Black Water

Chapter 4

Yukihito shook himself out of his staring stupor and coughed trying to get Ren to tear his eyes away from the girl.

"Kyoko we need to secure the splints so you can move around." Yukihito said with apologetic eyes knowing this was gonna be painful for the girl. Kyoko gulped and nodded her understanding gripping Corn tighter.

"Ren I'm gonna need your help holding her down as I tighten them." Ren nodded and grabbed the unused hand towel by the washbasin and folded it vertically.

"This needs to go in your mouth to bite down on so you don't bite your tongue." Ren said handing the towel to her as she placed Corn by her side. Ren helped Yukihito with placing the splints then positioned himself to hold down Kyoko at her shoulders to keep her from thrashing too much.

"Here we go, Kyoko try not to move too much and brace yourself. Excuse my touch." Yukihito said as he rolled up his sleeves. Kyoko stiffened, clenching her jaw against the cloth in her mouth and tensed as she felt Ren's hands hold down her shoulders into the bed. She squeezed her eyes shut against the pain as Yukihito tightened the splints around her leg. A tear ran down her face and Ren had to fight himself from wiping it away.

Yukihito tightened the last splint and patted Ren's shoulder to let him know he was done. Ren stepped back and glanced down at her leg. It was already black and blue up her leg and her knee was still swollen but it looked better already. Kyoko pulled the towel out of her mouth and coughed a little at the dryness of her mouth.

Yukihito excused himself mumbling about a glass of water and left Ren with her, hoping something exciting was going on with his best friend and this girl.

Kyoko picked up Corn again and held it out to the light streaming in from the window. The lights made Corn change colors and Kyoko smiled. She showed Ren and asked him to try so he could see the magic Corn produced.

"Corn's a magic rock, if you hold him tightly he'll take away all your fear and pain. He was a gift from a boy I knew as a child." Kyoko told him with a far away look in her eyes and a reminiscent smile on her lips. Ren did as she said and smiled when the stone changed to the familiar colors. It seemed smaller than it used to be in his hands but it was probably because he was much bigger than he used to be. Kyoko snapped out of the past and looked at the man holding Corn and a flash of the young boy appeared where he stood.

'He couldn't be him, right? Yes, he shared the same hair and eye color but his name was wrong. He would have known it was her by the stone in his hand, he would have said something to her. Wouldn't he?' Kyoko thought as she looked at his back, the sun shining around his silhouette.

"I want to thank you for saving me. If you hadn't I'd be dead or worse." Kyoko spoke to Ren's back as she stared at her lap and wrung her hands. Ren turned and looked at the girl. He reached forward and placed Corn in her hands then he spoke.

"I would gladly do it again, Miss Mogami." Ren straightened to his full height and placed his blackened hat back onto his head with a smile on his face. Kyoko smiled back at him and his heart skipped a beat.

"Please call me Kyoko." She said to him just as Yukihito walked back in with someone flashy on his heels.

"Kyoko, here's some water, and may I introduce the owner of this ranch. Mr. Lory Takarada, he prefers to be called President." Yukihito stepped aside showing the weirdest outfit she had ever seen. He was wearing pirate gear with a parrot on his shoulder, it was dark red with a royal blue chest and inner wings. Lory raised up his eye patch to get a proper look at her. Her golden eyes looked amused at his costume and he watched with curiosity at the way Ren was looking at her. He'd never seen such a gentle look on his face before. Lory bowed to the young girl.

"I've brought you a present." He said as he showed her a pair of crutches.

"These are for later if you're up to moving." Lory set them at her bedside.

"Thank you very much for the help and the crutches. I'm very sorry about Mr. Childers it seems you all knew him." She said sadness lacing her voice.

"We are all happy that at least you survived Miss and he would be too." He said with a small smile.

Yukihito then interjected.

"You should get more rest Kyoko, I'll come check on you again before the service." Lory left with Ren close behind, Yukihito scooped up her salvaged cloths off the floor and began to walk out.

"We'll have these cleaned up for you." He said just before he closed the door.

Kyoko set Corn aside safely on the floor then sunk deeper into the cushions of the bed. She closed her eyes against the light streaming in from the window and tried her best not to think of what happened on the stage. As her conscious slipped away she dreamed of that little boy she used to know.

Sulpher Springs:

Sho stood at the stage station for the last time today getting impatient. Where the hell was this girl? He'd sent for her three days ago, she should have been here today. He grumbled at yet another day without his belongings that he'd asked her to bring. He sent for her to begin with to help him with his luggage once it got here, it was quite a bit.

He needed money to further his name in this town and most of his possessions were the latest thing and much sought after in this far out of the way place. He could sell them to the highest bidder. He would come again tomorrow but he'd tell her off when she finally arrived, making him wait was beyond annoying.