Mamoritai 4 - A Llorumi story

8. Okino

Words: 1575

I opened the door on the right and stepped into a room full of bunk beds. "Lloyd?" I whispered. "Huh?" A familiar voice groaned. "Oh, shit! Sorry, did I wake you up?" I whispered as I quietly walked closer to Lloyd laying in a bed. "No, not really. I hadn't fallen asleep yet. Is everything okay?" He asked. "Yeah, yeah. I just noticed you weren't at the party anymore, so I wanted to check if you're okay. Are you?" I asked. "Yeah, just tired..." He said. But I know my boyfriend. "You're lying. What is it? You can tell me anything, you know that right? Is it body dysmorphia? " I asked him. I know he can get into his head sometimes and become a little "angsty". "No it's not that... It's nothing, or rather it should be nothing..." he said. "C'mon. Tell me." I encouraged him. "It's just that... Earlier today, when we were fighting the Red Visors, we realized we didn't have our powers... It reminded me of... ya know?" He said, quietly. Oh. "Oh, Lloyd. I'm so sorry." I said as I caressed his cheek. "Why are you saying sorry? It wasn't your fault. It was... My dad's fault." He said quietly. "Has he contacted you?" I asked softly, trying not to trigger anything. "No... After the Oni attack he just disappeared and I haven't seen him since. I just... don't wanna end up like him, ya know?" He said. "Oh, trust me, I know that feeling. And you're not going to end up like him. First of all, you didn't get bitten by an evil snake when you were little. And you don't have a love triangle with your brother..." I said. Lloyd chuckled a little. "Yeah, no I don't." He said quietly. "Thank you, Rumi. I love you." He said, getting up and kissing me softly on my lips. "I love you too." I said, as Lloyd's lips parted mine.

Over the next five days, we grinded for some coins and bought new suits, so we wouldn't be immediately recognized by the red visors. I got my first official ninja suit! Or no, not official, 'cause it isn't a gi. But I now feel like I belong. We also decided that we have to beat the game, in order to get close enough to Milton Dyer aka Unagami. Apparently, in Prime Empire you have to collect three key-tanas in order to unlock the final level and, possibly, face Unagami. Right now we were heading for the first key-tana adventure. "So we walk through this and we get to the first adventure?" I asked, pointing at an arcade cabinet, which was open and a void portal was staring at me. "Yes, exactly! The League of Jay's hooked us up with some more coins for our adventure as well! Check it ooutt!!" Jay said, handing us all small bags. I opened it and inside was 50 coins! "I still don't get how you got that group of nutjobs to do everything you say." Kai questioned as we walked through the portal. "Uuh, The League of Jays aren't 'nutjobs'. They're fans. And they're awesome!" Jay corrected. "Just cause they're fans doesn't mean they're not nutjobs." Cole said. "Yeah, have you ever heard about stalkers? They're usually just REALLY big fans of someone." I said. "You guys are just jealous, because-!" Jay started, but was interrupted. "Can we just focus for a second on the reason we're here?" Nya interrupted our bickering. I looked around where we were. It was an opening in the middle of a forest. "Right. What were the keys called again?" Kai asked. "Keytana." A masculine voice said behind us.

I flinched a little. "Oh, hi." Nya said, surprised. There was a black haired man in a gi standing there. We took off our hoods, for him to be able to see us. "Who are you?" Nya asked. "I am terrible..." He said sadly. "I was a guide. It was my duty to lead adventurers such as yourselves through this land." He explained. "Is it not anymore, then?" I asked. "I have failed too many masters. To my endless shame..." he said, glancing at a field, full of katana's pushed into the ground. Great, this dude has his own graveyard... We all looked at each other. "Well, we'd be honored to have your help, humble samurai." Nya said. Guess, we're doing this... "Yeah, because we really have no clue what we're doing. I mean like, none." Kai continued. "Maybe we can stab our katanas on that graveyard beforehand! Ya know, to save him the trouble." Jay said. Lloyd punched him gently. "What! It was a joke!" Jay tried to defend himself. "Don't worry, buddy, we've lost plenty of fights too. But you can't let it get you down, right?" Cole tried to cheer the man up. "I'm Lloyd, what's your name?" Lloyd asked. "I... am Okino." He said, clearly gaining more confidence. "Nice to meet you Okino! That's Harumi, Cole, Kai, Nya and Jay." Lloyd introduced us all. "I am honored. Allow me, humbly, to pledge my service." Okino said, kneeling in front of us and presenting his katana to us. "Oh jeez, that's really not-" I tried to say, but was interrupted. "I, Okino, Samurai, pledge to serve you and do all in my power to protect you and guide you to the keytana." He said. "Thanks Okino, that's-" Lloyd started, but was interrupted by Kai. "So, just out of curiosity. Do all of those katana's represents one failed master?" Kai asked. "Yes." Okino said, sadly. "Well, this time will be different! Right Okino?" Lloyd tried to cheer Okino up. "Yes! I swear!" He said excitedly. "Lead on. We trust you." Lloyd said. I wouldn't say trust...

"This way! Into the Forest of Discontent and beyond! Past the Cliffs of Hysteria, and finally into the Maze of the Red Dragon!" Okino explained. "Sounds like a normal friday." I said. We walked through a torii and into a forest. "Forest of Discontent? Why do they call it that?" Cole asked. Suddenly, tens of thorns flew right at us! We all took a step back, but Okino took out his katana and destroyed every single thorn. "What was that?!" Cole asked in distress. "Thorns of discontent." Okino answered. "It came from those bushes over there!" Lloyd said, pointing at some thorny bushes. Lloyd pulled out his game-katana and spinned it around. After that he glanced at me with the smirkiest smirk you have ever seen. I rolled my eyes at him. Gosh he's probably so horny... "Let's spread out. Six targets are harder to hit than one." He instructed. "Good idea, I got the bush in the middle." I responded, taking out my Kunai knives. "I'll take the one on the left!" Nya responded. "I'll take the one on the right!" Cole said. "I'll hang back and make sure no bushes are following us..." Kai said. Ugh, Kai and his one life... "I guess I'm covering that drama queen back there..." Jay said, pointing at Kai. "Okay, on three...One, two, three!" Lloyd counted and we all charged at our respective bushes. I took out the one in the middle. They started shooting us with thornes again. I quickly dodged each attack and threw my other Kunai knife at the middle bush, destroying it completely. "Wow, these new weapons are really awesome!" Cole said, lifting up his scythe. I heard he had a scythe way back when they were just starting out. "That was... Aahh!" Cole turned around, but one last thorn was shot at him and...

Goddamnit he died! "It got me, it got me!" Cole said as he respawned. Great now he's down to three lives. "Aww, I just lost a life!" He whined. "You must be careful. In this place all things, be they flower, tree or beast, seek to destroy you! Even the ground beneath us cannot be trusted." Okino explained. "Well this is great. We're heading into the woods of trust issues..." Jay said and smiled at us. "Haha, get it!" He said. I chuckled and Nya rolled her eyes. "Let's keep moving, so we'll get to the key-tana." Lloyd said. We walked deeper and deeper into the woods. The trees were so tall and thick that none of the sunlight was seen in the woods. There were dim glowing mushrooms here and there, keeping it just lit enough for us to see ahead. Okino was leading us and I was walking behind Lloyd. "So what do you think, who would win in a battle, Mandalorian or Moon Knight." Jay asked. "Oh Mandalorian would definitely win." Kai answered. "No way man! Moon Knight is three different killers! It's not even a question." Cole debated back. "I still haven't watched the Mandalorian to the end, so no spoilers please!" Nya said. "No of course, not!" Jay said. "Wow, it's really dark in here..." Cole whispered as we walked deeper into the ominous forest. "Hang on a sec, I have some torches left!" Jay said as he tapped his shoulder. He pulled out two torches out of his inventory and lit the other one up. The other one he threw over to Cole. Just when Cole lit his torch up, we noticed a humongous carnivorous plant! We all yelped and stepped away from it. "Great, now I can see what I'm looking at aand it's even worse..." Cole said.