Koushiro

Koushiro! Part 7

Before we get started, I'm sure Sora fans will be gunning for my head after reading this. Why? You'll see!

Yamato and Taichi were sitting at the table playing with Taichi's jewels. Sora, who was very ill at ease, was sitting on a bench by the fire with Koushiro. The clock out on the street struck eleven o'clock.

"An hour this side of midnight. A dark and heavy Sunday it is too. A good night for my business." Yamato said.

"I thought Miss Monks would be here by now. I'm sure she'll want to see Koushiro off." Taichi said. Sora rose and put on a shawl.

"Hey Sora! Where's the gal going at this time of night?" Yamato asked.

"Not far." Sora responded nervously.

"What answer is that? Where are you going?" Yamato asked.

"I don't feel well. I want a breath of air. Come Koushiro. Walk with me." Sora explained. Yamato jumped up from his spot at the table.

"You're not going out Sora. And neither is he! There now!" Yamato said, shoving Sora back onto the bench and snatching her shawl.

"Do you deny me a common walk in the street? You'll drive me to something desperate! Let me go Yamato!" Sora yelled.

"I won't! You'll stay here and get the brat ready to go on the job with me." Yamato ordered.

"There's time yet for that. Please Yamato. Let me go out. Only for half an hour." Sora pleaded.

"Listen Sora. If you try to go out I'll see that you don't go nowhere for a good long time! Do you hear me?" Yamato threatened.

"All right Yamato… all right." Sora sobbed.

"Whew! I thought I had her tamed but she ain't been herself this entire week." Yamato said to Taichi.

"I know Yamato. I know she hasn't." Taichi said thoughtfully.

"Well she's quiet enough now. Where's TK with my gear? I'll rout him out, the young imp!" Yamato said and rushed off to find TK.

"Sora, get Koushiro ready. Yamato will come to fetch him directly." Taichi said and followed Yamato. Sora sat up, gestured to Koushiro to be quiet, and listened carefully at the door.

"Are you all right Sora?" Koushiro asked.

"Yes. Quick! Come with me Koushiro." Sora ordered.

"Where are we going?" Koushiro asked.

"Trust me Koushiro. Not a sound now. We must go out the back way." Sora said, taking Koushiro's hand.

"But we mustn't! You'll get into trouble!" Koushiro said.

"It's a risk we must take Koushiro. Hurry!" Sora said. She and Koushiro exited down the back stairway. There was a pause, and TK and Kari came in hauling a bag of burglar tools.

"Whew! That's a load of iron Yamato Ishida takes on a job." TK said, dropping the heavy tools.

"Oh, he's a keen housebreaker, he is! But I feel a bit sorry for Koushiro, having to go out with him on a dark night like this." Kari said.

"Why, Koushiro's a regular apprentice Kari. After tonight he'll know all about robbing houses." TK said.

"It's a shame he don't take to the idea." Kari said. Yamato and Taichi entered the room.

"TK, where's my gear?" Yamato asked.

"All here Yamato." TK said, holding up the burglar tools.

"Is Koushiro ready Sora? Koushiro, where is he?" Taichi said, looking around alarmed.

"Where's Sora?" Yamato growled.

"Gone out, apparently." Kari explained.

"Did you pass them in the hall?' Taichi said furiously.

"No." TK responded.

"And they weren't on the front stairs. Sora's taken him!" Taichi said.

"Well, they've not gone far. I warned her!" Yamato said, taking a club from the chimney corner. TK and Kari huddled together, alarmed.

'Don't lose the boy. Do as you please with Sora but bring me the boy! I must have him. Do you hear me Yamato, I must have him!" Taichi said wildly, clinging onto Yamato's arm. Yamato wrenched away and went down the back staircase.

In the park, Sora and Koushiro were waiting impatiently.

"They haven't come! Got help me!" Sora said, looking around anxiously.

"Who Sora?' Koushiro asked.

"Hush! Surely they will come! They must come!" Sora said. Yamato entered the park, but ducked behind a tree as Gennai and Mimi entered the park.

"Thank heaven! There they are!" Sora said, relieved.

"Koushiro!" Mimi said.

"Mimi!" Koushiro said, running into her arms.

"Oh Koushiro. We have you back again." Mimi said.

"My boy! I can't tell you how glad I am to see you!" Gennai said, hugging the boy.

"Oh sir. There were so many dreadful times when I thought you'd never want to see me again." Koushiro explained.

"Nonsense my boy. You are a brave girl. How can we ever thank you." Gennai said to Sora.

"You can do nothing for me. I am beyond help." Sora explained.

"We could take you away to a safe place. You need never step foot in your old haunts again." Gennai offered.

"Please Sora. Don't go back to Taichi's. I'm afraid for you." Koushiro pleaded.

"No. I hate my life but I've gone too far to turn back now. And there is a man I must go back to, no matter what happens." Sora said, now near tears.

"Then please take this purse, for my sake." Mimi said.

"No lady. I've not done this for the money. Let me have that to think of." Sora said and sobbed. "Bless you dear lady. Bless you sir." Sora said. She bent over and hugged Koushiro. "Good bye Koushiro. We must never see each other again." Sora said.

"I'll never forget you Sora." Koushiro said, now near tears too.

"Now go, Quickly! Please," Sora said.

"Goodbye. And thank you." Mimi said.

"If there's ever anything I can do…" Gennai said. Sora shook her head. Gennai, Mimi, and Koushiro went down the streeet towards Pentonville. Sora sat down and began to cry. Seeing it was safe, Yamato darted out from behind his tree and crossed over to Sora.

"Well Sora." Yamato said.

"Yamato!" Sora gasped.

"What a pretty piece of work you've been up to." Yamato said. He seized her and dragged her behind the bench.

"Yamato! Yamato please! Don't look at me like that!" Sora cried.

"You took the boy back. That can only mean the end for all of us." Yamato said. He struck her with his fist and she fell to the ground.

"No Yamato, no! The gentleman gave me his promise. He only wanted to save the child, Yamato!" Sora yelled. Yamato hit her with the club and she screamed. She fell down again, dead.

"Wait there Mimi. With Koushiro." Gennai said and went back into the park. Yamato shook his fist at him and rushed down the street where Mimi was waiting with Koushiro.

"You there! Stop! I heard a scream! Heaven help me I'm too late. Murder! Murder! Murder! Help! Murder! Police!" Gennai yelled as he noticed Sora's dead body. A policeman rushed into the park. In fact, it was the same police officer who arrested Koushiro.

"What's this? Did you say murder?" The police officer asked.

"There! I saw the murderer… he ran up the street." Gennai said pointing towards the street which Yamato ran up. Miss Sellers rushed into the park.

"Mercy on us! How dreadful. Mr. Gennai, are you all right?" Miss Sellers asked.

"Yes Miss Sellers. I…" Gennai said before being cut off by Mimi screaming. "What was that?" Gennai asked. Rose rushed back into the park.

"He's gone! Koushiro's gone!" Mimi cried.

"What happened?" Gennai asked.

"A terrible blonde man came running out of the darkness and took Koushiro away!" Mimi said before she broke down to tears.

"God help him. Officer, the murderer has taken a hostage. A boy. In fact, the same boy you almost convicted a few days ago. They both must be taken alive." Gennai explained to the officer. Yamato came rushing through the park with Koushiro on his shoulders.

"There he goes! He's got the boy!" The officer said and he rushed off after Yamato.

"Miss Sellers, I leave Mimi in your care until when and if I return." Gennai said and rushed off after Yamato.

"Of course. Poor dear. Come with me." Miss Sellers said She and Mimi went near the bookstore.

"And please. In Gennai's name, see that a proper burial is arranged for this poor girl." Mimi said to some of the people who had crowded around. A few of the gatherers, mainly men, picked up Sora's corpse and carried off towards Mr. Sowerberry's. Mimi went with Miss Sellers into the bookstore, wishing that once more Koushiro would be in their care.