The Gun & the Sword.
Chapter XII: The Fated Journey.
Keiranto paled at what he had just heard. "You, you want to see grandma Hina first?" He stammered, "But why?"
The tall woman spoke back. "It is an Aoyama family tradition. Before we give our blessing on any marriage, we must speak with the elder of the other family."
--------------------------------------------Later that day----------------------------------------------
Keiranto and Motoko looked at the other residents. "Keitaro, can you and Naru look after the Hinata Sou while we are gone?" The pair nodded. "Ok, then, we'll be off. We will try to get back as soon as possible."
"But you two, what about Tokyo U??" questioned Shinobu.
"Well, I decided that Motoko was more important to me than Tokyo U, and she said the same thing. Sorry guys but we will have to go now; we have a boat to catch. We will send a postcard! Bye!"
And with that, they gunned the motorbike engines and headed off.
------------------------------------- 4 Days later. --------------------------------------------------------
"Ok, here we are in Los Angeles, this is the last place we heard from grandma. I will ask around at the Police Station to see if we can find any clue of her current whereabouts."
Four hours later, they managed to find out that granny Hina had left heading east a couple of months ago. The pair booked into a holiday inn and got a night's sleep before riding off on route 66 towards Chicago. Five days later, they hit Arizona and carried on after pointers that Hina had been seen in Albuquerque. Finally, after three gruelling weeks and 8 different states, they pulled up outside the Chicago Police Department HQ.
"Err, hello, I was wondering if you could tell me if a small old woman with the name of Hina passed through here recently? I know she had a hobby of getting her passport stamped at police stations around the world?"
"Hang on a minute sir, I'll just ask my colleague, HEY, Joe, do you remember a small old jap woman comin' through here trying to get her passport stamped??"
"Oh yeah, it was like, two weeks ago, she said somethin' 'bout headin' up north somewhere, to Canada or Alaska or somethin'"
"Thankyou sir, you have been a great help."
Keiranto looked at Motoko. "Alaska here we come!!!"
-----------------------------------------------One month later-------------------------------------------
Keiranto looked over at Motoko as they rode over the giant frozen lake. They were finally coming close to catching up with grandma Hina. He skidded the bike to a stop as an unearthly howl split the air. A giant black wolf stood in front of him. Motoko readied her Katana but he waved her back. "Hang on, I think he's hurt."
He slowly walked over to the animal and crouched by it. He turned its paw over to reveal a thorn the size of his middle finger embedded in the animal's paw. "Hang on there, big fellow, this could hurt." With that, he yanked out the thorn. The wolf whimpered and then, realising the thorn was gone, rubbed itself up against him and yipped.
Keiranto was surprised, he could understand what the animal was saying, after a fashion. It was saying, "I, Rikku, the wolf, thank you, human, for taking the pain from me. I would be honoured to travel with you and your mate, for as you have saved me, I would do the same for you."
Keiranto turned to Motoko and realised, like him, she could understand everything the wolf had said. She nodded, "I think we should take him with us, if he can keep up with the bikes."
--------------------------------------------------Two weeks later-------------------------------------
"Well of course I will come home to Japan and meet this woman. I can see the two of you are deeply in love, or you wouldn't have given up Tokyo U and come all this way through the USA to find me so you can get hitched. Pity though, I like Fairbanks, Alaska."
"Thankyou, Granny, you don't know how much this means to us."
"It doesn't matter, and anyway, I've always wanted a great grandchild."
Keiranto and Motoko choked on their food.
"err, isn't it a little early to be thinking about that?!"