A/N: I'm writing this story largely to try and break out of a
creative slump, and I'm feeling particularly motivated on this story at the
moment. It's sort of a "reimagining" of the Bloody Roar story, not unlike
the way it might be handled if ever turned into a movie. As such, I've
taken a few liberties with the story(including basing it in my "back
yard").. Any comments and/or constructive criticisms are always welcome.
I. A Hardly Ordinary Girl
The Nonomura Fish Market and Restaurant stood at the end of a long parking lot just in front of Dana Point Harbor. Paint flecked off the front of the building in waves, and rust almost completely overtook the large decorative anchor nestled out front. The dilapidated appearance of the building, however, did little to discourage customers from coming in droves to sample the "Best Fish in Orange County"(three years running). And of course, no one was about to tell Mitsuko Nonomura how to run her business.
In fact, no one said much of anything to Mitsuko, and it was easy to see why. She towered over even the plethora of football players, wrestlers and surfers who frequented the popular haunt. A few times, a vagrant or cocky high school student might tempt fate by provoking her anger. The low rumble of her voice shook the building like a powerful subwoofer rattling a car, and trouble ended before it began.
Today, the customers stayed away. A typical bout of June Gloom intensified to a frightful rain storm, drops battering the old building and keeping all but the most courageous sailors away from their boats. The parking lot, usually packed with tourists, remained free of traffic.
From the topmost window of the Fish Market, a girl of fourteen watched the scene, head propped up on her elbows. A long braid of chestnut brown hair trailed down her back, tied off with a blue ribbon. Almond shaped, amber colored eyes scanned the parking lot lazily, settling on a pair of seagulls fighting over a piece of fish that flopped onto the docks a short distance away.
Most children suffered both the rain and the final days of school, but not Uriko Nonomura. In fact, Mitsuko rarely let her out of the house, for reasons she never understood. She often argued. Her mother never used her angriest voice. She just gave an unflinching, "mother knows best" look, and that ended the discussion.
Her mind darted away from the issue, however, as a black towncar pulled into the parking lot. She helped around the restaurant often, and her mother sent home most of the workers due to slow business. She leapt to her feet and slid down the ladder out of the crow's nest, stopping in front of a mirror.
She tried to stretch wrinkles out of the long, red kimono she wore, the sleeves swallowing her arms. She blew a strand of hair away from her face, and decided she looked presentable enough. She ran down the stairs, toward the dining area, when she heard her mother's voice, far too deep and angry for customers.
"I've already made my opinion on this clear!"
"My dear Mitsuko, I came hoping you might reconsider." The voice sounded silky smooth. She peered around the corner to see two men and a woman standing in front of her mother, all three wearing well tailored suits. The man in front had tied his long hair back in a pony tail, and flashed a handsome smile at her mother. He looked familiar, though Uriko couldn't place where she knew the face.
"There's nothing to discuss," she replied. "I'm with Alan Gado. You don't really want a war, do you?"
"You prefer to stay in the shadows with that relic, eh?" The man shook his head. "Pity, really. You never know what sort of nasty things are hiding in the shadows... do you, Bakuryu?"
The man... no, boy... next to him nodded, intense eyes not leaving her mother for a moment, until they flicked to the side... looking right at her.
"Master."
The older man spun around, and he grinned again. She already hated the grin. It reminded her less of a smile, and more of a beast baring its fangs.
"This must be Uriko, I take it."
"Uri, dear, go upstairs." Was that fear she detected in her mother's voice?
"No, I don't think that's necessary." He strode forward and took her hand into his and gave it a gentle kiss. She recoiled.
"Shen, we need to go. We have other appointments to keep."
The woman spoke, but with a voice that sounded too deep for its owner. She looked into her pale blue eyes and shivered. Something, too, about this one seemed familiar, something that scared her to the core. The woman winked at her, and Uriko stepped even further away.
"Quite right." He turned back to Mitsuko and kissed her hand as well.
"We will be in touch. Consider what I've said."
Before she could issue a reply, the three walked back out into the rain. Mitsuko slammed the door behind them and turned to her daughter.
"Go upstairs, Uriko."
"Mother, what—"
"Upstairs, now."
She sighed and stomped back up the stairs, tired of her mother's tendency to never let her in on anything.
Dinner came and went, and Mitsuko offered no more clues as to the nature of the visitors. She seemed paranoid, however, looking over her shoulders and jumping to her feet each time the front door opened. She forced Uriko upstairs immediately after dinner. She pondered the nature of the visitors, including the familiarity of their faces, but soon fell into a restless sleep.
She dreamed she snuck outside, but she saw things differently. The dark world around her shone with strange light, as if they all shone like light bulbs. She crept around the docks, the salty odor of the ocean and rain mingling with the unmistakable smell of fish, though all these came to her more powerfully than ever. She crept around the docks, almost not in control of herself, with the vague notion she sought fish.
Her footsteps fell strangely on the dock, almost impossible to hear. Yet she also heard more around her, from the rustling of the water to the flittering of insects around her. She moved further forward, toward one of the boats.
There will be fish here.
She hardly understood the need for fish. She could easily go into the refrigerator, yet the thought seemed repellant to her. She wanted fish from the dock, for reasons she failed to comprehend. She sniffed and the smell grew stronger. She stalked forward, and saw a trawling net hanging off one of the boats. She pawed at it, and to her shock, literally pawed at it.
Her hand was covered in fur, with long, sharp claws on the end. Fur also covered the visible parts of her arm. With one swipe, the clawed hand sliced open the bottom of the net, and she reached out for the fish. She wanted to wince as she drew it toward her mouth, but still, it happened by instinct...
As the fish neared her mouth, however, another smell came to her, a smell of smoke, then wet fur and a strange, coppery odor.
Blood...?
Without thinking, she leapt out the way as massive claws slammed into the deck, splintering it with ease. She jumped higher and farther than she expected, landing on the bow of a nearby boat. She spun around, and gasped at the sight behind her.
Standing on the ground below was something man-shaped, and wore clothes like a man, but most certainly was not a man. Dark brown fur covered his entire body, and his head had a narrow snout and beady red eyes. She cared less about that then his hands, which ended in two sets of massive claws. She cried out in shock, but it came out only as a loud hiss.
The creature snorted, then jumped after her. Its claws sliced through the steel of the mast like wet paper. It snorted and glared back at her. It placed its hands together and disappeared in a flash of smoke.
Where did he—
Claws sliced into the kimono she still wore as she jumped away from another strike. Acrid smoke burned her nostrils as the moleman stood behind her. She noticed crimson stains on one of its claws as it stalked toward her.
She tripped over a length of rope left on the deck of the boat and tumbled to the ground. The mole let out a cry of triumph as it moved closer, spreading its claws wide. Uriko tried to back away, but her hands slipped on the wet surface of the boat, and the mole stalked closer...
Something howled, and the moleman turned sharply to one side. A gray wolf, its fur shimmering in the moonlight, jumped at the beast and both tumbled into the water. Uriko pulled herself to her feet, staring into the water as bubbles rose to its inky surface.
Something behind her snorted, and Uriko spun around to see a large boar creature standing behind her. She hissed at it, but it gave her a gentle expression and placed one hand on her head. Everything faded away, suddenly...
Uriko awoke with a start, birds chirping outside her window. She rubbed her eyes as the door to her room clicked open. Her mother entered.
"How are you this morning?"
"I had the strangest dream..."
"Nothing, I'm sure," Mitsuko replied. "When you get a chance, come downstairs. There's someone I'd like you to meet."
Uriko nodded and pulled herself out of bed. She got dressed hurridly and turned to the door, but walked back to glance outside.
All the boats were missing, capitalizing on the rainless morning to set out to sea. But, as she looked at the dock, she noticed, standing out amid the aged wood of the dock below, a patch of new material, right where the mole's claws landed the night before.
I. A Hardly Ordinary Girl
The Nonomura Fish Market and Restaurant stood at the end of a long parking lot just in front of Dana Point Harbor. Paint flecked off the front of the building in waves, and rust almost completely overtook the large decorative anchor nestled out front. The dilapidated appearance of the building, however, did little to discourage customers from coming in droves to sample the "Best Fish in Orange County"(three years running). And of course, no one was about to tell Mitsuko Nonomura how to run her business.
In fact, no one said much of anything to Mitsuko, and it was easy to see why. She towered over even the plethora of football players, wrestlers and surfers who frequented the popular haunt. A few times, a vagrant or cocky high school student might tempt fate by provoking her anger. The low rumble of her voice shook the building like a powerful subwoofer rattling a car, and trouble ended before it began.
Today, the customers stayed away. A typical bout of June Gloom intensified to a frightful rain storm, drops battering the old building and keeping all but the most courageous sailors away from their boats. The parking lot, usually packed with tourists, remained free of traffic.
From the topmost window of the Fish Market, a girl of fourteen watched the scene, head propped up on her elbows. A long braid of chestnut brown hair trailed down her back, tied off with a blue ribbon. Almond shaped, amber colored eyes scanned the parking lot lazily, settling on a pair of seagulls fighting over a piece of fish that flopped onto the docks a short distance away.
Most children suffered both the rain and the final days of school, but not Uriko Nonomura. In fact, Mitsuko rarely let her out of the house, for reasons she never understood. She often argued. Her mother never used her angriest voice. She just gave an unflinching, "mother knows best" look, and that ended the discussion.
Her mind darted away from the issue, however, as a black towncar pulled into the parking lot. She helped around the restaurant often, and her mother sent home most of the workers due to slow business. She leapt to her feet and slid down the ladder out of the crow's nest, stopping in front of a mirror.
She tried to stretch wrinkles out of the long, red kimono she wore, the sleeves swallowing her arms. She blew a strand of hair away from her face, and decided she looked presentable enough. She ran down the stairs, toward the dining area, when she heard her mother's voice, far too deep and angry for customers.
"I've already made my opinion on this clear!"
"My dear Mitsuko, I came hoping you might reconsider." The voice sounded silky smooth. She peered around the corner to see two men and a woman standing in front of her mother, all three wearing well tailored suits. The man in front had tied his long hair back in a pony tail, and flashed a handsome smile at her mother. He looked familiar, though Uriko couldn't place where she knew the face.
"There's nothing to discuss," she replied. "I'm with Alan Gado. You don't really want a war, do you?"
"You prefer to stay in the shadows with that relic, eh?" The man shook his head. "Pity, really. You never know what sort of nasty things are hiding in the shadows... do you, Bakuryu?"
The man... no, boy... next to him nodded, intense eyes not leaving her mother for a moment, until they flicked to the side... looking right at her.
"Master."
The older man spun around, and he grinned again. She already hated the grin. It reminded her less of a smile, and more of a beast baring its fangs.
"This must be Uriko, I take it."
"Uri, dear, go upstairs." Was that fear she detected in her mother's voice?
"No, I don't think that's necessary." He strode forward and took her hand into his and gave it a gentle kiss. She recoiled.
"Shen, we need to go. We have other appointments to keep."
The woman spoke, but with a voice that sounded too deep for its owner. She looked into her pale blue eyes and shivered. Something, too, about this one seemed familiar, something that scared her to the core. The woman winked at her, and Uriko stepped even further away.
"Quite right." He turned back to Mitsuko and kissed her hand as well.
"We will be in touch. Consider what I've said."
Before she could issue a reply, the three walked back out into the rain. Mitsuko slammed the door behind them and turned to her daughter.
"Go upstairs, Uriko."
"Mother, what—"
"Upstairs, now."
She sighed and stomped back up the stairs, tired of her mother's tendency to never let her in on anything.
Dinner came and went, and Mitsuko offered no more clues as to the nature of the visitors. She seemed paranoid, however, looking over her shoulders and jumping to her feet each time the front door opened. She forced Uriko upstairs immediately after dinner. She pondered the nature of the visitors, including the familiarity of their faces, but soon fell into a restless sleep.
She dreamed she snuck outside, but she saw things differently. The dark world around her shone with strange light, as if they all shone like light bulbs. She crept around the docks, the salty odor of the ocean and rain mingling with the unmistakable smell of fish, though all these came to her more powerfully than ever. She crept around the docks, almost not in control of herself, with the vague notion she sought fish.
Her footsteps fell strangely on the dock, almost impossible to hear. Yet she also heard more around her, from the rustling of the water to the flittering of insects around her. She moved further forward, toward one of the boats.
There will be fish here.
She hardly understood the need for fish. She could easily go into the refrigerator, yet the thought seemed repellant to her. She wanted fish from the dock, for reasons she failed to comprehend. She sniffed and the smell grew stronger. She stalked forward, and saw a trawling net hanging off one of the boats. She pawed at it, and to her shock, literally pawed at it.
Her hand was covered in fur, with long, sharp claws on the end. Fur also covered the visible parts of her arm. With one swipe, the clawed hand sliced open the bottom of the net, and she reached out for the fish. She wanted to wince as she drew it toward her mouth, but still, it happened by instinct...
As the fish neared her mouth, however, another smell came to her, a smell of smoke, then wet fur and a strange, coppery odor.
Blood...?
Without thinking, she leapt out the way as massive claws slammed into the deck, splintering it with ease. She jumped higher and farther than she expected, landing on the bow of a nearby boat. She spun around, and gasped at the sight behind her.
Standing on the ground below was something man-shaped, and wore clothes like a man, but most certainly was not a man. Dark brown fur covered his entire body, and his head had a narrow snout and beady red eyes. She cared less about that then his hands, which ended in two sets of massive claws. She cried out in shock, but it came out only as a loud hiss.
The creature snorted, then jumped after her. Its claws sliced through the steel of the mast like wet paper. It snorted and glared back at her. It placed its hands together and disappeared in a flash of smoke.
Where did he—
Claws sliced into the kimono she still wore as she jumped away from another strike. Acrid smoke burned her nostrils as the moleman stood behind her. She noticed crimson stains on one of its claws as it stalked toward her.
She tripped over a length of rope left on the deck of the boat and tumbled to the ground. The mole let out a cry of triumph as it moved closer, spreading its claws wide. Uriko tried to back away, but her hands slipped on the wet surface of the boat, and the mole stalked closer...
Something howled, and the moleman turned sharply to one side. A gray wolf, its fur shimmering in the moonlight, jumped at the beast and both tumbled into the water. Uriko pulled herself to her feet, staring into the water as bubbles rose to its inky surface.
Something behind her snorted, and Uriko spun around to see a large boar creature standing behind her. She hissed at it, but it gave her a gentle expression and placed one hand on her head. Everything faded away, suddenly...
Uriko awoke with a start, birds chirping outside her window. She rubbed her eyes as the door to her room clicked open. Her mother entered.
"How are you this morning?"
"I had the strangest dream..."
"Nothing, I'm sure," Mitsuko replied. "When you get a chance, come downstairs. There's someone I'd like you to meet."
Uriko nodded and pulled herself out of bed. She got dressed hurridly and turned to the door, but walked back to glance outside.
All the boats were missing, capitalizing on the rainless morning to set out to sea. But, as she looked at the dock, she noticed, standing out amid the aged wood of the dock below, a patch of new material, right where the mole's claws landed the night before.