CHAPTER 3
Toki woke up in a warm bed. What? she thought. Was it a dream after all? But, no, that wasn’t the case – the room was unfamiliar and crowded with books and rolled-up papers. Kita was at her side.
“Finally up, huh, Sleeping Beauty?” Kita joked.
Toki had to chuckle at the quip. “Where are we?” she asked.
“Takeshi’s place – it’s our meeting spot,” Kita replied. “Anyway, why don’t you get up and get changed?” she suggested. “Then you can come outside with me and the other guys.”
“Uh… Get changed?” Toki asked as she sat up. She winced and massaged the back of her neck, which was still sore from the fight in the gorge.
“You okay?” Kita asked worriedly.
“Just a bit sore.”
“Oh, good… Anyway, I picked this up.” Kita showed her the dress they’d bought in the market and a number of accessories, including earrings and a teal choker. “You’ve been sleeping for hours, you know. Hurry and try this on!” She grinned.
Toki smiled back. “All right.”
While Toki got up and sorted through the clothes, Kita left the room. She waited a minute, heaved a relieved sigh, and walked down the short hallway to the front door, the wood floor creaking slightly with each step. As she pulled the door open, she saw Reka waiting just outside.
“How is she?” Reka asked.
Kita stepped out and shut the door behind her. “Fine, thank goodness.” The fresh bandage wrapped around his wrist caught her eye. “How’s the arm?”
Slightly annoyed, Reka muttered, “It was never anything to fuss over.” He averted his eyes and jammed his hands into his pockets. I got someone hurt, he scolded himself. I knew something wasn’t right, and I ignored my instincts. How could I be that stupid?
Kita fidgeted uncomfortably in the silence that followed. “So… Takeshi’s got this whole house to himself? Is it normal for kids to live on their own here?”
Reka shot her a sharp look.
“Dumb question? Sorry. But then, where are his folks?”
“That’s not my business to tell you.”
A moment later, Toki walked out donning her new outfit – a pink sleeveless dress, reminiscent of Native-American garb, with a low-cut collar and teal trim. She was wearing the matching choker and earrings, too, along with a pair of armbands and tall, tan boots. “Aha! It looks great on you! I knew it would!” Kita exclaimed.
Toki blushed a bit as she noticed Reka staring at her as well. “Thanks,” she answered Kita. “You should’ve bought yourself one, too.”
Kita laughed. “Me? What, are you kidding? I’d never be caught dead in a dress!”
Toki felt her face completely flush. Oh, really? Is this your idea of a joke, then, making me wear something you’d never wear yourself?! She fidgeted and tugged at the side-slits of her skirt, under which she was wearing shorts since the side slits came up so uncomfortably high. “Oh… I see,” she muttered in disgust.
Someone approached them then – a very tall boy dressed in an orange sleeveless vest, who was definitely older than her and possibly older than Kita, with almond eyes and a lean, muscular build.
“Ah, Toki,” Kita said, striding over and slinging a hand over her shoulder, “meet your fencing teacher, Shaoqiang.”
“Hello – ” Toki started to bow and froze midway. “Wait, my what?!” she cried, bolting upright.
“Takeshi brought him and his cousin to save our butts during that fight, and this guy’s really good with a sword, so…”
“Your friend told me that you were struggling with your swordsmanship,” Shaoqiang explained. “I’d be happy to help you.” He turned and showed her his sword in its sheath.
“He’s really good,” Kita whispered in Toki’s ear, “but he says he doesn’t go easy on newbies. I hope you don’t mind.” She patted Toki’s back and finally stepped back.
Toki stifled a scowl and bowed to Shaoqiang. “I do need help. Please teach me.”
Shaoqiang smiled. “It would be my pleasure.”
“Excellent.” Takeshi walked over to them, carrying Toki’s naginata. “Don’t lose this again, okay?”
Toki took it from him with a guilty nod.
“Now that we’re all here,” Takeshi spoke up for everyone to hear, “let’s all come together and have a seat.” He motioned for everyone to sit in the grass near the small house. “First, let me introduce everyone.” He gestured toward each person as he said his or her name. “Reka, Kita, Toki, Shaoqiang…” He gestured toward a thin, cold-faced girl, with dark hair in an unruly ponytail, who was sitting apart from everyone else. “…Jun-ai…” Then, he gestured to the oldest and most serious-looking of three dark-skinned girls. “…Sharon…” To the one sitting next to her, with a friendly smile and long, smooth hair. “…Mara…” And, last, to the one sitting next to her, with a slightly lighter complexion and short, brownish hair. “…and Kiara.” They all looked at one another, and some waved. “Welcome, Keyholders,” Takeshi continued.
“‘Keyholders’?” Toki repeated in a whisper.
“I brought all of you here because this place, the Water Gate, is in trouble. I know most of you probably have never even heard of the Gates before. But rather than go into lengthy explanations at this time, just know that this dimension and the neighboring Fire Gate are colliding,” Takeshi went on. “It’s up to us to find a special something that will stop the collision from destroying both worlds.”
“Whoa, whoa, hold it!” Kita spoke up. “What do you mean, how can they be colliding?”
“Much like land masses,” Takeshi explained, “the dimensions shift in relation to one other. Something has made the balance between the Gates unstable, and the dimensional barriers are meeting and forming irregular portals – basically, holes in the barriers. If the Water Gate and the Fire Gate collide, both dimensions will be destroyed.”
Shaoqiang asked, “What is this special something that we need to look for, and what makes you believe that it will save your home?”
“It’s called the Legendary Water Key,” Takeshi replied, “and with it, we can readjust the movements of the Gates. If we can find it in time, I know for a fact that it will prevent the collision.”
“So, we just have to get this ‘Key’ thing? Piece of cake,” Kiara surmised.
“It’s not that simple,” Takeshi warned her. “There’s a war raging between the two Gates. We’ll be caught right in the middle of it while we’re searching for the Key.”
“W-War?!” Toki gripped her arms in unease.
Takeshi paused uneasily, and Reka continued in his place. “The Fire Gate’s Llanian army has been using those irregular portals to invade other Gates. Once they’re in, they leave their standing Guard units to keep watch on the claimed territories. The Llanian Guards have been posted here in the Kaita village for two months now. It’s only a matter of time before the military’s main forces come back.” He stuffed his hands in his pockets. One hand brushed against the gemstone inside. And they’ll be gunning for us.
“Those guys in the gorge – who were they?” Kita asked.
Jun-ai’s almond eyes narrowed. “They were dressed like you,” she commented, pointing Reka out. An uncomfortable silence settled in.
“They were Llanian Guards,” Reka replied.
“If they were only supposed to be protecting their territory, then why did they attack you?”
Takeshi tried to step in for him, but Reka answered. “They go after anyone that the army has marked as a threat. That currently includes Takeshi, myself… and by extension, this team.”
“Then, the Guards will keep attacking us?” Kita asked.
“Yes.”
“What if we want out?” Jun-ai asked pointedly.
“Look, I need all of you to make this plan work,” Takeshi entreated them. “The Councilwoman of this village, Lady Akibana, is also counting on us. She entrusted me – entrusted us – with this mission.”
“Oh, so you’re going to force us – !”
“That’s enough, Jun!” Shaoqiang intervened. His cousin, who stood with her fists at the ready, sat back down. An awkward silence once again set in.
“For now,” Takeshi spoke up, “why don’t we set up camp?” The others looked at each other questioningly. “And after that, maybe a little meal will put us all at ease.” He led everyone a bit of a distance from the house, then watched the others break up into their cliques to go and fetch water and wood.
Hearing footsteps approaching, Takeshi turned around to face a girl with long, ice-blue hair tied back in a braid. “Here’s the ‘team’,” he said with a bashful laugh. “We’ve got a long way to go before I can call us that, huh, Yuki?”
“They did only just meet. Give them some time,” his friend giggled. “Oh! The rice for the meal is almost ready.”
Takeshi grinned. “I’m looking forward to your cooking.”
Yuki blushed. “Thank you.” She watched the others meandering about and added, “I hope they will enjoy it too.”
“Hey, Takeshi!” Kita called. “We aren’t gonna have to make beds outta leaves, are we?”
Takeshi laughed before he called back, “No, Kita. I prepared sleeping bags for you all.”
“Phew! Thank goodness!!”
Yuki giggled. “Would you like me to bring anything else with me when I bring the food here?”
Takeshi replied, “If you could bring the tent cloths and the sleeping bags from my house for tonight, that’d be a great help.” He grinned at her.
Yuki grinned back. “Hmm, maybe if you let me join you – ”
“We already discussed that,” Takeshi cut her off, suddenly serious. “The answer is ‘no’, Yuki. I’m sorry.” He felt an instant pang of guilt when his friend’s playful smile crumbled. “I just don’t – ”
“I know,” Yuki said quietly. She said nothing more as she quickly took her leave.
Takeshi sighed and got up to help his teammates. Mizuki-sensei should be coming to meet them all tomorrow morning, he thought. I hope we can at least build some level of together-ness before then.
Apparently, his worries were written on his face, since it only took a second for Reka to make a comment about it. “If the leader keeps looking like that, they’ll get anxious,” he said quietly as he lit the campfire. “Do you want to make them needlessly worried before the fighting even starts?”
Takeshi awkwardly twisted his frown into a smile. “Ah… I guess you have a point.”
“Yeah… That look won’t cut it, either,” Reka tried to joke.
That was when Yuki returned with a large pot of food and bundles of fabric. “Let us help carry that,” Takeshi offered, and he and Reka rushed to her aid.
“All right, everyone!” Takeshi called. “Dinner is served! Gather up around the fire!”
The others all drifted back and sat around the fire pit; as they did so, Reka handed out their sleeping bags and tent cloths, and Takeshi passed around earthenware bowls and thick, metal spoons.
“This is kind of fun,” said Mara as she got comfortable beside Toki and started to eat.
“Yeah, I guess,” Toki said quietly as she sheepishly poked at her dinner.
“How long have you all been here?” Mara asked her and Kita.
“I just got here,” Toki replied.
“And I’ve been here for a couple weeks,” Kita chipped in.
“Do you like it here?” Mara asked, as Kiara, who was sitting next to her, kept nudging and elbowing her. “I kind of think it’s nice – ”
“Mara, do you mind?” Kiara broke in. “I was speaking to you first!”
Attention-seeker much? Kita thought, but kept it to herself as Mara apologized and turned away. Kita looked back at Toki and realized that she’d stopped eating altogether. “You okay?” she asked.
Toki didn’t answer for a moment. She suddenly longed for the ordinary meals she would eat at home, and she even sort of missed her sister’s obnoxious pestering and the humdrum routine of going to school – at least she didn’t have to worry about learning to use a weapon to protect herself from Guards and armies. “I wonder what they’re doing right now… My mom, my dad and my sisters…”
Kita fell silent suddenly and looked away. “Yeah,” she said absently. “My sis’ is probably worried…”
“What is she like?” Toki asked.
“Huh? Oh…” Kita fidgeted a bit. She seemed a little strange – she was suddenly so subdued, like all her usual energy had left her. “Shiori can get on your nerves like any little sister, I guess,” she finally replied, only barely able to keep a thin smile on her face. “She’s a sweetheart, though.”
Toki felt a bit more at ease, talking about home. “I’ve got a little sister and an older sister. The little one’s name is Atsuko, and she’s as annoying as can be; but my older sister, Yumi, is really cool, and I look up to her… She just moved far away. I miss her.”
“Oh, quit whining!” Jun-ai snapped.
“Jun!” Shaoqiang hissed.
Jun-ai paid her cousin no heed. “If you’re in such a rush to go home to your wonderful family, then why don’t you actually learn how to fight, so you won’t hold the rest of us back?”
Toki flinched. I couldn’t do anything during the fight in the gorge… I really am no good at this…
“Why don’t you shut up?” Kita barked.
“You’re all talk and posturing,” Jun-ai spat back, “so don’t try to act like some protector!”
“Hey,” Toki spoke up shakily, “stop it, you guys!”
“Oh, the wimp’s going to pretend she has guts?” Jun-ai mocked her venomously.
“That’s quite e – ”
Before Takeshi could even finish his sentence, Kita had jumped up from her spot on the grass and grabbed Jun-ai’s shirt collar. “Just keep running your mouth, brat, and you’ve got yourself a fight!” she shouted.
“Get your hands off me!” Jun-ai let a fist fly and knocked Kita backward. The others who were sitting around the campfire quickly got up and backed away.
“That’s IT!” Kita retaliated, punch for punch.
“Stop it, both of you!!” Shaoqiang yelled.
Kita and Jun-ai traded blows until Toki ran between them and took a punch from Jun-ai. “Get out of my way, you little fool!” Jun-ai yelled as Toki hit the ground and nursed her swollen cheek. Only a moment later, Yuki ran to her aid.
“How DARE you hurt her!!” Kita pulled out her fan and blew Jun-ai across the grass.
“STOP IT, NOW!!” Takeshi yelled.
Jun-ai had already charged back and knocked Kita into Yuki, who stumbled back too close to the campfire. An ember popped and lit her skirt aflame. She shrieked as Takeshi ran to her and doused the flame. “Look at what you did!!” Takeshi yelled. “Both of you, leave, NOW!”
Jun-ai fiercely stood her ground. “I’ve had it! I’m not taking orders from the spoiled child who’s trapped us all here for his own – !”
“GET LOST!!!” Takeshi exploded, flinging his hand toward the woods.
Toki flinched at his anger. She looked over at the younger girl who’d come to help her. The girl was shaking and lightly brushing her hand over her leg. She’s hurt… She’s burned…
Reka stomped to Jun-ai and reached out to seize her arm, but she batted him away and yelled, “Don’t touch me!” before stalking off by herself.
Kita trudged off after her. “We can’t keep that girl around,” she muttered to Takeshi as she walked past. Casting a regretful look back at Yuki and Toki, she finally went off by herself a few feet away from the campground and laid out her sleeping bag.
Sharon was kneeling next to Toki and Yuki, asking them all kinds of questions – “Are you all right? Can you stand?” – but Toki was only half-listening by the time Sharon and Takeshi were taking the village girl back to Takeshi’s house and Reka was coming to check on her.
“Are you sure you’re all right?” Reka asked Toki.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” Toki mumbled, hiding her face from him.
Kiara and Mara were gathering up the leftover food, and Shaoqiang wandered off after his cousin. “What a mess,” Reka murmured as he surveyed the campground. He went to help the girls pick up everyone’s bowls and spoons.
Toki got to her feet and dragged herself away, head hung. She finally stopped in the castle courtyard where she’d stayed the first night. She dropped into the grass by the stream and stared at the water flowing past and glimmering in the early evening sunlight. No matter where I go, it’s the same… She dipped her hand into the cool water and brushed some onto her bruised face.
“That’s where you went.”
Reka’s voice startled Toki, and she twisted around to look up at him.
“…Sorry,” Reka apologized. “I didn’t mean to scare you.” He settled cautiously by her side. The surprise left her face, and she turned away again to bury her head in her arms and curl up in a ball. “What’s wrong?”
Toki gripped her knees. “I messed up.”
“You didn’t do anything wrong.”
“I couldn’t do anything right, either,” Toki vented bitterly. “I just got in the way, like I always do! And because I stuck my neck into it, somebody got hurt!”
“That wasn’t your fault.”
“What do you know?!”
“I know that you had the guts to stand between those two. That’s got to count for something.”
“Guts don’t count for anything when you’re a failure like me!”
“Failure?” Reka spat in disbelief.
“Everyone back home knows how hopeless I am! I can’t play sports, my grades suck, and I try to be a good writer, but I’m not even good at that! What use does anyone have for a failure like me?!”
Reka frowned. “Don’t put yourself down like that. What counts is that you try your best.”
Toki thought of Yumi’s words to her what seemed like so long ago. But what if my best isn’t good enough? Despite the doubts and uncertainties that clawed at the back of her mind, she felt relief wash over her at hearing those words again – a warm reassurance that made all the voices of her taunting schoolmates and stern teachers melt away.
“That’s something my friend used to tell me,” Reka added.
“That person sounds like an amazing friend. What is he like?” Toki noticed then that he was gripping at the bandanna around his neck.
“Hisao was poor. It was obvious that his family was having a hard time, but he never let that get him down. I admired him for always giving his best, no matter what came his way.” The more he said, the more his grip on his bandana tightened.
“Did something…happen to him?” Silence replaced their voices for a long, tense moment.
“He’s dead,” Reka finally replied. His voice came out hoarse though he tried to keep his tone even. “He was just a kid, and someone…” He had to stop himself to keep the memory from rushing back.
Toki helplessly fumbled for the right words to say to make him feel better, but in the end, all that came out was a murmured “I’m sorry.”
Reka released his hold on the bandanna and took a deep breath to recollect himself. “No, let me apologize. I didn’t mean to unload a sob story on you.” He stood up from his spot in the grass. “Anyway, it’s getting late. We should head back.”
Toki flinched a bit at the thought. “Yeah… I guess you’re right,” she said uneasily – though, in truth, as she remembered the tense atmosphere back at the camp, she didn’t want to go back yet. Even so, she got to her feet. Reka turned to start back but waited for her to follow. As they got on their way, Toki’s mind drifted back to what Reka had told her about his friend. He’s younger than me…right? She found herself measuring him and looking at his smaller hands. And yet he already has something like that weighing on his mind… She summoned up some courage to break the silence that had since set in. “Reka?”
“Hm?”
“Thank you. What you said about trying your best – it made me feel a lot better.”
Reka paused and flashed a brief smile her way.
They walked the rest of the way in silence. But when they reached their campsite, the tents were in shambles, and the gathered dishes were strewn, broken, across the ground. The camp was deserted, save for them. “Wha – What happened here…?” Toki stammered.
She received no reply. Reka was instead staring dead ahead at two teen-aged boys that were approaching them from the other end of the campsite. The two were dressed in red uniforms, like Reka and the Guards they’d fought back in the gorge. Toki watched Reka bristle as one voice called out, “So, you’ve finally shown your face.”
