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3. Kisuke the Great

"Ha, I found you, Blue Bandit! Now return me my sword!" Kisuke laughed.

Asa delivered a knifehand strike on Kisuke's head from behind. "Kisuke, that wasn't called for! Grant, are you ok?" she asked in concern.

"A... After years of dodgeball... I'm fine for the most part..." Grant weakly replied.

She noticed Lola. "Oh, um... Grant. Why don't I take you to the infirmary? We'll be right back, Lola." Asa walked off carrying Grant over her shoulder and pulling Kisuke along by his ear. Lola noticed a red "3" appeared on Kisuke's head. The red "3" slowly turned into a "2".

"There isn't much time. I have to hurry." Lola said to herself.

A few minutes later in the empty infirmary (Nurse left for an appointment), Grant listened to Asa's retelling of what happened with Kisuke.

"I see, so this kid thought I was the Blue Bandit." Grant said.

"Yeah, this "Blue Bandit" is... um... how do I explain it?" Asa tried to explain.

"Oh, I know who he is."

"You do?!"

"Yeah, he's from "Kisuke the Great", it was a popular anime a few years back. I used to watch it."

"Y... You did?! How can you stop watching such an awesome show?! It's the most amazing thing on T.V. since... well T.V.!" Kisuke shouted.

"No real reason. I took an interest in magic at that time." Grant explained.

"You were lost at birth." Asa commented.

"Shut up."

"So if you're not the Blue Bandit... where's my sword?!" Kisuke changed the subject and pouted.

"Look, why don't Asa and I help you find it, ok? I think the Kendo club might have it." he offered assistance.

"Really?! That's awesome! Sorry for attacking you, Mister! Come on, let's go!" Kisuke ran out of the room with an bright, energetic smile on his face.

"Kisuke, hold on! That kid... he sorta reminds me of you..." Asa smiled, slightly remembering their childhood. She noticed Grant was thinking of something else. His tone was sad and off-putting. "Hey, what's wrong?"

After a second, he finally answered. "Asa, that show "Kisuke the Great" ended five years ago with twenty seasons recorded and published to the air."

"Y... Yeah, that means..." she didn't need for him to finish to understand.

"Kisuke must have died before the show was over. Judging from his age, that was probably ten to fifteen years ago."

"That poor kid, he's been alone for that long. But, yet... he seems so cheerful."

"Do you think he pretending to act like Kisuke for a reason? Kisuke the Great is a hero that journeys the world and fights evil to right the wrongs of his past."

"What kind of regret can a child have?"

"I don't know, but I'm interested in finding out."

"I never seen Grant so serious about something. He must feel connected to Kisuke since their so much alike." Asa thought to herself. As she and Grant left the infirmary, a short memory of her watching Grant over a hospital bed played in her mind. "I... can't bear to see that again..."

"So, what kind of sword, ya looking for?" a male kendo member asked.

"A kendo sword with a green "Kisuke the Great" sticker on the hilt with the words "Justice, Liberty, or Death!" written on the blade." Asa explained.