Puppet

CHAPTER 26:


Fear ripped through his heart as Kiyoshi was dragged into his own apartment. The hand was strong, and he had a frightened feeling he knew who it was. However, Kiyoshi was dead wrong.

As he was flung onto his couch, Kiyoshi’s widened eyes stared up into the dark eyes of the one person he’d never expect to do such a thing.

“It’s time to talk,” Luke pushes his self over Kiyoshi; takes hold of Kiyoshi’s wrists, “I’m sick and tired of your wimpy attitude. I know something is bothering you, so spill, Kiyoshi!”

Kiyoshi didn’t want this. Not now. He disliked the cold, black stare Luke was giving him. Luke’s eyes, though filled with dissatisfaction, were also filled with this anger; this blaze Kiyoshi was positive he’s never seen before.

Kiyoshi turns his head away. He closes his eyes. However, Luke’s hand forces itself onto Kiyoshi’s chin, and roughly turns his face back over. Kiyoshi could feel his eyes pushing themselves open. He couldn’t control them; just like that one time.

“No more hiding,” Luke spits, “You keep your eyes on me, Kiyoshi! You tell me, right now, what’s going through your head! Are you having second thoughts on our relationship? Do you not yet fully accept me? I know I have caused you pain, and I apologize. Now I know, however, that I do love you in return, Kiyoshi…”

Kiyoshi was surprised. Luke was admitting his love to him. Warm tears released themselves from Kiyoshi’s eyes.

“Go ahead a cry,” Luke speaks in a low voice, “I don’t care seeing you cry anymore. I’ve risked a whole lot for you. Just look at my hair, if you don’t fucking believe me, but all I want from you, right now, is a fucking explanation!”

Wanting to believe so or not, Kiyoshi knew that Luke was right. Luke did deserve an explanation. Kiyoshi had to risk his love for Luke by telling Luke of a trouble he’s had since he lost his mother and father as a child.

“I,” Luke listened as Kiyoshi began, “I—have a confession—to make—“

Luke allowed Kiyoshi to sit up. Kiyoshi came to sit very slowly. He was able to move his own eyes again, and blinked. He lowered his head.

“My mother,” Kiyoshi whispers, “I never told you how she died, did I?”

“You told me she was murdered.”

“Yes,” Kiyoshi sighed, “I did. But I—I lied to you before.”

“Your parents weren’t murdered?”

“They were murdered,” Kiyoshi sighs again; he began to feel frustrated, “I—I told you I didn’t remember how they were murdered, but I do.” Kiyoshi looks over at Luke. Luke’s dark brown eyes were staring down on him. Kiyoshi wasn’t sure if they looked disappointed or not. Kiyoshi continues on, and spills his heart out to Luke. “She,” Kiyoshi sniffs, “She was murdered by this man. At first, I was confused as to why he’d hurt my mother. I was only a child, and could only watch. He tried raping her. Right there in front of me. My dad was already dead on the floor; his head taken off. The man; he ripped my mother’s blouse off and exposed her breasts. At first I hadn’t even worried about it, but when the man spoke, I knew something was wrong. My mom had a marking on her left breast.”

Kiyoshi noticed that Luke suddenly tensed. His eyes were locked over Kiyoshi.

“Kiyoshi…” Luke whispered, but froze in speech. He wanted Kiyoshi to continue on. Kiyoshi did so.

“That’s right Luke,” Kiyoshi whispers, “My mom was also a puppet, and she was murdered by the man who claim was her master, like you are to me.”

“Kiyoshi,” Luke tries his best to stay calm, “What was your mother’s name again?”

Kiyoshi saw some type of determination fill Luke’s eyes. His attitude changed. He was full into the story now. There was no turning back Kiyoshi’s mind. With a small sniffle, Kiyoshi answered Luke. “Alice…”

The look on Luke’s face was unimaginable. He looked almost shaky. Kiyoshi was taken back by Luke’s sudden change. He was heavily breathing; his own dark eyes were widened by the name of ‘Alice.’

“It can’t be possible,” Luke thinks to his self, “Yet it looks as if it is. He’s so Japanese that I had not seen her resemblance in him at all.”

“Luke,” Kiyoshi asks with worry, “What’s going on?”

“Just continue,” Luke answers, “The man who murdered your mother. I want to know if you know his name. Do you?”

This was it. Kiyoshi began to tremble, shiver, and panic. He gave off a few heavy breaths of his own. He tried staying calm to answer. He answered first with a nod. “His name,” Kiyoshi took a pause to let out some air. He continues, “His name—it is Ra…”

“Ra,” Luke’s spine straightens upward. Kiyoshi notices this, “Kiyoshi’s mother was Ra’s puppet. Alice, the only other mortal known to be a puppet, and with Ra. Her son born is Kiyoshi, and now he belongs to me!”

“Luke,” Kiyoshi shakes, “You’re scaring me a little, but I’m not finished yet. The reason I went quiet on you was—was because Ra…” Kiyoshi flinched at the sight of Luke. He looked furious; almost as if bolts of lightening were circling throughout and around his body, crackling with anger, “Chen, she knows him. She kidnapped me and took me to him. She wanted me to believe you were in trouble,” Kiyoshi could see Luke becoming more and more furious; Kiyoshi, his self, was crying, “But I had believed her and went with her. She brought me to him the other day. He came out of nowhere, reminded me of that terrible past, and even tried to have his way with me!” Kiyoshi let the warm tears drip down his cheeks. He ignored the running of his nose, and the reddening of his cheeks. He could see the rising of anger in Luke. This Luke was horrifying, but Kiyoshi had to continue. He had to finish, for Luke would not allow him to stop until so. “Chen had protected me. She stopped him, but he threatened me. If I were to tell you a thing, he promised to come for you, for Ivalyn, and for me. I didn’t want to risk anybody getting hurt! I know I’m a terrible liar, but can’t you see the pain! Can’t you see how difficult it is! And now he’ll know; he’ll find out that I told you. He’s back for me; he’s going to haunt me forever!”

Kiyoshi gasped by the sudden force of being pushed back down onto the couch. However, this force wasn’t threateningly strong; it was passively strong. Kiyoshi’s eyes stayed wide open as he was wrapped in a hug by Luke’s strong arms. Kiyoshi wasn’t sure, but he began to hear tiny sobs; he was sure it wasn’t him. Was Luke crying?

Luke soon speaks, but his voice is different. His voice sounds almost demonic. His grasp around Kiyoshi is tighter then it ever has been before. “I swear,” Luke speaks with this new, eerie voice, “I swear that I will not allow that monster to touch my puppet. He will not lay one finger on your skin. If he dares try, I will kill him!”

“Luke…” Kiyoshi hugs Luke in return, surprised by the words his love speaks, “But he’s—he’s an immortal…”

Luke suddenly leaps off of Kiyoshi. Kiyoshi lets off a tiny gasp as Luke grabs hold of his arm. He pulls Kiyoshi off the ground and takes hold of Kiyoshi’s folded legs with his left hand; his right hand wraps tightly over Kiyoshi’s chest.

“Put your arms,” Luke says, “Around my neck.”

Kiyoshi does as told. However, he’s very confused. He begins to feel dizzy as Luke walks him into his bedroom. The window is wide open.

“Luke,” Kiyoshi stutters, “Are we going somewhere?”

Luke does not answer immediately. He pushes back on his hind legs and leaps out the window. A strong gust of wind scratches over Kiyoshi’s face. He’s never seen Luke
fly so fast before.

“Yes,” Luke shouts, “We are going to pay someone a visit.”

Kiyoshi’s eyes widen. A strike of fear falls over his heart. He struggles, but looks down to see they are very high up.

“Luke,” Kiyoshi cries, “No!”

--

All immortals sharply turned their heads in surprise as Luke zoomed into the room with Kiyoshi at his side. He releases Kiyoshi and glances around. The only immortals in the room are Ivalyn, Teo, Rod, Etsu, Jewels, and one other. Luke can only hiss her name.

“Chen…”

Chen’s eyes widen in fear. She knows what this is about. Though she threatened puny Kiyoshi to not spill Ra’s presence to Luke, Kiyoshi had done so anyway. Chen let out a growl, and made a run for it. However, she did not get far.

The other immortals watched with amusement as Luke’s over-all stronger power forced Chen up against the wall. She let out a shrieking yell as she was then pushed to the ground with the same force.

“Ahh,” Chen screams; she is once again against the wall, “Ah!”

“Damn darling,” Jewels chuckles once Chen is released to the ground, “What’d you do to get Luke so pissed off! Did ya forget to leave the toilet lid up, or what?”

“Chen” Luke steps his way through his immortal group, “Is nothing more but a confounded trader!”

“Holy fuck,” Teo throws his hands up, “What in the hell did we miss?”

“Ra has returned,” Luke speaks; his eyes on fire, “Now I know why you have been disappearing without telling us a word. You’ve been going behind our backs. You go to Ra, and tell him of us. You told him of Kiyoshi, and now he’s back to get Kiyoshi. You were born with the blood of a bitch, Chen. You make me sick!”

All immortals eyes grow at the mentioning of Ra. Alls but Ivalyn.

“Ra,” Ivalyn whispers, “The name sounds familiar…”

“Ra was our old boss,” Rod answers, “He was downright dangerous; never once cared for us the way Luke does. Sure Luke seems like an ass at times; no offense man, but when Luke did show up and become a part of the group; everyone could see that his power was almost in comparison with Ra’s. Ra was booted out; pissed him off! Luke became our new official boss. That was only a few weeks before you joined with us,
Ivalyn.”

“Oh,” Ivalyn turns to stare at Kiyoshi. He looked out of it, “But what’s this to do with the boy?”

“Hell if we knew,” Rod growls, “But obviously Luke does.”

“Kiyoshi’s mother,” Luke continues, “Was Alice. The only other know mortal to be a puppet; Ra’s puppet.”

Each immortal was completely stuttered. This was definitely surprising news. They each turned their eyes on Kiyoshi. Each tried to find a glimpse of Alice within the boy. They all focused on his saddened blue eyes. He did, now that they all see, have her eyes.

“I should kill you,” Luke yells at Chen, “Right here, right now! And you know what, I think I will!”

Chen’s eyes widen in fright. Though immortal, she could still be silenced by the hands of another immortal. Luke was powerful enough to do such a deed. She suspected he would not be one to go through with such a deed, but the look in his eyes was not human. It scared even Chen.

“Luke please,” Chen cries, “Please don’t kill me. Since you became a part of the group, I’ve always loved you Luke! I’ve always tried to, but you never once loved me in return! You always wanted to wait for your puppet. Well lucky you, now you’ve found him, but me? No, I never yet have found mine! Do you want my puppet to suffer? If you kill me, my puppet will never find his master. He’ll wear the tattoo never knowing what it symbolizes.” Chen goes on and on; more tears streaming out of her eyes, “It’s not fair. I’ve searched for more years then you! I’m older then you! I’ve been in this group for over 90 years with Ra by my side. He always believed in me. He never doubted me; never hurt me. He would always say to me, “Don’t worry Chen. Some day you will find your puppet. You just have to believe, and he will come to you.” That is what he’d say!” Chen stares up into Luke’s deep eyes. Her red face is streaked with tears, but her anger showed sizzling over her face, as well, “I’ll never consider you as my boss. Ra is my master, and I’ll stick by his side even if I die by your hands! I’ll haunt you!”

Luke could not take anymore of Chen’s rubbish. He raises his hands over Chen; an intense power grows. Chen did not want to experience death. She let out a shriek as Luke came to crash down onto her. Was she dead? Blinking, Chen opened her eyes to see that Luke had stopped. He had stopped because wrapped around him was Kiyoshi. The boy had saved her life.

“Luke,” Kiyoshi cries, “Please don’t kill her! Not like this. Don’t punish her with death! I know that what she has done is wrong, but she had saved me!”

“What,” Chen whispers aloud, not realizing she has.

“That’s right,” Kiyoshi whispers, “Ra was going to rape me, but Chen stepped up. She did not want to see me, or you hurt in that way. She knew that you’d suffer if Ra had done that to me. She protected me that night, Luke. Please don’t kill her!”

Silence fell over. Chen’s bruises from being pounded from wall to floor then vanished. She felt almost relieved when Luke lowered his hands. She stared in silence when Luke’s hands placed themselves over Kiyoshi’s. Luke’s head was lowered. His hidden eyes fixed on the floor.

“Get out,” Luke soon whispers. His head levels to meet Chen’s eyes. They were still burning with rage, “Get the fuck out! Get out and never come back! GO!”

Chen did not hesitate. She levitated off the floor, and fled as swiftly as she could. She never returned.

Luke and Kiyoshi lowered to their knees together. Kiyoshi kept his arms wrapped around his love. He let out a small sigh of relief.

“Thank you,” Kiyoshi whispers, “Thank you.”

“Kiyoshi,” Luke says, “You do realize where Chen is heading, do you? You do know whom she is going to hide behind?”

Kiyoshi did not answer. He stayed quiet; kept his arms safely around Luke. Luke the man who showed this new, powerful image. Kiyoshi didn’t know why, but he felt safer then he ever has before. Safer then when he was first picked up by Officer Wakehiko. Safer then when he first encountered Luke, he has become a new person. Kiyoshi knew, though he did not understand why. But he knew that when with Luke, he felt protected. Nothing could break them apart. Nothing.

--

“I see,” speaks the shadow, “So now he knows.”

Chen is bowing before her master. “Yes Master Ra,” Chen speaks out of breath, “Luke knows of my spying, of your plan. He knows, now, that Kiyoshi is who you’re after. He tried killing me, but I was able to get away.”

“Indeed,” Ra rises from his chair. He sniffs his red liquid drink and gives it a try. He lets out a satisfied sigh. “Luke now knows,” Ra smirks, “I cannot wait to be reacquainted with the man.” Ra turns his back to Chen. He stares out the window and gazes at the full moon, “And so it has begun. Prepare yourself, Luke, for my arrival.”

*End of Chapter 26*