RECAP: A cloaked demon by the name of Gammon had sent out assassins to kill the three Ronin warriors involved in the Kanaji battle. The first three attacks had since failed, but the assault on Sage's home had left Grandfather Date injured and the boy's cover nearly blown. But before Ryo and Sage can think of a way to deal with his grandfather, Laura and Cye return from Naruto, along with Krysta Lao, a crafty sorceress who's assistance can cause as much trouble as her ire.
Unforeseen Circumstance
The Problem with Xiang-Quon
(Day 21)
By: Little Ucchan
The entrance hall was quiet. Not the kind of silence created when there was nothing to say, but the kind formed when someone was waiting for something to be said; anticipating it, dreading it, but wanting it nonetheless.
Cye held his breath, waiting.
"…Are you sure?"
A small nod.
"But…" Sage paused, golden eyebrows drawn down, pensive. "Why would she do that?"
Cye sighed, casting a glance back at the front door before facing his companion again. "Krysta-san believes that it's too dangerous for Laura; that it'd be easier for her and Sammy to live in China with the Xiang-Quon oppose to handling the demon situation on her own."
"But she's not—"
"Alone. I know." He shook his head from side to side, the movement striking a pang in his heart. "I know."
"Damn it."
"Sage, wait!" Cye cried, alarmed when he had made a move for the door. The blonde paused momentarily in accordance with his request, but Cye knew that Sage wasn't going to wait long. "Laura had asked us to leave," he began quickly. "She wants to do this on her own."
"I don't believe that."
"Sage, if she needed our help—"
"If she needed our help do you really think she would ask for it?"
The snap of Sage's voice made the brunette's eyes widen. Cye looked straight at him, surprised to see the anger blatantly on his face. "I'm sorry. …Maybe I don't know her as well as you do."
Sage's expression changed, his anger dropped by the shock of hearing the hurt in Cye's voice. He hadn't realized what he had done. His reactions just seemed to slip out of his control whenever Laura was involved.
"I'm not saying you don't," he tried to explain. "It's just that… she's not one to ask for favors. Not of this nature."
"That may be true but…" Cye stopped to reword what he wanted to say. "I want to help her. I hadn't thought otherwise since I first heard of this but… maybe she feels she needs to resolve this on her own, even if she wants our support. And if that's the case, we shouldn't interfere."
Sage crossed his arms over his chest, his gaze trained on the partially closed door before he shook his head. "I don't feel right about this."
"No one feels right about leaving someone hanging." Cye watched as Sage shifted his weight testily, eyes back on the door once again. "Come on," he motioned for him to come with him. "Help me out a bit in the kitchen. It'll get your mind off of it."
"No, I can't," Sage shook his head again. "I'm sorry, Cye. But I can't just do something else while…"
"I understand." And this time he didn't push the matter. "Just don't step out there, okay?"
He didn't answer.
"Please?" Cye leaned forward, meeting Sage's eyes with the intense stare of his own.
The boy nodded once.
Sage watched Cye go, waiting a moment after he left before leaning against the wall of the hallway, craning his neck back to stare at the ceiling. He knew Cye was right, but he couldn't shake his unease. He wanted to be out there, but would it be right for him to do so?
Sage took in a deep breath, closed his eyes, and exhaled. At the moment, it was the best thing he could do.
"Honestly Kino-chan, must you make a scene out of everything? You didn't have to send them away."
"And you wanted them to stay? Let them watch? Listen while we argue?" Laura eyebrows pulled down into an angry glare. "And you're saying I'm dramatic."
"Well, if you put it that way, yes. But I had not come here with the intention of arguing with you."
"Right. One way conversations. That was always your style."
"Kino-chan…"
"Don't add the 'chan' when you don't mean it," Laura snapped. "Don't you dare be familiar with me when you don't even care about what I think! You preach about doing things for my benefit yet you never hear what I have to say. How can you even know what I need when you're so preoccupied with listening to yourself?"
Krysta scowled. "Kino."
"Oh, now you use that tone of voice with me? Can't argue your point instead of relying on your authority to overrule other people's judg—" Her aunt's hand move to strike her. Laura froze.
BAM!
She flinched, her eyes closing shut on their own accord, not wanting to actually see the act take place. But when she did not feel the sting of a fresh slap against her cheek, Laura reopened her eyes and saw her aunt's hand poised in the air, unmoving. The woman's gaze was trained to her left.
Laura's eyebrows bunched together before suddenly rising in one shocked movement. The sound she had heard was not the sound of skin hitting skin, but wood slamming into wood. She remembered in clearly now; loud, dense, and resonating from her backside.
Laura swerved on her heels. The front door of the house was wide open, still shakily reverberating on its hinges. The man standing next to it took her breath away.
Sage… She felt lightheaded. For a moment, Laura didn't know if it was because of her sudden movement or the fact that he was standing there at his full height in a samurai's garb, looking just as imposing as the real thing.
"Krysta-san," he began in a politely cold manner. "You may have helped save my life, but you have no right to act that way on my property."
Krysta lowered her half-raised hand, demeanor unbridled despite the warning. In fact, she seemed pleased as she met Sage's eyes, her own almond brown momentarily flicking down to the hand resting on the scabbard of his sword. "And what would you have done with that?" she asked.
Sage's thumb flexed over the hilt. "Laura is under the care of both the Ronin Warriors and the Date family," he stated. "I would have done what was necessary."
"And…" Her smile didn't waver as she spoke. "What would that have been?"
The chink of metal reached her ears; the sound of a katana being prepped for a draw.
"Don't test me," Sage replied, keeping the hilt propped up with his thumb. "I'm not a master of my art like you are, but do not assume that I'd be an easy target."
Her lips twitched at the declaration. Krysta held her hands up in defeat, revealing two incense holders cleverly concealed along the cuffs of her wrist guards. "Well done," she congratulated, wrapping her arms around her elbows in a loose pose. "You have very good instincts, Sage-kun. Never trust someone while their motives are unclear." She nodded to herself. "Yes… You have all the characteristics needed."
The edge he had was gone the instant Krysta said that cryptic phrase. 'Characteristics… needed?' In a moment of uncertainty, Sage switched his gaze to Laura in hopes of finding an answer. He resisted the urge to visibly swallow. He didn't like what he saw.
Laura's face was stark white, a harsh color against the richness of her dark brown hair. She looked horrified. Completely shocked. But her eyes were burning in outrage. He felt it. Her pride hurt; her anger boiling. And a twinge of dread underneath it all.
It was the dread that worried him. Did he sense right? Was Laura afraid?
He wanted to search her eyes again; to reassure himself that what he felt wasn't fear. But he didn't get his chance. Laura was no longer looking at him, her gaze locked with Krysta's as she yelled at her in Chinese, anger barely under control.
[You were testing him??]
[Now that isn't very polite. Speaking another language in mixed company.]
[I don't give a damn about being polite. He's not going to hear this. Nor will he be forced to follow Xiang-Quon laws.]
[He had challenged me, Kino.]
[He didn't know!]
[And if he had, would he have backed down? If he had known the full ramifications of his actions, would that have stopped him from defending you?]
[Then fine! Let him defend me!] Laura screamed, absolutely furious. [You could just let it slide. Why must you make this more difficult??]
Something dawned on her at that moment. Hazel eyes hardened into an impassive glare; the calm before the storm. [That's it, isn't it? You wanted Sage to challenge you.]
Her aunt's eyes remained stoic. Even with the pleasantries on her face, her eyes were empty, unreadable. Laura growled, baring teeth. [Bitch! This was all a ploy!?]
Krysta sighed, the act catching Laura off guard. No curl of the lips. No sparkle of mischief. Just… remorse. It made her shudder.
Krysta met her niece's gaze, eyes soft and vulnerable with some thick emotion. [Kino-chan, you and Sammy-chan cannot stay in Japan. Xiang-Quon simply will not allow it.]
Laura frowned, voice quiet with unease. Xiang-Quon will not allow it? "What do they have to do with this?"
Krysta gave a slight smile, though not her trademark grin. It was disheartening; the kind of smile you gave when you're sorry for your own weakness.
Laura couldn't stand it. Her lips pulled into a tighter frown when her aunt turned to walk away, the panic caused by that one look driving her forward more than rage. "Damn it, Krysta! Answer me!!"
She thought Krysta wouldn't comply. For one terse moment she considered challenging her for the answers she needed. But halfway across the lawn, Krysta stopped.
"Have I ever told you the story of the woman and the bird?" she asked. "A Chinese woman kept a beautiful canary in her house; a gift from a late friend. She fed it every day; listened to its songs; paid careful attention to it, for this bird was special. It imbued the very spirit of her dead friend. And she vowed to watch it day and night and keep it safe. Locked away in its cage, she believed she was protecting it.
"Then one day, the woman noticed that the songs were different. Sorrowful tunes that carried straight into her heart. She realized that what she had done was selfish and wrong, disgracing her friend's memory by caging its spirit. The woman decided to release the bird, but the family of the deceased suddenly came to visit her. They wanted the bird that their late daughter kept, believing the bird's presence would placate their mourning souls. The woman couldn't deny their request. It was their daughter's keepsake; they had every right to have it. But as she went to fetch the bird for the family, she felt the sorrow again in its song, and heard its plea for freedom."
Krysta lowered her head, silence lingering in the air. The story wasn't finished; the outcome yet to be spoken. But she said no more, instead clearing the remaining distance she had to the house, not looking back to see what kind of expression her niece had on her face.
She only hesitated when she reached the blonde samurai standing in front of the entranceway. Krysta stopped parallel to him. Neither one met the other's eyes.
"Take care of her, in my place." It sounded like a command, but she didn't immediately walk inside, waiting.
What could he say? He didn't understand the situation, but felt the woman's apprehension deep in his gut. She was trusting her niece with him; her dead sister's daughter.
He nodded, and the moment he did Krysta vanished out of the corner of his eye. Like a phantom, she was gone, disappeared into the house.
The apprehension was killing him. All day, he had been waiting, anticipating, walking on edge. Presumably, he'd have been accustomed to it by now. He couldn't have been more wrong.
After feeling Sage's cold energy followed by Laura's heated aura, both rising in anger, only moments after he had left the entrance hall, Cye was ready to drop everything he was doing and step outside himself. Only stiff legs kept him where he was, standing in front of the kitchen sink, both hands placed palm down on the edge of the tiled countertop. The shock of feeling his friends' energies one after the other resonating within his own soul had left him so disoriented that, by the time he had snapped out of it, both Laura and Sage had calmed down. Whether or not what had transpired outside with Krysta was resolved, however, was still uncertain.
Cye took in a deep breath, turning on the faucet head and splashing his face with cold water. He held his head over the basin, droplets of water falling into the sink from his chin and bangs. He took in another breath.
As much as the current situation with Krysta worried him, his concern for his friends would suddenly transform into fear for himself. His senses were scaring him. How strong they were left him breathless.
What's happening to me? Cye asked himself. I shouldn't have been able to feel either of them so sharply. But he did, and with astounding force, as if he were standing right next to Sage when he powered up for his surekill.
This isn't right… This isn't me. But if it wasn't his doing, then who's was it?
"Cye-kun?"
He jumped, swerving on his heels and almost losing his balance in the process. Cye gripped the edge of the counter to stop his fall, forcing himself to relearn how to breathe. Krysta was standing in the doorway, giving him an odd look.
"Cye-kun?" she called again, walking towards him. "Are you alright? You look ill." Her observation might have been closer to the truth than she'd realize.
Cye steadied himself upright. "I'm fine," he breathed, taking in slower breaths. "I'm fine. You startled me."
She smiled lightly. "'Startled' is an understatement."
He forced a laugh, shaking his head. "It's been a long day, Krysta-san."
"So it has."
He watched her face dim. Like watching time played on fast forward, she suddenly seemed older, her age and then some.
Cye's heart tightened. "What happened?"
Her smile was up again, though the façade didn't work. "There's nothing to worry about, Cye-kun," she said, speaking with confidence and assurance. "I understand that you do not trust me, so my words may ring untrue to your ears. But believe me when I say this. …Regardless of what happens, no matter what I've done, no harm will come to your friends."
"My friends?" Cye repeated, his throat going dry at the implications in her words. He swallowed, taking an unconscious step back. Krysta-san… what have you gotten us into?
A shiver ran down Sage's spine. A few minutes had passed, and yet he could still feel her lingering presence circling the air. He shook it off as best he could, not liking how Krysta's aura danced around his skin, like thousands of prickling needles. The kind of power she held unnerved him. None of it was grounded in the physical, all of it psychiatric energy.
If she had not backed down and instead answered his challenge, would he have won?
Sage fought the reflex to shiver at the thought, trying to concentrate on something more concrete in order to drown out that haunting memory. He saw Laura approach him from the yard.
For the second time that day, she looked pale. Her walk lacked the confidence it usually held; her eyes focused but without direction.
Sage had understood the meaning of Krysta's tale, but the exact specifications as to how her story related to their situation, he had no clue. Laura did, and he did not like how that information impacted her.
"Laura?"
She stopped in front of him, a hint of surprise showing on her face as she met his eyes. Had she even noticed he was standing there?
"Laura, what happened?" Sage asked, his voice so soft that it came out as a whisper. He felt silly for speaking so quietly, but he felt that raising his voice any higher would hurt her in some way.
She blinked, still staring at him without really seeing him. He was tempted to ask his question again, but then Laura lowered her gaze, blinking several times and shaking her head slightly. When she looked back up at him, her eyes were no longer dazed. The emptiness caused by shock vanished as soon as she forced herself to think clearly. Now the hazel orbs only held the confidence and practicality he was accustomed to. With a touch of worry. It was that last emotion that concerned him. He prepared himself for the worst.
"I don't know all the details, but something's stirring among the Xiang-Quon Council members that may revoke Krysta's guardianship over me and Sammy."
"And what does that do?"
"If we're under the protection of Xiang-Quon as a whole and not an individual person, that means the Council is in charge of any matters concerning us, concerning me in particular. And since the Council is representing all families tied to Xiang-Quon, it's as if the whole clan owns my hide."
"You mean to tell me that they can make you come home, just like that?" Sage made an exasperated sigh when she nodded, placing his hands on his hips. "I don't believe this. I didn't think they'd have that much power over you. Or that you would let them."
"Hey," Laura snapped, taking a step towards him. "It's not as if I have a choice. And neither do you. I don't see why you feel you have the right to preach to me about letting others control my life when you do the same."
Sage ran a hand through his hair, a rueful smile on his lips. "Yeah," he agreed after a pause, then shook his head. "I just didn't know that you live in the same world I do. Yours actually seems more harsh than mine, as if being ostracized isn't even an option."
"Clan traditions are more rigid than family. They're laws that cannot be broken."
"But Krysta has found a way around them."
Laura didn't say anything, as if keeping silent would erase what he just said.
Sage frowned. "Don't deny it. I know what that story meant. Krysta wants to keep Xiang-Quon from controlling your life, and apparently she has. What I want to know is how it involves me."
Laura still didn't speak. For a moment, it seemed as if she was going to deny his claim again. But then the brunette took in a deep breath, holding the air in her lungs for a moment to calm her nerves before letting it out slowly. "Okay," she conceded, nodding to herself. "But there's something you need to understand first. Unlike my clan, whose members are either tied to the Kinoku or Kajuro bloodline, Xiang-Quon is a coalition of several families and membership isn't as strict as my own clan. It's common for Xiang-Quon to extend membership to people outside of the dominant families or to offer refuge to stray children who hold promise in the arts."
"The clan adopts orphans?"
"Mm-hmm. Either way, new members, regardless of age, fall under the guardianship of one of the dominant families until they learn their way around the clan.
"Now with me, guardianship is different. Being a Kinoku and heir to my clan's traditions gives me a certain amount of sovereignty. But because I'm a minor, I'm not allowed to hold that kind of power yet, and the Council had made a pledge to the Elders to watch over me if any disaster should befall my clan. So I have to follow their rules."
Sage took in breath, raising his eyebrows at what he'd heard. He hadn't thought of Laura that way; couldn't even imagine it. A sovereign sworn to be protected on the gravestones of a fallen clan… He shook his head. "No wonder they're so adamant to bring you back."
"I'm one of Xiang-Quon's most debated topics," she said, sounding both annoyed and pleased at the same time. It made him suspicious as to whether or not she'd actually been a model demon hunter during her stay with the clan. "I guess the only saving grace is that there's a loophole."
"Loophole?" he asked, a bit surprised. "I didn't think clan laws had back doors."
"Mine did," Laura smiled, the thought of outsmarting the Council making her forget her troubles for a moment. "Because I am the only one who can pass on my clan's teachings, me being young and the Council's pledge wasn't enough to completely curb my independence. The only way was to 'adopt' me under the guardianship policy, because then I'd have to answer to someone, namely Krysta, who answers directly to the Council. But, if my guardian is not a member of Xiang-Quon, I can do whatever I want, i.e. stay in Japan without supervision."
"So that's why Krysta wants me involved; to pass guardianship over to me so Xiang-Quon will no longer have influence over you." Sage shook his head again, crossing his arms over his chest. "I don't see how that's going to work. Your guardian has to be a member of Xiang-Quon, but you need a non-member to be free of them."
"Well…" Laura made a face bordering on agreement and hesitation. There was more to it that just that, and she was having a hard time wording it for Sage. "I'm not being integrated into the clan, so I don't need a real clan member, per se, but I do need someone who is linked to Xiang-Quon but outside of their influence aside from whatever's required from them as my guardian."
"…What?" Sage asked after a moment, eyebrows pulled down low in confusion. "You've lost me. Can you just tell me straight out what's going on and stop tempering what you say to me? It's not becoming."
Laura's face darkened at the suggestion. "Has it ever occurred to you that maybe I'm having difficulty explaining all of this because I'm embarrassed or indignant about the whole thing and not just because I'm trying to 'soften the blow' as you so put it?"
"Okay," Sage held up a hand in peace. "Let's not fight about this. If that's the case, I'm sorry. But for time and clarity's sake, let's put aside all feelings attached to this subject and speak frankly. Just disregard any notion you may have about how I will react to it."
"…You sure?"
Sage nodded.
Laura regarded him skeptically before finally agreeing to the idea. "Alright. There is a way to be linked to Xiang-Quon without being a full member. It's like a pact or contract that ties you to the clan, but keeps you independent of them. You get the backing of the clan as if you were a member yourself, but are only held accountable for whatever was outlined in the agreement, in this case, guardianship.
"These kind of agreements are usually made through diplomatic alliances, but it's not uncommon for these agreements to be forged through challenges and battles."
Sage raised an eyebrow. "Battles?"
"Battles," Laura confirmed. "Guardianship cannot be passed on a whim. The Council appoints the first guardian, and that order can only be relinquished if the charge reaches a certain age or the current guardian's claim is challenged and lost to another person. That person then has to accept the responsibility from the previous guardian in order for the exchange to be legitimate. After that, the challenger is considered an extension of Xiang-Quon."
"Okay…" Sage nodded, acknowledging that he understood what she had said. "But that still doesn't explain what happened earlier."
"What do you mean?"
"With Krysta," he clarified. "You had told me all of this because I had asked you about what had happened outside with Krysta. She wants you to stay, so she wants me to be guardian. But she had already done something before you had explained anything to me, and you have yet to answer what that was." Sage met her eyes, his pale lavender orbs looking at her with a mix of caution and curiosity. "I know I asked you to speak frankly, but you're still holding something back. …Why?"
"Because…" Laura hesitated, fingertips kneading against each other in a sudden bout of apprehension. "You'll be angry."
Sage opened his mouth to say that he wasn't, but Laura shook her head again.
"You don't mind being my guardian," she said. "But that won't matter. You'll still be upset, like how I've seen you get upset. …Like how I get upset when people make my decisions for me."
Those last words… He didn't believe it. He couldn't believe it, his mind not being able to accept what he just heard. Like how I get upset when people make my decisions for me…
He was suddenly cold. The weight of what Laura had implied left his face calm, neutral, and utterly cold. "She made me your guardian."
It wasn't a question. Laura swallowed down the coarse lump of fear that had lodged itself into her throat. She wasn't afraid of him. It wasn't that kind of fear. But she was fearful, dreading what was to come next, wondering if she could control it, and all the while, guilty because she had been the cause. She didn't want to see him angry. She didn't want to see him hurt because of her.
"How?"
One word and already her stomach twisted with unease. She focused in on the facts. Like the effects of meditation, the concentration steadied her nerves. "Krysta knew you were standing just beyond the front door," she evenly reported. "She had moved to hit me in order to bait you outside and into a challenge that she would concede. It worked out better than she had planned, for you had claimed that I was under the protection of the Ronins and the Dates. Stating just that is a direct challenge of guardianship, and Krysta had set it as a battle of wills, a battle you had won by not backing down. So in effect, you became my guardian, though I don't know how she had gotten a direct agreement out of you."
"I do."
Laura's eyes widened, but she said nothing. The expression on Sage's face didn't encourage speech, but made her worry even more. Her kitsune aunt had somehow gotten him to say yes.
Sage's anger had risen and grown exponentially within the last few minutes, but he tried to keep a restraining hold on it. His hands were clenched into tight fists at his sides, his body unnaturally still with tension. Stunning lavender eyes were hidden behind closed lids as he breathed slowly through his mouth, willing himself to calm down.
Laura somehow doubted it would work. A lot had happened, and there was a lot to be mad about. But as to which took precedent in the boy's mind, she didn't know. All she saw was the anger and the strain it took to keep it in.
Laura shook her head to herself. Even if it was the only way to get around Xiang-Quon law… even if her aunt was doing this for her benefit… the ends weren't strong enough to justify the means. Krysta had gone too far.
Laura was about to speak to suggest a meeting with Krysta. She was hoping she could talk her aunt into nullifying the results of the match as invalid; a long shot, but well worth a try.
But as she opened her mouth, Sage's eyes snapped open. She felt the intensity of his gaze on her, but not directly at her, as if a sudden decision had come to pass.
The air grew quiet. For a moment, everything was calm. But then the anger came back, steady and determined. And before she could react, Sage was no longer in the entrance hall. He headed straight for the kitchen where, no doubt, Krysta would be helping Cye with the evening dinner. But he wasn't going there to give them a tour of the kitchen.
Laura staggered after him, already knowing she would arrive there two seconds too late.
Cye leaned heavily against the kitchen counter, hands digging into the white polished edge. What Krysta had told him both amazed and horrified him. Laura's current situation with Xiang-Quon, Krysta's deception, Sage unknowingly becoming Laura's guardian, and the contract with Xiang-Quon that he was required to follow… Cye heard it all from Krysta's very mouth. And the last piece of information was like taking a battering ram to the chest. He couldn't believe what he just heard.
"Can they really…" Cye couldn't finish it, his mouth going dry every time he tried. "Krysta-san! Why didn't you tell him?"
"Cye-kun, nothing will happen to him," Krysta sighed. "I said I'd keep Xiang-Quon from him, and I will."
"That's not the point," he cried. "He should have at least been told that the agreement could kill him! How could you not mention that??"
The woman didn't respond.
"Krysta-san!"
The door into the kitchen slid open. If Cye's skin was already pale at that point, it had gotten paler. "Sage…"
The young man entered the room, not swiftly, as if he were heading for a fight, but not slowly or meek. His gait was calm and powerful, his demeanor holding back a swell of anger; a dam controlling the ocean. The hairs on the back of Cye's neck stood on end as he watched Sage make his way towards Krysta, stopping a few feet directly in front of the woman. Neither one had spoken.
The silence continued, even when Laura stumbled into the kitchen, eyes frantic and searching till they came to focus on the pair occupying the center of the room. Her tension seemed to drop and rise at the same time, relieved that nothing had happened but worried about what will. She stood there for an anxious moment before taking hold of the door handle and sliding it closed behind her. They were now sealed inside.
As if on cue, Krysta spoke first. "Sage-kun, is there something I can help you with?"
His eyes narrowed at the nonchalant response.
"Krysta…" Laura hissed.
Sage raised a hand to his side, signaling that it was alright. Krysta took the entire exchange in for stride.
"I see you and my niece have been talking," she said, casting a quick glance at Laura. "I'm sure you've learned of the situation by now."
Sage nodded. "It surprised me I had to hear it from her and not you."
"Does who you get the information from really matter?"
Sage clenched his fists. "In this case, yes. It does matter."
Krysta looked over the young man before her, her eyes becoming cloudy, distancing herself from the situation but coming closer all the same. "You're upset," she stated as a fact.
"You think I wouldn't be?" he demanded.
"I didn't believe being Kino-chan's guardian would anger you so much."
"It doesn't," Sage said, frustrated, Krysta's attitude chipping away at his self-control. "What does bother me is that you didn't trust me enough to tell me what was going on." Sage took in breath, pausing to steady himself. "I know we don't know each other. But still, if you believed I could handle the responsibility you could have at least believed I would have understood the situation. Did you really need to trick me in order for me to agree??"
"I did not deceive you because I did not trust you."
"Then what was it!" Sage demanded, keeping his eyes fiercely on her own, watching them stare back at him, deciding.
Krysta blinked, and when she opened them her gaze had shifted to the right. She spoke calmly in Chinese. Laura bristled immediately.
"Forget it!" she cried. "There's no way in hell that I'm—!"
Krysta spoke again, her voice rising to be heard over Laura's own. But her tone stayed the same, neutral, but understanding. Laura fumed, but didn't speak the comeback she had in her mind.
With an irritated snort, she slid opened the kitchen door and stepped out, calling over her shoulder before leaving. "C'mon, Cye. Let's go."
"W-what?" Cye sputtered in surprise, then looked at Krysta. The woman had returned to staring at Sage. "…Right. I see." He quietly slipped out after Laura, lingering hesitantly at the door before giving the pair a concerned look and sliding the door close behind him.
Krysta sighed, her shoulders sagging. "I knew you would have said yes," she said.
"And that was your reason for tricking me into saying yes?"
"No." She shook her head. "You saying yes didn't really matter to me. The reasons why did."
Sage gave her a wary look, unsure of how to respond. "The reasons?" he questioned, his anger subsiding. "What do you mean? It your goal for me to take guardianship."
"Yes, it was. And I knew you would have understood the situation and agreed. I can sense that from you. You and the rest of your friends." She laughed humorlessly. "You're all so idealistic."
Sage frowned. There was nothing wrong with having beliefs and dreams. He didn't think he was naïve because of it. "What's wrong with having morals?"
"Nothing. Except I wasn't looking for a moral answer," she replied. "Agreeing to be guardian because it's the only way to keep Kino-chan in the country? Very heroic, and unselfish. Very… untrue."
"You're wrong. I'm not agreeing out of obligation."
"But you are. You know what will happen if you don't agree and your decisions are biased because of it. Even if you don't want them to be, you can't help it. The knowledge you have of the situation will always factor in." Krysta lowered her eyes, shaking her head somberly. "It's unfair to assume that someone can make that kind of decision and still manage to be true to themselves."
So that was it. That's why she didn't tell him anything; lead him away from the details of the issue and straight to the true heart of the matter. She needed to know if she had chosen the right guardian. She needed to know if he'd really take care of her.
Sage diverted his gaze, uncertain of what to say. He could handle deception within the context of personal gain. He'd gotten used to it by then. But this… She had given me freedom. Even if he wasn't aware of it, at that one moment outside the entrance hall, Krysta had given him the luxury to choose on his own. And he did choose. Sage was surprised at his own decision.
"I'm not agreeing out of obligation," he repeated, although this time, the words sounded different; meant different.
Krysta smiled. "I know that now."
"Krysta-san?" Sage asked before she turned to leave. "My duties," he began. "What are they?"
Her smile grew softer and more solemn. At least, Sage believed so. But her voice was the same, pleasant ring that it always was. "What did I ask of you?" she answered back. "At the entrance hall?"
"Take care of her," he replied.
Krysta gave him a cheerful nod. "Simple, ne?"
[It's not that simple.]
[Oh Kino-chan, you're being pessimistic.]
[I'm being realistic.]
[Funny how those two are interchangeable.]
Laura clenched her fists, taking in a deep breath and letting it out slowly. She and her aunt were the only ones in the hallway. Cye, after being assured a million times that everything was okay, had finally resumed his task in the kitchen, though cooking one meal seemed to be taking him much longer than he first thought. Sage had gone to the dojo to check up on the others. That left Laura and Krysta once again alone and back where they started: arguing.
Laura placed her hands on her hips, shaking her head in disgust. [I can't believe he agreed,] she said in Chinese. [He's stupider than I thought.]
[I thought you wanted him to be your guardian.]
[Not if it costs him his life!]
[That's only assuming that you die.] Krysta winked. [Not planning to commit suicide are we?]
Laura gave an exasperated sigh. [Fine. He's safe from the Council. But not from Gen.]
[Lou Gen Mao?] She laughed. [You're just trying to make an issue out of it. He has no business with your guardianship.]
[No, but he won't like my guardian being a guy.]
Krysta sweatdropped, laughing again. [Yes, you're right. I almost forgot how protective he is of you.]
Laura glared at her aunt in silence, waiting.
[Lou Gen Mao won't test him. His little youth brigade has just been granted family status,] Krysta announced. [Him and his two sisters now have seats on the Council. He can't leave the country at such a critical point.]
Laura's mouth hung open at the news. [Silent Night has been recognized by the Council?] she asked, barely able to contain her excitement.
[It's now a legitimate organization. Even with families like Xien and Su.] Krysta smiled at the thought. [He's given hope to those kids. …You understand why he won't come.]
[And Li?]
[Li is the first son of Huang Xi Kou. He will not disgrace his family name by disobeying Council orders and coming over here.]
[So it's true then?] Laura asked. [All Xiang-Quon members are not to enter Japan?]
Krysta placed her hand lightly on Laura's shoulder, smiling softly as she passed her by. [You do not need to worry yourself with clan affairs,] she said, Laura following after her in order to continue the conversation. [Overseas business shouldn't occupy your mind anymore, for there's something more pressing that you should be concerned with.]
[Why a demon hunter's clan is forbidden to enter a country whose demon population has risen exponentially is a matter of concern for me,] Laura replied tersely. [Don't withhold information from me, Krysta.]
The older woman suddenly stopped, Laura almost ramming into her aunt's backside. Krysta sighed, closing her eyes. [I wish I could tell you that I was.]
[You don't know??]
[The situation is… delicate, and still very fresh.] Krysta turned around to face her niece. [Xiang-Quon will not be able to assist you for a while once I leave. Though I'm sure that won't stop your Uncle Benny from sending you a few 'gifts' every now and then.] Laura had to smile at the thought. [Please allow me to handle the situation,] Krysta asked her niece. [I'll update you when I can, but right now, all I ask is that you trust me.]
Laura frowned, not liking the idea when Krysta turned around to take one of her niece's hands in an imploring gesture. [Kino-chan,] she began soberly. [I know I simply can't ask you to stop caring about us. But you can't be distracted here. I don't know how much more clear I can be about this.] Laura didn't argue then.
Krysta released her niece's hand, looking to the side at the room they now stood in front of. Laura followed her gaze, and realized they were by the guest room where Grandfather Date was resting. She looked at her aunt, a flash of misgiving showing on her face, but she didn't say anything then either. Krysta smiled.
[I must talk to Masahiro-san for a while. I take it you'll bring Sage-kun here in a little bit?]
Laura sighed irritably. [I don't have much of a choice.]
Krysta's smile broadened, her skin crinkling at the corners of her eyes. [Please don't tell him,] she said. [Everything depends on his reaction.]
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
I must apologize. ::gets bashed in the head by a rubber mallet:: ...Yes. I guess my apology means nothing. I'd rather not recount to you the last six months of my life but—::gets bashed in the head again just at the mention of the time:: ...Riiiiight.
Well ::ahem:: this chapter in all honesty was the biggest pain in the butt God could give me. But other than that, I have no excuse for taking so long. I took leave the first three months after I last updated to get used to school. Then the next three months were so busy that I didn't have time for hobbies. But as for the period from then till now, from the end of March till today… I really had no excuse aside from my own laziness. Writing just didn't seem appealing for a while. I didn't have the dedication to sit down and write, so I had to do a little searching and a bit more learning about my craft before I was able to open up MSWord again and type.
I've done some studying on actual writing and technique on my own the last couple of months, and it was during this learning period that I started to see more faults in my writing, or new techniques to try out, that this chapter was an entire experimental thing that I kept re-editing and then scraping and then doing over again. I'd say I scrapped the opening at least 15 times and once I've gotten so far as to three quarters of the way done before setting fire to the whole thing and rethinking my approach to this chapter entirely. To be honest, the whole idea of guardianship and Xiang-Quon's involvement was never going to fall into play in the first place, at least not here.
Analyzing the clan's social and political behaviors, their customs and relations with Laura was one reason I took so long. The emotional reactions involved in this chapter and the timing of it all was of some discomfort as well, but the main reason I wanted to print out a copy of this chapter and rip it to shreds in my bare hands was because of Krysta. I had not pinned her personality down into a set pattern of my thinking just yet, because she represents the adult world, particularly the world of craft and politics, and I haven't done an in-depth look into an adult character in my writing. Plus the type of relationship that my muse was telling me between Krysta and Laura was at times difficult for me to understand. It's full of personal battles and lies, scorn, trust, hurt feelings, pride, and so many other things that I wonder how they could ever rely on each other at all! Like with my style with writing, I had to re-examine my characters a bit more, and give more direction and clarity to their motives before I could continue on with this story.
That being said, I'm not setting any time as to when I believe the next chapter will be out. I will say that I am working on it; that I actually know for certain the direction I'm heading, and because there isn't as much emotion playing into it, in theory, it should not be as difficult as this chapter was.
In other news, I'm doing well in school, I'm starting a manga with three other friends that, later, we'll be using for an animated short for our demo reel, I'm actually studying writing now and juggling between six different books while I'm in art school, and I'm starting to flesh out the skeleton of a book and several other manga works I'll be taking up on my own.
Special thanks to people like Panthera, who never fails to bash me over the head and her love for Takeru keeps me going; Little Fairy from Nam, who's zany in a good way and threatens me with deceptively innocent evils, like packaging peanuts; Ebben1, who's reviews and the fun-ness in them make me want to write more; L.T. Morley, who's honest and taking on the gigantic task of editing and critiquing ALL of the chapters I've posted for RWU; and darling Korin, who keeps bugging me all the time. ALL the time! Oh! And Akima Miota, though no one knows her, I thank her and everyone who no one knows reads this story. Thank you for your support!!
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