.
Miia and Ryoko couldn't believe how they looked right now.
Thank you for your time and leave a review.