《Strawhat Dudes》
Chapter 1: Destiny
¡°I¡¯m tired¡ so tired¡ of everything.¡± said Shun as he dragged his feet along the sand. His sweat and tears rolled down his blood soaked skin, washing it ever so slightly.
¡°Why the hell am I even alive?¡± He murmured. He questioned why he kept fighting, even though he wanted so badly to die. Shun sighed and lowered his already sunken head, believing his existence was simply for the amusement of the gods. He inched his way to a mango tree, his vision slowly getting blurrier. Exhausted from fighting bounty hunters, he fell onto his back. The clouds had then parted and the moon shone its light upon him. The disheartened boy stared into the moon, sensing a familiar aura as his face bathed in the moonlight. He then heard a whisper in his ear,
¡° I found you.¡±
And so he fell asleep.
Shun laid in an empty void. He wasn¡¯t sure what he was doing at this point nor was he sure what he was going to do. He waited to enter the afterlife, but was then reminded that it wasn¡¯t gonna happen. A mysterious glowing figure stood over him. In a woman¡¯s voice it said ¡°So you¡¯re giving up now? What ever happened to ¡®I¡¯ll find a way¡¯ or ¡®I¡¯ll kick everyone¡¯s asses¡¯?¡±
¡°Go away!¡± the boy angrily shooed the figure.
¡°Ah, but you clearly need me. You can¡¯t stand being alone with your thoughts.¡± she replied. There was no point arguing with the figure. She knew him all too well, and wanted him to live.
Shun sighed and complained, saying ¡°If I had my old sword, I wouldn¡¯t be rotting in this shithole of a realm.¡± to which the figure responded with ¡°You know, you can¡¯t solve all your problems with your authority and abilities. Besides, you¡¯ve got a better one.¡± The ¡°better¡± sword in question was the Tenken, the sword of heaven. It is similar to a katana, although it had a bigger curve which resembled a crescent. It had no cutting edge but it was quite powerful.
¡°Look¡ From here on out, things are going to be splendid!¡± the figure predicted, clicking her tongue and making an OK sign. This was then followed up a complaint by Shun who stated ¡°You said that yesterday, and the day before that, AND the day before that! In fact, you¡¯ve been telling me that ever since we met! And you know what¡¯s changed? Nothing! Things just kept getting worse everyday!¡± In response, she said ¡°That¡¯s not true. You¡¯ve changed at the very least.¡±
¡°Liar.¡± Shun quietly retorted.
She then backed up her statement saying ¡°Don¡¯t believe me? I have noticed that you weren¡¯t cocky anymore. Well¡ as a matter of fact you¡¯ve developed an inferiority complex.¡±
¡°Screw you!¡± he exclaimed as he flipped the bird. She shrugged and continued with ¡°What? You said you¡¯d like me to lighten the mood.¡± as she then sighed. She sat beside the boy who still laid motionless.
¡°You¡¯re going to alright I promise.¡± she said, placing one hand onto his head. Shun then looked at the figure. Although she had no eyes or even a face, she could see in his teary eyes that he believed her. He kept on believing her because there wasn¡¯t any other thing that pushed him forward anymore. And with one deep breath, Shun closed his eyes and woke up.
He woke up in the same place he slept, under the shade of the mango tree.
¡°At least I¡¯m not sleepwalking anymore.¡± he thought. Although his hair had now dried up, his clothes had remained damp. He instantly felt his stomach twist itself as he had nothing to eat the night before. He could eat the mangoes above him, but the acidity would only worsen the pain in his already barren gut. He slowly got up and used his sword to support himself.
¡°I might as well catch some fish.¡± he thought. Fishing in the sea with only a sword would be too strenuous for him since he¡¯d have to swim. And so he searched for a nearby river. Shun dragged himself through overgrowths and vines. He stayed in place, examining his surroundings. Soon after, he heard the sounds of water flowing in a stream. He walked as quickly as he could to it. Through trees and bushes he passed until he stopped at a small cliff, overlooking the viridescent river. He picked up a tiny pebble and dropped it in, causing small schools of fish to scamper about. He slowly made his way down to the steam, taking off his shoes and pulling his pant legs up upon reaching the riverbank. He stood against the current with his hand clasping his sword¡¯s hilt. He waited for any kind of strange motion between his feet, and then¡ SPLASH!!! A milkfish flew from the water after being struck upwards. Shun quickly sheathed his blade and caught it as it fell. The fish was quite big and was as long as his torso. It squirmed and jerked, trying to break free from his grasp. Unfortunately for it, Shun struck the side of its head(right where its gills would be) with his sword and killed it. As he got out of there to find some dry grass and wood for tinder, he heard the rustling of bushes on the ledge above him. He looked up to see a strange figure wearing a white mask and a straw hat. Although he caught a glimpse of it, the figure moved so fast they appeared to blur, leaving behind a hazy afterimage. A chill ran down Shun¡¯s spine as he began to feel even colder than he did last night. This strange presence was unlike anything he had felt, not that of any bounty hunter or monster he had ever faced. It couldn¡¯t possibly be his more powerful enemies, the Mazoku, who had a more pungent aura. This presence had a more familiar vibe to it; a familiar aura that greeted had him after painfully long time. Could this figure be¡
¡°A god?¡± he thought to himself.
The familiar presence as well as his curiosity drove him to follow the mysterious figure. Without further delay, he ran as fast as he could after them. As he sprinted through the grove, he could see the masked figure gliding through the trees, leaping on one branch after another. They got closer and closer to an open field. When the figure leapt into the sunlight, they turned around mid-air and pulled out a mirror. A beam of bright light emerged from it and landed on Shun¡¯s eyes, blinding him for a few moments.
He regained his sight soon after he got out of the grove and found himself in a field of sunflowers. He looked around to find that the strange fellow in the mask was nowhere to be seen. He proceeded to walk through the flowers which were around chest height. Was it all just his imagination, hallucinations, or was he actually dead? These thoughts of his were soon proven wrong as the masked figure emerged from a bed of flowers in front of him. Shun jolted back and dropped his fish, steeling himself for a fight. He finally knew what the mysterious masked figure looked like, seeing as how they were inches away from him. Their face was hidden behind a white fox mask and their head was adorned with a glossy straw hat; not to mention the balaclava that covered their neck and hair. They wore a thin black silk coat(a haori), with a pattern reminiscent of the ¡°The Great Wave Off Kanagawa¡± over a pair of gloves and a long sleeved shirt of the same color. Their all-black tops were contrasted by a pair of navy track pants and gray rubber boots. The fellow in the straw hat immediately took the fish and wiped the dirt off of it. They walked a little closer to Shun and stopped to hand it back. He reluctantly reached out his hand and snatched the dirty fish as he then stepped back and drew his sword. The masked fellow stood idly for a few moments, tilting their head and examining the frightened boy. When they spoke, the muffled voice of a girl came out, saying
¡°Are you lost, baby boy?¡±
He lowered his sword in confusion as he silently mouthed ¡°What the fu-¡± The masked fellow came even closer which startled Shun a bit more. He took a step back and pointed the tip of the blade towards her chest. This didn¡¯t stop the girl in the fox mask as she pushed the sword to the side and proceeded to pet the boy¡¯s head.
¡°Who the hell are you?¡± Shun asked, to which she responded with one word; her name.
¡°Temi.¡± she stated.
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The two of them stood in silence for a few more moments. It would likely be pointless for Shun to introduce himself to her, since he strongly felt that she already knew who he was.
¡°Are you from the Shrub village?¡± he asked, to which she shook her head. She then said ¡°Well¡ I¡¯m from somewhere else, you see. Not from HERE, you get what I¡¯m saying?¡±
¡°Another realm?!¡± he asked. ¡°Do you know the way out of here? I really need to-¡±
¡°No. And even if I did, I won¡¯t let you leave.¡±
Shun took as step back and in slight frustration asked ¡°Why though? This whole damn¡ shitass realm isn¡¯t safe for me anymore, not with everyone out to get me.¡± Temi offered to talk somewhere else, saying ¡°Why don¡¯t we talk about this over some roast fish.¡± and walked off to sea. He followed her without question.
After washing the fish Shun had just caught with seawater, the two of them discussed things while roasting it over hot coals.
¡°So you¡¯re saying I shouldn¡¯t leave, why¡¯s that?¡± Shun asked. Temi answered his question with ¡°It¡¯s just not safe for you, not yet.¡± Her answer was responded to with another ¡°Why?¡±
¡°Lady Tsukuyomi¡¯s former followers, they¡¯re also out to get you.¡± she explained. ¡°Those bounty hunters and whoever else is out to get you are roaches compared to them.¡±
¡°You know Tsuki?¡± he asked excitedly. Tsukuyomi was what many people would consider a god. She was a close friend of Shun¡¯s before they were seperated. The boy¡¯s eyes were aglow. He wanted to know how she was doing, considering how long it had been since he had spoken to her.
¡°She sent me out to find you. I¡¯m surprised none of your enemies ever found you. I on the other hand, with her help of course, managed to track you down in just a few days.¡±
He smiled, looking toward the horizon as he said ¡°Damn¡¡± He turned his head back to her, following up with ¡°Anyway, where were we? Her former followers, they¡¯re out there looking for me, right?¡± to which she nodded.
¡°They just never seem to give up, huh?¡± Shun replied. ¡°First they get jealous that I got close to Tsuki, then they tried to ambush me. Wait, former¡ They got banished after that whole fiasco?¡±
Temi replied with ¡°That was what she told me. I came across one of them, Kujaku.¡± He scoffed upon hearing this, saying ¡°Wow, you found the weakest one! Nice.¡± Temi came across him in a realm of giant seahorses and flying fish. He was balding and living as a fisherman. He became miserable after Tsukuyomi banished him. At first he blamed Shun for everything, but realized his mistakes after having a therapy session with Roven, a muscular dolphin philosopher.
¡°He told me about the others.¡± Temi stated. ¡°They¡¯ve been forming armies of their own followers to exact revenge on you and Lady Tsukuyomi.¡± Shun then said ¡°I¡¯ve beaten them before and I can do it again.¡± to which she replied with ¡°You can¡ if only have the one thing you used against them. Your sword, that is. Eight divine powers, put into one instrument. Must really suck, knowing that you¡¯ve lost it.¡±
¡°Well¡ I still kinda have it.¡± he replied as he lifted his shirt, revealing a ball of energy that has replaced his heart. It sat in a gaping hole on his chest, glowing faintly.
Temi expressed her utmost curiosity, letting out an ¡°Oooh.¡± She leaned in closer, asking ¡°Can I touch it?¡±
Shun declined and crossed his arms over his chest.
¡°It tickles, like a lot.¡± he said.
¡°Okay okay¡ But as you are now, you won¡¯t stand a chance against them.¡±
¡°I¡¯ve got you with me at least.¡±
She tilted her head as she then said ¡°Aw, I¡¯m flattered.¡± and proceeded to jam her hand into the hole in Shun¡¯s chest, tickling him.
¡°But I¡¯m not that tough.¡± she admitted ¡°Even if you¡¯ve got me on your side, there¡¯s hundreds of them and only two of us.¡± He fixed his gaze onto the roasting fish, understandably bummed out with his predicament.
¡°I just wanna go home. I miss my mom, my grandma, and grandpa too.¡± Temi then followed up with another question, saying ¡°And if you were to get home and your enemies found you, do you think you can protect yourself and your family from them? Your grandfather may have been your predecessor and had seen a lot in his heyday, but now his hip could give out at any moment.¡± He got even sadder, bowing his head even lower. The girl in the fox mask moved to sit next to him. She placed her arm over his shoulder to reassure him.
¡°But like you said, you¡¯ve got me.¡± she stated. ¡°I¡¯ll look after you as much as I can, I¡¯ll promise you that. I can¡¯t guarantee whether you¡¯ll be totally safe or not, but you¡¯ll live. And speaking of living, where are you headed? We could try to find a place to live.¡± Shun raised his head and placed his hand on his chin. He explained ¡°Manila¡ It¡¯s one of the only places with a functional teleporter, but it¡¯s not open to the public. I was gonna head north, sneak into it, and get home.¡± He sighed as he then followed up with
¡°But you¡¯re right. I probably won¡¯t last a day out there, not anymore at least.¡±
¡°We could live there then!¡± Temi offered to which Shun immediately refused, saying ¡°I not really good at talking to Notherners. I heard some of them¡ get knifey towards Islanders.¡±
The two had a lengthy conversation until it was well into the afternoon. They debated on a safe place to live in, enthused over pop culture, and then came the topic of martial arts. Temi stood up and dusted the sand off her pants.
¡°Care for some sparring?¡± she offered, to which Shun reluctantly accepted. She picked up a tree branch as long as her arm, and struck it against a rock a few times to test its durability. Once she was done she walked to the shoreline in the direction the sun was setting, turned around, and pointed her stick towards him. He examined her for a moment before engaging. He could tell she¡¯s up to something. The waves gently caressed the heels of her boots and the wind blew west, carrying sand over to the horizon. One wrong move or even a grain of sand in his eyes could cost him the match. He took a deep breath and nodded before charging towards her, his sword still resting in its scabbard. Right when he was within her range, Temi used her stick to flick bits of sand and seawater to his face. He stepped to the right and dished out an upward strike right when he drew his blade. She blocked it with ease and proceeded to use her left hand to try to poke him in the eyes. Shun spun to the left and swung to her back, which she avoids by doing a backflip. She taunted and gestured him to come at her again. He leapt high up into the air and swung downwards as he fell, using the momentum to make the strike be able to break a bone(in this case a stick.). When he missed, he followed up with a leg sweep and another upward slash. Sword and stick clashed with each attack. As Shun delivered a flurry of blows, Temi deflected each one with only a stick. She also noticed something about the way he fought. He always left himself wide open. A proper fighter always keeps their guard up, but he seemed to do the opposite. That didn¡¯t mean that he wasn¡¯t a capable fighter. In fact, most swordsmen wouldn¡¯t stand a chance against him. Could it be that he¡¯s asking to get hit, or is he using it as a way to trick his opponents? Maybe even both? She had also noticed that he always held onto his scabbard with his other hand. She then put the pieces together and finally evaluated his fighting style.
Shun struck the sand beneath his feet and launched it towards her, slightly obscuring her vision. As the veil of sand dissipated, he disappeared. Shun took this opportunity to catch Temi unaware and strike her from behind. However, he made a mistake which then caused him to lose: His back was facing the sun. Temi turned to where he was and pulled out her mirror. Like earlier, a bright beam of light blinded him. He could only see himself and her as dark silhouettes, the scenery turning white. He couldn¡¯t stop immediately since he ran up to her so fast.
¡°I might as well put everything into this one attack.¡± he thought. He jumped and swung his sword as wide and with as much force as he could. Temi was able to dodge that by simply stepping back. She then stepped in to counter with a thrust. What she didn¡¯t notice however was that he also swung his scabbard. A loud smack as well as the shattering of glass echoed across the shore as Shun began to regain his sight. The first thing he saw was Temi¡¯s stick poking his chest, followed up by his scabbard appearing to have shattered her mirror.
¡°As I thought, you fight by purposefully leaving yourself open; dodging and dealing a powerful strike right when your opponents step in.¡± she said to him. ¡°Not only that, you seem to have also developed a fighting style in which you use both your sword and your sheath.¡±
Shun was filled to his head with awe by her skill and observation that he dropped his weapons and knelt in shock.
¡°Teach me!¡± He tearfully demanded. She sighed and affirmed his request, saying ¡°Sure. Anyway there¡¯s one thing I¡¯d like to ask you. Since you can¡¯t go by Shun anymore, what would you like me to call you?¡± As he wiped the tears off his eyes, he thought well and hard for a few moments. He then chose a name that lingered within his thoughts; A name so simple yet slightly unique. He looked right into the eyeholes of her mask and declared ¡°Tobi.¡± as his name. Temi offered her hand to him to help him get up. He of course didn¡¯t make her wait and tightly gripped it.
And so, a beautiful friendship between the two was forged on the shores of Guimaras island.
Chapter 2: Ramonita
A few minutes just after their little sparring match Tobi and Temi sat next to each other, watching the sunset as there was nothing else to do. The boy widened his eyes upon remembering something. He searched through his pockets, and breathed a sigh of relief upon feeling something. He pulled out a propeller shaped toy with weighted rings on each of its lobes.
¡°Aw man, I thought I lost this!¡± He said as he happily spun it. Temi tilted her head in curiousity, as she had never something like this before. She asked ¡°What¡¯s that? Is it like a gyroscope or a part of some contraption?¡±
¡°It¡¯s a fidget spinner.¡± Tobi replied. ¡°It¡¯s a little toy that I think was made for people with restless hands. It got popular like two years ago¡ too popular. Lots of little kids played with spinners, and people hate kids, so they hated the spinners.¡±
The girl in the fox mask followed up by asking ¡°Kids made it annoying basically?¡± to which he affirmed with ¡°Yeah, exactly!¡± and proceeded to laugh.
He then raised the spinner, explaining ¡°But this one¡¯s special. I got it¡ well two for free when my mom bought me a couple of boxes of underwear. Sadly it was the last time I saw her. Anyway, I gave the other spinner to Tsuki as a present for the holidays. She looked really happy even when it was just a toy.¡±
Temi patted him on the shoulder, saying ¡°Even so it¡¯s the thought that counts, and she really cared about you so of course she was happy about it!¡± She stood up and continued with ¡°Come on, there¡¯s a town nearby. I¡¯ll take you there.¡±
¡°Wait, what? No way, I thought this island was uninhabited.¡± said a very perplexed Tobi as he stared straight into the eyeholes of Temi¡¯s mask. They made their way through banana plants and coconut trees until they eventually found their way into the small fishing town of Ramonita. The two of them scouted the area while they hid behind a line of lemongrass. To their surprise, they noticed how lively the town was. People were spitting fire, chugging palm wine from giant jugs, riding buffalos wearing tank tops and shorts, and holding drunken karaoke sessions. Curious, Temi asked ¡°Is there a festival going on?¡±
¡°No. It¡¯s just a birthday party.¡± said Tobi as he pointed to a house up a hill. There was a large banner with a child¡¯s picture which says ¡°Happy 1st Birthday, Takeru Lodicakes Gonzales!¡±
¡°The hell kinda name is Lodicakes?¡± Temi remarked.
¡°Beats me.¡± Tobi said in response. ¡°Anyway, you got anything I could use to cover myself up?¡± She then handed him an orange paper bag, saying ¡°Just this.¡± As soon as he took the bag, he poked two holes into it and wore it as a mask. He then stood up, struck a pose, and asked ¡°How do I look?¡± to which she responded with ¡°Like shit.¡± Tobi started strutting out of the bushes, stating ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go get us something to eat!¡±
Temi let out a ¡°W- wait!¡± as she grasped the boy¡¯s wrist. She proceeded to say ¡°Look!¡± while pointing to a group of men clad in armor made of cast iron, patrolling the streets. They knew that they couldn¡¯t just waltz in. Not only do they look incredibly suspiscious, one of them is currently a notorious fugitive.
She warned her new friend, saying ¡°Well¡ We can¡¯t just head down there. We are definitely going to get in trouble. Unless¡¡± The boy turned to his companion and with an uncertain tone reiterated her statement. ¡°Unless?¡± The bells on Temi¡¯s mask began to jingle. She excitedly declared ¡°I¡¯ve got an idea! But first, we¡¯re gonna have to get you some threads. There¡¯s blood all over you. Go take a bath. I¡¯ll head into town and get you something to wear.¡±
Tobi wasted no time and took a dip in the sea. He brushed his feet along the seabed until the water was at waist height, after which he laid floating on his back. He surrendered to the waves as they gently cupped his ears. With the sight of seabirds, The smell of salt, and the sound of the void, he closed his eyes and for a moment was at peace.
***
Tobi reflected on the day he came to this realm. He woke up on the shores of Dumaguete, neither knowing how he got here nor why. He rolled to his side and coughed up seawater. He then heard a girl speak to him.
¡°Phew, glad you¡¯re alright!¡± she said. ¡°You didn¡¯t look pale so I was able to save you.¡±
Upon opening his eyes, the boy¡¯s vision was blurry. The trees looked like green sploodges on the pale blue canvas that was the sky. After a few moments, everything became clearer, especially the girl who was squatting next to him. She had reddish brown hair tied up in a bun, with her bangs pointed down like the tines of a rake. A bubbly expression was drawn on her face, indicating her relief.
¡°Hi!¡± she greeted him. He sat up dazed and once again coughed up seawater.
She followed up with ¡°Like dude, what were you doing there? You must¡¯ve been knocked off a ship cause there¡¯s no way anyone would go swimming in a tracksuit.¡±
The boy examined himself to see that he appeared completely unscathed. However, something was wrong. He was missing his sword. He began to panic, shouting ¡°My sword! Where¡¯s my sword?!¡± to which the girl responded with ¡°You mean this one?¡± as she handed him a tachi in a black scabbard. ¡°I found it floating beside you so I assumed it was yours.¡±
He looked at her then at the sword in disbelief before proceeding to say ¡°That¡¯s not mine!¡±
¡°Ah, I see-¡±
¡°But I¡¯ll keep it. I already feel naked without one.¡±
He took the strange blade and propped himself up with it. He was only able to stand for a couple of seconds before falling face first into the sand. The girl helped him up and placed his arm over her shoulder as the boy used his sword as a crutch. Even as the two slowly walked on the beach, the boy was still coughing up seawater and even sneezed.
¡°Dude, not on me!¡± she exclaimed. He tried to apologize but he slurred a little, letting out a ¡°Sworry¡¡±
There was sand and spit on her white sun dress, but she carried on and chuckled nonetheless. The boy turned his head to her and asked ¡°So you saved me. Why?¡± She looked up to the sky and responded with ¡°Well I couldn¡¯t just leave you there. I had to do the right thing.¡±
He smiled and thanked her. However, she wasn¡¯t finished. She then continued with ¡°After I felt your pulse, I tried to wake you up by slapping you. It didn¡¯t work so¡ I tried CPR.¡±
The boy, still clutching to the strange sword, ran his fingers on his lips, after which he shifted his gaze back to his savior.
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He whispered ¡°Nice.¡±
¡°What?¡±
¡°Ah- uh I meant you saved me. Nice!¡±
¡°Um, you¡¯re welcome?¡±
After a brief moment of silence, the girl introduced herself.
¡°I can tell you¡¯re not from here. I¡¯m Minami, Ikehara Minami. What¡¯s your name?¡±
¡°Shun¡ just Shun.¡± he answered. Minami Stretched a big syruppy smile across her face as she then said ¡°Nice to meet ya! Anyway, my family¡¯s just up ahead. We can get you patched up there.¡±
Shun would never forget the exact words that came through his head at that moment.
My first kiss was with a cute girl who gave me mouth-to-mouth. Nice!
***
Tobi opened his eyes. He got his feet back on the seabed, shouting ¡°Minami! I have to go back!¡± He took a few heavy breaths before proceeding to head back to shore. There he saw Temi with a pile of secondhand clothes in her hands. She asked him
¡°Oh sorry, did I bother you?¡±
¡°No, It¡¯s alright. I was just about done.¡± Tobi Replied.
She then followed up with ¡°I just thought you were still in the middle of shouting a girl¡¯s name half-naked.¡± The boy remained silent, took his new clothes, and donned them. They were composed of an old haori and a baggy pair of pants with no pockets; both of which were black in color. They resembled the garments of a wandering swordsman. He didn¡¯t like coat very much because not only was its fabric itchy, it also smelled like an old man.
Tobi, understandably upset by this, complained. ¡°Couldn¡¯t you find something better than this?¡± to which Temi replied with ¡°These were the only ones that seemed alright. The only other things they sold at the ukay-ukay were leotards. Besides you¡¯ll grow on them.¡± He put on a shabby dusty cape that veiled his upper body. Now he looked like a ronin.
After he got ready, the two of them went back into town. They walked through the bustling streets, through roadside barbeques, buffalos in tank tops and shorts, as well as the guards clad in cast iron. They got a lot of weird looks from people, but luckily they weren¡¯t approached by anyone yet. While they continued to stroll, Temi decided to do some icebreaking and said ¡°So¡ Minami¡¡± Tobi responded with ¡°She¡¯s a friend of mine from the Ikehara family. Her dad apparently knew my grandpa so he gave me a place to stay. In exchange I did some chores for the family¡± The girl in the fox mask then asked ¡°I suspect these chores involved more than just housekeeping, right?¡±
¡°Yup.¡± Tobi affirmed. He then proceeded to explain his time with them.
¡°I worked as their spy for a whole year, prevented and resolved minor disturbances, and fed their dogs. God, they had a lotta dogs. That was until a week ago. One of the puppies went missing and I was sent to look for it. Turns out the Lawin clan¡¯s lackeys stole it to set up a duel against me at a power plant. If I refused, the little pup was gonna get it. Let¡¯s just say I got the puppy back, but no one else made it out of there alive and there was a power outage for the next few days.¡±
¡°What happened next? Why were bounty hunters after you?¡± Temi asked again.
He answered with ¡°Since I killed some of their members, the Lawins wanted the Ikehara to hand me over to them to make it even. I figured they¡¯d leave them alone if I just ran away. But now I¡¯ve realized that they just wanted to get rid of me so that they¡¯d get closer to toppling the family. I gotta go back. I have to help them out!¡±
Temi patted him on the back, saying ¡°First we¡¯ll need to make preparations. That is, getting some food and a place to stay.¡±
***
As they walked up the hill and on the road leading to the birthday boy¡¯s house, a lot of people stopped their merrymaking to have a look at the duo of masked travelers. They, including the family hosting the party, thought they were performers. Not long after they finally went up the hill, everyone at the house and those down the slope flocked and gathered around the two. There was a lot of chatter and requests from them such as
¡°Hey, do some tricks!¡±
¡°Wow! Where are you guys from?¡±
¡°What¡¯s with the masks? Are you vampires or something?¡±
Tobi raised his palms and stepped back, not exactly knowing what to say. Temi then cleared her throat and stated ¡°We¡¯ve noticed you¡¯re all having a good time, so we¡¯re here to make a lot better.¡± The townsfolk cheered and chugged even more palm wine as they made way for them to perform in the front yard. The birthday party seemingly turned into a talent show, with baby Takeru sitting on a high chair as the judge. Everyone watched and sat by, anticipating what their opening act might be. The air was thick with tension that there might as well be an air pizza made out of it.
The two looked at each other, bobbing their heads and waving their hands.
¡°So?¡± Temi asked Tobi, who then recoiled in slight confusion saying ¡°So!? You¡¯re the one who roped us into this! W- what are we gonna do, make balloon animals or something?¡±
¡°Who said we are?¡± she replied. After taking in a deep breath, she added ¡°How about we work on your reflexes for now? Think about this as today¡¯s lesson.¡± Tobi was even more confused and slightly tilted his head. Next thing he knew, a few knives flew right at him. He was able to catch them at quite an impressive speed that the audience started applauding and cheering for them. The two of them looked to see that the birthday boy was pretty unimpressed. For their next act, Temi raised her arms up into the air and from her coat emerged birds and mice of different colors and sizes. But that wasn¡¯t all. She then pointed to the moon and said ¡°You guys see that thing?¡± to which everybody nodded. She then muttered ¡°Alright, let me just¡¡± as she then appeared to have snatched the very moon from the sky. It sat on her fingertips like a glowing ping pong ball. The applause grew even louder as the partygoers went from astonished, to impressed, to absolutely stunned. Tobi couldn¡¯t help but chuckle and join in on the clapping, knowing it was just a trick. Even with her inhumanly impressive magic tricks, baby Takeru still didn¡¯t lift a cheek on his pink blobby face. Since it had come to this, she had to resort to one final act. She walked over to Tobi, had him put on a blindfold over his mask, and spun him around. As he stood unknowingly facing a buffalo dressed in tank tops and shorts, Temi took a barrel of palm wine and threw it at him. Tobi sensed exactly were it came from and shifted his body to its direction. He then stepped back a little and clenched the hilt of his sword before quickly drawing it. He swung it so fast the blade appeared like a faint white streak, as it went right through the barrel and immediately back into its sheath. The barrel was then split into two, and each half went in different directions. For just a moment it was raining palm wine all over the front yard. Men in tank tops at around thirty to forty something stuck out their tongues as the wine droplets dove straight into their mouths. Mind you, he was using an incredibly dull sword; so dull in fact that it might as well had been a long butter knife. The crowd fell silent, filling the air with even more tension than before. This ended when baby Takeru chuckled at the amazing display. Right then and there, in a deep and silky voice, he uttered his first word: ¡°Amazeballs!¡±
And the crowd went wild. Tobi quickly took off his blindfold, wondering what¡¯s going on. Everyone came up to the extravagant duo and applauded them, offering them all they could eat. Just then, a loud clapping silenced the crowd, followed by a deep booming voice saying ¡°Impressive.¡± A tall man resembling a tiger shark with red skin walked up to the duo.
¡°It¡¯s been a while since we¡¯ve had traveling swordsmen on our island.¡±
He stretched his arm to Tobi and offered him a handshake.
To Be Continued
End of Chapter Infodump:
Lodicakes: A Filipino term(commonly used to call someone you admire). Lodi is idol spelt backwards and the cakes part kinda makes it resemble the word babycakes.
Ukay-Ukay: derived from Bisaya which means ¡°to dig¡± or ¡°to sift through¡±,
an ukay-ukayan is a second hand shop that commonly sells clothes, bags, footwear, accessories, plushies, and many more for dirt cheap. Most cities and towns have at least an ukay ukay shop. When shopping in one, it¡¯s important to wash whatever clothes you¡¯ve bought before wearing them.
Chapter 3: The Middle Aged Innkeeper
Imagine a world or an omniverse where objects are given power through sentimental value. You would think that a lot of people would cherish the stuff they own, hoping they¡¯d have the next Ark of The Covenant on their hands? You¡¯d be right to some extent. Everyday objects gain power through strong feelings people feel toward them. The stronger the emotions, and in some cases the more people who feel them, the more powerful the objects would be. However, when someone is completely overtaken by feelings of contempt, terror, rage, and despair as well as allowing those feelings to fester, a malicious aura will engulf the item they feel strong attachment to; causing it to become cursed. This would not only harm the owner of the item, but also the people around them. The thing is, it¡¯s not the things themselves that hold great power but in fact the people who carry them. This opening sequence is really something. Nerdy fourteen year old kids on fanfiction sites go nuts on for this kinda stuff; or not.
***
The tall red shark man stretched his arm out to Tobi, offering to shake his hand. The boy in the paper bag mask reluctantly took the rough scaly hand and returned the greeting.
¡°I¡¯m Bankell.¡± the shark man introduced himself. ¡°And you two are?¡±
Tobi responded with his(newly thought up) name and Temi followed suit.
Bankell let out a hum of intrigue. The boy in the paper bag mask asked about the big party. He wondered why such grand festivities were held for just a year old child.
The shark man answered ¡°That¡¯s cause he¡¯s my son. He may not be my actual kid, but I wanted to make this day special for him.¡± He looked at Takeru who was wolfing down two entire cakes. Right after that he adjusted his gaze back to the two of them, saying ¡°Tell you what, we could use your skills. How would you like to join our faction, the Tattlesnakes?¡± The masked duo stood in silence, contemplating on how they were going to decline his offer in the most polite way possible. Meanwhile on the rooftops of the nearby houses down the hill stood two figures in straw hats. One of them, shrouded in a cloak, watched from the distance with his left hand cupping his ear. His enhanced hearing allowed him to listen in on the conversation, albeit almost drowned out by the chattering of the partygoers. The other one, wearing dried coconut leaves as camouflage, tugged on his sleeve and asked ¡°What¡¯s going on over there. He¡¯s not offering them to join his gang right?¡± to which the first figure replied ¡°Believe it or not, he actually is. I highly doubt they¡¯d agree to it though.¡±
The figure clothed in coconut leaves then added ¡°Then what if he doesn¡¯t take it well? Whaddya think¡¯s he gonna do to them?¡±
The young man in the cloak turned to his buddy and said ¡°You¡¯re right. We gotta help them out. But how are we gonna draw that shark guy out? We can¡¯t just waltz in there. Those two are gonna get the wrong idea and attack us.¡± He crossed his arms, wondering ¡°If only we could stir up something out here.¡± Just then, a Tattlesnake climbed up a ladder and shouted at them.
¡°What the hell are you two doing there, get down!¡±
The two straw hatted dudes looked at eacher other and nodded. Their time to strike was now at hand. Before the guardsman could plant his foot on the roofing sheet, the figure in the cloak dished out a side kick to his breastplate. This sent the ladder leaning backwards, with the guardsman falling out of their sight followed by a loud crash.
The two figures looked over to see the concussed guard clutching onto his head. They also found a broken crate of firecrackers beside him. The young man in the cloak aimed his arm to the pile of explosives and snapped his fingers.
Back at the party, Bankell stated to the masked duo ¡°Not only that, but you¡¯ll also get medical benefits and a dental plan. So what do you say? You two in?¡± but just then he was interrupted by the popping and whistling of the nearby firecrackers. Then came the sound of clanging. Another Tattlesnake guardsman came in, banging a ladle onto his wok shaped helmet.
¡°Boss boss, we¡¯ve got trouble!¡±
The tall shark man turned to his subordinate, asking ¡°What is it this time?¡±
¡°There¡¯s somebody going around making a ruckus!¡±
Bankell raised his nonexistant eyebrow and responded with ¡°The hell do you mean by that? It¡¯s a birthday party! We¡¯re supposed to make a ruckus.¡±
¡°But this one¡¯s not the good kind!¡± said the guardsman. ¡°They¡¯ve even knocked out Rogelio.¡±
The shark man sighed, muttering ¡°Looks like we¡¯ve got an invader or two.¡± Before walking away to investigate, he once again offered the positions to the two.
¡°If you ever need to make a better living with your swords, we¡¯ve got open spots for the both of you.¡±
He waved to them and grinned as he continued down the slope.
Moments later, as the two sat next to each other after taking some food, Tobi asked Temi ¡°So this was your idea to get free food?¡± commending her for that clever ruse. She responded with an affirmative hum. She picked up a spring roll on her plate and brought it closer to her mask. He looked closely, curious to see how she¡¯ll eat it. While he could easily slip food under his mask, hers perfectly fit her face. His eyes were now locked onto her hand. It remained stagnant for a few moments before¡ Schwoop! With a quick wave of her hand, the spring roll disappeared. This was then followed by the sound of munching and the bobbing of her head. Tobi just sat there, his eyes popping out of the paper bag. Temi turned her head to him and asked ¡°You alright? Your spaghetti¡¯s gonna get cold.¡± He responded with ¡°Oh¡ right.¡± as he then took a forkfull of it and took a bite. He looked at her again and saw that her plate was now empty.
¡°Temi¡¡± he called her, after which she turned to look at him again. ¡°Would you mind if you took some¡ you know¡ Bringhouse?¡±
Note: Bringhouse is a Cebuano term used to refer to leftover food at a party or any other event that is taken home. Some people outright snatch them like vultures in thin short sleeved dresses.
***
A little while after the party had ended, Tobi asked the birthday boy¡¯s parents if there were any lodgings nearby. Baby Takeru took off his binky and told them ¡°Ignacio¡¯s, at the edge of town.¡± before putting it back in his mouth and making little baby noises. The two bowed in gratitude before heading out.
¡°Weird kid.¡± Temi whispered, to which he responded with ¡°Bet he could make a living doing ad reads for car brands.¡± The two walked to the outskirts of town, conversing about their future plans.
Moments later, the duo found themselves at a big rusty sign that said ¡°Welcome to Ramonita!!¡± Next to it was a shabby concrete bungalow, with roofing sheets brown from rust and a banged up plywood door with graffiti all over it. The two of them looked at each other in doubt.
¡°You sure this is the right place?¡± Tobi spoke up. Surely this couldn¡¯t possibly be the only inn in town, or so they thought. A fisherman passed by, minding his own business. That was until he was greeted with a ¡°Hey, excuse me!¡± by the guy in the paper bag mask. After turning his head to the two, he was asked ¡°Are there any other Ignacios in town?¡± to which he responded with ¡°Just one. He runs that inn there.¡±
¡°This is the place then¡¡± stated Temi, turning to face the rugged bungalow. After thanking the fisherman, the two knocked on the plywood door. It took a while for the door to open up, and out popped the head of a middle aged man in glasses and a topknot. He looked rather confused, looking at the pair of masked travelers.
¡°Tell yer boss I ain¡¯t got the money! You lot should go suck someone else dry!¡± he shouted before swinging the door.¡± Tobi caught the door right before he slammed it shut and said ¡°Wait! We¡¯d like to stay for the night!¡± The innkeeper''s face lit up like a bulb as he swung the door wide open. This sent the boy falling to the loamy pebbly ground below him.
¡°Customers!¡± he exclaimed. ¡°Please, come in come in! It¡¯s not much but it also doesn¡¯t take much to tidy up.¡± Temi picked her friend up and dusted him off before they both they went into the bungalow inn. The interior was composed of a small bamboo kotatsu, a small CRT, a gas stove, a slightly rusty fridge, and a few rolled up straw mats leaning against the wall. It was indeed not very much as there was only one room in this house, and it could only fit about five or so people in it. Ignacio boiled some water and asked ¡°So what brings you two here?¡± to which Tobi answered with ¡°We found our way here. We¡¯d like to spend the night here before heading south..¡± The innkeeper smiled as he opened the window and propped up a two-by-four against it.
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¡°Have you ever been to the Mabinay, the cave village?¡± he asked. ¡°That¡¯s where I was born and raised.¡± Suddenly there was a knock on the door. All three of them quickly turned their heads to it.
¡°I wonder who that might be?¡± uttered Ignacio. Tobi and Temi proceeded to race to the front. He warned the innkeeper to ¡°Stand back. I¡¯ve got a bad feeling about this.¡± They sensed a powerful aura, two in fact; right outside. On one hand Tobi clasped his scabbard and the door on the other. He turned to his friend and nodded before quickly opening the door and drawing his sword to strike whoever was outside. For a few moments, only the sound of clashing blades and the words ¡°Woah, watch it! I just got a haircut.¡± were heard by the innkeeper and strange girl. The door threw itself open to reveal two young men, the same young men who lead Bankell out of the birthday party earlier. The one up front, who Tobi attacked, had thick silver hair crowned with a straw hat, a pair of sunglasses with a spiral design, a black cloth mask over his face, a flak jacket hugging his torso, with a black cloak draped over it. He blocked Tobi¡¯s attack with a shortsword, demonstrating his quick reflexes. The one behind him looked just as strange. His face was veiled by a black balaclava and a pair of colorful yet scratched up sunglasses. His head was crowned with a bamboo hat. There was a bottle of Gin, hanging on a sash tied to his waist, with its neck hidden by his gray hoodie. Tobi lowered his sword and sheathed it as he bowed and apologized.
¡°No no, it¡¯s alright.¡± said the silver haired guy in a calm minty voice. ¡°I should be the one who¡¯s sorry. We did startle you quite a bit. You see we¡¯ve actually been looking for you, Shun.¡±
Tobi tilted his paper bag covered head and uttered ¡°How did you¡¡± to which he answered ¡°Well, I can sense a lot more than most people, especially with these.¡±
He lowered his glasses to reveal a pair of bluish green eyes that appeared to spin.
Those very eyes of his widened upon looking through the eye holes of Tobi¡¯s mask.
With a sudden and abrupt gasp, he said ¡°Your eyes¡ I can see the cosmos in them!¡±
Tobi scoffed and rolled his eyes.
¡°Anyway, let¡¯s talk inside. I¡¯ll even pay for your lodgings.¡± He offered.
¡°No wait, I¡¯m serious!¡± Coba exclaimed as he reached his hand forward. DoDo patted him on the shoulder and chuckled.
A night at Ignacio¡¯s costs about fifty Pesos per head, with another fifty to cover food and accommodations. The coverage for the four of them would cost roughly around 250. While the innkeeper was out buying some ingredients, the four of them sat on the floor, forming a plus sign; the bamboo kotatsu serving as a barrier between them.
¡°Let¡¯s get down to introductions first.¡± Tobi stated. ¡°You may know me as Shun, but now I¡¯ve changed my name to Tobi.¡± He pointed to his left with an open palm, continuing ¡°This one here is Temi. I¡ met her today.¡± The girl in the fox mask waved to the other boys. Now it was their turn to introduce themselves. The silver haired guy humbly stated ¡°Name¡¯s Coba.¡± He extended his hand to shake theirs. The man in the bamboo hat¡¯s mannerisms contrasted his. He planted his foot onto the kotatsu and puffed up his chest. He pointed his thumb to his chest and huffed ¡°My name''s D- D- D- D- D- DoDo, and fighting¡¯s my game!¡± Coba immediately got him to sit back down as he apologized. Now that the introductions were out of the way, They finally got to the big question.
¡°Why exactly were you looking for me?¡± asked Tobi, to which Coba responded with ¡°The Ikehara family sent us.¡± This was followed by him scoffing and retorting with ¡°And they didn¡¯t bother to find me themselves?¡±
¡°They can¡¯t get here cause they might cause stir up trouble with the rival gangs. I was told you were with them so I assumed you knew that.¡±
Tobi sighed, uttering ¡°Right... There was that too." He then raised his head until his eyes and Coba''s were at eye level.
"Anyway I was just about to head back." The silver haired boy responded with a confused hum.
"I''ve realized today that the Ikehara need my help now more than ever." Tobi added. "I shouldn''t have run away in the first place."
Coba placed his hand on his chin, nodding in delight.
"Well that was easy." He commented. "I thought it would take a lot to convince you." DoDo followed up with "We were gonna do some Good Cop Bad Cop stuff." to which his silver haired buddy replied "And you suck at being a Bad Cop. If we did that, it would end up being a giggle fest."
Coba took out something from his jacket and placed it on the kotatsu. It was a brown envelope containing evidence.
¡°The power plant explosion from a month ago... You remember that right?¡± he asked. Tobi responded with ¡°People think I did that. It¡¯s not true.¡±
Coba then followed up with ¡°It isn¡¯t. What if I told that it was an inside job?¡±
He snatched the envelope and opened it to see screenshots of a group chat, annotated illustrations of the power plant, and pictures of himself. The rival gangs planned to frame him in an attempt to cripple the Ikehara.
"Knew it!" He exclaimed as he got on his feet. Coba then told him ¡°You weren¡¯t the only one they screwed over. Little by little they were whittling the stronger members down. By the time DoDo and I came in, the whole family was in shambles.¡±
It was at that moment that Tobi figured it all out.
¡°To be honest, we weren¡¯t gonna force you to come back with us, but we really need your help. They need your help.¡± Coba implored him. Tobi placed the evidence back into the envelope and sat down. He looked at him dead in his glasses, saying ¡°We¡¯ll come with you. We¡¯re heading out first thing tomorrow.¡±
And so the two of them shook hands in agreement.
***
Ignacio had just returned and was now cooking up a stew. The four of them conversed to pass the time. Coba and DoDo had seen Tobi and Temi at the birthday party earlier. His skill with the sword was the reason why they were able to recognize him as Shun. Out of curiosity, Coba asked ¡°The higher ups told me you¡¯ve only used a blunt sword. Would you mind if we had a look at it?¡± Tobi took the Tenken and unsheathed it. Its blade reflected the light from the bulb above it and made the room a little bit brighter. Coba ran his hands through it and to his surprise, the edge was very smooth, too smooth.
¡°This won¡¯t even cut through butter.¡± he thought. ¡°Why would he fight with such a weapon.¡± With a tone of excitement, Tobi said ¡°I¡¯ll show you guys a little something.¡± he turned to the innkeeper and asked ¡°Nong Ignacio, would you mind if you pass me that chayote over there?¡±
Note: ¡°Nong¡± is short for ¡°Manong¡± which means uncle.
After Ignacio tossed him the vegetable, he demonstrated the sword¡¯s nonexistent sharpness by striking it. It left only but a dent. He then placed it on the kotatsu and the sword over it like a knife on a cutting board.
¡°So you may be wondering how I cut that barrel of wine.¡± he stated. ¡°You see, I did some basic stuff by focusing my energy into the blade and¡¡± Suddenly a swirl of energy emanated around the sword as well as his arm. And in a instant, Tobi sank the blade into the chayote and proceeded to dice it.
¡°I let good ol¡¯ physics do its thing!¡± he continued.
Even more time passed and Ignacio had finished cooking up beef stew.
DoDo was impressed with how delicious it was and asked ¡°Why don¡¯t you set up a little restaurant. You could rake in a lot of money with tasty stuff like this.¡± to which the old innkeeper replied, saying ¡°Oh I wish I could¡ But everything here¡¯s controlled by the Tattlesnakes. They take a huge chunk of everyone¡¯s income as well as the fish we catch. They¡¯ve been bothering us for seven years, and I feel like it¡¯s all my fault.¡± He went to the corner of the room and picked up a little box. He blew the dust off of it before placing it on his lap. He opened it, revealing a rusty pendant that had been sitting in there for a long time. It it looked like a shield with a family crest engraved on it.
¡°Back then, the Montemonte family were in charge of this town.¡± he explained ¡°They were kind and fair, actively helping us and even making this place a harbor for a short time. I¡ was very close to the patriarch. He gave me this when he appointed me as his chief advisor. However, I had a feeling that things were about to take a turn for the worst. And it did¡ The Tattlesnakes came out of nowhere, took everything from us, and now I¡ now we¡¯re all like this.¡± He took the pendant and clenched it, saying ¡°A lot of times I felt like throwing this damn thing away, but I can¡¯t¡ I end up remembering him and it just feels wrong to¡ I¡¯m sorry, Carlo.¡± Ignacio began to cry. As he shook and sobbed, he held the box close to him. Tobi couldn¡¯t help but speculate that the pendant may be cursed by the innkeeper''s doubts and sorrow. He placed one hand on Ignacio¡¯s shoulder and asked ¡°Can I have a look at it?. Maybe there¡¯s something I can do.¡± He nodded as he gave the crested pendant to the boy. Tobi held it by the chain and saw that a dark aura veiled it. He placed his other hand on the crest. And then, the pendant was enveloped in a soft green light. The sounds of sizzling and shimmering could be heard as the malice was purged from it. The rust fell off of it like brown flakes, restoring the pendant to its original splendor. Everyone was stunned to see Tobi pull this off.
¡°Purification!¡± Temi exclaimed, which was followed by DoDo saying ¡°I¡¯ve only ever heard of this in legends!¡±
Purification is an incredibly rare ability, wherein some individuals can cleanse the corruption out of an object. This would then return or elevate it to an elegant state, amplifying the power it contained. Those who have this ability were said to be servants of gods. Tobi lowered his left hand and offered the pendant back to Ignacio. He was surprised by the tension and the reactions of his newfound friends.
¡°What are all you looking at me for?¡± he asked them. And the room remained silent for a few more moments.
Chapter 4: The Ninja And The Princess
As a way of getting some time to himself to reflect on his fallen clan, Ignacio advised the four misfits to go sightseeing to kill some time. The sun had begun to set and the sky was painted with a bright shade of orange. The four of them heard that the old lighthouse provided a great view of the town and headed for the cliffs. They treaded on a rocky trail, admiring the view of the nearby island of Panay. Tobi took the lead in their little trek, singing old country songs as well as stepping in tempo to them. When they reached the top, they found themselves at an old run-down complex. After passing through an an antique Spanish archway, the four misfits took their time to have a look around the open hallways dating hundreds of years back. They then found their way to the old lighthouse; a tower covered in rust that both appeared to stand strong despite its age yet prone to collapse at any given moment. With great caution and at a snail¡¯s pace they climbed the steps, but not without DoDo shouting ¡°Woah!¡± and ¡°Wah!¡± every few seconds to try to scare them into losing their balance. At the top, Temi, Coba, and DoDo took in the scenery. They took photos of the grand view as well as breathing in the fresh salty air. Tobi on the other hand was looking closely at the evidence Coba handed to him earlier. He was quite bothered, flipping page after page, scanning his eyes over every picture. His thoughts were like the guests of a house party that had just started; crowded and unwilling to leave his head.
The silver haired boy noticed him slumping over by the steps and came up to him. He patted him on the shoulder and stated ¡°You know, our interview isn¡¯t actually over yet. I¡¯d like to know more about your time with the Ikehara. The patriarch¡¯s daughter even told me a lot about you!¡±
¡°Ah¡¡± Tobi responded. Among the thoughts stuck in his head was that of Minami. He was close to her in the short time he served the family, going as far as being her confidant. It pained him to leave as she tried to stop him, even offering to escape with him when met with his stubborn resolve.
¡°Alright everyone, gather round!¡± Tobi called ¡°And I hope you don¡¯t mind long stories, cause we¡¯re gonna be here till midnight!¡±
He began to chronicle some of his experiences, the most notable one being the power station incident from two weeks back
***
April the 11th, about 15 days ago¡
A great deal of rain left over from March showered the roofs of the Ikehara estate, signifying the coming of the dry season. This coupled with a cool breeze made a recipe for a great day to unwind, have a cup of tea, and even take a nap. Shun slept in a hut commonly used as a rest area, where members of the large family would hold midday to afternoon chats. The way it was built was a fusion between traditional Japanese and Filipino architecture; same goes for the other houses. Everyone seemed to be busy that day so he had the tea hut all to himself since morning. The percussive pattering of the rain on the thatched roof played an uneven yet soothing beat, guaranteed to lull most to sleep. But then came the clacking of wooden sandals followed the soft thumping of feet on the straw matted floor. A girl in a pink furisode squatted over the sleeping boy in a black tracksuit. She tilted her head to the left to have a better view of his face. It was smushed onto the mat and a clear stream of saliva flowed out of his mouth. She then tried to wake him up by poking him on the cheek, only for him to slap her hand away.
A tailorbird emerged from within her sleeve as it perched onto the boy¡¯s shoulder and alarmed him with a mocking tune. A groggy Shun raised his head and lifted his eyelids open like old rusty hatches. He was met with a bubbly expression on the girl¡¯s face, puffing up her cheeks and smiling like idiot.
¡°Oh¡ Hey, Minami.¡± He uttered. ¡°You¡¯re up early.¡± to which she replied ¡°It¡¯s 3pm!¡±
He sat up and scratched his head as the little tailorbird swayed side to side to keep its balance. He then scanned his gaze though her attire, after which he asked ¡°You got another suitor?¡±
Minami responded with a pout along with a sideways glance, toppping it off with a dismayed ¡°Mhmm¡¡±. She reverted upon remembering something important.
¡°Dad was looking for you.¡± she stated. ¡°He wanted you there too, I guess.¡±
¡°Why though?¡± The boy responded. ¡°He usually just leads on whoever comes in and then sends them out.¡±
Minami shrugged. ¡°Dunno.¡± she said. ¡°Maybe today will be different.¡±
Shun got on his feet and muttered ¡°Let¡¯s go then. I don¡¯t wanna get scolded again for being late by even just a second. I swear, I can¡¯t even fuggin sleep an sheet¡¡± Eventually his rant became unintelligible as he exited the hut.
Under the shade of Minami¡¯s umbrella, the two walked past the other samurai-esque hacienda houses. The neighbors as well as passersby, mostly middle aged women, whispered to each other. Although faint, the pair were able to hear the encircling gossip.
¡°Why doesn¡¯t she get married off already?¡±
¡°I know, right? An alliance would at least help us get a leg up in this whole mess.¡±
¡°I heard the Ogaya family from Kabankalan is coming over. If the Ikehara can forge an alliance with them, they can probably take the whole island back with their help.¡±
The boy glanced over to his friend whose face was pale with unease.
Just then from seemingly out of nowhere, the little tailorbird swooped down and assaulted one of them with its wings. The chatty neighbor squirmed, swinging her arms here and there to try to swat it away. It wasn¡¯t until Shun whistled that it flew back and perched on his finger. It then chirped and bobbed its head, as if to laugh. The little fledgeling¡¯s victim tried to come over to confront her assailant, babbling ¡°Hey! Keep that stupid bird in check or I¡¯m gonna feed it to my cat-¡± but then Shun gave an electifying glare that not only silenced but also immobilized her in an instant.
They eventually reached the main meeting hall where the chief members of the Ikehara family awaited.
While Minami was getting ready, Shun headed to the sliding door leading to the patriach¡¯s office and knelt before it. He knocked twice before sliding it open with grace.
¡°Did you need something, my lord?¡± he asked. In front of the groggy boy was Ikehara Mikinosuke. He was a man in his forties sporting a crew cut. He placed his teacup onto his desk and got up from his chair.
¡°Can you drop the lord thing, please? You can just call me uncle.¡± he answered. Shun replied with ¡°I refuse to, my lord.¡± Mikinosuke chuckled, walking out the door and past the boy.
¡°I swear, you¡¯re doing this to spite me.¡± he said.
The patriarch turned around then warned ¡°Oh, and don¡¯t forget to put your sword away. Even though it¡¯s made of bamboo, it might put the Ogayas off.¡± Shun let out an ¡°Oh- right!¡± as he unslinged it from his back. The boy propped it up against the wall and followed the patriarch to the tea room where chief members of the Ogaya family sat and waited.
Shun had been very close with the Ikehara family since he was little, with Mikinosuke being one of the first few people to hold him shortly after he was born. His grandfather, Bobb, had assisted with the family¡¯s rise to power. This along with discovering that Shun was a strange child with an unnatural aura over him was the reason why the patriarch took an interest in him. When the boy turned three Bobb left the Ikehara and the realm altogether, taking his family as well as his grandson with him; only to return for infrequent visits. Soon after he was too old to go anywhere and no longer kept in touch with them, the Ikehara along with the Montemonte family was decimated by various gangs. This included the Tattlesnake faction who took hold of the island of Guimaras. Mikinosuke was disheartened by both his clan¡¯s dwindling influence over their territories and the notion that he may never hear of his dear old friend and his grandson ever again. That was until one day, under the blistering May sun, Minami found Shun unconscious on a beach in the Bantayan district. Upon recognizing the boy¡¯s face, he spat out chunks of the watermelon slice he was eating. Since the nation was ravaged by constant civil strife, teleporters were hardly available and thus Shun was unable to return home. Since then, the patriarch assigned the boy a special role as the family¡¯s personal spy, preventing and resolving disturbances as well as gaining info on rival gangs. Despite his arrogant and abraisive behavior, the family grew fond of him. Many of the retainers on the other hand grew envious, so much so that they dubbed him ¡°The Ikehara¡¯s Golden Boy¡±. Shun took it well, much to their dismay.
***
Upon entering the meeting room, Mikinosuke greeted the Ogayas with a solemn bow before planting his knees on a velvet cushion with utmost care. He sat on his heels facing Jhon Consuelo Ogaya, a man who appeared a few years shy of thirty. He was even dressed for the occasion, donning a business suit fit for the leader of a fiefdom built on sago farms. Behind him were his parents who looked even more like stuck up hacienderos, and on his sides were bodyguards whose heads resembled cue balls with sunglasses on them. Shun stood by the sliding door, eyeing each one of them. He knew they, especially this Jhon Consuelo fellow, were like the usual bunch of suitors. Just then, a ¡°Psst!¡± caught his attention which snapped him out of his contemptous gaze and thus turned his head to where it came from. To Mikinosuke¡¯s left was his son, Mamoru. He was a cheeky boy who was about two years younger than Shun and Minami. His top half twisted to the right as he gestured the boy in the tracksuit to come over and sit down.
¡°Come on dude, over here.¡± he whispered, patting a vacant cushion between him and his father. Shun bowed to the Ogaya family before walking over to the velvet cushion adjacent to Mamoru¡¯s. There he sat cross-legged, contrasting everybody else in the room who sat the same as Mikinosuke. There were a few weird looks aimed at him that were then averted when the door across the room slid open. Minami came in bearing a fruit basket. Even just a sideways glance at her was able to captivate the visiting family. Even one of the bodyguards lowered his sunglasses and gave a look of intrigue. She placed the basket in front of Jhon Consuello before bowing to both her father and her suitor.
¡°Excuse me, I have to fetch something from the other room.¡± she stated before heading through the door and coming back with a stool. The faces of the Ogayas shifted and made confused grimaces. As Minami plopped the little stool and sat with her arms crossed, Mikinosuke finally spoke up and addressed the situation.
¡°I take it you¡¯re here to take my daughter¡¯s hand in marriage.¡± he said with a face like an untouched cup of tea. The young haciendero smiled and replied ¡°Yes, that is so.¡± Shun couldn¡¯t help but notice the aura of pretense swirling around him. Although he kept quiet, he couldn¡¯t mask the look of disgust on his face.
Jhon Consuelo continued, saying ¡°I¡¯ve actually seen her a while ago and she looks quite stunning in person. I¡¯ve never seen such¡ immeasurable beauty.¡±
Mamoru leaned in close to Shun¡¯s ear, covered his mouth with his hand, and whispered.
¡°More like an immeasurable rack.¡± The two boys struggled to contain their laughter. Even Minami giggled yet still retained her cold demeanor and rolled her eyes.
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
Jhon Consuello¡¯s parents looked over to the two with frustration and confusion.
Mamoru lowered his head to prostrate himself, saying ¡°My apologies.¡± As he raised himelf from the floor, he continued with ¡°He tripped on a rack.¡± This infuriated the older couple more as the mother hid the anger in her face with her hand fan.
Shun looked at Mikinosuke, wondering what his reaction may be. To his surprise, the man never batted an eye. He kept his head facing forward, eyes locked onto the suitor¡¯s.
¡°You are aware of her other capabilities, correct?¡± he asked. ¡°The petals are not the only thing a flower has going for. There is also its fragrance and the benefits it provides to its surroundings.¡± Jhon Consuello lifted his brow and replied ¡°Your point being?¡± The patriach was eager in giving his answer.
¡°She¡¯s well versed in various arts, even able to compose haiku in her sleep. Ever since she learned to walk, she¡¯s been taught different fighting styles. And most of all, she¡¯s a brilliant tactician with a kind heart. All of these qualities make her a strong and important member of this family. Wouldn¡¯t you agree, Shun?¡±
He placed his hand on the boy¡¯s shoulder and shook him in a chummy manner. Shun¡¯s eyes popped out and his mouth was sewn shut. It felt as if the Ogaya family were blasting him with beams out of their eyes. He glanced over to Minami who started to look nervous. With all eyes upon him, he took a deep breath and nodded as he let out a hum of agreement. He felt that Mikinosuke didn¡¯t really get his point across, or rather the opposing family seemingly refused to heed the patriarch¡¯s flowery words. And so he gave a sigh as well as his own explanation.
¡°She¡¯s smart, able to think ahead and expect the unexpected to ensure the best results out of something. Yes she¡¯s able to fight, but since she knows she¡¯s not invincible she takes whatever advantage she can to win. She uses her skills with everyone¡¯s best interests in mind. But no amount of beauty or fighting prowess can trump over her¡ how do I say is? Her inner fillings. After all, she¡¯s a person. She¡¯s meant to be recognized as one other than just some¡ alliance link.¡± The room was dead silent. Shun looked around, examining the stone cold faces of the participants. Minami¡¯s face contrasted the rest. She was blushing. Shun¡¯s eyes appeared to pop out of their sockets before he proceeded to look away.
Mikinosuke took a deep breath and broke the rejection down to the young man not so gently
¡°Alright, we all know where this is going. We¡ I refuse to-¡±
¡°But why!?¡± Jhon Consuello spoke up as he planted his foot and stood up ¡°You¡¯re already struggling to keep this whole province together! With my farms, you can at least gain an advantage in this war!¡± The patriarch tilted his head to the right and asked ¡°And what can you do if you¡¯re forced to fight for the territories you¡¯ve established? I admit you have quite a head for business, but that¡¯ll only get you so far in this messed up game of capture the flag.¡± The young haciendero fell silent as his gaze sank to the floor.
¡°There is also the issue of taking the reins.¡± Mikinosuke continued. ¡°Eventually, I would have to pass on the leadership over the family, the province, and its future to you. Although Minami will lead alongside you, you will have to be strong enough to protect everything we stand for.¡±
Jhon Consuello¡¯s father immediately retorted, saying ¡°A woman isn¡¯t suited for war, most especially the daughter of a leader.¡± Shun rolled his eyes and let out a ¡°Tch!¡±. This enraged the older man who asked ¡°And what does a retainer like you have to say about this. Although your little speech may have been sort of profound, I¡¯m sure you know you have no place in these matters.¡±
The boy clenched his fists and gritted his teeth. He stared Jhon Consuello¡¯s father down from under his brow and growled ¡°I may not have anything to say¡ but my fist does!¡± before pouncing on him.
The matchmaking devolved into a bloody rumble between Shun and the men of the Ogaya family. Minami got up and tried to intervene, but to her surprise her father prevented her from stepping in. As the boy pummeled the old man¡¯s face in, one of the cue ball headed bodyguards came charging at him with a baton. In the nick of time, Minami tossed him her stool, yelling ¡°Shun, look out!¡± The boy snatched the stool just in time to catch the baton and lock it between its legs. Right when the other guard tried to attack him from behind, he flipped the stool and planted it onto the matted floor, causing the first bodyguard to lose his balance. From this quadrapedal position, Shun then dished out a back kick to the second bodyguard¡¯s solar plexus. He then rechambered his leg and leaned backwards as he then sent the first bodyguard flying with a front kick to the head. Minami was frustrated by her father¡¯s inaction, as well as her brother eating roasted peanuts while watching the mayhem unfold. She swiped Mikinosuke¡¯s arm away and rushed to Siun to intervene. Just then, the old haciendero charged with a sword in both hands. The Ikehara patriach let out a faint gasp as he called ¡°Minami!¡±
Shun turned around and saw his assailant behind her. Not wanting her to be caught in the crossfire(or in this case a cross-slash), he gave her a strong push with one hand; sending her tumbling down the straw matted floor. Right when Jhon Consuello¡¯s father swung his blade, the boy leaned to the right and dodged the attack with only a few strands of his hair flying off. He then grabbed the old man on the shoulder and elbowed him on the head so hard he dislocated his jaw. Shun pulled the sword away and threw the old haciendero down to the floor. He flipped the blade upside down and raised it above his head. A strange aura then enveloped him as he prepared to thrust downwards. However, Minami held him back.
¡°Wha- I was gonna stab the floor not him! Just a big scare, that¡¯s all!¡± Shun yelled. She then retorted with ¡°I know, but the flooring¡¯s expensive!¡±
¡°Oh, look who¡¯s talking! Weren¡¯t you using a stool a while ago? That¡¯s not good for the mats either!¡±
¡°Sh- shut up!¡±
¡°Well how am I supposed to scare him shitless?!¡±
¡°Here, give me that!¡± Minami shouted as she snatched the sword and pointed it close to the old man¡¯s neck. In a calm voice, Minami threatened the old man, saying
¡°I advise you to take back what you have said, otherwise I would have to confiscate your family jewels.¡± Jhon Consuello¡¯s father let out a terrified mumble as he crawled backwards. He stood up right by the door but stumbled on a doormat and ate dirt, literally.
¡°See?¡± said Minami. ¡°That way you won¡¯t make a mess of the mats.¡± Shun looked back at the other side of the room. He replied with ¡°Um¡ about that.¡± as he pointed to the frightened Jhon Consuello who had turtled up in the corner. There was a yellow puddle below him.
¡°Minami¡¡± called Shun. ¡°Can you hand me that thing for a bit?¡± She passed the sword to him without question. The blade had a bright blue tint with its hilt modeled after a blue marlin. The boy pointed the sword to the young haciendero and said
¡°Hey, farmboy!¡±, prompting Jhon Consuello to point to his chest.
¡°How old are you?¡± he asked, to which the haciendero answered ¡°T- t- twenty seven!¡± With his other hand, Shun pointed to Minami and continued with ¡°You see, she¡¯s fifteen. Mmmmm, doesn¡¯t sound good does it?¡± While Mamoru proceeded to burst out laughing, Mikinosuke came up to him and said ¡°Tell your men to lay their weapons down and stop spying on the estate. We have no intention of raising our arms against you.¡±
Shun stood in shock. He did notice some strange vans around the estate ealier this morning.
They were spying on us? He thought
The patriach then continued with ¡°And now with no further ado, kindly fuck off please?¡±
***
After the Ogaya family left, disappointed and feeling betrayed that Mikinosuke refused to marry off his daughter to their leader, Minami found herself relieved of the pressure yet confused by her father¡¯s way of handling the situation.
¡°I don¡¯t get you, dad.¡± she complained. ¡°First you let the Ogayas pay a visit, knowing they intend to arrange a marriage, then not only did you refuse but you also told them to fuck off! Are you trying to get the whole island against you?!¡± Mikinosuke raised a smile on his cheek and replied ¡°Even if it gets to that, I¡¯d still want the family to stand tall and proud. It¡¯s a big risk but I¡¯d rather it be this way than to compromise. Besides, I¡¯ve got other plans.¡± He turned his head to Shun who was feeding fifty dogs out in the yard. The boy in the tracksuit cradled his favorite among them, Noodles.
He noticed the middle aged patriach smiling at him and he waved. Mikinosuke grinned and chuckled as he waved in return. Minami sighed as she stomped towards the boy.
¡°And I¡¯d like to have a word with you, mister!¡± she yelled.
¡°What is it?¡± Shun asked in response as he dropped the dog. The princess gripped him on the chest and squeezed hard. He let out an ¡°Aaa! What was that for?!¡± while trying to pull her hand away to no avail.
¡°You pushed me on the chest, dude!¡± she shouted. ¡°That freaking hurt!¡±
Like a crayon on paper, Shun¡¯s face was colored in a bright red tone. He didn¡¯t realize what he did when he tried to protect her from the old haciendero¡¯s blade¡ until now.
¡°On the¡¡± he murmured before turning his head away. ¡°A- ahhh, I¡¯m really sorry about that!¡±
Minami took a deep breath to compose her thoughts, then blowing it out before continuing on her sermon.
¡°And it¡¯s not just that.¡± she said ¡°You started a fight with the Ogayas too! You even broke the old man¡¯s jaw! That¡¯s no way of treating a guest!¡±
The boy turned his head back to face his friend. With a stern look on his face, he replied ¡°He was talking shit about you. I couldn¡¯t let that slide.¡± Although Minami appreciated his concern, she told him ¡°Even so, granted he¡¯s never gonna do it again, it doesn¡¯t make it any better to just respond to every insult with violence.¡±
Minami was no stranger giving sermons, no matter how big or small the mistake may be. Shun however was her most frequent target as well as the one she yells the loudest at. She was like a doting wife to him. She might as well had been.
Mikinosuke looked on from the veranda of the meeting hall as he sat on a cushion and sipped his tea. He couldn¡¯t help but smile at the pair¡¯s bickering. Mamoru, having come back from running an errand, joined his father in watching them.
¡°Seesh. They¡¯re still arguing, even till now.¡± he commented ¡°Anyone not from here would think they¡¯re a married couple or something.¡±
Mikinosuke let out a giggle as he responded with ¡°They do remind me of your grandparents from when I was a child.¡±
The boy then asked ¡°Wait, why did you let every suitor come here only to turn them down?¡± to which the patriach answered with a lie, saying ¡°I just like to piss them off.¡±
Deep down he wanted the hairy boy in front of him, arguing with his daughter, to become the next leader of the family.
When Shun had finished feeding, Minami tugged his sleeve and demanded ¡°C¡¯mon, let¡¯s head out! I¡¯m getting sick of this shit!¡± He raised a brow, asking ¡°Still dressed in that?¡± as he pointed to her pink furisode.
¡°One more word and I¡¯m gonna punch you on the nuts!¡± she said with a raised fist.
Shun went along with her demand, but knowing she meant him no harm, he raised his head and laughed.
¡°Hehaha Okay okay, let¡¯s head to the spot.¡±
As Minami walked by him, he brought up her threat.
¡°Wait, you said you¡¯d punch me on the nuts if I said one more word.¡± The girl turned around with a threatening smile on her face as she cracked her knuckles. He whistled and replied ¡°Alright, I getcha.¡±
Shun rode on a bike with Minami at the rear end. They reached the spillway of the Banica river, their usual hangout spot. As the two stood on a concrete wall, the girl took a deep breath and went down to the waters edge. She took off her wooden sandals and her socks as well as rolling up her furisode before stepping into the stream. She decided to practice her forms, especially because she was stressed. She took out two hand fans and held them in each hand before opening them up and raising them up in the air. There on the river bead, with herons flying over her and with the audience of onlookers on the nearby houses, Minami performed a martial dance. She incorporated elements from different styles like Tai Chi, Bajiquan, and Taido. With every sway and step, the water diverted from its natural flow and followed hers; splashing, swirling, and sprouting. A clear mist enveloped her, decorating the area with a myriad of colors. And as droplets fell onto the ground, beds of flowers rose and bloomed from within.
Shun looked in awe. He thought to himself
I gotta get her to teach me that!
Message from Siunobi:
Hiya, it''s been a while! I''ve actually struggled to write this chapter down, especially the scene with the matchmaking, which is why it took me this long. I''m sorry to any of you who have gotten invested in this brainrot riddled story of mine for essentially blueballing you. Although another year of college has started for me, I''ll do what I can to pump out as much chapters as I can as well as maintaining some level of quality to them.
Luv U jk u succ >:)