AN:
AN: I'm back with the next chapter! I'm sorry I haven't been able to update sooner, school sucks, I know :). Anyways, hm… I can't really comment on it until it's over, so…please enjoy reading it. Thanks!
Thanks to…
dragonlady222: Yeah, I thought it was quite bold of Ryou to do what he did. Hopefully, their father doesn't go hunting for him… Thanks for the review!
bakura666: Haha, thanks! Actually, I was thinking about it, and I don't think the ending is coming anytime soon… At least, not in the next few chapters. Thanks for reading and reviewing!
ONIX-21: Hope you find this chapter as exciting as the last, lol. (And that's the first time I've been complimented for a cliffhanger). Thank you for the review!
The Vampire Prince: Thanks so much, couz! I'm glad you like this story best (from my works) and hopefully, I can finish it soon. Thanks for the support!
I Love Everything: Yeah, school stinks! Then again, I wouldn't be able to write if it wasn't for school, haha. I'm glad you like the story thus far, and look forward to hearing from you. Thanks for the review!
My Chemical Music Box: Haha, I'm sad to say that this next chapter isn't so adrenaline packed, but I like it (for whatever that's worth ;;). Thank you for reviewing!
MadPie: Thank you for the review! I hope you find this chapter enjoyable as well :)
nekosqeak: Thanks! You're awesome, too, for reviewing!
Tsunaida: Really? I like Bakura and Ryou as siblings, too! I hope you like the next chapter (as well as the rest of the story) to your liking. Thanks for reading and reviewing!
Chapter Twenty Three: Tracks of an Angel
Bakura paced the length of the steel platform once more, his mood so obvious that all avoided him. His heavy footfalls and incoherent grumbling drew curious glances, but no words from passersby.
Marik and Malik were sitting on a nearby bench, nozomi train tickets clenched tightly in their hands. The older twin was leaning back on the bench, studying the high, sloping glass ceiling of the station while Malik had his head propped against his hand, elbow resting on his knee. His expression grim, Malik watched the younger white-haired teen battle his demons as he silently strode forcefully to and fro.
"Five more minutes," Marik mumbled, indicating the time at which the train for Tokyo would come in.
Malik simply nodded, his eyes never leaving Bakura. He was worried. Ever since the conformation that Ryou had left with Bakura's father on an earlier train, Bakura had been acting strange.
"T-they left?" Bakura looked bewildered and confused for a moment, his eyes unfocused. "For Tokyo?"
As Marik quickly walked away to get them tickets from the booth for the next nozomi train to the big city, Bakura reached out to stop him. Marik paused and glanced back, giving Bakura a questioning look. "What?"
Bakura opened his mouth before quickly closing it. Hesitantly, he looked at Marik, then the booth. Slowly, Bakura pulled his hand back and shook his head. "N-nothing…" he murmured, his voice distant. "N-never mind."
Marik had frowned before turning back around toward the ticket booth. "We'll leave with the next train," the Egyptian called behind him.
"All right," Bakura said, his expression unreadable. "On the next train."
Malik carefully watched Bakura stare at the ground, his hands clenching and unclenching. Over the din of the train station, he could hear Marik buying the tickets.
"Hi, I need three nozomi tickets for Tokyo."
"Round trip?"
"Actually, no. I'm not sure when we'll be back. We might be there for a while."
From the corner of his eye, Malik saw Bakura flinch at Marik's words.
Why would the teen hesitate to take the next train to Tokyo? Didn't he want Ryou back as soon as possible? Malik grounded his teeth as he tried to answer those irritating questions, but found that he couldn't. He considered asking Bakura directly, but wasn't sure if the matter was that big of a deal. Had he just imagined the flinch? Or was there something in Tokyo that Bakura didn't want to encounter?
With an irate huff, Malik roughly ran a hand through his sandy hair. Just ask him, he scolded himself. Finally making up his mind, Malik pushed himself to his feet and started to approach the pacing teen.
"Hey, Bakura-" he began nervously.
Bakura curtly cut Malik off. "Train's here," he muttered, just as a low guttural sound of ringing metal vibrated through the air. Bakura hurried toward the hissing doors of the train and impatiently waited for some passengers to get off.
Marik came up behind Malik, giving him a soft push toward the crowd boarding the train. "It's time to go, Malik," the older twin murmured.
"Something's wrong," Malik said, edging his way slowly toward the train. "There's something in Tokyo that Bakura-"
"Of course there is," Marik mumbled, keeping his gaze level. He didn't look down at his brother as they boarded the train. Instead, he simply said, "Why do you think they ran away?"
Malik could feel the heat rising in his face, but before he could back up his suspicions, Bakura appeared behind them.
As he grabbed the twins, he shook his head and said, "You guys are so slow." Gesturing to the next car, Bakura ushered the twins into a smaller, less hectic compartment.
Almost immediately, Bakura took a seat against the window of the train and stared outside, into the dismal, midnight black. As Malik and Marik took their seats opposite him, Bakura quietly murmured, "I hate trains."
Father Josiah was a simple man who loved routines. Every morning, he gave a sermon to a small portion of the population of Ito, took a walk to the outskirts of town to help the less fortunate, and then came back to eat dinner and prepare his next sermon. Each and every day was like this, with very miniscule changes, and Josiah was content with that.
Located on a peninsula of Japan, Ito fit Father Josiah's ideal environment for preaching about Christ. There were little means of distraction in the isolated town, and the people were obviously hungry for something to believe in. However, despite the homely community and strong bonds with members of his Christian church, Father Josiah always felt out of place.
I really need to get married, Josiah thought pleasantly, though he knew that that was impossible. How could an infertile man find any woman to marry him?
Josiah heaved a sigh as he pushed his weathered legs to go a bit faster. He was running a little late today because one of his followers had asked for a counsel after the sermon in the morning. Normally, the priest would have reached the slums of Ito by two in the afternoon, but it was already a quarter past the fourteenth hour.
Almost there, old man, Josiah told himself, trying to gather his strength. It wouldn't do to be weary when he was helping the less fortunate, not in this blazing sunlight of early summer.
The first of the sloping buildings of the slums came into view, and Father Josiah felt his spirits rise. Slowly, power seeped into his body and he found himself striding confidently toward the far side of the small district.
He hadn't gotten very far when someone started shouting, "Father Josiah! Father Josiah!"
The said pastor turned around at the cry of his name, and saw a small girl running toward him. He smiled as he called out, "Kaia, how are you?"
The small girl didn't answer his question. Her face was pale as she grabbed one of the pastor's large hands.
"Come quick, Father!" she begged, pulling the priest away from his general route to the soup kitchen. Instantly, words and phrases started to spill out. "I told Mama, and she wouldn't believe me. All my friends are too afraid to help. They think it's a curse."
"Kaia, what-"
"I don't know what to do! No one wants to help! I certainly can't do it myself, I'm not strong enough."
"Child, where are you talking abo-"
Kaia continued to drag the man toward her destination and gave Father Josiah a stern look. "You have to help me."
"And I will," the priest promised, a bit overwhelmed. "But I'd like to know-"
"There's an angel lying next to the shinkansen tracks!"
AN: So…haha, any reviews and comments would be greatly appreciated.