Shirin no Kami
Chapter 6: Plans
Bustling streets, merchants, noise: the epitome of every fortified city. The cluttered streets made it very difficult for Eriol to navigate through. He passed each citizen, bumping into them; they gave him a disgusting stare as he passed by. Eriol was used to the discomfort of not being home, he missed his dear love Kaho, and his daughter Nakuru. He thought in his mind about when he could return home, when he could see his family again, but business came first, he approached the Lord's mansion, closer to the gates next to the guard.
"Where is your pass?" the guard asked. Eriol pulled out a long scroll which he rolled out to the ground, picking it up as he showed the guard the seal of approval. "Very well!" the guard replied, "You may enter!" The gates opened, Eriol strutted in. The mansion looked very much Japanese. A koi pond was at one side, with lanterns that hung above a string. Eriol stopped by for just a second to stare at the beautiful view.
"You wished to see me?" a strong voice called, "Are you ready to carry out your mission?" Eriol turned around looking at the person calling him, it was Lord Bukai. "Everything is ready," he stated, "I have prepared top of the line technology in my ships. The torrential weather of 'Spirit Forest' can easily be penetrated with this technology." Bukai smiled, his scar stretching to his eye, "Excellent. I'll finally be able to get my hands on the so called 'Spirit Forest'. Imagine how much that land will cost once we have conquered it all. The mere value is already heightened by its legends and beautiful scenery."
Eriol gave a frown, "I cannot believe that such a man would deface a property of land so sacred to the origins of your country." Lord Bukai nonchalantly responded, "That land, the most beautiful has been hidden away by its torrential waters and mists. The legends of the land being a haven for the spirits are but nonsense stories told to children to avoid the land so that their descendants who truly realize the potential of such land can be profitable." Eriol fastened his sword, "Do you truly believe there is no such thing as spirits?" Bukai smiled, "They are child's tales, told to scare us. Only the fearless would charge and find the truth."
The north entrance of the city had two guards holding their spears. One guard was sleeping, the other was awake and on the look out for possible threats coming from the forest. The guard was about to go to sleep until he saw four silhouettes coming towards him. "Identify yourself!" he yelled to the incoming silhouettes, "I'm warning you identify yourself." Suddenly, a sick, demented, dark-haired man appeared right in front of the guard's face giving him a big crooked smile.
SHCUNK! One of the man's knives impaled the guard right in the stomach. "After you…" Sloth said to Pride. Pride slowly inspected the gate, looking for a possible switch hidden. When he couldn't find into the switch, he erupted all his strength into the gate, knocking it down. People on the other side of the gate were crushed by it coming down on top of them. Everybody in the town stopped in suddenness, they saw the gate fall down with their gaped open. The dust smoke slowly cleared away revealing the five members of the Deadly Sinners.
They all strutted, jerking their shoulders in hard, yet cool looking motions. Everybody who crowded the streets made way for them to pass, almost as if a huge dark aura pushed them away as they came closer. "Hey look at that," said one of the three thieves, "It's another bunch of rich bakayaros." "Well," said the second thief, "Want to try to rob them?" The last thief put each arm around his companions, "Let's do it!" The three stupid thieves walked up to the five sinners and bumped into them on purpose. All the townspeople gasped and covered their eyes.
"Hey you bumped into me," stated the second thief. "So?" Greed mocked, "You bumped into me, you better apologize now." Greed displayed his cocky face, ready to accept an apology. "Maybe you didn't hear us well," said the third thief, "We're the gang of this town, and you bumped into US. Do you bakayaros expect us to let you go free?" Greed gave him a slightly puzzled look, but then replaced it with a humorous one as he realized what they were demanding for, "AHH! I see! You want to ask us for money in a non-threatening manner. But don't you know that you owe us money for showing your ugly faces to me?"
The first thief furiously snared, "Why you little!" he threw a punch to Greed, but Greed stepped aside. "Take care of him Glutton." Glutton stuck his stomach in front of the thief's punch. The hand was immediately stopped by the gelatinous stomach of Glutton. Glutton gave a hearty laugh and picked up the thief overhead, throwing him extremely hard on the ground, imprinting the thief into the ground. Glutton gave another hearty laughed and put all his weight into stepping on the thief further into the ground. Glutton spread his foot all over the thief's body, hearing the cracking of his bones and the squishing of his intestines.
The other two thieves saw the mutilated horror of their fallen companion and took the chance to attack Greed. Envy came to intercept one of the attacks of one of the thieves while Greed was stuck with the other thief. The thief sent a flurry of punches towards Greed, but Greed easily dodged them all, as if they didn't even reach him. The thief tried to deliver Greed a kick to his face, however, Greed grabbed his foot right before it hit his face and kicked him in the face instead, sending him twirling towards the ground. Greed smiled as his opponent was breathing heavily and struggling for breath.
Envy deflected all his opponent's hits. The thief saw it was inevitable to fight without getting a single hit on Envy, out of desperation he pushed Envy away for distance and decided to run for his life. Envy, instead of chasing the man and catching him, stood still with his arms crossed. He looked back and forth, first to Greed, and then turning his head to the thief. "Should I?" he thought to himself. Greed simply took a coin out of his pocket and tapped Envy on the shoulder with it. "Care to do the honors?" Envy fixed his short free flowing hair by brushing his sideburns to the side, he then took the coin Greed had in his hands. Envy closed his left eye and aimed, holding the coin by its tip. He then closed his right eye and aimed again. As the thief gained further distance, Envy took his time even more to savior the moment.
"NOW!" Envy told himself as he flawlessly threw the coin. The coin was perfectly flying through the air, aerodynamic and making a loud whistling sound as it flew across the air, cutting and breaking the sound barrier. "I'll be home free," the thief chanted, "I'll be home fr--" As Greed and the others looked on, they saw the man, nearly 100 meters away, fall down. The coin dropped on the ground, making a loud 'ping', it was drenched with blood which only told the five sinners one thing, clean cut through the heart.
"Now then…" Sloth picked up the surviving thief by the collar. The thief looked into his dilated eyes and shook uncontrollably at the sight of his crooked teeth and long black hair. Greed patiently peeked out of Sloth's side, "Where is your lord?"
Sakura put the moistened cloth on Syaoran's forehead. He was unconscious and taped up on his body everywhere. "Poor Syaoran," she said to herself looking away, "You are so confused, so lost, where can you possibly come from?" Sakura took her fur blanket and pulled it up to his neck, covering his body. "No…" Syaoran mumbled as he started to sweat. Sakura turned her attention to him and moistened his cloth again. "No…" Syaoran uttered again, "…I don't know who I am….please…" Sakura felt sympathy for Syaoran as she stepped outside to let Syaoran rest.
Sakura stepped outside and walked out of the comfort of inside the cave and stepped outside into the beautiful forest. She looked around seeing the whole forest sparkle with green everywhere, walking to the bushes and smelling the flowers as she was carrying a basket in her arms. As she began to smell a bushel of flowers, the pink spirit with curly hair appeared behind her. Though she didn't make a sound, Sakura could sense her aura slowly approach her. "How is everything today Hua?" Sakura turned around seeing Hua give her a nice big smile. Sakura began to walk with Hua into a clear area, surrounded by trees and filled with flowers.
The clearing had many of the birds and other small forest animals smelling the flowers on the ground. Sakura sat in the center of the clearing, Hua sat right next to Sakura. Sakura closed her eyes smelling the sweet aroma of plum blossoms and cherry blossoms. The smell she emitted however, smelled sweeter than the two flowers combined. The small animals gathered around her and Hua, snuggling close next to them. "Well," Sakura spoke to them as she used her hand to nuzzle the animals on their side, "I brought Syaoran back today. I know Yue-san and Kero-chan are going to have a fit over it. But he was in danger, don't you think I should've helped him, it's only right." A small baby bunny jumped into her lap and cuddled her until it slowly went to sleep. "I guess you're right," she spoke, "I guess humans aren't really allowed in 'Spirit Forest', but can't they make an exception?"
"NO!" came a response from behind Sakura. Sakura, a bit startled, turned around to see who it was. "Yue-san," she stumbled as she got up, making all the animals run away from her and making Hua eventually disappeared into thin air. "I always wanted to know something Yue-san." Yue waited for her question as he folded his wings into his body, "Why aren't other humans allowed into 'Spirit Forest'?" Yue closed his eyes, feeling the pain that question brings back, "Humans were once allowed to be in 'Spirit Forest', but a certain incident has changed the laws of 'Spirit Forest' into what it has become today." Sakura sobbed as she thought about Syaoran, "But can't you make an exception, Syaoran is lost and I want to help him find his way."
Yue shook his head, "We spirits no longer intervene in the nature of man. All our job is now is to let things in nature occur as they naturally do, humans are no longer our problem." Yue began to walk away as he saw Sakura's head hang down, "I expect you to follow my orders Sakura, don't let the humans in. Once the human has healed, he will go back to wherever you found him. After which, I want you to share no business with him." "But…" Sakura started to say. "But nothing!" Yue replied not wanting to hear anymore, "Whatever happens to him after we grant him one last act of hospitality is no longer our concern. You will no longer pay any mind to him. Is that understood?" Sakura refused to accept that, but Yue was her guardian, she couldn't just say no, she tried to get around Yue's statement, "Yue, please do this for me." Yue flatly refused by walking away and flying into the sky at an incredible speed.
Sakura, deeply saddened by her refusal whispered a solemn vow to herself, "I want to find out what humankind is possible of. I'll keep you safe, Syaoran…"
"Lord Bukai!" the guard shouted. Lord Bukai who was busy talking to Eriol turned his attention to the guard. "Domestic disturbance my lord, five people claiming they wish to see you by force." Eriol bowed while Bukai was listening to the guard, "By your leave Lord Bukai I will go to 'Spirit Forest' and conquer it for you." Bukai nodded as he sent away Eriol. Eriol fixed his cap and slowly walked away.
"My lord," the guard frantically asked, "They are destroying anything and anyone in their path to get to you, what should I do?" Lord Bukai put his hands behind his back and thought of a dastardly scheme. "Send more men to fight them," he commanded, "Show no mercy: guns, swords, cannons, it doesn't matter to me. Just try to dispose of them."
The guards all rushed in as they were in the front yard attacking the five sinners who had literally forced their way into the complex. All soldiers and guards started to receive swords and spears to hold back and possibly kill the invaders. "Is that the best you've got?" Greed said unimpressed, as he saw a rushing militia of soldiers. Glutton rolled himself into a ball and rolled faster and faster. It was like bowling, the militia tried so hard to stop him with their spears and sharp weapons, but Glutton's large body size crushed their weapons and crushed them as well.
The people on top of the balcony of the mansion aimed at Envy. Envy stood still inside the targets of the men on the balcony, his hands were in his pockets. Suddenly, as they cocked their guns and about to pull the trigger, they saw nothing but red vision. "My eyes!" screamed one of the gunmen on the balcony. The other gunman tried to restrain him and ask him what the matter was. However, just like their fallen friend, they too began to see red vision. All the gunmen on the balcony put their hand over their eyes and squeezed the blood gushing out of them. Envy gave a smile as he heard their blood curdling screams. "No one can shoot me…no one!"
The cannon men brought out their two ton cannons. Each man in unison would grab a cannonball, plop it into the cannon, clean it out with the broom, and fire it. Pride stepped in shooting distance of the cannons. "Ready, take aim…" Pride heard these preparatory commands and turned around, "FIRE!" The whole front yard was filled with the sounds of blasting gunpowder. Pride waited for the first cannonball to hit him, each cannonball inching closer and closer to him. Suddenly, he slapped his hands together and caught the cannonball with his bare hands. The rest of the cannonballs missed him, exploding the earth around him. The cannon men stared at him, astonished by the incredible strength to catch a cannonball with his bare hands. "Hmm…" Pride was unimpressed. He tossed the cannonball as hard as he could to the cannon men. The cannon men ran away single file, trying to escape the explosion of the cannonball. Instead of escaping an explosion however, the cannonballs hit the back of the cannon men's head and took all their heads off, decapitating them.
All the guards, overwhelmed of the strength of five men began to run away from the front yard. They started to retreat to the main complex to protect their lord. Suddenly, a huge overcastting shadow passed above the retreating army. Sloth appeared in front of the army and chuckled with a menacing laugh, complete with a sloppy posture and his hair covering his face. "Don't think you can get passed me!" Sloth jerked his head up and rushed into the army. Slashing and screams of the army were heard and within a matter of seconds, Sloth appeared with his back turned towards the army. He turned his face around and gave a sick smile, "Now die!" The whole army collapsed afterward with blood spurting everywhere on the ground.
"Clap clap clap clap clap!" The sound of applause made the five men turn to the sound, wondering where it was coming from. "Wonderful, simply wonderful!" Lord Bukai smiled, "You five are really great fighters, care to join me for some tea?"
The sweet aroma of green tea filled the room where Bukai and the five sinners sat. "So I see," Bukai stated, "You five are after a man named Li Syaoran because he is very important to your mission." "Yes," Greed stated, "Syaoran is essential to accomplish our mission, we need to bring his head back to our master." Bukai and Greed sat across each other, admiring and honoring each other for being truly evil individuals. "I know you mission is imperative," Bukai looked at the other four members standing in various parts of the room, "But if you can assist me, not only will I guarantee that you get Li Syaoran but you will also receive quite a hefty pay for your services."
Greed licked his lips at the sound of money, "Alright, sounds good, depends on what you want us to do." Lord Bukai placed his hand on the table and slid a portrait of a beautifully painted forest towards Greed. "This forest is to the West, if Syaoran has escaped, then perhaps this is the possible place where he will be." Lord Bukai saw Greed's face as he looked at the portrait. Greed looked at it perplexed, "So what do you want us to do?" "I don't trust those Englishmen, so I want you and your five men to conquer the area for me. After seeing you guys in action, I think you guys can withstand the petty tricks there is in store for you."
"We accept," Greed pressed his authority, "We'll get your forest, and you'll give us our Syaoran and money, it sounds like a plan." "Wait a second," Bukai rejected, "I'm not giving you any money until I am for sure you guys can get the job done." Greed and the other four members began to laugh at Lord Bukai hysterically. "What?" Bukai quizzically stared, "What's so funny?" Greed tried to contain himself after laughing so hard, "Oh Buki, Buki, Buki. How can you doubt us? We were trained in the deepest mountains; we all have something that will strengthen you ten fold." Bukai was furious of them showing such disrespect, "And what can you offer me?"
"Listen Buki, not only will we get your forest but we'll also be your personal fight team." Greed offered with cockiness in his tone. Lord Bukai stared at all of them with a cock eyed stare. "Why would I need a fighting team?" he asked them, "Are you saying I cannot defend myself?" "No way!" Greed insulted, "We're much better than defense, we're killers!" Greed snapped his fingers and approached each member of the Deadly Sinners, properly introducing them to Lord Bukai.
"Sloth here is very misunderstood," Greed placed his hands on sloth, rubbing his shoulders, "We call him Sloth, but he's fast and he has that killer instinct you need to murder your victims." Greed ran next to Glutton and placed his hands on his shoulders. "Glutton here is indestructible. You throw anything at him, he just won't die!" Bukai began to show a little interest in their unique abilities. "Pride is our resident strongman. He breaks bones first and asks questions later." "What about him?" Bukai asked as he pointed to Envy. Envy leaned on the wall with his hands in his pockets. "Oh Envy?" Greed praised, "He's the smartest of us all…"
"That's it?" Bukai asked, "That's his lousy ability?" Envy pulled some lint out of his pocket and flung it towards the opposite wall. The lint broke a tiny hole into the wall, after which, a loud crash is heard from the other room. "…Envy's also a 'dead shot'!" Bukai with a content face looked at his very own Deadly Sinners, ready to take his orders and ready to kill for his ambition.
