KiGo week continues with a new chapter of Midoriichi Next Generation. We'll be following both Midoriichi's group as well as Midoriko and Moniku . So without further ado let the story continue.
I do not own the Kim Possible Characters, they belong to Disney. I do However own Kuraiichi, Rida, Akai, Hori, Midoriko, Chisana-ichi, Josei, On'nanako as well as the names Buraun, Koni, Roni, Midoriichi, Hekuta, Murasaki and Kimiko, Moniku, Komori Bo'A, Mujakina and Jodan.
Ch. 16 Clans
The sun was rising as Midoriichi, Kimiko, Jodan, Ron and Yori were making their way up a mountain trail. "We've been walking for hours, when are we going to get there?" Ron whined.
"Shut up baka(idiot)." Midoriichi told him. "I could've flown if it was just me and Kimiko." Midoriichi huffed.
"Hey are you calling us dead weight?" Ron questioned the Tori leader.
Midoriichi smirked as she looked back at the blond. "We're almost there anyway it's just over that hill." She said.
"You said that like an hour ago." Ron complained.
"Yeah, and each time I was hoping you'd accept it and shut up." Midoriichi told him as they pressed onward.
They continued to walk up the mountain trail Yori stepped closer to Ron. She was being careful not to nudge his broken arm, as well as any of her own injuries. Kimiko had protested that they stay behind and get some rest, but they were adamant in tagging along as they too wanted to see what remained of the Southern Tori Tribe. Ron looked over to her and smiled, letting her know that he was ok. She returned the smile and continued to walk forward.
"We're here." Midoriichi said.
"Here where I don't see anything." Ron said.
Midoriichi sighed. "That's because the entire place was destroyed, hundreds of years ago. I doubt there's even a document left, judging by the way this place looks."
The Southern Tori tribe was in ruins. Demolished houses made from the mountain walls that surrounded them, landslides and skeletons of the people who never had a chance to flee.
"How did Kuraiichi escape?" Kimiko asked.
"Maybe she was away from the tribe when it happened?" Jodan added.
"No, mother said that Kuraiichi was there, she was covered in dirt, and had some bruises. She couldn't remember much, just her name." Midoriichi told them as they explored the area.
"Seriously there isn't anything here that looks like it could hold any important archives." Midoriichi said as she placed her hands on her hips and started to get frustrated.
Kimiko placed her hand on her lovers shoulder and gave a reassuring look. "We just have to keep looking. We'll find what we are looking for eventually." Kimiko told her.
"Good luck with that." Jodan said as she tried looking into one of the caverns.
"You won't find anything in there." A voice said.
Kimiko and the others looked up to see a bearded old man with a wooden cane seating on some rocks above them. The old man was covered in feathers, which meant he was of the Tori clan.
"Who are you?" Midoriichi asked. "You're obviously Tori, but you can't be from the Southern Tribe and I've never seen you around in the Northern tribe." She stated.
"But of course I'm from the Southern Tribe. As a matter of fact I'm its only survivor." The old man said.
"Well my name is Midoriichi Tori, leader of the Northern tribe. We are here on official business. We are looking for the archives about the people that stayed here. Citizens, prisoners, you name it." She said.
"I think there might be something like that left around here." The old man said as he stroked his beard. "Follow me." He said as he slowly got to his feet.
XX
Midoriko walked outside to see Moniku waiting for her. Thoughts of what almost transpired last night went through her mind. She couldn't believe that she had felt somewhat disappointed, but she played it off of her mixed feelings. She never expected Moniku to tell such a sad story after all.
She looked to see the older demon smiling at her as she walked up. "Ok so what do you want to show me?" Midoriko asked.
"We'll be taking a trip to a place I visit rather often. Not too far from here actually. Come on, I'll explain more when we get there." Moniku said.
The place Moniku had described was a thirty minute walk, but it was much closer than Moniku had made it seem. They arrived at a small little village, practically hidden away from the rest of the lands of Feudal Japan. The people hear looked absolutely poor, and starving.
"Here." Moniku said handing Midoriko a hooded robe. "It's so they wont notice you." Moniku said pointing to some soldiers up ahead. The soldiers were of the Tori and Neko.
Midoriko covered herself up in the robe as she and Moniku strolled through the small village. Midoriko has never seen this or knew there were those who did live like this. She followed Moniku into a small house where a few kids stayed with a foster mother. Moniku removed her hood, when they stepped inside and the kids instantly ran up to her and called her name.
"You came back! I knew you would!" The kids cheered.
"Of course I always keep my promises." Moniku smiled as she reached inside her robe. She pulled out several pieces of bread, big pieces that astounded even Midoriko. She handed the kids a piece, making sure there was enough for them all to eat.
Moniku then gave the mother a little extra money that she stole a while back to the foster mom. "This should hold you over for a while." Moniku told her.
"Thank you Moniku, bless your soul." The woman said.
"It's the least I can do for you all. For everyone here." Moniku replied.
The woman looked over noticing Midoriko. "Who is this lovely young lady?" She asked.
"This is Midoriko, my apprentice. She'll be taking over if anything should ever happen to me. I am getting old you know." Moniku said with a light hearted chuckle.
Midoriko couldn't help but smile, another side to Moniku she didn't know existed. She liked it a lot and found it mildly intriguing. She was seeing the demon in a whole other light. She quickly followed Moniku out of the house
"What is this place?" Midoriko asked.
"This place is where descendants of those who clans fought against the Tori and Neko remain. Under constant vigil and oppression. These kids no nothing of what happened but the guards here treat them all the same." Moniku told her.
"But my mom would never allow this. She doesn't probably even know…"
"Doesn't know or doesn't care." Moniku interrupted her. "Truth be told, this is why Midoriichi wanted you to stay away from me. She doesn't want you to know the truth behind it all. Whether she knows about it or not, the fact remains that she or Josei have done nothing about it." Moniku said.
XX
Southern Tori Ruins
Midoriichi, Jodan, Kimiko, Ron and Yori followed the old man back to his cave, on the way they saw more skeletons and bones from the unfortunate only making them wonder who could have done this?
They waited near the entrance as he fumbled around looking for something on the shelves. "Ah here they are." He said before turning around slowly and handing a book to Midoriichi, Kimiko and Ron.
The books they had held records of those stationed as citizens throughout the history of the Southern Tori. They read through them carefully as the words were practically faded, and the images were almost gone. Having finished her first Kimiko closed the book and sat it down.
"Find anything?" Ron asked.
"Nothing, at least nothing from what I could tell." Kimiko sighed.
Midoriichi closed her book as well. "Nothing." She said.
They looked through Ron's book and sighed disappointedly when it stopped abruptly. "It seems that the census ended several years before the clans destruction." Kimiko said.
"Hey old man, are there any books that hold records of the prisoners kept here?" Jodan asked.
He stroked his beard again as he thought on it. "Just one." He said. He returned the shelf of books which were not great in number. He pulled out one big book and handed it over to Midoriichi.
"Most of its pages are gone, and its contents are hardly legible, but it's the only one I managed to find here." He said.
Opening the book Midoriichi skimmed through the pages, searching for any evidence of Moniku. After what seemed like forever they came to the last page.
"The last page." Yori said.
They carefully scrolled down it until they came to a faded picture, and a name. The last name had completely faded away but the first name was completely legible.
"Found it!" Midoriichi exclaimed.
"Says here that Moniku was a prisoner here over two hundred and fifty eight years ago. They bought her off a slave trade from the Neko, where she was born seven hundred and fifty years prior to today." Kimiko told them.
"That would make her…..almost a thousand years old." Jodan said.
"The book doesn't say anything more, but maybe the Neko would have some information on her."
"The Neko you say." The old man said. "I remember some soldiers bringing in a young woman from the Neko."
"What else do you remember?" Midoriichi asked stepping up to him.
"Unfortunately not much. I can't remember much before this place was destroyed. But I do know for a fact, that it was that woman right there who did it." The old man said as he pointed at Moniku's picture.
"All I can remember was that some guards had come to apprehend her, and then in a flash nothing." He said.
Midoriichi nodded. "One more question, why have you been staying here all by yourself?"
"It's home, and it's quite peaceful here, though it don't look the part. I don't have much to remember or go by, but I have a connection to this place." He responded.
Midoriichi accepted his answer, and thanked him for his hospitality. They then left, hoping to get some answers from Josei's archives. As they exited the ruins and back onto the trail, they looked to see the old man waving farewell to them.
They waved back before continuing onward. The old man smiled, glad to have been of some kind of help. Hopefully they would find the answers they were seeking and he wished them the best of luck, before vanishing from the spot he stood in.
Chapter end, I know it was kind of blah. It was a filler chapter on what I call an attempt to dig up dirt on Moniku, like her clan and where she came from, though I bet you guys have some pretty good guesses. However next chapter will have some intense character interaction so be prepared and see tomorrow for the next upload….hopefully.
KiGo Week!