When Shadows Rise

When Shadows Rise Part 4

Time let her partner ruminate for a few moments. She knew why Unicorn was important but she couldn't say it aloud. There were shadows everywhere and she couldn't let word of who she really was get out. She let Greg think for a bit longer and then tapped the back of his hand lightly.

Greg sighed and picked his cup up again. "I know. It is the 'right thing to do', Don't mean I have to like it. Or that I wont keep asking questions."

At that she nodded. "I wouldn't expect you to but you know I wouldn't have brought you with me if it wasn't important. And this woman is very important to the future. She just doesn't know it yet." The two Kouhei moved on to other things.

Hana sat looking off into some inner distance communing with something Matten could not recognize. The peaceful moments were coming more often between them. Them. Now that Hana was no longer afraid of him and her past had come to light they found themselves spending a lot of time together.

After a pleasant interlude Hana looked over to Greg. "You need a work out Greg=san." She smiled a bit and stood up to take their cups to the sink to be washed out. When he didn't' move she shook her head and moved to his room, snagging his duffle bag "Come on," heading to the door not waiting on Matten. "If we leave now you can get a good challenging work out without the added danger."

Slightly confused Greg shook his head and followed his partner. Any time Hana got talkative something was up. Though by his understanding of Hana speak it wasn't something to worry about. When they hit the street he spotted her by one of the cars across the street. It was one of the new mini cars'

"Oh geez, did you have to get one of these?"

Hana looked up at her partner, her hidden grin peeking out once more. Greg was glad that she smiled more now than in years past but he hated tiny cars.

He climbed in and Hana took them across town. Somehow all the traffic that should have slowed them down was on other streets. Lights all turned green as they approached. Greg looked over to Hana with a lifted brow. Hana just shrugged.

After a half hour she pulled the mini into a small parking lot and got out Greg pried his too tall self out of the car and looked about. There was a small sign outside a wooden door painted red. The sign was of a stylized dragon with a dark crystal in its claws. Something about the sign brought to mind a day many years before. Greg pulled his bag from the backseat and followed Hana.

The doll like woman tapped a pattern on the door. It opened just as Greg stopped behind her. His eyes widened when he saw the man at the door.

Like a ghost from the past Jai smiled at Hana, giving her a brief one armed hug. He stepped back and looked Greg over. With a short nod he gestured for the two Kouhei to enter. Hana stepped past Jai and headed to the Dojo. Greg stood in place for a long moment then waked past Jai, with a nod. He looked about and found his muscles relaxing. Behind the pain door was a dojo. It was clean and simple with weapons mounted on the walls and the usual mirrored wall to the left. At the moment the room was empty. Greg could see a few doors at the back of the room and hear quiet music piped through speakers near the ceiling. The music was soothing, not something Greg remembered Jai liking. Dropping his bag he planted his feet and waited. He had thought his leader was gone, deep into the mountains, never to return. To find him in a small dojo, was confusing.

Jai hid his smile well and lifted a brow, signaling Hana who snagged Greg's bag and took it out of the way. He then bowed to the mat and stepped into the practice space, turning he bowed to Greg, this time not hiding a smile that said "Prove to me you are still worthy."

Greg snorted and kicked off his boots. He then bowed to the mat an his former leader. He waited a few breaths, centering himself before exploding forward. As Rage, Greg could very well defeat any opponent he faced. The added powe3r and focus made him a killing machine. As the human Greg Matten he was tall, strong and fast. Jai was a smaller man but sleekly muscled. In the years since he had lost his powers he had focused on martial arts, gaining perspective and calm an ease of presence that he did not have as a Kouhei He used the years away to conquer the demons he had fought so hard. The ones brought to light by little Hana and then by the Princes of the Moon's healing energy.