Chapter 7: Father knows DEAD
"This man's name is Doitetsu Tarou. He had been a friend to me for the last 25 years! In attempting to rescue a junior officer, he was bitten! It was an act of self-sacrifice! This is the most noble thing a person can do! However..." Souichiro's deep voice boomed over the gathered crowd of survivors that had been rounded up after his arrival as a fork lift approached the raised platform he was standing upon with a cage sitting on it's prongs. "He is no longer human. His life ended when he turned into this abominable thing!"
The fork lift raised the cage to be level with the platform, the once living man inside now a vicious member of the undead, it's one eye white with blood seeping from it's corners, the other having been torn out and it's neck having a large chunk ripped out.
"And so, now..." Souichiro continued, his right hand dawning the elegant katana at his side as the cage stopped, level with the platform, a few other similarly dressed men stepping up and started undoing the locks, the once man inside paying them no attention; Souichiro's raised voice wasn't only to make sure everyone was watching him, but also to bring the undead's attention only to him. "I shall demonstrate my friendship!"
The locks fell and the savage undead beast sprung from the cage, straight for Souichiro who, with one fluid motion, raised his sword and swiped it down, before any of the survivors, Takashi's group on the balcony included, could fully comprehend what had happened; the zombie's head rolled at Souichiro's feet, one it's arms and head having been severed in the slash, and the body fell with a thud.
"Fare well, dear friend!" Souichiro proclaimed, the head giving a final groan; without hesitation, Souichiro lifted his foot and stomped down on the head, crushing the skull and forcing the other eye out of it's socket.
As if only realizing them now, Souichiro looked out into the crowd of shocked on lookers. He cleared his throat and fixed his composure before adressing him, his foot still planted on the crushed skull of the undead monster that had apparently been Souichiro's friend.
"...this is the kind of thing that makes up our here and now! Great friends, beloving family, and lovers are all becoming things!" Souichiro stated, shocking and even angering the survivors and their mixed feelings over the who ordeal; Takashi's group was more mature in taking the lecture, in terms of having already coming to realize much of what Souichiro was saying on their own. "For their and our own sakes, we must destroy them! If you wish to survive...fight!"
On the balcony, the group was watching the gory spectacle with mixed feelings, mostly grave and serious, save for Kaede, the show only making him want to carry out his plan sooner to get it over and done with, since it obviously wouldn't be an easy task.
Kouta was also thinking of something else that was gnawing at the back of his head; he tried holding it back, seeing as there were ones among the group that were also the problem, but he couldn't any longer.
"...katanas aren't efficient enough weapons..." he scoffed lightly, hoping deep down no one heard him.
"Don't comment on things you know nothing about, Hirano-kun." Saeko said sternly, her gaze suddenly icy and on Kouta, as well as a sideways glance from Kaede and looks from Saya and Takashi, saying about the same thing as Saeko was.
However, Kouta did not back down, even with so many eyes on him.
"But a Japanese sword's blade dulls if it hits bone, and after three or four kills, the blade's through!" Kouta bit back, frantically looking at anyone but Saeko or Kaede, unable to hold either of their fierce gazes.
"Listen, following the way of the sword results in a number of things: skill, ability with a sword and finally, focus!" Saeko replied, her gaze softening slightly despite herself. "If these three things are taken to a high enough level, then one can behead any number of people without losing any combat strength, or damaging the blade too much."
Without much need of themselves, Takashi and Saya had looked away from the argument between their gun otaku and the two swordsmen too look back into the courtyard; several vassals had already disposed of the body, and Souichiro was walking down to meet his wife, who smiled sadly at the strong man. As both Saya and Takashi looked down, it seemed that Souichiro looked back straight at them, catching Saya's eyes who glared back down at her father, before her turned back to his wife, and followed her away.
"B-but you can get blood and grease on it! Plus the blade dulls, like any other edged weapon!" Kouta retorted, becoming frantic now over such a little argument, Saeko easily keeping her cool.
"It's like cooking." Kaede butt in with the simple comment, crossing his arms before explaining. "A good cook never leaves unnecessary grease, and defiantly not blood, on a good knife, and always sharpens it before use; it applies to swords as well. Uh, in other words, a good swordsman takes care of his sword, like a gunman, eh?"
It finally hit Kaede to use something Kouta could understand, never guessing doing so would anger Kouta; as childish as it was, Kouta didn't want his precious hobby related to something he considered inferior. None the less, he kept quiet as Kaede finished.
"It's the same concept with a gun; keep it clean and give it maintenance as often as you can, and you have a reliable weapon, either a firearm or an edged weapon." Kaede explained distastefully, honestly wishing Kouta kept his mouth shut in the first place.
"But...but..!" Kouta tried continueing, but it was hard, especially with Kaede's example.
"H-hey, Kouta. It's okay." Takashi said, reaching out to Kouta's shoulder, only to have it unexpectedly smacked away by the otaku.
"Don't touch me!" Kouta yelled as he whipped on Takashi, snapping suddenly, much to everyones surprise. "Don't butt in! You can't even fire a gun properly!"
"Hirano! You need to chill out!" Saya cut in at Kouta's sudden outburst, turning to him as well and causing him to be silent; without another word, he turned and rushed into the room.
Before Rei or Alice could say anything, Kouta had grabbed the AR-10, the Ithaca and the M1 and rushed out the door, slamming it behind him.
"What the hell's his problem!" Takashi hissed as he watched Kouta disappear through the doorway and the door slam behind him, not having seen him take the guns but could guess he did something like that.
"You should understand; you and Hirano-kun are both boys, after all" Saeko said, oddly calm and looking at Takashi, Kaede sighing at the whole ordeal in the background while Saya grumbled something to herself, no doubt an insult to at Kouta, and Shizuka just watching from the edge of the balcony.
"I know that already." Takashi replied, calming somewhat at the odd comment from the purple haired swords-woman beside him, looking over at her curiously.
"You're just...no." Saeko started, shaking her head before walking towards the balcony door and entering the room, seeming to have something on her mind. "I guess you're just opposite sides of the same coin..."
"What's she going on about...?" Saya muttered as she and Takashi watched Saeko likewise leave the room, and turned to Takashi; he had a clueless look on his face.
With a sigh, Saya followed suit and went through the room, Rei and Alice looking up for the third time to see one of their group leaving through the room. Again, Takashi watched as another left without a word and did nothing to stop her. He looked over at Kaede and he simply shrugged before heading through the room as well; Takashi could see him though the glass windows pick up his katana and disappear through the doom, Rei and Alice watching once more.
"What's with them...?" Takashi muttered to himself, reminded of Shizuka's presence by her giggling behind him. "What is it, sensei?"
"I was thinking, I'm really glad I came along with you guys." Shizuka said, giggling softly.
"...huh?" was all Takashi could reply with.
"Even though the world is being overrun by them..." Shizuka started, a honest smile forming on her face. "Youth is still wonderful!"
"But when you say it like that..." Takashi started after the words sunk in, but stopped as the smile faded from Shizuka's face, and she turned to look off the balcony again; the crowds from earlier had dissipated, the survivors returning to their tents and the vassals dispersing to their posts.
"You know, Komuro- kun, I..." Shizuka began, her back to Takashi to hide her troubled face. "I was getting my clinical training at the collage hospital, being the temporary school nurse, when I'd be dispatched elsewhere I'd have to make a lot of decisions on my own..."
"...this is sudden..." Takashi replied, feeling something was amiss, his tone serious.
"Please ask me...ask me for advice on what you should do. So..." Shizuka paused, holding herself tightly. "Things can be how they always were. Please!"
"...I'm sorry sensei." Takashi replied, looking away from Shizuka. "I can't right now."
"...then leave." Shizuka replied after a slight hesitation. "I want to live how I chose to. So...go away."
Without another word, Takashi turned and walked though the glass doors into the room were Rei looked up at him, she and Alice noticing something amiss instantly.
"Isn't there something you can be helping with right now?" Rei asked, looking away from Takashi as the thought of Kouta storming out of the room earlier came back to mind.
"Who are you to scold me!" Takashi suddenly lashed out, turning to Rei, to be met with Alice who was near tears, the sight making Takashi look down before he started for the door. "Tch...thanks..."
"...no problem." Rei muttered as the door shut behind Takashi, a small smile on her face; just then, Alice hopped up, and started for the door as well. "Ah, Alice?"
"I'm going to talk to Kouta-chan!" the young girl yelled over her shoulder as she followed after Takashi.
It took a few seconds for Alice to catch up with Takashi, she having to walk hurriedly to get along side him, then in front of him where she stopped, making Takashi do the same.
"Onii-chan, did you have a fight with Kouta-chan?" Alice asked, looking up at Takashi, who smiled sadly at her.
"...I guess so." he replied
"Then I have an idea!" Alice said firmly, Takashi asking what it was shortly after. "Talk to him again! Let's talk to Kouta-chan and find out what's wrong!"
"I...don't know if I can do that" Takashi muttered, looking away from Alice.
"Of course you can!" Alice said, her cheerful nature resurfacing as she smiled encouragingly to Takashi. "Since coming to Saya-chan's house, you and Kota-chan just haven't had anything to keep you busy!"
"...haven't had anything to keep us busy...?" Takashi echoed, Alice nodding, as realization dawned on him.
"I'll go tell him you're on your way!" Alice said, turning and running down the hall, the pattering of feet signalling Zeke was short on her heels. "C'mon, Zeke!"
Takashi watched Alice dash and the little dog dash away as he pondered the new realization, helped along by what Alice had said and soon walked down the way Alice had disappeared down, soon coming to the mansion's main door.
"It's the mutiny on the Bounty..." he muttered thoughtfully, the lesson from school having come to mind when Alice mentioned what she did.
"Heh, nice example, Takashi" Kaede's voice said from Takashi's right, making him look that way; there Kaede was, leaning against the wall with his arms cross and a light smirk on his face, his katana in the hamaka's obi and the upper half of the kimono folded over it. "Idle hands are the devil's playground, as they say..."
"What are you up to?" Takashi asked, his eyes narrowed slightly; he could tell Kaede was panning something, he just didn't know what.
Kaede simply waved his hand.
"Don't worry about that; don't you have more important things to deal with right now?" Kaede replied, looking at Takashi with a grin as he pushed himself from the wall and slipped on a pair of sandals; he waved over his shoulder at Takashi, and without another word, he stepped out the door and was out of sight.
Takashi sighed, shaking his head as he likewise pulled his shoes on and stepped out of the house, Kaede no where to be seen.
"I'll never understand these guys..." Takashi muttered to himself as he shook his head, wondering in which direction he should start looking for Kouta in.
"Onii-chan!" Alice's voice sounded along with the sounds of rushed foot falls; he turned to see Alice running to him, and stop a few feet infront of him, panting. "H-hurry and come with me!"
"What's wrong, Alice!" Takashi replied, instantly on alert and followed after Alice when she tugged on his sleeve, leading him along. "What happened!"
"It's Kouta-chan! Kouta-chan's in trouble!" Alice said, tugging more urgently on Takashi's sleeve to get him to run faster with her; he complied, running through the courtyard around to the back of the house, possibilities of what happened to Kouta passing though his mind.
'Did he try leaving with the guns and get attacked? Did they get through the gates? No...Takagi's vassals would have taken care of that...' Takashi thought as he ran along with Alice, who seemed to know exactly where to go; as they neared a small Japanese shack, voice could be heard, echoing to Takashi's ears.
"You don't want to screw with us!"
"Just give them to us already!"
"No!" The voice rung familiar in Takashi's ears, and he ran harder to get to their destination, and he could see faintly four figures surrounding a fith, who was on his knees, the unmistakable outlines of two rifles in his arms marking the fifth as Hirano Kouta, the others, all vassals of the Takasgi family, bearing down on him.
"Come on! You know these are hard times!" one yelled down at the teen, who was near breaking down under the pressure, but far from giving up the guns. "One person shouldn't hog all those weapons like that!"
"Hand them over to use already!" another added harshly.
"N-no! I'm borrowing these from someone. Besides...!" Kouta sniveled, gathering his wits. "Besides there's no one who can use these as well as I can here!"
"You little brat!" the same vassal who had snapped at Kouta earlier hissed. "Yoshioka-san asked you nicely, so stop being so selfish!"
"We only want them so we can protect everyone here!" the one who had spoken first, Yoshioka added, but Kouta's only reply was to hug the guns tighter. "He doesn't even care..."
Takashi and Alice finally approached the scene, Takashi yelling out Kouta's name as they neared; however, his voice was drowned out by a much more powerful voice.
"What is all this commotion about!" Takagi Souichiro's voice boomed out, silencing his vassal's and made Kouta cower in fear as he and his wife approched the five.
"D-Don!" the more agressive of the vassals jumped, intimidated greatly by his boss's sudden appearance. "Th-this punk kid thinks those guns are his toys."
"Tell me your name, boy!" Souichiro boomed at Kouta, standing directly in front of the sniveling teen, his overbearing presence doing nothing to help him calm down. "I am Takagi Souichiro, Don of our patriotic organization."
"Hi-Hi-Hirano Kouta, Fujimi High School, second year class B, attendance number 32!" Kouta replied in a jumbled mess, near tears from the Don's intimidating stance.
"So not speak so bodly, Hirano-kun!" the Don boomed out, making Kouta shrivle up as if being close to the Don was harmful to his well-being, and it might as well had been. "That I myself had to come here is proof that you have caused a good deal of trouble."
"Dear, this boy is..." Yuriko started.
"I know. he is from her class" Souichiro replied to his wife, his voice considerably less intimidating, yet still powerful and respect demanding; he turned his sharp gaze back on Kouta, making him whimper. "Now, why won't you hand over the guns?"
"No! Without the guns...!" Kouta started, shaking his head furiously, tears and snot flying side to side. "Without the guns I'll go back to what I was! I'm done with the old me; I'm done being useless! I've finally found something I'm good at!"
"Such as?" Souicho asked coldly, making Kouta look up at him in disbelief, stammering to try and get the words out from under the Don's opressive gaze.
"Such as protecting your daughter!" Takashi finally intervened, stepping to Kota's defence and standing by the sniveling boy.
"T-Takashi!" Kouta cried out as if the furious teen was a godsend.
"Hm?" Souichio examined the scene, the name familiar to him. "Takashi...Komuro Takashi, correct? I have heard your name before. You have known Saya for a long time."
"Yes sir, but since this all started, Saya's been..." Takashi waved towards the gates where, just a few streets down, they reigned supreme, then looked back at Kouta, then to the Don. "You daughter's been under the protection of Hirano Kouta!"
This silenced even the Don for a second, his wife smiling warmly at Takashi, then even to Kouta, just as Alice ran up to Kouta, hugging him protectivly and glaring childishly at Souichiro; on top of that, Takashi heard some struggled grunts and turned to see Shizuka helping Rei along(who was dressed in a simple white robe) to them.
"Even I see how much courage this young man had, Don Takagi" Yuirko said in a soft tone from behind Souichiro.
"And I can too, Papa!" Saya yelled, causing eyes to whip to Saya as she approached, Saeko behind her a few steps because of the shorter strides she took due to the kimono.
With seven of the eight group members coming to aid Kouta, Souichiro was impressed, vaguely wondering about the eighth...
Kaede sneezed and took a look over to where quite the crowd had formed a safe distance from the Don Takagi and his comrades, rubbing his nose.
"Guess it's time to make my appearance, neh?" he muttered to no one in particular, standing from his crouching position and started walking towards the source of commotion, his katana at his side and his hand resting lightly on the hilt; if only the hamaka were a worn down a bit, anyone would have said he looked like a true ronin...
"He may be a freak and a worthless gun otaku, but it's because of him that I'm here!" Saya stated in Kouta's defence, shocking her mother and father, as well as Kouta, and the rest of the group. "He's one of my companions, and has been protecting me...unlike you, Papa!"
"Regardless of what he has done, I cannot allow him to keep all those guns to himself!" Souichiro boomed out, turning his attention on the two rifles and the shotgun in Kouta's arms. "In a time like this, the ones in charge need weapons like that the most-!"
"Well, in that case, I have a bit of a proposition for you, Takagi-sama." a voice rang out; Souichiro's eyes moved past Kouta, along with every one esle's, onto Kaede, who paused momentarily, scratching the back of his head sheepishly. "Ah, shit...didn't mean for such a dramatic entrance..."
"You speak pretty boldy. What is this proposition you speak of?" Souichiro replied, his attention soully on Kaede now, who seemed the least bit intimidated; quite the opposite, he held Souichiro's gaze unflinching, only making the Don intensify his glare as the teen approached.
"A sparing match, and I'll represent our group; we win, we're recognised as our own group and we keep our guns" Kaede said as he came to a stop in front of Kouta, finishing the terms before Souichiro, or anyone else could butt in. "If we loose, we'll hand over the guns and become a more...co-operable as a whole."
"Hmm...arrogant words for a child of no stature" the Don bit back, examiling Kaede; he had been told his name, but it slipped passed him at the moment it was given, and now it really was bugging him. "Suggesting being recognised as a group...who is your leader and why isn't he suggesting this match?"
"Komuro Takashi" Kaede replied simply, the only one of them really surprised by this was Takashi himself; Kaede smirked over his shoulder at him as did Saeko, Rei, Saya and even Shizuka(Kouta would have too, but he was still trying to regain himself). "And well, let's just say we didn't disguss this fully yet; matters arose that made it necessary to execute before we could."
"I see then..." Souichiro's eyes drifted to Takashi and the teen tried holding his gaze the best he could before turning harshly on Kaede again. "So, why you? Wouldn't Busujima-kun be a better choice for something as important as this? Who are you to take such an honor without disgussing such a thing without the consent of your leader!"
"Himoura Kaede..." the dark haired teen replied, looking directly into Souichiro's eyes, a glare flashing in his eyes that matched Souichiro's, suprising the Don. "Former student of the Hiten Mitsurugiryu* style."
Souichiro's eyes instantly narrowed at this.
"Hiten Mitsurugiryu? That's a family technique...indeed, you carry their name, however, there was only one child of the new generation, and he is many years older than you." Souichiro stated, narrowing his eyes at Kaede. "How can you know such sword style? Are you lying?"
"It matters not what I say, no?" Kaede replied with a smug smirk; the Don had gone for his bait. "The one true way is to learn first hand, neh? And that'll happen only if you accept our terms..."
Not even a full hour had passed since the kid had challenged the Don, and yet word had gotten around to every vassal at the manor, regardless if they were actually there or out guarding streets to the mansion; the platform the Don had used for his demonstration earlier had already been set up, and a crowd had already formed, but the Don and the teenager where nowhere to be seen. His group was there, yes, but the teen, no, and that was causing a bit of a sit in it's self, rumors flying left and right about who it all started, and the two's absence from the platform. In truth, however, Kaede had asked to speak with Souichiro in private, with the pretext of re-establishing the terms of the battle.
"The terms remain the same, Takagi-sama, however..." Kaede spoke with the Don, looking up at him with firm eyes. "I'd like to ask you one favor...if I win, I want you to apologise to Saya..."
The look on Takagi Souichiro's face told Kaede that Saya's accusations weren't too far off; the change in expression, no matter how slight or how fast it was hidden, told Kaede there was no need to finish, but he did.
"For assuming she didn't survive the Outbreak of those things."
"I...will try." Souichiro replied before turning his back to Kaede and walked away. "Come, we have a match to start, boy!"
"I told you, my name is Himoura Kaede" he replied with a scoff as he followed after Souichiro, who only grunted.
"Consider that as another term of the match; I'll recognise that name of yours!" Souichiro shot back coldly as they rounded the house; the small crowd of vassals and a few of the survivors gathered to watch the match fell silent as the two walked to the platform, Souichiro walking to the otherside while Kaede stayed on the left.
There was no need for an introductory speech, since in all honesty this was supposed to be a private match, having nothing to do with the vassals or other survivors; none the less, Souichiro allowed the crowd to watch, there being no harm in it anyways. He turned to face his young apponent, towering several heads above him and obviously more built than him, but Kaede stood just as confidently and arrogantly as he, the Don.
"Are you inteding to use that sword there, boy?" Souichiro asked, his eyes having drifted to the sword Kaede was resting his hand apon, his own in his left hand, ready to be drawn. "Such a thing wouldn't last long against a properly forged blade. I can offer you a proper sword...for this match, at least."
"I'm aware of that, but I've made a sort of bond with it, over the short period of usage" Kaede replied with a shrug. "Thanks for the offer, but I'll decline, Takagi-sama."
"Very well then, boy. Prepare yourself!" Souichiro replied, drawing his katana and handing off the sheath to a near-by vassal, stepping into a ready stance.
Kaede likewise prepared himself, however he placed his left hand on the sheath's top and held the hilt with his right, not yet drawing as his stance widened out, his left leg brought back and his wight distributed on both legs, giving him a firm, wide stance; the basic stance of the Hiten Mitsurugiryu style, as Souichiro and Saeko noticed.
Speaking of the purple haired warrior, she was showing quite the interest in the battle, and not for the terms or out come, having many of the same questions as Souichiro. Takashi noticed something was up with her; while every one else was worried for Kaede's safety, Saeko was calm and watchful, yet there was something in her eyes that told something was troubling her.
"What is it, Saeko-san?" Takashi finally asked, bringing Saeko out of the trance like state she was in, watching the two on the platform.
"Ah...well...it's about Himoura-kun. I know of the Himouras and their family sword style, but I thought it was a coincidence..." Saeko replied, and Takashi recalled her father was a really well known kendo teacher with a long history of such things, so she would probably know about things like this. "As Don Takagi-sama said, there's only one child of this generation, and he's older than Kaede, but..."
"But what?" Takashi asked after Saeko was silent for a moment.
"My father heard rumors of an illegitimate Himoura child that was being taught the family's style, but everyone thought of it as a rumor..." Saeko said with a slight frown. "It's odd, but it looks like the rumors were true..."
Takashi only nodded, looking back up to Kaede with a new sort of understanding; as he was turning his gaze, he caught a glimpse of Saya, and it looked like she knew the same thing as Saeko did, which he half expected.
After standing off for several minutes where Souichiro studied Keade's stance, and Kaede doing the same, Souichiro deemed the teen's stance to be well perfected, but that didn't tell him much; a stance was a stance, and didn't give away too much about training other than discipline, and Kaede had it, though, Souichiro didn't have much to go on, the Hiten Mitsurugiryu not being a very common sword style, especially since it was more of a killing style.
Souichiro shifted his foot, preparing for a charge and drew Kaede's eyes to the simple movement; he took the chance and lunged for Kaede. Metal sung as Kaede drew his blade, pushing off with his left foot with blinding speed; only a handful of people saw it, Saeko and Souichiro included. With the power behind the quick drawing of his blade, Kaede parried Souichiro's left-down ward strike with a clash of metal, throwing him off balance for a second.
Placing his left hand on his sword hilt, Kaede tried taking advantage of the Don's unbalance and swong horizontally at him; the Don blocked easily and caught Kaede blade with his own, the two katanas locking before Souichiro used his supirior streangth to throw Kade back a few meters. With the same trick he used to begin with, Kaede quickly covered that distance, jumping up and swinging his blade down.
Souichiro raised his blade, blocking the attack, but Kaede let his blade slide along Souichiro's, using his greater speed and shorter height to his advantage, crouching slightly and bringing his sword back, lunging it straight for Souichiro's abdomen. The lunge was sloppy in Souichiro's opinion, and he easily side stepped it, the blade cutting at his coat but little else; this was what surprised Souichro, since he was sure he would be clear of it, the lunge not looking as sloppy as it did.
The Don didn't have much time to compensate this as Kaede brought his sword back and went for an upwards slash; Souichiro parried and pushed Kaede back, bringing his sword crashing down on Kaede's. To stop the blow, Kaede had to support the end of his katana with his left hand, and even that didn't stop it right away; the blade sunk down, and cut his shoulder, Kaede having moved his body to the side to avoid the blade getting anything vital.
As blood flowed from the wound, Rei and Shizuka gasped, Kouta holding Alice to prevent her from seeing, in his opinion, Kaede getting his ass kicked; even Saya reacted to this, knowing how strong her father was and thinking Kaede extremely stupid for challenging him, even if her was the illegitimate child of the Himouras.
"That can't be allowed!" Rei hissed, still being held up by Shizuka, having insisted on staying out for the battle. "Why aren't they using wooden swords anyways!"
"There's a lot more to be proven in a battle like this..." Saeko answered simply, and Rei growled softly, but remembered how Kaede said not to interfere not matter what before he went off to talk to the Don, further showing his confidance in winning. "As a battle between two true warriors, using live blades is the only option."
Kaede didn't haven give the small wound a second thought, slipping from under Souichiro's sword and sending an upward slash at him; Souichiro barely got his sowrd in position on time, blocking with the lowest part of the katana's blade, just above the tsuba and again pushed Kaede away with an upward swing of his sword. Blood flew from the tip of Souichiro's blade as the tip caught Kaede's right cheek, cutting upward just enough for it to start bleeding quickly.
"I know he told us not interfere but this has to stop!" Shizuka was the one to speak up this time, and it sounded as if Souichiro and Kaede heard her, since both came to a stop and Souichiro lowed his sword.
"We can, if that is what you wish." Souichiro said, looking at Kaede, knowing he heard his comrad's conserd words, but the teen only shook his head.
"I'm fine, they're just scratches" Kaede said over his shoudler to the group standing near the base of the platform, and turned his attention to Souichiro. "Thanks for the offer, but you won't recgongnise this as a victory for either of us, and it things'll just go back to what they were like."
Souichiro was silent, the words true and they both knew it.
"There's too much at stake for the group for me to give up, besides..." Keade grinned softly. "There's something else I need to show you to prove I'm a real Himoura..."
"Oh?" Souichiro replied, the traces of a smirk forming on his lips as he raised his sword again, interested in Kaede's words.
Kaede only chuckled to himself as he slid his katana back into it's sheath, stepping into the stance he started in, but took a deep breath and closed his eyes, preparing; Souichiro knew something was coming, but didn't know what, and that was more than enough for him to acknowlage Kaede as a true Himoura. Maybe not admit defeat, but recognise him as a Himoura for sure.
The Don stepped into a simple stance for blocking as Kaede's eyes opened, sharp and ready; no body blinked, yet they still didn't see what happened. One second Kaede's on the left side of the platform, the next, metal and metal clashed as Souichiro blocked the strike, stumbling back a few steps.
The Don instantly knew that wasn't it as Kaede started turning for a second, more powerful spinning slash and tried to step back more; he was shocked to find he couldn't for a split second, as if something was pulling him in the opposite way he wanted to go. That split second was all Kaede needed to finish his spin, and sent a fast, powerful horizantal swing at Souichiro.
Metal screamed as sparks flew when Souichiro block just in time, holding his sword virtically along his arm, supporting it with his arm and all the strength in his body; the result was Kaede's katana bending at a near perfect fifty degree angle, completly ruining the contest sword Kaede used since the begining of the Outbreak.
"Amakakeru...Ryuu no Hirameki...*" Kaede panted out, resting aginst the katana locked with Souichiro's, the Don suprised at the sheer speed and power of the attack, as well as the momentary inmobility the first strike caused, doubting it was unintentional; the second stroke not only ruined Kaede's sword, but also put a nick in his own, and even caused him to bleed from where the back of his own blade bit into his arm.
"Un...beleivable..." Souichiro gasped out, at a loss for any other words, like everyone else in the crowd.
After using that technique for the first time in a real combat situation, Kaede's body felt heavy, his shoulders numb and his legs weak; without even realizing it, he began falling, dropping the bent katana, but was caught by the neck of his shift, and lifted to his feet by none other than the Don himself, looking extreamly impressed and pleased.
"Amazing! I've only heard rumors about that technique!" Souichiro said heartily, letting out a bout of boom laughter. "Thank you, thank you so very much for showing it to me fist hand; I assume that you've not completed your training on it, however? You did mention you where a former student..."
Kaede only nodded weakly, not sure if the treatment the Don was giving him now or before was more scary as he let out more booming laughter, likewise scaring half of his vassals watching, adding to their shock that the Don was even capable of laughing or smiling.
"It was wonderful none the less! I must give you a replacement for that sword...and yes, I'll admit this was my loss; all your terms are granted!" Souichiro said, patting Kaede on the shoulder, making his knees buckle under him, but he was again caught before falling, by Shizuka this time, who was taking up her role as a nurse again; she glared slightly at Souichiro before cheching the two noticable wounds on Kaede. "Ah...it must be very taxing on your body, I see...well, I'll leave you to your nurse for now, but I wish to speak with you once your bandaged up."
Souichiro began regaining his compsure as Shizuka walked off with Kaede, motioning Takashi who was now supporting Rei to follow after her. In a good mood, Souichiro ordered the platform to be taken down an those not helping with it to disperse imidiatly befor eleaving himself, to seek out his daughter who had dissapeared among the bussling vassals.
As the people began dispersing, Saeko happen to look over towards the house, and thought she saw a familar figure around the corner, however, a man walked by, obstrucking her veiw for a second, and the figure was gone. Saeko shrugged it off as an after effect of the shock and excitment of seeing such a tecnique being used and such a wonderful battle...
"Yes, that's right. I'm preparing my escape right now." a young teen spoke into his cell phone, a survivor found near the barricades of the manor only yesterday, pausing to listen to the soothing voice of his wonderful teacher. "I think if we ask them now, they'll let us in. Yes...yes, Shiou-sensei!"
Chapter 7, end.
Author's notes: Sorry it took so long to update; this chapter was a bit difficult, along with me trying to work on other fics...well, it just took awhile to finish it.
Hiten Mitsurugiryu=Flying Heaven Honorable Sword
Amakakeru Ryu no Hirameki=Heavens Gliding Dragon Flash
Both Ruroni Kenshin referances, I decided to give Kaede an interesting family history.