Vigilant's bane - Part II
Hiroshi held his arm above his head to avoid having rain hit his eyes. "Ugh, it had to start raining now of all times? Couldn't it have waited until we had a roof over our heads?" complained Hiroshi.
"That's mother nature for you, kid. She doesn't give a damn. Just ask anyone with a monthly bleeding," spoke Isamu before he looked into the sky. "I find the rain quite peaceful."
"I just don't want this suit too wet," added Masayoshi to the conversation, "But we're at the road. The manor isn't too far ahead." As they walked a bit further they would step onto a misty road, on that road stood a woman beside a wooden cart, and in that cart laid supplies alongside a young boy wrapped in a cloak. Masayoshi ran up to the much taller woman and they exchanged a kiss. The couple turned to Isamu and Hiroshi as they walked up. The woman went by the name Naoko. Her caramel eyes washed over Hiroshi as her lips pulled into a smile. "Why hello," her soft voice spoke. Hiroshi smiled and waved.
"Introductions are nice but we should really get going," spoke Isamu with a sniffle.
The group would notice the small amount of mist previously surrounding the road thicken as they pressed forward. Mist was normal, but the way it built as they went forward was weird. The family seemed to either not have noticed or didn't mind it. Hiroshi and Isamu glanced at one another. Isamu gave a slight nod before reaching for the hilt of his sword. Hiroshi would fall back to the side of the cart, hand on his kunai pouch.
"So," spoke Isamu suddenly, breaking the silence, "Is this amount of mist normal here?"
"Hm? Oh! I've only encountered this amount of mist few times," replied Masayoshi.
Hiroshi decided to speak up. "When were those few times exactly?"
"The first time was a week before I sent the request, the second being a day after I sent the request. So, uh, not too long ago for the last one, why do you ask?" asked Masayoshi in a nervous tone. He looked back at Hiroshi then over at Isamu, eyes widened. "I-Is there something wrong?"
Hiroshi studied Naoko as Isamu and Masayoshi spoke. She continued pressing forward. Her face held a calm expression though her eyes closed shut. Her hands were pressed together as if she was praying. She wasn't moving her lips at all so Hiroshi couldn't get an idea of what she was praying about exactly. He would assume she was praying for the safety of her family yet he had nothing to base that off of. Looking to his right, the boy in the wagon that his father was pulling locked eyes with Hiroshi, the boy looked around nine or ten. The boy waved. Hiroshi returned the wave.
"…Just that this mist is weird how it thickens the closer we get to the manor. As well, how it appeared near the time of the request." Hiroshi focused back on Isamu just as he finished speaking. He should have been listening. He was glad he caught a bit of it anyways.
"Could just be a coincidence though. Like you said earlier, Mother Nature is a bitch," spoke Hiroshi with a smirk. He wasn't totally knocking any suspicious activity. Isamu was way more experienced than him thus able to catch these sorts of things easier. Half of Hiroshi spoke out of not wanting the family to be too anxious, the other to just point out another possibly. Isamu ran a finger under his nose as he looked back at Hiroshi. Isamu looked forward again. "Fair enough."
Continuing on the road, the group would make their way up a hill where a manor stood heavily shrouded in mist. In the distance Hiroshi could just barely make out an outline of what looked to be a barn. With the large amount of mist covering the area he couldn't be sure. Hiroshi entered the manor after Isamu and the family. The first room was rather large yet empty save for a few generic tables and chairs set up. "So lively," spoke Isamu sarcastically. He rubbed his nose.
"Apologizes, there was a, um-"Masayoshi stopped speaking for a moment to clear his throat, "-This manor held most of our family. Majority moved out after paranoia struck, they took some items with them. All that's left is my wife, our nine year old son Fumihiro, and I."
The nine year old boy, who had previously been sitting in the cart, walked up to Hiroshi. His large brown eyes stared up at the older boy. Despite the darker skin Fumihiro acquired from his mother, his cheeks were visibly red due to a blush, possibly due to shyness. "Can you play with me?" asked the younger boy shyly.
Hiroshi glanced around before his eyes lay upon Isamu. Isamu nodded. "Adults need to talk." He spoke with a sniffle. Hiroshi nodded then began walking off with Fumihiro. He didn't like being dismissed because of his age, but he wouldn't argue. Making their way up stairs, Hiroshi took a glance back. He caught site of Masayoshi and Naoko walking into another room that, from where Hiroshi was standing, looked to be a kitchen. Isamu sneezed into his arm before following. Hiroshi would turn his attention forward.
Entering a room Fumihiro ran into, Hiroshi would take notice of the various toys scattered across the floor. Mostly play swords and different types of weapons. There were few action figures as well. Hiroshi picked one up. It was a girl with red hair; she had a cat companion attached to her. "Well that's…interesting," mumbled Hiroshi. He gently sat the action figure onto the desk that was near a small bed. Turning, he would catch Fumihiro charging him with a play sword. They were playing Shinobi it seemed. Hiroshi finally found someone slower than him.
Reaching back, Hiroshi grabbed his staff. As Fumihiro neared him, Hiroshi would send his staff forward and smack against the fake blade causing it to fall from Fumihiro's grip. Hiroshi was no combat expert, but he knew long range weapons were good at keeping melee fighters at bay. Fumihiro looked sad. "Erm, sorry," spoke Hiroshi as he rubbed the back of his head, "In any other case, if I didn't have the staff, you would have killed me!" Hiroshi grinned. Cheering up children also wasn't his strong suit.
"…Are you a Shinobi?" asked Fumihiro curiously, "I want to be a Shinobi."
"I kind of am," spoke Hiroshi with a nervous chuckle, "But, uh…trust me, it's not all it's cracked up to be." Hiroshi sat on the floor with crossed legs. Fumihiro plopped on his bum as if he was about to be told a story from his grandmother. "I mean, it has its good moments, but…I think I'd prefer just working at a store or something." Hiroshi gave another chuckle, though void of any amusement. It was doubtful Fumihiro noticed. "Tell me, why do you want to be a Shinobi?"
Fumihiro perked with excitement as if he was waiting his whole life for this moment. "To protect mommy and daddy!" He damn near shouted with a grin. "They've been being weird, and-"Fumihiro kept going on and on about why he wanted to be a Shinobi. A lot of it was generic idealistic stuff, and while Hiroshi wanted to listen, his mind stopped at the parents acting weird. That could have been useful information.
"Fumihiro," Hiroshi cut off the rambling younger boy, "What do you mean your family has been acting weird?" asked Hiroshi with a raised eyebrow. He played it up by leaning forward and mustering up his most curious face. Fumihiro leaned forward as well.
Fumihiro would whisper. "Well, when mommy and daddy think I'm sleep I hear them talk." Oh, that brought back memories for Hiroshi. "Daddy laughs a lot, and mommy sounds like she's crying. She says she's scared and, and daddy says they have to do…something, in order to protect the rest of the house. I don't know what he's talking about. Sometimes I hear that weird man in there…"
Hiroshi's eyes softened. He sympathized with the kid who had to hear his mother cry, mostly because he could relate. But what things did they have to do to protect themselves? And what weird man, exactly? "Can you tell me about this man?"
Fumihiro nodded. "I saw him once. He-"Before Fumihiro could finish his sentence the door to the room swung open suddenly. It was Masayoshi. His eyes were narrowed. His face quickly cleared once Hiroshi glanced over to him. Clearing his throat, he spoke. "Dinner time." Masayoshi then walked away.
Hiroshi focused on Fumihiro then smiled, ruffling his hair. "Well, you keep working at wanting to protect your family. It's a noble goal. Now let's go, we shouldn't keep your parents waiting." Hiroshi stood alongside Fumihiro who started running off. Looking around the room, Hiroshi was beginning to think there was more to this mission than they thought. He needed to speak to Isamu alone, and quickly.
