"So, you training again today, Kenichi?" Takeda asked. Kenichi nodded.
"Yeah, although in what I have no idea," Kenichi said. "I just hope I don't die." He had whimpered at the end. Takeda slapped him on the back and Kenichi cried out in pain. "What was that for?"
"Just hang on, Kenichi! You'll be strong someday!" Takeda said, laughing. Then Kenichi became sad and started rambling on and on about how hard it was at the dojo and how he had to just worry about surviving each day. Ashley sighed quietly.
This guy sounds like a huge wuss. Ashley thought. Eventually, the group arrived at a huge wooden door and Ashley hid behind a corner, just looking around it in time to see the boy called Kenichi push open the door with a little help from the girl called Miu. When they closed the door behind them, Ashley ran up to the door and looked at the name.
Ryozanpaku. Yup, this is definitely the place. Hang on Haley! I'm coming! Ashley thought. But she wouldn't dare enter through the main entrance. No, instead she climbed onto the roof of the entrance and glanced around. None of the earlier teens were around, nor was there anyone in sight.
"Okay Ashley, just like your weapons master taught you. Creep as silently as a mouse," Ashley whispered to herself. She jumped down onto the ground and scanned the area. No one. Then she thought she felt a presence behind her. She quickly turned around to see no one there. "Huh, must have been my imagination." She turned around again and walked forward. "Now, if I were a clinic, where would I be?"
"Which clinic are you looking for?" a man's voice behind her asked. From the sound of it, he sounded like he wasn't from Japan.
"It's called Koetsuji's clinic. My friend was supposedly kidnapped and taken there," Ashley said.
"Then you are in the right place," he said. Ashley saw a short arm point past her waist and towards her left. "Just go around that corner and you will see two clinics side by side. Go to the one on the right. Your friend will be there."
"I see. Thank-" Ashley started to say. Then she heard clicks as if photos were being taken. She looked down to see a short Chinese man with a camera pointed at her. "What are you doing?"
"Oh, nothing! Just taking some pictures. I hope you don't mind," the man said. He had a very perverted look on his face. Ashley looked down to realize that she was still in her school uniform. Ashley blushed as she realized why he was taking pictures. In anger and embarrassment, she chopped the camera in two. Clearly the man was surprised as he gasped in shock. Before he could say anything, Ashley ran off.
"Thanks! I think I can find the clinic on my own now!" she yelled over her shoulder. She ran around a corner and saw the two clinics side by side just like the pervert said. And there on the right side was Koestuji's clinic. Ashley felt all her anger before slowly rise in her as she began to walk towards the clinic. As the anger rose, her feet picked up speed and she eventually was running. She ran right through the sliding doors, past the yelling nurse, but had to backtrack since she didn't know what room Haley would be in. Once she got that information, she ran in the direction the nurse told her to go. After a minute of searching, Ashley flew open the door and demanded to know if Haley was in there.
"Ashley?" a very surprised Haley asked.
"What took you so long, Ash?" Allie asked. Ashley looked around to see the people she was following earlier in the room as well as Allie. Ashley panted as she tried to catch her breath.
"What do you mean what took me so long? Do you realize how far away my school is from this town to begin with? Plus, I couldn't find this place! It took me a while to find it!" Ashley said. She then pointed at Allie. "And I thought you said Haley was kidnapped?" A man, who was slightly taller than Allie, cleared his throat. Ashley looked at him and was surprised to see that he looked like he practiced judo.
"It seems there was a miscommunication somewhere. You see, Sakaki, the man who brought your friend Haley here, had brought her here out of concern for her well-being," the man said. Ashley raised an eyebrow.
"And I said that you guys didn't have to do that! I was fine, only a few scrapes," Haley protested.
"Well, they may be only a few scrapes to you, but within those scrapes is where many microorganisms can crawl in and make you even worse than you were to begin with," the man said. He started to go on and on about bacteria and stuff like that when Ashley yawned and he cleared his throat again.
"That's all and good, doc. But did she go willingly or did he force her to go with him?" Ashley asked.
"It was kind of a combination of the two," a voice from behind her said. Ashley jumped and squeaked like she always did when someone creeped up behind her. After Allie and Haley stopped laughing at her and she composed herself, Ashley raised an eyebrow at the new guy.
"What do you mean 'a combination of the two?" Ashley asked. The guy scratched his head.
"Well, I did at first simply suggest that she come with me to see Akisame. Who, by the way, is that guy who looks like a doctor over there," the second guy said, pointing at the first guy Ashley had spoken to here. The guy named Akisame looked insulted.
"Hey! I do have a license in being a medical practitioner you know!" Akisame protested. Allie looked slightly confused. She looked at Akisame with a confused look.
"A what?" she asked.
"A medical practitioner. It means I study and am able to diagnose, or tell what's wrong, with people who are sick," Akisame explained. Allie mouthed an 'oh' and the conversation continued.
"Anyways, the fact of the matter is that I did ask her to come with me. It's not like she didn't know where she was going. Plus I allowed her to call you people so I don't consider that kidnapping," the guy said.
"Did she go with you willingly?" Ashley repeated her earlier question.
"At first, no. But then I pretty much carried her here and she's stayed despite all the complaining, whining, and protesting she put up. I gotta say, that girl has a mouth that just won't shut up on her!" the guy said.
"Hey! I don't talk that much!" Haley protested, putting her hands on her hips and pouting.
"Yes you do," Allie said.
"And sometimes you won't shut up when we want you to!" Ashley added. Haley gasped and pouted by crossing her arms and looking away from all of us while closing her eyes. Ashley just shook her head.
"Anyway, you forced her to come in the first place. And why does she have these scrapes and bruises?" Ashley asked, looking at the guy standing in the doorway. He still hadn't moved since he had creeped on Ashley from behind and scared the living daylights out of her.
"She got into a few fights. The first one made her lose her Taser. By the way, why does she have it?" he asked.
"She had the Taser as a form of protection. She didn't want to learn martial arts and Allie and I weren't always going to be there with her. So we wanted some form of protection for her," Ashley explained.
"If I may interrupt? But who is Allie?" Akisame asked.
"That would be me," Allie said, raising her hand. Akisame nodded.
"And just for knowing each other's names, I'm Ashley," Ashley said. The guy standing in the doorway blinked.
"Wait a second. Are you two supposed to be the terror cousins?" he asked.
"That's Sakaki by the way," Akisame added as a side note. Allie and Ashley both looked at Sakaki with raised eyebrows.
"Terror cousins?" they asked.
"Yeah, at least, that's what Haley called you two," Sakaki said. Then Allie and Ashley both looked at Haley who was still pouting.
"Haley," Ashley said, getting Haley's attention. Haley slowly turned towards them.
"Yes?" she asked in a small voice.
"Why did you call us the terror cousins?" Allie asked.
"Well, you both are really strong, and sometimes scary. Especially Ashley," Haley quickly explained. Ashley felt slightly insulted but also praised.
"Well, I guess that's true. But then again, only you and Allie view me as scary," Ashley said. Ashley had another question about that name but she decided to save it for later.