Act II: The City's Many Stories "I changed my mind Hitoshi," Akari says in the morning the next day. "I don't want to leave Fumi alone." "I have already taken care of that," he responds. "An old friend of mine who lives around here will watch over him." "I don't want to trust my child's safety to a stranger," Akari replies. "You can trust him. Take my word for it." Akari stares at the old man wondering what she is going to do. "I'll decide once he gets here." Not more than an hour passes before the person arrives. A man, near to Hitoshi's age, arrives to look after Fumi. "Um, I guess he looks trustworthy enough," Akari comments. "Excuse me?" the man questions as if insulted. "I am sorry," Akari apologizes. "Can't be too careful though." "Don't you worry," the man says. "Your son will be fine." "Yes, he will," Hitoshi states. "Or else I'll beat this fella down myself." The two men laugh and Akari does so nervously. "Alright, let's go," Hitoshi says. He and Akari leave the house on their walk to the city. Times passes and they reach the outskirts. "Let us begin by checking out all the nice little shops you could have access to," Hitoshi begins. "You know I am not one of those women who only looks forward to shopping so why are you showing me this?" "Um, well," Hitoshi stammers. "How about we go check out one of the schools?" "Okay." The two make their way to one of the upper class schools. "See all they have to offer?" Hitoshi questions. "I guess so," Akari replies. "They have good facilities here." "Could we afford it?" Akari asks. "I am willing to help, and you could get a job," he suggests. "Well, nothing's to good for my son." "That's the spirit," Hitoshi says delighted. "Hey, don't get too excited yet," Akari mentions. "I have not decided yet." "Okay," Hitoshi responds. "Where to next?" "I'm hungry. Let's find a place to eat." The two of them walk around and find a place that seems suitable. They walk in, sit down, and order a meal. "Are you satisfied with the city yet?" Hitoshi asks her. "I told you I have decided nothing," she replies. Their meal arrives and they begin eating. A little time goes by when a small confrontation occurs near their table. Two men begin fighting. They move back and forth knocking into tables including the one Akari and Hitoshi are sitting at. Angered, Hitoshi stands to try and break it up. "You are disturbing everyone else," Hitoshi tells them. "Take it outside at least!" The two men momentarily stop. They stare at the old man who remains firm in his stance. Akari tries to talk to him. "Hitoshi, please, sit back down." "I'm tired of trash like this always messing up a good time," Hitoshi says. Akari is surprised at the slight change in language from the old man. "You want something old man?" one of the men ask. "Yeah, I want you to stop disturbing the peace," Hitoshi retorts. "Oh, you're asking for it," the second man says. "You wanted us to it outside, well here we go." The first man grabs Hitoshi and sends him crashing through the door of the diner and out into the street. The two men follow him out. "Hitoshi!" Akari screams getting up. The second man kicks Hitoshi in the side as he tries to get up. Akari comes running out with her backpack. "Leave him alone!" she shouts. "Look!" one of the men says to the other. "This little girl wants a piece of the action." "I mean it," Akari says sternly. "You don't know what you are getting into." "Shut up!" one of the men hit her with the back of his fist. She goes down landing on her side. "No, Akari, stay back," Hitoshi tries to tell her. "You too," the other man kicks him again. Akari struggles to open her backpack. Slowly she gets back to her feet, carrying what she pulled out. She announces to the men, "I always keep this handy." "Huh?" one man questions as Hitoshi struggles to look up and see what is happening. "And what is that?" the other asks. "This is my vengeance," she replies. In her common ‘dance' Akari swings her weapon high above her head and comes down cutting through the first man. In a swift motion she quickly slices through the next. She says to herself, "One good thing about this city, there is so much trash they won't miss it if it is suddenly gone." Akari wipes her weapon off on one of the men's shirts. She then helps Hitoshi to his feet. "What was that?" he asks. "This," Akari holds the weapon out to him. "Where did you learn how to use something like that?" "You could say it came naturally." The two slowly move back towards the diner where a group has emerged watching from the entrance. Akari places her weapon back her pack. One particular old man steps forward. "That...that weapon," the man stutters. "I know that weapon." Akari and Hitoshi stare at the man. "A long time ago, I chased after one similar to that," the man says. "But a young boy ended up with both of them." Akari stares questioningly at the man. "Both?" "He had two, but I knew there was another eapon but it consisted of just one item like what you just used." Akari is surprised to hear the similarity between this man's words and her and her cousin's weapons. "Um, maybe you could explain this a little more," Hitoshi suggests. "Please, accompany me," the man asks. "It is time that I start heading home but I will talk to you along the way." "Okay." The three begin walking away from the diner and heading towards the mountain they came from. The man points towards the mountain. "It was on that mountain that first saw them. I was a middle-aged man then. I was walking along the mountain path when I came across a family quarrel. As I waited for it to pass safely, I heard it was between the two eldest brothers. A fight erupted between the two of them. I watched from my perch on a rock above where the family and their possessions had stopped. I saw magnificent displays of skill with the weapons I described to you before. Finally, the elder brother won. He killed his brother, and a weapon like the one you carry fell to the bloodstained ground. Shocked by what he had done, the living brother panicked and ran away, weapons of his own still in his hands. I followed this man, but not before seeing a young girl pick up the weapon you now carry." Akari begins thinking to herself, about how she heard from Munenori about the family breaking up somewhere in the past and the weapons being split amongst it. "I watched this man with envy for the skill at which he used these weapons. I had not seen ones exactly like them before. I wanted them for my own. I stood by watching as this man tried to recover. He married, and even had a son, but his mental condition grew worse. One fateful day, the man chose to take his own life out of his growing insanity. I tried to make my move, but the woman he married took care of those weapons. Soon, though, she fell to disease. On her deathbed, she handed the weapons over to the young boy. I felt for sure this would be my chance. Surely the boy would not know how to use them or have the strength to stop me if I attempted to take them away." Akari stops to think, knowing that when they met Munenori he had no parents. The man continues, "So I tried. The boy practiced with those weapons fervently. One night, when he practiced outside, I came up to the boy. To my surprise he wielded them with great precision. I was wounded in the process and never was able to get those weapons. I attempted to make them myself. I forged a pair of my own, but they did not possess the ability of that I had seen the others use." The man looks at Akari. "I lost sight of that boy. I never thought I would see either weapon again. Where did you grow up?" "A village by the mountain on the other side. It is no longer there though," she answers sadly. "That must be it then, because I believe that is where the family was headed." Akari adds, "My cousin had such weapons. He had lived without parents for a good amount of time here in the city." "Then that must be the boy," the man deduces. "I doubt that he even knows all about his family like I do. Oh how many years I wasted." "Well, thank you for the information," Hitoshi tells the man. "I think we should be getting home now." "I see," the man says sullenly. "Farewell then." "Yes, good bye," Akari says departing. "And thank you." They separate. Akari and Hitoshi begin on their own path to their house. "That was an interesting story," Hitoshi says. "Yes, it was," Akari says with little spirit as she quietly completes the rest of the walk in silence.