Sojiro p.o.v, chapter two.
As night fell, Tui said it would be wise to camp out and continue our journey in the morning.
We found a nearby cave in the Minoo Falls forest and decided to set up a camp there.
I gathered up some sticks to create a fire, as Kohaku and Tui set up our sleeping bags. I focused my energy to enable me start the fire.
I took a deep breath and slowly exhale fire. As Tui watched me, he spoke to me.
"When did you learn dragon's breath?"
"Master Yoshiro taught me. He said that I would be able to master the technique. He was a great teacher; he taught me everything on being a Shinobi." I sighed.
(Besides the fact I would have to kill unsuspecting people who I don't even know anything about.) I added in thought.
"Well-done Sojiro, The dragon's breath is a wonderful technique to have. I'm glad he taught it to you."
"What good does it do me if I have to kill somebody that hasn't done anything to me? I've worked so hard to become a White Fang, and you're telling me that I have to use my skills for this? This is highly insane!" I yelled as I gritted my teeth in anger.
"Sojiro please calm-....."
Tui urged but Kohaku cut him off.
"I knew father had something planned. Why would he ever want to praise me for anything? He doesn't even see me as his own son. If I died he wouldn't care." Kohaku frown.
"Come on cheer up. You have to keep your spirits up one way or another, things aren't so bad." Tui cooed while trying to cheer us up.
"That's so easy for you to say. You don't have to kill anybody. We never asked for this. I don't see why we have to be the ones to do it anyway. This doesn't even have anything to do with us. This is such a drag..."Kohaku yelled, sounding annoyed at the situation at hand.
"Enough....I have had my fair share of killing innocent people and I'm not proud to say that, but I have. I know how you guys feel, it sucks I know. But this is what you both were chosen for. And I don't like it any more than you do. If I could take back what I did a few years ago....Then my..... You boys wouldn't be in this mess.
Complaining about it won't get you anywhere. I'm sorry your father picked you to do something like this. I guess he feels that you both are good for this job." Tui yelled...then he took a breath before he continued.
"I'm just sorry it had to be just you two. Now.....we have to set out early in the morning... so get some sleep. Good night boys." Tui said as he laid down.
I looked at Kohaku and he looked at me, and I shrugged my shoulders. Then he shook his head and laid down as well.
(What's gotten into him? He's never acted like this before and did he mean what he did, and what was he about to say at that? None of this is making any sense.....) I ponder the events that happened today into the early morning, until I finally fell asleep.
That night I dreamed about a wonderful land covered in white grass. I felt so free to do anything. As I laid in the white grass, I looked up at the sky and sighed with relief.
I looked around at all the snow and trees that surrounded me. I was no longer confined to the walls of the castle anymore.
"Finally....." I said as I smiled.
Then the smells of hot tea hit my nose and I sat up. An absolutely beautiful young woman I have never seen before sat down next to me. She had long black hair with a little bit of white in it, and she had one green eye and one purple eye with the most beautiful light shade of skin I'd ever seen.
She looked at me and smiled, as those seductive angel eyes of hers gazed into mine. She made my heart pound faster than it ever had before.
She handed me one of the cups of tea that she had in her hands. I took it from her and looked down at it, then she started to say something to me, but I couldn't hear a word that she was saying. Then she laid her head on my chest. I felt my body heating up as I started to feel sparks fly through me.
(Who is this woman...why is she laying on me? I can't move!) I thought to myself.
I opened my mouth to ask her a question, but no words came out.
(I can't speak what is going on here…...who is this girl? What did she do to me?) I panicked.
I struggled to move away, but it was of no use because I was stuck right there by her as she laid on me. Holding me..... Then eventually she started kissing me.
I woke up in a cold sweat as Kohaku was calling my name to wake me.
"Brother.....get the hell up....we have trouble...." He said as he readied his sword.
I immediately heard growling as I got up.
"Wolves…..Where's Tui?"
"I don't know.....but we have to do something about them before they kill us..." He whispers.
I could hear them growling into the darkness, outside of the cave. I hopped up and grabbed my sword.
We slowly approached the cave entrance when one of the wolves ran toward us and pounced on Kohaku.
He yelled as the wolf knocked him to the ground.
He tried to fight the wolf off of himself with the unbarred sword, but his struggles were in vain.
"Soji......you can help at any time now BROTHER!!"
Kohaku yelled at me as I stood there watching the commotion unfold.
I started to hesitate...(I don't want to swing my sword at the wolf because I might end up hitting Kohaku instead....even if I use my powers there still is a chance I'll miss.) I thought of every strategy I could use, but I couldn't come up with a good one.
"Soji! ANY TIME YOU WANT TO HELP BROTHER!" He yelled again bringing me back to my senses.
He screamed out as the wolf bit his hand, which forced him to drop his unbarred sword.
Then he punched the wolf in its jaw and I kicked it off of him.
"Anytime you want to use your powers now is a better time than any....." My voice sprang nervously as more wolves started to surround us.
"Ok yeah..... You're right.....one, two, three go...."
He yelled as he started to bend the shape of the earth around us. I took a breath and gathered up my energy like I did before, but this time, I clapped my hands together, and pulled them apart and a thick electric wave came roaring out of them.
Then, a high pitched whistle sounded and the wolves backed off and bowed...
"I am sorry to wake you two up like this. But....I wanted to see what the both of
you can do... It's a truly remarkable sight to see you both in action." Tui came walking in as he spoke with a warm smile.
"I never thought I would see the day that my bo-....err...uh...hmmm..." His voice trailed off then cleared his throat.
"What the hell Tui... You could have killed us." Kohaku yelled at Tui in his normal pissed off tone.
I shook my head in dismay.
"Sorry, but I wanted to see what you boys could do on your own. In that way with you going up against Juin and her daughters, I know you both will not die. I can admit that you both still have a lot of training to do, but it's a start." He looked at me. "Next time don't hesitate to help out your brother Soji. Anyway its sun up and it's almost time to go."
He said as he fed his wolves and gave us some food.
"So what's up with these wolves anyway? Are they your pets or something or are they an illusion?"
Kohaku asked as he stuffed his face full of chicken.
"Obviously they aren't if they can eat." I playfully smacked the back of his head.
Tui laughed.
"No they're real, I'm their alpha. I raised them. They will be accompanying us on this journey." He replied.
"Why?" I asked.
"Because ...you will need them." He answered.
"Well....why do you have them now? Actually how on earth did you get them? Aren't dire wolf pups hard to come by now a day?" I asked him.
"Well I guess I can tell you... they're not dire wolves.....their mother was a half breed....."
"Half breed? You mean like a werewolf?"
"Yes....part wolf....part human...Werewolf... Not only that, I protected her from
Siurue. If anyone knew what she was they would have killed her."
"So you protected her because you loved her?" Kohaku chimed in, still stuffing his face.
"Yes...I did love her very much.....we loved each other....anyway Shana was her name and well...these are ....her...and...Well, our....children..." He said as an awkward silence hit all of us.
"No nice joke, but the truth I want to know." Kohaku said in disbelief.
"That is the truth."
Tui said and then turned his attention to the wolves.
"Girls can you please go and transform back into your human form for me, so you guys can formally meet Kohaku and Sojiro...." He said.
I looked at Kohaku and he glanced at me. Then the wolves trotted out of the cave. A few minutes had past....And five beautiful young girls came walking back into the cave.
"It's finally nice to meet you two. I'm Kanah, the oldest. This is Katana. Next to her is Yumi then this is Kimiko, and the last one here, who is the youngest, is
Sazuka."
My jaw dropped.
I know this is hard to believe, but these are his kids. Kanah was the oldest and had fiery red hair and fur. She has emerald green eyes and she maybe seventeen years old. Not to mention she is very giddy...Katana is the quiet one. She has long beautiful jet black fur and hair with golden tips at the ends just like Tui. Her eyes were like a caramel color and she looked about maybe sixteen. Then there is Yumi the shy one, she hid when we were introduced. She was a silver colored wolf, almost metallic like with deep blue eyes. She looked like she was maybe thirteen. Kimiko the sort of kind of violent one, who might be eleven, was brown all around ....well... her eyes, hair, and fur were at least....then last but not least was Sazuka...... she is four and she has beautiful big icy blue eyes however, she had all white hair and fur......the funny thing is that they all had features of Tui.
(Ok.....now I know I'm dreaming.) I thought to myself.
Kohaku turned pale white. Only thing that had color was his cheeks which were a bright red color.
"Big bwothor , father told us so much about you both.....I have been waiting a
long time to meet you and....and... I'm so happy I finally did." Sazuka said to Kohaku; as she was hugging him.
"Wait....what....brother...? I'm not your brother.....your father is my uncle.
Hey....ge-....get off of me will you."
He replied back to her with a confused look on his face. She clung to him with all her might.
"Father you didn't tell them did you...." Kimiko snarled.
"Well....."
His voice trailed off.
"How many times do I have to tell you....the best thing to do is be honest!" Kimiko yelled as she put her foot on his head.
"Be honest about what Tui?" I said holding back a laugh.
He sighed as if he had no choice.
"As you know my name is Takamori, Siurue's younger brother,
and.....your...well...You see...I'm....your.....true.....father." He replied with a sigh.
"What!!!" Kohaku yelled.
"I can see that." I told him.
"Soji how can you-...." he started to speak, but I cut him off.
"Think about our history....where was our so called father when we needed him...all those years.....think about all the things we've been through.....who was there...? Certainly not him....Tui was...always have been...cheering us on through everything and taking good care of us, not father." I stated with a cold tone.
I wasn't shocked at all by what Tui had just told us....a huge relief had come over me as I embraced this news. I've always silently wish that he was my father since I was a child and I was happy to hear that he actually was. But I wondered.....why did all these years pass by, why had he not told us until now?
"But how can that be?" Kohaku Asked.
"I loved your mother. She was a sweet gem to me. That brother of mine never treated her right. So she came to me one day and a.....Your mother and I were secretly seeing one another after that..." He said.
Kohaku shook his head.
"Did you tell them the other part?" Kanah asked.
"No....but since I'm laying it all out on the table....your mother....she's not dead....she's still alive..... And....well I know where she is......I was the one who set her free." He said quietly.
I jumped up and walked toward the cave entrance. I looked around the forest,nothing but tall beautiful trees and plants surrounding us. I looked up, only to see a small portion of the castle in the distance hidden within the trees. To be honest I had enough of this nonsense.
"Sojiro?" Tui called from behind me.
"We have a mission to do....after that you can apologize for everything you have done. Also, I would like to see our mother...you got that....father...." I spoke and looked back over my shoulder at Tui. He bowed as his eyes welled up in tears.
Tui, Kohaku, and I hopped on our horses and we rode off again. The girls followed closely behind us in their wolf form.
(I can't believe I am taking this well.....l have not only a younger brother and five younger sister.)
"Shit....." I said to myself and
I urged my horse to stop. Kohaku and Tui stopped as well and looked back at me. I got of my horse and I walked up to Yumi.
(She must be the one me and Kohaku hurt earlier. I'm almost positive.) She looked up at me as she growled.
(Just as I thought...) I put my hand out and placed it to her forehead slowly.
"I'm sorry for what happened earlier. I thought you were going to kill us ...but now that I know…. I swear the Shinobi Ninja promise; I will never hurt you again. I will always protect you....all of you with my life."
Once I said that to her, her eyes widened and she stopped growling.
I petted her on her head as she started to wag her tail.
Kohaku also came over and apologized to...
Kohaku and I got back on our horses and started riding again.
Quite a few hours had passed, it was almost dark. Tui stopped in the clearing and waited for us to stop as well.
We got off our horses and walked over to him.
"Now that your all here, where we will be going is extremely far away so I made preparations as to how we will be transported." he said as we walked behind him.
We made it to a metal bird, it was huge and seemed sturdy enough to fly us there.
"So we're taking this bird there?" I asked Tui.
"This is called a jet and yes we are. It will be faster that way." He said as we walked up to it.
Then we loaded up inside the jet and sat down. It had cream colored seats and a fridge like thing with drinks and food inside of it.
Once it took off, I immediately started to feel sick, Kohaku laughed at me. It was my first time in the air and I was already having a bad time. He joked around about me needing a bag to barf in but, I just ignored him half way through. I could tell this was the girls first time too. Yumi complained the entire time, Kahana was begging Tui to let her get off, Sazuka was sleeping and Katana consistently ran to the bathroom to throw up. Kimiko however, seemed as if she was amused like Kohaku and joined in with him making fun of us. Tui just shook his head.
We finally made it to Oakland within three hours time. I got off the jet and thanked the heavens.
"Finally off that thing…THANK YOU MY DIVINE HEAVENLY FATHER!!!!" I shouted as I threw my hands up to the sky... "Why would anyone want to ride on one of these things…" I said almost throwing up my dinner.
Kohaku laughed.
"It's okay ...you are not the only one that feels that way.." he pointed over to Kanah.
"Ground, sweet sweet ground...I'm never leaving you again." She said as she stumbled off the plane.
She fell to her knees and took in a breath.
"Sorry, but you have to get back on it in order to get back home after this mission is over." Kohaku told her.
"No I am not getting back on that thing…" she announced dramatically.
We started to walk in the 'airport'. Once we got in the building I looked around at the variety of people walking around with their families. Some people were staring at these little square contraptions just taping at it.
We walked passed a girl that was playing what seemed to be music out of another type of contraption. The song was kinda catchy, so I bobbed my head along with the beat as we walked by.
We got on some moving stairs and I held on to the rail. I felt like I'd fall off if I didn't. We got to the bottom and there stood a lot of people standing in a line holding up a piece of paper with a name on it.
"So, is it tradition to wear one's name on paper and hold it up for everyone to see?" I asked Tui.
"No ...they're waiting for the person with that name to get off the plane." He answered.
"Oh…" we all said.
Then we walked up to a guy with a sign with our name on it.
"Hello my name is Thomas Bolton, I will be your driver today." He said confidently.
Thomas was kinda short and bulky with green eyes and dark brown hair he seemed pretty well groomed but not like a threat to anyone.
"Very good. Well, we're all ready to go if you are." Tui told him.
"Excellent, if you would be so kind as to follow me please?" He said and we started to follow him out of the airport.
Once we were out of the airport, he told us to wait right there and walked off somewhere. As we waited, I looked out at the other people walking around. Some seemed very lively as they chatted with their friends or on those small rectangular devices.
These People were even dressed strangely. Everything and everyone seemed so strange here, which made me feel kind of out of place looking onward at more people that either walked by or stared at us as they passed.
I turned my attention to a metal thing that went by.
"Tui what is that?" Kahana asked.
"That my dear is called a car." He sighed.
Then a long black car pulled up and Thomas got out of it and ran toward the back and opened a door for us, we all piled into it. On the inside it was red and black and the fabric of the seats seemed very soft and comfortable.
"This is also a car?" Kohaku asked.
"No this is a type of car called a limo…" Tui answered.
"Your teachers never taught you anything about the real world?" He asked us and we shook our heads. He just sighed.
"This will be a long trip…." he mumbled to himself.
Once we got settled, the limo started to move. I stared out the window. This new world was very strange and unstructured, unstable and so unpredictable. Kahana started to complain about all the contraptions we were using to get our destination. She said that she could've gotten there in her wolf form faster than this. I just shook my head and turned my attention back to the window. Cars went by blaring their sirens, about eight of them with the inscription 'police' written on them shot straight past us. Then we stopped and I saw some kids beating up another kid, and people were just walking by without showing any sign of care. Then the limo started to move again.
This place was so gloomy, so hectic. It wasn't meant for me to be here. I know I wished to be able to be out of Osaka, but this…...this place wasn't how I expected it to be at all. I started to wish I could go back, but I knew that wouldn't be possible until my mission was completed.
We started to move faster as the City seemed to turn into nothing, but grasslands and pastures that I was more familiar with.
I started to fall asleep like everyone else. It seemed as If we were moving for hours.
Four hours had passed and the car came to a hult.
"Alright guys we're here." Tui announced.
I opened my eyes to see that we had arrived in a village. We all got out of the limo and walked up to a big house.
Sojiro...
I stopped in my tracks then turned around to find the source of the voice, but only found horses' running in the distance. I smiled but then my head started to spin and everything turned blurry. I constantly rubbed my eyes while trying to shake this weird feeling off, but it refused to go away, instead it only got worse from there. My heart started to race, I felt like I couldn't breathe, and my head was pounding heavily. It was like there was something inside of me going wild, but then it all started to fade away slowly and I started to get frustrated.
Tui came out of the house and started to unload the limo. I stumbled to get my footing.
When I was finally able to get my footing and shook off the frustrations, I went to help Tui.
"This is where we will be staying, it's not like home but we will manage, you girls can have the big bedroom and you two can take the other. I will sleep in the third room."
Tui said.
As we took off our shoes and entered the big space, Yumi and Kimiko started to fight with each other about who knows what and who doesn't. Kahana walked into the house and you can just cut the tension in half with a knife.
"Would you mind laying Sazuka down down in the room Kohaku?" She asked.
"I have to deal with these two hellions called Yumi and Kimiko please." Kanah smirked evilly at Yumi and Kimiko.
Kohaku put his stuff down and took Sazuka into his hands and held her.
"Okay…." he said with an awkward look on his face.
He walked into their room and laid her down..... I stood by the room door and watched him.
"Your favorite huh?" He sighed and then smile down at her.
He moved her long white hair to the side and covered her with a blanket. I smiled to myself remembering how I would carry Misa to her room when she was too sleepy to walk on her own.
(That's right....if I'm Tui's son, then Misa is not my sister.) This thought made me frown. She really didn't have anyone but me.
Then I walked away, soon after he emerged from the room seconds later.
I shot a smile at him; he scratched his head, and then looked away from me. Once we got our stuff unpacked, we sat down and talked.
"So.....since we are family and just now meeting you all, why don't we all get to know each other better."
I suggested, trying not to sound sarcastic.
"I'm 17 and I'm the oldest of us all."
Kanah said. I glared over at Tui as he gave me that nervous look.
Katanah held up her hands to say 16.
(She really doesn't speak...)
"Well.....I'm 11 and I hate everything." Kimiko smiled.
"Not true ...you love that bear father gave you. You blubbered your eyes out when Kanah said you shouldn't bring it…." Yumi said quietly.
"Yumi!!!" Kimiko yelled.
"Anyway ...I'm 13 and I like to read and write poetry."
Yumi said quietly
.
(Great I feel even more horrible ...I kicked my thirteen year old...sister.) I felt very horrible about my actions...
Sazuka walked out of her bedroom and found her way into Kohaku's lap.
"Hey what do you think I am huh?" He mumbled at her.
"I don't wanna be alown…..there was a monstow chasing me." She said to him.
He sighed and patted her head to comfort her. Then he looked up at me.
"Shut up Soji."
"What? I didn't say anything....." I replied with a smile.
We all spent that night laughing and having fun.
It was the most fun I've had in a long time.
The girls went off to bed as Tui had us stay up to discuss the plan.
"You all will be going to a place called school in the morning. It's the same school Juin's daughters are enrolled in. Be careful and look out for the girls too. They are also going to school with you." Tui said and we bowed in agreement.
Then we went to our room.
That night....
I had the same dream that I had the night before, the only difference was that...I was laying in the same bed with the same girl I saw in my last dream.
She climbed on top of me.....I could feel myself getting hot and my heart started to race. Her face came close to mine and she kissed my lips...then she took my shirt off...
(Okay.....I don't want to wake up from this dream.)
She pulled off her shirt and kissed me. I reached my hands up to touch her…
Then I woke up.
Kohaku was yelling, so I opened my eyes just to put the pillow on my face in disappointment.
"Why are you yelling?"
"This can't be happening to me..! Go back to your room Sazuka! You can't be in here..."
"But I had a nightmawe and I want to sleep next to you I scawed." Sazuka said in her cute tiered voice, sounding as if she would cry the next minute.
"Just let her sleep next to you jeez....."
He sighed.
"But only for one night....okay"
"O....tae...."
She said as she snuggled up next to Kohaku.
"Hey you're too close I didn't say you can sleep like... OH forget it." He growled.
He looked down at her, but she was already fast asleep. He sighed and pulled her blanket over her while tucking her in, then kissed her on her forehead and whispered good night before moving himself to the floor and falling asleep himself. I turned over and fell asleep also. Again...