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"Okay, I will. Thanks, Mutou."

What? No "Mr."?

I have a weird feeling this will take a dark route. I don't know if it's just the fact that you're the one writing it or the fact that my friend right next to me is playing Crackdown and harpooning civilians to cars.
Either way, an enjoyable chapter. I look forward to more.

The O.H.L. wrote:I have a weird feeling this will take a dark route.

How dark are we talking here? Depressing undertones dark or full on hopelessness dark?

The chapter is at the very bottom of the last page for those who missed it. Bad timing on my part I guess!

My guess is that Yoh is being treated badly as in raped by her "gaurdians" and at the end Mutou adopts her. Or that's how it would play out in my head

Doomish wrote:

The O.H.L. wrote:I have a weird feeling this will take a dark route.

How dark are we talking here? Depressing undertones dark or full on hopelessness dark?

I don't think it'll be quite 'With Apologies' dark. But it seems like it'll either end up being bittersweet or just have some really depressive moments. But whatever, you're a good writer and I trust you'll take the story in a good direction.

Edit: Good doesn't mean without dark though.

Chapter Five

Sure enough, Yoh came by just as Kiyoko and I thought she would. She looked increasingly more dour than the first day, her smile all but gone. Her hair was not in a ponytail today, draped across her face instead. One eye was almost completely covered, as a matter of fact. Her face brightened a little when she saw me, however, and she came running.

"Hey, I remember you! You’re Akio!" She pointed, an almost-smile on her face.

I nodded. "Yes, ma'am. I'm glad you remembered my name, I have to write it on the board for my students to remember it."

Her sorrow was instantly lost. "Students? You're a teacher?"

"Yeah. I teach up there, at Yamaku." I motioned to the school still looming over us.

Her mouth turned into a small 'o'. "You teach the weird kids?" There was no harshness behind the gesture; she meant no rudeness by it. Another teacher at Yamaku might have taken offense to it- I can think of a few -but I knew better. I'd been around kids my whole life, so I was used to their ignorance to what really matters in people.

I laughed. "I suppose you could say that."

She was frowning again now though, seemingly having remembered her earlier sadness.

"What's the matter?" I cocked my head.

She looked at the ground for a moment, as if she was unwilling to tell me. The stubborn look on her face confirmed this pretty nicely. But then she looked up and threw her hands in the air. "I lost my adventuring guide!"

"Your what?" I was smiling now, playing along. I had it in my pocket, but having fun with the kid that so annoyed me the previous day was a nice change of pace.

She grunted. "You know! The diary I showed you yesterday!"

"Ohhhhh." I rolled my eyes. "You mean this diary?" I pulled it out of my pocket. The way her face lit up made me smirk.

“Wow! You found it!” She snatched it from me and pressed it to her chest. “Thanks, Akio! You’re the best!”

I chuckled as she gave the thing a tight squeeze. Such an innocent little girl; I was glad to see she could find pleasure in the little things. But, then, what was a little thing to me meant the whole world to her. I hadn’t been considering that at the time.

“N-Not like I like you or anything, you understand.” She looked up at me, and the hair fell out of her eye. I gasped as the moving hair revealed a fresh bruise forming a purple ring around her eye socket. At first, I didn’t understand what I was looking at. Then, I comprehended, and my eyes widened in shock.

“Yoh, what happened to your eye?” I knelt down to get a better look at it. She took an involuntary step back, puffing out her chest to look brave. I caught the sight of a long, thin scar across her throat, faded but just barely visible.

She frowned, rubbing it lightly. “What? It’s nothing, don’t worry about it. I just got in a fight is all.”

“A fight with who? Someone at your school?”

She was suddenly defensive. “No!” She shook her head. “It’s nothing like that. You wouldn’t understand.” There was a moment of silence between us then. I took a look at Yamaku behind me, then my watch. I still had time.

“Here, I’ll walk you home.” I offered her my hand, and it took her a second to acknowledge I’d held it out to her. She honestly looked like she was going to cry. Apparently my making note of her injury hurt her for a different reason than I assumed. Maybe she didn’t like showing weakness.

“O-okay.” Her voice was quiet. On the first day, she’d seemed so loud. Seeing her like this upset me for some reason I was unable to decipher. And don’t think I don’t realize how things must have looked to outsiders: A grown man and a little girl walking through tight alleyways and crowded streets together? Certain grounds for dirty assumptions. I have always retained that I felt nothing romantic for Yoh and there was no slander involved. As a matter of fact, she was the one leading me around.

But I had a strange envy for her. She had freedom. She had will. She exuded energy. Yoh had everything my life lacked, with the innocence to match the attitude.

“I wish I knew a super hero.” She bounced along beside me. “Or maybe, like, a giant robot or something.”

“Why’s that?”

“They’d probably love me if they existed. That would be cool. Then we could go fight monsters and stuff!” Her voice was excited, but the melancholy tone hidden deep behind it made me frown.

We wound farther away from the school, deep into the suburbs. Buildings got more and more vacant and old, stacked on top of each other into apartment complexes. The streets grew more narrow, to accommodate for less people. She pointed at a big building on a corner as we approached.

“There. I live right there.” She smiled up at me, bruise contorting as she squinted against the sun. Those gigantic green eyes watched me with the same hidden anxiety as before, like she didn’t quite trust me.

Or maybe she knew she was taking me somewhere I didn’t want to go.

I recognized the place. I went there a few times to escape my worries, but then, I guess everyone who went there did. I hadn’t been there in years, as it was long closed down.

“You live in a night club?” This was getting odder by the minute.

But she nodded. “Yeah! Achikoshi is really smart! He says we can live here full time once we clear out the bugs in the cellar!”

Achikoshi. A unique name to say the least. “How did you two come across this place?” We crossed the street, though I had to make sure to look both ways for her. She seemed to enjoy the reckless abandon of leaping without looking, something I’d seen the full consequences of at Yamaku.

“Well, I’m from Sendai. Achikoshi found me and adopted me, I guess. He didn’t fill out any papers or anything though, he just picked me up off the street. His friend told him about a place where we could live for free, and here we are!” She motioned to the stairs leading down into the cellar. “We have to go in the back. The front door’s still all boarded up.”

“Didn’t you say there were bugs down there?” I’m not going to lie, I have an aversion to creepy-crawlies. I’m not afraid to hop off the couch to swat a fly or a small spider, but the bigger they are, the harder they fall, as they say.

“Yeah, cockroaches! I like watching ‘em scatter. Here, take my backpack.” She shoved it into my chest and instantly went digging for something. I peered inside, and it was filled with bits and bobs of trinkets and metal.

She noticed my stare and smiled. “Heh. Taking a gander at my swag collection?”

“Your… swag collection?”

She nodded, still fishing for what I assumed was a key. “Y’know, swag! Loot! Booty! Treasure!”

“Oh?”

She huffed an exaggerated sigh, pulling out the key she sought. “I collect broken stuff, Akio! Achikoshi teaches me how to fix things when he’s not…” She trailed off, looking remiss for a moment. “…A-Anyway, point is, I bring this stuff to him and he shows me how to make it work again!”

I nodded. “Sure. What kind of a name is Achikoshi, by the way?" It felt odd to me, like it was constantly being used in the wrong context. It didn't sound like a name.

"I don't think it's his real name. He just likes it better than whatever it really is, I guess!" She giggled.

I can’t say I was eager to meet him. Yoh had been hinting at something far worse than I’d originally thought hidden beneath the exterior of the archetypal found guardian, and he was starting to sound like a pretty mixed bag of nuts.

We opened the cellar door and stepped inside. Yoh giggled as the burst of light hit dozens of cockroaches, who headed for the hills at light speed. It was dark and musty, and the smell of alcohol swirled around my nose.

Yoh cupped her hands around her mouth. “Achi~!” She called out as we ascended the stairwell. “Achi, you here?”

The main bar was lit up, practically glowing in the otherwise dim fixtures around the room. Even after being closed, the lights and coolers and taps still functioned. The dance floor was lit up but there was nobody on it, and a bouncing techno beat filled my ears as I neared it.

Seated on a barstool, facing away from Yoh and I, was a lone person.

Yoh’s face lit up. She snatched her backpack from me and ran up to the person’s side, skipping like she was on the playground. Though, bars are sort of an adult’s playground if you think about it. A place to socialize and play games with your friends and enemies, sing and dance at your leisure. I suppose I’d really never thought about it that way.

“Achi, Achi! I brought you some more stuff to fix up!” She hopped up on the barstool beside the man and spilled the contents of her backpack on the counter, almost knocking over the drink that sat before him.

No, not the man, the boy. As Achikoshi turned his head toward Yoh, I caught sight of his full features. He looked no older than twenty-one as a matter of fact. His hair was short and messy, reminiscent of Hisao’s, only jet black. He was shirtless, revealing his thin and wiry frame as he turned to face me.

“Yoh, what have I told you about bringing guests into our home?” He eyed me up and down, taking in my features just as I had his. His eyes had impossibly dark shadows beneath, and his pupils were equally blackened to match.

“Um…” Yoh hesitated. “To, um, not do it.” She looked at the ground, pouting.

He nodded, still looking at me. “Right. So, who’s this?”

She rubbed the back of her neck, hopping off of the barstool and skipping back over to me. “This is Akio! He’s a pretty nice guy, he found my adventuring guide! Really dumb, though, for an adult.”

I frowned. “Hey!”

“I’m just saying!” She threw her hands up in surrender.

Achikoshi turned back to scoop his drink off the counter. “Don’t worry, I’m sure he’s smart enough to not go poking around in other peoples’ business.”

The bitter edge on his voice cut me like a knife, but I said nothing for the moment, instead nodding. He took a drink, peering at me over the glass. His stare was impeccable, unbreakable. It was piercing.

“Thank you for seeing her home, Akio,” he frowned, “but it really wasn’t necessary.” I grimaced. I didn’t know who this young man was, but he was toeing the line with me. I have a short tolerance for betrayals of authority. Everything about Achikoshi screamed ‘ignorant’, but I tried to pretend I didn’t notice it.

“Oh, no, it was my pleasure.” I motioned to Yoh. “I had to return her journal anyway.”

“I see.” He frowned. “No offense, Akio, but Yoh and I don’t really like strangers.” I suppose that was a nicer way of saying ‘get the hell out’.

I still stood across the room from them, but Yoh was bouncing back and forth between us like she was a rubber ball.

“I understand. I’ll show myself out, then.” I waved a hand, but Yoh tugged on my sleeve to keep me in place.

“Akio, wait!” I looked down at her with surprise. “I don’t… want you to go.” She whimpered. I saw Achikoshi flinch at her urgency, fists clenching into tight balls at his sides. I wondered for a moment why she wanted me to stay: Was it because she liked my company, or because she didn’t like Achikoshi’s?

I knelt down before her and put a hand on her shoulder. “I have to go back to Yamaku for now, but I come down to the coffee shop every day if you want to see me tomorrow.” I honestly felt bad for leaving her. I still had no real grounds for disliking Achikoshi’s character, but his presence stirred something in me. He wasn’t looking at me anymore; his gaze was locked on the journal still in Yoh’s hand.

“O-Okay.” She gave her journal an almost sorrowful look over, then offered it to me. “Will you keep this safe for me? I don’t want to lose it again.”

I took it gently from her and returned it to its place in my pocket. “No problem,” I smiled.

“Promise?”

“Promise.” I stood, and bid them both good day. I made my way back down the stairs and through the cellar, shielding my eyes from the sudden sunlight as I emerged. It was strangely quiet as I wound through the town, retracing our steps. It was a peaceful walk, and I closed my eyes for a moment to take in the gentle breeze on my face.

“Don’t, Akio.” Kiyoko noticed my antsiness. “It isn’t right.”

I turned the pocketbook over in my hands again. “She didn’t say I couldn’t look inside.” I frowned. I sat at the dining room table, just looking at the thing.

“I really think you should respect her privacy.” She sat my dinner in front of me as always, taking her own seat not too far away.

I put the journal aside for the moment, focusing on the food. “I know. It’s just, I want to know more about this Achikoshi kid. I mean, what if he does abuse her? Everything I want to know could be in here.” I glared at it, frustrated. It was a moral dilemma for the ages.

She conceded suddenly, giving me a small nod. “I… I guess you’re right. Just don’t bother her about it, diaries are very personal to girls.”

Believe me, I knew that very well. Kiyoko kept a diary when we were still dating, and I’d tried time and time again to get a peek inside just to see what she really thought of me. As she was always around, however, I never got any chances. It sat in the attic now, gathering dust; when she finally decided she wanted me to see its contents, I didn’t even bother looking. I knew enough about her to fill a hundred diaries by that point anyway.

“Okay, honey.” I nodded.

We ate the rest of our food with mild conversation, and as soon as I set my plate aside, it was in my hands once more. I turned past the map and the guide, delving into the mess of diary entries. I scanned for Achikoshi’s name, but it was a while before it started popping up. I suppose that explained the worn out look of the pocketbook’s exterior; she’d obviously had it for a long time.

I started absent-mindedly wandering through the house as I read aloud. “Dear diary, today’s my tenth birthday. Achi gave me an extra special present today.” I swallowed anxiously before continuing. Almost all of her sentences ended in exclamation points, and there were childish doodles all over the margins. I couldn't read it anywhere near as happy as it looked, to the point where some of the I's were dotted with hearts. “He taught me… about sex. He wasn’t rough or anything, but it still hurt at first. I was okay with it, though. He smiled today for the first time in ages. I like making him happy.”

“Jesus…” Kiyoko murmured to herself. I looked up, and she was hovering over the sink, tensed and shaking. With a grim frown, I read onward.

“Achi and I had sex again today. He really hurt me this time, but he apologized afterward. He said going too fast could be dangerous, and he promised he’d never hurt me again. He’s really sweet. I hope he doesn’t give up and leave me like the last guy that tried to take care of me did. That’d make me feel pretty awful.”

I ran a hand over my chin, feeling the ever-present scruffy five o’ clock shadow. I took a seat at the kitchen table, suddenly tired of standing up. Kiyoko still hadn’t moved.

There were no doodles on this page. It was more crumpled than the rest, and a little corner of it was torn off. “Achi hit me today. I told him I didn’t really want to ‘do it’ with him, and he said I had no choice. I don’t know what to do. I think I’m going to run away. I like our new home but, if he’s going to be a jerk, then I don’t want to live with him anymore.” It was short, but it said more in those few words than the whole rest of the diary could. It was dated two weeks prior.

I sat the pocketbook on the table, still in shock that she so casually mentioned being violated. Ten years old, and she’d already been hopelessly corrupted by this boy. I wanted to go back to the club. I wanted to confront him about it.

“What are we going to do?” Kiyoko whispered. She turned her head ever so slightly to face me, and I could see she was crying. She’s always had a soft spot for children. Seeing them hurt set her off very, very fast. She’d always wanted to have a kid with me, and we’d tried a few times in the past and failed. We didn’t know if it was just bad luck or if she couldn’t get pregnant in the first place.

“We could adopt her.” I was silent for a moment, going over the words many times in my head to make sure they had some sense in them. Kiyoko took another moment to respond, staring blankly at me. She seemed to be considering it just as heavily. I mean, the moment the words left my mouth, both of us wanted to it to happen. It was just something we’d been waiting for an opportunity to do, and now fate had laid down its cards.

“Can we… afford to do that?” She hesitated to say the words, drying her tears.

“Not really, no.” I shook my head. Teacher wages were nice, sure, but I was by no means rich. “We’ll find a way.” Yoh claimed she was waiting for a hero, and I’d be damned if I wasn’t going to be one, because I sure as hell wasn't going to become a giant robot any time soon.

Looking good. So there was the dark, but not as dark as I was expecting.
I really hope you get Akio to punch that punk out though. Teach him to mess with a kid like that.

Lmao I predicted this would happen a few posts ago, but it could easily get darker when Mutou tries to adopt the girl.

Excuse me for one moment.

*ahem*

SON OF A BIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIITCH!

Thank you. Doomish... there'll be hell to be had if this Achikoshi doesn't get his ass kicked in one way or another. Keep writing, you magnificent bastard.
Cheers, BlackWaltz.

Great writing as always!

Doomish wrote:Yoh claimed she was waiting for a hero, and I’d be damned if I wasn’t going to be one, because I sure as hell wasn't going to become a giant robot any time soon.

As moving and disturbing as things got towards the end, this closing line had me chuckling.

Nealry 2 o'colck in teh mornign and I've had an epipahny. Yoh left the adventure giude on purpose. THen, when Mutou tried to return it, she told him to keep it .both with the hope he would read it, find out what was goign on, and hepl her ((Because when she tried to do somethign about it herself she coped a hit in the eye.). Brilliant, Doomsh. Absolutly brilliant. Amazign waht a bit of insonmia and alcohool will do for you're ability to think things.
Cheers, BlackWalzt.

BlackWaltzTheThird wrote:Nealry 2 o'colck in teh mornign and I've had an epipahny. Yoh left the adventure giude on purpose. THen, when Mutou tried to return it, she told him to keep it .both with the hope he would read it, find out what was goign on, and hepl her ((Because when she tried to do somethign about it herself she coped a hit in the eye.). Brilliant, Doomsh. Absolutly brilliant. Amazign waht a bit of insonmia and alcohool will do for you're ability to think things.
Cheers, BlackWalzt.

A bit different from your usual writing style there BlackWaltz... But sure why not, alcohol has done stranger things before right?

BlackWaltzTheThird wrote:Nealry 2 o'colck in teh mornign and I've had an epipahny. Yoh left the adventure giude on purpose. THen, when Mutou tried to return it, she told him to keep it .both with the hope he would read it, find out what was goign on, and hepl her ((Because when she tried to do somethign about it herself she coped a hit in the eye.). Brilliant, Doomsh. Absolutly brilliant. Amazign waht a bit of insonmia and alcohool will do for you're ability to think things.
Cheers, BlackWalzt.

I'm sure glad you were sober while writing "Greater than the Sum"

Oh, and also, great story so far, Doomish

No offense BlackWaltz, but I'm really glad I didn't have to get wasted to come to that conclusion.

Granted, I probably wouldn't be able to hold the alcohol in anyway, let alone receive a shamanic vision from it.

BlackWaltzTheThird wrote:Nealry 2 o'colck in teh mornign and I've had an epipahny. Yoh left the adventure giude on purpose. THen, when Mutou tried to return it, she told him to keep it .both with the hope he would read it, find out what was goign on, and hepl her ((Because when she tried to do somethign about it herself she coped a hit in the eye.). Brilliant, Doomsh. Absolutly brilliant. Amazign waht a bit of insonmia and alcohool will do for you're ability to think things.
Cheers, BlackWalzt.

Despite your drunkposting (which is pretty great, by the way ), you're absolutely correct! I'm glad you caught onto that, it means I'm doing my job right!