Chapter 16
Through the woods they walked some more, going up the mountain side. Hotohori was being rather silent than usual, perhaps due to the fact that Nakago and Tasuki pulled a rather large, eight foot horn out of Chichiri's hat and started blowing into it, asking what they had just said in Musical Language.
"Yes, you're saying Ricola," Hotohori answered, not smiling.
RICOLA!!
RICOLA!!
RIIIIICOOOOOOLAAAAAAA!!!
And that went on for awhile until Chichiri urged the two to start moving along. Somewhere back in their cave, Kristin found herself waking up with a sore throat, and the sound of RICOLA! was pleasant to her ear.
So, through more woods they walked on in silence. They passed by an old looking wooden gate, and through more woods, thicker this time. Just then, a young lad jumped out of nowhere, stopping them on their path.
"Who dares to trod in my land?!" the young lad shouted.
"Move," Nakago said, his symbol glowing.
"You must pass through me first!" the young lad cried, and brandished out a sword.
"Let me take care of this one," Hotohori said to Nakago, calming him down.
Hotohori moved out in front of the young lad, and brandished out his sword. "Be warned, young man," Hotohori said, "I am a master swordsman, and you are merely a child."
"We shall see about that," the young lad said. He rose his sword high above his head, and pronounced in a loud voice, "In the name of the Lone Wolf Warrior do I fight, with all honor, faith and trust! May this sword guide me to victory, with your blood upon its blade. With my whole soul do I promise that none shall pass unless my own blood is drawn into death. I shall guard this territory with my life, so do not think this easy, Warrior! I am . . . Boy Wolf Warrior!" And with that, he gave a squeaky, strangled cry.
"Let's do this then," Hotohori said, closing his eyes. "For my Kristin-sama . . . for the Damsels in Distress!" And he opened his eyes, facing his opponent.
And thus the battle began. Sword met sword in a clanging fight to the death. Steel bashed against steel, as the two ran for each other, and dodged each other as well. Hotohori was easily better than the Boy Wolf Warrior, but the Boy was not weak at all. No, he proved to be a worthy opponent, and he managed to scratch Hotohori across the cheek. Hotohori did not wince, though, and continued to fight with all his strength.
But would Hotohori kill a young boy?
He disarmed the young lad, and the Boy Wolf Warrior fell back on the ground, bracing for the kill. Hotohori stood up. "You have been defeated. Let us through."
"You have to kill me first!" the Boy Wolf Warrior said, panting hard. "That is the test . . . you have to kill me in battle or you may not pass! Did you not hear what I was talking about just before? You shall not pass until my blood is drawn into death. Unless I am dead, I will not let you pass!" And the boy jumped to his feet and picked up his fallen sword.
Hotohori and the Boy Wolf Warrior engaged in battle again. There was more clashing of steel, and the boy was panting for some air. Hotohori did not like this. It was truly the Lone Wolf Warrior's doing. Kill the boy or he could not rescue his Kristin. But Kristin was far more important than this boy! He could not let such a detail like that matter to him. It was the boy or Kristin.
Even though he felt bad doing it, Hotohori allowed his aura to flare up, and with an increase of power, he advanced on the boy. Angered, he decided that he would have to do it the easiest way he could. After blocking several moves from the Boy Wolf Warrior, he stabbed the young lad clean through the heart. Quickly, he pulled the blade out, standing back in disbelief.
The boy turned pale. His eyes got round. Blood began to trickle down his mouth. Then, his mouth opened slowly and he stammered out, "Y-you have beaten me . . . you shall p-p-pass . . ." And he fainted dead away. Everything became silent.
Hotohori could not move. His eyes widened. He couldn't believe it. He had just killed a kid. A young boy. His lips began to tremble.
"I killed a boy," he said out loud. "I just killed a child."
"And the problem with that is . . .?" Nakago said. Tasuki bopped him on the head, only to receive an equally larger bop.
Chichiri approached Hotohori. "It's not your fault. You had no other choice, your highness. You didn't even know the kid. Besides . . . it was either him or your Kristin. I am sure the rest of us would have done the same thing, though perhaps one of us wouldn't have the same emotions attached to it."
"What?" Nakago asked, trying to be innocent.
Chichiri shook his head. "Anyway, you shouldn't be too hard on yourself, Your Highness."
"We really ought to go, no da," Tomo said. "Our Damsels are in trouble, no da. We have no time to waste, no da!"
Hotohori straightened himself, and started forward. The rest followed. They were emersed in silence.
"Damn!" the Lone Wolf Warrior said, looking into a crystal ball and seeing all of this. "He's defeated my Boy Wolf Warrior! Oh well . . . the next obstacle for sure they won't be able to pass . . . though I was so sure that man would never kill a boy . . . and the boy was so skilled, too. Not like I'll miss him . . . he was an annoying little brat."
In his room he sat, a circular room with posters of wolves all around, and a box of -gasp- cheese nips on his bed where several wolf plushies lay. In the middle of the room sat a futon with a crystal ball on it, and here is where he sat, gazing into it.
A bit distraught that the Warriors had gotten through the first obstacle, the Lone Wolf Warrior walked out of his room, down a hall where he blinked feriously at seeing Phil and Katie walking hand in hand once more, and out into the cave.
He came up to the Damsels, grinning.
"Well, dear Kristin," he said, sneering down at Kristin. "It looks as though your man has passed the first obstacle. What a shame.
"You bet he did," Kristin growled. "Nothing can defeat MY Hotohori."
"Just you watch, Priestess," the Lone Wolf Warrior growled, "you will watch a slow and very painful death of your beloved right before your eyes. I will cut him to pieces with his own sword! Muh-hah ha ha!"
Kristin watched, angered, as the Lone Wolf Warrior sulked away from view. "Oh yeah?" she said. She pulled out her oboe and began to play.
Hotohori . . . Hotohori? Where are you? Can you hear me?
Some where out in the woods, Hotohori heard the tune of the oboe, and his head snapped up. Immediately, he pulled out his flute, and ignoring the sniggering from Nakago, he began to play.
My dear, are you alright?
I heard . . .you've past the first obstacle! I knew you would! What happened?
I . . . killed a young boy, Kristin sama.
.I'm sorry. I know you didn't mean to. Don't be sad. Blame the Lone Wolf Warrior for setting you up like this. Don't be sad, Hotohori. I know you are. I can hear it in your voice . . . I mean, flute.
Damn that Lone Wolf Warrior! A boy! Why did he have to send a boy to do a man's job? He should've known that I would be willing to fight to the death for you, Kristin-sama. There was no way I could avoid it!
I don't blame you.
"How are the girls doing, Hotohori?" Miboshi asked eagerly. "Are they alright?"
Hotohori played, How is everyone doing over there?
We're fine. Just a little bored. And though we got plenty of Water to bathe with from Caitlin, we don't have shampoo, so I'm afraid we're going to be in a frightful sight when you come and rescue you us.
I understand.
There was a pause. The woods became silent. The oboe, only heard by Hotohori, started playing again, rather rapidly.
Hotohori! I must tell you something about the obstacles! You must notice that . . .
I AM PHILL LA LA LA LA LA
YOU CAN CALL ME BILL LA LA LA LA LA . . .
Hotohori dropped to his knees, holding his ears shut.
"What happened?!" the Warriors cried, rushing over to him. (Well, except Nakago. He just kind of stood there, saying, "Hm.")
"That Phil," Hotohori said, wincing. "He interrupted the sound waves with his tuba. Kristin . . . she was going to tell us something about the remaining obstacles, but . . . I got cut off."
"Can't you try and re-contact her?" Miboshi asked.
Hotohori moaned.
"The sound of Phil's tuba is too much for him," Chichiri said. "Let him rest."
"But our Damsels, no da!" Tomo cried. "We can't just let them wait for us forever, no da!"
"Nakago?" Mitsukake asked. Nakago grunted. He lifted the body of Hotohori over his shoulder, and the group proceeded.
Meanwhile . . . do I even have to keep saying "Meanwhile" anymore?!
Through the woods they walked some more, going up the mountain side. Hotohori was being rather silent than usual, perhaps due to the fact that Nakago and Tasuki pulled a rather large, eight foot horn out of Chichiri's hat and started blowing into it, asking what they had just said in Musical Language.
"Yes, you're saying Ricola," Hotohori answered, not smiling.
RICOLA!!
RICOLA!!
RIIIIICOOOOOOLAAAAAAA!!!
And that went on for awhile until Chichiri urged the two to start moving along. Somewhere back in their cave, Kristin found herself waking up with a sore throat, and the sound of RICOLA! was pleasant to her ear.
So, through more woods they walked on in silence. They passed by an old looking wooden gate, and through more woods, thicker this time. Just then, a young lad jumped out of nowhere, stopping them on their path.
"Who dares to trod in my land?!" the young lad shouted.
"Move," Nakago said, his symbol glowing.
"You must pass through me first!" the young lad cried, and brandished out a sword.
"Let me take care of this one," Hotohori said to Nakago, calming him down.
Hotohori moved out in front of the young lad, and brandished out his sword. "Be warned, young man," Hotohori said, "I am a master swordsman, and you are merely a child."
"We shall see about that," the young lad said. He rose his sword high above his head, and pronounced in a loud voice, "In the name of the Lone Wolf Warrior do I fight, with all honor, faith and trust! May this sword guide me to victory, with your blood upon its blade. With my whole soul do I promise that none shall pass unless my own blood is drawn into death. I shall guard this territory with my life, so do not think this easy, Warrior! I am . . . Boy Wolf Warrior!" And with that, he gave a squeaky, strangled cry.
"Let's do this then," Hotohori said, closing his eyes. "For my Kristin-sama . . . for the Damsels in Distress!" And he opened his eyes, facing his opponent.
And thus the battle began. Sword met sword in a clanging fight to the death. Steel bashed against steel, as the two ran for each other, and dodged each other as well. Hotohori was easily better than the Boy Wolf Warrior, but the Boy was not weak at all. No, he proved to be a worthy opponent, and he managed to scratch Hotohori across the cheek. Hotohori did not wince, though, and continued to fight with all his strength.
But would Hotohori kill a young boy?
He disarmed the young lad, and the Boy Wolf Warrior fell back on the ground, bracing for the kill. Hotohori stood up. "You have been defeated. Let us through."
"You have to kill me first!" the Boy Wolf Warrior said, panting hard. "That is the test . . . you have to kill me in battle or you may not pass! Did you not hear what I was talking about just before? You shall not pass until my blood is drawn into death. Unless I am dead, I will not let you pass!" And the boy jumped to his feet and picked up his fallen sword.
Hotohori and the Boy Wolf Warrior engaged in battle again. There was more clashing of steel, and the boy was panting for some air. Hotohori did not like this. It was truly the Lone Wolf Warrior's doing. Kill the boy or he could not rescue his Kristin. But Kristin was far more important than this boy! He could not let such a detail like that matter to him. It was the boy or Kristin.
Even though he felt bad doing it, Hotohori allowed his aura to flare up, and with an increase of power, he advanced on the boy. Angered, he decided that he would have to do it the easiest way he could. After blocking several moves from the Boy Wolf Warrior, he stabbed the young lad clean through the heart. Quickly, he pulled the blade out, standing back in disbelief.
The boy turned pale. His eyes got round. Blood began to trickle down his mouth. Then, his mouth opened slowly and he stammered out, "Y-you have beaten me . . . you shall p-p-pass . . ." And he fainted dead away. Everything became silent.
Hotohori could not move. His eyes widened. He couldn't believe it. He had just killed a kid. A young boy. His lips began to tremble.
"I killed a boy," he said out loud. "I just killed a child."
"And the problem with that is . . .?" Nakago said. Tasuki bopped him on the head, only to receive an equally larger bop.
Chichiri approached Hotohori. "It's not your fault. You had no other choice, your highness. You didn't even know the kid. Besides . . . it was either him or your Kristin. I am sure the rest of us would have done the same thing, though perhaps one of us wouldn't have the same emotions attached to it."
"What?" Nakago asked, trying to be innocent.
Chichiri shook his head. "Anyway, you shouldn't be too hard on yourself, Your Highness."
"We really ought to go, no da," Tomo said. "Our Damsels are in trouble, no da. We have no time to waste, no da!"
Hotohori straightened himself, and started forward. The rest followed. They were emersed in silence.
"Damn!" the Lone Wolf Warrior said, looking into a crystal ball and seeing all of this. "He's defeated my Boy Wolf Warrior! Oh well . . . the next obstacle for sure they won't be able to pass . . . though I was so sure that man would never kill a boy . . . and the boy was so skilled, too. Not like I'll miss him . . . he was an annoying little brat."
In his room he sat, a circular room with posters of wolves all around, and a box of -gasp- cheese nips on his bed where several wolf plushies lay. In the middle of the room sat a futon with a crystal ball on it, and here is where he sat, gazing into it.
A bit distraught that the Warriors had gotten through the first obstacle, the Lone Wolf Warrior walked out of his room, down a hall where he blinked feriously at seeing Phil and Katie walking hand in hand once more, and out into the cave.
He came up to the Damsels, grinning.
"Well, dear Kristin," he said, sneering down at Kristin. "It looks as though your man has passed the first obstacle. What a shame.
"You bet he did," Kristin growled. "Nothing can defeat MY Hotohori."
"Just you watch, Priestess," the Lone Wolf Warrior growled, "you will watch a slow and very painful death of your beloved right before your eyes. I will cut him to pieces with his own sword! Muh-hah ha ha!"
Kristin watched, angered, as the Lone Wolf Warrior sulked away from view. "Oh yeah?" she said. She pulled out her oboe and began to play.
Hotohori . . . Hotohori? Where are you? Can you hear me?
Some where out in the woods, Hotohori heard the tune of the oboe, and his head snapped up. Immediately, he pulled out his flute, and ignoring the sniggering from Nakago, he began to play.
My dear, are you alright?
I heard . . .you've past the first obstacle! I knew you would! What happened?
I . . . killed a young boy, Kristin sama.
.I'm sorry. I know you didn't mean to. Don't be sad. Blame the Lone Wolf Warrior for setting you up like this. Don't be sad, Hotohori. I know you are. I can hear it in your voice . . . I mean, flute.
Damn that Lone Wolf Warrior! A boy! Why did he have to send a boy to do a man's job? He should've known that I would be willing to fight to the death for you, Kristin-sama. There was no way I could avoid it!
I don't blame you.
"How are the girls doing, Hotohori?" Miboshi asked eagerly. "Are they alright?"
Hotohori played, How is everyone doing over there?
We're fine. Just a little bored. And though we got plenty of Water to bathe with from Caitlin, we don't have shampoo, so I'm afraid we're going to be in a frightful sight when you come and rescue you us.
I understand.
There was a pause. The woods became silent. The oboe, only heard by Hotohori, started playing again, rather rapidly.
Hotohori! I must tell you something about the obstacles! You must notice that . . .
I AM PHILL LA LA LA LA LA
YOU CAN CALL ME BILL LA LA LA LA LA . . .
Hotohori dropped to his knees, holding his ears shut.
"What happened?!" the Warriors cried, rushing over to him. (Well, except Nakago. He just kind of stood there, saying, "Hm.")
"That Phil," Hotohori said, wincing. "He interrupted the sound waves with his tuba. Kristin . . . she was going to tell us something about the remaining obstacles, but . . . I got cut off."
"Can't you try and re-contact her?" Miboshi asked.
Hotohori moaned.
"The sound of Phil's tuba is too much for him," Chichiri said. "Let him rest."
"But our Damsels, no da!" Tomo cried. "We can't just let them wait for us forever, no da!"
"Nakago?" Mitsukake asked. Nakago grunted. He lifted the body of Hotohori over his shoulder, and the group proceeded.
Meanwhile . . . do I even have to keep saying "Meanwhile" anymore?!