Meteor Arts Saga

Chapter 8

Sometime in the afternoon, two teenage girls in school uniforms just entered the house and said 'We're home' aloud. The samurai turned heard them. They were met by Shintaro's young sisters. The eighteen year old sister Kaoruko studied in senior high and had a side ponytail, and his younger sister Tamami, sixteen years old, studied in junior high and has short hair with slopes at each sides. They were surprised to see their brother today and asked him his reason of his return. Shintaro explained he had to, informing their father and grandmother to evacuate to Kyoto before the Hagetaka arrive. Then they greeted their grandmother and Naotaka, and finally saw Koki, whom they never met before. Thus Koki and the two sisters greeted each other.

"So, Mr. Otomari, I get the feeling you, my brother and Naotaka aren't just here to tell my father and grandmother to go to Kyoto," said Kaoruko.

"That's right," said Koki. "The renmei assigned us three to gather more Meteor Artists on the way here, to Hiroshima to Fukuoka to Kochi, and bring them over."

"That's quite of a journey. The good thing is we have railways. With that, you can even go to places that are far way from here in shorter amounts of time, like travelling from Okayama to Tokyo takes about four hours on train. Sure, four hours sounds like a long time but it's no longer than walking all the way from here to Hiroshima, which takes about two days."

Suddenly, there was a knock at the back door. Everyone reacted and become suspicious. What kind of normal person would go at the back door and knock?

"Stay right here, everyone," said Shintaro as he got up. He grabbed a long stick nearby and walked to the back door. After a short moment of suspicion, he slide the door wide open and spun back. "It's okay, folks! He's friendly."

Kaoruko leaned her head out to get the better view. There was indeed someone at the backyard, masked in dark clothing. "Is that a ninja?"

"And right at our backyard, too," amazed Tamami.

"He is one of our guys from the Renmei," said Naotaka. "He and the other ninja are looking out for us in case of danger while we're on course."

"So, what is the news?" Shintaro asked the ninja.

"Our scouts at the outskirts discovered there are three or four Hagetaka carriers are making their way here very soon as we speak. We ask the Meteor Artists here to depart for Kyoto immediately!"

Sweat broke out from the samurai's heads. They did not expect them to arrive any earlier.

"Mom, do you know when Dad is coming home!?" Shintaro asked hastily.

"He said he will be home in the evening," his mother answered.

"What!? The Hagetaka will be here by then!"

Mrs. Takamiya started to panic. "Well, I'm sorry, but what can I do about it? Do you know another way?"

Shintaro returned to the ninja. "Do you think you can take my grandmother with you? Your other pals can wait for my father!"

"If that is her wish, Master Takamiya," answered the ninja.

"Grandma, it would be safe if you go right now," urged Shintaro.

"I'm sorry, Shintaro, but I can't," his grandmother expressed. "I can't leave the city without your father. I'd be worried sick if I leave him all on his own."

"It'll be dangerous for you to stay here by the time the Hagetaka comes! You may not survive this!"

"I'm sorry, but I won't go without him and that's final!"

Shintaro groaned in frustration. "Fine, I'll give Dad a call." He phoned his father, but no answer. He called him again twice more, and still nothing.

"Your father's probably occupied with work, Shintaro," his mother guessed. "Maybe you should wait a little later."