Now, I have learned to live with Toshi, even though every time I’m around him I want to rip his pointed little ears out of his skull. But now there is going to be two of them. And not two of them like Toshi, but one with a long history and a past in training fucking ninjas. Seriously? We want a guy on our team that trained ninjas. I didn’t even want to hear him out.
“I just want to say,” I speak out loud, turning around. “I want to go on record and say that I think it is a terrible idea to bring another cat into this group.”
“Okay, here we go,” Toshi says rolling his eyes.
“You betrayed us. You almost got us all killed. You came back, but you fight everything, and now you want us to trust another one?” I scoff and shake my head. “I mean come the fuck on.”
“Let me ask you, Sebastian,” Toshi says in a childish tone. “What have you done lately? Hmmm? Sit on a hill and watch Clarissa all day. Meanwhile, I am out on the streets putting my ass on the line to bring back the break we have been looking for. You brought an opossum.”
“Hey,” Penny says pouting.
“Sorry,” Toshi says putting out his hand. “No offense.”
“None taken,” she says, nodding her head firmly.
“Look, Sebastian,” Clarissa replies, walking toward me. “I know this is hard for you, but don’t you think we should hear him out at least?”
“Fine,” I reply. “By all means hear out Mr. Miyagi.”
“Hey, calm your racism bro,” Toshi says. “Besides, Pat Morita is way better in Happy Days. He was way underrated in that film.”
“Whatever, get on with it.” I throw my hands up in the air and walk over to sit down on the floor with everyone else.
I look over at Theo who is desperately trying to get comfortable on the floor, his massive muscles making it hard for him to cross his legs. We are quite the crew, the giant Bear, the idiot Opossum, the old ass Cat, and the asinine traitor. It is like a
comedy sho
w that I can’t seem to get away from. All of it is for Clarissa though, and I can’t ever walk away from that again. I have already done enough damage in her life, and if I have to stand by and watch her put her life on the line for revenge, then I guess I have no choice in the matter.
“A long time ago, a legion of ninja warriors was created in the shadows of the Tsubakuro Mountains near the Nagano Prefecture,”
Hiro explains. “At the time, there was an uprising in the Primal, a fear that they would overthrow the Japanese Emperor. Now, back then the Primal had been regarded as creatures of the gods, respected, given a seat at the table. However, after they were overthrown, they were cast out, left to fend for themselves, and many perished. The Council, meeting in secret, created the legion, the Elite Force of ninja warriors that were tasked with taking down those that had put us out in the cold. Through time there were many teachers, but I was the last employed by the Council.”
“So, the Council knows about them?” Clarissa asks confused.
“No,” Hiro replies. “They were disbanded, taken care of, but there were a couple who managed to get away. They started a new Elite Force, and they had me train them. Back then it sounded like a good idea. They were marketing themselves as warriors of the shadows. Those who could protect the Primal that could not protect themselves.”
“Like vigilantes,” Theo adds.
“Yes, of sorts,” he replies.
“So how did they go from that to Primal Ninja’s that kill humans?” Clarissa asks. “They killed my husband on our wedding night. They ravaged his body and left it there with that calling card.”
She points to the wall behind her, a pleading in her voice. I can tell she is trying to understand, to grasp at anything that would make this tragedy intelligible. There is nothing, though. I know that already, and it kills me to see her like that.
“I’m not sure when the exact moment was that they switched,” Hiro says. “But the ninjas I trained were not the ninjas that would do that to your husband. Someone has taken over, and they have taken this group down a dark path, one which I do not agree. They have affected many, like Penny’s husband, who was recruited and brainwashed by what is now a cult, not a righteous group of warriors.”
I look over at Penny who sits in silence, tears in her eyes. I had no idea that her past included something so hurtful, so sad.
I almost feel bad for being such a dick, but then again, she scratched the hell out of me. It looks like everyone in the room
has been through something here or there. We all have our demons, our reasons for fighting, for wanting to see retribution, and for protecting Clarissa. It is hard to come to terms with the fact that Hiro might be a reliable source, but from the information he is providing us, I have to submit to his possible authenticity.
“So how do we find these warriors?” Clarissa asks. “We ultimately need to find the leader.”
“The leader is hard to say,” Hiro says. “He could be anywhere in the world. However, I have heard rumor of a place, an old training facility they may have revamped. It may be a miss, but it could also give you clues to where they might be. It is in South America, deep in the Amazon.”
“The Amazon,” Clarissa whispers to herself, catching my ear.