Chapter 3
She rushed forward, linking her arms around his waist.
Sumire, he realized.
This was Sumire. As that reality settled in, the transformation dissolved and he found himself hugging Sumire right back. Sumire saved me. Sumire just killed for me. What is Sumire even doing here? More thoughts rushed through his mind as he patted the sniffling girl's head.
"Eight years! I've waited for you for eight years!" she raised her head to look at him, eyes drowning in unshed tears. "And you have returned. I knew you would," she sniffed and stepped back, scrubbing her face. "Though I could have imagined a more civil reunion," she hiccupped a laugh at her own joke. Sumire smiled brightly at him and Ikuro marveled at her change. For one she'd grown taller. Her hair was no longer a dirty blonde but a soft brown with golden highlights tied back in a braid. Her eyes that had alerted him that something was different about this attacker still shone. But it was with happiness and excitement. The teen standing before Ikuro wore a bright green sweater with a deep hood, dark wash blue jeans and a pair of black combat boots with steel toes. Black leather gloves graced her hands. He was shocked to see blood stains on her clothes.
"Sumire, what did you-" he was interrupted by an ear splitting screech. Nearly jumping out of his skin Ikuro turned to see Shiori.
"What the hell happened here?" she was shaking as she stared wide eyed at the blood, broken furniture and shattered glass. Her eyes rested on the dead body. "Who is that?" she demanded and her eyes moved again to Sumire. "Who are you?!" the tone she used was as if she were resting all the blame on Sumire.
"Shiori let me explain. This is-" before he could get any further Sumire stepped in front of him, placing a hand on his chest.
"Before I answer that," she stressed that she would answer for herself, "Who are you and how do you know Ikuro?" Sumire quizzed. Shiori bristled, obviously perturbed by Sumire's forwardness. Ikuro himself was surprised at the hostility in her tone. Sniffing disdainfully Shiori replied.
"I'm Kato Shiori. Ikuro's cousin," she glared down her nose at Sumire. Shiori wouldn't notice, but Sumire gave Ikuro a light shove to back away. He stared confusedly down at her. What was wrong with her? Instead of relaxing his friend settled into a defensive crouch.
"No. I meant who are you really and from whom do you know Ikuro?" Sumire asked again, her voice low and deadly. Shiori's face, just for a moment, contorted into that of disgust and fury. Only for a moment, but Sumire and Ikuro caught it. Sumire's hand stopped him from going to his cousin. Or who he thought was his cousin.
"Ikuro, head to the last car. Keep your head down, don't stop for anything. At all. Understand?"
"He won't be going anywhere. He is property of Judas. He's a weapon one that should be destroyed," Shiori started to walk forward but was halted by a rather feral snarl from Sumire.
"Ikuro isn't a weapon to be used and destroyed. He is a person, another victim of Judas. The only reason any of this would be happening is if your employers hadn't implanted that thing in his brain!" she snapped back.
"Shiori, why would you-" Ikuro began.
"Ikuro, I said get out of here!" Sumire's eyes never left Shiori as she screamed at him. His cousin reached behind herself. Sumire didn't move and neither did Ikuro. Not until Shiori leveled a gun at Ikuro did Sumire draw back her arm holding a knife that Ikuro didn't know she had. In one smooth motion Sumire let fly her blade.
Shiori gave a small choking noise. She looked at the blade buried almost to the hilt in her chest. A look of incomprehension crossed her face, followed by the freezing muscles of death, latching that look on her face forever. Ikuro stared in horror at the woman he thought was his cousin as she fell to the floor. His stricken look soon moved to Sumire which was digging through the pockets of the male assassin she had killed.
What happened in these last eight years? Sumire looked over her shoulder at him, her eyebrow crooked upward as she stood. Moving swiftly she collected knives scattered throughout the car. Ikuro watched at the efficiency at which Sumire gathered and cleaned the gore covered weapons. Once that was completed she tucked them into pockets and sleeves. She paused a moment longer at Shiori's body, patting through the dead woman's pockets, stuffing something in her own.
"Come on," she took his hand, "we need to get out of here." She tugged him along out of the battle torn car and into the next. Ikuro sort of expected it, but when they moved to the next car it was empty. Sumire kept pulling him along, despite his resistance and desire to stop and talk about what had happened. As if expecting some sort of explosion from him about what she had done, Sumire explained.
"I know that this is really confusing," she didn't even turn to look at him as she spoke, "but I promise to fill you in once we find someplace safe to hide." The two of them reached the last car. "And if my guess is correct, which they always are," she smirked as she peered out the window at the rushing scenery. "Then we are right where we need to be."
Sumire finally let go of his hand and went back the way they came. Through the open door he saw her struggle with the coupling between the two cars. When she fell back Ikuro hurried to the door, afraid she would lose her balance. But no, her hand caught the rail and she hauled herself to her feet. Slowly the car ahead of them began to put distance in between the two. Sumire returned to the car, closing the door.
"We aren't talking here. They still know where we are. For all I know, they could have had this whole train bugged. They may already know that you've survived. That's going to make it that much harder to escape them. But don't worry. I've had lots of practice avoiding them," she winked, dropping down on a bench. Ikuro blinked, dumbfounded. This was no longer the nine year who had helped save him from Judas the first time. This was an entirely different person impersonating the girl. He sat down across from her, unsure of how to phrase his accusation.
There was no need for him to bring it up. Sumire leaned forward, her elbows rested on her knees.
"I know that it is as if I am not the Sumire that you remember. But eight years have passed since you saw me last. And although you were a main reason for them to attack me, once you died I still was a target. I've been avoiding them all this time. That doesn't happen without changing a person, Ikuro. I promise, I am still Sumire and I will tell you more. But only once I'm sure that we are relatively safe. Okay?" she held out her hand to him. Hesitantly he shook it. A wide grin spilled across her face and she laid back. "Now all we have to do is wait for the train to stop. It shouldn't take too long."
True to Sumire's prophecy the train grinded to a complete halt within ten minutes. She jumped to her feet and skipped to the door. Sliding the door open she glanced over her shoulder.
"Ikuro? Are you coming?" he could hear concern in her tone. But he had been fooled by that before. This girl before him could just be impersonating Sumire. But then again, she had fought for him while he healed. She had protected him against the woman who was supposed to be his family. And every fiber in his being told him that this was the real Sumire.
Then what was holding him back?
"Ikuro?" Sumire was kneeling in front of him. She rested a hand on his knee, offering a slight smile. "I promised that I would tell you everything. And I will. After that, if you wish to go your own way, I won't begrudge you. But first I think a shower and new clothes are in order. You still smell of gas and frankly I'd rather you not go up in flames before I tell you about these past eight years. Deal?" she gave him an earnest look. Ikuro could tell she wasn't lying. Sighing he stood.
"Deal."
Sumire beamed and took his hand.
"Don't worry. I know where we can go. It won't take long at all."
*Sumire!
~What a twist...~
*Stuff it. Sumire is here now. No she's not the romantic interest. Not yet. That may change as it goes on.
~Otherwise known as yes. She will be a romantic interest.~
*Whatever. We'll see how it goes. Anyway, really short chapter. I acknowledge that I write rather short chapters. But I post after revisions after a day of writing. I have work and such to do, and yes I really only spend a day on each chapter so far. Then the next day is revisions and I post. This will probably change when I start writing the chapters in time periods of day(s) instead of hours. That is, the time in the story not in my life. Does that make sense? Really all these chapters so far have been taking place on the same day.
~No duh.~
*Die in a hole. Anyway, I own nothing of Baoh. It was written and illustrated by Hirohiko Araki. Please R&R.
