Working Title Episode 6

Tsuyoshi felt the sudden shift of power as Rai moved to the offensive.  He had been sitting in the tree and waiting for almost an hour now.  He checked his watch and muttered, “Come on, Takeru.” He checked all of Rai’s teammates minds to see if they had heard the commotion yet.  Still clear, but it wouldn’t be that way for long.  He was scanning the premises when he chanced upon a consciousness that was obscure and somewhat shielded.  His curiosity piqued, he probed a little further and was met with a ferocious counterattack that sent his mind reeling.  He saw stars and nearly fell off his perch.  He heard Amaya’s voice on his earpiece.

“Tsuyoshi. What is it?  Your vitals just went crazy, what’s going on?”

Tsuyoshi shook his head and cursed under his breath.

“It’s okay, Amaya.  Don’t worry about me I’m just surveillance and back up.  Keep an eye on Takeru’s vitals.”

“But Tsuyoshi…”

“Just do it!”

Pause.

“Okay.”

            The earpiece clicked off as Amaya closed the connection.  Tsuyoshi took a deep breath and found the consciousness again, taking extra care not to cause any alarm.  He concentrated and closed his eyes, bringing up an image of the person to which the consciousness belonged.  It was the renowned Japanese pianist Kurai Hishazi.  Tsuyoshi noticed that the boy was running down the hall, bumping into things and knocking them over in his haste.  The second thing Tsuyoshi noticed was that the boy had been crying and had blood splattered on his clothing.  His eyes shot open as the realization hit him. The boy had seen the fight and survived and was going to warn the others.  Tsuyoshi quickly leapt from the tree to the balcony below and slipped in quietly.  His approach would have to be quiet if he was going to take this boy down.

            Tsuyoshi moved cautiously down the hallway and nearly collided with Kurai. He instantly backpedaled and cursed in his mind as he silently drew his kunai and prepared to strike.  Unfortunately, Kurai was already alerted to his presence and caught him by surprise with another ferocious mental attack.  This time Tsuyoshi was prepared and threw up his mental defenses to ward off the attack.  The boy’s attack lasted for a minute then slackened as he took a breather, and Tsuyoshi took that window and lunged at him with his kunai.  Kurai grunted in pain as the kunai bit into his arm, but he pushed Tsuyoshi away with surprising force for someone so slight.  Tsuyoshi got up to retaliate but as he was standing he felt a stinging pain in his back as a shuriken hit home.  He gritted his teeth and spun around to face his greatest enemy.  He took in a breath and snarled, “Kohl Takai.”

            Kohl was breathing hard from running down the hall and he went into a crouch, pulling out his kunai and breathing his opponent’s name. “Tsuyoshi Kurushime.”

            The two faced each other for a moment, Takai and Kurushime.  The former glaring with hatred at the latter who remained impassive.  The rest of the Amaryllis Unit appeared behind Kohl and got into formation behind him.  Tsuyoshi smiled dangerously.

“Well isn’t this convenient?  All of the Takai’s before me ready for the slaughter.  I couldn’t have asked for a better opportunity.”

Kohl didn’t even flinch, but looked past Tsuyoshi to Kurai.

“Hishazi, are you alright?”

Kurai looked up and winced.

“I-I think so, but Rai needs your help!  Takeru has him trapped in his room!”

Kohl looked at Tsuyoshi.

“That boy is not of the Nabari world.  Leave him out of this and let him pass.”

Tsuyoshi snorted.

“What? So he can lead you to where my counterpart is finishing off your leader?  Never.”  He then gritted his teeth and said the rest in a snarl.  “You’ll have to get past me to get to him, Takai.”  He spat the last word out with a hatred that made the twins flinch and Tsuyoshi smirked.  “What? Are you two frightened?  Bear in mind that what happened to your comrade Chason could happen to you too.  Unless you scrounge up the guts to face me and kill me.”

Kohl turned back to Yoshi and Siiju.

“Don’t listen to him, he’s just trying to scare you.  Stay strong and you’ll be okay.”

            The two boys were calmed by their leader’s confidence and Kohl turned back to face Tsuyoshi.  He said to the twins in their minds. I’ll make a distraction then you get past him and take Kurai with you to save Rai.  On my mark.  The two boys nodded.  Kohl took a deep breath and exhaled then lunged at Tsuyoshi.  At the same instant, the twins had leapt over the two combatants, grabbed Kurai, and disappeared down the hall.  Tsuyoshi snarled as his prey escaped him and looked at Kohl. 

“You’ve gotten better. More organized.  Have you learned since I massacred your family?”

“Your fight had always been with me Tsuyoshi. You couldn’t stand being out of favor and watching me get it all, it has nothing to do with those boys or anyone else.”

            Yoshi and Siiju raced down the hall in the direction Kurai had come from, dragging the poor boy behind them.  It wasn't until they arrived at the room that they heard the sounds of combat coming from within.  From what they could hear, Raiden was hard pressed and failing fast.  Yoshi and Siiju could wait no longer, they both burst into the room and attacked Takeru head on. 

            Takeru cursed loudly as the boys attacked him.  He felt one of their kunai bite into his side and grit his teeth.  Then a naginata slashed across his back and he cried out.  “Curse you! Tsuyoshi where are you?!”  Yoshi and Siiju laughed.  “He won't be coming, Kohl will see to that.  Now fight and pay for your crimes!” 

            Kurai listened to the goings on and heard Raiden gasping in a corner.  He crawled  over to him and his hands found him.  He drew them back hot and sticky with blood.  “Raiden!”  Kurai cried in dismay.  “Please tell me you're okay!”  He murmured, pulling him up gently into his arms.  He felt Raiden cough and touch his shoulder.  “I'm still here...for the most part.”  Kurai heard Takeru curse again and a thud.  “Raiden! We've got him subdued now what?!”  Raiden coughed.  “Tie him up...we'll keep him here and see what we can get from him.  What's the status on Kohl?”  Kurai heard Takeru groan and Yoshi and Siiju grunting as they tied him up.  Kurai turned his face towards Raiden's voice.  “What about you?”  He felt Yoshi's hand on his shoulder.  “We'll take care of our captain.  You go find your brother and alert him to the going's on.  You need not worry about Tsuyoshi, Kohl has him under control.”

            Tsuyoshi was slammed against the wall and felt cold steel pierce him as he snarled in pain.  Kohl stared at his younger counterpart.  “You never learned to control your emotions.  You always attack in anger, Tsuyoshi.  That is why you have never defeated me up to this point.  You were always impetuous and brash in your actions and that is why they chose me over you.  I was calm and well-grounded in my studies of the art of the shinobi.”  Tsuyoshi bared his teeth and pressed back with his powers and Kohl slammed against the wall.  Kohl grunted.  “Well done, you managed to get past my barrier.  You've been practicing.”  Tsuyoshi took Kohl's blade out of his back and turned.  “Shut up....I'm through listening to your conceited lies...it's time to end this.”  Kohl nodded.  “Indeed...”  Tsuyoshi was then sent reeling as Kohl hit him with a ferocious mental attack.  The young man fell to his knees, releasing his hold on Kohl and putting his hands to his head.  Then suddenly Amaya was there and the fighting stopped.  Kohl stared at the girl standing over Tsuyoshi, her blade drawn and teeth bared.  “Touch him...and you'll regret it...”  She said icily, staring at Kohl with eyes filled with venom.  Kohl knew better than to argue with her...for he knew her well..and her....unique abilities.  “Go then...and take your charge with you.  Bear in mind though that he will not always have you to protect him...you would be wise to try to convince him to join us, Amaya.”  The girl stared at Kohl with unblinking eyes.  “I will think upon it and give you our answer on a later date.  Farewell, Kohl Takai.”  She then vanished, taking Tsuyoshi with her.

            Raiden woke up in a hospital bed once again.  He groaned and tried to sit up, regretting it instantly as pain shot down his back and through his chest.  Gentle hands pushed him back down and he looked up to see Mae smiling down at him.

“Welcome back.”  She said, brushing his bangs out of his eyes and kissing his forehead.

Raiden stared and frowned slightly.

“What happened?  Did they get him secured?”  He said, having passed out before seeing the final outcome of Takeshi and Tsuyoshi’s attack.  Mae smiled.

“Yeah.  Everyone’s safe now…Thank, God.”  She murmured softly.

            Raiden sighed with relief.  “Good.” He murmured, glancing at Mae.  He took her hand in his, looking up at her.

“I’ve had a lot of time to think over a few things,”  He paused, thinking through his words. “and I think we should get married soon.  As soon as possible, because I don’t know where this path we’ve started down will take us.”  He touched her cheek tenderly.  “I don’t want us to regret not doing something while we both still had time to do it.  If you’ll still have me.”  Mae smiled tenderly at him.  “Of course I will, silly boy.”  She murmured affectionately, kissing him softly.

            A week later, Raiden was released from the hospital and he and Mae were married in Kubota’s house the moment they got back.  It was the perfect spot, safe and quiet and it doubled as a honeymoon location.  Kai was happy for his sister and new brother-in-law.  He had had a feeling that this turn of events would compel Raiden to take action.  What he was worried about now was Kohl and his obsession over figuring out why this mysterious girl, Amaya, was in league with Tsuyoshi and Hikaro.  The man was losing sleep over it, pouring over archives and newspaper articles with scattered mentions of this girl throughout. She was everywhere.  At the root of ever major catastrophe, her name was bound to pop up.  It seemed impossible, but the evidence was too obvious to ignore. 

            The question was, why? What did she have to do with it?  What mysterious power did she wield that could cause such destruction?  These were the questions asked by Kohl…and they worried Kai.  What also worried him, was whether or not she intended to use those destructive powers on them…If she hadn’t already in some subtle way.

“You mean it’s not an obvious power?”  Said Kai to Kohl during the week Raiden was in the hospital.  Kohl shook his head, looking over the archive he was reading.  “It’s subtle enough to not even be noticed.  She often doesn’t even notice it, herself.”

Kai sighed and ran his fingers through his hair.  “What is it? This mysterious power?”  Kohl let out a deep sigh.  “She doesn’t even know…All anyone knows is that disaster and tragedy follows her everywhere.  Her family used to be well known in Ancient Japan…” Kai cut him off. “Woah! Wait a minute. Are you saying she’s centuries old?”

Kohl nodded. “No one knows how, but she doesn’t age.  Now, as I was saying, her family was well known and respected in Ancient Japan.”  He paused, looking gravely at Kai.  “Until the whole clan was decimated in one week by some unknown ninja faction…She was the sole survivor and has been popping up in history books and newspapers ever since.”

Kai stared at Kohl.

“That’s troubling.”  He murmured softly.

Kohl nodded.  “That’s why I’m trying to figure out what she’s doing with Hikaro.  I need to know what their plans are.”

            Kai remembered the conversation well.  And as he walked through the halls, he became more and more unsettled.  What was Hikaro planning next?  Why hadn’t he attacked again or attempted to rescue Takeshi?  One could only imagine what depraved thoughts were going through his head right now.