Heroes and Villains

16 - Pressure

Ricardo

This is exhausting. Jack better pull himself together soon. I can’t keep up with all this work for long. I growl and lean back on my chair, nearly pulling my hairs out.

It’s been too much lately. I know Father Itsuki’s plan is in motion and he has already told Cain to proceed with his part, but I am starting to wonder if I am going to make through.

All this work along with raising Hikari has been driving me nuts. Dealing with my rampant brothers has not been easy either.

I sigh as I remember my brother Daniel’s face when he first saw Lady Yumi. I would recognize that look anywhere. He was love struck, which is something I never really thought would happen to someone like him, him being so smart and all.

Little Daniel is falling in love with Lady Yumi. Who knew. Maybe there is still hope for us, in the end.

I frown as I sit back up, terrible thoughts tormenting me. I have not told them… I have not told them what Father Itsuki told me just before Mara’s accident.

What he will have to do if his plan fails…

No, I will not let it get to that. For Hikari’s sake, I must push through. A knock at the door surprises me as I am not expecting anyone.

Thinking it might be one of my brothers, I let them in.

As soon as the door opens, I immediately regret my decision and wish I had locked the door instead. I should have known they would come along with Lady Yuna. They are her personal bodyguards after all.

Honestly, I’m surprised they didn’t show up earlier. They are Mara’s parents: Kaede and Daisuke Yoshiro. Also, they are Father Itsuki’s cousins.

“Ricardo” Daisuke says, bowing respectfully as he and his wife enter my office. Kaede doesn’t show me the same respect.

“Where is Hikari?” She promptly asks me.

They know about their granddaughter, I couldn’t keep that fact from them. But they have not tried to take her away from me… Until now, that is.

Needless to say, they never approved of Mara and me being in a relationship, but Mara was so stubborn she never let them control her life. Wanting to be respectful, I bow my head at them as I stand up from my chair.

“She is at school now” I say.

“We wish to see her” Daisuke says.

“You will have to wait for her to return, then” I tell them, trying to be as polite as possible.

“We are taking her back to Japan, where she belongs” Kaede says, not even bothering to sugar the pill.

I clench my fists, but still try to be cordial.

“Hikari’s place is with me, her father” I adamantly say.

“Has she even started her training?” Kaede states. “How can you call yourself a Yoshiro if you do not even train your own daughter?”

Starting to lose my patience, I take a few steps towards them still trying to keep my cool.

“I will train her to be a ninja when I see fit” I tell them, being a little disrespectful. “I would like you to leave now. I don’t see why we should continue this conversation”

“Listen here” Kaede says about to attack me, but her husband stops her, being wiser than she will ever be.

Daisuke gives his wife a look and Kaede seems to calm down.

“We will be leaving for now, but rest assured” She says with a threatening voice. “We will return for our granddaughter”

They leave without another word, Daisuke still taking his time to bow to me before walking out and closing the door.

I sink on my chair, feeling as if all of my lives’ energy has been sucked out of me. This is the last thing I needed right now. They can’t take my daughter away from me. I will kill them before they succeed.

Murderous thoughts course through my mind and without even realizing, I lift from my chair and run towards the elevator, quickly pressing the code that will lead me to the lower floor where Daniel’s lab is stationed.

I need to see her. I need to talk to her even if she can’t talk back to me.

As soon as I get to the lab, I feel the familiar sting indicating that I need to take another dose of the serum. Reaching out to my pocket, I take out the vial with the syringe shot I have been taking for so many years.

However, for the first time since I started taking the serum, I hesitate.

The only thing Mara doesn’t know about me is how I look like as a mutant. She did find out who I really am just before the accident. That was what set her on her path to destruction…

I never forgave myself for that and I always thought that if I never have to face my mutant self, then I won’t have to deal with that pain. The pain of being a freak.

I squeeze the serum vial in my hand as I stand in the middle of Daniel’s lab. I can’t do this anymore. I have to face myself the way I really am. No more hiding.

I have to do this for Hikari. I won’t let anyone take my daughter away from me. I have to do this for Mara…

My feet take me to the room where she is being held. Stuck in a glass chamber; the only thing keeping her alive being the nanites coursing through her blood.

I look at her peaceful pale face, remembering all the times I grew further in love with her.

Before Mara’s parents became Lady Yuna’s personal bodyguards, they used to live here with Mara. That’s how we met. When I got adopted by Father Itsuki, she was assigned to us to teach us the ninja ways. It didn’t matter that she was our age. Being born as a Yoshiro, she knew way more about ninjitsu than we ever did at that young age.

Of course, the training was always supervised by Father Itsuki and Mara’s parents. I will never forget how majestic she looked whenever she would perfectly demonstrate a specific skill before we got to attempt it.

I am aware I and my brothers were never considered true Yoshiros as we were adopted, but the harsh training was not excluded from our childhood. Mara was the one who pushed us through it all.

I remember there was a point where all of us had a major crush on her, but I was the one she chose. I was the one she came to fall in love with. If only it hadn’t ended so tragically…

I place a hand on the glass keeping her captive in her near death.

“Remember when Mon tried to prank you with a water bucket?” I say, desperately wanting her to listen to me. “You kicked that bucket so far down his head, he still says he is bruised there”

I chuckle at the memory.

“Hikari is a lot like you” I continue. “She has the same spirit. Mon and Cain don’t help. They are always encouraging her to defy me. I bet if you were here, you would know just how to deal with her”

I allow my head to rest against the glass and close my eyes to avoid the tears from falling.

“I wish you were here, Mara” I whisper.

Then, the pain finally takes over me and I am forced to crouch on the ground as my body changes for the first time in many years.

The transformation has me lose my senses and when I wake up, I am no longer alone. His blue eyes survey me as I am still drowsy from becoming a mutant again.

“Hey, bro” He says, smiling at me. “Been a while since I’ve seen those ears”

To make a point, he touches one of my white fox ears and I grab his wrist before he can touch any further.

“What are you doing here, Jack?” I ask him.

“I was wondering why you weren’t there when Hikari came back from school, but then I saw those two and figured you should be here” He tells me, referring to Kaede and Daisuke.

He never liked them. They always pushed him too hard. Well, they pushed all of us. I slowly get up, still slightly dizzy and my brother holds my arm to help steady me.

“What’s with the change, Ricky?” He asks me, using the name I don’t like being called. “You haven’t changed in, like, forever”

“I…” I mumble, getting a headache. “How is your hangover?”

He knows I am changing the subject but knows better than to press me any further.

“Much better now that Danny has given me his super-secret hangover recipe” He says with a wide smile. He has this bad habit of hiding his problems behind a fake smile.

“It’s just tea…” I tell him.

“Well, it works” He says. “Want me to get you some?”

“I don’t think your hangover recipe is going to help with this…” I mumble, the headache getting worse.

“How about a training round?” He suggests. “I bet I can beat you now”

“You never beat me, bro, and you know it” I say, managing to smile.

“Only one way to find out, Ricky” He says, slightly tagging my shoulder. “I bet I can touch your furry little tail before you can do anything about it”

“I don’t think so” I say. “And don’t call me Ricky”

He smiles, knowing he has managed to do what he wanted: Lift my spirit. I smile and shake my head as I look at my hands, the claws becoming apparent.

“I suppose training would do me some good” I say. “Ready to get your butt kicked?”

“No way, bro!” He says. “I’ll kick YOUR butt!”

I chuckle as I allow him to help me walk towards the elevator.

“Thanks, little brother” I tell him, smiling.

“Don’t mention it, Ric”