Eight
Taki Squad
"Bet you guys didn't expect to be spending your Arashi Week like this, huh?" Platoon leader Ren asked while nudging him in the side. "Bet they told you all about fooling around in buildings getting drunk, huh? Not slaving away in the rain, in full battle kit, while trying to find dry wood, yeah?"
An apt summary by their platoon leader, Takeo thought, only grunting in acknowledgement that his superior was speaking. Glancing behind him, Takeo could see his squad spread out, their frames either crouched down to get away from the rain, or to investigate something on the muddy earth. Occasionally, he would get glimpses of the lonesome Inkling, his three swords clattering against themselves and reminding those he had betrayed that he was nearby.
Takeo could feel his eyes harden every time he glanced at the figure, his body instinctively forming a half snarl, telling him to hate this creature openly. It had been several days of awkward appearances by their unwanted squad mate, his deceit finally out in the open to everyone besides Takeo himself. Whatever game Kazu had made with him for a year was finally finished, and the only real player had lost… but for some reason, Takeo couldn't help but think it had ended too soon… shaking himself, Takeo focused himself on the task at hand, namely dealing with his hovering platoon leader.
"Sir, do you need something?" He would eventually ask, tired of the older warrior's observing stares.
"Your squad's dynamic seems to have changed drastically, Taki. Like everyone is avoiding each other." Ren calmly stated, his opening banter apparently done with as he moved on to telling Takeo what he already knew.
"Your observational ability never ceases to astound, sir." Takeo grumbled, shoving a gloved hand through dead, wet foliage in hopes something dry was underneath. What he didn't expect was his platoon leader suddenly pushing him to the ground with a foot.
"Big words from some shit for brains kid, Taki. Who've you been chatting up, huh? You been talking with some veterans?" Ren accused, basically standing on his subordinate.
"N-no." Takeo gasped, trying to push the platoon leader off of him and failing. Apparently satisfied with his underling's answer, Ren eventually stepped off Takeo's chest, threatening more violence as the so called Taki collected himself.
"So does everyone still hate your eighth squaddie? Or does everyone hate each other equally now?" Ren asked, his anger vanishing as soon as Takeo got to his feet.
"I don't know." Takeo lied. Apparently it was an obvious fib as well, judging by the platoon leader's no-nonsense stare. "Okay, yes. Everyone hates each other. Are you happy? In a week, my entire squad is at each other's throats, insulting each other, and are terrified that you-know-who is about to snap and kill us all. We're stuck outdoors in the rain half the time, and wading through mud the other half, so please, tell me what you want so I can continue to be miserable."
"Well, I was going to tell you kids to stop what you're doing, and head back to the company. Now I'm going to tell you, no, order you, to get your squad back on amicable terms before I break you eight up. Chances are we'll be in combat soon, and I can't have a fourth of my platoon about to collapse due to childishness."
Takeo scoffed. "Amicable? I've got two Inklings who are content to watch the group dissolve, one of whom is actively trying to make things worse. I've got three functional mutes, two of whom won't go near your new favorite squaddie, the other, not giving two fucks about any of us since he joined us over a year ago. The only one who's mentally stable refuses to exert any amount of effort or influence on the stupid bitch whose driving my friends apart! So please, tell me what I'm supposed to do, because I have no idea what I'm doing at this point!"
Ren only looked at him, allowing the silence of the fading rain to truly sink in as his words echoed along the trees. Takeo closed his eyes, realizing his mistake much too late due to his emotions he had been bottling up. Huffing, Takeo half turned his head, able to see that seven figures stood, watching him very carefully. Eventually, his platoon leader approached him, grasping Takeo by the shoulder as he pulled him in to whisper.
"Seems you already know what the problems are, Taki. Fix them, and quickly." Ren quietly ordered. Ren pushed him away, making a path. As Takeo stood there, refusing to face his platoon leader and squad, he heard Ren's last words very clearly. "Before you die to the fish-tribe, preferably."
"Who do you guys think Takeo was talking about, other than Ayumi?" Yori asked to the five other Inklings sitting beside him. He knew that it was often up to him to get the conversations started, even if no one wanted to actually speak.
"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" Ayumi venomously asked, her attention from pestering the sullen Nara suddenly refocused on him. Yori couldn't help but notice that Ayumi's closest follower was matching her glare towards him as well.
"Well, Renzo is obviously the guy who didn't give two fucks. The two other functional mutes are Nara and Kiko, and Ayumi is actively trying to make everyone hate everyone else. What I don't get, is who the other one is content to watch us all break apart, and who the influencer is." Yori explained as he stirred the mushy rice around with his wooden spoon. "I mean, Enri is my first pick for not caring, but would that make me the mentally stable one?"
A long pause filled his ears as the rain continued to bounce and drip off their canvas canopy they had set up. He glanced around, wondering where Takeo and Kazu currently were, as they obviously weren't with their squad. Other squads sharing similar canopies were speaking quietly, so chances were the two were hiding around with some other group.
Concern filled his heart as he truly wondered if Takeo had had enough of them. Real regret plagued Yori for the way he had acted after their first battle, knowing if he hadn't run off to cry, Kiko wouldn't have screwed up so badly. If he hadn't bitched out, their group dynamic wouldn't have changed.
"You are so damn dumb, Yori. It's not even funny." Renzo's sincerity only confusing him.
"What? Shut up, Renzo. No I'm not. I don't know about you guys, but I don't want us to die to those disgusting, slack jawed, gross, amphibians." Yori stated.
"They aren't frogs, shit head." Ayumi added.
"See? This is what Takeo meant, Ayumi. You're trying to drive us apart. Why are you such a bitch constantly? We need to be working together, now more than ever."
"Why?" Enri asked, her tone making it seem like she was annoyed for some reason, which Yori couldn't understand why.
"What do you mean, why? The only reason we didn't get butchered last time was because we stuck together. Now that Kazu's leaving us, we can't be fighting each other."
"Leaving?" Nara whispered, perhaps speaking for the first time in a week.
"That was just a rumor, from cock-face's bunch. There's no substance behind it." Renzo informed, his vision shifting to Nara's face, along with everyone else.
Yori watched Ayumi slide closer to Nara, putting her lips almost to her ear, speaking in a hushed tone. "Would that be so bad, Nara? He lied to you. He deceived you for an entire year. Don't you hate him? Tell us, honestly."
"See?! This is exactly what I mean! Do you get some sick pleasure for doing this shit?" Yori exploded, spilling some of his ration.
"Shut up, Yori. I want to know too." Enri immediately barked back.
"Of course you want to. You do whatever Ayumi tells you to do. 'Whatever' she tells you to." Yori repeated, making sure his snarky innuendo was clear as daylight.
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Ayumi turned, direct insults apparently halting her invasive whispering.
"Are you both kidding? You two are thick as thieves in a brush and have been since we've met. Do you think we're all blind, or just don't notice when you two wander off for the night?" Yori asked back.
"It has been fairly obvious." Renzo added. As Yori was about to high five the fellow guy about picking a side, Renzo continued, "But that isn't how the saying goes. It's just 'thick as thieves.'"
As the argument became a four way insult match, Yori witnessed Nara suddenly stand, shaking off the grip of the cowering Kiko and fix her hood. He was about to ask what she was planning on doing when he watched her jog into the rain, no doubt in search of their missing squad.
Yori just wondered who she would be going to first, smirking before being punched in the face by Enri.
Pulling her cowl further to protect her face, Nara desperately searched the other squad's coverings. Hindsight being what it was, she regretted not finishing her lunch. Nara hadn't been eating very well for the past few days but was only now aware of it, and paying the price of malnutrition as she stumbled around in the rain. Hell, even random Inklings were giving her strange looks as she made her way from canopy to canopy, trying to glance at every face present before leaving once more.
She eavesdropped on every conversation that she could decipher, trying to discern Kazu's voice among them, stopping occasionally when his name would be called. Sure enough, these would not be her Kazu, but some other Inkling, either young or old. Briefly, Nara wondered just how common a name was Kazu, unsure if his deceit went beyond just acting.
"Nara?" A voice asked from behind her, making Nara turn to the staring faces of seven strangers, enjoying their food while chatting lively. From behind them, Kazu stood, back bent as to not disturb the low canopy above them as he stepped over legs to close the distance.
"You know this girl, Kazu?" One of the strangers asked.
"Yeah. I'm in her squad." Kazu softly explained, his happy tone nowhere to be found.
Nara was dumbfounded, watching the one she called friend make his way out of another group of Inklings, and none of them seemed bothered to be around him. Had these Inklings sheltered him all this time during their resting hours? Had he already moved on?
"I see. Alright, Kazu." The female asked, getting an offered hand from the boy to be helped up. As Nara watched the two together, jealousy, anger and sadness filled her heart, especially as she watched the strange girl's hand linger on Kazu's arm. "Take it easy and all that. See you around."
"You too, Han." Kazu said, his farewell followed by the other Inklings grunting, trying to speak with food in their mouths. Nara didn't know what, or even how, to think about what was happening, even as her arm was taken and she began to be led away by the emotionless Kazu. Long seconds of Nara glancing back between the staring strangers and the unfazed Inkling she had spent her last year with were only accompanied by the prattling rain.
Eventually, Nara rediscovered how to speak, prying the loose grip off of her arm easily as they distanced themselves from any curious ears. A mixture of emotions followed her words, but even as she spoke, she could tell by her old friend's eyes that her feelings meant nothing to him. "Is it true? Are you leaving us? What was that? Who were they?"
Kazu stared at her blankly, perhaps contemplating how best to speak with her now that his old mannerisms had been abandoned. "I don't know what 'it' is. I haven't been ordered to leave Taki Squad. That was the seven members of Hanako Squad saying goodbye to me."
"Are they who you go to, after we stop marching? Who you spend your free time with?" Nara asked, feeling her hands clench together, nervously awaiting the answer, which wouldn't come for several long seconds.
"Nara… you look like you're about to pass out. You need to sit down." Kazu softly said, approaching her slowly as he tried to touch her. Nara had no intention of letting this happen however, and slapped his hands away with as much strength as she could muster.
"Don't! Don't. Just… don't. You don't get to look after me." Nara coldly stated, watching as Kazu visibly rolled his eyes.
"What do you want then?" Kazu bluntly asked.
"I want an explanation! I want to know what's gotten into you, or if you've been lying to me – to all of us – this entire time." Nara asked, the few hours of sleep she had been getting every night putting a toll on her body and voice. "I want to know if I can still rely on you."
"Why?" Kazu asked immediately, only getting a confused stare in return. "Why should I answer you, 'friend'? Do you truly, truly, want to know? I mean, you never once asked before I saved all of you self-centered idiots from our kinsmen. You never showed any indication that you actually wanted to know about me. You want an explanation? Figure it out. It won't take you long if you look beyond yourself."
"We were friends, Kazu! And you lied to me!" Nara shouted back, barely comprehending the boy's previous words.
"No, Nara. I was your friend. You weren't mine. In fact, I'm everyone's friend. To you and to everyone in the squad. But for some reason, none of you noticed. So I'll continue to be there, for you, and the rest of the fools I'm surrounded by. I told you all, it was up for you to decide how to act around me, and I'm not going back on those words." Kazu spat, a stubborn anger being in his voice for the first time Nara could remember. As she watched him turn around and begin to walk off, Nara felt like she had just been punched in the gut.
"If you want to try to actually be a friend, that's on you. You know where to find me." Kazu then halted, turning to face a nearby tree's trunk. "Takeo, either make a move, or don't. Our game ended a week ago. I don't need your threatening gaze directed at me when I'm alone with your would-be significant other anymore."
Nara continued to shift her vision to glance at the motionless tree and the boy who had resumed walking, seeing nothing. She stood there, half collapsed as the rain softly pelted her covered skin, recovering from the mental and emotional blows Kazu had inflicted on her.
"I just want everything to go back to how it was…" she voiced to the empty woods that surrounded her, before starting to head back to their squad.
"Um… hi, Kazu." Kiko softly said to the back of the boy, whose shadow was several sizes larger in the firelight. She waited for a couple of seconds, before repeating her greetings, this time a bit louder. In response, all she could do was hear the sounds of his sharpening stone against one of his blades.
When he spoke, Kiko unintentionally jumped a little, already prepared for him to ignore her completely, and half hoping he would. Instead of running away like the coward everyone knew her to be, Kiko breathed deeply, processing the word, "Kiko."
Kiko took a single step closer, trying to step out of the shadow that engulfed her. "Do you mind if I sit with you?"
"Only if you tell me if someone put you up to this." Kazu returned, diligently keeping the pace of his rhythmic stroking of metal and stone.
"N-no. I mean, no one put me up to this." Kiko promised, nervously looking at the darkness that surrounded them. She glanced at the sky, occasionally spotting stars from the thousands of tree branches, happy that it wasn't currently raining on them.
"Then be seated." Kazu sighed, as if disappointed.
"T-thanks." Kiko quickly said, actually getting him to look up from his work as she bumped against him. "W-what?"
All he did was scoff and look back down, so Kiko gave her excuse of 'there being only one log.', which only made him scoff again. As she was rethinking her choice of actually sitting so close to the one who caused her so much anxiety, she guessed it was better than being alone in the dark, walking blindly. In the distance, between the trees, she could see small flames flicker and die, the Inklings tending them long been sleep or those on watch uncaring for the light. Thoughts of the fish invaders that platoon leader Ren warned about skulking in the dark, waiting for a chance to sneak upon her plagued her mind as Kiko nervously watched the wood line.
"So you've got the mid shift for once." Kazu suddenly spoke, making her jump in fear at the sudden noise.
"Y-yeah." Kiko admitted. Normally, Takeo would give her either the first, or last shift, so she wouldn't have to deal with Kazu or lose sleep. That had ended tonight, with all the fighting being done between her squad mates, Kiko had just taken the post so they would stop arguing.
Kiko watched the deceiver inspect his work, then observing how he delicately put his sword back in its sheath. She hoped that would be the end of the steel sharpening, but her hopes would go unfulfilled as he drew his second blade and began to repeat his earlier process. Eventually, he would speak again, asking, "Are you afraid?"
"Y-yes. Are you not?" Kiko asked, glancing at the shadows from beyond the fire and watched them flicker and dance.
"No." Kazu whispered in between strokes of his sharpening stone.
Kiko actually laughed, quickly repressing the grin as Kazu turned to her once more, only half of his face being illuminated.
"You don't believe me?" He eventually asked, his tone masking any emotion he might have charged his words with.
"No, I do. That's why I laughed."
"Ah." Kazu said in understanding, turning back to his work and resuming his task. Thinking she wouldn't get a chance to continue the conversation, Kiko acted quickly, trying not leave such a long pause between their words.
"It's just… I want to know why."
"Why what?"
"Why you aren't afraid. There are large, limbed, fish walking around, out of water, with swords and spears and bows, ready to kill us. Somewhere in the dark, right now, there are raiders waiting for a chance to tear us apart and eat us." Kiko said, voicing her fears to the flames. "How can you sit here, in front of a fire in the dead of night, blinding yourself, completely alone?"
Kiko turned to the expressionless Kazu, who continued his silence until his second sword was put away, and the third one was drawn.
"I suppose it's a mixture of things." He eventually said, following it up with more silence.
"Like what?" Kiko asked, desperately wanting to know how to stop being afraid.
"Knowledge, for one. I know that my flanks are secured, based on the positions of the other squad's sentries." Kazu started, gesturing with his chin in either direction into the pitch black woods. "That means I can just look forward, and deal with whatever comes in front of me. I know that there haven't been any signs of the invaders in a week, and the closest river is several days away from us. I know we won't be in any immediate danger for another day, or until we finally reach the Minami Delta. You should be worried about the guys guarding that direction, instead of us guarding the rear."
"Knowledge… huh." Kiko breathed.
"Confidence, is another big thing. Once you know you can handle yourself in a fight, fights stop being scary." Kazu added, asking himself if that fell under knowledge aloud, only shrugging after a moment.
"See, I don't know how to um… be, that confident. Does one just have to keep getting into battles? Is that how you're so brave?"
"Have you killed anything?" Kazu asked, his voice not sounding judgmental, unlike most Inklings her age who only talk about their glorious kills.
"No." Kiko admitted, knowing Kazu already had the answer. "Is that how I can become brave? By killing living things?"
Kazu waited for a moment, hesitating as he stared at the fire. Eventually he scoffed to himself once more, then shook his head. "No… you just won't care about death anymore. Or maybe its life you won't care about anymore. I don't know."
Kiko dwelled on his quiet words, never knowing that Kazu even had the ability to think deeply on such matters. As she watched him go back to sharpening his last sword, Kiko realized just how much she had underestimated her fellow from the training village she had lived in all of her life.
Along with how she had mistreated him for a full year. Kiko had known Kazu for an entire year, and she had never once spoke with him face to face, not without the others being nearby. She had never been in a situation that didn't have this kid being shouted down, made fun of, or outright insulted, and though Kiko herself never started any of the banter, she had added her own anger on several occasions.
"Kazu." Kiko eventually spoke.
A grunt followed, telling her he was listening.
"I'm sorry." Kiko spoke, but didn't look at the shifting gaze of the boy. "About everything. About the way I treated you, and how I've acted around you. I can't apologize for the others, but… I hope you can forgive them. I know we don't deserve your forgiveness, but I hope… I hope we can be friends."
Slowly turning her head to see the reaction of Kazu, Kiko didn't expect to see the boy on the verge of tears, staring her in the face.
"I'd… I'd like t-" Kazu was about to say, when the crunch of foliage interrupted him, and he instantly burst into action. Kiko watched in surprise as Kazu jumped off of the fallen tree they were using as a seat and taking a battle stance in a matter of moments.
"Identify yourself, Inkling." Kazu growled at the darkness in front of them, his foot kicking Kiko herself into action as she drew her own blade, nervously scanning the darkness. "I warned you once, and will not do so again."
As Kiko was preparing to shout for the camp to awake and help them, sure enough, an Inkling dressed in majestic armor from head to toe stepped into the light, with seven more shadows hanging back. The gilded trim of the Inkling's armor glistened brightly, even as the flame was flicking to its end, making it seem as if he glowed in the dark. Kiko watched in further surprise as Kazu immediately dropped to one knee, bringing his swords tip to the ground.
"Commander Kikimo. My apologies." Kazu tonelessly greeted, Kiko quickly copying the boys motions and dropping to a knee.
"Worry not, young sentry." Their commander spoke, his tone not dissimilar to that Kazu used to show how unthreatening he was. If Kiko wasn't already aware of how Kazu had deceived them, she would have thought them father and son by their vocal patterns alone. "I hope you'll forgive my intrusion of your duties. I was merely making sure all my platoons were doing their jobs."
"There is nothing to forgive, commander. I hope I have passed your test." Kazu returned, unfettered by how this singular Inkling held each of their lives in his hands. While Kiko was nervously realizing she had pointed her weapon at their commander, an offense punishable by death, her fellow squaddie hadn't even faltered.
"You have, aspiring one. What is your name, young warrior?" Commander Kikimo stated, waving his guards to move past the two bowing Inklings. Kiko watched from the corners of her eyes as the armed Inklings came dangerously close to her, before continuing into the main camp.
"Taki, of the eighth assault platoon, commander." Kazu lied easily, Kiko biting her bottom lip to silence herself. She didn't know why Kazu was lying, or why Kikimo was using Kazu's soft tone she had grown so fearful towards.
"Well Taki, I'll make sure to put in a good word to Ren and tell him that you should be rewarded for your vigilance. Now I'm off to go sneak up on some other platoons, so do me a favor, and keep this between yourselves."
"As you command, commander." Kazu simply said, head pointed straight down as Kiko watched their commander make his way through the muddy ground, his armor slowly fading from view.
What felt like an eternity passed before Kazu finally stood, wiping off the mud that stuck onto his knee, Kiko quickly copying the boy's motions.
"What was-" Kiko started, before a hand covered her mouth and silenced her.
"Whisper." Kazu breathed, barely audible.
"What was that?" Kiko nervously asked once Kazu's palm left her lips.
"I don't know."
"He lied to us, didn't he?"
"Yes."
"Is that why you lied back?"
"Yes."
"What do we do now?"
"Nothing."
"Nothing?"
"Nothing. Sit back down."
Kiko quickly did as she was told, nervously looking around at the darkness as Kazu started to put more fuel on the flames, slowly stoking the embers into a small inferno. As she watched the boy add more dead leaves and dried twigs into the blaze, Kazu quietly spoke aloud.
"That was pretty cool, though. The commander himself coming to see us. Isn't that right, Kiko?"
"R-right. I wasn't expecting it at all." Kiko said, trying to hide just how nervous she was. "Do you think they'll come back?"
"Like, to check on the third shift?" Kazu questioned, seeming genuinely interested, and making Kiko realize just how good of a liar he was.
"Y-yeah."
"Oh, I don't know. I doubt it. They have to sleep too, you know. Now… where were we? You said you wanted to be 'friends'?" Kazu visibly grinned, for the first time since his grand reveal last week, confusing Kiko greatly as he sauntered over back to his original seat, sheathing his sword and leaned it against the log.
She didn't like how close Kazu's face had come to her own, and how far back she was leaning over their impromptu bench. His face remained unchanged as he closed his eyes, his dumb, happy face returning after a week of being absent. As his hot breath hit against her face, Kiko realized he was whispering very quietly.
"We are being watched. Mention how Renzo and Yori will be here to relieve us soon."
Kiko swallowed hard, but fought against her discomfort as she spoke the words. "T-Taki, we can't… Yori and Renzo will be here soon."
"Grah!" Kazu groaned with much enthusiasm, making a show of how he separated himself from her, grabbing one of his swords as he started to head into the dark forest after knocking her off her seat. "I just can't get a break. An hour of flirting and then you do this to me? Getting cold feet while you warm me up? You get your kicks off teasing me, huh?"
"What are you doing?!" Kiko asked, fear of being abandoned in the dead of night easily outweighing the panic of being dropped on the ground.
"What do you think? I'll be back in a few minutes." Kazu promised, laughing as he nosily shoved himself through several low tree branches and bushes. Kiko wondered if she should follow after him, but the longer she deliberated, the more stuck she became.
So Kiko waited. And waited. Then waited some more. Growing more and more nervous, she paced around the fire, unsure if she was supposed to keep the fire burning or let it die out. She paced around the edge of light, wondering if Kazu really had abandoned her, knowing for certain when two figures came from the direction of where the rest of her squad was sleeping.
"Kiko. Cool fire." Yori yawned as he rubbed his eyes with a closed fist.
"Good morning, Kiko." Renzo greeted, taking Kazu's seat and knocking over his two swords. "What're these doing here?"
"Oh! Oh, nothing. I mean, Taki left them here. Ha." Kiko nervously chuckled, unsure if she was still supposed to be playing some sort of part. Her confusion and panic seemed to confuse the two boys, who were sharing looks before turning to her.
"Taki?" The two said in weird unison.
"You know what? I'll just hold onto them for him. Could you tell - him - that I have his other two swords, please?" Kiko asked, picking up the two blades and quickly making her way towards their squad's camp.
"Tell… Taki?" Yori asked, completely dumbfounded by her words.
"Yes! Taki! Thanks, Yori. I know I can count on you." Kiko called behind her, not stopping as she hastened her steps into the darkness.
On her way to her squad, Kiko couldn't help but feel eyes watching her in the shadows, her brain playing tricks on her several times over as she closed the distance between herself and the shadowy canopy that had been made by waterproof canvas. A few hundred feet away, she could clearly see the fire Kazu had left, and the two shadows of Yori and Renzo patrolling around it. But she wouldn't get peace from switching her position with two Inklings who didn't know what she did. Even as she laid herself down for the rest of the night next to Nara and Enri, she couldn't help but think that Inklings in the dark were much more terrifying than the marauding fish creatures that skulked in the back of her mind.
Kiko closed her eyes, grasping the two swords tightly by their hilts as she wished for sleep.
