Agent M: Testament (The Agent M Series Book 2) (24 page)

The memories tugged at her heart in ways she had almost forgotten.

“Father then picked him up and said we were leaving. I still didn't know if he was alive or dead. When I begged my dad for an answer all he said was, not yet. We put him in our van and drove straight back here without stopping. He just laid in the back seat not moving. Sometimes he would cough or do something to tell us he was still alive. I remember never taking my eyes off of him. I was still so worried. My big sister held me close and told me I did the right thing and everything would be alright. My father was normally a casual driver but on that day I never saw him drive so fast.”

Shiori smiled brightly. Her father was stern in his resolve but the look on his face that day showed he was just as worried as anyone else.

“After we arrived back home, there was a big discussions with all of the elders and instructors about what to do with the boy. They wanted to take him to a hospital but my father was stern with his decision to let him stay here. He told everyone how if it weren't for me, he would have died on those rocks and that since she wanted to save him so badly, we should at least give allow him to meet and thank his savior.”

The girl paused for a moment and looked down upon her hands. Fingers danced around each other as they sat upon her lap.

“He slept for three days. I would check on him as often as I could, sometimes sneaking away at night to do so. We were always taught that whenever you save a life, they become your responsibility. I never really knew what it meant until then. I never wanted anything more in my entire life up until that point other than to see him wake up. However, when he did, let's just say it wasn't the fairy tale ending I had hoped for.”

“Fairy tale ending?” Questioned Davis. “What do you mean?”

Redness swelled within Shiori's cheeks.

“It's not important,” she defended. “Anyways, when he woke up it caused more of a disaster than any of us could have imagined.”

“A Stranger in a Strange Land...” Said Davis quietly to himself.

That was one of his favorite books for the longest time. Fiction is sometimes closer to reality than most people realize.

Shiori started to laugh to herself.

“Madison-kun woke up in the middle of the third night. Everyone was already asleep. One of our instructors who had gotten up for a snack noticed activity in one of the gardens. He had no idea where he was and when the instructor came to help him, Michael attacked him. By the time most of us came to check out the commotion, the instructor was lying unconscious a few meters away from where Michael was standing.”

“He defeated one of your instructors? But he was barely a teenager at that time?”

Davis sold his surprise pretty well. He wasn't exactly sure how much Shiori really knew about Michael so he treaded carefully.

The girl nodded and continued.

“That wasn't the only one. Anyone who came close got attacked. By the time the Grand Master had made it outside, Michael had already taken out three of them. He looked so scared and angry but he held his ground. It wasn't until the Grand Master stepped that he calmed down a bit. He was the first one to approach Michael with his arms behind his back. Then he said,” Shiori stopped and did the best impersonation of her great grandfather that she could muster.

“Did you have a nice swim?”

Davis appreciated the sense of humor. Both from the old man and Shiori's delivery.

“It was then we all heard him speak for the first time. He looked around and said:
That was Japanese. Do you mean, is this Japan?!
”

Shiori laughed again.

“Michael calmed down a lot after that. We brought him inside and gave him food. I'll never forget how much he ate that night. He must have had three pots of rice before he was content. My mother was so happy to give him all of that food because she knew it made me happy. Everyone wanted to pitch in.”

“Was your entire village present?”

“He caused quite a scene so everyone was worried at first. Even though it was late, everyone decided to stay up and hear his story. He told us he was from America but was very secretive at first. It took a while but we were able to make him feel comfortable enough to open up to us. We spent a few more hours listening to his stories. He wasn't even halfway finished before morning came.”

“So, what happened after all of that?”

“Things calmed down pretty quickly. The Grand Master was very interested with Michael's fighting prowess since he was able to best three of the Grand Master's finest students. He offered to train Michael and allow him to live here in the village but gave him an ultimatum. If he was going to live among them he was going to have to do exactly what they said. The first of which was that they wanted him to go to school with me. I was so excited to hear that.”

“I heard about that. But wasn't that a bit of a step back for him.”

Shiori nodded.

“We didn't know at the time but Michael was already well educated. He spoke over twenty different languages and had graduate level education in biology, chemistry, and physics. Even with all of the education he received, Michael still went to school every day with me. When I asked him why he bothered he said that he was still learning something new every day here. Before he was taught classes in a small room all by himself with instructors coming in one at a time. This was the first time he got to interact with people and be a part of a community. He really liked coming to school every day.”

“Very interesting Ms. Shiori. But I have another question if you don't mind me asking.”

“What is it LeClair-san?” She smiled.

Though their time was short, Shiori felt very comfortable sitting and talking with the young Paladin. She felt like she could tell him anything no matter how sacred or embarrassing.

“What is your relationship like with Michael?”

Well, except maybe that. Shiori felt herself turning red and there was nothing she could do to stop it. She steeled herself and pulled her memories out from that faithful day.

“Every generation we hold a contest to determine who is going to be the heir of our clan. That means, eventually, they will become the new Grand Master. It's not something that happens right away. You just get placed in line. Currently my father is next in line for that title.”

Her expression dimmed as she pulled some buried memories into the light.

“We are very selective on who we allow to compete in this tournament. Usually only the top ten students in our class get chosen. It was a very difficult time. Everyone was very competitive and brash, but it was very understandable. This contest was held very rarely and few should be so lucky as to be born around the time we hold it. The winner of this tournament would not only get the highest honor of becoming our Grand Master someday but also they would be given the hand of one of our female heirs. This way, they will truly be a part of the Yamatera family.”

“Are you saying what I think you're saying Ms. Shiori?” Davis asked.

He had a hunch but didn't want to pressure this nice young lady into giving him the answer outright. She had to give it willingly or not at all.

Shiori gave a soft nod.

“Yes. The winner of that tournament would become my husband.”

“And this is normal for you?”

The sadness in Shiori's eyes gave Davis the answer he sought before she even spoke.

“We've been doing it for hundreds of years. Who am I to fight tradition?”

“I see. That must have been very hard for you Ms. Shiori,” Davis empathized.

Arranged marriages were fairly commonplace with certain cultures but this goes beyond anything the Paladin has ever heard of.

“And how does Michael fit in with this story?”

“Because Michael was a foreigner, he wasn't allowed to compete. He had mentioned a few weeks earlier that after he turned eighteen he was going to go back to America to find someone important to him so that too worked against his favor. But I begged and begged and begged my grandfather for days on end to allow Michael to compete. It didn't take much for him to agree to it. Michael was the best student. Everybody already knew that. Some of the guys said they wouldn't take part either if he didn't. They said it would shame their honor to win without fighting the best.”

“So Michael was going to fight for you?”

Shiori shook her head.

“Not at first. He was hesitant given his situation. But we had declared our love for each other not too long before that so I begged him to do it for me. I told him there was no other man I wanted to spend my life with. He was still reserved about it but agreed to do it for me. I was so happy. When the tournament finally arrived I felt so nervous but not Madison-kun. He was still so calm and cool. I think I feel even deeper in love with him after that day.”

The young woman let out a soft laugh followed by a smile.

“Naturally, he was crowned the winner at the end of the day. I don't remember feeling any happier. We embraced in front of the whole village. Some of them were shocked that we were so bold but I didn't care. I was allowed to marry the man I loved. Nothing could have brought me down. Or so I thought.”

“Then Michael left back to America.”

She nodded.

“I pleaded with him to stay but I knew in my heart that he had to go. The day he left, Madison-kun gave me a gift. It was the crystal he brought back from the trails in Mountain of Judgment.”

“What are the trials?”

“It's something all of the heirs have to do. There are these caves inside of the mountain about a day's walk from here. They have to delve deep within and retrieve evidence that they made it all the way to the inner peak and return with it. Normally, there are a few crystals of various colors. We used these colors to determine what kind of fortune the heir will bring as the new Grand Master. Green would mean good with money, red good with family, the list goes on and on.”

“What color did Michael bring back?”

Shiori smiled. She pulled out the small black jewelry box she grabbed from earlier and began to play with it in her hands as she spoke.

“Madison-kun was confused with the instructions and brought back a small black piece of coal. Those can be found anywhere in the cave so naturally it didn't prove that he completed the trail properly. Then he took the rock and crushed it within his hands to reveal a beautifully cut and shining clear crystal.”

She opened the box and revealed the contents to which she spoke of. Davis was very impressed. Her detailed definition didn't do this rock justice. He was still so full of questions and the list continued to grow.

“Clear? What does that represent?”

“We don't know. None of the previous Grand Masters have ever returned with a clear crystal before. Great grandfather says that it may be the luckiest one because his future is unwritten. A lot of people became very excited and are now awaiting his ascension into the role of Grand Master with the highest of anticipation.”

“And why did he give this crystal to you?”

“Madison-kun was always very sweet. He knew how much it broke my heart when he left so he entrusted the crystal to me as a promise of our engagement. He said he'd be back for this and me when his work was done in America. He left that day and I trusted his words that he would be back. With his return now, even if it was so sudden, I'm still very happy.”

Davis still have many questions for the young girl that piqued his curiosity but he still had data to collect if they were ever going to move forward. He promised himself he would get the chance to ask some more later but for now, he had to find out one crucial fact that may make all the difference in Michael Madison's future.

“Do you still love him even after all of this time?”

Most Japanese females would be too shy to answer them directly. Typical and traditional were two words that weren't on Shiori's resume.

“I do. Now more than ever it seems.”

That was a good sign. Davis smiled.

“Thank you Shiori. You have been a most gracious host. I apologize if my questions were a bit bolder than what you are used too.”

Shiori quickly waved her hands to dismiss any ill thoughts.

“Oh no LeClair-san. Not at all. Actually, being able to talk about my feelings like this is...  Comforting.”

She stood up to face the young Paladin and gave him a hearty bow.

“Thank you so much for listening to me. I really appreciate your patience.”

“Not at all Ms. Shiori,” Davis replied.

His exuberant tone radiated the highest sincerity.

“It is both my duty and a privilege.”

This pleased Shiori. Knowing Michael was with someone this sweet and polite eased her worries. A lot of things can happen in the span of a decade. If Michael is making friends like this, Shiori was assured he was following the right path.

“Hey mister,” a young boy called running up to the two.

He was short but full of energy. Couldn't be more than four or five years old.

“What is it?” Smiled Shiori. She recognized him as one of her cousin's children. Everyone who lived here was family in one form or another. Not all of them bound by blood either.