The second attempt failed?
He had not expected this. In fact, he had not expected the third attack group to be activated at all.
Killing off three human boys could not have been so difficult. What had gone wrong?
The girl pulling her companion back…
The raven-haired boy's smirk…
That same raven-haired boy…
A slight exhale. The only hint of his aggravation. He knew from the night before. And that demon hunter… She should have been dealt with at Kanaji. The both of them should have been taken care of. They had been responsible for the tip-off.
Well then…He eyed the young blonde from afar, watching as he made his way back into his house. Let's change the game a little.
The mounds of folds in his cloak heaved as he raised his hand, calling to his minions. This one will not get away.
Unforeseen Circumstance
Coming Together
(Day 21)
By: Little Ucchan
Sage tilted the glass back, gulping down the frigid water with gusto. What he had thought was a routine practice drill turned into a three-hour long workout with his grandfather. His throat was parched, his skin was burning from the muscle strain, and all he wanted to do now was take a hot bath and fall asleep in the tub.
He set the glass down, taking a moment to relax. I know I've been neglecting my training but… He eyed the sword lying on top of the kitchen counter, the ornate hilt gleaming down to its full metal scabbard. Ojiisama has never made me practice with a real sword before. It was always with the bokken, or shinai. Kendoists nowadays rarely used the katana for practice. I guess he really was serious about stepping up my training.
Sage sighed, picking up the sword on his way out. His grandfather getting serious… A demon hunter staying at his house… And let's not forget the demons that come with the aforementioned hunter… There's no way I'm getting a break after this. Ever!
As if hearing his mental cry and wanting to mock him even further, the phone rang, now standing in between him and a well deserved bath. "Tch."
Frowning at the number of messages that had suddenly piled onto the machine, he picked up the phone, speaking his polite greeting in a methodic, if not irritated tone. "Moshi. Moshi. Date residence. This is—"
"SAGE!! For God's sake, man!! Why the hell don't you pick up your phone!?!?"
The blonde flinched, pulling the receiver away from his smarting ear before bringing it back to growl at the boy on the other end. "Kento, if you continue to yell at me like that I'm going to hang up."
"Don't be a prick right now!" he snapped back. "There are demons coming after you!!"
Sage stiffened at the news, almost dropping the phone. "Demons? Are you sure?" Suddenly, all the unread messages on his answering machine made sense.
"Cye told me to warn you. He had a run-in with one of them just this morning," Kento explained, his tone lower now that the conversation had turned serious. "I'm guessing you haven't seen any?"
He was about to say he didn't. About to say that he hasn't sensed any dark auras. But his muscles had tightened at the last minute.
"Sage?" Kento's voice seemed distant to him now as he stared down the hall, his house feeling more empty with the growing realization that there was a demon in Tokyo; one precariously close. He could feel it waiting for him.
"Are you even there?? Hello!!"
"Kento…" His eyes were trained on the kitchen. To the back door. "I'll call you back."
"What!? Why?? …C'mon, tell me what's going on! …Sage!"
The soft click of the phone made the silence even more complete.
Slowly, he turned, sliding the scabbard in between the ties of his hakama. A step forward and the hilt was propped up with his thumb. Another step forward and the blade was drawn out of its sheath. Attack me while I'm at home, huh? His eyes narrowed, drawing lines against his forehead. You've got some nerve.
The door swung open, and it took all of Sage's willpower not to look surprised.
There was no one outside.
Had his senses been wrong? …No. He could still feel it. Two blocks away. Sage frowned. Did I misjudge the distance?
No matter. The situation had turned to his liking. He no longer ran the risk of Satsuki or his grandfather seeing him fight.
Sheathing his sword, Sage transformed into his sub armor, hurdling over the wall and onto the sidewalk. I'll finish this battle before they realize I'm gone.
***
He's coming.
The announcement pleased him. Good. Proceed as planned.
***
Sage jumped into the air, somersaulting to avoid a wave of shurikens that had exploded out of the shadows. He landed on the opposite side of the street, sliding into a fighting stance. His assailant, however, was nowhere in sight.
Eyes moved left, then right before a wry smirk played across his features. "I know you're there. What do you say we cut the preliminaries and get right down to the main event?"
His challenge had gone unanswered for a few taut moments. Then the air shifted, a lone ninja emerging from his hiding place. "Ah, but opening acts are so much fun to watch. Don't you agree?"
Sage scowled. What did he mean by that?
The demon grinned, almost in satisfaction at the Ronin's reaction. "What? You don't seem so confident anymore. Do you have something to fear?"
He wouldn't allow himself to be goaded by the ninja's taunts, but something was indeed bothering him. Sage was more tense than he should have been. So many warnings had started to flood his mind, and surprisingly, recognition had been at the heart of his unease.
I've felt this aura before. He'd not only felt it, but he'd seen this demon, or one like him.
Soulless ninjas that vanished upon death.
He blinked. My dreams… The very first opponents I fought as Takeru… But did knowing that have any relevance to his current situation?
Takeru… Ninja demons… Kanaji, and that flame shaped tattoo… Something about them… But what?
"You seem distracted."
Sage gave a start. The ninja was looking at him, a frown creasing the fabric of his face mask. "Not a very good samurai… are you?"
He bristled at that remark.
The demon chuckled. "I had thought that I needed to work harder to keep you here."
"What was that?" Sage demanded, the anxiety brought on by his words forcing him onto the balls of his feet. "Tell me what you're up to. Now."
"Tsk, tsk, little sa-mu-rai." He stressed out each syllable, waving a scolding finger from side to side. "You never should have left the castle unguarded."
"Wh—What?!"
The chuckles rolled into unbridled laughter, and before Sage could do anything, the ninja was gone.
"You never should have left the castle unguarded…"
Shit! It was a set up!!
He was already running. Just like his mind. Racing with thoughts and emotions as fast as his beating heart. As fast as his pounding feet. All converging on one spot. One meeting of disaster. And he was running straight for it.
Sage knew it was a trap. He knew that the ninja had deliberately drawn him away from his house just to force him into a compromising position. But what could he do now?
***
Grandfather Date raised his head to the sky, watching as the autumn breeze guided a strew of leaves down to the earth, carrying with it colors of the changing season. It also carried the stench of foreboding. An ill wind blows our way.
"Grandpa, what is it?" His silence had concerned her, and she rose to stand next to him.
"Satsuki…" She stopped. "Satsuki, I want you and Sammy to hide in the back room of the dojo. Do not make a sound and do not step outside, under any circumstance."
"Grandpa…" Satsuki took a step forward. "Grandpa, what's this about?"
He didn't answer her, gaze unwavering as he continued to watch the sky.
"Sensei Date-sama?"
He looked down at the weight pulling on his hakama. Sammy was staring up at him, worried, if not frightened emerald eyes pleading for the answer to her unasked question.
His expression softened as he gently pried the girl's fingers away from his leg. "Do not worry. Everything will be alright." Grandfather Date then turned to Satsuki, a ghost of his previous tenderness lingering as he addressed his youngest grandchild. "Satsuki, please do as your old Grandpa says and go hide in the dojo with Sammy. I'll come fetch you soon."
He was acting so strange. It scared her. His actions, and the chill of the air… they both left her frightened.
But Satsuki complied. Taking Sammy's hand, she cast one last glance at her grandfather before hurrying into the dojo.
***
The wind was consistently blowing at his back, going about its business scattering about dry leaves. They'd scrape across the floor, a flutter of miniature chatter. Then the wind died abruptly. The scuffling faded. And for a while, nothing moved.
Grandfather Date spoke.
"What do you want here, demon?"
He appeared to be addressing the question to the Date household, to a corner closest to the ten foot wall boxing in the estate.
A foot stepped out, then the ninja's entire form shifted into the open, facing the old man with glaring annoyance. "How did you know what I was? Mortals are not capable of developing the heightened senses needed to single out our kind."
"You would say that… Since you have a low opinion of us mortals." Grandfather Date's hand drifted down to his sword, fingers placed nimbly around the scabbard and hilt. "I'll ask again. What do you want here, other than to terrorize a humble old man's home?"
The annoyed look had disappeared, replaced with an arrogant smirk. "A teenaged boy lives here." His grin crept higher in time with the old man's unease. "Tall… Blonde… With a ridiculous hairstyle."
"What do you want with him?"
No response. Only that self-satisfied grin. The grip on his sword tightened.
"I demand to know what you want with my grandson!"
Still, that grin. But it felt different this time.
His eyes shivered, teeth grounding together as his hand snapped around to grab the hilt.
Too late.
The smoke bombs struck at his feet, instantly obscuring his opponent from view with cloud after cloud of heavy dust. The katana was only half drawn when Grandfather Date felt the ninja's presence at his back.
Only his mastery over the art of swordplay saved him from being completely taken by surprise.
He spun, pulling out the scabbard in time with the sword for a block that wouldn't have come otherwise. The ninja's blade came to a halt. But before Grandfather Date could draw out the rest of his katana in a counterstrike, the demon had already pulled back, disappearing behind the protection of his smoke screen.
The old man scowled, senses tracking his attacker's aura as it moved to the left, only to feel the demon's arrogant presence at his backside once again. Impossible!
The blade cut through his arm, then his leg, shocking his body for a second before he forcefully regained his senses, parrying the next two sword strikes before the ninja backed off again, the pop of smoke bombs following in his wake.
Grandfather Date dropped down to one knee, clutching his bleeding arm, his lips formulating a rare curse that highlighted his frustration. He can't be this fast when his battle chi wasn't impressive from the outset. He was sensing deceit.
"Old man," the ninja sneered behind his wall of smoke. "Some words of advice. If you're going to make demands, make sure you have the power to see them through."
He shifted left and his aura vanished. The aged samurai readied himself, steeling his body for the final attack when he heard something crunch.
Grandfather Date immediately swung right, catching the blade with his own while his free hand threw his scabbard in the direction of the sound. The sheath pierced the smoke, then slammed into its unsuspecting victim, the ninja grabbing his stomach in pain. The other immediately disengaged, jumping back from the human as the smoke cleared, bringing the battlefield, and their foul play, into the light.
The first demon straightened, hand still over his stomach. "How?"
"The scent of victory is blinding," Grandfather Date responded, forcing himself up. "You should have watched your step."
The ninja immediately looked down, lifting his foot to unveil the crushed leaf underneath.
"Clever." He smirked. "But your final attempt was wasted." The assassin readied his sword, his ninja double doing the same. "You've only succeeded in revealing that you have two opponents instead of one. And you can't beat us both!"
They were on the move again, and in Grandfather Date's weakened condition, he was only able to fend off the pressing onslaught for a few agonizing moments.
He cried out, sword dropping from his hand after being rammed into the side of the dojo. Still clutching his previously wounded arm, the old man sunk to the floor, arms pressing into his stomach to alleviate the pain. But his vision was swimming; dividing, and blanking. And the heat from his sweat and pain were pressing against his temples, making clear thoughts difficult, and defense impossible.
***
He looked at his partner briefly. The silent accomplice nodded and disappeared into the shadows, leaving the ninja with the old man. He smirked, prodding the body with a foot and getting a constrained moan for an answer. Still conscious. The grin widened. Good.
The demon turned around to face the newcomer, hiding his pleasure at seeing the boy in his keikogi and hakama. The katana at his waist was the only thing he needed to worry about.
The grin was back in full, watching as the blonde took a staggering step back, horrified eyes fixated on his grandfather's prone form. "So sorry," the ninja purred. "Not the 'welcome home' you were expecting?"
Sage growled, already drawing out his sword.
"My, aren't we eager." He held out his own blade. "Shall we dance?"
"N-No, Seiji…"
Both fighters straightened, the ninja turning his head back at the sound. The old man had managed to push himself up to his knees to stare directly into his grandson's eyes.
"Get out…" he rasped. "Get away, from here… Seiji…"
"Ojiisama…"
"Hmph." The demon crossed his arms. "Touching, old man. But I'd appreciate it if you'd stop interfering in our business!!"
Poised for the final blow, he was only able to raise the blade above his head before a sharp battle cry erupted at his backside. The ninja grinned, fingering the smoke bombs in his hand. Got you!
He spun around, letting the explosives strike the ground right at the boy's feet, that smug smirk still lighting his face as he and his hidden partner prepared themselves for their attack, not aware, until Sage had rushed out of the smoke, that the Ronin had not stopped his charge.
No way! He ran through?? He had no more time to yell at himself for misjudging his opponent. One swing from Sage's sword had the ninja stumbling back at an unsteady pace, the clang of metal ringing in his ears and his own sword vibrating with the immense force of the attack. Such power! Sage was in front of him once again, not letting up at all in speed or strength. He couldn't fathom where it all came from. He's not wearing the armor! So how could he—! And then, he saw it. The look in his eyes.
It had been a mistake to target his family.
Sage's katana came at him from below in a straight uppercut he barely managed to see, the ninja holding his forearm against the back of the blade to strengthen his block. But it was like being hit by a solid iron pillar instead of thin, forged steel, and once the sword connected, he went flying off his feet.
Sage sped forward, ready to attack again when the second ninja, the one that had previously been hiding in waiting, decided it was time he entered the fight. He launched himself at the Ronin just as his partner crashed mercilessly into the ground in a semi-conscious daze. However, his appearance did little to turn the tide of battle, and Sage was once again batting off the ninja's sword attempts with a power driven by anger and his own charged battle chi.
One swing and the ninja's sword was sliced in half. The swordsman raised his arms in an overhead strike when the ground between him and his opponent suddenly exploded in a flash of light.
The boy shook his head, trying to drive out the spots floating in his line of vision. But his temporary distraction was enough for both demons to get the jump on him.
Arms wrapped around him from behind, pinning his own to his sides and rendering him immobile as the first ninja charged, katana raised high.
They had him. They really had him! But when his attack came down on the Ronin's head, the blade surprisingly met no resistance.
The ninja's eyes widened, the shock of his miss striking him dead on when Sage's feet, after being used to force the blonde and his captor away from the swing, abruptly launched itself at his face, sending him to the floor a second time.
Not wasting his momentum, Sage forced all his weight back and slammed the other ninja against the wall, elbowing him in the ribs once his arms were free. The boy somersaulted over the first demon, evading his wild swings and landing behind the both of them in what would be their final error.
With a sharp turn, Sage drove his katana through both ninjas, the sword easily penetrating their bodies and striking the wood on the other end. He held the position for a moment, watching as the two writhed in pain before collapsing against his sword.
Sage closed his eyes, feeling the adrenaline start to drain out of his blood as he lowered his sword. The loose garments slid off the blade as he moved to re-sheath his weapon, the clothes collecting in a heap on the floor.
Grandfather Date couldn't believe his eyes. How Sage fought… The power, the skill… Was that really his grandson fighting just now?
It was exactly what the remaining ninja wanted to know.
Frowning at the turnout, the demon crossed his arms, letting out a disgusted grunt at the failure of his two comrades.
His strength was unexpected.
He bowed once, acknowledging his master's presence. His strength is irrelevant, he announced, drawing out a shuriken from his gi. I still have some 'leverage' up my sleeve.
Very well. And the puppet master disappeared.
The ninja smirked, eyeing the blonde for afar. Tsk. Tsk. Little samurai…He rubbed his thumb against the flat side of the throwing star. Back and forth. Back and forth. You still have a lot to learn.
He fell back into the shadows, re-emerging within the dojo, in front of the supply room.
Unfortunately… He reached out for the door handle, hearing the hushed voices beyond the wood. Back and forth. Back and forth, his thumb moved. And the grin, malicious with utter delight, rose to hysterical glee. You've run out of time.
***
"AAAAAIIIEEEEEEE!!!!!"
Sage's head snapped up, as did Grandfather Date's, who paled upon locating the direction of the scream. "No… It can't be…"
The dojo's shoji panels slid open, Satsuki stumbling out followed by a tall man garbed in a black and gray trimmed ninja gi. His hand held fast to her arm, while the other was casually placed on her shoulder.
"Satsuki!!"
"Grandpa, she's alright! She's—"
Satsuki yelped, the ninja pulling her roughly against him. "Did I say you could speak?"
"Demon, let her go!!"
He chuckled and twisted her arm, making the girl's face contort in pain.
"Bastard," Sage hissed, reaching for his katana.
"Uh-uh," he chided, flexing the fingers that rested on Satsuki's shoulder. "Is that really what you want to do?"
Sage stiffened, catching the shimmer of metal underneath the ninja's hand. Shuriken.
"I'm so glad you realize the weight of your situation," he said as Sage lowered his hand. "Now, drop your sword."
He sensed a spark of hesitation from the blonde and wasted no time in demonstrating the seriousness of his threat.
Satsuki screamed, feeling the arm on her shoulder snake around her neck, the tip of the throwing star pressed against her jugular. "I said drop the sword!!"
Sage's eyes fluttered wide in horror, breath lodge in his throat as he stared into his sister's frightened eyes, silently crying for him not to do it but at the same time begging him to save her. He let out a shaky breath and pulled the scabbard out of his belt.
Satsuki gave a start when she heard her brother's katana hit the floor. "Sage nii-chan…"
"A brother's love is so precious," the ninja sneered. "You've made the right choice, samurai… To die in your sister's place!"
With a shove, he sent Satsuki to the floor, freeing both of his hands, lined with shurikens, for his assault. Grandfather Date made an attempt to move, but his injuries had him stunned in place. He and Satsuki could only watched as the ninja released his throwing stars.
"Seiji!"
"Sage nii-chan!!"
Everything that happened after was an indecipherable blur.
***
Sage groaned, lifting his head while trying to get his bearings. Everything seemed fuzzy and cold. And his head hurt. He had hit it too hard against the ground.
The ground? That's right, he fell. Or rather, something rammed into him, causing him to lose his balance. He sat up, lifting a shaky hand to his face.
What happened? He remembered the ninja's shurikens. Then he couldn't see. Everything had turned a hazy gray, almost surreal. And then he was lying on the cold ground, feeling nothing but a pounding in the back of his head and the icy chill of the earth beneath him. No wounds. No shurikens. But there was… a clang of metal. Several, actually. He distinctly remembered hearing metal hit metal, right above him.
Automatically, he looked up, surprised to see the dense haze he thought he had imagined hovering all around him. A fog? Like the ones he had experienced during the Dynasty war. But this one… It smelled of… incense?
The mist had thinned enough for Sage to see a few yards ahead. He caught glimpses of the dojo's outline, where his grandfather and Satsuki were, and finally, the ninja still standing on the dojo front steps. But there was another silhouette he didn't notice before. A familiar outline of rugged black hair and tanned skin standing over him in a defensive stance, the katana he had previously discarded held fast in the boy's hands.
"Ryo?"
The Ronin leader turned his head upon hearing his name. "Hey there, Sage. Getting kinda slow?"
The blonde smirked at the quip. "It's been a tiring day," he replied, rising to his feet. "And since when did you have a panache for flashy entrances?"
He shrugged. Turning back to the fight, he smiled at how the ninja restlessly shifted his weight from foot to foot, shurikens held testily in both hands. "What do you say I get rid of your uninvited guest for you?" Without waiting for a response, Ryo charged forward, penetrating the misty haze with ghostly speed.
The demon looked absolutely shocked when he suddenly came face to face with the new warrior, katana and scabbard drawn back for a swift offensive strike. He didn't even have time to draw back his hands in a counter maneuver. The blade sliced through his abdomen, a strained gasp escaping his lips before he collapsed to the floor; like his brethren, just a pile of clothes.
***
"Sage nii-chan!!!" Satsuki threw herself at her brother, wrapping relieved arms around him in a fierce hug. "Thank god, you're alright!!" she sobbed into his kendo gi, burying her head into the nook of his neck. "I was so scared!"
Sage closed his eyes, securing his own arms around her. "Me too," he whispered, momentarily loss in his own relief. I was so scared that I'd lose you. My baby sister…
He pulled her away at arms length, worriedly looking her over. "Are you okay? Did he hurt you?" He brushed away some of her bangs to reveal a bruise at the side of her forehead.
"It's from when I fell," she answered, reaching up to touch the injury herself. "It doesn't hurt that much."
Sage nodded once, still uncertain, but deciding to leave it for now. With his sister close behind, he approached his grandfather and Ryo, the latter helping the former sit up against the dojo's exterior wall.
"Thank you, Ryo," he groaned, resting his head against the wood. "Sammy should still be inside the storage room. Go see that she's alright."
"Yes," Ryo said and went to retrieve the little girl.
Wrinkled eyes followed the boy into the dojo before shifting to gaze at the two teenagers standing before him.
"Ojiisama—"
"Grandpa—"
He held up a hand to silence them both. "I have a headache," he spoke calmly, his voice carrying a hint of amusement rather unfitting to the situation. But his grandchildren were alright. And the occasion deserved some lighthearted humor. "It wouldn't do for both of you to start talking at once, bombarding me with your questions and concerns." He smiled. "But just know, I appreciate the thought."
Satsuki couldn't take it anymore. Tears of joy brimming at her eyes, she dropped to her knees next to her grandfather and gave him a hug. "Oh Grandpa!"
"Satsuki, be careful. His injuries—"
"Are minor," he finished, lifting one arm to gingerly embrace his granddaughter. "I may be old, but I'm not as weak as you may think."
"Yes, Ojiisama." Sage lowered his head. Though his instincts told him to press the matter, he let it slide. "I'm glad that you're alright."
Grandfather Date looked over the blonde's humble bow, remembering, how that same boy looked when the ninja raised his katana to strike him dead not too long ago. Rage. Desperation. And… He looked down at the soft mop of brown hair nestled against his chest. …A desire to protect. You've done me proud, Seiji.
"I'll go see a doctor and take it easy from now on, if that will appease you," he said, speaking directly to his startled grandson. "But remember," and at this he grinned like a mad fool, raising his hand in a 'V' sign, "I will not die till I see you married and with heir to the Date family lineage, so rest assured that I will be here for a very long time."
Sage face faulted, barely able to prevent himself from falling over sideways at his grandfather's bold declaration. "O—Ojiisama!!" Yet, he felt like laughing. His crazy grandfather made him feel like laughing…
A soft voice, coming from the distance, cut his amusement short, heads turning in the direction of the contained giggles.
A strange woman, by any definition of the word, approached their group, stopping a yard or so away to, again, cover her mirth behind an elegant hand. "My, for someone of your age you are certainly spirited."
Grandfather Date said nothing, continuing to stare at the newcomer along with Sage, who could not take his eyes off her. This woman… He found her choice garb odd, and rather scandalous for a kimono, revealing much of her legs and shoulders, and, if not for the light pink bodice covering her neck and chest, much of her breasts as well. But that's not what had caused him to give her his full attention.
Some string was dangling from her fingers, leading to a metal ball, ornate and hollow, with several holes carved into its top. It was venting smoke, and even though the mysterious mist that had settled over his home had since dissipated, he could still recognize the smell. Incense… She's responsible for the fog. So had she purposely assisted them in battle? Or…
His eyes caught sight of the gloves that adorned her forearms, recognizing them immediately as part of a ninja's traditional battle gi.
Sage suddenly dropped into a draw stance, reaching to his left before he belatedly realized that his sword was no longer there. The woman giggled again. "And you, young man, have the true instincts of a samurai," she commended, smiling. "I'm glad you're wary, though it's unnecessary. I'm not here to cause any harm."
The blonde lowered his guard, though he was still suspicious of this woman's intentions. "Who are you?"
At that moment, Sammy and Ryo emerged from inside the dojo. The girl unexpectedly beamed at the sight of the other woman. "Aunt Krysta! You're here!!"
Krysta!? Sage blinked, astonished as the now identified woman greeted her youngest niece with a gentle smile. Laura's Aunt Krysta… from China??
***
Though the battle was over, there were still some lingering players in the area, notably the heavy cloaked demon with the ivory mask. If his eyes could be seen, they'd be narrowed into dark slits. If his mouth could be gazed upon, it be pulled into a tight line. Overall, he was not very pleased with today's results.
He recognized the woman, not by looks but her aura. Another demon slayer. He gazed at her and the appearance of the second target, the raven-haired boy from the train station. Then his attention shifted to the south, where the final target and the rune bearer were to arrive any minute. Too many enemies at once. This assignment was proving to be more difficult than what he originally thought.
A black presence pressed itself against his mind, and he unwittingly smiled at the willingness of his last puppet. The seventh assassin, still in waiting downtown Tokyo… His trump card.
Not yet, my sweet, he purred, easing his puppet's passion for blood. We will wait. In the meantime… grow. Drink. Let your hunger fester… You will get your dessert soon enough.
With his final orders given to him, the last demon vanished, his aura without a trace. And so, the city was quiet once again.
"A funny thing, finding you here."
His cloak shifted, a simple act common to his nature that offered many interpretive meanings. For one, it could be used to acknowledge someone's presence. Though this time, he had bristled in alarm.
"Greetings, halfling," he blanked, tone even, despite his surprise. "Yes, I suppose it's quite a shock to meet you here."
Maki's eye twitched for a second at the irreverent nickname before he plastered on a cheeky smile. "I'm hunting down some errant demons, by order of Lord Tajhinn." He cocked his head to the side, adopting a quizzical look. "Have you seen any of them?"
"No, of course not. And if I do I'll be sure to inform you. Now, if you'll excuse me…"
"Yes, of course. Your business is done here, then?"
"You are treading on unsteady ground," he deadpanned, brusquely turning away from the boy. "I do not know what you are insinuating but you are mistaken to believe that only hybrid humans such as yourself enjoy the beauties of this worthless realm."
"I never knew you as much of a poet, Gammon."
He paused mid-stride, not even bothering to meet Maki's eyes. "It is Gammon-sama to you, halfling," he droned, only a slight hitch in his voice to stress his irritation. "See to it that you remember that."
Maki crossed his arms over his chest, glaring at the dimensional gate Gammon had just exited through. "It's Gammon-sama to you," he mocked in a girlish tone, wrinkling his nose in disdain. "Feh. Pompous jackass."
Yet a rather dangerous jackass, if he ever did see one.
The boy assassin frowned, regarding his unexpected run-in with the seventh member of the BlackGuard. Gammon, of the Shadow Hand… He knew little of the phantom demon, other than (speaking from firsthand experience) his condescending tone towards anyone below him. Maki blew out air out of his nostrils just at the thought.
Whatever the reason, Gammon's appearance in the Mortal realm was not a good sign. And the brunette had a pretty good idea of what the demon was doing there, as frightening a notion it was. If treachery exists among the BlackGuard… We'll have more than just the Darkness Rune on the line.
It was about time he delivered his report to Lord Tajhinn.
***
"So you didn't know who she was?"
Ryo turned back in the direction of the guest room, shaking his head. "Like I said, I was about to move when the ninja threatened you with Satsuki's life, but she appeared by my side and stopped me, asking me to wait." The Ronin leader shrugged his shoulders, leaning his elbows on the mahogany wood surface. "She said she'd provide me with a better opening, and she did. We didn't have time to trade names."
Sage leaned his back against the base of the sofa, looking across the coffee table at his companion with an unreadable look. They were in the living room, having had finally earned a break from all the commotion that afternoon. Grandfather Date was currently in the guest room Laura and Sammy used, it being too much trouble to carry him upstairs, and was now being cared for by Satsuki and Laura's aunt with Sammy close by.
It had irked him to no end that his grandfather had told him he was fine when he couldn't even move his left leg, but Sage was glad that the sword wounds had not cut as deep as he previously feared. Krysta had informed him that she ran a clinic back home, so his grandfather was in good hands. But still… to explain this to his parents… To lie again or tell the truth, and with so many witnesses…
"How do you think we're going to cover this up?"
Ryo sighed. Obviously, he had given this some thought as well. "I don't think that's entirely up to us anymore. Did the demons say anything during the battle that might have…?"
He lowered his head, eyes trained on the woodwork. "I don't know. They were already here before I returned, so I don't know what they might have said to my grandfather. Though…" He paused. "Though I'm certain Ojiisama knows that they were targeting me specifically."
Ryo sighed. "If the demons didn't reveal much to Date-sama, then we might be able to act like we didn't know. But if they did…" He shook his head. "I don't know what to do. This is a little too much to deal with right now."
"You and me both," Sage agreed. "Maybe we should just wait till everyone gets back tonight. If we're given that much time. Wouldn't that be a godsend?"
Ryo chuckled, getting more comfortable in his seat on the floor. "Well, Laura and Cye should be arriving in Tokyo pretty soon. I think that'll—"
Sage furrowed his eyebrows when Ryo had abruptly stopped his sentence, sitting up. "Ryo?"
"There were only three demons here, right?" His voice was higher. It had Sage worried, knowing his answer wasn't going to please Ryo. In fact his question shattered all lingering signs of peace, knowing that somehow danger lingered at his front door once again. But Sage nodded anyway.
"Three demons only??" Ryo hissed, jumping to his feet. "Laura had told me there were four."
"What?!"
Sage moved to rise, but he stopped, reaching for his katana instead. Ryo felt it as well. A dark aura streaming towards them.
Within seconds both boys were on the move, Sage in the lead, katana drawn in spite of the cramp space of the hallway. Gripping the hilt with both hands, he drew the sword across his body, appearing in the entrance hallway just as the front door slid open and a figure charged into the room.
CLANG!
The ring of sword against sword shocked everyone, including the two fighters holding their respective weapons.
Sage backed away just as Laura did, completely taken aback. "Wh…Wha?"
"Sage…" she breathed, her own surprise rendering her speechless… for two seconds.
"God, I knew there was something wrong with you, but this just cakes it! Do you normally attack everyone who goes through that front door or are you just honing in on me!!"
In record time, Sage's temper quickly reached a boiling point, retaliation being the only alternative. "How can you force the blame on me?! You came barging in here with your own sword drawn!!"
"Force the blame on you?? YOU swung FIRST!!"
"I was acting out of self defense!!"
Ryo raised a hand to massage his temple. After recovering from the shock that it was Laura they had sensed, he was hardly amused to see them at it again, barely a minute after she had arrived. "Must they do this every time they see each other?"
"Actually…" Ryo turned his focus behind the pair towards the front door where Cye had quietly made his entrance. He laughed a bit, rubbing the back of his head. "It's been a while since they've clashed like this."
The Ronin leader smiled wryly at the newcomer. "Been keeping track?"
"Unfortunately." He sighed, taking in a calming breath before walking right up to the battling duo—now maturely glowering at each other—and forcefully separating them. "Now now children," Cye began, earning a scalding glare from both of his friends before one of his own silenced any forthcoming comments. "This isn't an appropriate time to be fighting. Besides, I think the two of you have done enough of that today, ne?"
Sage had looked embarrassed at that last comment, and busied himself with re-sheathing his sword. Laura huffed and willed hers away, crossing her arms in front of her chest. "Did you really think that I was a demon?"
The blonde was, notably, still preoccupied with his sword.
"Well, it was really an honest mistake," Ryo offered in the swordsman's defense. After all, this hadn't been the first time he and Sage mistook Laura's aura for a demon's. "Your aura is pretty dark with your rune. And we haven't been around you long enough to instinctively distinguish it from the enemy's."
"That's understandable," Cye chirped, placing his hand on Laura's shoulder, once against stopping the girl from saying something she shouldn't. "And besides, you were rather testy on the way here," he reminded her with a bright smile. "I'm sure a 'calmer' approach would have been less noticeable."
This time Laura did flush at his words, shrugging away his hand indignantly.
A polite giggle. "Yes. That sounds like my Kino-chan."
All four heads looked up towards the ebony-haired woman standing at the end of the hallway. She smiled gently at them. "She never did handle anxiety well."
"K—Krysta-san??" Cye gasped, earning stares from both Ryo and Sage. "How did you get here??"
Krysta adopted a mild look of surprise. "Why Cye-kun, I'm sure you've heard of airplanes. They're much faster than the Expressway."
While Cye tried to regain his dignity after Krysta's answer, Laura glared at her aunt, muscles tightening in an agitated pose. "Don't look at me like that, Kino-chan," the older woman admonished when her niece did not lower her gaze. "Like I had assured Sage-kun earlier, I'm not here to cause any harm."
Yet you're here, aren't you? Laura was not convinced of her aunt's claims. She had hoped that Krysta would let her be after that talk they had before she and Cye left, but apparently it was going to take more than her own resolve to settle this.
***
"What was that about?"
The group had relocated to the dojo, under Krysta's suggestion, seeing as how the walls had ears and any slip of the tongue could prove disastrous to their situation.
The three boys had agreed, seeing the logic behind it, but Laura seemed ready to protest just to be troublesome. Cye eventually coaxed her into the dojo. But it had taken some time, and by then, if Ryo and Sage hadn't picked up on a problem before, they were fully aware of it now.
"Laura… Isn't Krysta the one you were staying with in China?"
"And isn't she the one you asked to help you restore the armors?"
"You guys…" A pleading sigh. "Let's not talk about this now?"
"But Cye—"
"Ryo, please," the eldest boy tried again, and this time, he got a favorable response.
Sage turned his head away, a signal that he would drop the topic, though his eyes remained on her form, peering through the veil of blonde hair that covered his face. Ryo sat back on his feet, also sneaking a glance at Laura before sighing himself and falling back against the dojo's wood floor, arms and legs spread eagle-like in resignation.
"Alright then. Why don't we just move on to what happened today." He sat up, weight resting on his elbows. "And why is it that they came after us and not Laura."
"Those were their orders," came the answer, surprisingly from the previously silent demon hunter. "Someone sent them to off the three of you. Most likely due to your involvement at Kanaji."
"She speaks."
Laura shot the blonde a baleful glare. "Is there something you want to say? Because I'm not in the mood to put up with your attitude."
"Nor am I willing to deal with yours."
"Sage!" Cye cried out, but halted his efforts to stop the fight, for neither one of them said anything else.
Laura continued to stare at the blonde, but the hardness had left her eyes, and after a moment the tension in her shoulders left as well. "I guess I deserved that." She still seemed a bit distraught with Krysta's presence, but her demeanor had calmed considerably. A good sign.
"Still, I can't talk about the situation with my aunt yet. Only because we have something else to deal with first."
Ryo, who had shot up with the pre-fight scare, resumed his reclined position against the floor, though he was more attentive. "You mean that last demon." He passed a glance at Sage, before turning back to the other two teenagers forming their circle. "Sage and I were just discussing that before you showed up. I'm guessing that's why you charged into the house?"
She nodded. "I sensed the last demon when we arrived in Tokyo. However, on our way here, the aura mysteriously disappeared. I thought that maybe the demon had already reached you and was using some kind of cloaking spell to cover his aura…" Laura frowned just as the words left her mouth. Wait, that doesn't make sense. She assumed that the demon was on the move already with the aura's sudden disappearance but…
Laura pulled back her sleeve, checking the time. 4:20. He's not supposed to be activated yet. But she had felt the aura move and shift with restless energy. She had felt it. It was going to attack. Something wasn't adding up.
"Is there something we should be worried about?"
"Wh—Why do you ask that?"
Sage sighed, "You had this look on your face." Lavender eyes stared directly at the ninja girl. "There's something about that last demon that's throwing you off."
Laura was too busy worrying to be annoyed with how quick Sage was able to read her. "You killed the last three demons, right?"
"Ryo and I did. I took out two and he killed the last one."
"What time was that?"
"Time?" She nodded. "3:45… 3:50, I think."
Cye caught on to what she was concerned about. "Laura, how long was it supposed to be till the seventh demon attacked?"
"One hour."
"Wait, what's going on now?" Ryo glanced from Laura to Cye. "Did we miss something?"
Cye bowed apologetically. "Gomen, but maybe we should swap stories first before continuing."
Laura agreed. "We'll start from the beginning. From what happened to us in Naruto."
***
"So you're saying that…" Sage took his time in wording his understanding of the situation. "…these demons were bound by a contract to kill the three of us. If the first attempt fails, a signal is given out to the next group after a certain amount of time passes, and this group attacks the next target hoping to succeed where the other failed.
"And with this particular group, as you go down the line, the assassins are more difficult to kill, because of an increase in numbers, less time between attacks, and apparently, the battle experience from the previous fight."
"I didn't know that would happen," Laura confessed. "Normally, a physical attribute, like strength or speed, is enhanced. I had no idea that the memories of their predecessors would be passed on to the next group."
"That's how they knew to involve Date-sama and Satsuki in the fight so Sage wouldn't use his armor," Ryo added. "They must have put two and two together when Cye didn't armor up in public and I didn't hesitate."
"Meaning this last demon…"
A nod. "…has all three of our battles stored in his memory. Luckily, he's only seen what Ryo can do in his armor. He doesn't know what you two are capable of."
"So doesn't that make Ryo a more likely target than the rest of us?" Cye asked. The boy in question seemed a bit putout at this possibility.
"Maybe," Laura said. "But we shouldn't assume that. Everything about this last demon just seems wrong. The fact that he's alone and not with three other demons like the attack pattern suggests is enough for us to be wary of this one. He's not normal."
"Laura." Sage had his chin resting against his fist, a thoughtful expression on his face. "When you explained the trigger network, you mentioned something about a controlling demon or puppet master. The one who had given the assassins their orders."
"What about him?"
"Well, since he's the one controlling them, couldn't it be possible that he changed the demon's orders as the battles progressed?"
"But that would mean that the controller has been watching us fight without our knowledge of it. And I didn't pick up on anyone else other than those seven demons."
"It would make sense, though," Sage pointed out. "It's past 4:50 and we haven't seen or sensed any demon activity. The controller withdrew his last demon."
"Either that or he's waiting until we're vulnerable again."
"Ryo! Don't scare us like that!"
"But it's true, isn't it? Looking back on what happened today, if Laura wasn't with Cye, or if White Blaze hadn't warned me, or if Krysta and I hadn't gotten to Sage in time, we all would have been in far worse situations. They hit us at our weakest points. It's only by chance that it didn't turn out as bad as it could've."
Laura nodded in agreement. "The last assassin will be back, even if he retreated. Demons bound by a contract don't break them. They only live to fulfill the mission."
"So what do we do?" Cye asked. "I mean, what can we do?"
"He's a wild card. If he's actually weak or super strong, we can't tell based on what happened today." She sighed. "So in the end, we can't do anything except be ready."
"I think it's best if we double up for tonight, especially since Ryo lives outside of town and I have my own apartment. It'd be safer."
"So what? We continue to walk on eggshells till the demon decides to attack one of us?"
"As much as we all know how you don't like sitting still and doing nothing, Ryo, it's the best move we can make until our armor links are restored. And when that happens, I think we should start learning how to communicate telepathically by will." Sage cast an arched look in Cye's direction. "Playing phone tag isn't the best way to relay demon warnings."
The boy sweatdropped. "Yes, my nerves were frazzled for a good portion of the day because of that."
Ryo chuckled. "But I'm impressed. You were very persistent. And creative. Giving the message to White Blaze over the phone?"
Cye had a nice flush to accompany his sweatdrop after that comment. "My brain wasn't working very well."
Laura smiled when both boys laughed at Cye's growing embarrassment. Well, at least everyone's alright.
It had been quite a scare for her, when she learned that the ninjas had attacked Grandfather Date. Demons coming to the dojo was something she had worried about. The main reason why she had been out of the house the first few days was so their enemies couldn't lock her aura to Sage's home. But still… She'd be able to mask her aura now so they wouldn't know she was staying with him. But still… Her eyes dimmed. How can I protect them if I'm the one who…
"You're not leaving."
Laura sat up straight, startled by the proclamation. Sage turned his head away, eyes closed as he spoke. "I knew the risk involved with being a Ronin warrior. And I knew the risk when I agreed to take you in. None of this is your fault. So don't consider anything that happened today as grounds for leaving."
"Sage…"
"He's right you know." Ryo smiled, giving her a quick wink. "You're stuck with us whether you like it or not. Even if we have to protect you from yourself, there's no way we're letting you leave."
"You guys," Laura laughed, shaking her head. "What am I going to do with you?"
At that moment, there was a loud grumbling sound, specifically from Ryo's direction. "Ah! Hehehe…" The raven-haired boy rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment, a deep flush coloring his tanned face.
"Well," Laura raised an eyebrow. "That was an interesting way to answer."
"I completely missed lunch today."
"Now that you mentioned it," Sage added. "So did I."
"It's almost 6:00 and neither one of you has eaten lunch??"
When both of them shook their heads, Cye let out a resigned sign and got up from the floor. "I'll get started on it."
"Cye, you don't have to do that."
"That's right. I'll make dinner."
"Sage, even though you're a better cook than Ryo—"
"Hey!"
"—I think your grandfather needs a healthier meal than instant ramen."
"Geez, thanks Cye."
Laura giggled, then got up from her seat as well. "Need some help, Cye?"
The young chef cast a dubious look at the girl. "Do you cook?"
"Most likely better than them." She jerked a thumb back at the two boys who each gave their own version of a menacing glare. "Plus I know where most of the things in the kitchen are."
Sage blinked. "You do?"
"Yes, I do," she answered, highly amused at his stunned expression. "I've helped your mother a few times."
"Well that's great!" Cye clapped his hands together. "It'd be nice to have a helpful hand in the kitchen for a change." The glares were back again.
Laura stifled another giggle before turning back to the pair sitting on the floor. "So are you going to stay here in the dojo or come inside with us?" It took both of them a moment to realize that Laura and Cye were waiting for them to get up.
"Might as well," Ryo agreed, dusting off his clothes. "Not much to do now."
"So we have one, two, three, four…" Cye started counting on his fingers as the four of them walked over to the house. "Five, six, seven… eight people for dinner tonight? Hm. Reminds me of cooking at Mia's house when all five of us were still there."
"Well," Ryo placed a hand on Cye's shoulder. "At least you don't have to worry about catering to Kento and Rowen's appetites."
"Um, Ryo?"
The group had stopped when Laura directed their attention to the two boys that had just entered through the front gate. "You were saying?"
Cye sighed. "Great. Now there's ten people to feed."
"Don't you mean twelve?"
The three of them, occupied with their conversation, didn't notice how Sage stiffened upon seeing both Kento and Rowen at his front doorstep, dread seeping into his skin when one of the boys caught sight of the blonde and his group.
Rowen's eye twitched. He slapped Kento's arm to get his attention, then stormed towards the swordsman, his burly companion not far behind and equally upset. Sage took an unconscious step back.
Ryo saw them approach and waved a hello till he retracted his hand completely from their biting glares. Laura and Cye only watched as both boys stomped right past them to stop directly in front of the startled blonde.
He gave a nervous smile. "Hi guys."
"Hi?" Rowen repeated with a strange smile of his own, eye still twitching compulsively. "That's all you have to say?? Whatever happened to picking up your best friend at the station today!?!?"
"And whatever happened to calling me back to tell me that you're alive?? Huh?!"
The both of them went off at this point, shouting about courtesy and inconsideration among a throng of other indecipherable things. Sage looked passed his enraged friends to the trio that was watching from a nice safe distance. "Uh, a little help here!"
Ryo laughed, debating whether or not to wait a little longer before assisting Sage. "C'mon you guys, give him a break."
Rowen swirled on his heels, glaring at his leader. "You didn't have to wait at the station for two hours!" he snapped.
"You're a genius, Ro. Don't tell me you couldn't keep yourself occupied for two hours." Rowen, surprisingly, couldn't come up with a decent comeback.
"Oh my."
All six teenagers stopped whatever they were doing, noticing the seventh presence that had unexpectedly joined their group.
Kento leaned a bit towards Sage, momentarily forgetting his anger with the appearance of this strangely dressed older woman. "Who's this chick?" Sage did not answer, instead keeping his gaze on Laura's back, which had gone rigid again.
Krysta smile, her eyes crinkling as she viewed the group with an pleased expression. "You certainly have a lively group of friends, Kino-chan. We could hear you through the walls of the house."
"Ah," Cye bowed in apology for the group. "Gomen. We'll be more quiet." The boy shot a sharp glare at Rowen and Kento, who were so startled by the look that they quickly nodded in agreement just to get Cye to stop glaring at them. "We didn't disturb Date-sama, did we?"
"Actually," she laughed a bit. "No. He had dismissed it as a common occurrence." She smiled again, tilting her head to the side in an inquiry. "I had offered to prepare dinner, since Masahiro-san told me his daughter and her husband will not be back till late tonight. Will you all be staying for dinner?"
"Dinner?" Kento piped at the word, about to holler in agreement when Sage's hand came down on his shoulder. The Chinese boy straightened, feeling the blonde's grip to have too much force than what was normal, and turned a questioning gaze at him.
Sage's eyes pleaded him to stay quiet as he returned his attention back to the two women. Krysta's question had been directed to all of them, but her gaze had remained on Laura the entire time. And the ninja girl had yet to move.
Cye felt the tension mounting, and he could feel the underlying uncertainty in Laura's posture. Krysta-san's acting different from before. It had both of them on edge, Laura more than him, and he wondered if he should stay to assist her or usher the guys into the house.
"Yes, they'll be staying," Laura finally spoke, solving the boy's inner dilemma. "Cye offered to cook as well." She cast a quick glance at the auburn-haired chef. "Why don't you start already, since we have a bit of a crowd? I'll join you later."
"H—Hai." He bowed once to Krysta, who nodded her head in approval, then quickly turned to the rest of the group. "Ryo, can you update Rowen and Kento with what's been going on?" The Ronin leader nodded. "Sage, come with me. I need you to show me around your kitchen."
"Um, sure Cye."
He moved to walk with him, just as Ryo ushered a confused Rowen and Kento back into the dojo, leaving Laura and her aunt out in the front yard, staring at each other with unmoving eyes.
Sage paused at the entrance of his house, glancing back at the pair. "Cye?" he whispered, lingering at the door. "What's going on? I've never seen her like this before."
Cye snuck a peek through the door, a worried frown creasing his face. "Remember when Ryo said we wouldn't let her leave?" He nodded wordlessly. "Well, we might have to make good on that promise real soon."
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
Surprised? Satisfied? Predictable? Mad? …Don't really care because you want to kill me for taking too long? ::Panthera and Little Fairy from Nam both raise their hands to the last question. Ebben has yet to do so, but surely after some coaxing, she'll eventually raise the butter knife in arms:: ^^;; Geez. With friends like you guys who needs enemies, right?? ::nervous laugh::
I honestly did not mean to take this long, but the vast month of September was somehow wasted because my muse beat the crap out of me. Not the one-month-update-monster, my M-U-S-E. -_- Apparently, he/she/it didn't like how I was writing the beginning of this chapter so he/she/it decided to do everything he/she/it could possibly think of to STOP me from writing (i.e. writer's block, grammar block, brain function block, just block after block) till I realized that he/she/it wanted me to scrap what I've already written and start it over again. So I did, around the end of September, but then life got in the way so the reason why the update was THIS long was because I couldn't get a few decent hours in front of the computer. But, I'm back. And I'm sorry to disappoint you because my updates will most likely return to the nasty one/two month turnover time.
^^;; So sorry. But I thought I'd have more time now that I'm in college, and in fact I DO, but I'm not exactly going to a normal college so it gets complicated. My homework's not a stress on the brain, it just eats up my time to complete. But, now that I DON'T have a lot of computer time, maybe I'll have more periods of uninterrupted writing. ::crosses fingers::
I will still try my best to update regularly. At least I don't write short chapters, so please give me a break. It takes a lot to write 18 pages of story in 12 size font.
Please review if you're a constant reader, even if you want to protest my long updates by not. ::cough:: Panthera… ^^;; It really helps us authors when you guys say hi. ^_^
On another note, I think I'll be moving back and forth between RWU and Sabel, just because it's a good distraction (and less writing). So you people who like it, I'll get to it soon. ^^;; All the stuff I have to do…