I kind of expected Sakon and Ukon to have some secret fans, but I guess they only have four, including myself. Oh well. I shall write this anyway, for those three fans and myself!
I actually think ((and hope)) that this will get more popular if it had more chapters, so I shall write, write, write!
Disclaimer: It ain't mine. I just enjoy writing for it.
I forgot to mention in the first chapter, but I didn't pick the names on a whim.
Yori means reliable, and Kimi means lover, friend, or lord. Hana means flower.
Since Yori's mother is a herbaligist, I named her Hana.
As for Yori? Well, I guess you could say she's Sakon and Ukon's Reliable Friend. Or lover. Or lord, I like that one. Seriously though, it's the first one. I'll explain why in the next chapter. Just remind me, okay?
Oh, in case you haven't noticed, the rating has changed to M. I still don't know about lemons and limes or whatever, but it's been changed for language and maybe...other things...in the future.
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Chapter two
Yori had taken extra precautions about the strange boy, and looked for any evidence of him being an enemy ninja. She looked for a head band. She found none. She looked for a weapon, a kunai, shuriken, or scythe, anything that he could've used to defend himself. She found nothing of any sort, which led her to believe that the poor guy was brutally beaten, no, destroyed, by a rouge ninja.
Finding no other signs of ninja, aside from some needles that she pulled from the strange boy's body, she began her journey home, covered in sweat and dirt.
By the time Yori reached her house, the effects of the food pill were starting to fade. It was a special food pill that her mother had made specifically for her. Normal food pills could've kept Yori wired for a week, but the ones that Hana made gave her an hour's worth of boosted energy. It was very watered down. The aftereffects of a normal food pill were sometimes deadly, and Hana wasn't going to risk anything with her only baby girl.
"Thank goodness you're here," greeted a raspy voice.
Yori looked up from her tired stupor and look at the source. A cold feeling dripped down her back and made her straighten.
"Tora-baba," she said in disbelief.
The old crone snorted, "Tora-baba indeed. It was awful trying to get over to this place with my old joints. I want some of that special tea your mother makes me, and I want it hot and fast."
"Tora-baba, I'm very tired," Yori sighed. "Where are my parents? Why don't you have mom make you some tea?"
"Don't talk to me in that ungrateful tone, girl. Your parents had me come over here as fast as these old bones would allow me, all in order to watch you."
Yori stared at Tora, who began to walk over to the Kimi house in her slow, crippled gait.
"Wh-what? What happened? Are they alright?" Yori asked, trailing after the old woman.
"Eh? Don't you know?" Tora grinned, revealing only a handful of teeth.
Yori held her tongue. Nobody pissed Old Lady Tora off without regretting it. Tora was a very scary woman. Her appearance alone was enough to make babies cry and dogs whimper in fear. Tora had silver hair that was tied back in a tight bun. She had a wrinkly face, and fierce golden eyes. She had a large mole next to her bottom lip, and a wiry black hair grew out of it. She frequently suffered from painful arthritis, and often visited the Kimi household for herbal remedies.
"No I don't, Tora-baba. Perhaps you would be so kind to enlighten me with your great wisdom," Yori said, a touch of rudeness in her voice.
"Don't give me cheek, you ungrateful child. Haruki never talked to me in such a tone."
It was better to back off then get in a fight with Tora. Yori didn't feel like getting old people spit in her face again. "My apologies, Tora-baba. I'm really tired."
"Hospital," Tora replied shortly. "They're at the hospital. Your mother gave me a note to give to you, but I'm not going to until I get my tea. My joints are aching."
Yori held back a groan and walked quickly over to the greenhouse to gather the necessary herbs for Tora's tea.
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Yori set some water to boil, and began to grind the herbs to mix with the tea. Tora sat on the family couch, flipping through TV channels.
Yori glanced over at Tora, who was eyeing Hana's cat, Koiyo, with disgust. Koiyo was Hana's oldest cat. He only had a few patches of fur left, and his one eye was becoming milky white, the beginnings of blindness. Tora scoffed at the cat and swiped at it with her cane.
While Tora was waving away Koiyo, Yori quickly added another herb in the grinder. She ground it hard, and perhaps a bit too long, and added the whole mix into a tea cup.
"I hate that damn cat. He always stares at me, with that one white eye," Tora said with a shiver.
"He's going blind, Tora-baba," Yori said, and set the tea on the coffee table in front of the couch.
"Hana should put that thing out of its misery and kill it."
"You know she could never do that."
Tora reached for the tea, and looked over at Yori. "I expect you'll want that letter."
"Yes. Er, please." Yori said with a fixed smile.
The old woman reached into her yukata sleeve, and pulled out a white letter. She tossed it at Yori, who snatched it out of the air.
Even though she was eager to open it, she waited and watched Tora. Tora didn't pay her any attention and sipped her tea. "This tastes like crap. What the hell did you put in this?"
"Just the usual herbs, Tora-baba," Yori said softly, and sat next to her and pretended to watch TV. Tora drank deeply, "Ah…that soothes these groaning bones of mine!"
"Indeed," Yori replied, distracted by a soap drama.
Tora finished quickly, and set the cup down, "Not like how your mother makes it, no, but well enough."
"Thank you," Yori said quietly.
"I was just telling your mother that these herbs are doing wonders for me." Tora said as she changed the channel.
"Oh? That's good. I guess you don't have to come over here that often anymore."
Tora snorted, "On the contrary. I'll be joining you for dinner frequently. The more I drink the tea, the better. I-" Tora collapsed in the middle of her sentence. Yori smiled. The Valerian herb kicked in and knocked Tora out.
Yori walked calmly over to the storage closet in the hallway that led upstairs. She opened the door and grabbed one of the many handmade blankets. Yori had a lot of time on her hands, so every evening at eight she worked on knitting blankets.
She walked back to the living room and unfurled the blanket over Tora, who snored peacefully. Yori tucked the blanket around the old woman, and turned off the TV. She began to leave the room however, Koiyo, trotted over to her and meowed at her feet. Yori smiled, petted the cat lovingly, and placed him on Tora's lap. He purred in content, and kneaded the old woman's knees.
Yori left the room, and went to her own to read her letter in private. She opened the door, and groaned. "Aw damn it!" The earthquake had left her normally only slightly messy room into a huge messy blob. Her knitting basket and latest project lay on the floor, her yarn unraveled all over the place. Her stuffed animals were scattered everywhere, their hammock home hung from one string on the wall. Her potted plants had fallen from their window sill and lay turned over on the floor.
If her room looked like this, she wasn't eager to see her parents' or the guest room. Yori gave out a frustrated sigh. She'd clean this up later. Right now she wanted to read her letter.
Yori stepped over the various objects on the floor, and sat on her bed. She pulled the letter out from her pants pocket and opened it. Her mother's hasty scrawl greeted her eyes.
Yori,
The young woman ((which was crossed out and "man" placed above it)) you found is in critical condition. I will do my best to care for him. It will probably take a few days to get him into a steady status, so please take care of the house, your father, and Tora-san.
Much love,
Hana
PS. Please take care of the greenhouse as well. I am afraid to go in there myself. I can't imagine the damage done to my poor plants.
Hana
Yori sighed. "Why write this? I don't care about him. I don't even know him."
She stood up, stretched, and grabbed clean clothes from her drawers. Yori had no problem cleaning the house, but she was going to clean herself first.
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Yori had just finished dinner when her father returned. He looked weary, but fine.
"Welcome home."
"Thanks," he said tiredly. "What's for dinner?" he asked as he opened the refrigerator.
"Fried rice with pork," Yori replied, getting two plates.
"What about Tora?" Toshiro asked as he began to drink milk from the carton.
"That is so gross. I wish you wouldn't do that," Yori made a face. "And she won't be joining us for a while."
"You don't even drink milk," he reminded, shutting the refrigerator and sitting at the head of the table.
"I know," Yori said, setting a plate full of food in front of him. "But it is still nasty. What about Tora-baba? She drinks milk."
"What did you mean when you said that she won't be joining us?" Yoshiro asked sharply, he wasn't to be distracted.
Yori set down at her place, two seats from the head, at the end of the table. The table was set in the middle of the kitchen and was large enough to seat six.
"I drugged her tea with Valerian and other herbs," Yori said casually as she chewed a pork strip.
Yoshiro coughed, "You-you did what?"
"I drugged her tea. It's fine, and completely harmless. Listen, you can hear her snoring from here," Yori paused. Sure enough, light snoring could be heard from the living room.
"Why?"
"Two reasons. One: I am old enough to look after myself. Two: the herbs that I added are safe, and will actually help her. Not only did I add Valerian, I added Junniper Bush. It's an herb used for various medicinal remedies, but it's very helpful with arthritis. I had to change the ingredients because mixing mom's usual herb with the amount of Valerian I used would have killed her."
Yoshiro sighed and shook his head, "You're not a doctor, Yori. You can't change the usual for an old woman like Tora because you don't know if it would kill her or not. You can't go around drugging people just because they annoy you."
Yori stood up from the table, "I've lost my appetite." She dumped her food in the trash.
"Yori," her father warned.
"Don't even start!" she said as she whipped around suddenly. "You don't even know! You run away every time she comes over!"
He flushed crimson, "I do not. I-"
"No! You do! And it's not fair!"
"Yori, I am your father-"
Yori stomped over to the stairs. "I'm going to bed," she said and stomped up to the bathroom. She sighed as she peed, and jumped when her father suddenly knocked on the door, "Are you alright, Yori?"
Yori wiped herself, stood up and stared in the contents of the toilet with hatred, "No." she growled.
"Is something wrong? Are you hurt?" The doorknob twisted, but it was locked.
Yori flushed the blood away, "I'm on my period, dad. Leave me alone."
There was a pause. Then, "I'm sorry to bother you," Yoshiro said weakly.
Yori sighed again and got a pad from underneath the sink. Under the bathroom sink was taboo for her father. It contained pads, tampons, and makeup, everything Yoshiro couldn't handle.
Yori washed her hands and brushed her teeth. 'This is going to be a wonderful week,' she thought morbidly as she flipped the light switch.
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Yoshiro actually cleaned the greenhouse, something Yori was very grateful for. She hated the greenhouse. It was hot, humid, and bug paradise. Yori hated bugs, insects, anything with more than four legs. She hated a lot of things right now. Especially Tora-baba, whom she had to escort home. But it wasn't so bad this time.
"I can't believe I was knocked out for so long!"
"Indeed."
"That potion of your mothers works wonders for an old lady like me. I feel great!" Tora crowed.
"Oh? You don't feel dizzy? No nausea, heartburn or indigestion? No upset stomach, nor diarrhea?"
"Pepto-max," Tora finished and swung her cane gaily.
Yori smiled. She added a tiny, miniscule amount of marijuana to Tora's tea. It was just regular tea, with a little bit of milk and honey added for flavor. And of course, a little bit of marijuana. A little bit was all that was needed for an old woman like Tora.
Tora pointed to a rock, "Hee! Look at that little squirrel over there! I've never seen such an ugly, lumpy little thing. Think its dead? It's not moving."
"Oh yeah," Yori agreed. "You're almost home, Tora-baba."
"I know that," she replied grumpily, as if she was disappointed.
The two walked in silence for the rest of the journey. "There you are, Tora-baba."
Tora's house was a small house. She had only three rooms; a bedroom, a bathroom, and a living room/dining room combination. She lived on the outskirts of Kushii; however, taking a semi-high Tora through Kushii was suicidal. Tora would kill Yori if she did; Tora had a reputation to keep.
"Tell your mother I'll come over for dinner when she gets back. I couldn't stand to have to eat with you and your father." Tora smiled and shut the door in Yori's face.
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Nothing.
That's what Sakon felt. Nothing. Was he alive or dead? What the hell? After all that suffering, there was nothing? Getting his butt kicked by some makeup-wearing, plays with dolls bastard, getting called a woman, that was all for nothing? No heaven, no hell, no angel, no- ow. That fucking hurt.
Wait. That was pain. It was coming from his left arm. In heaven, there was no pain, or so it was said. So…that meant…
"Can you hear me?" asked a voice. The voice of his torturer, the voice of death.
Sakon tried to tell it to fuck off, but there was something in his throat, and he chocked.
"Oh, forgot about that, sorry." The something was gone and Sakon coughed weakly before asked the voice, "Here to…make me…suffer…shinigami?"
The voice laughed.
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"Dr. Kimi!" Hana turned around.
"Dr. Kimi, the patient in room 121 is waking up!" Yuma said, smiling as she trotted up to Hana.
"Really? That's great news," Hana said, walking toward the patient's room with Yuma her assistant reading his vitals behind her.
"His heart rate and brain activity have gone up, for both of them! The main one especially."
"Good. Let's check on them, shall we?" Hana said as she opened the door.
The boy lay on the hospital bed, bandages covering his whole body including his face. Only his nose, mouth, and chin were not bandaged.
"Hello," Hana announced as she walked over to his bedside. She smiled apologetically before she took an I.V with a particularly large needle out of his arm. He flinched and stirred.
"Can you hear me?" she asked, leaning over his bedside.
He made a grunting sound from his throat before choking.
"Oh, forgot about that, sorry." She said as she gently pulled the breathing tube from out of his mouth. He coughed weakly, "Here to…make me…suffer…shinigami?"
Hana paused a moment before bursting into laughter, "Shinigami? That's a first! No, dear, I'm a doctor, and I'm here to make you…not suffer."
The boy didn't respond.
"Do you have a name, dear?" she asked as she checked on the other one. Brain activity was slow, but she didn't know what to do. She'd have to ask him about it later.
"S-Sakon…" he muttered.
"Well Sakon-san," Yuma said as she wrote some notes on her clipboard. "You've got one hell of recuperation to go through. You've got damaged tissue and torn muscles throughout your body. You'll be sore for a long time. There is some good news though."
"Oh…?" he wheezed. "What could get…any better…than this?"
"You're alive." Yuma said matter-of-factly.
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Yeah, I know. Not very interesting.
It has to be done though, to make things progress. See, I tried not to make it that boring by adding the little Sakon segment.
Please inform me of any mistakes. I'm trying to be my own beta, and I need to know if I missed anything.
Well, let me know what you think, please. Reviews make me update faster winks.
Tahoma, size 11, 9 pages 3,116 words.
August 11th, 2008
Very Important Note:
Who is older, Sakon or Ukon? It's pretty bad when the author has to ask about the characters she's writing about, but I really don't know. Also, for whoever is younger, would "aniki" be ok for me to use? I mean, do you think they'd address each other like that, or would they just say "brother"? Should I stick to "brother"? It is kind of annoying when people put a whole bunch of Japanese terms like "ano" "hai" and stuff. What do you think?
Also, thanks for the 80+ hits for chapter one!!
Dani