Post by Kalidah on Aug 9, 2024 15:35:11 GMT
(Follow up to "Kurisutofā Akihiko": prowres.boards.net/thread/706/kurisutof-akihiko)
"Kurisutofā Akihiko" climbed aboard the bus to the applause of the other passengers. He lowered his head and blushed a little, taking a seat next to his sister, Sunfire. He grunted as she elbowed him in the side and glared at her.
"What was that for?"
"For overplaying that shit by half, bro. That was some terrible anime shit you pulled out there with all the shouting."
"Good, let them focus on his performance."
Both turned to Charlotte Buchanan, who was sitting a few rows behind them, cradling her youngest child's head in her lap. She smiled at "Kurisutofā" and winked.
"Well done, darling, those reporters were absolutely captivated by your over the top performance."
The young man blushed and bowed his head out of respect and muttered his gratitude at the woman’s praise. Sunfire elbowed him in the side again and the two began squabbling, oblivious to everyone else around them.
Charlotte sighed and shook her head. She gently stroked her daughter’s hair and closed her eyes.
“I just hope that little distraction will pay off for us.”
***
In the back of the bus, Tiger Mask Red sat alone. So lost in thought was he that he didn’t hear the squabbling up front. He was tired from their long flight, and feeling on edge.Reaching up he slowly undid the strings on his mask and pulled it off, revealing his damaged eyes were covered in bandages. He laid his mask down beside him and rested his head back against the seat.
In his opinion, what he and his family had just pulled off had to be considered a miracle. By the way he heard his star pupil speaking to the reporters out there, no one had suspected he was still blind.That brought him a great deal of pride as an amateur magician. Half the art of a trick was distraction and misdirection. Onlookers were so focused on how TMR and his crew looked in their masks and outfits that they didn’t pick up on the subtle cues the adults around him were giving, and Kurisutofā’s loud performance amongst the reporters, as well as the strategic order in which they all got on the bus, prevented anyone from noticing how much help he needed to get in. Everything had gone off without a hitch.
“Hello, boy.”
Tiger Mask Red would have jumped, if he wasn’t so tired. He didn’t bother to even lift his head.
“Konnichiwa, meiyo aru sensei.”
He heard a voice chuckle and felt the seat beside him sink as someone sat down on his right.
“Bah! Your Japanese has grown terrible! Speak English, boy. I cannot stand hearing you butcher my native tongue.”
“Sorry, sensei. It is good to hear your voice again.”
Another snort.
“I wish I could say the same about you. You look absolutely horrible. If my grandsons weren’t on board I would curse you out for your foolishness.”
It was TMR’s turn to snort. He turned his blinded face towards the old one sitting next to him.
“That never stopped you before, sensei.”
“Yes, but your wife wasn’t here before. I almost fear that one.”
“Curse in front of our children and she will give you a reason to actually fear her.”
Snort.
“Quite so, boy. You did well marrying that one.”
“So she tells me multiple times a day, sensei.”
The old one’s hand clapped him on the shoulder and he felt his weight shift in the seat.
“Enough pleasantries. You didn’t come all the way from that pisshole of a country to hear me speak such dribble. Let me see how bad things really are.”
Tiger Mask Red held his head up so the old one could remove his bandages. He heard his teacher mutter a curse under his breath and growl.
“I will not mince words, boy. Your eyes will not recover from what that dog did to you, but you knew that already. Otherwise why would you have come begging me for help?”
“I could have gone to Riku Saito and paid the price he asked.”
“What? GRIM?! You would be wise never to bring that man’s name up again in my presence after what he’s done. I am almost willing to test your wife’s wrath just so I can curse him and all his family. You will not seek out that pig. Did I say I was not going to help you? Stupid boy!”
TMR couldn’t help but smile. He nodded his head.
“Thank you, sensei.”
Snort.
“Save your thanks for when I am done, and for the sake of your children, try not to scream.”
***
A cry of pain awoke stirred Charlotte from her rest. She sat up and looked around. No one else around her seemed to notice the sound; the children were all still asleep and at the front of the bus, Sunfire, “Kurisutofā” and the third member of their trio were whispering among themselves. Charlotte turned towards the back of the bus and her heart started to beat a little faster. She began to gently move her daughter’s head off her lap to rise, but stopped at the sound of shuffling feet.
All those awake turned to watch the cloaked figure move towards the front of the bus. At the front of the bus, someone tried to stand up but Charlotte heard Sunfire curse at them in Spanish to sit back down. No one else dared to move from their seats but watched the man cautiously as he moved forward. Charlotte nearly jumped to her feet herself when she saw him stop at the seat where her step-son, Haruto, dozed. The cloaked man chuckled to himself but made no effort to touch the child.
“You need not worry, wife of the beast. I have enough respect for you not to test your wrath, but you will not deny a grandfather his right to spoil the boy.”
“Certainly not, elder.”
The words nearly stuck in Charlotte’s throat as she watched him reach into his cloak and pull out a box. He laid it beside Haruto and chuckled softly to himself.
“I hear he likes anime. It is good, you western programs are nothing but mind rot in my opinion.”
“That goes for a lot of what’s on television these days,” Charlotte quipped.
This made the man laugh. He bowed to the sleeping boy before turning and walking up the aisle. He stopped beside Charlotte and bowed to her as well.
“It is done. Your husband is stronger than I remember. Do not tell him I said so, his ego is big enough as is.”
“Then I’ll make sure to tell him that every chance I get, elder,” Charlotte said, managing to smirk.
This made the man laugh and he finally pulled back his hood, revealing a gnarled face.
“You are full of fire. No wonder my student’s heart burns so hot. Go to him, it is done.”
“Thank you, elder.”
Charlotte bowed to the man. He returned the gesture before heading up the aisle. He stopped beside Kurisutofā and handed him a gift as well.
“You I do not understand yet, but you are my grandson as well. Take this. Come find me when the time is right.”
Kurisutofā only stared at him with wide eyed surprise. He accepted the gift and bowed in his seat and muttered something Charlotte didn’t catch. The old man laughed loudly and patted him on the head.
Charlotte missed the rest of the interaction, as she quietly rose and headed to the back. The bus halted and she heard the old man grunt as he stepped into the night. None of this mattered to Charlotte though as she finally reached her husband, bent forward in his seat, clutching his face.
“Tiger?”
Charlotte gently grabbed her husband’s hands and pulled them away from his eyes. He lifted his head to look at her and she nearly fell back on her bottom. She looked towards the front of the bus and called out.
“Someone bring us a towel. He’s bleeding.”
Charlotte tried to pull herself up, but Tiger Mask Red reached out a bloodied hand and gently grabbed her by the wrist.
“Tell me the truth, Charlie. Does it look bad?”
Charlotte looked into her husband’s eyes. After a moment she began to smile.
“No, Tiger. It’s the loveliest thing I’ve seen in quite some time…”
"Kurisutofā Akihiko" climbed aboard the bus to the applause of the other passengers. He lowered his head and blushed a little, taking a seat next to his sister, Sunfire. He grunted as she elbowed him in the side and glared at her.
"What was that for?"
"For overplaying that shit by half, bro. That was some terrible anime shit you pulled out there with all the shouting."
"Good, let them focus on his performance."
Both turned to Charlotte Buchanan, who was sitting a few rows behind them, cradling her youngest child's head in her lap. She smiled at "Kurisutofā" and winked.
"Well done, darling, those reporters were absolutely captivated by your over the top performance."
The young man blushed and bowed his head out of respect and muttered his gratitude at the woman’s praise. Sunfire elbowed him in the side again and the two began squabbling, oblivious to everyone else around them.
Charlotte sighed and shook her head. She gently stroked her daughter’s hair and closed her eyes.
“I just hope that little distraction will pay off for us.”
***
In the back of the bus, Tiger Mask Red sat alone. So lost in thought was he that he didn’t hear the squabbling up front. He was tired from their long flight, and feeling on edge.Reaching up he slowly undid the strings on his mask and pulled it off, revealing his damaged eyes were covered in bandages. He laid his mask down beside him and rested his head back against the seat.
In his opinion, what he and his family had just pulled off had to be considered a miracle. By the way he heard his star pupil speaking to the reporters out there, no one had suspected he was still blind.That brought him a great deal of pride as an amateur magician. Half the art of a trick was distraction and misdirection. Onlookers were so focused on how TMR and his crew looked in their masks and outfits that they didn’t pick up on the subtle cues the adults around him were giving, and Kurisutofā’s loud performance amongst the reporters, as well as the strategic order in which they all got on the bus, prevented anyone from noticing how much help he needed to get in. Everything had gone off without a hitch.
“Hello, boy.”
Tiger Mask Red would have jumped, if he wasn’t so tired. He didn’t bother to even lift his head.
“Konnichiwa, meiyo aru sensei.”
He heard a voice chuckle and felt the seat beside him sink as someone sat down on his right.
“Bah! Your Japanese has grown terrible! Speak English, boy. I cannot stand hearing you butcher my native tongue.”
“Sorry, sensei. It is good to hear your voice again.”
Another snort.
“I wish I could say the same about you. You look absolutely horrible. If my grandsons weren’t on board I would curse you out for your foolishness.”
It was TMR’s turn to snort. He turned his blinded face towards the old one sitting next to him.
“That never stopped you before, sensei.”
“Yes, but your wife wasn’t here before. I almost fear that one.”
“Curse in front of our children and she will give you a reason to actually fear her.”
Snort.
“Quite so, boy. You did well marrying that one.”
“So she tells me multiple times a day, sensei.”
The old one’s hand clapped him on the shoulder and he felt his weight shift in the seat.
“Enough pleasantries. You didn’t come all the way from that pisshole of a country to hear me speak such dribble. Let me see how bad things really are.”
Tiger Mask Red held his head up so the old one could remove his bandages. He heard his teacher mutter a curse under his breath and growl.
“I will not mince words, boy. Your eyes will not recover from what that dog did to you, but you knew that already. Otherwise why would you have come begging me for help?”
“I could have gone to Riku Saito and paid the price he asked.”
“What? GRIM?! You would be wise never to bring that man’s name up again in my presence after what he’s done. I am almost willing to test your wife’s wrath just so I can curse him and all his family. You will not seek out that pig. Did I say I was not going to help you? Stupid boy!”
TMR couldn’t help but smile. He nodded his head.
“Thank you, sensei.”
Snort.
“Save your thanks for when I am done, and for the sake of your children, try not to scream.”
***
A cry of pain awoke stirred Charlotte from her rest. She sat up and looked around. No one else around her seemed to notice the sound; the children were all still asleep and at the front of the bus, Sunfire, “Kurisutofā” and the third member of their trio were whispering among themselves. Charlotte turned towards the back of the bus and her heart started to beat a little faster. She began to gently move her daughter’s head off her lap to rise, but stopped at the sound of shuffling feet.
All those awake turned to watch the cloaked figure move towards the front of the bus. At the front of the bus, someone tried to stand up but Charlotte heard Sunfire curse at them in Spanish to sit back down. No one else dared to move from their seats but watched the man cautiously as he moved forward. Charlotte nearly jumped to her feet herself when she saw him stop at the seat where her step-son, Haruto, dozed. The cloaked man chuckled to himself but made no effort to touch the child.
“You need not worry, wife of the beast. I have enough respect for you not to test your wrath, but you will not deny a grandfather his right to spoil the boy.”
“Certainly not, elder.”
The words nearly stuck in Charlotte’s throat as she watched him reach into his cloak and pull out a box. He laid it beside Haruto and chuckled softly to himself.
“I hear he likes anime. It is good, you western programs are nothing but mind rot in my opinion.”
“That goes for a lot of what’s on television these days,” Charlotte quipped.
This made the man laugh. He bowed to the sleeping boy before turning and walking up the aisle. He stopped beside Charlotte and bowed to her as well.
“It is done. Your husband is stronger than I remember. Do not tell him I said so, his ego is big enough as is.”
“Then I’ll make sure to tell him that every chance I get, elder,” Charlotte said, managing to smirk.
This made the man laugh and he finally pulled back his hood, revealing a gnarled face.
“You are full of fire. No wonder my student’s heart burns so hot. Go to him, it is done.”
“Thank you, elder.”
Charlotte bowed to the man. He returned the gesture before heading up the aisle. He stopped beside Kurisutofā and handed him a gift as well.
“You I do not understand yet, but you are my grandson as well. Take this. Come find me when the time is right.”
Kurisutofā only stared at him with wide eyed surprise. He accepted the gift and bowed in his seat and muttered something Charlotte didn’t catch. The old man laughed loudly and patted him on the head.
Charlotte missed the rest of the interaction, as she quietly rose and headed to the back. The bus halted and she heard the old man grunt as he stepped into the night. None of this mattered to Charlotte though as she finally reached her husband, bent forward in his seat, clutching his face.
“Tiger?”
Charlotte gently grabbed her husband’s hands and pulled them away from his eyes. He lifted his head to look at her and she nearly fell back on her bottom. She looked towards the front of the bus and called out.
“Someone bring us a towel. He’s bleeding.”
Charlotte tried to pull herself up, but Tiger Mask Red reached out a bloodied hand and gently grabbed her by the wrist.
“Tell me the truth, Charlie. Does it look bad?”
Charlotte looked into her husband’s eyes. After a moment she began to smile.
“No, Tiger. It’s the loveliest thing I’ve seen in quite some time…”