Tokitari Village
The Okino Island group stared into the abandoned village.
"Well, who's first?" Davy asked.
"Hold on, I'll see if there's anyone inside." Cleo said, focusing on the village.
Cleo couldn't sense anyone inside the village.
"I don't sense anything.. but stay on guard. Nolrog's gang of skinwalkers learned to conceal their life force, someone could be doing the same here." Cleo said.
"Nolrog... where do I know that name from?" Joy Boy asked.
"He's the most wanted criminal on the island sire.. I've been working with him undercover all these years." Cleo said.
"What was that about anyway Cleo? The Secret and Crimson Orders kept on arguing with the Barbarios about what to do with you. Which meant another day of work for me!" Joy Boy growled.
"Is war simply an inconvenience to you?!" Cleo yelled.
Tore laughed.
"But I know.. I know... I'm so sorry... I was going to apologize with the information I learned about these Marine guys.. I knew something was up with them." Cleo said.
Joy Boy smiled.
"Nah, I knew there had to be a reason for your 'betrayal.'" Joy Boy smiled, "You never actually hurt anybody during your time with him. I wish I could say the same for Marcus.."
Cleo looked to the side.
"Wilmot.. got what he deserved.. he betrayed us King.. I don't care what the rumors say.. I was there too.." Cleo said.
Joy Boy's expression was hidden by shadow, hiding his feelings.
Davy and Tore looked at each other. Tore made a face telling Davy to defuse this. Davy made a face back.
"Um... We should really head inside.. your friend.." Davy said.
Cleo and Joy Boy looked at Davy then at Kotatsu.
"..Davy is right." Cleo said.
Joy Boy nodded as the group walked into the village, a pair of red eyes watching them from inside.
Davy, Tore, Joy Boy, and Cleo all looked around the abandoned village, everything seemed in order.
"Um.. is this place really abandoned or is everyone just good sleepers?" Joy Boy whispered.
"Yeah.. it looks well taken care of for an abandoned village." Cleo added.
Tore shook his head.
"It really is abandoned Mr. Joy Boy. Only blood relatives are allowed to live in clan villages." Tore explained, "And no one wants anything to do with this land anyway, on account of the hallucinations people get."
"Had you met any of those Usakami before Tore?" Davy asked.
Tore shook his head.
"Nope! They all disappeared a few nights after I was born. That's what papa Ubois told me." Tore said.
Davy scrunched his face.
"That's not odd?" Davy asked.
"I mean.. a little. I just don't see what it would have to do with me.. and everyone is already gone so.. I didn't worry about it too much." Tore said.
Davy looked away.
"Well.. I guess you can't argue with that." Davy said.
Joy Boy and Cleo looked at each other.
Davy, Tore, Joy Boy, and Cleo continued to look around as they walked.
"At any rate, an abandoned village like this is exactly the type of place that gets checked first so we'll have to be out of here early tomorrow morning to make our way to the Bamboo Springs." Davy said.
Everyone understood.
"Ms. Cleo..?" Davy asked.
Cleo looked up.
"When should.. you know.." Davy said.
Cleo gasped softly and looked at Kotatsu. Joy Boy didn't look at his fallen friend and Tore looked away with sadness.
"I-I don't want to.." Cleo said.
Davy looked away.
"We have to.. Cleo.. I'm sorry.. he only slows us down.." Davy said.
As a soldier herself, Cleo knew Davy was right.
"At least he would be buried somewhere no one would bother him Ms. Cleo." Tore said.
Cleo sniffled and nodded.
"Okay.. okay we can do it tonight.. I know we have to.." Cleo said.
"No.. you don't." A woman's voice said.
Davy had smiled until the voice interrupted them.
Davy swung around with his pistols and aimed them at the middle aged woman.
"Wh-What?" Davy asked, "Who are you citizen?!"
Cleo was shocked.
"No way.. I just checked to see if anyone was here... how did?..." Cleo thought, staring into the woman's red eyes.
"Be on guard! This isn't just some regular woman!" Cleo said.
Joy Boy took lead.
"Who the hell are you?! Hm?! We'll beat you up too if we have too!!" Joy Boy yelled, winding a punch.
The woman smirked.
"Ummmm guys...!" Tore said nervously.
Everyone looked back to see the woman staring into Tore's eyes, slowly reaching towards his hood.
"H-Hey! Don't pull that off! I'll get sick!" Tore yelled.
"What the hell...!?" Davy yelled, "How the hell did she do that?!"
"TORE!" Joy Boy yelled.
Davy, Cleo, and Joy Boy were shocked to see they had been talking to a tree.
"HUH?!" Cleo yelled, turning to Tore and becoming filled with shock and confusion, Joy Boy and Davy as well. The woman.. was crying.
The woman got a good long look at Tore's face.
"M-Ma'am...?" Tore asked nervously.
The woman couldn't contain her happiness and sadness seeing Tore, after what seemed like all night, the woman finally spoke, taking Tore and the rest of the group by absolute surprise.
"You've got her eyes and nose.. and his face and hair!.. Their spitting image.." The woman said.
Davy, Cleo, and Joy Boy looked at Tore who was crying himself.
"Wh-Who?" Tore asked, already having a good guess.
MARAGI USAKAMI
"My name is Maragi Usakami... Tore...! I was a good friend of your mom and dad's!!" Maragi cried happily.
Tore stared with teary eyes and a tear filled face, speechless.
Davy, Joy Boy and Cleo watched on in silence. All three exchanging glances.
Tore continued to stare at Maragi.
"You-You knew my mom and dad?" Tore asked.
Maragi smiled softly, nodding her head.
"You...You... knew them?..." Tore asked again.
"I thought the Usakapi were gone?!" Joy Boy yelled.
"UsaKami.. sire." Cleo said.
Davy looked around worrily, thinking of the Marines and Kotatsu's condition.
"Tore I know this is a lot for you, but we need to keep moving! Ms. Maragi was it? You got anywhere for us to lay low for the night?" Davy asked, "There are some people after us you see.. but Tore is a sweet kid, he didn't do anything wrong I assure you!"
Maragi smiled.
"Yes of course, we can go stay in the old Manor." Maragi said, "Come!"
The Okino Island group immediately began running towards the Manor, except Tore, who just stared ahead.
Old Usakami Manor
Eventually the group made it inside the dim lit Manor, kept lit only by candle light.
"Where's uhhhhh where's the furniture?" Joy Boy asked.
"Excuse him Ms... but we do need somewhere to lay down our friend.
Maragi chuckled.
"It's fine. We don't use furniture here. We usually kneel on those mats there!" Maragi said, everyone looking down and getting on their knees.
Davy removed his shirt to look at his gunshot wound from earlier. Cleo looked at Davy and blushed softly, looking away.
"And my friend?" Cleo asked.
Maragi motioned for Cleo to follow her.
Cleo looked at Joy Boy, Davy, and Tore who all nodded.
Cleo nodded too, taking Kotatsu in the other room.
"We still need to leave as early as possible." Davy told Tore and Joy Boy.
"She seems sweet but remember that trick from earlier? If she uses something like that against us again she could trick us into staying here until Marines arrive." Davy said.
"She won't. She can't." Joy Boy said seriously.
"What?! And just what the hell do you know?" Davy asked.
"Tore wasn't effected. Didn't ya see?! While we were talking to the tree Tore was looking right at her. They had the same eyes too!" Joy Boy said.
Davy gasped, thinking about when he first made eye contact with Tore.
Flashback
Davy groggily walked over to Tore who slowly raised his tear filled face. Tore's sharingan staring a hole through Davy. Davy was frightened by the eyes.
"What the hell is up with his eyes?..." Davy asked himself.
End of Flashback
"You-You're right Joy Boy.. they did!" Davy said, both looking at Tore.
Tore locked eyes with Davy and Joy Boy, one question on his mind.
"Wouldn't that mean.. we share the same blood?.." Tore asked.
"Yes.. Tore.. that's exactly what that means.." Maragi said.
Before Davy or Joy Boy could answer Maragi returned and was staring at Tore with sadness.
Tore stared at the woman with shock.
Davy and Joy Boy immediately looked behind themselves to Maragi's amusement.
"Hahaha you two can relax.. there's no more tricks." Maragi said.
Davy and Joy Boy breathed breaths of relief.
Maragi slowly approached the three and knelt with them.
"Your friend will be alright." Maragi said.
Davy smiled.
"Oh of course I will ma'am! I used to be a Marine, I've been shot several times." Davy said.
Maragi chuckled again.
"I meant your other friend." Maragi said, "Cleo is watching over him now."
Tore and Davy were completely shocked. Joy Boy smiled big.
"Don't you say a word!" Davy said to Joy Boy.
"That's-That's great! But.. how? We thought.." Tore stopped.
Maragi continued smiling.
"I used healing chakra to heal his brain and wounds. He will need to rest for a while though." Maragi said.
"H-Healing chakra?" Davy asked.
"I've never heard of anything like that." Tore said, writing it down in his journal, "What exactly is that ma'am? Could I learn it?!" Tore asked with excitement.
Maragi smiled softly.
"So sweet... such a kind boy.." Maragi thought, "Twenty-three years ago a massive power swept through this entire island, leveling almost everything.." Maragi started, the three listening.
"Those who survived gained the ability to unlock a special life energy we call "chakra!"" Maragi said.
"OOOOOOOOOO!! Is it like Life Force?! On our island?!" Joy Boy asked, "A wave of energy hit our island too! Around the same amount of time ago!"
Maragi smiled.
"If that's the case, then from what I've heard from those soldiers it sure sounds like it! Although the chakra must be channled through our bodies through hand seals if we want to make use of it." Maragi explained.
Tore, Davy, and Joy Boy all looked at their hands until Maragi sniffled.
The room was silent for a moment.
"That force of energy..." Maragi started, "That created chakra.."
Tore stared at Maragi who looked at him with teary eyes.
"Came from your father Tore.." Maragi said.
Joy Boy and Davy's eyes widened as they looked at Tore.
"W-Wait!!!! Then... that means!!!" Davy yelled.
Joy Boy finally showed a bit of real concern as even he put the pieces together.
"TORE'S FATHER IS THE REASON FOR LIFE FORCE?!?" Davy and Joy Boy yelled.
Tore couldn't believe this revelation. The young man's entire world was shaken.
"My-My...My dad?" Tore asked softly.
"They loved you so much Tore!" Maragi cried.
Tore couldn't react, only think.
"Papa Ubois, why are you so big? Will I ever get that big?! I am your son and all!" Tore yelled happily, swinging from Ubois's tie.
"Hohoho you just might! I hope not though, with your rambunctiousness you might destroy our home!" Dubois joked.
23 years ago our parents were killed in battle. The enemy took you away and I've spent the last two decades searching for you..." Cyclone said, "Baby brother..."
Tore came back to reality and shook his head.
"Is that-Is that the same battle my brother and I went missing?" Tore asked.
Maragi's face immediately tensed up. Tore and the others noticed.
"Wh-What?" Tore asked, "A-Are you okay Ms. Maragi?"
Davy reached for his pistol holstered in his back as Joy Boy stared down Maragi.
Maragi shook her head very slowly.
"You...You don't have a brother Tore.." Maragi said.
Tore once again couldn't believe it, standing to his feet.
"That's not true Ms. Maragi! His name is Cyclone!! He saved me the other night! He said my parents were killed in battle! He's been searching for me for twenty-three years! He-He said, he said!!"
"Tore!" Davy yelled.
Tore looked at Davy with sad eyes.
"It's okay son..." Davy said.
Tore gulped.
"But Mr. Davy.." Tore started.
"Tore..." Maragi said.
Tore looked back with pain in his eyes.
"Your father Burusu... died fighting Cyclone... I'm so sorry..." Maragi said.
"He's the reason Burusu resorted to what he did... causing all this... and the reason... your mom got herself killed here... he's... HE'S THE REASON THIS VILLAGE WAS "ABANDONED!!!" Maragi yelled through tears.
"What?!" Davy yelled.
Joy Boy's face held concern and confusion.
"Cyclone? Who is that." Joy Boy said.
Tore's face held no emotion as he stared at the middle aged woman.
Tore slowly backed away and went outside.
Maragi cried to herself.
"Tore!... I am so sorry you sweet baby boy!" Maragi yelled to herself.
Davy looked at Joy Boy, who's expression was now hidden by his hair.
"Tore..." Davy said softly, "I-..."
Once Tore made it outside, his tears fell harder.
Tore looked around rapidly, not knowing what to think. Tore became hysteric. Continuing to look around the village rapidly, Tore squeezed the hood over his head, wanting to rip it off and just die from the scales.
"All these lies... Why all the lies?!" Tore yelled.
Tore breathed heavily in and out to the point he could have had a heart attack. Tore clutched his chest and jumped up and down, cracking the ground beneath him.
"What's so hard about telling the truth?! Who amI?!... What am I?!" Tore yelled again.
Then..Tore thought of Cyclone.. and for the first time in his life... Tore wanted revenge.
Tore.. was ready to kill.
"Cyclone... you... you...!!" Tore growled.
Suddenly, Tore shot his head up at the sky and grabbed his head, screaming in pain. Tore closed his eyes tightly only to open them once more, his three tomoe having merged into one sawblade image.