Chapter Five
Kao woke up in unfamiliar surroundings to the sound of feet pounding on the hard floors outside his door. He opened one of hislilac eyes and watched the shadows that were cast from the light out in the hall, into his room underneath the door. Recognizing, the voices of Mannen, Shin and Hajime, he closed his eye again and rolled over on the other side. Though he may have tried to deny it earlier, he was quite comfortable in this room and this bed. King sized with silk sheets and a matching silk blanket were exactly to his liking.
"Do you think he's awake?" Kao heard Shin ask the others.
"He should be, it's almost ten in the morning." Hajime answered. Kao's eyes shot open and he stared at the digital clock that was on the bedside table. Sure enough, the numbers read 9:43. He groaned mentally before rolling off of the bed and landing lazily on the floor, wrapped in a heap of dark blue sheets. Mannen snickered out in the hall.
"He's awake now." Mannen whispered, "I think he even fell out of bed!" All three of them laughed amongst themselves. Kao glared at the door, as if ordering it to punish the young children on the other side. He changed into his gray pants and white tennis shoes but wore a sleeveless black tee-shirt with a gray vest over it. Quickly, we walked to the attached bathroom and rinsed his face with cold water. He dried his face quickly and slung the towel over his shoulders. Then he marched towards the door, to catch the culprits snickering outside. He smirked. He could hear them leaning up against it and knew once he opened the door, they would fall forward and be at his mercy. Slowly so as not to make a sound, he crept over and reached for the silver door knob and turned it silently. He stepped to the side as the three fell forward just like he had predicted.
"Well well well. What have we here?" Kao asked in a semi-angry voice. His arms were crossed over his chest and he stared down at them as they looked up at him. They were still lying on the floor and Kao seemed even larger and looked more threatening then when they were standing up. "A group of eavesdroppers huh?" He continued, leaning against the door frame. One ankle crossed casually over the other.
Mannen and Hajime gulped, but Shin sniffled. Kao lost his threatening stare and stared the youngest of the three. Mannen and Hajime mimicked Kao's actions and stared at him too. They knew what was coming next. Shin started to cry and Kao's eyebrows shot up. This little kid here was a lot like Shanru. Heck, their names were really similar too. Thinking about the kid he treated like a younger brother, a warm feeling took over. He kneeled down next to him and took a gentle hold of his arms and pulled him up. "Come on, don't cry, I was only teasing. Tell you what, to make it up to you all, I'll take all three of you out for ice cream. Is it a deal?" Kao asked, holding a hand out for the other two. The accepted and were hoisted up onto their feet. Shin stopped crying and whipped away the vanishing tears, smiling happily.
"You really mean it?" Hajime asked excitedly. Kao bit back a smile and looked at him.
"I wouldn't say it if I didn't."
"All right!" Hajime cried, high-fiveing Shin.
"Can we have any flavor we want?" Mannen demanded, staring up at Kao with defiance. Kao smirked in amusement.
"Sure. Just don't tell Hayate. He'd probably have a fit." Kao winked at them all.
"I think we can handle that." Mannen said mischievously. "Right guys?" Shin and Hajime nodded in agreement.
"Good, I'll come get you when we can go. Consider it an unhealthy morning snack." Kao told them. Then he ruffled Shin's hair. "Now be off with you guys, go do what youngsters your age do. It's exhausting just watching you jump around!" They scurried off, playing a game of tag. Kao went in the other direction, towards the doors to the gardens. When he turned he found Himeno watching him with a smile. "You didn't just see that did you?" Kao demanded, shoving his hands into his pockets.
"See what?" Himeno asked, still smiling at him. Kao walked past her to the stairs.
"Nothing, I'm heading out and would you stop smiling at me like that?" Kao hissed, turning around mid-step to look at her accusingly. She just smiled even more and he turned around heading to his destination. Sulking the whole way.
"Your so kind Kao. Like Hayate." Himeno whispered. When she though of Hayate, she blushed slightly, but shook her head to get rid of it. "Hey Kao!" She called after him. He turned around on one of the steps, staring at her impatiently. "Are you heading to the garden?" She asked.
"Yeah. What of it?" Kao asked.
"Want me to show you around?" Himeno said. Kao shrugged with both shoulders.
"Couldn't hurt. Why not?" Himeno smiled and ran after him. They walked out together and Himeno's hands were clasped behind her back.
"What are you so happy about?" Kao snapped, irritated with her bouncing energy. Himeno looked at him as if he were crazy.
"Well, why not?" It's Saturday morning, no school, no demon larva and I get to go to my garden." She replied. Kao looked at her, eyes mocking.
"Your garden? What makes it your garden?" He mumbled. Himeno cracked a grin.
"I take care of the flowers. I make sure they get plenty of sun, water, and nourishment."
"Why would flowers need nourishment? They make their own food." Kao mumbled, not really caring.
"Fertilizer. It gives flowers the extra minerals and nourishment they can't make or get on their own. It's important to care for flowers. They need attention as much as the next person." Himeno informed him. Kao snorted.
"Attention? To flowers? You've gotta be kidding. They're plants, nothing more, nothing less." Himeno glared at Kao for a moment.
"Don't let Shin ever hear you say that, you'd make him cry. And I'd prefer if you kept those kinds of remarks to yourself. Flowers are very special to me." Himeno snapped. Kao stared at her, surprised by her sudden mood change.
"Okay, okay, jeez. Don't go throwing a fit. But, if you don't mind me asking, why are they so important to you?" Kao mumbled, pulling one of his hands out of his pocket and letting it relax at his side as he walked. He was beginning to get cramps in that arm from keeping it bent so long. Himeno looked up at him and smiled almost immediately.
"Because. Flowers remind me of my mom. We used to take care of them together. She used to tell me, "you have to look after them Himeno. Look after them and protect them from harm." I've followed that advice ever since she died." She looked at the flowers they were walking by fondly. Kao looked at her with a sympathetic glance.
"I'm sorry. If it helps, I never new my father, he was..." Kao took in a deep breath, his fist clenched at his side. "Killed, before I was born." He finished, choking on his words in anger. Himeno smiled sadly.
"Don't be sorry, you didn't do anything. And no, it doesn't help. No one should grow up without their dad or mom. I at least knew my mine." She looked up at him, but he just stared straight ahead. Not saying a word. Then he looked down at her, shaking his head in disagreement.
"No. I think that I have it easier, because I didn't know him. I don't have to feel the pain of losing him. All I have to worry about is wondering what it would be like if he were around."
"Well, that makes sense I suppose. But, what about your mother?" Himeno asked curiously. Kao went rigid.
"I, don't like talking about her if you don't mind." Kao said, relaxing a little when Himeno nodded in understanding. Kao sighed mentally and was thankful he hadn't given himself away. Truth was, his mother was a good parent and she was much better then what he had made her out to be. He had to lie about Galaxia, or the plan wouldn't work.
"Hey Himeno!" Hayate called, getting up from his kneeling position. A half full bag of fertilizer was propped up against a stone bench next to him. "Did you come to help out with the gardening?" Hayate cried out, not noticing Kao walking beside her. Kao stopped immediately.
"Um, Himeno? I'm going to go for a walk in a different direction. Not really in the mood for a fight with the Air Head. Even if I know I'm going to win anyways." Himeno laughed.
"Sure, but try to keep Hayate from seeing you. He won't let you off so easily." Kao nodded before turning on his heel and heading in the opposite direction. Himeno watched him turn a corner and out of sight.
She turned to face Hayate and waved at him, smiling happily. "Hey! You better believe I've come to help. Have to make sure you're taking care of the flowers the right way!" She shouted.
"Like you would know the right way Tulip Head?" Hayate laughed at her, ducking as she threw a small pebble his way. She walked over to him and looked over his shoulder.
"Tulip Head? Which one?" She asked, giggling, pointing to the tulip beds in front of them. Hayate blushed slightly before he turned to her.
"The only Tulip Head there is." He said, referring to her, though she didn't take it that way.
"You must be around the flowers to much if you like to talk to them, let alone tease them. And don't you know how to count? There must be over one-hundred 'tulip heads' here"
"These flowers may be called tulips, but you are the only Tulip Head on earth." Hayate laughed, teleporting as her fist came flying out of no where. He appeared behind her and tapped her shoulder, teleporting again as her fist redirected its direction to him. He appeared ten feet in front of her. Seeing her angered, flushed face, he turned on his heal and ran in the opposite direction.
"Get back here Hayate! That's the last time you'll ever call me Tulip Head!" She cried, giving chase.
"Whatever you say, TULIP HEAD!" Hayate shouted over his shoulder laughing the whole time.
Kao rolled his eyes from behind a tree. He had been listening to their conversation since he had nothing else to do. He decided that they were childish and immature, and that everything they said wasn't worth eavesdropping on anyways. It was obvious they liked each other. Using his back, he pushed himself away from the tree he had been leaning against and followed the path through the trees, kicking a rock in front of him. He heard laughter echo through the air, muffling the sounds of the birds perched in the branches above his head.
"What do you find so amusing Suraku?" Kao called out, stopping in a clearing among the shallow foliage. "You know I don't like being laughed at!" Kao muttered playfully. Suraku materialized in front of him.
"Whatever you say Your Majesty!" Suraku teased. Kao groaned.
"Garu told you about that didn't he?" Kao asked, crossing his arms in annoyance. Suraku laughed.
"He told everyone. He has to tell us how you're doing and everything about your 'meeting'. Remember?"
"Oh yeah, tell him he's dead when I get back."
"Will do, Sire." Suraku laughed as Kao flashed him a dirty look. "So, how's the plan going?"
"Perfect. Tell mother to send another Demon Larva. That way, I'll be able to give them our story and it won't seem awkward or out of place."
"Will do!" Suraku saluted playfully.
"What's gotten into you? You seem awfully...energetic today." Kao asked suspiciously.
"Let's just say I'm bored and haven't heard anything interesting lately." Kao laughed at these words slightly.
"You really are out of it, if you're cracking jokes about you being the Knight of Sound. But I've gotta go. I have a date." Kao muttered, shoving his hands into his pockets. Suraku stared at him.
"With Himeno?"
"No you idiot, with the kids. I promised them ice cream. You'd better go tell mother about my request though, I need to take it our plans to the next step. I'm getting kind of bored here."
"Is that an order milord?" Suraku taunted, bowing.
"If it will make you leave faster, then yes." Kao said. Suraku was gone within a blink of the eye and Kao turned towards the mansion to find the three boys. He found them playing with a homemade boat made out of a milk carton in the manmade river. He saw Mawata laughing with them. She must have made it. "Hey! Monsters!" They all looked up at him. "I promised you ice cream, so Mannen, Shin, Hajime, let's get a move on it!" They sprang to their feet and ran to him.
"Can Mawata come too?" Shin asked. Tipi squeaked as if begging him along with Shin. Kao glanced up at the girl. Mawata was watching them with a bitter-sweet smile as the young knights surrounded him. He looked down at Shin and smiled.
"Sure. Go get her will you?" Mannen, Shin, and Hajime grinned and whirled around to get her, tugging her behind them by her wrists as Kao led the way.
I think you all know who writes this story now. Sorry if this chapter was too long. See you next time!