Disclaimer - I don't own Love Hina.
Chapter II – A Mysterious Summons
He was surrounded by the familiar scene of flames licking at the walls and consuming the wooden floors and tatami mats of his home. All around him, the screams and groans of the dying echoed like a broken record, the cacophony of their agony seared into his memory. At the edge of his vision, demonic assassins flittered about in the shadows, slicing his clansmen to pieces before they even knew they were being attacked.
"…stop…get away from them…" he whispered, even though he knew that the fate of his family was sealed. His mind was an unwilling passenger along for the ride as his body ran through the burning halls to find that room. He got to the doors in record time, kicking them off their hinges and bursting inside to lay witness to the sight that continued to haunt him.
"…Mom…Dad…" his voice broken and defeated, he turned to see their murderer, the red haired demon with cat-like yellow eyes and a malevolent smirk on his face as he looked upon his handiwork in triumph.
"Just in time for the best part, little Kyo…"
Before his eyes, the fatally wounded body of his sister walked towards him, before falling inert into his arms. He wasn't able to hold in his anguish any longer, and screamed until his throat became hoarse, before glaring at the killer.
"K….KUROTORRAAAAAAAA!"
Keitaro's dark brown eyes flipped open, his breaths coming in pants as he looked around him. The first thing he noticed was the mass of black hair obstructing his vision, and the scent of wildflowers filling his nose. His attention then fell on the warm body holding itself to him tightly. Having grown familiar with this situation, the young man sighed and gently removed the lithe, feminine arms that had wrapped around his waist. Luckily, he didn't wake the young woman from her slumber, and was able to slip on his house slippers before leaving the quiet bedroom.
Making his way to the bathroom, Keitaro rubbed his eyes and yawned, cataloging in his mind what he'd planned for the day.
'…school…study for a bit…and then…'
He paused in the hallway for a moment before a dark look came across his eyes, only to disappear as quickly as it came. Entering the bathroom, he went to brush his teeth before stripping from his sleepwear and going into the shower stall. Ten minutes later saw the young man drying himself off before he noticed his reflection in the mirror.
Four years had brought a few changes to Keitaro Urashima. He'd grown taller, topping off at 183cm, and his vigorous training had shaped his body into that of a lean athlete, with dense, well-defined muscles capable of explosive speed and power. His raven-colored hair was cut much shorter, resembling that of his late father, Kazuya, but instead of lying flat, it was spiked up all over. His eyes landed on the scar over his heart, the kanji that represented the promise he'd made to his dead family. Oddly enough, it still bore an angry red coloring, as though it had never healed. In the past, there were even instances that it had opened up and bled as if freshly carved. As he continued to gaze at the scar, he heard a knock at the door.
"Onii-chan, breakfast will be ready in a few minutes," Kanako said to him through the door, "…you could've woken me up, you know. I wouldn't have minded…"
"I know…and I thought I told you last time to stop sneaking into my room at night," Keitaro said as he opened the door to speak to his fellow adoptee face to face, "I coulda sworn I locked it this time…"
Kanako's eyes widened a fraction as she took in the sight of her adopted brother shirtless with a pair of loose sweats hanging from his hips. She quickly schooled her features before she could start drooling, "…you did…I picked the lock...you should know better by now, you're my favorite pillow…"
The dark young girl trailed off, seeing a slightly haunted look come across Keitaro's face, "O-oh, I sorry! I forgot-"
"It's ok Kana-chan," Keitaro waved off her apology, his face going back to normal, "just…don't sneak into my room to sleep with me anymore…seriously, Saigo-san and Nao-san already worry enough about you as it is…"
Keitaro walked back to his room, shutting the door before changing into his school uniform: simple black slacks, a white dress shirt with black tie, and a black blazer with the school logo on the left breast pocket. Exiting the room, he went downstairs to the kitchen, where a middle-aged man with messy brown hair, brown eyes, and five-o-clock shadow sat at the table reading the morning paper, while his wife, a lovely woman with long dark brown hair and dark blue eyes, set the plates out for breakfast.
"Good morning, Saigo-ji, Nao-san."
Saigo looked up from his paper and gave his adopted son a small grin, "Good morning to you too, Kei-kun. Hard time getting up today?"
"No harder than usual," Keitaro told his foster father, electing not to spill anything about Kanako's shenanigans, "It's always harder for me to get up during the winter…hibernation and all that."
The man laughed, "I hear ya! But look at the bright side, it's almost vacation time, and then one more term before graduation!"
Keitaro sat down with a sad smile, having completely forgotten that he'd be graduating from high school in another few months. It was a milestone that his parents had been eager for him to reach when they'd been alive, and now that it was happening, the young man just didn't feel that excited for it.
A plate being placed in front of him brought Keitaro out of his state of melancholy, "Oh, thanks, Nao-san," he nodded to his foster mother, who smiled and gave him a small kiss on his head.
"You're very welcome, Kei-kun, but how many times have I told you not to address me so formally?" she pouted while lightly admonishing the young man, "You call Saigo 'Saigo-ji'…"
Keitaro had the decency to blush, "Uh…sorry…Nao-nee?"
"Much better!"
Saigo shook his head in amusement at the scene, before greeting Kanako who'd just sat at the table, "And how was your night, Kanako-chan?"
"Good as always, although it could've been a bit better," she slyly looked over to Keitaro, who was busy chewing on his toast. He was able to hide nearly choking on the bread at his sister's sultry tone.
'…that girl…is gonna be the death of me…'
The siblings finished their breakfast quickly, and bade goodbye to their parents before putting on their shoes and setting out to school. As they made their way to the bus stop, Keitaro looked around the neighborhood lazily.
The Urashimas lived on the outskirts of Hinata, a scenic little town that faced Sagami Bay in the Kanagawa Prefecture. It wasn't that far from Tokyo, but it was out of the way enough for Saigo, who'd opted to live a life of peace and obscurity rather than inherit the leadership of the Urashima clan. This ended up working out perfectly for Keitaro, who'd needed to live far away from anyone who could recognize him.
Glancing up at her brother, and noticing something out of place, Kanako sighed and tapped him on the arm, "Onii-chan…you forgot to fix your hair again."
"Huh?" Keitaro pulled a lock down and noticed it was still black. Oops. "Huh…guess I did…"
"I have a couple costumes with me since we have that musical in school coming up," the young woman gestured to the backpack slung over her shoulders, "I could lend you one of the wigs for the day…"
"No, it's fine, I got it," Keitaro replied, and just as Kanako was about to question him, her eyes grew to the size of dinner plates as the man's hair literally morphed from black to dark brown, matching Saigo's hair color perfectly. The color of his eyebrows copied the change moments later.
"…you learned that Iga clan technique that lets you alter your hair color using ki, didn't you." It was more of a statement than a question. Keitaro gave the girl a small smirk for an answer, "…I get dibs on it next."
"Maybe…I still have a while to go before I can make the change last without focusing so much on it," the two soon arrived the bus stop, waiting for a few minutes before hopping on the next bus that showed up. It was a leisurely forty-five minute ride into the heart of Hinata, where their schools were located. As they thanked the driver and departed the bus, Kanako was about to head off when Keitaro placed a hand on her shoulder.
"…are you going to be home early tonight? I'll need your help with that…"
"…no problem. I'll finish my chores at school quickly and head straight back."
"Alright, I'll see you later then. Take care Kana-chan."
The pair hugged and Keitaro kissed the girl on her forehead before walking off towards his school, leaving Kanako staring at his back, a small smile on her face as she gently touched the spot where he'd briefly placed his lips.
'Onii-chan…'
Keitaro was greeted with the usual sight when he reached his classroom: girls clustered together in small groups as they gossiped about their adventures from the past weekend, the jocks hanging out together laughing boisterously and joking around, and other students just milling about, listening to music or reading to pass the time before homeroom began.
Taking his seat at a desk next to the windows, the young swordsman set his bag on the floor next to his chair and took out a small journal. Leaning back casually in his seat, he opened the journal with one hand, eyes glancing over the notes and news clippings pasted inside. They were all written about something regarding the Imperial Family…or to be more specific, the Imperial Guardians.
His gaze skimmed along the pages, reacquainting himself with the results of several years of research. The lone Mononobe had long since committed to memory the entire structure of the Tachibana: the ancient clan was comprised of ten pure blood families, or 'pillars', with small subsets and branches of mixed-blood relatives. Heihachi Tachibana's family had been the acting lead pillar for several generations, with the other nine deferring to them. On the chart that listed the ten main families, four of them were crossed out, with newspaper articles next to them detailing the mysterious deaths of all their members. Keitaro smirked as he reread them, a glint of triumph in his eyes.
'…four down…soon to be five…'
As he continued to read and plan out his next actions, a feminine voice called out to him.
"Keitaro-san!"
Looking up from his book, Keitaro saw the approach of a very attractive girl with long, light brown hair and two 'antennae' sticking up from the front. The school uniform did a poor job of hiding her amazing figure, as it accentuated her curves and left much of her long, creamy legs on display. The young man lifted his free hand and gave the girl a dull wave, "Yo."
"Don't just 'Yo' me, mister! Where were you over the weekend? We were supposed to study for the practice exams!," the girl scolded, her large brown eyes narrowing as she pouted at her study partner.
"…that was supposed to be last weekend?" Keitaro asked before putting the journal down on his desk and looking up at the ceiling in thought, cringing when he actually remembered his promise, "…oh yea…it was. Geez, I'm a frickin idiot…"
The young woman's pout grew more pronounced, "That's all you have to say? I waited for hours at the library for you! What happened? Did something come up last minute again?"
Keitaro had the decency to look a bit remorseful, "Couldn't be helped, but I should've called to let you know. Sorry, Naru-san."
Naru Narusegawa sighed and shook her head before pulling out the chair at the desk in front of Keitaro's and turning it to face him, sitting down after taking off her bag and making herself comfortable, "I guess I'll let you off the hook…this was the first time you actually bailed without telling me. Just don't do it again. It'd suck if I had to kick my study-buddy to the curb because he was being a jerk."
"I'll try not to miss out again, Naru-san" Keitaro apologized, earning a nod and a wide grin from the lovely young woman across from him. Returning the smile with an amused shake of his head, the young man found himself reminiscing on how they met.
When he'd first arrived to Hinata, Keitaro had resolved not to bother with making friends and focus solely on his mission, and throughout the remainder of his junior high school years, he'd adhered to that promise pretty well. While he remained courteous and civil towards his fellow classmates, he avoided getting too close to any of them, always remaining at arms' length and earning the reputation of a loner amongst his peers. His teachers had been worried about his introverted behavior, but since he scored nothing but A's in all of his courses, they'd left him alone. The young swordsman had intended to continue this trend in high school…until the day he crossed paths with Naru Narusegawa and her best friend, Mitsune "Kitsune" Konno.
Keitaro had first run into them in the middle of his sophomore year, when the two had really been earning the attention of the male population in their grade. Naru was an ethereal beauty even back then, and Kitsune was her high-strung, but well-meaning sidekick. Like the rest of the guys in his grade, the young swordsman had recognized the physical appeal of the two (what pure-blooded male wouldn't?), but he'd remained steadfast in his desire not to get close to anyone, and had done his best to avoid them. It wasn't until the second term of junior year that his trend would be broken, when he'd had a chance encounter with Naru at the school library. He almost didn't believe his eyes, as originally the lovely young girl had been a slightly below average student, preferring to zone out and daydream over paying attention in class or studying. But after the tutoring she received the previous summer, she diligently worked her way up to become one of the top students in their class.
One day, when Keitaro had opted to study for an upcoming Calculus exam, he'd spotted Naru occupying his favorite table in the rear corner of the library. It was isolated from everyone else, and it was next to a window that gave a nice view of the city proper. Thinking about finding another table for a moment, the young man simply shrugged and sat down across from the girl, who didn't even notice his presence until he plopped a textbook open on the table and began taking notes.
"…Calculus?" she asked tentatively. Keitaro grunted in reply before glancing at the book in front of the studious girl, "History?"
"Yea…big exam at the end of the week."
The pair went silent after that, absorbed in their notes and flashcards. A couple hours went by before Naru heard the boy curse softly.
"Dammit! Stupid Pythagorean theorem!"
Looking over at his paper, she noticed he'd written the formula the wrong way, "Hey, I think that variable should go on the other side of the equation. You might have better luck that way."
Keitaro looked up at her for a moment, before nodding and moving the variable, "Huh…it does work. Thanks-" he began before noticing she was looking at her notes in frustration, "…something wrong?"
"I can't remember this one thing that the professor was grilling us about regarding the Imperial Family…it's the date that Emperor Meiji wrote the decree for that Decennial Tournament or something…"
"…November 14, 1870."
Naru looked up at the boy, slightly shocked that he knew such an obscure date off the top of his head. Looking through her text book, she found he was right on the dot.
"…that's exactly it," she said, giving the boy an impressed look, "how'd you know?"
Keitaro's smile didn't meet his eyes as he answered, "My family schools me a lot on history…or at least my grandmother does…slave-driving old windbag…"
Naru giggled quietly at the boy's 'description' of his elder, before reaching a hand over to him, "I don't think I caught your name. I'm Naru, Narusegawa Naru."
"Urashima Keitaro," he reached his own hand over and gently shook hers, "it's a pleasure."
Naru gave the boy a quick smile and went back to studying, feeling more at ease with her current company. Keitaro also felt a bit calmer as he continued his own work. Throughout the rest of the afternoon, they would occasionally help each other when something was a bit too difficult to figure out on their own, and it wasn't until the sun began to set that they finally left the library, feeling mentally drained, but satisfied.
"So do you come here to study often?" Naru asked the boy next to her as they walked out of the front entrance to the library. Keitaro gave her a nod, "Yea, I usually come after school to study for a few hours before heading back home. Sometimes I have to leave early to go pick up my sister, though."
Naru nodded as they approached the corner of the street, "Well, I have to head down this way," she said before looking back at Keitaro, "Are you gonna be at the library again tomorrow?"
"No reason I shouldn't be…for now anyway," the boy said while giving a small smile, one that Naru returned.
"Cool! I'll see ya tomorrow then!" the young girl waved before walking towards the bus stop. Keitaro returned the wave and headed in the opposite direction to the spot where he'd meet up with Kanako. The following day saw the two meeting up again to study, as did the day after that. Before long, they had developed a routine (that was occasionally crashed by the prankster Kitsune), and a friendship was born against Keitaro's initial wishes. These days, however, he couldn't really say he regretted how things had turned out all that much.
At the final bell, the students rose quickly from their seats, rushing about and grabbing their belongings as they headed out, either to after-school activities or their homes. Keitaro took his time packing up before joining Naru at the door, the two scholarly students making a beeline for the library. Settling themselves in their favorite spot, they took out their books and began their normal studying ritual.
"Hey, what was that book you were reading earlier?" Naru brushed a hair to the side as she looked curiously at her study partner. Keitaro looked up from his homework assignment and answered, "Nothing really…just an old journal. Why do you ask?"
The lovely young woman looked down at the table, a small blush adorning her cheeks, "N-no reason, really. I just notice that you have it with you all the time…I got curious."
Keitaro laughed a bit, causing Naru's face to redden a bit more, "It's alright. I guess I kinda have been reading it a lot lately," his smile became a bit sad as he continued, "it's a bit personal though. I'll tell you about it another day."
The girl nodded, thankful she hadn't offended her friend with her intrusive question, before going back to work. The two study partners only took a couple of hours to finish their respective assignments, and before long, they were walking down the usual path leading to the bus stop.
"It's a shame you live on the other side of Hinata," Naru sighed as she closed her eyes and enjoyed the cold breeze, "it'd be kinda cool if you could come to my dorm to study…provided the other girls didn't mind of course."
Keitaro smiled and shook his head, "Thanks for the offer, but something tells me that'd be more trouble than it's worth…especially since Kitsune lives there too."
"Yea, I guess that would be a problem," Naru laughed as they approached the corner, "well, here's my stop. I'll see you tomorrow?"
Keitaro was about to answer yes, but then remembered his plans for that evening, "Actually, I'll probably be absent from school tomorrow. Family function that I have to go to all day, but if I finish up early, I'll meet you at the library to study."
"I see," the girl looked a bit downtrodden at hearing he'd be absent from school, but perked back up at his promise to come to the library if he could, "Well then I guess I'll see ya at the library if you can make it."
Keitaro nodded and was about to wave goodbye, when Naru surprised him with a quick hug, "…well this is new…I thought you believed guys were all perverts and you'd never touch one in a million years," he joked as he returned the embrace.
"Tch…I still do," the young woman answered as they let each other go, "you're just the exception, since you're my friend. You should be honored," she tilted her head up in a mock-aristocratic way, getting a chuckle out of the young swordsman.
"You're impossible, Naru-san," Keitaro said, a wide grin appearing on Naru's face, before the two waved their goodbyes and split up. Keitaro walked a few more blocks until he came to the bus that would bring him home. Once he boarded it and took a seat, his eyes became hard as his mind became focused on what was to come.
'…tonight's the night…'
After a light training session and a short dinner with his foster family, Keitaro returned to his room, putting his ear to the door for a few moments. He paid close attention to the ambient noises in the house, making sure no one was on the second floor, before going to a corner of his room and kneeling in front of an empty space on the floor. With quick fingers, he silently moved a few of the floor panels aside and pulled out a large black case from the secret compartment. Lifting its lid up, he examined its contents.
Inside was an elegant katana sheathed in a navy-blue scabbard; Ginōkami, his father's old blade. Also within the case was a box of kunai, several spools of high-tensile wire, scaling claws, and a case filled with vials of a dark blue substance. Gently, Keitaro lifted Ginōkami from the box and placed on his futon beside him, before also removing a spool of wire, the scaling claws, and one of the strange vials. Closing the box and placing it back in its hiding spot, the young man slid the floor boards back into place and walked over to his closet. Rifling through the inside, he withdrew a dark grey hakama and gi, as well as a long, dark blue scarf.
After a quick examination of the garments, the young swordsman quickly changed into the outfit, leaving the scarf for last on his futon. As he finished tying his belt, a soft knock sounded at the door.
"Onii-chan, it's me," Kanako whispered through the door. Keitaro glided over and opened the door, Kanako quickly entering before he closed it again. In her hands was a small bag filled with her mask-making supplies.
"I have what you asked for," she said as she took a seat on the futon next to Ginōkami, "What features do you want for the mask?"
Keitaro sat across from her, his sharp eyes locked onto her own, "red hair, a smaller nose, and grey eyes. And a couple scars on the cheeks, just in case the scarf comes off."
"Understood," Kanako took the supplies from the bag and went to work crafting an elaborate mask for her beloved brother. When she finished, she picked it up and carefully placed it on and around Keitaro's head. Once she fixed the wig in place, she moved back and saw a stranger's face, false grey eyes concealing the stern brown ones she loved to get lost in, "It's done. As long as you're careful, that mask should last you for the night."
"You're a lifesaver, Kanako," Keitaro thanked her as he stood up and fixed Ginōkami in place at his waist. Putting the scaling claws, vial, and wire inside a pocket within his gi, the now red-haired swordsman wrapped the blue scarf around his face, covering his mouth, nose, and the top of his head while letting the fake red hair flow freely behind him. Satisfied with his preparations, Keitaro walked over to the window and stepped onto the ledge.
"I should be back by early morning," he said as he turned to face Kanako, "If I'm running late, I'll contact you."
"Got it," she answered softly, before staring into his eyes with a slightly pleading expression, "Onii-chan, won't you let me…"
"…we've been thru this, Kana-chan," the young man sighed before getting down from the ledge and kneeling in front of his sister, "I don't want this life for you…this is my mission…my Tenchuu…I can't let anyone else be responsible for it but me."
Kanako grimaced, fighting the tears of frustration that threatened to leave her eyes as she reluctantly nodded, "…ok then…I'll be here when you get back," a sharp pain went through Keitaro's chest after hearing his pseudo-sister's somber tone.
Giving the girl one last hug, he hopped onto the window sill and out into the night. As he ran across the rooftops, his tabi boots silent against the clay tiles as he moved, he took out a piece of paper from his pocket. On it was a small note:
Target Location: Joga Island, Miura.
The train ride to his destination had been uneventful for the most part. Due to his outfit, Keitaro had to stick to the roof of the train using his scaling claws in order to keep out of sight. After about an hour and a half, he'd reached Joga Island and quickly took to the rooftops. His target would be visiting the medical lab facility that the Tachibana had erected on the island after the assumed the role of Imperial Guardians. Before long, the young swordsman reached a cluster of nondescript buildings by the port. Walking up to the ledge, he took out a pair of binoculars he'd managed to find in his room and looked up the road.
A couple miles away, he spotted a small motorcade heading his way: a few men on motorcycles surrounding two cars. The motorcade stopped in front of the medical building across the street from the one where the swordsman stood watching. Through the lens of his binoculars, Keitaro was able to make out several people, all of whom had either the red hair or the yellow eyes synonymous with the Tachibana clan. Among the throng of people, he spotted his target.
"There you are…"
"And here I thought you'd miss him again…"
Anger flared in Keitaro's chest as he put down the binoculars and turned around to face the newcomer on the roof. Standing across from him was a woman who shared the same crimson hair as he did, though hers was actually real, and midnight blue eyes that were giving him a mischievous, appraising look. She was dressed in a dark green kimono-like shirt that was slightly open, revealing the bandages that tied down her very generous chest, and tight black leggings that clung to her long, slender legs like a second skin. High-heeled boots finished her ensemble, along with a wakizashi sheathed in a dark green scabbard slung across the small of her back.
"…Tachibana…" Keitaro greeted coldly, his senses on alert as if expecting an attack. Considering who it was standing on the roof with him it was very likely.
"…Mononobe…" she replied lazily, a mirthful expression on her face, "still so cautious around me? You really know how to make a girl feel welcome," she teased.
"Forgive me if I don't exactly take too well to someone with the blood of my clan's murderers," he answered, turning back to watch his prey enter the medical facility. The mysterious woman walked forward and stood next to him, eyeing the boy before turning to observe the gathering taking place down below.
"They've added a bit more security this time. Your last excursion got em spooked," the woman informed him, using one hand to move her hair out of her face, "you'll have your work cut out for you this time…even with your talents…"
"The extra guards won't make a difference," Keitaro placed the binoculars back into his gi and moved to the ledge of the roof, "why are you here anyway, Kimiko?"
Kimiko Tachibana answered with a sly smirk, "…maybe I just wanted to see my favorite little avenger in action? Or maybe I missed you…"
Keitaro's eyes narrowed again as he gave Kimiko a hard look, "…don't play with me, woman. You know how this all ends…"
"And I look forward to the day you have the balls to try," she replied with a predatory grin, turning her back on the young swordsman, "So what's your plan for getting in there, anyway?"
When she didn't get an answer, the buxom Tachibana turned back around, only to see an empty rooftop ledge. Shaking her head, she sauntered towards the steps.
"That boy really needs to loosen up…"
At the entrance to the facility, two Tachibana clan members stood watching the roads and pathways for any unwanted guests. Over the past few years, four of their pillars had been systematically wiped out, with the culprit getting away every time. Granted, they were weaker than the remaining 6 pillars, as per their ranking in the clan. Nevertheless, Heihachi had seen the need to step up precautions.
"…so did you see that kumite at the underground last night?" the guard to the right asked his partner, who was busy admiring the work done on his wakizashi, "I'm tellin ya, this one guy was frickin beast! Took down 30 dudes 'fore he was ko'ed."
"You fuckin serious? Damn, I had to stay in and take care of the old lady. She been sick fer awhile," answered the other guard as he placed his elegantly crafted blade back into its scabbard, "It's been a fucking drag, bro…since she's stuck in bed, I can't do anything…no clubs…no 'company'…hell I can't even fucking drink. Shit blows, man."
The other guard sniggered in amusement as they continued their watch. By now, the moon had come out from behind the clouds, its eerie red light grabbing their attention.
"Harvest moon tonight…kinda freaky…" the left guard trailed off, his eyes widening in fright. His partner, noticing his silence, stopped admiring the moon to look at him, "Oi, whasa mattah?"
The Tachibana guard didn't reply verbally, instead raising his arm to point at the beginning of the pathway. Walking towards them at a slow pace was a single man, garbed in dark grey clothing that allowed him to blend in with the dark, his head wrapped in a dark blue scarf. What stuck out the most to them though was the unknown's long red hair that gently flew about in the breeze.
"…he has red hair…maybe it's one of ours?" the guard on the left asked, fear creeping into his voice. His partner drew his wakizashi and pointed it at the strange man, "You! Hold it right there! We ain't heard a thing about extra security! Who the fuck are you?!"
Before either of them could react, the stranger drew his sword from his waist and dashed forward with god-like speed. Appearing in front of them, the stranger sliced the guard on the left, opening a fatal gash in his throat, before ducking under the clumsy slash of the last guard and slicing upward, opening the Tachibana's chest. Blood sprayed from the wound like a fountain as the man gasped his last breath before falling to the ground. Seeing that the guard whose throat he'd sliced open was still alive, Keitaro turned his blade downward and plunged it into the man's head, ending his suffering.
"…two down…there should be about eighteen more inside…" he said to himself before removing the scaling claws from his gi. Placing them on, the young assassin began climbing up the side of the building. The bricks that made up the walls were old, but still firm enough to provide a good anchor for the claws. Within minutes, he'd reached the rooftop and set about looking for the ventilation system. Finding it a few yards away, he walked over to the main intake valve.
"…time to see if this still works," Keitaro whispered as he pulled out the vial of dark blue liquid. Popping it open, he began to channel his ki into the substance, creating a chain reaction that turned the liquid into gas. As it wafted out of the vial, the avenger placed the vial in front of the intake valve, his gaze directed on the gas being absorbed into the ventilation system. Moments later, the vial was empty and the gas was being circulated throughout the building.
'Last time it took about thirty minutes to kick in,' he thought as he sat down and examined his leftover tools, 'all that's left to do now is wait'
Oblivious to Keitaro's actions outside, the VIPs from the motorcade continued their walk down the halls of the lab facility. On their way they passed several different rooms housing the infamous ki experiments of the Tachibana. One member of the group had his eye on one room where the doctors were experimenting on a new ki-enhancement formula. The subject's eyes turned white as he was injected with the new formula, an elated grin appearing on his face.
When the large group reached their destination, a man with short red hair and piercing blue eyes heading the contingent raised a hand, "Genshiro, Taka, Yuri, Hatake, you four spread the others out, then wait here and guard the door. Suzume and Akira are coming with me. No one else gets in, understand?"
"As you say, Amagai-sama," the lead bodyguard, Genshiro, bumped a fist against his chest in salute, before he and the other guards got into position. After watching the guards a bit, Amagai Tachibana knocked on the door and waited a moment. Receiving a feeble 'Come In' from inside, he opened the door to let his wife and son enter before following, locking the door once he got in.
"Mikamura-sensei…it's been a while," Amagai greeted as he shook hands with the elderly scientist. Mikamura bowed, "It truly has, Amagai-sama. You're looking well," he turned to the tall, red-haired woman next to him, "and you as well, Suzume-dono," he said before gently taking her hand and kissing the top of it, eliciting a giggle from the woman.
"You're such a flatterer, Mikamura-sensei," Suzume said as she sat down, her elegant kimono ruffling a bit as her emerald eyes took in the doctor's office. It was a mostly empty room with only a desk, a futon, some chairs and a few bookshelves. The window was boarded up, dimming the room further. The one fluorescent light above flickered every so often, though not enough to cause a problem.
Mikamura walked over to the last member of the group, Amagai's teenage son, "And how have you been doing, Akira-sama?"
The red-headed boy with bright blue eyes smirked, "Pretty good, Mikamura-sensei!" Akira looked up at his father, who smiled back at him, "Father's gonna start teaching me assassination techniques soon…I can't wait to start kicking ass!"
"Now, now Akira, you must remember discretion," his father chided lightly, "true assassins don't broadcast their abilities after all…"
Akira pouted but nodded his head and took a seat next to his mother at the side of the room, while Amagai sat in the plush chair in front of the doctor's desk. "So I believe you already know why we are here…"
"Indeed I do," answered the doctor as he went into one of the drawers in his desk and pulled out a black canister with several warning labels, "it took quite some time to synthesize the formula correctly, but I believe we've finally perfected our Yoru no Shukufuku. I know Heihachi-sama has been relentless in his demands for it."
"That he has. After the…successful test run, he's been very pleased with your work," Amagai's face held a sinister smile as he recalled that night, "Those of us who took part in putting those dogs down four years ago were also extremely impressed. Since then, I've never felt as alive as I did when it was active."
"I'm just glad you were able to come back alive and without any serious damage to your ki reserves," Mikamura answered back as he handed the canister to the taller Tachibana, "I believe the worst you and the others suffered was fatigue for a few days, yes?"
Akira answered for his father, "He was bedridden for maybe a day or two, but after that he was fine. Better than fine actually, right Father?"
"More or less," Amagai's face scrunched in thought, "My ki reserves did seem a bit bigger, but the excess left after a few days."
Mikamura nodded, "As it should. Since that ki was produced by the Yoru no Shukufuku, it could not remain in the body for long, or else it would start to poison you. Your body naturally filtered it out since it was such a small amount," he eyed the canister in Amagai's hands for a moment, "with this new batch however, that problem should be eliminated."
"I'll get this to Heihachi-sama immediately," Amagai rose from his seat, Suzume and Akira following suit, "We'll be in touch, Mikamura-sensei. Do take care, and don't be a stranger to the compound."
"Of course, Amagai-sama," Mikamura nodded, and proceeded to walk to the door. When he opened it, however, he jumped back in fright as Genshiro's body almost fell on top of him, "Ack! What is this?!"
Looking around, the doctor and his guests noticed it wasn't just the bodyguards, but everyone in the facility was on the ground, lying deathly still. Squinting his eyes and enhancing them a bit with his ki, Mikamura could make out the faint blue haze that covered the area.
"…get back in the office…" he whispered urgently, his eyes now wide with terror, "get back in the office now!"
Amagai pulled Suzume and Akira inside, but not before accidentally getting a whiff of the haze himself. The minute the door was closed, the head of the 6th Tachibana pillar family's eyes widened, his breathing almost coming to a complete stop before he crumpled to the ground.
"W-what…is…this?! I-I c-c-can't…move…" Amagai struggled as his body rebelled against him, Suzume crying in fear as she watched her husband's body shut down, while Akira looked on, too stunned to even think of a way he could help.
Mikamura quickly knelt down to the ailing man, "I know these symptoms…they're almost exactly the same as our own paralysis formula," the old man explained, his voice a mix of awe and dread, "but this one is far more problematic…it's beginning to make his windpipe constrict, cutting off his air supply… Amagai-sama may not have long…"
"Can't you do something, Mikamura-sensei?!" Suzume was frantic as she knelt beside her husband's paralyzed body, her heart breaking at the panic in her husband's eyes.
"I-if I can get a sample of his blood, I-I should be able to-"
"Don't bother...none of you are leaving here alive..."
Mikamura, Suzume, and Akira quickly turned to the door, and their faces paled in horror all at once. Standing in the doorway was the dark-clad Keitaro, his drawn blade gleaming in the low light as he held it to his side. Hate-filled grey eyes bored into those of every member of the room, before tightening at Mikamura.
"So…you're the one that came up with that poison…" he growled, rage beginning to seep into his voice, "YOU made those monsters…"
"H-hey! Who the hell are you?!" Akira demanded, masking his fear in false bravado as he stomped over to the masked swordsman, "You better fix what you did to Father-"
He was silenced by a vicious backhand from the masked Keitaro that sent him crashing into the desk, papers flying everywhere from the impact.
"AKIRA!" Suzume got up and made to run for her son, when she was stopped cold, courtesy of Keitaro's blade sticking out from her stomach. Amagai, who'd been turned on his back by Mikamura, felt his heart stop as the avenger pulled his blade from Suzume, the woman dropping to the floor like a marionette with its strings cut.
"S….Suzume…?" the Tachibana pillar head whispered, and wept silently as he saw her blood pool around her, before glaring up at the assassin, "WH-WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!?"
"…the same thing your ilk did to me four years ago…" the avenger's words puzzled Mikamura and Amagai, "…here, maybe this will jog your memory."
Reaching for the scruff of his neck, Keitaro grabbed the scarf, along with the false face, and carefully pulled them off, revealing his short, spiky black hair and sharp brown eyes that burned with loathing as he glared at the men before him.
"…no…you can't…" Amagai's eyes widened, the man struggling even more than ever to move, "…He…he killed you! We all saw! YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DEAD!"
"…you first," was all Keitaro said in reply before plunging his blade into Amagai's heart, the man giving him a look of shock before blood came up from his mouth, his eyes rolling into his head in death. Mikamura was frozen, unimaginable terror gripping him like a vice. On the other side of the office, Akira broke down at the sight of his parents' brutal murders, before being engulfed by white-hot rage.
"YOU…YOU BASTAAARRRRD!"
Turning to face the boy, Keitaro watched as Akira ran forward, arms out with the intent to rip him apart. At the last moment, he moved towards the boy and slashed at him with his blade while he ran past. Both came to a stop at opposite sides of the room, and Mikamura held his breath, only to stare helplessly as Akira's left arm came off at the shoulder, falling to the ground with a dull thud.
The boy let out an ear-splitting scream of agony as he crumpled to the floor, hand gripping his shoulder as he writhed on the ground. The elderly doctor then noticed Keitaro walking toward the squirming Akira, and desperately rose to his feet to stand protectively in front of the grievously wounded Tachibana.
"STOP! Please, I beg you!" Mikamura prostrated himself at the assassin's feet, paying no heed to the puddle of blood he knelt in, Amagai's corpse still bleeding out nearby, "You've already done enough! Just kill me and spare the boy! He's only a child!"
"…how old is he…" Keitaro asked emotionlessly, a stony look on his face as he stared into Mikamura's eyes.
"T-Thirteen…p-p-please…" the cowed doctor gave the assassin a pleading look, "I'll let you take my life, if you promise to spare the boy…"
"…do you know who I am…?"
Mikamura examined Keitaro's face, trying to match it with the people in his memories, before he gasped as realization dawned on him, "…i-i-impossible…M-Mononobe…!"
"…then I don't need to tell you," Keitaro said before roughly grasping Mikamura's hair and holding him in the air, the old man frantically grasping at his hand, "that your pleas for mercy are wasted on me."
In a flash, Keitaro swung Ginōkami and decapitated Mikamura, the old man's body falling back to the ground in a bloody mess. Throwing the head still in his hand on the desk, Keitaro grabbed the mask and wig and placed them back over his face. As he re-wrapped the scarf around him, he heard the piteous moans of Akira, still clutching his shoulder in pain.
"…you...fucking bastard," the seriously wounded boy glared at the assassin from the ground, his hair matted down with sweat and teeth gritted in crippling pain, "don't you…know who you're m-messin with here?"
"…I do…" Keitaro began in a dead tone as he moved to stand over the boy, his cold brown eyes staring into Akira's blue ones, "but your family…murdered my entire clan. So consider this karma. You can blame Kurotora when he joins you in hell."
Without pause, Keitaro flipped Ginōkami into a one-handed reverse grip and plunged the tip through Akira's forehead. The avenger watched as the light in the boy's eyes faded forever, his body becoming still. His mission finished, Keitaro went over to Amagai's body and picked up the canister in his hands before leaving the office. Searching around the building, the young avenger found a storeroom that held several barrels and crates of chemicals used for the Tachibana's experiments. Almost all of them were labeled with a warning that put a vicious smirk on Keitaro's face.
CAUTION: FLAMMABLE.
Kanako nervously glanced at the clock on the wall of her brother's room. It was almost 4 in the morning, and he still hadn't returned. Granted, the trains were no longer running, so it was only natural that Keitaro would take longer to come home. Still, the girl couldn't help but feel anxious.
'…what if something happened on the mission? What if they were stronger than he thought? What if-'
Her thoughts were interrupted when the window opened, revealing a blood-stained, slightly weary Keitaro. As his feet hit the ground, the boy felt the air leave his lungs when Kanako tackled him.
"Oof! Kanako-chan, how many times do I have to tell you NOT to do that!" he whispered harshly, but paused when he felt her tears on his chest; "I see…I worried you again…I'm sorry Kana-chan."
The girl sniffled, not minding the smell of blood coming from her brother's clothes, "Of course I was worried…I always worry!" she pulled back and Keitaro felt guilty when he saw the helplessness in her emotive brown eyes, "Every time…every damn time…I always wonder if you'll ever come back…"
Keitaro held her close as she sobbed, gently rubbing her back to soothe her, "…I promise that one day this'll all be over, and you'll never have to worry about me again."
As Kanako continued to silently sob into her brother's chest, neither was aware of Saigo's presence behind the slightly open door, his eyes narrowed in thought.
'Just what have you been up to, Keitaro-kun?'
"Hey! Did you see the news last night?"
"Yea, another Tachibana pillar family was taken out!"
"That makes five of them…that poor family…"
All around the classroom, Naru could hear her fellow peers clamoring about the latest news they'd seen that morning. Someone had taken out another one of the main families of the vaunted Tachibana clan, and it happened only an hour or so away from Hinata. While she didn't really pay attention to politics and the news that closely, the lovely brunette still felt a bit sad for the Tachibana. One of the victims had been around her younger sister's age.
'I can't imagine what I'd do if anything like that happened to Mei…'
Eventually, the homeroom teacher was able to get the class under control, and Naru went through her day in relative peace. As the last bell rang, she turned out of habit to face Keitaro's desk, only to frown at the empty space. With one last sigh, she packed her belongings and headed to the library. Upon entering her favored sanctuary, the lovely young woman made her way to her usual table, only to be shocked at the sight of her study buddy reading his physics textbook and taking notes.
"…I thought you said you weren't gonna be here today," Naru accused, although the smile on her face clashed with her words. Lifting his head from his notes, Keitaro gave the girl a blank look, "…I told you that if I finished with my family matters early then I'd be coming here. Not my fault you didn't listen."
A tic mark appeared on the woman's forehead, before she sighed again and took her seat across from her enigmatic study partner. Taking out her own textbooks, she began tackling her homework assignments for the day. As she opened her notebook to start writing, she glanced over at the boy across from her, "You were kinda lucky to be absent today…I think everyone's gossiping would've gotten on your nerves."
"Really now? What had everyone all up in arms?" asked Keitaro, one eyebrow raised in curiosity.
"Well, you heard about what happened last night, right? The murder of Amagai Tachibana and his family, along with several of his relatives in a huge fire?" Naru asked, eyes on her work as she continued to explain, "That's the fifth family killed off in three years…everyone thought the killers had been caught a while back, but I guess not."
Because her attention was focused on her assignment, Naru missed the hardening of Keitaro's eyes, as well as the dark smirk on his face.
"…maybe the heavens are trying to say something to the Tachibana…some sort of retribution for a past crime or something…"
Naru paused for a moment, "Huh…maybe. But what are the odds of that?" she dismissed with an amused shake of her head. Keitaro's smirk only grew more sinister.
'Better than you think…'
"Yes…yes, I understand. We'll keep in touch…you take care as well," Hina hung up the phone and lightly massaged her forehead, a light headache causing her some slight discomfort. In front of her were several files and old news clippings regarding the murders of the Tachibana pillars. As the Urashima matriarch resumed her reading, Haruka walked through the open door, a cigarette hanging from her mouth.
"At it again granny?" she asked as she stood over Hina's chair, looking over her shoulder at the files.
"It's just unbelievable, Haru-chan. The last set of murders was about a year ago, but this latest one was carried out in almost the exact same fashion," the old woman pointed at a newspaper article written about the murder of Amagai Tachibana and his family, "it says right there that the bodies were so badly burned that the true cause of death could never be determined. It was a miracle they could even identify them as Amagai and his family. To make matters even more interesting, the murderer also killed the Tachibana's best medical expert, Mikamura."
"That old, prune-looking pain in the ass?" Haruka grimaced a bit, remembering her past encounters with the wizened old man, "can't really say I'm that sad to see him gone."
"Show some respect for the dead, Haru-chan…even if they don't really deserve it. " Hina admonished, "Still…I am rather curious as to the identity of the one behind all this. There aren't many around that would act out so blatantly against the Tachibana, even if the victims were the weaker pillars…"
Haruka rubbed her chin with one hand as she gave her own thoughts on the matter, "Well, no one really openly opposes the Tachibana…even though almost all the other noble clans hate their guts. Ever since they got the Imperial Guardians title, they've gone off the deep end."
Hina shuddered as she recalled the day that Heihachi received the ceremonial tanto and katana from the emperor. The smug look on his face irked the normally calm old woman to no end.
"...I still remember when the emperor presented it to Kazuya all those years ago, as well as the proud look on his face when Kyoshiro-kun was given that medal," Hina's body sagged, weighed down by the profound sadness those memories brought her.
Haruka also frowned as she reminisced about that day four years ago, "I don't think I'd ever seen that kid blush so hard as he did when he got that kiss on the forehead from the empress," a bitter smile came on her face as she finished her recollection, "I'll bet he's happy as all hell about this, ya know. Granted, he's not getting back at them himself, but someone's taking them out."
"He promised to cooperate with us and not do anything foolish," Hina looked stone-faced at her adopted daughter, "while I can't stop him from feeling however he may about all that's happened, I'm glad he at least chose to stand by his words to us."
"That makes two of us, granny," Haruka took a quick drag of her cigarette and blew the toxic air out of the window next to her, "Oh…looks like you have a message."
Hina looked up from her reading, just in time to see the notification on the screen of her laptop. The page was open to Hina's e-mail account (she'd recently figured out her way around the workings of computers and the internet), where the small icon that let her know she had a new message was blinking.
"Hmm…it's from Saigo…I haven't heard from him in a little while," Hina mused as she grabbed the mouse and went to the message. As she read it, her expression became more and more stern, her eyes, once filled with mirth, now held a grim expression.
"…everything ok with big bro?" Haruka asked casually.
"…I think it's time I paid Saigo a visit…I haven't seen my son in quite some time," Hina said with a hint of some emotion that Haruka couldn't discern, "and it's been ages since I've seen little Kei-kun and Kana-chan."
Haruka took out her cell, "Should I call to let em know you're coming?"
"No…I don't need to visit right away. I think the kids will be starting their winter vacation soon," Hina deleted the email before she closed the laptop, "I still have plenty of time."
Before Haruka could say anything, the Urashima clan head jumped down from her seat and left the room. All the while, her thoughts were a complete jumble.
'…I seriously hope Saigo's suspicions are false…for your sake, Kyoshiro-kun'
"So I'll see ya tomorrow after the exam?" Naru looked over at her friend before they went their separate ways for the day. Keitaro shrugged, "Yea, I guess I can wait for you…if you don't take forever to finish, that is."
Naru playfully punched his arm, surprising Keitaro with how much power she had in her slender arms, "Jerk! Catch ya later!" she waved before running to the bus stop to catch her ride home. Seeing her get on without any trouble, Keitaro turned and began walking to his own bus.
It had been three days since Amagai's assassination, and the young man felt ecstatic at being a bit closer to achieving his goal of avenging his clan's murder.
'That's five down, and five to go…Mom…Dad…Saya…'
So lost in his thoughts, the swordsman didn't even realize he'd gotten on the bus and arrived home until he was taking his shoes off in the foyer, when his foster father called out to him.
"Kei-kun, that you? Come on over, we have a guest."
Regaining his senses, Keitaro put on his house slippers and walked over to the living room, where he found Saigo and Nao on the sofa, entertaining their guest, while Kanako sat on the love seat perpendicular to them. Upon recognizing the visitor, Keitaro nearly froze in shock.
"H-Hina-obaasama?!" he fought to school his features and appear normal, although the sweat beading on his forehead wasn't helping, "W-what a surprise, I didn't know you'd be coming."
The old woman laughed at the boy's astonishment, "Well that's why they call it a surprise, Keitaro-kun. Good to see you my boy!"
The young man walked over and gave the clan head a warm hug before turning to sit down next to Kanako, who he also greeted with a hug, one she was reluctant to leave.
"So what brings you here, grandmother?" asked the young girl. Hina replied with a warm smile, "Does a grandmother need a reason to see her darling little grandchildren Kana-chan? I just realized it had been awhile since I last visited, and I couldn't keep away any longer!"
Keitaro took her answer in stride, but deep down, the boy felt there may be another reason for the clan head's sudden visit, a more troublesome reason.
The family spent the next hour or so simply catching up on each other's lives, from Kanako's recent interest in the Urashima family jujitsu, to Keitaro's impending graduation and college exams. Through it all, the young swordsman felt edgy, sometimes having to rely on Kanako squeezing his hand every so often to keep him from showing his discomfort.
When Nao decided to bring out some more snacks, the Mononobe heir decided to excuse himself for a bit, citing the need to finish up a homework assignment. He never noticed Hina's eyes following him up the stairs.
After getting to his room, the boy sighed in relief, before moving over to his bag and taking out his textbooks. He hadn't been lying about the assignment, but it was something quick that he took care of in minutes. Once finished, he rolled out his futon and lay down to catch a few winks, or at least he intended to until a knock sounded at his door.
"Is that you Kana-chan? I was gonna come down in a few more minutes," he walked over to open the door, stumbling back in surprise when he saw not Kanako, but Hina at the door, "Hina-obaasama…"
"I'm sorry if I was disturbing your work, Kei-kun, but I just wanted to talk to you for a bit," Hina said as Keitaro moved out of the way to allow her entry. Closing the door behind him, the young swordsman felt as though he'd just locked himself in a cage with a dangerous predator. "Is everything alright, Hina-obaasama?"
"There's no need use formalities and false names here, we're family," Hina gave him a sly look, "isn't that right, Kyoshiro-kun?"
Keitaro sighed and walked over to his futon, letting himself plop onto it ungracefully, "Yea, yea…so what's up, granny?"
Hina took a cursory look around the boy's room, "It's funny, I was half expecting to see posters of those lovely new pop stars or fashion models all over…you're at that age after all…you don't have any girls that you're interested in?"
Keitaro grunted, "It's not something I'm focused on right now. I have school to think about, and inheriting the company in a few years…" he sat up and looked Hina in the eyes, "how are things with Nagareboshi Corp. going by the way? I forgot to check in over the past few months."
"Your family's company is in good hands, in fact their profits have risen exponentially with the addition of your pharmaceutical branch," Hina preened before a sad smile replaced her joyful expression, "…Kazuya did good in hiring those old goats on the board…the JSDF has never been so well equipped according to the emperor and the prime minister."
"…Dad was a good judge of character," the young swordsman replied sullenly, the conversation taking a turn he didn't want it to, "so is that why you're here? To talk about my family?"
"No…I'm here to ask how you've been doing," Hina's serious tone of voice caused Keitaro to give her his undivided attention, "I've been in touch with Saigo over the past couple of years. He always boasts about your academic achievements, but he's also told me that you go out of your way not to make friends," the old woman frowned as she recalled some of Saigo's messages, "in fact, he's noticed that during the last two years, you've made only one friend in school. You shouldn't isolate yourself like this, Kyoshiro-kun."
Keitaro rose from the futon and walked over to his closet, removing Ginōkami from its place against the back wall and placing it on his desk. Digging through the drawers, he found a whetstone, and proceeded to unsheathe the blade to sharpen it.
"It's not isolation…not really. I just choose to focus on my training and schoolwork. That doesn't leave much time to socialize…"
"Forgive me if I don't believe you," Hina deadpanned as she took a seat on the boy's futon, "You're a bright, charismatic young man with wisdom beyond his years…but at the end of the day you are a young man. You should enjoy your youth, not distance yourself out of…whatever it is that's causing you to keep everyone at arm's length."
The swordsman's silence as he meticulously sharpened the edge of his father's blade unnerved the Urashima clan head, until she noticed the dull look in his eyes, "…You're afraid of losing anyone else, aren't you," she asked, although it sounded more like a statement. His continued lack of a response however, gave her the answer she was looking for, as well as a way to investigate the suspicions aroused from Saigo's e-mail, "Well, you probably won't have to worry about that soon. I'm sure you've heard what happened three nights ago?"
Keitaro's grip on his father's blade tightened ever so slightly, but Hina was able to catch it before he responded, "Yea…I heard. Amagai Tachibana, his wife and son, the head Tachibana doctor, and the entire 6th pillar of the clan was killed in a fire…everyone at school was raving about it."
"That's no surprise…especially seeing as how this would be the fifth Tachibana pillar family to die in a freak accident over the past three and a half years," Hina continued on, her eyes focused on every detail of Keitaro's countenance, "very strange how they've been dropping like flies, don't you think?"
"Strange nothing, I say it's karma," the boy continued his work, but was unaware of the slight bit of crimson that had begun seeping into his eyes, "I'd like to shake the hand of whoever's putting those murderous, psychopathic bastards into the grave where they belong…"
Hina shook her head in disappointment, "While I can understand your hatred, it still saddens me to see you still so set on revenge. Such a path leads only to more sorrow," she warned, but Keitaro rudely brushed her statement aside.
"I know the adage, granny, if you seek revenge, be sure to dig two graves. Well, considering the size of that clan of demons, whoever's going after them is gonna have to dig a lot more graves than that."
"I guarantee you, grandchild, that they'll never get that far," the clever old woman filed away the slight hitch in Keitaro's motion with the whetstone at her statement, "the Tachibana are nothing if not resourceful. Not to mention this killer, or killers, have drawn the attention of the Imperial House. While they may not be attacking the emperor or his kin, they are still slaying the clan that provides his guards. It's almost a direct challenge to the emperor himself in a way, and that is NOT something he, nor our country's law enforcement, will tolerate sitting down."
The young swordsman narrowed his eyes, "Maybe they should've shown that same kinda drive when MY family was massacred…instead they just let it go and placed their murderers on a damn pedestal…"
"They had no choice, Kyoshiro-kun! There was no legitimate proof, and I couldn't just tell them that I heard the claims of their guilt from you without putting your life in jeopardy!" Hina said, her eyes pleading with him to understand her position, "That's not what your parents would want-"
"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU KNOW ABOUT WHAT THEY'D WANT?!" Keitaro yelled as he stood up from his seat, his eyes completely crimson and flooded with indignation, "THOSE FUCKING MURDERERS DESERVE EVERY DEATH! AND I HOPE WHOEVER'S KILLING THEM GETS EVERY LAST ONE OF THEM!"
"…calm down, Kyoshiro-kun," Hina raised her hands defensively, "you're activating the curse again. Breathe, I didn't come here to start an argument with you. We've had far too many of those already."
Taking a second to let go of the unbridled anger in his heart, Keitaro sat back down and finished sharpening Ginōkami's edge before sheathing it back in its scabbard, "…I'm sorry…but I still stand by what I said," he continued before he whispered, "I just hope they save Kurotora for last…I wouldn't mind helping them with that one…"
In that moment, Hina saw a glimpse of something in the young man's eyes, something she'd seen only once before, when news broke of the first time a Tachibana pillar family was killed.
'…I've gotten what I came for…' she thought as she did her best to repress the shiver that threatened to leave her, "don't forget your promise to me, young man."
Keitaro gave her a withering glare, "No…I didn't forget…"
Seemingly satisfied with his answer, Hina rose from the futon and gave Keitaro one last hug before returning downstairs. After a few quick goodbyes to the rest of the family, the Urashima clan head exited the house and walked towards the end of the block. At the corner was a parked town car, with Haruka leaning against one of the doors.
"So how'd the visit go?" she asked as she opened the door to let the elderly woman in. Hina said nothing until Haruka entered and the car began to head back to Tokyo, "The visit went fine, Haru-chan. Your brother and his family are still doing well…Kanako is growing to be a lovely young woman."
"…and Keitaro?"
Hina sighed, "Haru-chan…I'm worried about him. From our talk, it doesn't seem that he's involved in any way with the murder of the Tachibana pillars…but there's a darkness about him that wasn't there before," her eyes narrowed as she remembered the boy's outburst and what he'd said afterwards, "when he thought I couldn't hear him, he whispered that he'd be willing to help the killers should they go after Kurotora-san."
Haruka ran a hand through her hair, "So you think he's a risk?"
"I can't be certain, but the possibility is there. We need to find a better way to keep an eye on him. Saigo and Nao can't keep constant tabs on him for obvious reasons, and Kanako loves that boy too much to ever do anything against him."
"Do you think she'd help him?" Haruka asked, taking a drag from her cigarette, "if he decides to help the killers take out the other pillars?"
"…of that I have no doubt," the older woman admitted, "and with her talent in making disguises, she'd be an invaluable asset to him. We can't let that happen."
"You could always take Kanako on one of your trips…she's been dying to learn the family jujitsu, hasn't she?"
Hina gave her adopted daughter a small grin, "That would solve the issue with Kanako, but there's still the problem of figuring a way to watch over Keitaro-kun…" she huffed in frustration, "very few of our clansmen would be capable of doing such a thing without being caught, but the ones with the ability to do so aren't available."
Haruka frowned, sympathizing with her adopted mother's plight, "I hear ya…personally I wouldn't mind taking that job, but with my job, there's no way I could…"
Hina sighed, massaging her head in her hands, "Indeed…to be perfectly honest I think the only ones who could keep tabs on him would be you or myself, but you have the tea house to look after, and I'm also busy between clan affairs and managing the Hinata-sou…"
Hina trailed off, before her eyes widened and she jumped in her seat, "AHA! Of course! Why didn't I think of that sooner?! I'm really becoming slow in my old age!"
Haruka nearly jumped from her seat in shock when Hina began cackling mischievously and whispering about 'killing multiple birds with one stone'. Eventually, her curiosity won out over her shock.
"Granny…what the hell are you planning?"
A cheeky grin and another cackle was her only answer.
"UHS! UHS! UHS!"
Keitaro grunted as he swung a practice bokken in the air, painstakingly keeping his form while trying to add a bit more power and speed to his strikes. On the grass next to him was a spread-out blanket where Kanako sat reading a book, with a small bento and several old-looking scrolls lying next to her. One of them had been opened, revealing several notes and drawings depicting the different attack stances that the young swordsman was practicing.
"Are you really gonna spend the day training, Onii-chan?" Kanako asked as she watched her beloved brother finish his latest set, her eyes drinking in his slightly sweaty form as he pulled on the collar his blue training gi to get some air, "it's the first sunny day we've had since vacation started, we should go do something."
A week had passed since Hina's visit, and Keitaro's nerves had been on edge ever since she'd left after their heated conversation. He had no idea if she'd figured out his role in the Tachibana murders, and the suspense was killing him. The fact that it had rained every day for six days, which denied him his usual outlet of training in his techniques, didn't help his mind state in the slightest. However, when he'd woken up that morning and saw the sun shining in a clear blue sky, the young man jumped at the chance to let loose.
"I'm almost done, Kana-chan. I haven't had the chance to practice in almost a week, so I gotta catch up," Keitaro answered as he went to the blanket to look over the scroll again, as well as pick up a rice ball to munch on, "after I finish, we'll head back home and figure out something to do."
Kanako sighed and brushed imaginary dust off the skirt of her black Lolita-style dress, "That's if you don't get stuck on something…again…" she said in a dead tone, although the twinkle of joy in her eyes took the bite out of her words. Kanako didn't end up waiting much longer, as the young swordsman only kept at it for a few minutes before calling it a day. On their way back home, the two chatted lightly about Hina's visit, among other mundane things.
"So she did end up grilling you a bit regarding the Tachibana murders," a contemplative look spread onto Kanako's face as she mentally went over what her brother had told her, "and you're sure she doesn't know it's been you behind them?"
"Positive, but I think she's a bit suspicious," Keitaro replied, just as their house came into view, "I kinda went off on her, but she seemed to dismiss the whole thing."
The goth-looking girl sighed in relief, "Good…because the last thing you need is for her to start getting nosy."
"No kidding."
As they walked inside and removed their shoes, Saigo walked into the foyer holding onto an envelope, "Hey, welcome back. Kei-kun, I found this letter in the mail for you."
"A letter?" Keitaro asked as Saigo handed him the envelop, his eyes narrowing when he saw the return address, "…it's from Hina-obaasama…"
Kanako froze for a moment, "From grandmother?!"
Nodding his head, the young swordsman tore the top of the envelope and removed the letter. Reading it over, his eyebrows scrunched together in confusion, "…according to this, she wants me to go to someplace called Hinata-sou to meet up with her in a couple days…weird…"
Saigo tilted his head to the side, "Hinata-sou? She must mean that inn that she runs on the other side of the city. You've never been there before, have you Keitaro-kun?"
"Can't say that I have, although I do remember hearing about it a while back," Keitaro answered as he folded the letter and placed it in the pocket of his hakama, "in any case, I wonder why she'd want to see me there…?"
Saigo shrugged and walked off, while Kanako gave her brother a nervous glance, "You don't think she…"
Keitaro shook his head, "No…if she did suspect anything, she would've said so when she came to visit. This is probably different…maybe one of her practical jokes or something."
Kanako let out a long sigh, "That actually does sound like something she'd do…hopefully it's not too troublesome…"
"Guess I'll find out eventually."
Two days passed rather quickly, and Keitaro found himself taking the trolley towards the other side of the city. During the ride, the young swordsman found himself thinking of the mysterious summons. The letter hadn't really said much, other than to meet her at the inn in two days, and to plan on staying for close to a week. He'd made sure to pack for three to four days, as well as bring along his training gear. The swordsman had decided to bring Ginōkami with him, wrapped in a black sword bag slung under his belt on his left hip, and in a last minute twist, he'd brought Yawarakai-te, also concealed in a sky blue sword bag slung across his back. Before he left the house, the young man had felt a strange sensation at the back of his mind, as though he was about to leave something important. When he got to his room, that sensation became stronger after he saw the heirloom blade of his family resting in its usual spot on the sword rack above his bed.
'…something tells me I should bring it too…but I'll only be gone for a couple days. Eh, screw it, this way I can polish it while I'm at the inn…'
And thus he boarded the trolley with a large duffel bag of his belongings and two katanas, drawing several curious glances from the passengers. Keitaro had long grown used to being the center of unwanted attention, and simply tuned them out until he reached his stop after a couple hours. Getting off the trolley, he straightened the katana at his waist and adjusted the strap of his duffel bag before tilting his head up at the stone steps that led up the large hill.
"So this is it, huh? Well, I know what I'll be doing for my morning exercise," he quipped as he gave an appraising look at the looming staircase. Walking towards the stone steps at a leisure pace, Keitaro took a moment to admire his surroundings. This part of the city wasn't as populated as Saigo's neighborhood; in fact there were barely any other houses in the area at all. When he got to the base of the stairs, the young swordsman spotted a tea house to his right, along with a familiar face sweeping out front.
"Well aren't you a sight for sore eyes, Haru," Keitaro greeted. Haruka looked up from her sweeping and used her hand to shade her eyes from the sun in order to get a look at the person who addressed her. She smiled when she recognized the short, spiky brown hair of her adopted nephew.
"Speak for yourself, kiddo," she said in a warm voice as she leaned her broom against the wall and walked over to the young man, "huh…you're taller than me now…what a pain in the ass…"
"That's what happens when puberty strikes," Keitaro smirked and gave his 'aunt' a warm hug, one she happily returned, "I guess Hina-obaasama didn't tell you I was coming?"
"She said last week that she wrote to you, but I didn't expect her to actually invite you to Hinata-sou," Haruka answered as she led her guest into the tea house, "Do you want anything? I think I have a pot of tea on the burner…"
"Tea's fine, thanks," Keitaro replied as he took a seat and removed the duffel bag from his shoulder, "so I take it Hina-obaasama is up at the inn?"
"Actually, she left not too long before you got here, something about looking into clan affairs in the north," Haruka answered while taking a small drag from her cancer stick, only to laugh at the mortified expression on Keitaro's face, "she said she'd leave a letter for you in her room at the inn, though."
"…I shoulda known she'd pull somethin like this," the swordsman fumed to himself, wrestling against the urge to get on the next trolley home, "screw it, I'm already here, might as well see what she wanted me here for and then head home after a few days."
Keitaro lifted his duffel bag and headed for the door, Haruka following behind him, "I'm just gonna go put my bag down in granny's room, then I'll come back to the tea house and we can catch up some more."
"No problem, kiddo," Haruka saw him out and watched as he ascended the rest of the stairs, before smacking her palm to her forehead as she remembered something she meant to tell the swordsman.
"Shoot…he doesn't know that the inn was turned into a girls' dorm…or that she's living here too…" the tea house owner smirked slyly, "Eh, he'll be fine…besides, it's been kinda dull around here anyway…"
After reaching the top of the staircase, Keitaro got his first glimpse of the Hinata-sou: a multi-story Japanese-style inn that looked to be in pretty decent condition. To the side of the main building, the swordsman could see a small stream that ran behind and to the side of the complex.
As he saw the entrance to the inn, the young warrior shivered a bit from a strange sensation he got as he approached the front doors, almost as if the minute he stepped through that entryway, things would never be the same.
"…I get the feeling that walking into this place is gonna be a baaad idea…" he said to himself before he slid open the door.
If only he knew…
Author's Note - In the words of my best friend/brother who proofread this for me: Revenge burns baby! So now you've had a glimpse of Kyoshiro's routine (and not so routine) life with the Urashima Family, as well as the current dynamic between Kyoshiro, Kanako, and Naru. Since I felt the promise girl plotline wouldn't really fit well here, I decided to improvise and have Kyoshiro and Naru meet in high school, since I made them close to the same age. Fear not, there won't be any romance developing between these two...yet. There's potential for it, but there will be similar potential with the other girls. And who's this mysterious Kimiko Tachibana? Weeeeeeelllll...XP
Thanks again to all those who reviewed and followed. Honestly, y'all have destroyed a good deal of the doubts I've had about my writing ability, and I only hope this chapter and the ones to come live up to your expectations. In the next month, I'll be taking part in National Novel Writing Month, and using it to finally get started on the reboot of an original project of mine, so if my updates slow down (they've been one a week i think), that's why, but I'll do my best to get new chapters up as quick as I can. Until then, deuces til the next y'all.
Ciph signin off
P.S. - after a recent review, I realized there were several inconsistencies in this chapter in regards to the pillars. Amagai was the sixth, and thus the fifth one Kyoshiro has killed (Pillars 10, 9, 8, 7 and now 6 are all dead). If any of you notice any other inconsistencies in any other chapters, feel free to pm me or leave it in a review.