Chapter 22
"Okay," Sage began, "what does the next line of the poem say?"
"Churning beneath a swirl of salt," Mia read the line.
"Okay," Brian replied, "Any ideas."
"Japan's an island country," Melody replied, "We could be searching for days."
"Maybe not," Sarah smiled, "I remember an old story I learned in Professor Koji's class."
"My grandfather's literature class!" Mia asked, startled.
"Yep," Sarah replied, "something about a man finding his true nature and power at the Great Whirlpool of Meimon."
"You mean in the Naruto Straits?" Jazalyn asked.
"Exactly," Sarah smiled.
"Then let's try it out," Brian replied as he typed in the information. After he finished typing, the computer accessed the information. "Bingo," Brian smiled.
"Do we have anything?" Ryo asked.
"It says here that the Armor of Torrent was made by the warrior monk at the Whirlpool of Meimon in the Naruto Straits," Brian read.
"Then let's get the others," Melody smiled.
"Before we go, can I talk to Mia alone?" Brian asked.
"Sure," Melissa replied, "I want to talk to Jazalyn alone also."
Melissa took Jazalyn to a quiet area, "Why did you go back for Melody?"
"I couldn't leave her," Jazalyn replied.
"Sarah was ranting about you putting your life in danger again," Melissa sighed.
Jazalyn glared, "My father is in the military. The first thing he taught me was that nobody gets left behind."
"And why did he teach you that?" Melissa questioned.
Jazalyn closed her eyes, "My dad was in Vietnam before I was born and before he married my mother. One day he was on recon with his group when they were jumped by the V.C. There was fierce fighting, and one of the V.C aimed his gun at my father's head. His best friend saw what was going to happen and shoved him out of the way. My dad's friend was shot in the head and he died right in my father's arms. When they were ordered to fall back, my dad carried the corpse with him. He had always been trained to be loyal to his comrades in battle. In the end, he proved his loyalty to his best friend, even when his friend died."
Melissa smiled, "So now I know where your fierce sense of loyalty comes from."
"Do you understand why I couldn't leave Melody behind?" Jazalyn smiled.
"I do now," Melissa nodded.
Mia looked out at the bridge, "Thanks for coming with me Brian."
"Sure," Brian said sympathetically.
Tears formed in Mia's eyes, "I don't know if I can avenge my grandfather."
"Mia," Brian sighed as he put his arms around her shoulders, "you don't have to be a fighter to avenge him."
"It's just, I lost my grandfather and I can't lose you five either," Mia sobbed. "I'm not the type of person to carry hate in my heart. But I feel so helpless."
Brian got face to face with Mia, "That's what the Dynasty wants. I know that they would use your hatred of them as a tool to kill the other Ronin Warriors. But if we can deny them that victory, then the Dynasty can't control us."
Mia smiled through her tears, "you mean that?"
Brian got closer, "Yes, I do."
They didn't mean for it to happen, but soon Brian and Mia were kissing each other on the lips. When the kiss ended, Mia pulled away and blushed. "We have to go back."
Brian smiled, "Sure."
"Okay," Sage began, "what does the next line of the poem say?"
"Churning beneath a swirl of salt," Mia read the line.
"Okay," Brian replied, "Any ideas."
"Japan's an island country," Melody replied, "We could be searching for days."
"Maybe not," Sarah smiled, "I remember an old story I learned in Professor Koji's class."
"My grandfather's literature class!" Mia asked, startled.
"Yep," Sarah replied, "something about a man finding his true nature and power at the Great Whirlpool of Meimon."
"You mean in the Naruto Straits?" Jazalyn asked.
"Exactly," Sarah smiled.
"Then let's try it out," Brian replied as he typed in the information. After he finished typing, the computer accessed the information. "Bingo," Brian smiled.
"Do we have anything?" Ryo asked.
"It says here that the Armor of Torrent was made by the warrior monk at the Whirlpool of Meimon in the Naruto Straits," Brian read.
"Then let's get the others," Melody smiled.
"Before we go, can I talk to Mia alone?" Brian asked.
"Sure," Melissa replied, "I want to talk to Jazalyn alone also."
Melissa took Jazalyn to a quiet area, "Why did you go back for Melody?"
"I couldn't leave her," Jazalyn replied.
"Sarah was ranting about you putting your life in danger again," Melissa sighed.
Jazalyn glared, "My father is in the military. The first thing he taught me was that nobody gets left behind."
"And why did he teach you that?" Melissa questioned.
Jazalyn closed her eyes, "My dad was in Vietnam before I was born and before he married my mother. One day he was on recon with his group when they were jumped by the V.C. There was fierce fighting, and one of the V.C aimed his gun at my father's head. His best friend saw what was going to happen and shoved him out of the way. My dad's friend was shot in the head and he died right in my father's arms. When they were ordered to fall back, my dad carried the corpse with him. He had always been trained to be loyal to his comrades in battle. In the end, he proved his loyalty to his best friend, even when his friend died."
Melissa smiled, "So now I know where your fierce sense of loyalty comes from."
"Do you understand why I couldn't leave Melody behind?" Jazalyn smiled.
"I do now," Melissa nodded.
Mia looked out at the bridge, "Thanks for coming with me Brian."
"Sure," Brian said sympathetically.
Tears formed in Mia's eyes, "I don't know if I can avenge my grandfather."
"Mia," Brian sighed as he put his arms around her shoulders, "you don't have to be a fighter to avenge him."
"It's just, I lost my grandfather and I can't lose you five either," Mia sobbed. "I'm not the type of person to carry hate in my heart. But I feel so helpless."
Brian got face to face with Mia, "That's what the Dynasty wants. I know that they would use your hatred of them as a tool to kill the other Ronin Warriors. But if we can deny them that victory, then the Dynasty can't control us."
Mia smiled through her tears, "you mean that?"
Brian got closer, "Yes, I do."
They didn't mean for it to happen, but soon Brian and Mia were kissing each other on the lips. When the kiss ended, Mia pulled away and blushed. "We have to go back."
Brian smiled, "Sure."