CHAPTER 4: INTRODUCTIONS AND NEW PARTNERS
"What?" he asked, jumping back in alarm and the newfound anger in me.
"You!! I swore I'd get you back!" I cried out, lunging forward and landing a severely painful punch directly to his face. He didn't even see it coming.
"For what?" he cried, grabbing my left fist before it could hit his face again. Then he grabbed my right. "For what?" he demanded, yet again.
I dropped to my knees, and hung my head. "Why did you stop me?" I whispered.
He dropped to one knee, and tried to look at my face. "Maybe if I knew what I did, I might give you the reason."
"You stopped me from killing Lieutenant Snake Menace yesterday morning, at 09:00 hours time. Is that clear enough?" I asked, shaking my head.
"No," he said sarcastically. "I need the exact minute and second, and millisecond."
"Don't test me," I hissed dangerously.
"Not testing! Not testing!" he said, smiling. He still hadn't loosened his grip on my fists.
It's a damn good thing he didn't grab my weak point. Stupid wrists! I thought, closing my eyes, knowing everything going on in the room. My hearing was almost as good as my sight. But, by far, was my sight better. I could see in the dark, in burning flashing white light, in billowing smoke, fire, anything. I had been trained well.
"Well?" I demanded, wanting an answer, or at least an explanation.
"I couldn't stand there and watch the woman I fell," he stopped short, and I lifted my head. I saw he was thinking. "The woman I fell obligated to train in my ways." He sighed. I guess he put it as plainly as he could. "I just couldn't see you slaughtering him. Miss Ari, three wrongs don't make a right."
"But three left's make a right!" I protested, looking up at him in his eyes. I gave a rather intense look, if you ask me. "But seriously, if I kill him, I will right three wrongs."
"He killed your parents. That's two. Where'd you get a three?" He looked confused for a moment, and then he gazed at me. "I see the way he looks at you. What did he do to you?"
"Absolutely nothing that I wouldn't have killed him then and there on the spot. He killed the only sibling I was to have. He destroyed an unborn baby. My baby brother." I folded my arms over my chest and turned away, rocking back and forth. "Today was supposed to be his birthday. October 11. Yes, my family was killed two weeks before my birthday. Happy freakin' birthday." I closed my eyes, one tear slipping from my left eye.
"Okay, let's get off the sad subject, Ari, before you make me cry!" Kiara called, walking up. "And speak of the devil, look who's birthday is in, oh, let me guess, two days!" Kiara said smiling. "You old hag. Nineteen years old. Hag."
She started coughing just the same way an old person would, and like a hunchback, went hobbling around the room.
I started cackling, and I looked at her being stupid. She laughed, and sat down.
"Let's begin our training," Tsunaumi said, smiling and helping Kiara to her feet.
Dies smiled and said, "See ya 'round, Ari. Don't hurt him too bad."
"Shut up," Tsunaumi said, shoving Dies. Dies cackled and led Kiara away.
Before I could leave, Tsunaumi caught my shoulder, and said, while not even looking at me, "I'll help you get him back, Miss Ari. I'll help you get him."
"Will you get off the 'Miss Ari' thing?" I asked, shaking my head. "Tsunaumi, you're one weird person."
"Fine," he said, smiling. "But, for now, it's just Tsuni."
"Okay, Tsuni," I replied, shaking my head. "Let's get cracking."
"No problem," he said, holding his hand out and bowing. His hand swept toward the door, and he said, in a snobby, rich person tone, "Ladies first."
"Oh, shut up!"
"What?" he asked, jumping back in alarm and the newfound anger in me.
"You!! I swore I'd get you back!" I cried out, lunging forward and landing a severely painful punch directly to his face. He didn't even see it coming.
"For what?" he cried, grabbing my left fist before it could hit his face again. Then he grabbed my right. "For what?" he demanded, yet again.
I dropped to my knees, and hung my head. "Why did you stop me?" I whispered.
He dropped to one knee, and tried to look at my face. "Maybe if I knew what I did, I might give you the reason."
"You stopped me from killing Lieutenant Snake Menace yesterday morning, at 09:00 hours time. Is that clear enough?" I asked, shaking my head.
"No," he said sarcastically. "I need the exact minute and second, and millisecond."
"Don't test me," I hissed dangerously.
"Not testing! Not testing!" he said, smiling. He still hadn't loosened his grip on my fists.
It's a damn good thing he didn't grab my weak point. Stupid wrists! I thought, closing my eyes, knowing everything going on in the room. My hearing was almost as good as my sight. But, by far, was my sight better. I could see in the dark, in burning flashing white light, in billowing smoke, fire, anything. I had been trained well.
"Well?" I demanded, wanting an answer, or at least an explanation.
"I couldn't stand there and watch the woman I fell," he stopped short, and I lifted my head. I saw he was thinking. "The woman I fell obligated to train in my ways." He sighed. I guess he put it as plainly as he could. "I just couldn't see you slaughtering him. Miss Ari, three wrongs don't make a right."
"But three left's make a right!" I protested, looking up at him in his eyes. I gave a rather intense look, if you ask me. "But seriously, if I kill him, I will right three wrongs."
"He killed your parents. That's two. Where'd you get a three?" He looked confused for a moment, and then he gazed at me. "I see the way he looks at you. What did he do to you?"
"Absolutely nothing that I wouldn't have killed him then and there on the spot. He killed the only sibling I was to have. He destroyed an unborn baby. My baby brother." I folded my arms over my chest and turned away, rocking back and forth. "Today was supposed to be his birthday. October 11. Yes, my family was killed two weeks before my birthday. Happy freakin' birthday." I closed my eyes, one tear slipping from my left eye.
"Okay, let's get off the sad subject, Ari, before you make me cry!" Kiara called, walking up. "And speak of the devil, look who's birthday is in, oh, let me guess, two days!" Kiara said smiling. "You old hag. Nineteen years old. Hag."
She started coughing just the same way an old person would, and like a hunchback, went hobbling around the room.
I started cackling, and I looked at her being stupid. She laughed, and sat down.
"Let's begin our training," Tsunaumi said, smiling and helping Kiara to her feet.
Dies smiled and said, "See ya 'round, Ari. Don't hurt him too bad."
"Shut up," Tsunaumi said, shoving Dies. Dies cackled and led Kiara away.
Before I could leave, Tsunaumi caught my shoulder, and said, while not even looking at me, "I'll help you get him back, Miss Ari. I'll help you get him."
"Will you get off the 'Miss Ari' thing?" I asked, shaking my head. "Tsunaumi, you're one weird person."
"Fine," he said, smiling. "But, for now, it's just Tsuni."
"Okay, Tsuni," I replied, shaking my head. "Let's get cracking."
"No problem," he said, holding his hand out and bowing. His hand swept toward the door, and he said, in a snobby, rich person tone, "Ladies first."
"Oh, shut up!"
