“We need to continue…” Master Yonda paused, loosening his tongue tied by his forgotten words. “What are you doing here? Both of you.” He switched his gaze from Kakashi to Jiro. “How did you even get in?”“The doors were open.” Master Yonda extended his neck to peep behind them, confirming Jiro’s words. “So, why are you here?” Master Yonda raised his brow. “Uh…” Jiro hesitated, looking behind Master Yonda. “We want to seek your permission for something.” Kakashi nodded, securing his position as Jiro’s sidekick. “Speak. Or would you prefer the commander to leave the room?” Jiro looked at Kakashi. Kakashi shook his head. “No. It is fine, he can stay.” “Okay… Go on.”“We, Kakashi and I, would like to… go outside for a while.” Jiro passed his glance from the master to Kokohashi whose pupils dilated, a strange request surely at this time. “By outside, what exactly do you mean?” Master Yonda leaned forward, his ears itched to their reply. “Outside the gate.” Kakashi jumped in. Master
Kokohashi glances over his shoulders, his neck extended to scan for any spies coming after him. He strode ahead, beating the followers after him - in his head – for pace. He broke into a half run just before he got to the canteen door. He barged in and slammed the door close behind him. His eyes darted around the hall for a few seconds. His search paused as his eyes locked with the girl all by herself. A few pairs of eyes followed his urgent footsteps in the direction of the lonely girl at the corner.The chair scraped the floor as he dragged it out noisily, sinking into the vacant seat before Tanya. “Why are you all by yourself? Where are your friends?” “I was enjoying my own company,” she said to the commander, her head facing down.“That may be true, but I have seen Zoa today. And if I didn’t know better, I would say she is...angry at someone or some people, for a reason.” His keen gaze scrutinized her face as she raised it slowly, a flicker of secret flashing through her eyes. “
Kakashi tilted his head. His eyes rolled in search of understanding in his head. What should I do? “There is not much time. If you want us to get back as soon as you say you do, we have to be on our way, early.” Jiro said to Kakashi, forcing him to make a decision early.Kakashi sighed, a decision heavy had to be made. I hope this all goes right. He scratched his head. “Fine, let us go.” He advanced past Jiro.Jiro held his jacket, pulling him back. “What do you think you are doing? Where are you going?” Jiro peered at Kakashi. “You have no idea where you are going and you just want to take off?”“Okay… just tell me then. You don’t have to wait here, you told me that. We have to hurry out of here to make it back within a day, yes?” “Or two,” Jiro’s voice whispered underneath. “Two? Wow,” Kakashi shook his head. A hint of disappointment etched on his face. “We still have to leave early. Let us go.” “We haven’t been to the gate. I am sure it is going to be an army out there. They wo
“There is a lot we can do to stop this. You know how I get with family. I could have taken a step, made a decision, and taken him out. This is not my kingdom. This is not my place. I cannot make these decisions without you. I need you to understand what is happening. He took my wife with him. He ran away with her after leaving me to die on the battlefield by myself. He took her and caged her. He dragged her around like a… like a slave.” The emperor’s face scrunched up, waves of disgust crossing his face. “I cannot let that go unpunished. He has to pay the price, he has to,” The emperor closed in on Master Yonda. “This is a battle against us. We are a family, we are together. It doesn’t matter what happens, we have to fight this together.” “I understand how you feel, dear friend. I do. But this is not a raider or any man. He is the governor of Shibuya. The ruler of this province! There is no way we are taking him out like it is nothing. There is too much at stake. Please, understand m
Tree canopies spread their arms forming a bowl. Light bounced off the shield of tree barks. Pitch darkness weighed heavy on them, rendering their sight as good as the sunlight. Jiro pulled Kakashi through the path, hands held tightly together. “What was that?” Kakashi halted. “I didn’t hear anything.” Jiro voiced. “Break my bone.” Jiro paused causing silence to thicken the darkness. Kakashi’s request numbed his tongue. Kakashi flinched as footsteps crunching dry leaves approached. “It’s me, calm down,” Jiro stretched out his arm, his footsteps quickening. “Where is your hand?” “Uh,” Kakashi extended his hand to reach out to Jiro. “Jiro?” “Is that you?” “Yes. Jiro?” Kakashi’s hand traced what hung before him. “Jiro, Jiro.” Their hands crossed paths. “Break my bone, now, please.” Kakashi’s request was firm and controlled. Jiro closed in on Kakashi. “Why?”“I need my sight. I have to see.” “How is breaking your bone going to help you to see?” “I see farther, clearer. Like I hea
“I need you to tell me exactly what happened.” “We were on the road here, it was dark and we could not see anything. We lost track of anything and now, we are here.” The aged man glances at the other man behind him. He nods to him and the man nods back. “We have been expecting you.” Kakashi and Jiro exchanged glances. “What do you mean?” Jiro asked the man. “Your name is Kakashi,” he looks down to Jiro, “And you are Jiro Shoei. You lost your brother when you went to a mountain, and you also lost your friend some months after. Life hasn’t been the best for your loved ones. Neither has it,” the man turns in Kakashi’s direction. “…been for you.”“It is not a coincidence that you were both on the mountain the day Lord Zodiac escaped the trapped jar. Every day has worked with the prophecy. Your father, your mother.” He turned to face Kakashi. “Your parents. It’s all going with the prophecy.” “How many prophecies are there? Because I don’t understand the prophecy you speak of.” Kakashi
DECADES AGOClanging blades danced in the air. Their feet danced violently, shielding their lives from each other’s attack. “You seem to have gotten better. That is good. John! Careful with your wrist, careful! Left. Left. Stay there. Left. Do not run away, stay there. Yonda! Yonda!” A fresh breeze blew over his face. He followed her steps behind his head, sword in hand. The sunlight shone brighter, the spotlight illuminating her brightness more. She swayed her hips like she floated, without a burden. She turned, her hair spreading ecstasy. She smiled, and like a child in a strange place, he followed with a wide smile. His lips curved from one end of his jaw to the other. His spine shivered, cold ran through the blade pressing against his back. He swallowed, and his sword landed on the ground. He caught her from the corner of his eyes, the doors obstructing his determination. He turned. Slowly. “Put your hands up!” An order barked at him. He raised his hands. Footsteps closed in on
The gates banged. No sound forthcoming sent him into a fit. Sweat covered his face. He glanced over his shoulders, scanning behind him to be sure he was alone. His breath quickened. The gate crashed with his fist banging again and again. It gave way, and Master Ji's face peered through the opening."Where have you been? Everyone is worried about you and… where is John?" Master Ji stretched over Yonda to check behind him. "Where is John?" Yonda whimpered. "I said where is John?!""He is—he is," Yonda stuttered, pointing in the direction of the woods."He is where? In the woods?" Yonda nodded in affirmation. "I've told you many times never to go there alone!" Master Ji's voice trailed. Restless, he goes back and forth. "What happened to him?" He appeared with his belt.Yonda stared intensely at the belt around the master's waist. "Wha—what is that for?""It is an emergency. Now tell me where John is, and with whom!""He is in the woods. There are raiders there. They caught him." His voi