When Light and I had entered town, the sun was setting. Light seemed extremely happy.
He always looks happy no matter what unless you mention he isn't part of the zodiac. It was very
interesting to me. A part of me wanted to be like him, carefree and lively, but people like that
always seem to have the darkest of pasts. They just hold on and keep it all to themselves as the
darkness devours their light inside.
"I found it!" Light said with enthusiasm.
I looked up and saw an Izakaya, why was Light looking for an Izakaya?
"Why we are looking for a pub?" I questioned him.
"We will need information on the way to the Zodiac, right!? This would be the best place
to get information. Maybe get a couple drinks as well." He replied.
"I guess you're right, we can try to figure out where the first of the seven swords are." I
replied as light turned to look at me and sighed heavily.
"You will have to find all thirteen… you do realize that right. Why would you only think
there were seven?" he asked as he placed a black and white bandana on his forehead and tied
back his hair.
"Ummm… I'd rather not talk about it." I replied.
Light casually walked in to the Izakaya, I hesitantly followed behind him. When I entered
the pub it seemed normal, several tables full of people from the village having conversations
about work and lovers. As I looked through the pub I saw the bar and decided to go have a drink.
Light fit in well. He was already talking to a table full of men asking about any single ladies he
could meet. I took a seat at the bar and looked up at the bartender.
"What would you like to drink?" he asked in a husky voice.
He looked as though he hadn't had a bath in weeks, maybe a month. His white clothes
had black stains all over them, some big, some small. He had pimples all over his face, oily skin,
and dirty black hair.
"Some water please." I replied.
"You only want water?" he asked.
"Yes please." I replied.
"He would really like some baijiu." said a beautiful voice from behind me.
She comes close to me and put her face right next to my ear and whispered with a silky
voice "That will give you more of a kick than water will."
I turned quickly to look at her and our lips touched, my heart was pounding, I could feel
it trying to escape my chest when I saw who it was standing in front of me. That women from
earlier. I could feel my emotions taking over my body as I reached out for her and kissed her
luscious lips. I wish she could be mine forever. When I opened my eyes, her face was bright red
and her brown eyes sparkled brighter than before.
"Who do you think you are to touch me like that?" she questioned as she stood up and
placed her fingers to her mouth still blushing.
"I… I'm sorry I don't know what came over me… your just so beautiful I couldn't stop
myself I'm very sorry ma'am." I said embarrassed by what I just did.
She looked at me shocked as she moved her arms down to wrap them around her breasts
which I'm not going to lie were perfect in every way. She still stood to the side as I examined her
curves, her body was beautiful. I couldn't stop imagining touching her soft skin. Her butt was
breathtakingly huge as well. Just looking at her made me want her more and more.
"You think I'm beautiful? Why are you looking at me so intently sir?" she asked.
" I'm sorry but your beauty is just breathtaking ma'am." I replied.
She suddenly walked up to me and kissed my lips gently her hands touched my face with
grace. I could feel the warmth of her breath on my lips, the deeper and more passionate the kiss
got I could barely breathe. When she stopped kissing me she moved her head next to my ear and
said
"My name is Sachiko Saki, I will stay by your side as long as I'm wanted." Then she
stood up again and placed money on the table for my drink and walked to the back of the pub
and sat at an empty table.
I faced the bartender trying to breath and collect myself my heart was still racing.
"You're a lucky man she has never kissed anyone before, she's the daughter of the
famous Daichi Takeshi." He said.
"What!?!? Takeshi?" in a matter of seconds my heart dropped.
"What's wrong you look like you saw a ghost?" He questioned.
I grabbed my drink and chugged it down, I regretted doing it right away. I started to
cough uncontrollably. I looked to my right and there was Light with a huge grin on his face. I
could feel my face burning.
"W…what?" I questioned him.
"Why's your face so red? You don't even need to answer it the whole place saw your
make out session." He laughed uncontrollably.
All I could do was turn away and look down at the table. It doesn't matter we could never
be together I killed her father. I don't get how life is adding up for me. I fall for the daughter of
the man I killed. How ironic, she said she would never leave my side so does that mean she may
already know what I did to her father. She's just waiting for the right time to attack? I'll have to
keep myself away from her emotionally and physically.
"Earth to Junjie." Light said.
"Huh, oh I'm sorry what are you saying?" I replied.
"I heard she is quite famous around these parts, she is a princess, but she would prefer
to help this village from the zodiac. The Ox, we found the first one." He said with excitement in
his voice.
"She fights the Ox on her own?" I asked surprised.
"She's quite strong the villagers say. She keeps her at bay." He said.
"The Ox is a woman?" I asked.
"What, did you think they were all men? When the time comes the zodiac members have
to pass down their weapons to the next person of their choice, if they don't the zodiac sign
automatically transfers to someone it chooses. Oh and she fights with a Halberd so now we know
what we need to know." He said as he smiled.
For the first time, when he smiled, I saw his two little fangs. I never realized how much
he really looks like a cat till right now. So, I have a cat, twelve more to go. I could feel myself
sigh heavily.
"We can do this buddy don't put it past us." He said as he smiled.
"I was just hoping that they were men not women." I said as I found my eyes wondering
to the corner of the room where she sat alone.
"If you want her so much go get her than you don't have to stay here with me. Besides, I
would enjoy another show." He laughed.
I thought about it for a moment the warmth of her skin against mine. Somehow, it just
brought my mind in to the daydreaming mode. Thinking of how our lives could be together, how
our family would be, and other things along those lines. I could hear my heart pound in my ears.
The one thing I couldn't shake was thinking of holding my newborn baby in my arms. I could
only imagine how that may feel. The joy and how scared I may be in the long run but how
precious a gift a baby would be. I quickly snapped back into reality when I heard the door slam
against the wall of the pub. I looked over to see who had entered, it was a woman fair skinned.
My eyes were automatically drawn to her symbol on her forehead, the Chinese symbol of the Ox.
Her hair was pulled up into two buns on top of her head, there was a red ribbon tied around both.
Her face was young but she also looked angry her body was thin and curvy, she wore a Qipao it
was loose and wide. The center was held by a wide belt that was wrapped around with lace. As
she walked she looked like she was floating on air, I was surprised she could be so graceful but
mad at the same time. We watched her walk to the back of the pub, to the women I wanted to
make mine forever.
"Who do you think you are keeping me from attacking this village?" she yelled at Saki.
"I wouldn't have to stop you if you would just stop attacking the villagers." Said Saki
with her beautiful soft voice.
I started to notice that the villagers started to leave the pub. The only people left inside
was Light, the bartender, Saki, the Ox, and I. I could start to feel the tension rise when the Ox
slammed her hand down on the table and busted it in half. There was so much dirt and dust
moving around I couldn't see Saki. I felt myself jump up out of my seat as I tried hard to locate
her. When it cleared, I was surprised, Saki was gone. The Ox was surprised in her rage, she
throws the table in Light and I's direction. We both jumped in opposite directions to avoid the
table, I had jumped to the right. I quickly looked to the bartender who looked untouched by the
attack. I stood up, I was done with this violence. I could feel my eyes burn and my hand grip the
handle of my sword.
Saki jumped from the beams that held the ceiling of the pub together and did a flip
landing behind the Ox. She grabbed the Ox by her hair and swung her around and through the
wall of the pub with ease. Then she looked our way and bowed, we found her running out of the
hole she had made in the wall.
Light grabbed me by the arm and rushed us outside. Maybe a little too enthusiastic about
the whole thing, he was laughing the whole time. He dragged me out of the building, he was also
kind of skipping as well. When we got to the area where Saki and the Ox where fighting all we
saw at first was the Ox flying and landing in some trees in front of us. Saki's beauty was even
more animated than I could ever imagine. The sun on her body was soft and smooth just like the
way she felt when she touched me. My new idea of her was strong and ruff, she was always
fighting the Ox on her own without help. She must have had a hard life. The Ox stood up and
looked at Saki.
"Fang don't you ever get tired of losing against me?" said Saki.
"Saki, I know you have some gruesome scars from me as well on your body." She
laughed.
Fang raised her hand and out of nowhere a giant axe materialized. The axe was beautiful
and made of gold and silver. The detailed ox that covered the blade was very detailed. You could
see every muscle and vein on this beast. Fang started to run towards Saki. I was quite fast and
wasn't going to let Saki fight alone anymore.
As light stood there for a moment, he didn't notice that Junjie had left his side, he was so
wrapped up in the intensity of the battle. As he watched the ox make a full attack towards Saki,
a dust cloud formed around her.
"Man, did you see that the ox isn't someone to play with?" he said as he looked to where
Junjie should be standing in confusion. "wait, where did you go, Junjie?" he asked as he looked
towards the dissipating dust cloud.
Standing between Fang and Saki was Junjie holding Fangs attack away from Saki. The
look on Saki's face was of surprise. Junjie's eye was burning green and his other eye was still
blue like the ocean. Light stood there with his mouth wide open trying to grasp the fact Junjie
had even moved. Junjie pushed the ox back with one swing of his sword, as the ox flew back she
did a backflip and landed on her feet. She was staring intently at Junjie. She was ready to fight
to the death and the look on Junjie's face showed the same thing.
"Listen to me Fang either you can join me or die, it is your choice." said Junjie as he
smiled for the first time I had seen so far.
"Join you? I'm confused by what you mean by that. Why would I join a stranger?" She
laughed than focused on the sword Junjie was holding her face was pale before but she looked
like a ghost now.
"You can join me and live, or die by my hand, whichever you would prefer." He said in
an ominous voice. I had never heard Junjie talk like this before.
Light paused and looked at Saki, she also noticed the sword and fell to her knees. Light
noticed the tears filling her eyes, she held her hand to her mouth to silence her cries. She must
have noticed something about the sword or she was just happy that Junjie saved her. Light didn't
know how to take it.
"You…ar…are the leader of the zodiac warriors." Fang said in a scared voice.
Light could see the hazy green smoke coming off Junjie's eye, the mist became stronger.
I could see Junjie get irritated with waiting for her to fight or either give in to him. He wasn't
taking her playing with him lightly. Also, at this point, I had come to realize that Junjie had a
much deeper darker side to him than I had ever seen before. A rage that couldn't be fed. This
look an Junjie's face was terrifying, for the first time, I was honestly happy that I was on his side
and not the one standing in front of his sword.
"Have you made your choice yet, ox?" he questioned in a harsh voice.
"I have, I will not join you unless you can beat me Dragon." She laughed."Well then, prepare yourself to fight." He said while positioning himself.
He placed his left foot in front of him and his right foot gently beside Saki, as to protect
her from the blow that he was getting ready to use on Fang. I saw Fang's life drop out of her face
when she realized that he would fight her no matter what. She was unwilling to accept the fact
that he was willing to go to any length to get what he wanted. Even though I wasn't sure what
that was, besides getting her on our side. Before I could make another thought, the dirt was
roaring like a whirlwind in front of me. I could barely see Junjie that's how quick he was
moving, dodging and attacking Fang. I could see the green mist coming from Junjie's sword with
every attack he made. That's pretty much all you could see of Junjie, the neon green mist and
light coming from his sword. I could hear Fang desperately trying to dodge Junjie's attacks,
doing back flips and jumping from tree to tree. Even that didn't help her, he was way too quick
for her. Before she would make it to where she was going, he was already there to attack her.
Finally, the whirlwind subsided and the air was clear again. Junjie had Fang pinned against a tree
with his blade deathly close to her neck. Her clothing was torn, her dress now looked like a piece
of cloth, the only parts of her body that were covered are her torso and thighs. Her body was
covered in cuts, the deepest one was on her forehead, blood dripped down her face to her right
shoulder.
"If I refuse you dragon?" she questioned taking a heavy breath in.
"Guess?" Junjie said as he moved the sword closer to her throat.
She gasped for air due to Junjie's body being so close to hers and the tree. I'm sure he
was crushing her fragile body, with all his power pressed up against her.
"F…fine… I… will join you." she said in an airy raspy voice.
Junjie placed his sword slowly in to his sheath and moved the pressure of his body off of
her slowly. As he did this she sluggishly fell to the ground.
"Light?" said Junjie.
"Yes, Junjie?" I replied.
"Take her into the pub and get her new clothes please." He said this time looking at me,
his neon eye started to fade.
"Yes, I can do that." I said quickly.
I picked Fang off the ground quickly I was surprised how light she was. I kind of felt like
a pervert holding a pretty much naked girl in my arms. I felt my face get hot, I had to look and
make sure Junjie didn't see how embarrassed I was. He luckily was helping Saki off the ground.
So, I made haste to get Fang into the pub and rushed off to get clothing for her.
"Are you okay, Saki?"I asked.
"Yes, I'm fine Manchu." Saki said with hesitation.
I reached my hand out to her and waited for her to reach out for my help up. She
hesitantly reached up for my hand. Her hand was so soft and fragile in mine. Our eyes met for a
moment, for some reason she quickly broke our eye connection, and with her left arm she
covered her chest as I helped her to her feet. At this point I knew something was wrong, I didn't
know what I did, I was forcing back the feeling of wrapping her in my arms and comforting her.
I also knew I should hold back these feelings from her. I knew the life I chose was one that love
could never follow. This life was meant to be a lonely one, I was meant to be alone. Next thing I
knew, she was holding me in a deep embrace. I moved my arms slowly from my side to wrap
around her warm body. I had never felt an embrace so warm and loving from anyone before. I found myself falling into this feeling that was forbidden to me.