Working Title Episode 5

Sorry this has been a long time coming, but school is a bear T.T

Raiden came out of Chason’s hospital room and motioned for the others to be quiet. Kohl moved to stand in front of Rai.

“How is he?”

“He’s resting now. The doctor says that he will be released in two days. We have until then to find another safehouse.”

“I understand. Your father had many connections; in fact, Kai has already contacted one of your father’s friends, and he has agreed to harbor us for the time being.”

Rai raised an eyebrow.

“Which one?”

Kohl’s eyes narrowed.

“Kubota Hishazi.”

Rai grimaced.

“Kai! Why’d you have to pick Hishazi?”

Kai put up his hands in a placating gesture.

“He was the first person on the list, and he insisted! I got flustered, it’s not my fault!”

Rai exhaled sharply.

“It’s okay, Kai. I should’ve warned you. The only people who don’t get flustered around Hishazi are deaf people. Even Kohl gets flustered around Hishazi, sorry for snapping.”

Kai sighed.

“S’okay.”

The next day, Chason was released from the hospital and the group piled into the stretch limo sent for them and made their way to Kubota Hishazi’s house. The youngest Takais and the Shirahi siblings had never really met Hishazi, but the remainder of the group were bracing themselves for Hishazi’s somewhat overbearing manner. The car pulled up to Hishazi’s mansion and Kohl smiled as he saw the Takai twins gasp and press their faces against the window to stare at the enormous building. It was Gothic in structure, bearing a striking resemblence to Notre Dame in Paris, France with its many columns and molded capitals and gargoyles everywhere. It was not quite the type of house you would find in rural Japan, but Hishazi was somewhat obssessed with Gothic structures and preferred the attention he got when he was unique.

The limo pulled into the circular driveway right up to the front door where Kubota was waiting for them, his face all smiles. He was in his late twenties, tall, handsome and smartly dressed in a loose white shirt with ruffles down the front and at the ends of his sleeves, black overcoat, tan breeches, and black riding boots that came up to his knees. His eyes were sparkling aquamarine and his long platinum blonde hair framed his face perfectly, making him look slightly boyish- if not feminine- in appearance. Rai smiled weakly as Kubota rushed out to meet them.

“Bonjour! Bonjour! It is simply wonderful to see you all!” He then took Rai’s hands and gave him a light peck on either cheek in greeting. It was apparent to Rai that Kubota had become slightly more French since last they met. But Rai bore it with silent dignity; Chason on the other hand would not have it. Kubota waltzed over to Chason and put his hands on the youth’s shoulders.

“Mon Dieur! What have you done to yourself, mon ami?”

Rai braced himself for the fireworks. Chason glared at Kubota and shouted, “I didn’t do this, you pinheaded fake Frenchman!!! You should know that, you were informed of our situation! Stop being such a freak!”

Yoshi and Siiju’s eyes widened as they watched the argument get underway. Rai rolled his eyes and ushered the boys in, whispering, “This happens all the time.”

The foyer of the mansion had a marble floor that resembled a checker board with a large stair case at the far end that went up to a large landing which branched off into two more stair cases to the right and left. At the top of the landing was a large stained glass window that was an exact replica of Notre Dame’s Rose window. But that was not all Rai noticed, he heard strains of passionate piano music coming from a door to the left. Leaving the boys to follow the butler to their rooms, Rai entered the room the door led to and found Kurai Hishazi, Kubota’s younger brother, playing his brother’s grand piano. The piece he was playing was one of his own compositions and it’s plaintive melody flooded the room with sound. Rai listened for a minute before the young man stopped and turned to Raiden, his glassy eyes staring straight through him.

“Rai? Is that you?”

Rai smiled.

“Yep, you caught me.”

Kurai’s face lit up and he jumped up from the piano bench and hugged Rai. The youth had lost his sight ten years ago in an accident that had also taken his parents. After the accident, the budding pianist was taken in by his older brother, and together the two cultivated Kurai’s gift until he was one of the top ranked pianists in the world. The boy was eighteen, which was an old enough age for him to decide to dye his platinum blonde hair to reddish black, but his eyes were still glassy blue. He was the real reason Rai was here, for Kurai had a special gift that would be key to Rai’s team’s survival. He had the gift of premonition. If something bad was going to happen to Rai and/or his team, Kurai would know. The boy also possessed wisdom beyond his years, and would have been Rai’s advisor if he had not been tied to his career as a concert pianist. But now things had changed, and Rai needed Kurai’s gift and council. Kurai pushed away and stared at Rai with such intensity that Rai swore the boy could see him.

“You’re not here just to visit, are you? Something bad has happened, hasn’t it?”

Rai walked away and looked out of one of the windows in the room.

“What makes you say that?”

Kurai drew his arms around his chest, hugging himself as if to ward off a chill.

“It’s in your voice. I can sense it.”

There was a long pause.

“It’s Hikaro, isn’t it?”

Rai closed his eyes.

“He’s betrayed us. The people I have with me are the only survivors.”

Another pause.

“How many?”

“Five.”

“I knew this would happen. You should have brought him here.”

“I know.”

Kurai sighed.

“You’re here for me. You need my help. My…gift…Is that right?”

Rai turned around.

“Only if you are willing. I would never force you to do anything.”

“I still have no choice. It’s either this or…” Kurai stopped. Rai looked at him and realized that he had seen something.

“What is it? What do you see?”

“I see darkness…You…You’re running from…something. No, wait. It’s…a young man…Hakaija Tashikawa’s youngest brother!”

“Takeru?”

“Yes,…wait something’s happened. You’ve fallen…blood…there’s blood on the ground. Is it your blood or his? I-I can’t tell! No! Stop! Leave him alone!” Kurai covered his eyes, dropping down to his knees. Rai rushed over to him, placing his arms around the boy as he shuddered once and was still. Kurai touched Rai’s arm.

“I’m okay. It’s gone.” Rai released him and he stood up shakily.

“What did you see?”

“You must be very careful in future. Hikaro is ruthless and will stop at nothing until he sees you dead. He has sent Takeru to track down and kill you.”

“Will he succeed?”

“I am uncertain. The future is never set. Some things can be prevented if proper precautions are taken.” Kurai put a hand to his forehead. “And that is all I can give today. I have gone and tired myself out again.”

Rai smiled.

“I guess I’ll be staying in my usual room.”

“Kubota had Henri make it up special.”

Rai put his arm over Kurai’s shoulder.

“Well, let’s go see, shall we?”

“Yes, let’s.” Kurai chuckled, as the two made their way to Rai’s room.

Takeru watched from the shadows as Rai’s group finally proceeded back into the house. He then took in his surroundings, noting all of the entrances and exits and calculating a plan of attack. He knew they expected a night attack, but was he enough of a shinobi to attack in the daytime without making a scene. He was a Jonin, but so was Rai. Takeru bit his lip until it bled, already anticipating the challenge of a daytime assault, this would prove his worth in his brother’s eyes. The “traitor” guise was a perfect front, and Hikaro was the perfect fall guy. This was all part of Hakaija Tashikawa’s master plan, from breaking Hikaro to having Hikaro raze his former comrade’s HQ to having Hakaija’s little brother take Rai out. All underneath the watchful eye of Tsuyoshi, Hakaija’s second and by far his superior. Hakaija was a gang leader yes, but he was mainly a businessman and lacked Tsuyoshi’s visceral nature, preferring to have others get their hands dirty for him. Sure, Tashikawa fought and plotted and stole and cheated, but that was through the brute force of his second. There was a drawback, though, Tsuyoshi was unpredictable and untrustworthy, Hakaija had given Takeru orders to destroy Tsuyoshi if he proved traitorous. Takeru had accepted this mission with eagerness, relishing the challenge of shadowing the psychic without alerting him to his intentions.

But, right now Takeru was shadowing a fellow Jonin, looking for any opportunity to strike. He needed Shonashara alone, otherwise his plan wouldn’t work. He also needed to make this fast, in and out, no distractions, no loose ends. Takeru followed Rai’s movements, waiting for the opportune moment. It wouldn’t be long now.

Rai and Kurai entered Rai’s room and the former took a deep breath and flopped down on the bed. He closed his eyes for a moment then looked at Kurai.

“It’s been so long since I’ve actually felt safe.” He then started when he heard a noise outside his window, then settled back down, smiling ruefully. “Well, almost safe.”

Kurai chuckled and sat on the bed next to Rai. “I guess it can’t be helped. You are a Jonin after all. I suppose a feeling of safety is hard to come by these days.”

Takeru mentally berated himself for being so careless as to step on a twig. He wished the boy that was with Rai would leave so that he could strike. Yet….He looked again. The boy was blind. Why, this was Kurai Hishazi, the renowned teen prodigy. He was a pianist and certainly not a shinobi. What’s more, the boy’s presence put Rai at ease and off guard. Takeru saw his chance and he was going to take it. He pulled out his large shuriken and made his move.

Kurai heard a window crash and Rai cry out in pain then drag him off of the bed to the floor. Kurai’s heart froze, he had heard and felt this before…in his vision. He tried to speak to warn Rai, but he fear stole his voice and all that came out was a shuddering whimper. Rai was breathing hard in his ear, tensing as he must have seen their attacker. Kurai wished he could see who it was, but then Rai snarled the name through teeth clenched in pain.

“Takeru Tashikawa.”

“Well hello, Rai. Did you miss me?”

Kurai felt Rai shudder violently then rise to his feet.

“I’m the one you want. Leave the boy out of this.”

“Now Rai, what kind of shinobi would I be if I left any witnesses?” Kurai heard the rasp of steel and his head turned at the sound. He then felt a rush of wind as Rai left his side and heard a grunt and clash of steel when Rai’s blade came into contact with Takeru’s. Kurai bent over and hugged himself tightly, begging for this all to be a dream, but he was not that lucky. He heard a succession of blows, metal on metal, then Rai snarled in pain and something warm splattered on Kurai’s face. Kurai put his head between his knees.

I can’t take this any longer. I’ve got to go get help! I have to… Kurai jumped up and bolted for the door. His fingers had just wrapped around the handle when he heard Rai yell, “Kurai! No!” Then he felt himself slammed against the door and heard Rai’s shattered cry of defeat. Rai’s breathing fell on Kurai’s neck and Rai barely managed to whisper, “Go, I-I’ll hold…I’ll hold him off….just…just go.”

“Rai.” Kurai breathed as Rai turned the knob.

Kurai fell forward as the door opened to let him out. He heard Rai yell, “Just go!” Then the door slammed behind him, leaving him alone. He lay in the middle of the hallway for a few moments, then curled into a ball and wept.

Working Title Episode 4

Kohl stopped by the hospital to see Chason, walking down the busy corridor to his room.  He turned the corner and ran into one of the nurses.  Her notes and things went everywhere, and Kohl found himself stooping down and helping her while apologizing to her for his clumsiness.  He then looked up and saw himself staring at Ai Tashikawa.  They stared at each other for a minute, then simultaneously said, “Oh my gosh! What are you doing here?”

Ai laughed and said, “Well, I work here if you hadn’t noticed.”

Kohl blushed, replying softly, “I’m here to visit a mutual friend.”

“You mean Chason?”

“You know?”

“I’m one of the nurses in charge of his care.”

“How is he?”

Ai’s face darkened.

“He’s still in a coma.  I don’t know what to do.”

“ I actually came down here to see if I could do something.”

“What with your psychic abilities?”

Kohl winced.

“Don’t say that out loud!”

Ai put her hand over her mouth.

“I’m so sorry, Kohl.  I don’t think anyone heard.”

“You can’t be too careful in the shinobi world.”

“But we aren’t in…”

Kohl cut her off.

“You may not be, but I’m always in the shinobi world.  Have you already forgotten?”

“I’m sorry, I think I have.  I’ll let you see Chason now.”

            Kohl started to say something, but the words wouldn’t come so he was silent as he followed Ai into Chason’s room.  He looked at Chason in his body cast, swallowing the lump that formed in his throat, walked over, and sat next to Chason’s bed.  He nodded to Ai, and she closed and locked the door.  He then bent over Chason, placing his hand over the young man’s eyes, and closed his eyes in concentration.  Almost instantly, he saw Chason’s consciousness, a picture of a boy running in shadow from an unknown horror.  Suddenly, Kohl felt another presence and turned to see Tsuyoshi Kurushime standing before him, his pale face eerie and emotionless.  Tsuyoshi moved his arms as if he was pushing and Kohl was violently forced out of Chason’s consciousness.  His back straightened as he jolted out of his trance, and he cried out as pain lanced through his temples.  Ai rushed over.

“What is it?”

“I know why Chason isn’t waking up.”

“Why?”

“Tsuyoshi is holding his consciousness captive.”

“Tsuyoshi.” She breathed his name like a curse.  “He’s working for my father!”

“I had a feeling he was.” He then turned his attention back to Chason.  “Well, now that we know what the problem is, it’s time for some invasive psychic surgery.”

            This time Kohl steeled his mind, sharpening and honing it like a scalpel until its keen edge was razor sharp.  He then forced his way into Chason’s mind, slashing through Tsuyoshi’s barrier and breaking through with his sword bared.  Tsuyoshi met him right away, sparks flashing from their blades making contact.  Out of the corner of his eye, Kohl saw Chason tied up, gagged and unconscious in a corner.  He fought to get to him, but Tsuyoshi barred his way, striking viciously over and over again.  Their eyes met and Kohl shouted, “Release him!”  And struck Tsuyoshi down with one blow.  Tsuyoshi’s shade wavered for a moment, then disappeared as Kohl made his way to Chason’s side.  He cut his bonds and ungagged him, softly bringing him to wakefulness.  Chason’s eyes flickered open and he looked at Kohl.  Smiling, Kohl stood up and held his hand out to Chason.

“It’s time to wake up, Chason.  You’ve been asleep for too long.”

            Chason then smiled and took Kohl’s hand.

            Tsuyoshi fell back and cried out, writhing in agony on the floor for a few minutes before going still.  Hikaro watched this,

a cat’s eyes do when he is amused.  He then walked over to Tsuyoshi and tapped him in the ribs with his boot.  Tsuyoshi flinched and sat up with a grunt.  Hikaro stared at Tsuyoshi, looking so much like a perturbed cat one could almost see his tail twitching.

“Well?”

“Chason has been freed from his bondage.”

Hikaro grabbed Tsuyoshi by the front of his shirt and slammed him against the wall.

“Why is that, eh?  Why?  It is because you didn’t listen to me! Because you underestimated Kohl AGAIN!”  He snarled before throwing his second-in-command to the ground.

            Tsuyoshi hit the ground hard, grunting and lying still.  Hikaro snarled and walked over to Amaya.  He stopped next to her and keeping his eyes straight ahead, spoke to her.

“Take him away and make sure he knows that I do not tolerate failure!  I want my brother to pay for his crimes!  Am I clear, Suzume?”

She stared ahead.

“Crystal, sir.”

            She then moved over to Tsuyoshi and carried him out, supporting him with her arm about his waist.  Hikaro watched them leave and called out, “Tashikawa!”

Takeru came to attention in front of Hikaro.

“Yes, sir!”

Hikaro smirked.

“You never cease to amuse me, Tashikawa.  You know what to do.”

Takeru smirked.

“Yes, sir.”

He then disappeared into the shadows, leaving Hikaro alone in the great hall of the palace ruins.

            Amaya bent over Tsuyoshi, applying a cold cloth to his burning forehead.  She brushed his hair back and sighed.

“I wish you wouldn’t take so many risks.”

“I have to obey Hikaro.”  He said, closing his eyes tighter against the pain.  He then cried out, straightening then falling back.  He then gasped out, “Besides it’s not like it matters anyway.  If it will rid me of those Takai’s, then I will give my life in payment.  No one will miss me.”

Amaya looked over.

“No one?”  She said, giving Tsuyoshi some cold meds and water.

            Tsuyoshi took them and washed them down with the water, choking and spluttering as another coughing fit errupted.  Amaya wiped his face and helped him lay back.  She let her lips brush Tsuyoshi’s cheek, feeling the heat as he blushed and hearing his breath catch.  She looked in his eyes and said, “You are not alone, and there are still those who will miss you.  Just try to remember me when your thirst for revenge is quenched, and remember that I did not choose to be here for myself.”

Tsuyoshi stared back, emotion showing plainly on his face.  Only Amaya could make him show it, and it was only she who held his heart close enough to cause him to let his guard down.  He swallowed and closed his eyes.  His eyes then snapped open as he felt Amaya’s lips pressed against his own; he blushed furiously, tensed, then melted into it, returning Amaya’s love with his own.  Sleep then took him into its familiar embrace, and Amaya pulled away slowly and walked out.  She looked back at Tsuyoshi’s sleeping form and said quietly, “Someone has to save you from yourself, and if protecting you kills me then so be it, my love.”

Yoshi and Siiju burst into the hospital room the next morning to see Chason well and eating a more than hearty breakfast.  Kohl looked on happily as he watched the boys talk Chason’s ear off as he ate his breakfast.  Raiden, Mae, and Kai stopped by and smiled at the scene,  the three boys were laughing and joking together like they hadn’t done in a while.  Kohl looked back, beaming as if those boys sitting there were his own.  Rai put his hand on his steadfast friend’s shoulder, and gave him a knowing look.  Kohl’s smile was replaced with a solemn stare as he nodded and let Raiden in to see Chason.  Kohl beckoned the twins out of the room and left Raiden alone with a now very solemn Chason.

Raiden sat in a chair next to Chason’s bed and took a deep breath.

“You know why I’m here right?”

Chason glanced down at the foot of his bed and nodded.

“You know what has to happen now that you have disobeyed my direct orders?”

“No active fieldwork until further notice, sir.”

“I didn’t want to have to do this to you, but you know what a precarious position we are in.  We cannot afford to blow our cover so soon.  I will keep your weapons until you have fully recovered.  That should be long enough.”

            There was an awkward pause in which neither of the two said anything.  Raiden then reached over and hugged Chason, his breath catching in his throat as the youth hugged him back.

“I’m so glad you’re alright.”

“Me, too”

Working Title Episode 3

Sorry guys this has been a long time in coming, but thank you for your patience :)

Rai and his team had found the ruins that Yoshi had described, splitting up into groups and searching for the missing Chason.  Rai wondered what the young man could have been thinking, going off on his own.  Then again this was Chason they were talking about; he had always been unpredictable with his hot temper.  This time he went too far.  Raiden’s thoughts were shattered by a cry for help.

“Raiden!  Get over here!”

Raiden sprinted off in the direction of the call.  He rounded a corner and stopped in his tracks to see Kohl holding a barely conscious Chason in his arms.  Raiden fell to his knees next to Chason and Kohl.

“Who did this to you?”  He asked, though he probably already knew the answer.

Chason coughed, barely able to speak the name of his attacker.

“Hikaro…He has…members…of the Tashikawa gang…with him.  Raiden…” He said, grabbing Raiden’s shirt with a bloodstained hand.  “He has Tsuyoshi.”  Chason then fell back into one of his coughing fits, blood flowing down his chin.  Raiden sat back stunned.  He couldn’t believe his ears, but then his brother was the kind of mind that would attract that monster.  It was only a matter of time before Hikaro found them and killed them all.

            The demoralized team returned to the hotel, after checking Chason into a hospital, but Raiden and Mae stayed behind with Chason.  The doctor told them that Chason’s sternum, ribcage, and femurs in both legs were shattered.  Even though he probably would recover, he would never be the same.  Rai held Mae as she cried into his arms, and he though morbidly, Will it always be this way?  No matter what he tried, his friends were the ones to suffer.  He looked down at Chason lying there in an almost full body cast.  He couldn’t even breathe on his own now.  The doctor’s words haunted him, “He will never be the same.”  What did that mean?  Only time will tell, the doctor had told him.  Rai looked out the window at the moon.

“Only time will tell.” He whispered.

            The night wound on, and Rai and Mae fell asleep in their chairs, with only the moon keeping watch over their fallen comrade. 

Back at the hotel, Kohl closed the door to Yoshi and Siiju’s room, leaving the two boys to sleep.  He met Kai in the hallway, and they walked together to their rooms.  Kai glanced at Kohl then stared ahead.

“How are they?” Kai asked.

“They’re resting peacefully, but they’ve taken quite a blow to their morale.  Chason was very close to them, and to see him shattered like that.  Well…I had to sedate them when they heard the doctor’s report.  That’s the only reason they’re sleeping right now.” Kohl said, glancing down at his feet.  He stopped walking, closing his eyes tight and clenching his fists.  “Kai, those boys are only fourteen.  Why did they have to see this?”

Kai locked his hands behind his head and leaned back against the wall.

“It’s not like they haven’t seen something like this before.  If they want to be shinobi, then they should understand all that that implies.”

“You don’t understand!  We’re all that’s left of our family.  All of our parents were killed suddenly without reason. For me it’s a long way off, but to those boys, their parents’ death is painfully close.  I can take Chason’s injuries in stride, but it’s devastating for Yoshi and Siiju.  I love those boys as if they were my own sons.  Their mother and I…we were…” Kohl fell to his knees, putting his hand over his eyes.  Kai knelt down next to him and put an arm around his shoulders.

“I know what you’re going through right now, but you need to pull yourself together.  Chason’s recovery is assured, but we must keep this from happening again.”

Kohl looked up and nodded.

“Right.  It is for us to set an example for Yoshi and Siiju by refraining from any rash behavior.  Forgive me.”

“It’s okay.  Just try to keep it together.”

Kohl stood up and stuck his hands in his pockets, casually looking over at Kai.

“Was there something else you wanted to talk to me about?”

Kai met his gaze.

“Tsuyoshi.”

Kohl looked away.

“That conversation is best carried out behind closed doors.”

Kai nodded and the two proceeded down the hallway to Kohl’s room.  Once behind closed doors, Kai sat down on one of the beds.  Kohl checked and locked the door and window before taking a seat on the bed across from Kai.  He sighed and said.

“Tsuyoshi Kurushime is a name well known to the Takai family, an infamous name.  The Takai and Kurushime families were once allies, always joined inseparably by marriage between a Takai and Kurushime.  The couple and their immediate family would then take their place as the head of the clan.  In this way we coexisted with the Kurushime’s peacefully, until ten years ago.”

Kai leaned in.

“What happened?”

Kohl looked at Kai.

“Tsuyoshi Kurushime happened.  He headed up a band of restless youngsters to oppose the current head of the clan and take his place.  When he refused, Tsuyoshi and his band laid waste to the clan’s headquarters.  I tried my best to stop him, but I was injured by Tsuyoshi and was forced to flee.  I regrouped with the survivors, and later found out that Chason, Yoshi, Siiju, and I were the only ones left.  Ever since then, Tsuyoshi Kurushime has been a name both feared and hated by us, the survivors of the Takai-Kurushime Clan Massacre.”

Kai ran his fingers through his hair.

“What does this have to do with Hikaro?”

“Hikaro is the kind of mind Tsuyoshi is attracted to.  All that pent up hatred for one person fuels Hikaro’s very existence.  Tsuyoshi was amused with Hakaija for a while, but Hikaro has now become this psychic’s main focus.  It may seem that Hikaro is in control, but Tsuyoshi is the real leader of the team.  He provides focus and balance to Hikaro’s unstable psyche, guiding him and using him to his own ends.  I know this because I am also a psychic, and I know how they think.”

“So what does Tsuyoshi want?”

“That remains to be seen.  But I have a feeling that it has something to do with Hakaija Tashikawa.”

            Hakaija Tashikawa paced back and forth across the floor in the foyer of his high-rise penthouse.  He stopped, checked his watch, growled and resumed pacing, turning around and startling at the unexpected appearance of Tsuyoshi Kurushime.  Hakaija composed himself, straightening his shirt, and spoke.

“You’re late.” He growled.

Tsuyoshi’s face remained impassive.

“I got here, didn’t I?”

“Very well.  Give me your report.”

“Hikaro is doing well.  It won’t be long before the biggest thorn in your side is eradicated…permanently.”

Hakaija smiled and walked over to a small side table with a glass decanter and two glasses.  Pouring the contents of the decanter into both of the glasses, he gave one to Tsuyoshi and took a sip of his own.  The two then made their way into the living room of the penthouse, which had a large window that opened into a balcony at one end and a large hearth with a blazing fire at the other end.  Hakaija sat in one of the armchairs by the fire, facing the window, and Tsuyoshi stood in the window, staring at the moon.  Hakaija took another sip of his drink and spoke.

“So, I guess you’ve a few scores to settle with the Takais.”

Tsuyoshi remained impassive, taking a sip of his drink and continuing his vigil.  Hakaija grunted.

“I find it hard to trust a psychic who keeps his motives hidden.  Heck, I find it hard to trust any man who keeps his motives hidden.  But you disturb me most of all.  You remind me of that Takai boy that worked with Shonashara back when he was leader.  Kohl, I think his name was.  If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were…” He didn’t finish because in a flash Tsuyoshi ripped him off of his chair and slammed him against the wall.  Hakaija struggled, but Tsuyoshi held him firm.  He pressed his face close to Hakaija and hissed.

“Go ahead, finish it!  If you didn’t know any better, you’d say we were what?”

Hakaija whimpered.

“Brothers.”

Tsuyoshi dropped him and snarled.

“Good thing you know better, right?”

Hakaija put his hands up placatingly.

“Right, right.  I mean you two aren’t even alike.  I know how much you hate him.  I was just thinking out loud.”

“Well, next time you do, don’t!  Consider that a warning.  I’m gone!”

Tsuyoshi then disappeared into the shadows.  Hakaija stood up shakily, downing the rest of his drink.  He wiped his mouth and exhaled.

“Warning, indeed.  These hot-blooded young men are getting hard to handle.”

Working Title Episode 2

Hikaro was likewise laying low for the time being.  Unlike his brother, he preferred the darkness and quiet of an ancient ruin to the brightness and noise of the city.  He was a creature of the wild now, his sanity almost completely gone.  His team was made of three turncoats from Hakaija Tashikawa’s ranks that had sided with Hikaro with the promise of power and action from a younger leader.  Their names were Amaya Suzume, a mysterious girl with dark hair, deep purple eyes, and fair skin; Takeru Tashikawa, Hakaija’s youngest brother, a brash and unpredictable young man with blonde hair and stunning blue eyes; and Tsuyoshi Kurushime, an enigmatic psychic with brown hair and golden brown eyes.  This was Hikaro’s team, who hung on his every word, but secretly mistrusted him and kept wary lest what happened to his old team should happen to them as well.

            Hikaro stood alone in the middle of the ruins, the moonlight giving him an eerie, ethereal look as he silently watched the darkness.  He could tell without turning that Amaya was behind him; in fact, other than Tsuyoshi, he was probably the only one she could not sneak up on.  The two stood silent, watching the same darkness, until Hikaro broke the silence.

“What is it?”

Amaya looked up at the moon, her pale face impassive.

“It is only coincidence.  We both enjoy the solace the night gives us.  We are the same, two wild things seeking solitude in a crowded world.”

“Your words are poetic.” He said, turning his eyes to the moon as well.  “Indeed, the night does suit us.”

The two then stood and let the silence envelope them.  Amaya was then by Hikaro’s side, putting her arm around his.  Hikaro barely noticed.

“We have made the first move, Amaya.  Let us see what my brother does in response.”

Amaya’s grip tightened.

“You are frightened.” Hikaro stated, closing his eyes and letting a stray breeze play through his hair.  Amaya looked down.

“This will come to no good, Hikaro.  Your brother may have been caught by surprise once, but it will not happen again.”

“Ah, but that’s where you are wrong.” Hikaro said, opening his eyes again.  He pulled his arm away from Amaya and turned to face her, grabbing her shoulders.

“Look at me!” He hissed.

Amaya looked up, met his crazed stare, and held it.

“I am no longer as predictable as I once was, Amaya, and my brother will not be expecting that.” Hikaro let her stare into his eyes for a moment, then kissed her.  She gasped in surprise and pulled away, wiping her lips.  Hikaro smirked.

“And I know you weren’t expecting that.”

Amaya stared at him, eyes wide with surprise and apprehension.  She then relaxed and sighed.  Turning and walking away, she said in an icy voice.

“You would do well to keep your distance, Shonashara.  Or you will find out the hard way just how unpredictable I can be.”

            Hikaro stared after her as she faded into the darkness, then closed his eyes and smirked, whispering, “That’s why you’re here now, isn’t it?”

            Raiden opened his eyes blinking in the sunlight filtering through the blinds on his bedroom window.  He looked around and found himself sharing a hotel room with Kai.  He sat up and swung his legs around to the side of his bed, rubbing the sleep from his eyes and checking the time. His eyes widened.

“It’s one in the afternoon?  We must’ve been tired to sleep this late.”

“Yeah, we are, and some of us would like to stay sleeping ‘til tomorrow.”  Kai said, sitting up as well and rubbing his eyes.

“What are we doing here, Kai?”

Kai looked around.

“Lying low.”

Rai raised an eyebrow.

“In a hotel?”

“Well, we couldn’t stay at your house, now could we?”

Rai rolled his eyes.

“I guess so.”

            Kai laughed, a real, genuine laugh, something that Rai hadn’t heard in a while.  It made him laugh as well; washing away all of the sorrow and anxiety from the previous night in the bliss he felt when Kai laughed like this.  It was only Kai and Mae that could make Raiden feel this way, and he treasured each moment.  The two finished dressing and started to call for room service when they heard a knock on the door.  They looked at each other and Kai walked over to the door, opening it to admit Mae with breakfast.  Mae smiled.

“Hey, guys.  Breakfast time!”

            The three sat down at a small table as Mae set out rice and fish on the table.  They ate and talked and laughed together like they used to before Hikaro’s accident.  Afterwards, Rai pushed his chair back from the table and sighed with contentment.

“Haven’t felt this good in a while.”  He said, leaning back in his chair and rubbing a full stomach.

Mae smiled.

“You haven’t eaten that much in a while.  It’s good to see you laughing again.  Both of you.”  She said, taking both of their hands.  The young men smiled and nodded in agreement.

            The moment was interrupted by a frenzied knocking at the door.  Rai jumped up and went to the door, opening it to find Yoshi Takai gasping for breath. 

“Rai!  It’s…Chason.”  He said, tears gathering at the edges of his visage.  Rai grabbed the boy by the shoulders to steady him and spoke in a calm voice.

“Yoshi, calm down.” He said, letting Yoshi take a few deep breaths before asking.  “What’s wrong with Chason?”

Yoshi looked up.

“He went after Hikaro himself, said something about avenging his fallen comrades.”

Rai’s blood ran cold; this was the worst thing that could happen right now.

“How soon did he leave?”

“A few minutes ago.”

Rai looked back at Kai and Mae, and the two nodded in silent agreement.  He looked at Yoshi and said, “Then there’s no time to lose.  Gather up the rest of the Amaryllis Unit and meet us in the lobby in five minutes.  Dismissed.”

            Yoshi nodded and took off down the hall.  Five minutes later, Rai and his team left their sanctuary to search for Chason.  Rai pondered the fragility of his situation, he knew that no one was up to this; but he also knew that if Hikaro found Chason before they did, the young man’s life would be in danger.

Chason walked through the ruins of Hikaro’s hideout, taking care not to be seen or heard.  Suddenly, he heard Hikaro’s eerie laughter echoing through the ruins, and he stopped to listen.  In a flash of steel, he whipped his kunai[1] out to block the shuriken[2] that came flying out of the darkness.  Hikaro stepped out of the shadows, clapping as the rest of his team was revealed.

“My, my, Chason.  You certainly haven’t lost your edge, yet even with all of your cunning as a shinobi[3] warrior you couldn’t save your fallen comrades.”

“Well, at least I’m not a traitor!” Chason snarled, as he attacked Hikaro head on.

            Tsuyoshi stepped forward and lifted his hand, and Chason was lifted from the ground and thrown back, crashing through the ruins until he came to rest at what was once the throne in this palace.  Chason felt a weight on his chest and he looked up to see Hikaro sitting on the throne and resting his feet on his chest.  Hikaro clucked disapprovingly.

“Charging at me without even taking in your surroundings?  Oh, Chason, I’m so disappointed in you.”  He said, slamming down his full weight on Chason’s chest.  There was a sickening crack, and Chason screamed as his sternum was fractured.  Hikaro cackled as he landed another kick in his opponent’s ribcage, getting another satisfying cry of pain as Chason’s ribcage shattered.  Still Chason glared in hatred and defiance at Hikaro.  Hikaro grabbed Chason by his hair and thrust his face into his opponent’s face.

“Still conscious are we?” He said in mock surprise, slamming Chason’s head back down.  He walked off a few steps and hissed, “You just don’t know when to give up!”

            Hikaro then jumped up in the air, landing on both of Chason’s legs and fracturing them as well.  Chason gave out one last cry of pain and desperation, then blacked out.  Hikaro looked back as his team materialized from the darkness, he turned to Tsuyoshi.

“Our position is compromised, we leave immediately.”

            Tsuyoshi nodded, then vanished into the darkness.  Hikaro followed with the rest of the team, one by one vanishing into darkness.

---

[1]A heavy pointed tool, possibly derived from the Japanese masonry trowel, which it closely resembles

[2] A traditional Japanese concealed weapon that was generally for throwing and sometimes for stabbing or slashing

[3] Also known as ninja

Another Short story Broken into episodes

This is my attempt at Anime.  So just like a manga or Anime show I'm breaking it into two to three scene episodes for the sake of time and space.  The name is Working Title.

He was thrown against a wall, hitting it hard, his breath escaping him in an audible hiss.  He hung in place for a second then dropped to his hands and knees.  Wrapping his arm around his broken ribs, he choked on his own blood as he glared defiantly at his opponent.  He uttered one word through teeth clenched in pain.

“Traitor!”

His opponent sneered.

            The two were brothers, twins in the slums of Tokyo.  One a hero, the other a traitor.  Raiden and Hikaro Shonashara.  Born to the gang life, one bound by honor and family; the other bound to nothing but his all-consuming hatred of human life.

“So, Raiden.” Hikaro said, walking up to his brother, grabbing him by his shirt and slamming him against the wall.

“How does it feel to know that I’ve betrayed not only you or the team, but our family as well?”

            Raiden just glared silently, not wanting to dignify his inquiry with a heated reply.  Hikaro threw Raiden against the opposite wall, getting a satisfactory grunt of pain as he watched his brother crumple to the ground. Hikaro brushed a lock of ebony hair out of his dark brown, almost, black eyes and walked over to where his brother lay gasping for air. He grabbed his brother by his likewise black mane and slammed his head into the ground.  Raiden struggled, but his brother was too strong.  Hikaro leaned down and spoke in Raiden’s ear.

“The best part is, brother,” he hissed. “You watched it all happen and could do nothing.”

            The alleyway was filled with Hikaro’s eerie laughter as his crazed visage met Raiden’s baleful glare.  There was a flash of steel, a scream of agony, and Raiden knew no more.

“Rai? Rai? Wake up, man!”

Raiden opened his eyes and blinked as the room slowly came into focus.  He found himself staring into the eyes of his second in command, Kai Shirahi.  His concerned look melted into a smile when he saw his leader was coming to.  Rai couldn’t see out of his left eye, and he reached his hand up to feel a bandage covering it.  Kai smiled.

“It’s okay.  The doctor said that your wound wouldn’t affect your eyesight at all.”

Rai sat up.

“He didn’t kill me.”

Kai blinked.

“What?”

“Hikaro.  He didn’t kill me.”

“What do you mean by that?”

Rai pulled his knees up to his chest, wrapping his arms around them.

“It seems like he just wants to humiliate me, but not kill me.  Just so he can watch me suffer.”

Kai sat down in a chair next to him.

“Right.”

“How many gang members survived the raid?”

Kai looked down at the floor.

“Kai, how many?”

“Five.”

“So few…”

Rai then dropped his head into his knees.

“I’m sorry, Kai.  I couldn’t protect them.  I tried, but…”

Kai put his hand on Rai’s back.

“It was a surprise attack.  Who could have guessed that your brother had deteriorated that far?”

“I couldn’t even protect him…”

“It could have happened to anyone.”

Rai lifted his head, tears streaming down his face.”

“I can’t protect anybody.”

Crack! Kai’s hand came across Rai’s face, as the second in command jumped up and shouted.

“Snap out of it!  I know you feel bad about Hikaro and the others, but wallowing in self-pity isn’t going to solve anything!  You say that Hikaro wants to humiliate you, then don’t let him!  These things happen in the gang world, and you need to get over it! Move on!”

Rai was stunned for a second. Then he wiped his eyes and turned to Kai, smiling at his friend.

“You’re right, Kai.  I’m sorry for being so stupid.”

Kai sighed and smiled, sitting down once again.

“Well, right now we need to focus on preventing this from happening again.”

“Right, but first we need to regroup to a secure location and heal a bit.”

“What do you think we’re doing?”

Rai chuckled.

“You always know what I want, don’t you?”

Kai stood up and smiled.

“It’s my job isn’t it?  Come on.  The guys will want to see you.  I’m sure it’ll restore some of their morale to see their fearless leader up again.”

            Kai led Raiden into an adjoining room where the remaining members of Raiden’s gang were getting medical attention.  They all looked up as Rai walked in, and their faces lit up when they saw their fearless leader was finally awake.  They were more of a family than anything else, made up mostly of orphans that would have been at the mercy of the streets if Raiden’s father hadn’t taken them in.  The five strongest had made it, including the only girl in the group, Mae Shirahi, Kai’s sister and also Rai’s eyes and ears in the tumultuous gang-world.  She was off on an assignment when the raid happened and so avoided it entirely.   Kai and Mae were one-year apart but looked like twins with their reddish brown hair and slate gray eyes, though their personalities could not be more different.  While Kai had a practical and easygoing way about him, Mae could be extremely irrational and high strung when roused.  Even so, she could sneak up behind anyone and never be noticed, which helped her very much in her job.  Both shared an uncanny intuition that made them an invaluable part of Raiden’s team. 

In reality, Raiden’s group was a team of insiders that acted as vigilantes to try and subdue the violence of the gang world in Tokyo.  Raiden’s brother had served as their bloodhound and worked alongside Mae to sniff out info on gang hideouts and whatever plans the gang lords might be making.  It was on one such assignment that Hikaro was found out and almost fatally injured by a gang lord named Hakaija Tashakawa.  The wounds he received healed eventually, but his mind was shattered.  One day he went missing and was gone for a year before he returned with his own group to attack his former comrades.   Raiden’s father was the first to fall, but Hikaro wasn’t finished.  His hatred was so consuming that he razed the team’s hideout to the ground, leaving nothing but ashes and bloodied corpses behind.  As Raiden looked into the eyes of his team members, he could see that this raid had taken a toll on their morale.

The last four boys were a group of cousins that were the last of the Takai family, whose heritage was that of the ninja.  There were Yoshi and Siiju, twin brothers with silvery gray hair, reddish brown eyes and a mostly jovial air about them; Kohl, a telepath with jet black hair, sapphire blue eyes, and a dark, brooding demeanor; and lastly, Chason, a spirited, hot-headed youth with flaming red hair and emerald green eyes.  With Kai as their leader, they made up the Amaryllis Unit of Raiden’s team, in charge of home security.  As the only survivors of the team, they knew what was expected of them now.  Kohl stood up shakily, Rai could tell that he was still suffering from the fatigue caused by using his power.  He must have been awake for days trying to pick up the scattered remnants of the Amaryllis Unit and searching for any other survivors of the raid.  Rai put his hand on Kohl’s shoulder and pushed him back down.

“Sit back down, Kohl.  Have you found anything?”

Kohl sat back down and sighed.  He was the oldest of the Takai’s and the oldest team member at the age of 25, but he had been the youngest under Rai’s father, Shonen.  Shonen had shown Kohl kindness when his parents were killed, and Kohl, then 15, turned out to be a tenacious and loyal older brother to Raiden and Hikaro, who were 12 at the time.  He fit right in with the family, and Rai understood that Hikaro’s betrayal hurt Kohl just as much as it hurt him.  Kohl closed his eyes in concentration for a minute then opened them, turning to Rai.

“Nothing.” His voice wavered as he made his report.

Rai tightened his grip slightly on Kohl’s shoulder to reassure his friend.

“It’s okay, Kohl.  You did everything you could.  Rest for now.  You have done well.”  Rai then turned to the rest of the team. “That goes for the rest of you, rest up.  Next time Hikaro comes we’ll be ready for him.”

            The Takai boys nodded in unison and moved out of the room into separate dorms adjacent to it.  The only ones left were Kai, Mae, and Rai.  Rai met Mae’s gaze and held it for a few moments before speaking her mind.

“It’s okay, Mae.  I’m fine now.” Rai chuckled ruefully and looked away. “It seems that I’ve been saying it’s okay a lot lately.  But I know it’s not…Hikaro…he’s…” Rai stopped as Mae put her hand over his mouth and brought his face around to look at her.

“That is the past, right now the only thing that matters is that you’re alive.  You know that we are loyal and we will follow you anywhere you lead.  Just trust us to do our jobs and you do yours.  No matter what he was before, Hikaro is our enemy now and you must not let the past stop you from doing what’s needed.  Understand?”

Rai smiled, pulled Mae close, and hugged her, holding her as if she were going to blow away.

“I missed you, Mae.  Thank you for being there for me in this trying time.”

Mae hugged him back and cried silently.

“I thought that…” She sobbed.  Rai pushed her away and looked into her tear-streaked face.

“None of that matters now.  I’m here now.  You said so yourself.  Everything will be fine.”

Mae smirked.

“Just don’t let it happen again, you rascal.” She then wiped away her tears and went to pull away, but Rai pulled her closer and kissed her.

            Rai and Mae’s story was a complicated one.  He had found her and her brother running for their lives from a bunch of Hakaija’s gang members.  He, Hikaro, and Kohl swooped in just in time and saved the siblings and afterwards, encouraged them to join the team.  As the years passed, Mae and Rai’s attraction for each other grew until a year prior to Hikaro’s accident when Rai proposed and Mae accepted.  They were planning their wedding when Hikaro’s accident happened, and Hikaro blamed Rai for it. Worse now was that Rai blamed himself for not allowing Mae to go with Hikaro.  Their wedding plans halted and turned into a prolonged engagement.  Mae was ready to move on, but Rai was still tied up in the past, the incident being too close for the wound to have fully healed.

The kiss ended with Mae breaking into laughter.  Rai gave her a puzzled look.

“What?”

“I’m sorry.  It’s just that, I’m so relieved that you’re alright.” She then looked at him.

“You know, I’m still waiting for you to marry me.”

Kai, who was still in the room and starting to feel uncomfortable, cleared his throat.

Rai and Mae turned to him and Rai remembered himself and apologized.

“Sorry, Kai.  I was just…caught up in the moment.” He said, blushing and rubbing the back of his neck.

Kai chuckled.

“It’s okay, but I think we should rest with the others.” He said, walking over and putting his hand on both of their shoulders.  He smiled. “ ‘Kay guys?”

            Mae and Rai exchanged glances and nodded. Rai then went back to his room, watching Mae and Kai walk into their own rooms from his doorway before walking over to his bed.  He sighed, tumbled into bed, and soon fell asleep.

About Kyo

Just a little background before I dive in.  Kyo Sohma is my favorite character from one of my most favorite animes of all time, Fruitsbasket.  The anime is about a girl named Tohru Honda who gets caught up in the affairs of the Sohma family.  The Sohma family has a secret curse, if any of its members hug a member of the opposite sex (or any type of embrace be it catching or hugging) or their body undergoes a great deal of stress, they turn into an animal of the zodiac.  Kyo is a special member of the Sohma family because his animal is the cat and isn't really included in the Japanese zodiac.  This poem is dedicated to him. :)

Kyo
By ERI

Kyo
The cat
On the surface he's tough
Hard as nails
No getting close to this cat

Get to know him
Let him open up
You see a different side

Protectiveness
Loyalty
Nobility
Dreams he wishes to accomplish
(Like beating Yuki and perhaps dating Tohru)

His darker side lurks beneath
His bracelet will tell all
Accept him for who he is
Not what he looks like
And you will hold his heart
And he yours
Forever

Kyo

Just a Drifting :D

Absence of Mind
By ERI

Put a sign up
"Mind is absent
Gone on vacation
Be back soon"

Looking to rest
In daydreams
For an hour or so
Before reality comes crashing in
Like a sledge hammer to a glass pane

Security is found
Peace is attained

Deep breath before the plunge
Back to
Reality

Christian introspective work...

The End?
by ERI

The sky bursts asunder
And I wonder
Is this the end?
Or another dream?

Time to meet my Savior
My heart wavers
Am I ready
To meet the king?

Suddenly he's behind me
And he finds me
Speechless
In awe of him.

His hand touches my face
And words of praise
Fill my heart
And my mind

I long to see my Savior
To sing to savor
The presence
Of the devine

But for now I must remain here
Bear the pain here
On this earth
In His name

Writing on the fly....

Okay so I'm gonna try my hand at some on the spot poetry writing because I'm not on my computer right now and all my document files are on my other computer...Here goes

Flight
By ERI

Bank left
Swerve right
Rising on the thermals
Riding the jet streams high above

This is what freedom feels like to most

Flight
Wind in your face
Messing your hair
Blowing through your feathers

Pump your wings
Gain more altitude
Fly higher and higher
Until you feel as if your heart would burst from sheer thrill and joy of
Flight

And now for a short story...

Pinemark Barrens

A Perilous Tale

By Emily Inglin

            He stood on a rocky outcrop, staring down from the dizzying heights of Pinemark Peak.  His hands were stained…. stained with blood from his side but also from his many foes that were strewn lifeless on the rocks below and behind him.  He was the sole survivor of a band of brothers that had settled this cursed part of Ireland that had come to be known as the Pinemark Barrens, and in settling there, had taken the selfsame curse that had made this place desolate upon himself.  He was a hunter, but never hunted… predator, but never prey.  He stalked these barrens, unable to rest or to find relief from his never-ending hunt, until he either died or found the way to break the curse.  His brothers all had committed suicide, unable to take the pressure of the hunt.  They had jumped from the same outcropping that our man was standing on now.

            He was tall, rugged, a real man of the wilds, but his heart ached.  If wishes were money, he would be a king, for he had wished countless times for countless things.  None of those wishes had been granted, for he was alone and still hunting this cursed wasteland.  Now he was contemplating ending this life of pain by jumping from this cliff.  Someone, a girl on a hiking trip, spied his stark form on the cliff- his black hair plastered with blood and sweat, his vacant gray eyes staring into oblivion, his all but black clothes ripped and bloodstained- and hurried to him.  As he leaned forward and was about to fall, the girl made it to him and grabbed him from behind.

“What are you crazy?!?”  She yelled at him, exasperated.

            He fought her… he didn’t care.  He wanted to die and be with his brothers.  He felt a sharp pain at the back of his head then blacked out.

            Brietta Manduka, as she was called, regarded the strange young man lying prostrate before her.  She realized she was still holding the rock with which she had knocked him out and swiftly discarded it.  She then knelt down beside him, brushing back a lock of fine brown hair, and rolled him over.  Her sparkling blue eyes filled with worry as she saw the numerous wounds, which covered this unfortunate man’s body.  She then quickly picked him up and half- carried, half-dragged him down the cliff and all the way to her truck at the end of the trail.  He moaned as she lifted him into the cab and belted him in.  She smoothed his hair and hushed him soothingly, then closed the door, got into the drivers seat, and drove to her small cabin in the Pinemark Barrens campground.  She then dragged him into the cabin, laid him on her bed, and got to work washing his wounds.

            Tristram McFarland, for that was our hero’s name, opened his eyes slowly.  He then sat up abruptly, immediately regretting the action as pain shot down his sides and his head spun.  He felt hands pushing him down and heard a gentle, feminine voice hushing him.  He laid back down and got a good look at his caretaker.  Brietta met his gaze and whispered.

“Who are you?”

Tristram blinked.

“My name is Tristram McFarland.  Who are you?”

            Tristram’s voice was hoarse and came from a throat that was so sore that speaking was torture, but he couldn’t help speaking to this strangely garbed yet beautiful lady.

“My name is Brietta Manduka.”  She paused and looked the young man over before continuing.  “What the heck were you doing up on that cliff and why were you going to commit suicide?”

Tristram had never heard these words before.  “Suicide”, “what the heck”?  What did they mean?

“What?”

Brietta sighed.

“You know, suicide.”

Tristram stared at her blankly.

“You don’t know what suicide is?”

Tristram shook his head.

“Haven’t the faintest idea.”  He said, bluntly.

“What time are you from?”

Tristram frowned.  “Beg pardon?”

“You know, what year?”

It clicked.  “Oh, a year!  I don’t know.  Somewhere in the Dark Ages.”

She looked him over.

“That would explain your clothes.”

Tristram looked around at his strange surroundings.  He looked at Brietta and inquired.

“What year is this?  I don’t recognize these devices.”

“It’s the year 2008.”

Tristram’s mouth dropped open like a trapdoor.

“2008?!?  I’ve been here that long?!?”

            Tristram got up and walked quickly to the door to see strange horseless carriages and strange tents.  He also saw the strange people of this place.  He then looked at Brietta and said.

“Are all those people Britons?”

Brietta was the right person to ask for she was a lover of British history.

“No.  They’re all tourists from America.  You see a lot of things have happened since the Dark Ages.”

Tristram turned back to the window and replied, mystified.

“I suppose so.  Are you a-a tourist?”

“Yeah.  I’m here with my brother.  He lives here.  He’s British.”

“So you live in …that place you said…America?”

“Yep.  I can take you there if you like.  It’d be better than hanging around here, but I’d have to buy you some decent clothes.”

Tristram turned around and raised a quizzical eyebrow at Brietta.  Brietta then ushered him away from the window.

“You don’t want anyone to see you.  You look like the angel of Death in those clothes.”  She walked him over to the bed and commanded, “Sit here!  I’m going to get you some of my brother’s clothes.  He’s just about your size.”

            Tristram was looking out the window again when a pair of pants and a shirt was thrown at him.  He caught them and looked at Brietta.

“Thank you.”

Brietta smiled.

“For what?”

He smiled back.

“For being so kind to me.”

“Your welcome.  Go ahead and change in my brother’s room.  Those clothes will have to do until we can go shopping for more.”

            Brietta and her brother talked about Tristram and agreed that Brietta would take him back with her to America after summer break under the pretense that he was an exchange student from Dublin.  During the summer, Tristram learned much about his new world, but he still fought the urge to kill that he was cursed with.  What he didn’t know was that if he left Pinemark Barrens, the curse would lift one the first night of the full moon in the new land.  If his sanity lasted until then, for in resisting the curse, he put stress on his mind.  The longer he resisted, the more his sanity wore down.

            Brietta was beginning to like Tristram, and she spent the days with him, exploring the hills.  Tristram was an excellent guide, pointing out a certain type of tree or the hidey-hole of some night creeper.  The nights were spent by the fireplace with Tristram relating stories from his past, but nothing was said about how he came to be here.  Brietta also clued Tristram in on what had happened since the Middle Ages and Tristram listened attentively as she told him about things like the Renaissance, the Age of Discovery, and the Industrial Revolution.  At the end of summer, Tristram was now familiar with this new world and prepared to enter it.

            The day approached and Brietta and Tristram packed for the trip, once again going through the stages.  They were going to fly home and Tristram was still unsure of flying.  But, Brietta reassured him that she would be beside him all the way.  This calmed him down slightly, but not entirely.  Tristram looked at the cab that would take them to the airport and said, “You’re sure of this?”

Brietta rolled her eyes.

“You’ll love it!  It’s a great sensation being above the clouds.  Now come on!  We’re going to be late!”

            Tristram let himself be pulled into the cab by Brietta and soon he was standing in the terminal, waiting for the plane to be ready.  He had earned some money checking people in and out of the campgrounds for Brietta’s brother, and he had used some of that money to buy proper clothes and Brietta had pulled some strings to piece together an identity for him.  He told Brietta to hang out in the terminal and went to buy a snack and perhaps a trinket for Brietta.  It had now become apparent to him that he liked Brietta, and he wanted to show it to her through little kindnesses and hoped that she would notice.  He soon returned to the terminal with some coffee and a cinnamon roll for them to share.

            As the awkward pair sat in the terminal, Tristram cleared his throat and handed her a hemp necklace with a British flag bead in the center with an amber bead on either side.

“Just a little thing to remind you of England, and to thank you for watching out for me.”

Brietta blushed as Tristram put the necklace around her neck.  She smiled and said.

“Thank you.”

Tristram smiled warmly and replied.

“No.  Thank you.”

            The plane ride was pleasant enough, even though Tristram had a white-knuckled grip on his arm rests the entire time, and when they touched down in Manhattan, it was a whole new world all over again for Tristram.  Brietta giggled with delight when she saw a man standing in the lobby with a sign that read “Brietta Manduka”, and she ran to him and embraced him saying, “Hi, dad!  I missed you!”

            Her father was much like her except his hair was cropped short and peppered with gray and white; and although he had an old wizened look about him, there was a mischievous glint in his eye that anyone other than his family or sharp eyes like Tristram would miss.  The big man sized Tristram up and spoke to Brietta in a warm and quiet yet commanding voice.

“So, who’s this that you’ve brought back from the Emerald Isle.  Boyfriend?”

Brietta snickered and pushed her father playfully.

“No, silly!  This is Tristram McFarland.  He’s an exchange student from Dublin.”

Brietta looked at Tristram and he shocked out of his daze and added.

“Yes, that’s me.  Glad to meet you, Mr. Manduka.  Brietta’s told me much about you.  Um…Lovely weather we’re having today, isn’t it?”

Brietta brought a hand to her forehead and sighed ruefully, and her father narrowed his eyes at Tristram.  Tristram had never felt so exposed in his life, but soon the mischievous glint returned to Mr. Manduka’s eyes and he laughed loud and wonderfully.

“Well, Tristram McFarland from Dublin.  What do you say to getting the native’s tour of New York?”

Tristram smiled, liking Brietta’s father immediately.

“Why not?”

           

The week passed on uneventfully with Brietta and Tristram going to her school in the city, but Tristram’s dreams were getting worse.  He had been having nightmares ever since he left Pinemark Barrens, and they were messing with his head.  One night he woke up standing at his window with his sword in hand.  He immediately dropped it like something that had burned him.  He then ran his hands through his hair.

“Who am I kidding?” he mumbled ruefully to himself.  “I’ll never be free of this curse!”

            It was an evening like this when Tristram’s mind broke.  He screamed awake, thrashing his covers off and throwing himself out of his bed.  He was like a possessed man as he flew down the stairs of the Manduka apartment and proceeded with ransacking it.  When he finished this, he let out a final shriek and crashed through the door heading for the streets.  It was three days until the full moon, and if Tristram wasn’t brought back to sanity before then, he would be lost forever.

            The next day found Brietta looking for Tristram, who had fled.  He wasn’t hard to track for he had left a wake of destruction that started at her father’s apartment and ran all the way to Central Park.  The N.Y.P.D. had formed a perimeter around the park to keep people out and Tristram in.  Tristram was almost past hope, his noble face had been twisted into the crazed grimace of a lunatic and his hair and clothes were mussed and tousled.  Brietta had to find him and stop him from being this way.

            She pushed past the police and ran in before anyone could stop her, for she was determined to save Tristram from whatever possessed him.  Her plan was to find an open space and camp there until Tristram found her, she would then try to talk him out of his madness and hopefully, save his life.  She went to the very center of the park and set out her tent and supplies she had brought in her backpack; she then sat down and waited.  The day passed.  Nothing.  The next day and the next.  Nothing.  It wasn’t until the night of the third day that Brietta heard shrieks and gunshots.  The shrieks came from Tristram; the gunshots came from the police, who had decided to hunt this madman down.  Brietta got up and waited, listening as the shrieks and gunshots came nearer.  Then Tristram came careening into the clearing where Brietta stood as a cloud moved over the moon in the sky.  Their gazes met, but there was no recognition in Tristram’s eyes, just fear and madness.

            He rushed over to her with his sword and brought it to her throat, facing her out so as to use her to get away.  Brietta struggled.

“Tristram!  What are you doing?”  She whimpered.

“Shut up!”  He hissed into her ear, his voice distorted and hoarse from his shrieking.

            She heard the police getting closer and, not caring about what would happen, turned to face Tristram.  Their eyes met again for a moment, then she wrapped her arms around him and kissed his cheek, holding him close so as to keep him from moving.  Tristram blinked and broke out of her embrace, his confused face revealing his sanity returned.  He threw his sword down right as the first of the police ran in.  He then spoke.

“Brietta…I…”

            A gunshot shattered the night and Tristram grunted, putting a hand over his chest as blood started flowing from the bullet he received.  Brietta cried out and ran to catch Tristram as he fell.

“No, Tristram!  You can’t die!”

Tristram, gasping for breath, looked into Brietta’s eyes and said,

“I’m sorry it had to be you.  I’m so sorry it…” He then slumped back into Brietta’s arms, and as the cloud moved away from the moon, Brietta’s tears fell upon Tristram’s still features.  The policemen gasped as they saw a glow descend from the sky and settle on Tristram.  They then heard a voice say, “I release you, Tristram, from the curse that has claimed you for so many years.”

            The glow then left and Tristram’s bullet wound healed itself.  Tristram gasped and his eyes flickered open.  Brietta then held him close and wept for joy.  Tristram then said.

“Umm….Brietta?  I know this is a bad time, but…”  He then held up a ring to her.  She gasped and hugged him again, whispering in his ear.

“Yes.”

            The two were married soon afterwards.  A strange ending to a strange tale, but then again, if it didn’t happen, we wouldn’t have been able to say they lived happily, ever after.

The End