Chapter 4
"Kidnapped!"
"Pretty faces in a crowed may catch your eye, but it's the soul behind that face that catches your heart."
~Okibata Cho
"Sojiro . . . Wake up, Sojiro." A soft female voice beckoned to the boy. He lay still on a small western couch in the middle of a rice paper room. The boy was sweating hard, black circles under his closed eyes. His innocent sleeping face tattered with dirt and sweat.
Hakuchi sighed. She had been trying for an hour and a half to wake him. She had successfully made and given an antidote to the Japanese youth and was able to save him from his impending doom.
"It's a good thing the poison wasn't strong. Now he just needs to wake up!" She hollered at the sleeping beauty that laid upon her couch. She let out another heavy sigh, "I wonder where that girl went, anyway. This was most likely her doing in the first place." Hakuchi leaned back in her small chair rubbing her temples with her hands. She lifted some water and poured it into Sojiro's mouth, hoping maybe the sudden rush of cold water would wake him.
Seeing that nothing happened, and nothing would happen for awhile, Hakuchi decided to let him rest for the night. It was growing late and if she did wake the boy up he would just have to settle to go back to sleep again. She stretched, laying out a small mat down on the floor. She would sleep by him so if the kid woke up in the middle of the night he could be tended to.
Smiling she laid down on the mat, straiting out her blankets and kimono. She would sleep in her simple kimono tonight so she could tend to the Tenken admittedly if he awoke. Precautions as such were always needed. She looked up at his black thick hair that peeked over the couch. Her eyes filling with mystery and tenderness.
Makoto . . . you sure raised a bundle of trouble.
* * *
"What are you going to do to me? You sickos!" Cho yelled. She had been forcefully bound and thrown into the main room. She was dressed in a small French maid dress that the demented men had forcefully made her change into. Her face was flushed and her eyes full of anger, her hair pressed against her face.
"Why! you belong to us now, Cho! That was the deal your mother made with us, and this time that runt of a boy isn't here to ruin our plans." Kano, the large leader spoke up, smirking wildly.
"Don't worry, this is all legal." Kin, an intelligent looking fellow, laughed. He was holding a small pipe also in his hand. Puffing it continuously threw out the conversation.
"I don't care if this is legal or not, it's wrong!" Cho screamed trying to untie her binds.
The group crackled, "Sorry, Little Cho, but your ours now. And you'll stay tied up until you accept that fact." A somewhat normal looking man said. He was calmer then the others, older looking also. Cho snarled at him, only to get a playful laugh in return. This man was named Kazuo, Cho knew this because he was the one that usually came to pick up her debt money.
"You snot nosed weasel!" She barked.
"Hmm . . . you don't hear that everyday." Kin frowned.
Cho tossed a glare at the man. Sighing she let her head drop, her hair masking her from the men.
"We'll leave you here for the time being. Let you . . .reflect on your new situation." Kano said in a deep voice. He motioned for the other men to come with him as he slid open the door.
"Next time we won't be so kind." Kin smiled, taking a puff of his pipe.
With that the lights went out and the door closed. Leaving Cho all alone in the small dark room.
Tears slipped down her cheeks, her lips quivered and her shoulders shook.
"I'm sorry, Mother . . . I'm so sorry," She dug her head into her knees, crying out in desperation, "Mother!"
* * *
Hoji let out a long sigh of frustration and grief. He sat alone outside a restaurant, still looking like he had come out of a strait out of a burning building. In the last two years he hadn't done allot with himself. To be honest he had been, with purpose, in hiding. His hair was sticking out in many directions, his face tired and worn, black bags under his eyes. Energy was lacking in his whole existence, scares and burns on his face and hands. Fiddling with his long maroon coat he waited alone still for some unknown thing to show up.
"Hoji-Sama!" Hoji's head shot up as soon as he heard the words. He smiled tiredly as he saw what he was waiting for. It was a young girl, an American girl. She had short thick orange hair with a slue of freckles that ran across her nose and cheeks. She was wearing a brown pilot's outfit, complete with a small pair of goggles on her head. In her hand she held a bag of bandages and various herbs, along with foods of all sorts.
She finally reached Hoji and gave him the bag, her large orange eyes sparkling thankfully.
"Thank you, Ann." He said his facial expression not changing at the young woman's appearance. He took the bag from her hands. She also handed him some yin and a receipt.
"Your welcome, anything to help someone!" She chirped.
"So, Ann . . . How long have you been in Japan, I must ask," He said as he gathered his stuff. She scratched her head and looked down.
"Well, about 9 years. I got here a few years after the fighting stopped and the Meji restoration started up. I took a boat here to explore this new Japan people were buzzing about. I wanted to see what the Meji government has done with the place. . ." Ann winked as the two started forward, "I may not look it but I am from a small Japanese decent which I have always admired. So I was somewhat interested. Also, I love swords and samurai. It's so much more different then the stuff back in America. I know all of the famous samurai and all that stuff!" Ann smiled, excitement oozing out of her.
"So, your no more then a tourist." Hoji retorted flatly.
"Am not!" she barked back, "I have lived in this small country for almost half of my life! I am not a tourist!"
"Okay then. I'm just wondering how you staid occupied all this time here." Hoji looked at Ann's Ever Joyful face.
"Ahhh, I have been working on plans for my flying machine!" she chirped delighted that he asked.
"Your really are mad." Hoji smiled lightly looking down at the short ball of energy that strode closely beside him.
"I am not! You just watch, one day I'll fly!" She yelled.
"Sure, Ann." Hoji rolled his eyes. Stopping at the edge of the Kyoto, Hoji started to look around. Looking down at Ann he gave her a look of half attention, "Are you going to stick around?" He asked rather bluntly.
"Well, I would love to meet your friend here. He sounds very interesting." Ann chirped.
"Okay then, girl. I need to visit a friend of mine first to get some more medication. So follow me." Hoji gave Ann a strict face and started forward. Ann grumbled and followed as the two left the city.
* * *
"Cho . . ." Sojiro found himself mumbling her name. All was black around him, he was alone, Dead. Wait, no that wasn't right. Not dead, he still found life. His chest still moved, his heart beating. Feeling crawled up his legs all the way to his shoulders. He found the moist taste of water in his mouth.
Groaning his eyes broke open. A dim light flushed into his mind.
A thousand thoughts rushed into his head at one time. He was confused, glad, regretful, sad, and wondering. Thoughts like 'Where am I' and 'Where's Cho?' were the first to be recognized in his dark blurry mind.
He soon arouse to look around. Breathing deeply he began to sit upward to get a better glance at his surroundings. A sudden pain shot through his side as he noticed he was leaning on his wound. Wincing, he rolled over onto his back and shifted his waist to a more comfortable position. The agony subsided and a smile came to his face once more. His crisp blue eyes scanned the room.
The first thing the young boy spotted was a familiar girl laying beside him on the floor. She was surrounded by a sea of long blond hair, followed by a small brown blanket.
Sojiro smiled as he looked upon her. The kindness he had just received was something he would never understand. Sighing with gratefulness he searched the room for Cho. She was absent. Panicking a little bit inside, he stumbled out of his bed, smile fading fast. Holding on to the arm of the couch to balance himself he peeked into the hall way. He looked around some more. She was no where. Sojiro decided to stumbled around the large house to see if she was else where, but Cho was no where to be found.
After ten minutes of searching he gave up, catching his breath in a long candle lit hall by the side of the house. His smile was lost, sweat poured down his face and body. Where could Cho have gone to?
"Sojiro!" A voice yelled from behind him snapping him out of his trance. Turning on one heel he met the face of his caller. It was Hakuchi, "Sojiro! You can't go running around like that! Your poisoned. You must rest otherwise your body will break down!" She scolded, pain in her voice as well.
Sojiro drew breath to speak, something he hadn't done in awhile, "Where's Cho?" He asked, his voice raspy and raw. Hakuchi let her gaze drop to the ground. A grim feeling washed over the two.
"I'm not sure. . ." Hakuchi sighed. Sojiro jumped, his face becoming a landscape of terror, "But you can't chase after her Sojiro! You mu-" Before Hakuchi could finished, Sojiro was gone. Sword by his side.
He panted as he ran through the forest. Hakuchi's calls had faded and he was now deep into the forest. There had to be a lead somewhere. Sojiro felt foggy and grim, his mind felt dead and lost. He knew why he should have stayed in bed, but Cho needed to be protected.
Ha, Protection . . . protecting with a sword . . . I'm weak aren't I? He laughed to himself.
"Oh my Gosh, I'm starting to sound a little bit like Mr. Shishio!" He smiled a wide smile and scratched the back of his head.
Sighing, his smile disappeared as he strode forward into the darkness. He had to find a lead . . . a clue.
After a half-n-hour of looking he found himself almost lifeless again. His body ached, his vision blurred. His breathing was coarse and heavy, "Haha, stupid me. I should have listened . . . but why does Cho make me want to fight? Make me stronger . . am I . . . In love?" He let out a long sigh accompanied by a large smile.
Taking a large breath his giggling continued, turning into a laugh. Soon he was uncontrollably laughing at himself, crying also as he knew what was going on.
"I-I didn't rest! So the poison is killing my mind now! Ahaha-haha-ha!" He rolled onto his back, "What is this stuff? Poison from hell?" He breathed between laughs.
"What's so funny?" A voice wisped into the air. Sojiro jumped at the familiar voice. A form started to form in his blurry vision in front of him. The moon reflecting the on the man's maroon coat and white suit.
"Mr. . No . . Impossible, Mr. Hoji?" Sojiro laughed, looking at the man's face.
"So, Sojiro, your still alive?" Hoji stepped closer.
"Barley. Mr. Hoji! I have poison running through me as we speak." He was smiling like a drunk man, his face the portrait of madness. Tears started to run down his cheeks.
"Hm. You do look rather a mess." Hoji sat down near Sojiro. Shifting Ann who was fast asleep in on his back.
"Mr. Hoji . .. Your not an illusion, are you?" Sojiro cocked his head to the side.
"Hah. You really are poisioned. No, I'm alive. . . as for Lord Shishio . . ."
"He's dead, I knew this. I thought you had died also . . . since you went missing in that fire."
"Far from it, although there are some days I wish I would die." Hoji leaned back against a tree.
"Mr. Hoji. . ." Sojiro laughed a bit, "I'm going to die here. Could you find Hakuchi-San and tell her thank you for me. I was stupid and left her care to find Cho. Even when I didn't even know where Cho would be."
"Cho, hm?"
"Cho Okibata." Sojiro corrected.
"Some girl you've met?" Hoji asked, watching as Sojiro started to die.
"Yeah . . . you could say that." Sojiro laughed a bit more.
"TENKEN!" A blood curly scream ripped through the air. It was far away but still loud enough to catch someone off guard.
Sojiro flew up from his position, looking from side to side he panicked and struggled to get up, "I'm sorry Mr. Hoji. But that was Miss Okibata!" Sojiro nodded to himself. It had to be her. He knew it.
Running into the forest he followed her screams. He would kill . . .murder even in cold blood anyone who put their hands on her.
* * *
"Hey, Boss. Come take a look at this!" Kin frowned leaning back from his chair to look at his friends.
"What is it, Kin?" Kano asked, looking at the smaller man.
"You know that kid that attacked us back at Cho's Inn?" He asked, holding up a paper.
"Yeah?"
"I believe . . . they are half siblings."
Authors Notes:
DU DU DU DUUUUNNN! Another plot twist is whipped out! MWHAHAHA! Now we are getting somewhere!
So, I'm kinda disappointed. I didn't fit all the stuff in this chapter that I wanted too and I feel like there is to much scene changes. But thats okay.
Hoji is really difficult to write. He such a . . . sarcastic brat its difficult! LOL.
I really wished I could have had more of Cho in this one. I'm really pumped for whats going to happen in the next few chapters! So much to un leash!
So! Guess what? I'll be getting a Sojiro Figure! I'M SO HAPPY!
I'll have Sojiro on my desk, phone, laptop, wall! X3 I'm such a fangirl. ROFL.
Okay. So I have the cover to finish . .. I know! I just have been having drawing issues for awhile. Lol. RAWR! I also have three Doujinshi to start/finish, a Fanfiction to finished, and a Code Geass Fanfiction to finish. Its so aggravating. Lol.
So, about ann:
Ann is based off Amelia Earhart. She is my Best Friend's favorite character.
I would have to say when I made Ann I was really excited with what I could do with her.
She was also so unique and different and she shows a side that strives for the future and new technology. And she has such a spirit! It may seem she's a little bit out of place compared to the rest of the Tenken: Heaven's wonderer (Or Roruken) Cast, but she's gonna
turn out great. Keep an eye on her also, she plays a big roll later!
Apologizeing about Cho:
I'm sorry. I'm still Creating Cho as this is going on. She is really hurt and unstable, but her true personality will come out later. Watch for it. She is really awesome!
Hmm. We are mixing the music up today, my friends!:
Toxic (Instrumental) by Brittany Spears
Disturbia (Instrumental) by Rihhana
Don't stop the Music by Rihhana
To late to apologize-Justin Timberlake
Hey there Delilah-Plain White T's
SexyBack-Justin Timberlake :P
Dota-Basshunter (of course . . rave party? O.o)
The Peanuts Theme-Vince Guaraldi (HECK YES!)
Rest of the Vince Guaraldi's Peanuts work. ^___^
And allot more!