I feel so...I can't explain!!! I'm so cracked up right now.

Chapter 4

"You knew they were coming, didn't you?" Karu's eyes sharpened "And since you saw Soujirou with a sword, you felt that he would be able to protect you and your family...am I right?"

"D-dou shite ita ka [how did you know]?" Koya was trembling as Karu's eyes threatened him.

"I can always know what's on people's minds through their emotions." she sneered. Then, suddenly, she smiled as if she had won millions. "Yare yere, mitai kowakunai, otosan [now, don't look scared, sir], I was only kidding you." she giggled a little. "In any case we're glad to be of service to you."

"At any rate, can you tell us why they're after you?" asked Soujirou.

"I owe them money for buying this land and as I was about to pay them, I got robbed. Now, because if my carelessness, my family suffers along with me."

"That's quite a problem." Soujirou sighed.

"Now, now, don't act as if it's the end of the world." Karu smiled even wider.

"What do you mean?" asked Mizuko.

"Kore [here]." she got her bag out and handed a few of the gold chips she had to the couple. "I hope that'll suffice."

The couple was overjoyed and thanked them unendingly even offering their home for a sanctuary. At last they said their farewells after breakfast as the sun rose once again.

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They set out for Tokyo and could think of nothing to say to each other so, Karu decided to listen to her discman and staerted whistling to the tune of 1/3 Junjou no Kanjou. Soujirou turned to look at her and saw 2 wires coming out of her ears connecting it to her bag. He wondered what it was and called her attention.

Soujirou looked more puzzled than he had ever been in his life and knew that she didn't him as she was still whistling and not even looking at him. It was obvious to him that they were blocking her hearing so he decided to poke her arm. She faced him paused the music and so did he.

"Nanda [what is it], Soujirou?" she asked pulling one earphone out of her ear.

"Sore wa nan desu ka [what is that]?" he pointed to the thing at her hand as though it was something made by an oni.

"Kore?" she held it out near his ear and he backed up. She giggled, "Don't be afraid, it won't hurt."

He reluctantly came nearer and shut his left eye in anticipation of pain which didn't come. Karu played it once again. Upon hearing he voices and the music, another thought crossed his mind as she let go of the outlet and let it stay in his ear.

"Anou, Karu-chan," he started, "Uchigawa ni chiisai ningen desu ka [are there little people in here]?"

Karu almost fell over, but regained her balance. "Anou, Soujirou," she sweatdropped, "Let's sit down for a while. I think I've got a lot of explaining to do."

They sat under a tree and she explained to him that the voices and the music are recorded in the disc (and not stolen as Soujirou had thought) and the CD player plays it back. She also explained to him how it works. The strange new sounds, she told him, were the electric guitars, bass guitars, keyboards, drum sets, scratching disks, ect. She told him over and over again that the earphones are not used to hypnotize people or cause damage in the brain or anything as Soujirou kept on retracting each time they would listen to a particular soundtrack. These she told him as she would a child. And, although still flabbergasted at the "new" innovation, he seemed to be enjoying it a lot.

She suddenly pulled out a Polaroid camera from her bag and took two pictures of the both of them. Soujiro gaped and marveled when the photographs were immediately developed. He seemed to be so impressed and Karu gave one to him, kept the other to herself and made him promise that he musn't show it to anyone. She also held out a communicating device wherein her father would contact her once the time machine is functioning again.

"So, this is what the future holds for Nihon [Japan], ne?"

"Sou desu [yes it is]. And the whole world as well."

Soujirou laughed slightly at a sudden thought that struck him. Karu thought that Soujirou laughed at something she said and, when she thought of nothing, felt very uncomfortable about it all.

She hopped in front of him and turned SD, "Have I said anything funny that made you laugh?" and at his continuous laughter which grew louder she sweatdropped, "You laugh like a hyena!"

"Su-sumimasen [Sorry]." he apologized trying to supress his laugh, "I just thought of Shishio-sama."

"Hontou ka [really]? Soujirou, how long have you been wandering?" she asked standing up hinting Soujirou to go on and continue their journey.

"Hachi nen [eight years]." he said flatly.

"Nandato [what]?!" Senshi blurted out in surprise. "Then you must be four years older than I am. Dewa, anata wa ni ju roku sai desuyo ne [in that case, you must be twenty six years old, right]. Watashi wa tadashii desu ka [am I correct]?"

"Sou desu. Dewa, anata wa ni ju ni sai desu ka [then, you' re twenty two years old]?" he analyzed along with her.

"Ee."

Sensing hunger at lunch time, they stopped by a shabby restaurant for lunch which seemed to cater a lot of drunkards. Soujirou didn't notice and Karu didn't mind. They sat down and ordered. While they were waiting, a very muscular man approached them and put his arm around Karu's shoulder.

"Hey, babe, why don't ya ditch that bum and go out with me?" He looked at Soujirou That guy looks familiar. Doko kono otoko miru ka [Where have I seen this guy before]? "Don't worry, I can protect you. I'm the best kendo mas-"

He stopped and jerked back as she slapped his arm off her shoulder.

"Chi...why the hell do people often exult themselves. Look, we don't want to cause a commotion here, so would you please be so kind to leave me and my brother alone?" she looked at the table and seemed that she had the eyes of Battousai.

The drunkard laughed like a maniac, "Anata no taipu suru hoshii da ze [I like your type]. Somewhat polite. but straight forward."

She shot a look at him with her battousai like stare. Her look was so sharp that he froze immediately and turned so pale, that he almost looked white.

"Sumimasen [excuse us], we want to eat in peace." Soujirou defrosted him with his cheery air.

The man grunted and went away. They both sighed and was glad that that encounter was over. They both laughed out loud. She wanted to repeat the scene when the man looked as white as a ghost because of her stare. As the food was served, Soujirou nudged her to hurry because he might come back. After a few moments of eating unbothered, they left and continued towards Tokyo.

When they got near Outa-ku Ken the gangster and the rest of his gang caught up with them in the outskirts of town which looked deserted.

"Hora asoko da [look over there]! Tenken?! Shine [die]!" said the man they had encountered thinking that Soujirou had gone dull. And, by the looks of it, he seems to be the leader.

"How the heck did they follow us here?" Soujirou looked back at them then put his left hand at the sheath of his katana.

"What the hell, then? Yooi no dekita ka [ready]?" Karu asked. Soujirou nodded.

Their attack was neither successive nor all at once, but, quite systematic. Each concentrates on a particular spot on their opponent and finds a strategy to get through then attack. This gave him quite a shock knowing they were from the Shingetsu village. He thought that they might want to seek revenge on him for what he had done and all the terrors he had caused years ago in the said village.

Tenken no Soujirou. Watashi wa tadashii deshita [I was right]! Karu thought as she knocked them out with a bamboo pole she found lying around as she had no time to get her own weapon from her sports bag. It seemed that nothing can stop their monotonous battle until only a few were left. Their enemies showed no signs of retreating so the pair attacked.

And, Karu, upon seeing clearly what one of them looked like, froze and, by the looks of it, seemed to have seen a ghost. She dropped the pole and took a step back. Her knees gave way and soon found herself looking at him with fear. Her opponent took advantage of the opportunity and got ready to strike. Soujirou came to her rescue and knocked the wind out of him.

Deep within Karu's thoughts, he saw images of his step brother hovering above her enjoying himself. The horifying sensations that she felt came surging through her. Her heartbeat went faster and faster until she screamed on the top of her lungs closing her eyes.

"Karu, Karu!" Soujirou's voice came barging through her. "Doushita no [what's wrong]?"

Karu snapped out of it and looked at him straight in the eye. Tears welled up in her eyes. She took several deep breaths and found herself crying. Burrying her face in her hands, she wiped off the tears that flowed from her eyes.

Author's notes: 'oni' means devil
'Nihon' is Japan in Japanese tongue
'Sumimasen' is a more polite form of 'gomenasai'

Chapter 3

Chapter 5