TTO Episode 1.3

1.3         

The goon went down clutching his crotch while his other compatriots all reached for their swords. It was then when I stepped back and took my fighting stance with my left leg swinging back in an arc to bend behind to add strength if I was move forward. The frame of body had turned to the left with right arm raised out to shoulder level. My right fingers clenched out pointed to the open palm. My left arm had pulled back then at the elbow close to my waist with the same fingers stance.

It was one of the five Harashi fighting opening stance.

“I will not tempt fate, guys.” It was Daniel with his bald head glistening as if it was polished hard. He was dressed in a similar suit like mine. He had also backed me up with the waist leveled seven barrel rotary mini gun that fires off seven rounds in one parsec. The gun was fed by the ammo belt lined from the rear pack.

“This is a military grade model. Last I saw its impact, there was not much to pickle at.” Daniel does at times speak too much but his threats were really scary.

That did not stop the Hanuman guards from having their swords leveled at me. They have their sword raised over their shoulder in a move to perform a down swipe slash. Heck, I had better pricks lined up before. My mind reached for left greave and it activated the built-in remote that activated the three slim curved inwards foot long energy blade above my wrist. It was fashioned like the claws of the Ussuri brown bear.

“Teishi!” The voice commanded the guards to stand down. I knew that voice for I had taken the same move. I retracted my energy blades then. I looked behind the guards and saw the commanding figure that was approaching then. It was Kuzuka.

“Edo, we meet once again.” Mitoushi Kuzuka; the First Shugo or Governor in the Gaijin term. There are five Shugo in the Mitoushi House but the most powerful was the First. He was the next in line to be the Daimyo. I knew Suzuka when he was younger. We once dated but it did not work out. There was a rule that the Harashi could not interact with the five Houses on an intimate level. I was the rebel.

“Hello, Kuzuka.” I smiled at the dashing young man. He stood below me at eye level but we matched in beauty on the physique. He was a fine specimen while the social networks loved to feature him as infallible Adonis. His hair was tied up in the top knot style of the ancient looks and so was his attire of the hakama; the white shirt design and the flaring ankle length peach blossom shade skirt. He had donned the sleeveless crimson thick jacket over his shirt with the padded shoulders. His feet were covered by the wooden sandals favored for indoor.

“We will speak inside.” Kuzuka replied. He looked at Daniel and then back to me. “He cannot step into the Tower. It’s forbidden.”

There was a rule among the Houses that no constructs may be employed or allowed inside their homes or offices. That was a rule set by the Houses when the Daimyo of the Hasada House were killed by the constructs that was to protect him but was reprogrammed. The Daimyo’s then of the four Houses took a vow to banish all the constructs from their employ. “There is no true loyalty then that of our retainers. We swore that only the true flesh and blood shall swear to us.” Those were the words of Mitoushi Sasada.

I followed Kuzuka inside and was led to the chamber there at the ground level. It was a white chamber without any design or seating. I stepped in with Kuzuka. He motioned with his hands and the chamber was turned into a beautiful creek where we had the real first and last date.

“You dislike the boots.” Kuzuka read my mind. I disliked them for it made me looked like a scrawny court jester with shapely legs. The former spoiled the beauty of the later. It was sentimental of him to bring back the memories, but I was on a M5 case then.

“Thank you for reminding me. Now that we cleared of the awkward scene, can we talk on the M5 call I have?” I grimed my facial expression. It also spoiled his mood for the creek then became a rectangle table with a single chair for his seat.

“I guess chivalry is not in the agenda. I will stand.” I snapped back. “After all I looked pretty with my long legs.”

Kuzuka smiled while he leaned back on his seat. He was a SOB at time. I guessed it came with the stock and the pens that have mould the identity. Then I knew why we never went beyond the first date.

“We had a small fire incident, and one of our guest was..” Kuzuka smiled. “Perished when he tried to escape the fire. We regretted that the incident was made known to the public but we at Mitoushi House valued our privacy.”

The snooty bastard was trying to tell me to back off but I have my obligations.

“We still need to know more on the fire. There have been some incidents of late between the five Houses, and this incident ranked in line with the others.” I smiled back. “We are obliged to investigate.”

“A simple fire does not have any conspiracy involved.” Kuzuka replied. “Those other incidents you mentioned are regrettably unrelated at all. It’s only the vivid imagination of the social networks that ignited the link.”

I forgot to declare that Kuzuka did studied legal courses during his academic pursuit. He was the academy top orator and excelled himself in many social events.

“Nevertheless, I need to investigate. I am sure you will not stand in the way of the D9 Enforcers.”

“Harashi Kumiko, your family is no more one of the noble Houses’. When both sides of the Order have ceased their hostility, your House became extinct. Today you served the Dark Order as an Enforcer…”

“I am a D9 Enforcer.” I snapped back.

“Nevertheless still a lackey for the Dark Order, or in your belief for the Federation of Planets. We of the Mitoushi House hold no respect for the Federation of Planet or of the Order. We are the Noble Houses of the Sun.” Kuzuka cut it in deep. “The other noble Houses are all the same.”

“There is no others in the Federation of Planets and the Dark Order said by you have died fifty years ago when its hundred years of reign ended.” I corrected him. “The Moncrats does not rule as the President now. They have been replaced by the …”

“The Teknocrats, I know.” Kuzuka interrupted me. “Another set of lackeys for the real power. Grand Order Illium had retired.”

“A delusion on the part of the Dark Order well played to the Federation. Grand Order Illium remains on the seat of power although not in the physical sense but his mind is encased in the Grand Hybrid Form while his apprentice remains as loyal to the Master.

It was rumored that the Grand Order had moved his mind to that of the machinery known as the Grand Hybrid; a large slab of circuitry linked to a series of data processors. The Grand Hybrid was then linked to almost all the electronic systems which constantly feedback data to the main processor for assimilation and analysis. The Grand Hybrid was stored in the First Temple of the Dark on Montrie V. It was heavily guarded and the only one with access to it was Darth Natria.

“A self denial by you. Grand Order Illium had died eight hundred years ago, and Darth Natria was not seen for over five hundred years. Both the Light and Dark Order had ceased to exist.” I was getting upset at the unfounded remarks made by Kuzuka. “The Federation of Planets is now ruled by the Council of Nine.”

I was to continue on but Kuzuka had then did the bow before me which was his way of saying we are not to continue.  

“Our discussion ends now.” Kuzuka voiced out. “I shall have your section named for the attack on my staff.”

It was then Daniel called me on the communicator. It was a silent unit that was affixed on the rear of my left earlobe.

“Edo, we got a R3 situation at the Victory Avenue.”