Ch. 12: As You Are
Uriko walked off the campus, her arms loaded with books. Her day had been full of congratulations envious stares from her friends. She made her way to the parking lot, and to her car. She spotted Sarah a few feet away.
"Hey, where's Kane? I haven't seen him all day."
"Hospital," she said. "I'm going to pick him up. He took a bad spill during a workout yesterday."
"He's okay, right?" Uriko said with concern.
"Yeah, they say it's bruised ribs, and a broken leg, at the worst."
"That's good, I want him in tip top shape for the wedding."
"Yeah, he will be. When was it again, I forgot to write it down."
"July 25" Uriko replied. Easy to remember, it was that day, years ago, her and Kenji first met. That day, her life was changed forever, and in a few short months it was going to change her again. She saw Sarah pull out, and then she got in her own car and headed home.
Sarah's car pulled up to the Hospital, where Kane was waiting with his ribs bandaged, leaning on a crutch. He climbed in, and with Sarah's aid put on his seat belt.
"They're bruised, badly, and the leg is broken," he said in embarrassment.
"That's okay. Everybody slips up once in a while."
I guess so, but that exercise is so routine, I cant believe I messed it up."
"Heh, you're the only man I know who calls full contact sparring 'routine'. But look at the bright side; at least you have me to wait on you hand and foot. I owe you for that."
Kane grunted in agreement. Her car pulled away and headed home. Kane was silent all the way. "C'mon, babe, I said I was sorry. You don't have to give me the silent treatment."
"It's not that," he said, finally, "If you had been Scott or Busuzima, I'd be dead right now."
"But I'm not. You know Scott's fighting style better than mine, and Busuzima will never be able to walk again with that shattered kneecap, much less fight. You're the one who's always telling me to relax."
"I guess you're right," he finally admitted. The conversation remained light until they finally arrived home. Kane tried getting out of the car, but then cried out in pain.
"Kane, you're never going to heal if you don't take it easy."
Sarah helped Kane to his feet. She walked him towards the house, where Kenji and Uriko waited. He groaned when he saw them.
"So," Uriko asked, "how did it happen?"
"We were sparring, when I connected a bit too hard with a dropkick." Sarah answered as Kane looked away. "I seem to have damaged his pride more than his body though."
Uriko laughed, as Kenji walked over to Kane. "I know how you feel. Uriko broke my arm once. Just enjoy the attention while it lasts." Kenji and Uriko walked back towards the guesthouse, and Sarah helped Kane into the house. She helped him to the bedroom, and into bed. "I'll get you something to drink," she said and left the room.
Kane looked up at the ceiling. He hated this, this feeling of helplessness. He needed to be mobile, to walk around. He wound move, but the slightest movement sent shocks of pain throughout his body. He laid back. "Maybe Kenji is right," he finally resigned himself to, closed his eyes, and slept.
Sarah walked in with a warm drink for Kane, and saw him asleep. She set the drink on the nightstand, bent down and kissed his cheek, and left the room. She made her way to the kitchen, and started dinner. She reached into the freezer, and took out a package wrapped in silver foil. "Barbeque ribs," she thought, "Kane's favorite." She got out side dished, potatoes and corn, and laid them out on the counter. As she began slicing the potatoes, she heard a van pull up. She walked out, and saw a man with long blond dreadlocks, Her blood ran cold, and her eyes widened. "Scott." she said breathlessly.
"I've come for my brother," he said coldly, and two large men dressed all in black came up behind him, and stood in front of him.
"He's in bed," Sarah replied as Kenji and Uriko entered her view.
"Rough night, I take it." He said mockingly. "Bring him out here. Now."
Sarah stood firmly. She looked at Kenji and Uriko. "We have to keep him away from the house."
Kenji leapt at one of the men. In perfect unison the moved, caught Kenji's throat in their hands, and threw him to the ground. Uriko ran to defend his, trying a pair of low sweeping kicks on one of them. Her kick had no effect, and the man she tried to kick threw her into the air, and the other caught her on his shoulders and dropped back. Uriko landed, hard, with a thud audible to Sarah. Enraged, she ran towards them, but she paused when she heard the house door open.
"What is going on?" Kane said weakly, struggling to get down the stairs.
"Kane no!" Sarah cried out in concern.
Kane made his way to the others, as Kenji and Uriko stirred to their feet. He looked down the three, with eyes of defiance.
"It appears you've seen better days, brother." Scott said. He turned away, and motioned for the two men. "August 1st, I'll be back," he said as he got into the van. It drove away, leaving the four friends alone.
"What was that about?" Sarah asked.
"Honor." Kane replied. "Scott may be a degenerate, he may be a sick and twisted individual, but he has his own code of honor. He'll never fight someone unless their at 100%, and when he gives you a date, you can bet that he'll show up on that day, no later, no sooner. We'd do better to forget about him for now, and concentrate on Kenji's and Uriko's wedding."
Later that evening, Sarah helped Kane out to the picnic table behind the house. Uriko and Kenji waited, and Sarah placed the food on the table. Candles lit the night as the guest dug in. all except Uriko. Kane noticed that she had the same concerned look on her face as she did that night at the gazebo.
"What's wrong Riko?" he asked.
"It's nothing, really" she replied.
"You're lying" Kenji said after swallowing a mouthful of potatoes. He knew her almost too well, he could tell just by the inflection of her voice that she was not being truthful.
"It's just that, I realized today that I have no one to walk me down the aisle. My father has never been around, and I haven't seen Master Long in years."
Kane let out a chuckle, and then groaned in pain again. "Actually Riko, Sarah wasn't the one who did this to me. I went on a little trip this weekend. I found someone of interest to you.."
"You mean.?" Uriko said in anticipation. Kane pointed behind her, and turned to see the venerable kenpo master, with his arm in a sling.
"Master Long!" she exclaimed, jumping to her feet.
"Kenji told me that you were worrying bout something, so I tracked him down, at Sarah's insistence. It wasn't easy; let me tell you, reclusive martial artists aren't exactly listed in the phone book. I showed up and Long figured I was hostile, and we ended up beating the shit out of each other."
Uriko ran over and hugged Kane. "Thank you so much," she cried.
"No problem, Riko, but the ribs! THE RIBS!"
"Sorry," Uriko said pulling away. Kane started breathing heavily, and everyone let out a laugh.
"Man, with you guys around, I'll never heal."
Uriko walked off the campus, her arms loaded with books. Her day had been full of congratulations envious stares from her friends. She made her way to the parking lot, and to her car. She spotted Sarah a few feet away.
"Hey, where's Kane? I haven't seen him all day."
"Hospital," she said. "I'm going to pick him up. He took a bad spill during a workout yesterday."
"He's okay, right?" Uriko said with concern.
"Yeah, they say it's bruised ribs, and a broken leg, at the worst."
"That's good, I want him in tip top shape for the wedding."
"Yeah, he will be. When was it again, I forgot to write it down."
"July 25" Uriko replied. Easy to remember, it was that day, years ago, her and Kenji first met. That day, her life was changed forever, and in a few short months it was going to change her again. She saw Sarah pull out, and then she got in her own car and headed home.
Sarah's car pulled up to the Hospital, where Kane was waiting with his ribs bandaged, leaning on a crutch. He climbed in, and with Sarah's aid put on his seat belt.
"They're bruised, badly, and the leg is broken," he said in embarrassment.
"That's okay. Everybody slips up once in a while."
I guess so, but that exercise is so routine, I cant believe I messed it up."
"Heh, you're the only man I know who calls full contact sparring 'routine'. But look at the bright side; at least you have me to wait on you hand and foot. I owe you for that."
Kane grunted in agreement. Her car pulled away and headed home. Kane was silent all the way. "C'mon, babe, I said I was sorry. You don't have to give me the silent treatment."
"It's not that," he said, finally, "If you had been Scott or Busuzima, I'd be dead right now."
"But I'm not. You know Scott's fighting style better than mine, and Busuzima will never be able to walk again with that shattered kneecap, much less fight. You're the one who's always telling me to relax."
"I guess you're right," he finally admitted. The conversation remained light until they finally arrived home. Kane tried getting out of the car, but then cried out in pain.
"Kane, you're never going to heal if you don't take it easy."
Sarah helped Kane to his feet. She walked him towards the house, where Kenji and Uriko waited. He groaned when he saw them.
"So," Uriko asked, "how did it happen?"
"We were sparring, when I connected a bit too hard with a dropkick." Sarah answered as Kane looked away. "I seem to have damaged his pride more than his body though."
Uriko laughed, as Kenji walked over to Kane. "I know how you feel. Uriko broke my arm once. Just enjoy the attention while it lasts." Kenji and Uriko walked back towards the guesthouse, and Sarah helped Kane into the house. She helped him to the bedroom, and into bed. "I'll get you something to drink," she said and left the room.
Kane looked up at the ceiling. He hated this, this feeling of helplessness. He needed to be mobile, to walk around. He wound move, but the slightest movement sent shocks of pain throughout his body. He laid back. "Maybe Kenji is right," he finally resigned himself to, closed his eyes, and slept.
Sarah walked in with a warm drink for Kane, and saw him asleep. She set the drink on the nightstand, bent down and kissed his cheek, and left the room. She made her way to the kitchen, and started dinner. She reached into the freezer, and took out a package wrapped in silver foil. "Barbeque ribs," she thought, "Kane's favorite." She got out side dished, potatoes and corn, and laid them out on the counter. As she began slicing the potatoes, she heard a van pull up. She walked out, and saw a man with long blond dreadlocks, Her blood ran cold, and her eyes widened. "Scott." she said breathlessly.
"I've come for my brother," he said coldly, and two large men dressed all in black came up behind him, and stood in front of him.
"He's in bed," Sarah replied as Kenji and Uriko entered her view.
"Rough night, I take it." He said mockingly. "Bring him out here. Now."
Sarah stood firmly. She looked at Kenji and Uriko. "We have to keep him away from the house."
Kenji leapt at one of the men. In perfect unison the moved, caught Kenji's throat in their hands, and threw him to the ground. Uriko ran to defend his, trying a pair of low sweeping kicks on one of them. Her kick had no effect, and the man she tried to kick threw her into the air, and the other caught her on his shoulders and dropped back. Uriko landed, hard, with a thud audible to Sarah. Enraged, she ran towards them, but she paused when she heard the house door open.
"What is going on?" Kane said weakly, struggling to get down the stairs.
"Kane no!" Sarah cried out in concern.
Kane made his way to the others, as Kenji and Uriko stirred to their feet. He looked down the three, with eyes of defiance.
"It appears you've seen better days, brother." Scott said. He turned away, and motioned for the two men. "August 1st, I'll be back," he said as he got into the van. It drove away, leaving the four friends alone.
"What was that about?" Sarah asked.
"Honor." Kane replied. "Scott may be a degenerate, he may be a sick and twisted individual, but he has his own code of honor. He'll never fight someone unless their at 100%, and when he gives you a date, you can bet that he'll show up on that day, no later, no sooner. We'd do better to forget about him for now, and concentrate on Kenji's and Uriko's wedding."
Later that evening, Sarah helped Kane out to the picnic table behind the house. Uriko and Kenji waited, and Sarah placed the food on the table. Candles lit the night as the guest dug in. all except Uriko. Kane noticed that she had the same concerned look on her face as she did that night at the gazebo.
"What's wrong Riko?" he asked.
"It's nothing, really" she replied.
"You're lying" Kenji said after swallowing a mouthful of potatoes. He knew her almost too well, he could tell just by the inflection of her voice that she was not being truthful.
"It's just that, I realized today that I have no one to walk me down the aisle. My father has never been around, and I haven't seen Master Long in years."
Kane let out a chuckle, and then groaned in pain again. "Actually Riko, Sarah wasn't the one who did this to me. I went on a little trip this weekend. I found someone of interest to you.."
"You mean.?" Uriko said in anticipation. Kane pointed behind her, and turned to see the venerable kenpo master, with his arm in a sling.
"Master Long!" she exclaimed, jumping to her feet.
"Kenji told me that you were worrying bout something, so I tracked him down, at Sarah's insistence. It wasn't easy; let me tell you, reclusive martial artists aren't exactly listed in the phone book. I showed up and Long figured I was hostile, and we ended up beating the shit out of each other."
Uriko ran over and hugged Kane. "Thank you so much," she cried.
"No problem, Riko, but the ribs! THE RIBS!"
"Sorry," Uriko said pulling away. Kane started breathing heavily, and everyone let out a laugh.
"Man, with you guys around, I'll never heal."