User blog:Akasha1908/Case of the Black Lotus: Part 3

Prologue:
http://ayakashi-ghost-guild.wikia.com/wiki/User_blog:Akasha1908/The_Adventures_of_Yokkun_%26_Kazu:_Case_of_the_Black_Lotus

Chapters:

 * Chapter 1 - http://ayakashi-ghost-guild.wikia.com/wiki/User_blog:Akasha1908/Case_of_the_Black_Lotus:_Part_1
 * Chapter 2 - http://ayakashi-ghost-guild.wikia.com/wiki/User_blog:Akasha1908/Case_of_the_Black_Lotus:_Part_2
 * Chapter 3 - This one.  Released 28 Jul 13

            Yokkun opened his eyes, blinking them a few times to clear his vision. He tried to move, but quickly realized he was chained to a wall.

             “What…?”   He mumbled groggily.

             He looked up to find Kazu directly across from him chained to the other wall.

             “About time you woke up! I thought you were dead!”

             “I’m not dead, but the throbbing pain in my head makes me wish I was. Where are we?”

             “I’m not sure, the castle dungeon maybe. I can’t really see anything since the only light in here is that crappy candle over there.

             “How long have you been awake?”

“Only a few minutes longer than you. For a kid, he sure hits hard.”   Kazu rotated his jaw around in circles. “My whole face hurts like hell!”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             “I can’t believe this is happening.”   We walked straight into a trap.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             Kazu sighed heavily.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             “I’m sorry, Ni-san. I should’ve known better than to trust Fera. Hot guys are always nothing but trouble.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             “It’s not your fault, Ka. I saw the signs, but I was so worried about getting the box and getting us out alive that I ignored them.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             “My arguing with you probably didn’t help. I really am sorry, Ni-san.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             “Stop apologizing like this is the last time we’re going to talk to each other. I’m going to get us out of here.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             “How? Our hands and feet are chained to the wall. Unless you can do that magic manipulating thing again, we’re pretty much screwed.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             “I don’t think I’ll be able to with my hands chained. It’s not that easy, and I’ve only done it successfully a handful of times.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             “Then that’s it.”   Kazu said, sounding completely defeated and tab bit hysterical. “We’re going to die! I’ll never be able to feel to feel Fera’s warm embrace.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             Yokkun gave his brother his typical, irritated ‘Are you kidding me?’ look.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             “What?”   Kazu asked innocently. “Just because he’s a dangerous traitor, who might have set us up and sent us too our deaths, doesn’t mean I wouldn’t date him if he asked.”   Kazu paused for a moment. “You know what, never mind. The whole ‘sending us to our deaths’ thing might be the last straw.”   Kazu paused a second time. “But then again we don’t know if he’s involved, so…”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             “Focus Kazu! We are in immediate danger and all you can think about is a g <span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">uy!”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             “What else is there to think about? They’re going to kill us! I might as well think happy thoughts in my final moments!”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             “We don’t if they’re going to kill us! We don’t even know why they kidnapped us! If they wanted us dead, why didn’t they do it back in that hallway?”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             “Hmmm. Now that you mention it, it does seem kind of strange for them to kidnap us instead of killing us.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             “Exactly! What could they possibly want with two free-lance ninjas thieves, who can’t even use magic?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Any ideas?”   Kazu asked.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             “Nope. And I don’t care.”   Yokkun replied, shaking his chains to see if they might be loose. “I’m trying to make sure we’re not here to find out.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             Suddenly, there was a loud pop, followed by a tiny puff of smoke.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             When the smoke cleared, a tiny fairy appeared, her transparent wings sparkling in the candle light. The fairy took a moment to fix her lavender dress and tuck a strand of her dark brown hair underneath her Lilac flower cap. It was Pochi, Master Daze’s personal messenger.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Pochi!”   Kazu exclaimed.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             “Hello Masters!”   She said with a salute. “Pochi has an urgent message from Master Daze!”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             “Oh Pochi, thank the gods you’re here!”   Yokkun said. “We need your help!”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             “Pochi will help! Yes she will! But she must deliver her message first.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             “Ok, what is it?”   Yokkun asked exasperatedly.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             Pochi opened her mouth to say something, but shut it without saying a word. She placed her hands on her hips, her brow furrowing as if she was thinking really hard.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             “Oh!”   She exclaimed. Her tiny hand shot up, her finger pointing to the ceiling.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             Once again she opened her mouth to speak, and once again she closed it.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             “Uh-oh, Pochi forgot.”   The tiny fairy lowered her head in shame, tugging shyly on t <span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">he hem of her dress.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             “Why am I not surprised?”   Kazu muttered under his breath.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             “Pochi’s sorry, Master! Really she is! She tried, but she can’t remember the message.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             Tears started to well up in the little fairy’s eyes. Pochi wasn’t exactly the best messenger. In fact, she was probably the worst possible messenger in the world. But Master Daze loved her dearly, and the times that she actually did remember a message, she came in handy.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             Fairies in general were easily distracted and Pochi was no exception. But if a person could convince a fairy to work for them, their unique abilities were often very useful. These abilities ranged from healing small wounds to manipulating the elements. Of course these skills were measured on a much smaller scale, and depended entirely on what type of fairy you were dealing with.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Pochi was a flower fairy; the most frivolous and carefree type of fairy known to man. Her most amazing ability:   Making a garden grow. Luckily, all fairies shared one particular skill. They could find any person, anywhere, at any time. The catch was that they had to imprint with you. In other words, intentionally leave a touch of their magic on you. It was how she’d found the brothers, and Yokkun couldn’t be happier to one of Pochi’s imprinted humans.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             “It’s ok, Pochi.”   Yokkun replied calmly. “I want you to close your eyes. Can you do that for me?”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             She nodded, closing her eyes as requested.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             “Now, where were you when Master Daze gave you the message?”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             “We were in the garden having tea and cookies.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             “Very good. Now, what’s the last thing you remember him saying?”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             “Umm, he was talking to a man. Pochi thought he looked kind of mean, but then he shared his cookie with her. Pochi likes him very much now.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             Yokkun glanced at his brother. Kazu mouthed the word “Fera?”   Yokkun shrugged his shoulders, unsure if the visitor was their client.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             “What were they talking about, Pochi? Anything you can remember is fine.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             “They talked about the weather for a little while. Then Master Daze asked how his wife and kids were.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             “He’s married! Well there goes any shot I have.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             Yokkun shot Kazu angry look. A silent warning to keep his mouth until they could find out what Pochi need to tell them.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             “Ok, Pochi.” Yokkun continued. “What else did they talk about?”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             “Umm, just about his family. Then a women came running into the garden and wh <span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">ispered something to the man. And that’s when he told Master Daze… Oh wait! Pochi remembers now.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             “What? Tell us!”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             “It’s trap!”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             “No?! Really?”   Kazu asked sarcastically. “Geez, all that to tell us something we already knew!”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             “Did Pochi say something wrong?”   Tears once again started welling up in little fairy’s eyes and her bottom lip began to quiver.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             “No, Pochi. You did a great job.”   Yokkun smiled reassuringly. “But now I h  <span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">ave another job for you.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             Adjusting her Lilac flower cap, Pochi snapped to attention, saluting Yokkun <span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">a <span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">gain.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             “Pochi will help Master Yokkun! Yes she will!”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             “Good. I need you to find out exactly where we are. Then, I want you to go b <span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">ack to Master Daze and his friend from the garden, and bring them here. Can you do that?”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             “Yes, sir!”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             “Repeat back my instructions.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             “Find out where you are.”   Pochi replied without hesitation.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             “And?”   Yokkun prompted

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             “And….”   Pochi bit her lip, trying to remember the rest.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             “Bring Master Daze and his friend here.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             “Right! Pochi’s got it now! Find out where you are and bring them here.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             “Yes. You need to hurry okay. Move as fast as you can.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             “Yes, sir!”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             Pochi flew out of the cell with lightning speed, disappearing into the darkness.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             “Great.”   Kazu said. “Our lives are now in the hands of a forgetful fairy. This is not going to end well, is it?”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             “I think she can do it.”   Yokkun replied, sounding more confident than he felt.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             “And if she can’t?”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             “Then we’d better start working on plan B.”

<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">*****

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             Hours passed, or maybe it just felt like hours. Yokkun racked his brain hoping he could come up with another plan to get them out of their current predicament. Knowing Pochi, she’d probably forgotten his simple instructions or gotten lost. She might be able to find them easily, but in order to lead help to their location, she’d have to physically find a way to them.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             Well at least Master Daze knew they were in trouble. The man was a powerful sorcerer. Powerful enough to rival the Lady Kuroki herself. Perhaps he’d storm the castle to come rescue them…   Scratch that. Master Daze was older than dirt. The only thing he stormed nowadays was the refrigerator or his bed.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             Yokkun looked up at his brother, who despite having the crap beat out of him and being uncomfortably chained to wall, managed to fall asleep. Maybe Kazu was right. Maybe Fera was on their side. Maybe he would come and rescue them… Scratch that. The man only wanted the box. Yokkun and his brother were more than likely an expendable part of his plan.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             Yokkun sighed heavily, letting his head fall back against the wall. Perhaps this was it. The end. The last mission he and his brother would ever have. The thought saddened him. They’d been in a lot of bad spots, but never one where they were this close to death.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             “Well, well, well. Look what the cats dragged in.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             Yokkun looked to where the voice was coming from, but there wasn’t enough candle light to make him out.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             “Just open the door, #404.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             Yokkun recognized the second male voice. It was the little brat Ren-kun.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             “I don’t take orders from little kittens.”   The stranger’s voice spat back.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             “You will when I shove this spear up your…”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             “Hey.”   Kazu said groggily, his voice heavy with sleep. “What did I tell you about using foul language?”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             “Shut your mouth human!”   Ren-kun snapped. “Or I’ll shut it for you! Now open the door #404, or do you wish to keep her Ladyship waiting?”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             The stranger snickered under his breath, but he said nothing in response. There was the sound of keys rattling in the darkness, followed by the unlocking of the cell door.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             Ren-kun strolled in, pinning Yokkun with his haughty glare.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             “Now you listen to me human. I will address you since it’s obvious you’re the leader of this crack-pot, failure of a team.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             “Hey, I resent that!”   Kazu shouted.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             Ren-kun spun around launching his spear directly at Kazu. Yokkun’s heart stopped completely, only sputtering to a start again when he realized his little brother was unharmed. The spear protruded from the wall, just inches from Kazu’s head.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             “That’s the last warning.”   Ren-kun said, pointing one of his child-sized fingers at Kazu.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             Kazu nodded stiffly, his eyes wide with terror.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             Ren-kun turned back to Yokkun, a sickly sweet smile on his face.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             “If you want your little brother to live, I suggest you do everything you’re told. Do you understand?

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             Yokkun nodded slowly.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             “Good. #404 is going to take you down from the wall and bring you before our mistress. You will show her the utmost respect or I will kill you both on the spot. Understand?”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             Yokkun nodded again.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             “You will not speak unless spoken to and you will address her as, ‘my, lady.’   You will do everything she asks or I will gut you both like the pigs you are. Is that clear?”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             Yokkun nodded a third time.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             Ren-kun walked towards Kazu, wrenching his spear from the wall. Without another word, he walked out of the cell disappearing into the darkness.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             #404 unchained Kazu first, dropping him haphazardly on the floor. He then chained Kazu’s feet and hands together, before doing the same to Yokkun.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             Grabbing on to the chains that held Yokkun and Kazu’s hands, he proceeded to drag them across the floor and out of the cell.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             “Well this is a little undignified.”   Kazu whispered.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             “Quiet. I’m trying to think of a way to get us out of here.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             “I hope you come up with something, otherwise I have the feeling her ladyship’s pet cat is going to kill us both.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"">             “Not if I have anything to say about it.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Yokkun’s determination was stronger than ever. If nothing else, he would find a way to make sure his brother survived.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Ni-san, just in case, I want you to know I appreciate everything you’ve ever done for me. You’ve always taken care of me, especially after mom and dad abandoned us. Even when I make you angry, you still look out for me. You really are…”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Kazu’s voice cracked, a tiny sob escaping his mouth.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“You really are the best brother in the world.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Yokkun bit his lip, trying to keep his own tears at bay.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Don’t worry otouto, I’m going to get you out of here. I promise. If it’s the last thing I do. I will get you home safely.”