Chapter Nine
Careful What You Wish For
>>>Unknown
Ping . . .
The sound of a bell woke Yamamoto Fuji from his deep slumber. The apprentice opened his eyes to find himself staring into an empty white space. There was definitely ground to walk on in this place; Fuji found no difficulty in standing up from his prone sleeping position. However, nothing was visible. Everything around the apprentice was a blank white space.
Ping . . .
Fuji didn't know why, but the bell sounded as if it were calling to him. He began moving in the direction of the bell and quickly noticed that black lines spread out from him wherever he stepped. They seemed to be contour lines of a dirt path, almost as if scratched on paper with a charcoal stick. When the apprentice moved on, the lines disappeared. One thing, however, did not appear as if drawn in charcoal.
Ping . . .
The cursed broadsword that Jeffy-sensei had received from Takashi hung in midair, pointed downward and still resting inside its heavy scabbard. The object seemed to increase in size as Fuji moved towards it. By the time the apprentice had almost reached the floating sword, it was the size of a mountain - a mountain that simply hung overhead as if ready to plunge through the world itself.
Ping . . .
Fuji suddenly noticed the sound of laughter coming from ahead. Five children played in a sandbox underneath the sword. The children's bodies seemed to be completely black, almost as if five shadows had departed from what cast them and taken on a life of their own. The only objects that adorned the pitch black silhouettes were masks that looked strangely familiar to the apprentice. One wore a mask that looked like Takashi. Another shadow child wore a mask that appeared to be imitating Noriko. There was another child who imitated Megumi, and yet another who masqueraded as Yuki. The fifth child wore a mask that was entirely blank except for a tuft of white hair on top.
Ping . . .
Upon closer inspection of the laughing masked children, Fuji found that they were not simply playing in the sandbox. Each of them seemed busy making statues out of the sand, statues that looked exactly like the person each individual child was attempting to imitate. The child who Fuji did not recognize seemed to be crafting a very long chain out of the sand that looked for all the world as if it had been forged from iron.
Ping . . .
Fuji looked up from the sandbox to see three more children standing side by side, each of them holding a different-colored glass bell. The child farthest to the left looked like a younger version of Yuki and held a green bell. The child in the middle bore a striking resemblance to Takashi, and possessed a red bell. The final child to the right had no face at all and sharply rung a blue-colored bell.
Ping . . .
The shadow children playing in the sandbox faded into nothingness, but their sand statues remained. Fuji was afraid to move any further. What was going on here? Was this a dream? He looked upwards once again toward the impossibly huge sword towering overhead. What was the meaning of all this anyway?
Ping . . .
Upon hearing the green bell ring, Fuji looked down to see the three children standing much closer to him. In fact, the only things separating the apprentice from these apparitions now were the sand statues of Takashi, Noriko, Megumi, and Yuki. The chain of sand came to life and wrapped itself around the right arm of the faceless child like a boa ensnaring its prey.
Ping . . .
This time, the child who looked like Takashi rang the red bell. Each bell had a different tone, and they rang in order at even intervals from left to right. Fuji decided to say something to the children.
"Hello," he started, holding out a hand. "My name is Fuji. Who are you three?"
The child who looked like Takashi smiled. "My name's Ueda Takashi!" The apparition offered its left hand. "Do you want to be my friend, Mr. Fuji?"
Fuji took hold of the hand and looked closer at the child. It hadn't seemed apparent at first, but now that Takashi had been reduced in age by at least 10 years, he looked very familiar, as if the apprentice had known him long before the advent of his journey towards Mt. Gozaisho.
Suddenly, the child holding the blue bell dropped the instrument. It hit the invisible ground and shattered into several hundred pieces. No one but Fuji seemed to take note of this event, but the faceless child walked forward toward the younger Takashi just before a bolt of lightning struck the shards of the broken bell. Instead of fading, however, the bolt simply hung there, just like the sword above.
"Hey now," the faceless child said, grabbing hold of the Takashi child's right arm from behind. "That just won't do, Taka-kun. Aren't you supposed to be my friend instead?"
The young Takashi's grip on Fuji's hand loosened and the apparition seemed genuinely struck with fear.
Fuji's ears picked up a barely audible whisper coming from the child who looked like Yuki. She seemed to be saying the same thing over and over.
"Watashi wa mite. Watashi wa mite. Watashi wa mite . . ."
"Come on, Taka-kun." the faceless child pleaded. "Join us . . ."
The ground began to rumble, and the sword above glowed with a reddish light. Fuji looked down to see blood streaming from the eyes of the sand statues.
A dark smile appeared on the faceless child. "Join us in hell!"
The faceless child twisted and broke the young Takashi's arm, causing him to cry out and drop the red bell. The ground began to quake more intensely, and there was an audible popping noise. Fuji looked up to see the scabbard of the giant broadsword come unhinged from the hilt and plummet straight downwards. The point of the scabbard crushed the body of the childhood Yuki into a bloody pulp; her green bell crashed on the ground a moment later.
Suddenly, the white space disappeared. A flaming village erupted from the empty space, smoke trailing towards the sky where the broadsword still hung, glowing with a blinding red light high above the burning buildings. Fuji felt waves of heat wash over his face and literally tasted the ash on the wind's breath. The child who looked like Takashi knelt over on the ground, cradling his broken arm and crying out in pain. The faceless child turned to look at Fuji.
"You'll go to hell too."
The sand chain on the faceless child's arm transformed into metal and shot straight towards the startled apprentice. Fuji put his hands up to protect himself, but the chain simply went right through his extended palms and plunged deep into his face. The apprentice's hands fell limp at his side, and all he could think about was the cold feeling of the cast-iron chain sliding out of his head with a wet squelch.
"AAAAAAGH!"
Yamamoto Fuji sat bolt upright in his bed and immediately knocked his forehead against a much more resilient one that belonged to Anakouji Jeffery. The apprentice fell back to the pillow and clutched at his newly-aching head, still panting with fear at the dream he found himself unable to remember.
Jeffy smiled widely. "Nightmare?"
Fuji nodded wordlessly.
"Terrible things they are," Jeffy mused. "Perfect waste of a good night's rest. Anyhow, you're a bit late. Everyone else is ready to go." The sword master removed the blanket from Fuji's prone body and tossed a fresh white gi at him. "Get dressed and meet us outside."
As Fuji rose and shook the long locks of blonde hair from his face, he saw Jeffy turn to him just before going downstairs. "Oh, by the way, Takashi's gone missing."
>>>Morning - May 3, 1583
The apprentice emerged from the inn's front door several minutes later to find Noriko, Megumi, Yuki, and Jeffy awaiting his arrival. A pinkish glow on the clouds to the east pinned the time of day as sunrise. Many of the buildings still cast long shadows and the streets were nearly bereft of townspeople.
"So," Noriko grinned. "Look who's up."
"What happened?" Fuji queried. "Where's Takashi?"
Noriko held up a small piece of paper. "He must have departed sometime during the night. All his stuff was gone when we woke up; the only thing he left was this note."
Fuji noticed a particularly depressed look on Yuki's face before making his next inquiry. "What's it say?"
Noriko rolled her eyes. "'My promise is fulfilled.' Doesn't make a lot of sense, does it?."
Fuji pondered this for a second. "Do you think he went to take care of your father's murderer on his own?"
"Why would he do that?" Yuki wondered aloud. "There are two other guys with the one Noriko is after. Why would Taka-kun take on all three of them without us?"
Jeffy stroked his mustache in a thoughtful manner. "Takashi does possess quite a bit more noble spirit than it might at first seem, but this course of action is foolhardy, even for him. There must be another reason for his departure."
Noriko shrugged her shoulders and straightened the straw hat resting on her head. "He probably got scared and decided to bolt on us. Maybe he thinks that note will dissuade me from chasing my father's killer."
"Takashi-san wouldn't do that!" Megumi argued. "Would he? He's come with us this far, right?"
"Us?" Noriko replied. "He's been coming with me to help complete my mission, which will continue as planned despite his absence." The swordswoman shouldered a travel sack and began to walk toward the town's west exit. "Nobumitsu said something about some strangers picking through the ruins of Old Komo Town to the southwest. That's where I'm headed; the rest of you can go wherever you choose."
Jeffy looked at the departing Noriko and sighed. "Well, I guess that's that. Come on, Fuji. Megumi, Yuki, you're welcome to tag along if you'd-"
Jeffy found himself talking into thin air.
Fuji skidded to a halt in front of Noriko with both hands outstretched as if to bar the swordswoman from any further movement.
Noriko gave the apprentice a quizzical look. "What're you doing?"
Fuji was lost for an answer. What was he doing anyway?
"Listen," the apprentice finally responded. "I can't explain why, but I think something really bad has happened to Takashi."
Noriko raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about? If he'd been forced to run, he would've left his stuff at the inn."
"That's not how it is." Fuji stammered, pausing for a moment as memories of his nightmare began to resurface. Perhaps that wasn't a nightmare. Maybe it was a warning.
"Besides that," Yuki interjected, standing alongside the apprentice. "Taka-kun might have gone to Old Komo Town to get your father's murderer for you, right? If that's the case, then I'm coming with you!"
"We can't let you go by yourself, Nori-chan." Megumi pleaded. "You'll need all the help you can get; you don't even know what you're up against? Right Jeffy-sensei?"
Jeffy approached the group. "They've all got a very good point, Noriko, and I don't mind taking the scenic route to Mt. Gozaisho. Would you allow us to accompany you to Old Komo Town?"
Noriko looked around at her insistent followers before sighing heavily. "I guess you could all come with me. It's not like I'd refuse the help, but I'm not going to waste any time looking out for you guys. If you get in trouble, I won't be there to help you; is that understood?"
"Hai!" the group responded all at once.
Noriko bowed her head and continued moving toward the west exit. "Jeez, you don't have to be so enthusiastic. Now, let's get moving."
Fuji smiled as he fell in step behind the others. It looked like the group would hold together for just a bit longer, but the apprentice couldn't help but wonder what had happened to Takashi. He may have been a lot of things, but a coward? Fuji had never gotten that impression from the ronin at all.
"Um, Fuji?" Jeffy asked. "Aren't you forgetting something?"
The apprentice looked toward the sword master innocently. "Like what?"
Jeffy quickly looped the scabbard belt for the cursed broadsword across Fuji's back and secured the blade in place. "You're supposed to carry this for today."
Fuji nearly bent over double from the combined weight of the sword and the travel sack. "I thought I was only supposed to carry this to the shrine."
"Think about it this way," Jeffy grinned. "It'll be good exercise on the way to Old Komo Town."
Fuji thought about giving a reply to Jeffy's statement, but a powerful wave of evil energy that emanated from the broadsword silenced his thoughts. The apprentice had almost forgotten just how intimidating this weapon was up close. How did Takashi and Jeffy manage to carry this for so long? Didn't they feel this overwhelming aura?
Fuji's mind drifted back to the dream of the previous night, in particular to the massive image of the broadsword hanging over a burning town.
"Hey, Noriko?" Fuji questioned. "Did Nobumitsu-san happen to mention how Old Komo Town was destroyed?"
"Yeah." Noriko answered. "He said there was a bandit raid eight years ago. The town was razed to the ground when the buildings caught fire. Why do you ask?"
"Never mind." Fuji responded even though an immense wave of dread passed over his body. "It's probably not important."
>>>Midday - May 3, 1583
The pine forests surrounding Komo Town were none too difficult to navigate, and a clearly-worn path wrapped around the Suzuka Range southwest toward Old Komo Town. Fuji could feel and hear the wet pine straw crunching underneath his feet as he trekked along behind Jeffy and Noriko. Rolling mist and dew-induced fog reduced visibility, but the apprentice could still see dark storm clouds beginning to block out the sun high above. There would be some rain today, that much was certain.
"Hey, Noriko?" Fuji wondered aloud. "When you find this guy who killed your father, what are you going to do?"
Noriko sighed heavily. "What kind of question is that? You think I'm tracking this guy to invite him to a tea party or something? I'm going to kill him, plain and simple."
Fuji looked downcast. "Just up and kill 'im, huh? What if there's some sort of story behind it? What if he didn't really kill your father?"
Noriko's eyes narrowed. "How else would he have the necklace? Even further, why should I believe anything the guy says? The murderer would probably say anything to save his own neck." The swordswoman looked back towards the apprentice with disbelief in her eyes. "You really need to wise up, Fuji. Thinking too much about other people's circumstances will only get you trouble in the end."
Fuji simply sighed. Why be so hasty to kill someone? Was not one life equal to all the others in this world? Perhaps it wasn't practical, but there had to be some other way of determining the murderer's identity besides the ownership of the necklace.
Yuki and Megumi had walked either beside or just behind Fuji since they had entered the forest. The apprentice found himself unable to further ignore the downcast look that had dominated the catgirl's face ever since the disappearance of Takashi.
"You going to be alright, Yuki?" Fuji questioned.
The catgirl sighed. "Yeah, I just hate not knowing where Taka-kun ran off to. What if he's in trouble? What if I don't find him again?"
Megumi fell in step next to Yuki and put a hand on her shoulder with a bright smile. "Don't worry, Yuki-chan! Remember what Takashi said: as long as the swords exist, they'll bring you back together!"
Yuki stopped suddenly and threw Megumi's hand off of her shoulder, staring with disbelief at the suddenly apprehensive girl. "What did you say?"
Megumi put her hands over her mouth and backed up against a tree, catching Fuji's attention as well. The former kunoichi eyes darted from left to right as if she were afraid of something in the trees. "I didn't say anything. Nothing at all."
Yuki's confusion only multiplied. "Takashi used those exact words, but that was eight years ago! How could you possibly know about that?"
Fuji was puzzled as well. "The swords will bring you back together? What does that mean?" He touched the broadsword across his back. "Are you talking about this thing?"
Megumi looked as if she were about to panic when Jeffy-sensei suddenly appeared in the midst of the three followers.
"Quiet, guys." he whispered. "Do you hear that?"
The entire group ceased their movements to listen. After a few moments, a faint rustle emanated from up ahead.
Noriko drew her blade and pointed it ahead on the path. "Come out!" she shouted. "We know you're there!"
There was a louder rustle just before a man stepped out into the middle of the path and faced the group. His long black hair fell down past broad shoulders, nearly blocking out the calm gaze that seemed seriously out of place with being caught in the act of eavesdropping. He was an older man, possibly in his early 40s, clothed in a black kimono and gray hakama. A polished katana and wakizashi hung from his white obi, but the feature that truly drew the attention of the group was the bright blue triangular jewel that hung from his neck.
The stranger smiled warmly and raised a hand in greeting. "Hello there."
Noriko stood dumbfounded for a moment at the head of the group, her blade falling slightly at the sight of her target. It was only a few seconds, however, before the identity of the man registered in her mind. Her face transformed from a look of surprise to a mask of murderous intent. She rushed forward at the man, katana poised to take his head as a souvenir.
"I found you, murderer!" Noriko yelled.
The stranger simply disappeared into the foggy underbrush. Noriko's rapid pursuit caused her to disappear along with him.
"Come on!" Jeffy shouted, abandoning his crutches and rushing forward just as Yuki's ears twitched in response to a noise from above.
"Abunai!" the catgirl exclaimed, quickly grabbing hold of Jeffy's waist.
The sword master stopped just in time to avoid three rectangular objects that buried themselves in the ground at his feet. Jeffy looked upwards to see the sun obscured not by the clouds or treetops, but by the silhouette of a rapidly descending assailant. The father of the Jeffy-Yaen style barely drew his katana in a defensive maneuver before the attacker struck downwards with more rectangular objects, using them like daggers. This new combatant backflipped out of the failed attack and assumed a fighting stance in front of Jeffy.
The newcomer was dressed in a simple manner. A pure white kimono adorned the man's nimble form, its clean appearance obstructed only by a brown cloth vest, brown obi, and wooden clogs worn on the feet. The assailant also possessed jet-black hair that fell in unkempt locks over his most peculiar feature, a white straight-angled mask that covered his entire face with the exception his shadowy eyes.
Jeffy lost no time in responding to the sudden attack. The sword master seemed to fly rather than run at his opponent, his katana blade cutting a near-blinding arc that would have separated any normal man from his head. However, the newcomer simply blocked the forceful strike with a pair of those odd paper-thin rectangles. Jeffy anticipated a counterattack and immediately drew his wakizashi to block. The retaliatory strike did indeed take place and met head-on with the defending wakizashi, however, the stranger's rectangular weapons nearly cut the blade from its hilt with a resounding screech.
Jeffy immediately backed away and examined the damaged weapon before sheathing it. If just a little more force had been put behind that move, he would have only had one blade left to fight with. Just what were those instruments?
Fuji was nearly lost for words when he took a closer look at the rectangles that had become embedded in the ground. Various symbols in red and black colors adorned their surfaces along with Arabic numerals. "They're playing cards!" the apprentice shouted just before a look of confusion suddenly crossed his face. "He's fighting with paper cards?"
Megumi looked dumbfounded. "How is that possible? How can you block metal with paper?"
Jeffy smiled as his opponent readied another attack. "It's actually very intuitive. Paper is normally harmless, but you can get a cut from it at the right angle. He's using the edges of the playing cards in tandem with precise balance as an attack form."
Yuki grinned. "He thinks some playing cards are going to beat us? Kamikaze-ken!"
The greenish blade spun right through the treetops and came to rest in the catgirl's right hand. She positioned the blade for an upper body thrust and rushed at the card-wielder, who promptly trapped the short sword between a pair of cards and twisted it from Yuki's grip. The assailant expertly caught the sword's handle as it spun in midair. Yuki overbalanced and plunged toward solid earth just before making a quick, almost instinctive recovery that propelled her back toward her comrades. The catgirl's embarrassment at the loss of her weapon soon became apparent.
"Give that back!" she shouted at a more desperate level than seemed normal for the situation. "That doesn't belong to you!"
The assailant deftly twirled the blade as a dry cackle emitted from within his hauntingly white mask. "Give it back? You don't even know how to use this!" Setting his legs apart and raising the blade up high in a horizontal fashion, he uttered one simple phrase.
"Kamikaze Awake!"
The blade of the Kamikaze-ken glowed with an intense green light just before an incredible wind funnel issued forth from within the weapon's grooved hilt. Megumi found herself bowled head over heels by the force of the blast. Jeffy used his crutches to stand firm on the ground while Yuki and Fuji kneeled down low, supporting each other with their combined weight.
"What is this?" Yuki questioned, mostly to herself. "How did he get the sword to do that?"
"Who are you?" Jeffy shouted above the raging whirlwind. "Who can possess such knowledge and skill in these parts?"
A louder cackle echoed behind the attacker's mask. "No one in these parts can; I'm a foreigner! I've been known by many titles in northern Europe and some parts of Africa . . ." The man bowed his head slightly. "More often than not, they call me 'Wild Card'."
Jeffy smiled widely. "Interesting, but we don't have time for games. Fuji, ice the bastard!"
The apprentice wordlessly drew the Fan of Uzume, gave everyone a moment to close their eyes, then unleashed the Light of Amaterasu with a blinding flash. The whirlwind abruptly ceased and a massive cloud of dust followed in its wake. Jeffy regained stability in his stance and placed a cautionary grip on his katana handle.
"Is everyone alright?" he questioned.
Wild Card exploded out of the mist and swung the Kamikaze-ken down at the vulnerable sword master. Jeffy blocked just in the nick of time, but shock crossed his face when he saw straight into the dead blue eyes of the assassin. They seemed to be devoid of pupils.
"Fuji!" Jeffy shouted with alarm. "He's already blind!"
(End Chapter Nine)
Japanese Dialogue and Terms (in order of appearance):
watashi wa mite - a phrase that loosely translates as the command "look at me".
abunai - literally means something like "danger", but is often used in the same context as the command "look out!".
