Dark Hero Rising
Chapter 8
"I really appreciate this Wade" Ron said as he walked into his new home.
Contacting Wade, Ron had asked the brilliant boy to help him locate a new premise, and after giving the African American child a few requirements, Wade managed to find Ron a place that was affordable with the money his parents left him. After a few more negotiations, the possible parents only took $150,000, refusing any more and promising to honour his parents with it.
"No probs Ron, glad to have you back" The dark boy replied.
Wade had found Ron a rentable place near the outskirts of Upperton, not the most sensible house, but then again Ron needed a place like this. Large, spacious and equipped with a massive gym room and backyard, this was exactly what Ron was looking for.
"Oh and Wade" Wade heard Ron say through his mobile, before the sounds of metal piercing flesh and scraping around a bit "No more spy-ware in my neck, that hurt like a bitch"
"Y'know, I could have just self-destructed that" Wade said, stifling a laugh "You would have felt a little pinch, and not needed to stab yourself in the neck"
All Wade heard was silence, before large portions of swearing made him pull away the phone in both pain and fear.
"Anyway Wade, do you think you could hook me up with some furniture? This place is looking a bit empty" Ron asked after his round of curses.
"Sure, should be fully decorated by this afternoon" Wade replied, open some online shopping pages for furniture.
"Bitchin Wade, well, talk to you this afternoon" Ron said, rummaging around in his bag for some clothes.
"Where are you going Ron?" The pudgy child asked.
"School's back in session Wade" Ron said as he held up ninja chain mail shirt "I gotta prepare"
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"God, I thought I never had to see this place again," Ron thought to himself as he entered the halls of Middleton high school.
Even though the prom was now almost 10 months ago, there was still one term of school left.
"Well, it shouldn't be so bad" Ron continued to muse as he dodged and weaved his way through the crowd, a few people he recognised gave shocked looks and continued to stare as he passed by, barely noticing them "A few more weeks and this evil place will be but a horrible memory"
A brief thought of Kim passed through his conscience.
"Even more reason to leave as soon as possible" Ron thought bitterly.
Ron reached his old locker and began to spin his code into the dial.
"Come on" Ron grunted, pulling at the stuck latch "Open to bloody piece of scrap metal"
Ron considered transforming just to destroy the sturdy locker, but as luck would have it, Ron's thoughts on demolishing the small container were interrupted by the quiet whirr of an electric wheel chair.
"Hey Felix" Ron said, turning around to meet his friend "Long time no see"
"I'll say" Felix said, extending a hand to his blond friend "Too long I'd say"
"Yeh" Ron replied, shaking his handicapped friends hand "I had some training to do in Japan"
"So I heard" The wheelchair bound boy said, a smirk growing on his face.
"And what's that grin supposed to mean" Ron said warily.
"Word has it from Kim you were getting some serious booty in the orient" Felix smiled "High five dude"
Ron did as the teen suggested, slapping his hand. Felix pulled back his hand and shook it, that little slap hurt like buggery.
"I guess that's one way of putting it Felix" Ron forced a smile.
Quite frankly he did not find what his friend said funny. One point was that he values Yori more than merely tail; she was a beacon of everlasting love and friendship to him. And two that Kim thought of that, what's worse she'd been spouting it loud enough for Felix to hear.
"But seriously Ron" Felix began, still wringing his hand to make the pain go away "You must really like her, you're not the kind of guy to take something like that for granted, you must love her to go that far"
That statement made Ron smile sincerely.
"Yeh, she's really special to me" Ron replied as he began walking with his friend down towards class "Don't know what I'd do without her"
"Anyway man, I see you've changed your hair" Felix said, wanting to change the subject "Much cooler than before"
"What, you dissin the Ron-man's original doo?" Ron said jokingly.
The two passed by a mirror in the corridor and Ron looked at himself. He had left his apartment early in the morning for a jog and found a hair salon just opening. Fifteen minutes later emerged from the salon with his ponytail gone, replaced now by shoulder length hair. Sure it wasn't good for fighting, but since his haired was encased in indestructible alien armour, hair wasn't really an issue for him.
"Maybe I am" Felix laughed, zooming away in his wheelchair "What are you gonna do about it?"
"Oh, you're so dead" Ron growled with a smile as he headed after his friend.
Unfortunately for the blond ninja, a certain someone had just entered the corridor from another and was right in front of a speeding Ron. Papers went flying as the two impacted.
"Ah, I'm sorry miss" Ron said as he fumbled around the floor for the fallen papers, his hair had blinded him for a sec and he didn't see who it was.
"Ow" A voice said.
Ron froze, hearing that voice brought back memories. Painful, recent memories. Dropping the papers, Ron stood up and without even looking at the person, who he bumped into, walked slowly away. Ron's footsteps echoed loudly in the suddenly silent corridor.
"Come on Kim" Ron heard a voice behind him "I'll help you"
Those voices, one betrayed him, the other once betrayed the first.
"Trash like that don't deserve your attention"
Ron seethed with rage. His focus became incredably sharp, able to see every crack in the walls, every pore on his hand. Spinning around in a bloody rage, Ron let out a roar and extended his hand. The ring on his finger launched from the digit and transformed into a giant shuriken, about the size of a large pizza tray. The magical weapon sailed through the air, imbedding itself into the wall, half an inch away from the head of the medium dark skin toned teen.
"Make no mistake Eric" Ron growled, the massive group of people crowding around the three teen went unnoticed "I will end you, you best beware the fury of the storm"
And with that, the cerulean shuriken melted back into a small ring and returned to its place of rest. Ron turned on his heel and began to walk off, but then stopped.
"You only live because your parents accept and don't judge me, Kim" Ron growled, like the very name caused him pain to say it "But if you cross me, well, I can't be held responsible for what happens to you"
"Why you arrogant mother-fu" Kim began approaching her former friend, but familiar hands held her back.
"Let him go Kim" Dan said softly "He's not worth it"
"STOPPABLE" A mad bellow rung through the halls "MY OFFICE NOW"
"Not now Barkin" Ron growled, watching the retired marine enter through the rapidly dissipating crowd.
"NO BUTS STOPPABLE, YOU'RE COMING WITH ME" Mr. Barkin yelled, grabbing the boy by the collar.
Now a monkey master would not take this direct violation of his personal space lightly. Grabbing the teacher's wrist, Ron began a simple lock-breaker, but found in great surprise that the teacher's clenched fist withdrew and flowed with the body behind him and grabbed him by the scruff of his jacket. Ron didn't fight anymore; he was too busy figuring out how the hell Barkin countered the ape escape (Ron's personal name for the move).
"Sit your arse down Stoppable" Barkin growled, slipping into his chair behind his desk.
"Look, Mr. B, how'd you know tha-" Ron began, but was cut off.
"I saw what you did out there Stoppable, you know very well how I respond to death threats" Barkin said.
"You think you can beat me?" Ron said, a smirk growing on his face.
"Wipe that impudent smirk off your face Stoppable" Barkin said.
For some unknown and obscure unknown to anyone but teachers, Ron obeyed.
"I'm not talking about your feud, I'm talking about your weapon, that was nifty trick Stoppable" Barkin continued.
"You can search me if you want sir" Ron said, he was still smirking in his mind "Not a weapon on my body"
"How about your finger?" Mr. Barkin said, a smirk on his face.
Ron looked at the army vet in shock.
"How'd you" Ron choked out, flabbergasted.
"Do you why we have an exchange program with Yamanuchi Stoppable?" Barkin asked "And I assure you it's not mainly for cultural enlightenment"
Ron just sat there, a stunned look on his face.
"It's mainly used as a recruiting program" Barkin began "Master Sensei seeks out potential students from time to time, and I give him the most promising in their abilities and skills"
"Wait a minute" Ron said, shaking his head and hands in disbelief "You're saying you know Master Sensei, since when?"
Mr. Barkin sighed, getting up off his chair, he moved towards the window of his office and looked at the clipped lawns of the Middleton football field.
"It was a such a long time ago" The brown haired man begun.
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"I'm sorry son" The Oriental doctor looked down on his patient "Though you avoided the initial blast from that mine, the shrapnel has torn the ligaments in your legs at several key points. If you ever manage to be able to walk again, it won't be for a very long time"
A much younger Steve Barkin looked away from the doctor, a look of sorrow and regret glazed his face.
For the next four months, Barkin and his iron will to be able to walk again trained as much as he could, spending countless nights doing sit-ups (If he couldn't walk, then he vowed to be the most dangerous handicapped man alive) and training all the way through the day to repair and build the damaged muscles.
It was a normal day in the small village that the American troops had been welcomed into and that had helped the fallen Barkin to mend his legs. On this day in particular, a small, elderly man of clearly Japanese descent was walking down the main road, and as luck would have it, met with the wounded marine.
"Hello there" The old man said, walking up to Barkin, who was sitting down outside the doctor's clinic on the porch "I am known as Master sensei"
"Er..hello" Barkin began, taken back by the man's friendliness, before remembering his training on introducing himself "Private Steve Barkin" and added a salute.
"Please, please" The old man began "No need for formalities, I see that your legs are not as fit as they use to be"
"Uh, yes sir" Barkin replied, taken back by the man's statement.
"I think you could do with some help," The short master said.
And before the soldier could argue, Master Sensei had knelt down before the man and began pressing on certain points in the legs. Stepping back as quickly as he stepped forward, the old master smiled at the confused man.
"Go on, give them a try," The elderly teacher urged.
On his instruction, Mr. Barkin urged his legs to move, though entirely in doubt. To his astonishment, the leg abided by his will. Smiling at his success, he tried the other one; it worked just as well as the previous.
"How'd you?" The injured soldier began, being cut off by the older man's chuckle.
"Acupressure my friend" Master Sensei chuckled, but the chuckling ceased, and a look of deep thought protruded "You know, I think you're perfect"
"Perfect for what?" Barkin asked, wiggling his legs a bit more.
"To come with me and study a most ancient and powerful way of life," The old sensei replied.
"Huh?" Was all the young man could say.
"Ninjitsu" The old man replied simply "You shall come to my school and I shall teach you the way of the silent warrior"
"I don't think" Barkin was cut off immediately.
"No, we shall leave right now, you have already been discharged and are stuck here" The small man's resolve was radiating fierceness "I have a plane waiting, take it or stay here for the rest of your life"
Reaching for his crutches, Barkin found that his hands were slapped away from the walking aids.
"No" Master Sensei said, "You do not need them, stand up and follow me"
- - - - - - -
"And after that, I trained for six years under Master Sensei until I decided to leave and continue my life back in America" The older version of Mr. Barkin said to the blond ninja.
"Wow, that was a great story" Ron clapped.
All Mr. Barkin could do was hold his head and try with great effort not to strangle the boy.
"But that isn't the end of my story" Barkin started, looking at the enthusiastic boy "Hmm, I guess this is like the romance part of the story".
And with that, Mr. Barkin had to wrench the teen back into his chair, as he was trying to escape the next part of the story.
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About three years into his training, Mr. Barkin was allowed access to the dojo's and all of Yamanuchi whenever he wanted; such was the privilege of being the best in his class. It was late one winter night, where Steve Barkin was fiercely striking the wooden training dummy in the middle of the empty dojo, each hit echoing several times through the empty wooden hall. With a final cry, a fist shot through the torso of the dummy, rendering it completely useless.
"Barkin-san, always destroying school property" A somewhat cocky voice echoed through the hall "What would Master Sensei say?"
"He'd be proud at how well I'm progressing Kagome-san, unlike a certain kunoichi" Barkin returned the expression to the attractive Japanese woman gliding out of the shadows like she was once was part of them.
"Silly Americans and their bravado, always shooting either their guns or their mouths off" Kagame smiled, walking over to the weapon rack and producing a wooden bokken and two fans "Catch"
The bokken sailed through the air, before a hand reached out and grabbed it.
"You do know I'm the best in my year with this thing" Barkin smiled, spinning the sword around in a flashy fashion.
"Tch, I am also best in my year, now, let us see who is better" Kagome retaliated, spinning the fans around and lowering into an offensive stance.
"Ladies first" Barkin said, lowering the sword in front of him.
Kagome seemed to disappear, a standard ninja technique. Waiting with his sword raised, Barkin closed his eyes. The sound of wood hitting wood echoed. Barkin had turned around at just the right time to parry the blow with the left fan, and as the right arched high and aimed for his head, he slid around the attacking kunoichi and rammed the hilt into her ribs. The two broke apart to opposite ends of the dojo, with Kagome rubbing her side and Barkin clenching his hand as the fan's force travelled into his hand. No words were exchanged; their weapons spoke for them. Barkin decided to play it offensive this time and run at the lady ninja. Weaving from side to side, his attempts to confuse the adult ninja with his erratic approach paid off, and with a mighty diagonal strike, hit the opposing fans. The two glared at each other, the moonlight that shone through made their sweat covered faces glow. And as the two stared at each other, their weapons loosened from their grips, clattering loudly to the floor.
- - - - -
"Ugh, dude, stop right there, I beg you, please" Ron whimpered, covering his ears.
"Afterwards we conceived a child together" Mr. Barking continued his story, lost in his own memories "But after Kagome's death, I couldn't bear to be there any longer"
"What happened to her?" Ron asked, sitting back on his chair quietly.
"Heart disease" Barkin answered, not meeting Ron's face "To think, the greatest female ninja of our time, struck down by something as simple as a hereditary problem".
"I'm sorry" It was all Ron could think of saying.
"I've made my peace, I don't feel regret anymore, she wouldn't want me to anyway" Barkin replied.
"What happened to your daughter, you've never mentioned her before until now?"
Mr. Barkin sighed "I decided to leave her with Master Sensei, I took Kagome's death very badly, something which no child should see, so she's been at the school ever since".
"So why don't you ever go see her?" Ron asked, oblivious to the personal implications.
"I couldn't, for her to see her father as a scared, idiotic failure of a man, she's better off thinking that I never existed" Barkin, could feel tears welling up.
Ron knew that nothing he said could change his mind "What was her name, by the sounds of it, she should be near my age, I might know here".
"Her mother named her" Barkin began "I wanted an American name, she wanted Japanese, we decided it the only way we knew how".
"Which was?" Ron asked.
"We fought it out with weapons" Barkin paused as he saw Ron fall out of his chair "I kinda let her win though, so she got to name our child".
"And that name is" Ron was getting annoyed at how the man procrastinated.
"Yori".
Bam. Am I the lord of dramatic ending's or what? Anyway, I started this like 3 weeks ago and never got around to finishing it, but I managed in the end. As always, keep those reviews coming (You were a little slack last chapter and we all know; no review no new chapter) So enjoy - Wolvie