The Dream Shifter

Chapter 137

A standoff began to form across the grass street. Most of everyone's legs were covered up in the sea of tall grass that billowed in the gusts that accented the developing scene. Clouds slowly moved into the sky dulling the sun's view down below. Shade thickened the mood between Katsu and Haruo's stare down.

Yuki barely heard what Haruo had said a moment before. He looked over the grass locking eyes with the adult of the group. "So his name's Katsu, Haruo?"

Haruo gave a firm nod to Yuki. "Yes." He turned his body to confront the new threat that was being presented.

"The one from your story you were telling me?"

"The same."

"So it's a reunion, huh?" Yuki smirked as he rubbed his hands together looking eager. There was no doubt in his mind that they were looking for a fight. He was already getting himself prepared for whatever they might have to throw at him.

A glancing eye over to Yuki had given Haruo all the clarification he needed. 'He's planning on fighting. It's not going to solve anything. They're here for revenge because they got beat. They aren't afraid.' Haruo stepped out in front of Yuki giving Katsu an intense stare to try to draw them to himself.

Yuki leaned around Haruo becoming confused with Haruo's action. 'He's planning on fighting? There's an awful lot of them though. Too many for possibly even me and I can't use my Kasou-ryoku on normal humans.' There was some unseen tension that he picked up from the back of Haruo. It left him with a strange feeling. He had never seen Haruo fight before, but he had only seen him a couple of times. "There's too many for you handle alone, Haruo!" piped Yuki trying to step around Haruo to be to his right.

Haruo lifted his right arm up to stop Yuki from coming forward. "No."

"Hey, what's wrong? You want to fight them by yourself?"

"I can see it in your eyes. You want to fight."

A moment of confusion overcame Yuki as he tried to understand why he was being stopped. He tried to run through everything quickly in his mind to see if there was something that he had missed. There was nothing to be found for him. "I'm pretty sure they aren't here for a social visit. I'm not going to start this, but I'll finish anything they begin." Yuki hoped that his determination would get through to Haruo.

"That's not the point. They're here because you fought back."

Yuki thought a moment to himself looking a bit absentminded in appearance. His eyes blinked when he was finished and focused back on Haruo. "Yeah probably so."

"It's revenge that they want."

"So?" The line of the conversation was still lost on Yuki. He was trying to figure out what Haruo was getting at, but it was obvious the two were not connecting on their thoughts.

Haruo closed his eyes to take a breath. It was not that he expected Yuki to understand what he was saying. As he had observed it was natural for everyone to fight back. However, Haruo knew it to be an empty act. "They only want revenge because you fought them. If you hadn't stopped them they wouldn't be here now."

The reason finally came to Yuki. The reason, however, was not one that Yuki was going to accept. When he listened to what Haruo it only made him annoyed. He had to keep himself from shaking in anger. The arm that stood in his way no longer was enough to stop him. Yuki pushed through Haruo and confronted him directly. His finger poked at his chest as he looked straight in Haruo's eyes. "Listen and listen good! Those people over there were in the wrong!" Yuki threw his free hand back to point towards the g**g of teenagers. "You don't have to keep taking it from them! You've got the strength to protect yourself use it! If you don't they'll just keep walking over you again and again!" He turned back around feeling better having gotten that out of him. Yuki stared over at Katsu, who had been waiting while they were talking. "You said before that you were determined to leave that life behind you right? Well your past is staring you down right now. You going to let your past control you or are you going to control your past!"

There was a long pause from Haruo as he thought over what Yuki had said. '…maybe…my past is supposed to be behind me… maybe he's right and it has been controlling me…' Some doubt began to fill up inside him as he fell deeper into questioning his motives and actions. It had worked for him, but there might have been another way.

"So what's it going to be?"

Haruo stepped forward putting himself back out in front of Yuki. A decision had not been fully made by him, but he was certain about one thing. "This is my problem. I'll handle it." He did not look back at Yuki's smirk, but felt it a little. Katsu's eyes continued to stare at Haruo intently waiting when Haruo met his gaze.

Yuki remained hopeful that it meant that Haruo was going to stand up to the g**g. He had found him getting beaten up despite how well built he was. He knew that there had to be a reason for it. Yuki just hoped with the number of guys that they had Haruo would not fall back on that reason, whatever it happened to be.

The silence and surprising patience from their neighbors in the street had Yuki a little confused. He addressed the adult, Katsu, that appeared to be their leader. "You're being awfully polite to wait until we're done talking to start fighting."

Katsu opened his arms breaking his stoic expression for a very casual feign at innocence. "That's quite the assumption you're making there."

Being a little coy with the man, Yuki played along trying to get a read on him before he had to deal with his fists later. "So you and your friends over there are just enjoying a relaxing stroll in the afternoon to stretch your legs then."

"Exactly! It's so warm these days for spring. It'd be a shame to waste them trapped inside." There was a sly grin crawling up on Katsu's lips as he began to enjoy his banter with Yuki.

"I couldn't agree more," laughed Yuki. He was joined in bemused laughter by Katsu shortly after.

Watching the two entertain each other with pointless chatter was making Haruo a little annoyed. It seemed like the two were taking everything so casually. It was like they were so used to these situations that they had no uneasiness about what was about to happen. However, Haruo was becoming bored by their empty talk. "What do you want Katsu?"

Katsu turned his head back over to look towards Haruo, his eyes a little disappointed that he had been interrupted by someone that could not enjoy a little idle conversation. "Same as always, kid. Never able to understand the fine subtly of foreplay."

"If you want to talk then I'll just leave. I have no interest in your talk."

"My, my, you're really are quite the talkative one," remarked Katsu. He started to walk forward towards Haruo. There was still a casual step in his movements like he was not planning on starting a fight just yet. He was only warming up. Katsu towered over Haruo's short stature. A wicked grin was still plastered on his face as he looked down at Haruo. "No warm greeting to an old friend that you haven't seen in years?"

Haruo remained in his footing not being intimidated by Katsu's presence. There might have been fear in him when he was younger facing Katsu, but not anymore. He knew that he had nothing to be afraid of when confront him. "You were never a friend. I don't owe you anything."

"Such sharp words, kid! You should be glad that your skinny friend over there got me in a good mood."

"What do you want, Katsu? I'm tired of your indirectness."

"And you've got an attitude to boot. My those years in middle school really must have changed you." Katsu patted Haruo's head before roughing up his hair a little rigidly to try to shake him. "I remember when you were just a little brat that feared my very voice." He could see that he was not getting anything out of Haruo. There was not even a hint of anger for being mocked. Katsu was actually becoming more annoyed by how he was not getting any reaction out of Haruo. 'He's just staring back with those defiant eyes. He's actually making me angry that he's not doing anything!'

"I'm not the same child you used to know, Katsu. Nor am I the same person your friends saw a short while ago." Haruo gave him a fierce look standing toe-to-toe with his previous tyrant.

Katsu stared back almost in amazement. He was not entirely sure what to make of Haruo anymore. 'That's not the same defiant look I beat down when he left. That's not the same eyes that Takaoka gets his practice hits in on. What's gotten into him?' The sight of him only made Katsu more confused the longer he thought. It had set a fire to his anger tempting it to become a boil. There was no longer any room for him to joke around and make light. Pretenses had to be tossed aside with the way he stared back.

The air between the two suddenly changed as though their mere proximity was freezing the air. It was cold and empty leaving no room for anything else. Wind dared not to trespass around them. The casual mood from Katsu had utterly vanished with the intent being clear from Haruo. Katsu stepped to the side of Haruo like he was sizing up his prey. "Your scrawny friend over there is correct," opened Katsu. He started his way back toward his g**g of boys. "I've come here hearing that someone came to rescue you from my boys' practice. That was something I had to see for myself."

Haruo knew the attitude had changed, but followed his new line of conversation no better than the last. While he had complained of Haruo talking more; it was still Katsu being far more conversational than was in his character. This was especially in the case of someone that looked down upon as tool to be used. "What are you getting at? You came for your revenge on the one that beat up your gang."

"That's part is true as I said. However, I can easily send people to deal with a simple matter as that."

Haruo's eyes narrowed in growing confusion. Evasiveness was not a usual tactic of him. It had been years since Haruo had seen Katsu so he had to grant the possibility that Katsu had done some changing of his own. "So you didn't come here to fight?" questioned Haruo still not clear on what Katsu true purpose for coming in person.

Laughter burst from Katsu's lungs upon hear Haruo speak. He turned his head back over his shoulder to glace at Haruo. "No, I came to put your face into the ground. That you can be assured of. I wouldn't come out all this way and not leave without making sure of that. But I have to admit some curiosity to see who this person is that came to your aid. You, the most anti-social, loner and pariah in the entire city, finding a friend." Katsu turned around playing up the motion a little dramatically for everyone. "That!" He had pointed over to Yuki, who had serious eyes now. "I had to see. Just so that I knew what it was that I was going to be taking away from you. So that I might see those beautiful defiant gray eyes of yours finally fall into despair!"

Haruo remained quiet after Katsu finished making his proclamation. Yuki, however, could not remain still listening to the ravings coming from him. "Damn…you really see yourself as the villain don't you? You're nearly a cliché!" He stepped forward a little putting himself barely behind Haruo's right side. Yuki had been quiet listening to the pompous man that seemed to enjoy listening to himself speak.

The comments from Yuki caught Katsu's attention making him smirk a little to see some backbone from Yuki. "I know what I want. It's simple as that, kid."

Yuki could see that rest of the teenagers looking antsy. They looked really to start something with only Katsu's word to be given. However it seemed that they were even reaching the edge of their patience. The taste for blood was in their eyes like a mad animal. Yuki knew he could not stand by and do nothing any longer. "We have to do something now, Haruo! The guy's made it pretty clear what he plans on doing!"

"Enough talking," bellowed Haruo. He took his position directly in front of Yuki to keep him to his back and out of the fight. This was not his matter to be dealing with. "You've come here because of me. So leave him out of this."

"I don't believe there's ever been a point when you told me what to do, kid! And today isn't any different!" Katsu motioned to his boys giving them the signal that he was letting them start. He had the patience enough to wait to beat up Haruo.

The boys that had not been beaten up by Yuki previously were the first move. They were fresh and undaunted by the stories that they had been told of Yuki's fierce strength. Those boys that had been the receiving end of Yuki's attacks were hesitant in making a move. Their waiting caused two groups to be unintentionally formed. In the attacking group, there were five boys all looking as rough and experienced in street fighting as the rest. They stalked in towards Haruo as he made sure to keep himself at the center of attention.

Haruo steeled himself to prepare for the assault that was coming for him. "Don't you make a move," called Haruo over his shoulder to Yuki. He knew what he had to do and though it was not what he was used to doing it was his charge.

"What?! You can't be serious, Haruo! There's too many for you deal with alone!" Yuki ignored what Haruo was asking of him and tried to work his way around him, but for being so large he was proving to be agile enough to prevent him for doing anything useful. "Haruo!"

"I don't need your help. I'm doing this alone." There was no more time for talk as the five boys broke into a charge once they had finished fanning out. Haruo firmly planted his feet into the earth trying to form the strongest balance he could reach with the first swing coming in. The number of fights he had been on the wrong side of gave him an eye for judging attacks, which helped when he was trying to dodge. However, he knew with Yuki making things difficult for him that dodging was not going to be an option. He was going to have to take the blow. Haruo lifted up his left arm to deflect the out stretched arm.

The group of boys was not able to take their swings immediately giving Haruo the timing to block each swing that came in at him. Frustrated by failure, the boys kept close to him taking turns with kicks or punches with little success. Haruo was managing to keep them from making any progress against him and slowly convince Yuki to calm down with his demonstration.

Once Yuki had backed away a little it gave Haruo even more room to work his defense. He blocked two high kicks coming in together that tried to throw him with coordinated attacks. While he was focused on the two boys in front the other three were surrounding him from behind. They came in sequence charging with their fists to his hopeful blindside. Haruo had noticed their absence and made the assumption that they had gone to strike from the rear. He came out his blocking the legs turning to meet the first boy head on grabbing his fist in his palm. The boy became surprised and taken off guard by the action that he painfully followed through with his body forcing his arm to bend at the elbow. It had become crowded with the boy in front of Haruo that the other two coming up after crashed into the boy causing more damage to themselves than Haruo.

Unfortunately, a successful block by Haruo was not enough momentum. The two boys that he had just stopped before were now behind him, since he had turned to face the other three. These two took advantage of Haruo's weakened position to lay into his back attempting to drop him quickly before responding. One of the boys let loose with a flurry of punches to his shoulder blades and backbone while the other jabbed with his feet in the back of his knee.

Haruo's well built body took the blows and buckled a little under the pain, but remained until he could escape with a well timed side jump. Their failures to do anything meaningful to Haruo only further enraged them forgetting completely that Yuki was still present. It worked out how Haruo had hoped and allowed him to stay focused on dodging their attacks. These teenage g**g members were not nearly as used to dealing with someone like Haruo as Takaoka's group. It gave Haruo the advantage.

Katsu watched in annoyance seeing that Haruo was holding his own against five of his boys. "Hey Taka! Thought you said he never puts up a fight."

Takaoka jerked his head over to Katsu in surprise. "Yea, I donno what's goin' on with him, boss. The most he ev' does is dodge us. I've ne'er seen him defend himself."

"Hmm…" Katsu looked behind him down towards the end of the grass street. He lifted up his hand and snapped his finger giving a signal to unseen g**g members. "Always good to have insurance." Once they were in motion Katsu whistled to the group of boys trying to fight Haruo. The sharp piercing tune was enough to interrupt everyone bringing a pause to the fighting.

Yuki narrowed his eyes trying to figure out what Katsu's plan was. In the distance, he could see a few figures walking towards them. He was half expecting some brute of a fighter that was supposed to turn the fight around for them. However, his guess proved to be misplaced when he saw a man in his late twenties or early thirties being escorted by three teenage punks. 'I'm not liking where this is going…'

Haruo caught a glimpse of the figures walking up to the rear of the mob of boys. He eyes had immediately widened the moment he saw the man that was being escorted. "Mr. Asanuma…" he barely managed to speak.

Katsu allowed himself a wicked grin and brief laugh when seeing Haruo's reaction. "Don't think that I don't know about you. You've might have thought you were free from me, but you never were. And now that weakness in you will be your undoing. I'd suggest ceasing your defense if you don't want to see this man come to harm."