Chapter 13
Chapter 13
The Wiyots
Hotsuma swam to Hayate. Unconscious and knocked out, Hayate made no response.
"Hmm. Pulse seems normal. He's alive. Thank Kami."
Hotsuma shook Hayate violently to try and awake him up.
"Hayate! Hayate! Wake up you imbecile!"
Instantly, Hotsuma found a way to wake up Hayate.
"Nightmare? What are you doing here? YOU wreaked our ship?"
With that, Hayate awoke from unconsciousness and reached for his sword.
" NIGHTMARE! Come you coward!"
Hayate gave a glance around him and realized that Nightmare wasn't anywhere near him.
"Done?"
"Yea.." responded Hayate in an embarrassed manner.
"Look around for Nijin."
The two called out into the sea. Among the wreckage and floating planks of wood, they yelled.
"NIJIN!"
"NIJIN-SAN!"
No response.
"NIJIN-SAN! LOOK THE MEAT HAS BEEN SAVED!"
Still no response.
"NIJIN!!"
Nothing but the sounds of the sea.
"Where could he be?"
"Well, he's a good sailor so he should be okay somewhere."
"Oi, Hotsuma, what is that?"
"Looks like a coat."
"Whatsn't that the coat that Nijin was wearing?"
"I think you're right."
Hotsuma swam to the coat and looked closely. He gasped in despair. It was Nijin
s. It bore the mark of the Oboro clan and had a blood splatter on it.
"What's the news Hotsuma?"
"Nijin….gone."
"Hmm. Well what now? Our navigator is gone and were lost at sea."
"I have no clue now."
Instantly, a seagull flew overhead.
"Look a seagull."
"So? What do you want to do Hayate? Eat it?"
"No, you fucking idiot. We follow it. Birds are a sign of nearby land."
"Hell no! I'm not putting my life and faith in a stupid bird."
"Well its our best chance. Better to follow a small hope than to stay and give up."
"Grr….Fine, lets go."
Hayate and Hotsuma swam in the bird's direction. Minutes went by and Hotsuma stopped.
"That's it! I see no land anywhere! The stupid seagull is getting us nowhere!"
"AND what do you suppose we do?"
"We could eat the bird..."
"Like I said before….NO! Just follow it for a little longer."
"Hayate, look around you I see nothing but blue and yellow."
"Yellow?"
"Yea over there. To the south."
"You shithead, that is a shoreline."
"Oh."
"I'm right. Guess you should never trust an Oboro."
"Oh you bastard. Once we get on dry land I'm gonna chop your legs clean off your body."
"Big talk, small ting ting."
"Fuck you."
"Let's stop squabbling and move towards land."
"Fine." Hotsuma growled.
They swam tirelessly to shore and finally reached it. On the shore was a small tan-skinned boy bearing a fur tunic and trousers.
"Good job Br'uu. You saved these two!" Said the little boy.
"Hello little boy."
"Hi, lucky for you my bird saved you from the storm. Last night I heard screaming so I decided to investigate with Br'uu here."
"Yes, thank you very much for that."
"And you two are?"
"I am Oboro Hotsuma."
The boy turned towards Hayate.
"When asking one for a name it is only right to state your own first." Hayate said in a cool manner.
"Ugh! How arrogant! If you must know I am Bangoo, the son of the Wiyots."
Bangoo turned to Hotsuma and said.
"Your samurai friend here isn't too kind huh?"
"I apologize for his rudeness. He's a bit flustered from the storm."
"I gave my name to you now state your own!" Said Bangoo in a very annoyed tone of voice.
"Hrmph. I am Hayate."
"Oboro Hotsuma and Hayate. Your names…sound so familiar. Ah yes! Your fame has spread wide. Like a river to the ocean. We have heard of you two. Oboro Hotsuma, you must be a surviving member of the Oboro massacre."
"Yes, yes indeed. I am."
"And Takuzo Hayate. You defeated the Black Legion of the Oboro during the massacre."
"Yep." Said Hayate in an arrogant tone.
"How do you know of us? Are we still in Japan?"
"Just the opposite, not on Japan. We are on an unknown land."
"But if..we." Hayate then interrupted. "Kid, just take us to your leaders."
"Hmph! Well then! Follow me."
Hotsuma turned to Hayate.
"What's wrong with you?"
"I don't handle well with children."
Hayate then flashed back to his childhood to his orphaned years.
"Oh I get it. You were orphaned after the Nightmare incident."
"Whatever. Just go follow the kid."
They caught up to Bangoo and observed the land surrounding them.
It was lush, green and full of life. The men and women appeared to work side by side. Fires were stoked with various animals cooking. The land was filled with unfamiliar animals and trees from that of Japan.
"What is this land? Where are we?"
"I believed you asked this already. Your samurai friend already implied that you obviously don't want to know."
"Please forgive him Bangoo but he's just an ass."
"Well if you are truly interested, I will tell you. We are the Wiyot tribe of this unknown land. Author's note: this land is actually North America on the California coast."
"Okay. Continue."
"According to our village elder, our ancestors came from Japan. We were the Wiyot clan of Japan. Our people however, were not treated well in Japan. We succumbed to special oppression and the daimyo as well as the Emperor targeted us for special taxes. We were persecuted for our beliefs which was different from your Shinto religion. Our gods were anthropomorphic. After our great ancestors were finished with the constant oppression, they looked for a safe haven where they could worship in peace. They migrated to China and did not find any consolation in any of the Chinese lands. After trying to leave China, the Wiyots traveled north to the artic lands and barren icy wastelands. From there we took our canoes and sailed east from Japan. We found this land and made it our own. What was truly strange was this land was never seen before. Our ancestors traveled the world because us Wiyots are obsessed with knowledge and have never before described a more beautiful land than this one. We found out that this world was not of the known world that our maps indicated. So simply, we have no knowledge of where we are or what lies east of this land."
"Interesting, an unknown land. Your people are truly fortunate indeed."
"I know."
"Enough storytelling. Take us to your village elders."
"Very well samurai."
Bangoo took the two to a triangular tent decorated with paintings of hunts. It was fairly the largest tent of the village and had much smoke escaping from it. Hotsuma and Hayate entered in the large dwelling. Inside, two men and one woman sat around a small fire. Each of them wore a strange mask.
"Bangoo! My son! Where have you been and who are these strangers?" said one man
"Father, these two are men hailing from the west. They are Japanese."
"Not here to attack us again I hope?' Said the other man
"Their hearts are as pure as water. At least one of them is." Bangoo said glaring at Hayate.
"Japanese? Well that is rare." Said the woman.
"Yes, I know, they were afloat on the sea after the storm."
"Oh, I see. Well allow us to introduce ourselves." One man said while he stood.
He had a mammoth mask on with long tusks. His body was very muscular and had chains that held together his fur apparel.
"I am Rock. Father of Bangoo and leader of the Wiyot tribe."
"What is that mask your are wearing?"
"This mask is ceremonial. It represents the Wiyot god of war and protection, Beu'll."
The woman stood next taking off her deer mask.
"I am Dialgia. Wife of Rock and the mother to Bangoo."
"And your mask?" Hotsuma asked.
"Oh, my mask represents the goddess of fertility, life and time, Ish'tzu."
The last man stood up and removed his owl mask.
"And I am Olcadan the village elder and prophet. Before you ask, my mask represents the god of wisdom and knowledge. So'rra."
"I am Oboro Hotsuma."
"Ah yes, the Oboro massacre. One of the famous survivors hm?" Said Olcadan.
"And I am Takuzo Hayate."
"Yes yes. Famous disciple of Heishiro Mitsurugi and fighter in the Oboro massacre."
"That is correct."
"You were the one who stopped the Black Legion of the Oboro right?"
"I was." Said Hayate.
"Hotsuma-san. Weren't you fighting with the Black Legion?"
"No I did not. Actually I did before the instigator, Hiroko Hirashima, casted me away and I rose up to kill him. Hayate and I were rivals."
"Oh I see." Said Rock.
Bangoo opened his eyes in interest as Hayate and Hotsuma told their stories.
"I suppose you are looking for passage to somewhere?"
"Well, we are looking for a way to get to China. We are rendezvousing with an Oboro friend of mine to get to Europe."
"May I ask what for?"
"To hunt down Soul Edge."
"Ah, I see. Well we will try to help you as best as we can."
"Your generosity is truly great."
"Oh please, please. You honor me too much." Said Rock in a humble tone.
"Well I will have my villagers build a ship for you to travel back to the Far East."
"Arigato. Thank you very much."
"Oh but our generosity does come with a small price."