"Eh?! A blood bond?!"
Sakura nodded. "Hai. You were able to destroy whatever this 'Kentei' fellow did to her to make her try to kill you. But the other bond Somumi has now…" She shook her head. "Whoever set it up understood the concepts behind blood magic, though I personally doubt the one who did this to Somumi is a sorceress…"
"She isn't."
Both Sakura and Hiromi gazed on the girl now on the diagnostic bed in the nurse's station at Tomobiki High School. "So who did that to you, Somumi-san?" Hiromi asked.
Ten'i Orai blinked, and then she serenely smiled. "My Madonna…"
She closed her eyes, allowing fatigue to take over and let her slip away into a peaceful slumber. Noting that, Hiromi sighed. "Most likely, a woman who currently attends or is somehow affiliated with Kyoshō, I believe," she said in a low voice as she and the school nurse/shrine priestess walked away from the sleeping middle school student from Kanagawa. "As to whom it could be, I don't…"
"It's Shiba'i."
Both turned to gaze on Chōun Shiryū, who had remained in the nurse's station while Orai had been examined by Sakura; the others from Seito had been taken by Tariko for a tour of the school grounds. "Chūtatsu-dono?" Hiromi asked. "Why?"
"No doubt following what could be her own destiny when it comes to our fate," the silver-haired sophomore from Seito explained. "Remember that in our first lives, Sīmǎ Yì's grandson Sīmǎ Yán would eventually depose Cáo Cāo's grandson Cáo Hùan to transform Wèi into Jìn in the first year of Taìshǐ. And while I do believe that Chūtatsu-san and Mōtoku-sama are very much in love with each other, she would keep this in mind."
Hearing that, the reborn emperor could only sigh. "Dear Fates, why is something like that haunting the lives of people these days?!" she wondered as she gazed out the window at the lawn around the school. "You should be worrying about preparing yourselves for the Centre Test and going to university, not worry about trying to replay events that happened eighteen centuries ago in another country…!"
"Many do realise that, Kyōrei-sama," Shiryū advised her. "But given the way our past-selves influence our present lives…" A shrug. "There are times I simply accept what I am and how I came to be. There are times I question it. Some of us try to change it. Gentoku-sama, for example. But the peer pressure can be quite…"
"Overwhelming," Sakura finished for the visitor from Saitama.
"Hai."
Hiromi blinked as she considered that, and then she nodded. "I vowed when I first truly awoke in Onii-san's mind five months ago that I would do all I could to free you all from that sort of thing. To give you your lives back," she quietly mused as she gazed on the swordswoman. "And much that I am confident that I can do it, the scale of the problem sometimes overwhelms even me." She then smirked as she gazed once more out the window. "Still, the oath is there and I will not turn my back on it."
"Many of us do realise what you intend and why," Shiryū said. "And many of us hope that you will succeed, Kyōrei-sama. That, in part, is the reason we came here today."
"Oh?"
"Are you aware of the Great Fighters' Tournament?"
Hiromi blinked. "That's your annual tourney to prove who is the strongest tōshi among the students of the Seven Schools and their affiliate schools. Chūei-dono won it when it was held last year. What of that, Shiryū-dono?"
"You were not invited to it."
Silence.
Hiromi stared at the other girl for a moment, and then she sighed. "Much that I do appreciate your support for my participation, I am aware of the rules. Tomobiki High is not one of the Seven Schools or an affiliate of one. There's no need…"
Shiryū smiled. "Remember what I said about how we look upon you?"
The reborn emperor blinked. "Hai?"
A sigh. "The rule was, in effect, instituted to ensure those who would leave their home school and strike off on their own — the members of the Kōshi Kasshi, for example — would not 'pollute' the Tournament by bringing in 'outsider' ideas such as non-standard martial arts forms. A master of Saikō Jinseijutsu Ninjutsu-ryū, for example, would definitely be seen as NOT welcome in the Tournament." Another sigh. "At the same time, you are — pardon me, WERE — the soul of Imperial power in your first life. Many of us believe — and you have demonstrated, by word and deed — that you are one of us. Thus, even if you do come to this school and are skilled in that Art, you have a right to participate in the Tournament. Because you were not invited, Gentoku-sama decided that Seito would boycott the Tournament being hosted by Rakuyō."
Hiromi gazed at her, and then she chuckled. "Shiryū-dono, what is the difference between someone like me and someone like Chōkaku-dono?"
Shiryū tensed on hearing the battle name of the leader of the Kōshi Kasshi, and then her cheeks slightly coloured as she realised the other woman's point. "True."
Sakura chuckled. "Hiromi is trying to help you break free of the fates the magatama try to force on your lives. Her oath covers everyone, including those who don't attend your schools such as the Kōshi Kasshi. Is it fair to include her and exclude them?"
"Truthfully not," Shiryū admitted.
"Hey?"
Everyone turned to see Ryūnosuke leaning through the doorway into the nurse's station. "What is it, Ryūnosuke-san?" Hiromi asked.
The tomboy nodded towards the sleeping Orai. "How's she doing?"
"Asleep and free of what tried to make her kill Hiromi," Sakura said as everyone walked over to stand around the diagnostic bed and the person currently using it. "Once she gets some sleep and has a good meal, she should be fine."
"So who sent her after Hiromi?" Ryūnosuke asked.
"Supposedly, he who was — in my first life — my second son," Hiromi answered. "Back then, he was Liú Xíe, the Xiàoxiàn Emperor of Hàn. Here in Japan, he is called 'Kentei.' Or using my approach to battle names, 'Ryūkyō Kyōken.' He is currently seen as the leader of Nanban High School out in the Izu Islands."
"They're seen as one of the schools whose students are allowed to participate in the Great Fighters' Tournament as all the students currently attending there are tōshi of one sort or another, but they possess no affiliation to any of the seven 'main' schools," Shiryū added. "An invitation went out to them to send their own cadre of tōshi to participate in this year's Tournament. Mōkaku-san and Mōyō-san would most likely attend, as would Bokuroku-san. They are the known high-ranked tōshi there."
"Not Kyōken?" Hiromi asked.
A shake of the head. "He refused to come last year, thus would be automatically stricken off this year's list. He did participate two years ago. I believe Mōki-san's brother fought him. He is a great fighter, but these days, he's not seen outside Nanban."
Ryūnosuke moaned. "Oh, man! I'm getting a headache just even THINKING about all the people you have to deal with, Hiromi! How the hell do you keep track of them all?!"
Hiromi smirked. "You forget that in this incarnation, many of them ARE women, Ryūnosuke-san," she said as she moved to leave, and then she stopped as she gave her classmate a knowing look. "There ARE some things I inherited from Onii-san, remember?"
Ryūnosuke jolted, and then she sighed. "Idiot."
Hiromi laughed as she headed out of the room. Shiryū watched her depart, and then she gazed on the tomboy. "You love her, don't you?"
Ryūnosuke jerked on hearing that, and then she flustered. "Hey! It's nothing like THAT!" she protested as she waved the other woman's words off with her hands. "She's just my friend! Jeez! Why do you guys always DO that sort of thing?!"
Sakura chuckled. "Given the way YOU were raised, Ryūnosuke…"
A moan. "Don't remind me."
"I do apologise for that."
Ryūnosuke waved off the other woman's words. "Nah! Don't worry about that! Hiromi's always hinted to us how close you guys really are deep down." She then moved to prepare the tea. She and Shiryû were now in the school cafeteria, where the others from Seito were currently relaxing as they waited for the school-wide clean-up to be done so Hiromi and her friends could rejoin them. "So you all got upset because Hiromi wasn't invited to this big fighter's meet of yours, right?"
"It is an insult to her and all of us," Unchō immediately asserted as she crossed her arms. "Furthermore, Gentoku has ordered that we do not and will not participate until Tōtaku personally apologises to Kyōrei-sama for his appalling disrespect to her."
Gentoku jerked. "Kan-san! Don't tell me that…?!"
"It's the right thing to do!" Ekitoku asserted. "The bastard's gotta be made to realise he ain't the Emperor, Gentoku! This is the best way to do it!"
"You trying to START a fight, here?!" Ryūnosuke asked.
"Sometimes, there simply is no choice in the matter, Ryūnosuke-san," Shiryū warned.
A shake of the head. "Ain't what Hiromi wants."
The girls from Seito blinked, and then their leader sighed. "Um, Ryūnosuke-san?"
The tomboy perked. "What?"
"You seem pretty close to Hiromi-san," Gentoku said as she gazed on her. "How have things been here for her? I realise she may be suffering because of her brother's reputation, but you seem to like her a lot. Is everything alright with her?"
Ryūnosuke paused, and then she chuckled. "Well, ever since she started coming here, she's tried not to make waves. But being Ataru's sister and all that…"
A week ago (two days after the aborted Second Tag Race)…
"Eh?! Megane and his friends couldn't get a space-taxi here to take them to Uru?!"
"Those idiots! Didn't they learn from the LAST time they did that?!"
"Wonder to me that the Muslims didn't put out a fatwa to kill those idiots when the world's oil got stolen by that space-taxi!"
"So what happened to Lum-chan?"
"Who knows…"
Hearing the conversations of her schoolmates around her, Shinobu tried not to scream out as she took in the chorus of heartbroken and panicked looks on many people's faces. While she herself had been badly hurt by Ataru calling her a "fair-weather friend" at Tampopo's three days previously, she knew that he still cared for her.
Remembering the parting kiss on her cheek before he disappeared with Negako…
"Yo, Shinobu!"
She perked, and then she smiled. "Ryūnosuke-kun!"
The tomboy walked up to her. "You okay?"
Ataru's former girlfriend took that in, and then she sighed. "Somewhat?"
"So what happened to Moroboshi?"
Another sigh as both headed towards the main doors. "Remember what that big red dragon called Ataru-kun after he crushed Lum's horns?"
"'Ye of Three Souls.' Kinda wondering what that meant."
"Three separate souls in one body."
Silence.
"What?!" Ryūnosuke gasped as she stared in shock at her friend.
"It's true," Shinobu admitted. "Remember that magatama earring he always wears?"
A nod. "Yeah. Every time someone tried to grab it, he'd deck the jerk. Or if it was Lum, he'd blow garlic powder in her face to make her leave him alone."
"Turns out that had one of the souls that dragon talked about."
Ryūnosuke stared at her as they walked into the ground floor shoe locker. "Really?"
A nod. "Hai. The soul was that of some old Chinese emperor from the late Hàn period. Reitei, I think it was, though Ataru-kun calls her 'Hiromi' as he managed to finally get a female clone body made for her; that's why he disappeared just before Rupa-san came for Lum." As they slipped off their outdoor shoes and put on their uwabaki, she was quick to detect the disbelieving look on her friend's face. "Hai, it's true! I even found out about the other soul Ataru-kun had, too!" She giggled as she waved Ryūnosuke to the stairs so they could head to their classrooms. "He actually got the body for THAT one five months ago when he was off on some planet named Okusei."
Ryūnosuke gaped. "Did Lum know about this?!"
A shake of the head. "No. That's when all of us were in hospital on Uru after the chapel that we were in when everyone tried to force Ataru-kun to marry Lum blew up on us," Shinobu reported as they got to the second floor, and then headed down to Class 2-4. "No one ever knew where Ataru-kun was back then. Except Tampopo-san, of course."
Ryūnosuke nodded; she had seen the matron of Tampopo's in action before, so she knew how much Ataru trusted her above everyone else he knew. As they moved to walk into Class 2-4, they then stopped on seeing the small crowd of students there. "Hey! Why're you all blocking the door?!" she demanded. "Move out of the way!"
Their classmates perked on hearing that voice, and then they gazed on them. "Oh, there you are, Shinobu!" Gekasawa Kumiko said as she moved to guide them inside. "Look!"
Shinobu and Ryūnosuke walked through the crowd…
…and then stopped on seeing the person seated at Moroboshi Ataru's desk.
"No…fuckin'…way!" Ryūnosuke gasped.
The other woman, who had been gazing at the small laptop on the desk, perked, and then she looked up to reveal a face that was so familiar, yet that of a stranger.
Or was she…?
"Is there a problem, Fujinami-san?" Moroboshi Hiromi asked…
"Shame on you, Ryūnosuke!"
Ryūnosuke tensed on hearing that unwelcome voice, and then she turned to glare into her father's tearing eyes. "What the hell's your problem now, Oyaji?!"
A tidal wave thundered in the background as Fujinami Fujimi shuddered. "How DARE you speak so kindly of that MURDERER, son?! How could you possibly accept that BEAST as your friend after what she did to poor, sweet Nagisa?! How could…?!"
"You be a child abuser?"
Silence.
"HOW DARE YOU?!" Mr. Fujinami screamed out as he spun on a smirking Ataru, who was currently accompanied by Lum and Ran. "DON'T YOU REALISE WHAT THAT MONSTER YOU UNLEASHED ON US ALL DID TO THAT POOR, DEFENCELESS GIRL?!"
Ataru blinked. "'Poor, defenceless girl?!'" he asked before he stared at Ryūnosuke. "Ryū-chan, could you describe Nagisa as poor, defenceless OR a girl?!"
"He wasn't anythin' like that!" Ryūnosuke said, a snort escaping her. "Probably as strong as Shinobu on a tear, hardly really call him poor and he was a BOY!" She then glared intently at her father. "Even more so, that BOY was legally DEAD, Oyaji! How the hell was I supposed to marry a freakin' GHOST?!"
"Nagisa-chan came back to life for you!" his father thundered.
"Not exactly true," Ataru cut in. "All Nagisa got was a magically-created body that allowed him to appear alive. Trust me on this one, old man: he was dead. All Hiromi did was a simple exorcism! No different than what Sakura-sensei or Cherry do."
"SHE KILLED HER!"
"Fine, then!" Ryūnosuke said as she gave her father a knowing smirk. "Remember the cops from yesterday, Oyaji?! They know now that you're nothin' more than a delusional jerk that can't tell anythin' straight, least of all what SEX is your only CHILD! Anythin' you try to say to them in the future's NEVER gonna be taken at face value ever again!" With that, she turned away from him. "Don't have to beat you anymore to be a girl full-time, Oyaji! All I have to do now is out-WAIT you!"
A howl escaped the elder Fujinami as he moved to lunge at his "son's" back…
…before a brown-haired spitfire of destruction lunged at him. "YOU LEAVE YOUR CHILD ALONE, YOU ABUSIVE BEAST!"
As everyone watched in awe and shock at how fast and how precisely Ten'i Orai moved, Mr. Fujinami found himself nearly being sliced to ribbons by twin super-sharp halberds. In seconds, the elderly cafeteria manager and beach tea shop owner was reduced to a heap of bleeding, bruised and shattered flesh on the floor, while Orai herself loomed over him like some avenging angel, her body aflame with outrage as her hair seemed to writhe like the snakes on Medusa's head. "You monster…!" she hissed as Ryūnosuke's father slowly stirred, gazing up in stunned disbelief and considerable fear at this young hellion that viciously beat him low. "God punishes all those who bring harm on their own children!" She then twirled one of the halberds to aim the sharp end right at his face, which made him immediately cringe as he realised that THIS time, the person interfering in his disciplining of his son was prepared to push it all the way into seeing Ryūnosuke become an orphan. "And I am God's…!"
"TEN'I, STOP!"
Orai jolted, and then she turned to see Hiromi and two other people standing at the doorway into the cafeteria. Recognising the two visitors from Kyoshō, the younger tōshi shuddered before she ran over to collapse into Shiba'i Chūtatsu's lap. As she began to cry, Orai found herself comforted by the older woman's hands as Sōsō Mōtoku walked over to gaze on the damage the younger tōshi had unleashed on Mr. Fujinami. Shaking his head, he turned as Hiromi came up to stand beside him. "Even if he is a waste of flesh, he isn't worth going to jail over," he lamented.
"Naturally," the reborn emperor mused. "So what brings you here, Mōtoku-dono?"
He smirked before he gazed on the girls from Seito. "I assume you all got the list for the Tournament and have decided not to attend because Kyōrei wasn't invited."
"Damn straight we aren't goin'!" Ekitoku vowed.
"So we also have decided," the leader of Kyoshō affirmed with a nod. "But would you ladies be interested in hearing a proposal I have?"
Everyone stared at him as we…
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(Posted Sun, 06 Jun 2010 03:11)
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