Wandering Guardians || #Wattys 2017

Chapter 16: Visitors

The gate opened and the figures walked towards them. It was already dark at night and they couldn't see the faces of the two.

"Toriko, what took you so long?" Mr. Tochiba asked. "It has already been late, you know."

"Your dad and I got tired of waiting inside, so we waited here." Mrs. Tochiba said.

It was Toriko's parents.

Kiro and Sakura greeted his parents. After a few moments of talking outside, they finally went back inside the house. Toriko's mom already prepares dinner in the afternoon so she quickly went to the kitchen to heat it again. Toriko's dad, on the other hand, went towards the living room and  sat on the couch right in front of where the three of them sat.

"So, when did you become a wandering guardian, son?" Mr. Tochiba seriously asked him. "I already know that Kiro is a wandering guardian, but, there were only six lineages of wandering guardians. Don't tell me..."

"Yes sir, Toriko here is the first wandering guardian of the seventh lineage. Tochiba's lineage." Kiro calmly said.

"So, the footage reported on the television this afternoon was really you?" 

"Yes dad, I'm sorry for not telling you earlier." Toriko apologized.

"So, when did you know that you are a wandering guardian, son?"

"I knew it during the party that we had. Kiro told me after I started wearing the armor."

Their conversation was interrupted by the doorbell going off. Mr. Tochiba looked from the window to see who was outside, ringing the doorbell. It was already dark and he couldn't make out who it was.

Mr. Tochiba quickly went outside. Only to find a girl standing right in front of the gate.

"Rei, is that you?" Toriko asked. He followed his dad outside.

"Hi protector, how did it go, did they find you out?" She smiled.

Rei seemed pretty friendly today, wonder what has gotten into her. Toriko thought. Probably because of my dad's presence.

His dad quickly opened the gate and welcomed Rei. Then, she suddenly shot a quick glance towards Toriko as if telling him to explain himself.

"So, who's that girl?" Mr. Tochiba asked after Rei had gone inside the house.

"She's my classmate. I was assigned to protect her the moment I became a wandering guardian" Toriko replied.

"Are you sure? Nothing more than that?" Toriko's dad gave him a narrow stare.

"Nothing more dad, she doesn't even like me. She hated me ever since we met each other."

Suddenly, an arm pinned his neck from behind. Toriko tried to struggle. Then, a hand began patting his head harder than normal.

"Don't tell your dad that I hate you." Rei warned him." I wanted to have a nice first impression on your parents too, you know. How would they treat me if you say that?!"

"Alright, alright." Toriko whispered back. "Just let me go already!"

Rei released Toriko and simultaneously looked at his dad and introduced herself. Mr. Tochiba didn't know what to say. The two of them seemed really close, closer than his best friends from the Music Club.

"Dinner's ready!" Mrs. Tochiba shouted from the kitchen. "I'd guess you haven't had your dinner right? You can join us." She told the visitors. "There's plenty for everyone."

Everyone sat around the table. Toriko's parents still had tons of questions to ask him, but right now, they put those questions at the back of their minds and focused on the dinner.  

The plan worked after all. And we get to eat Mrs. Tochiba's cooking! Kiro said to himself as he ate a mouthful of pasta. Tastes good!

Everyone enjoyed the dinner Mrs. Tochiba cooked. 

Before the accident, Toriko has always been busy and rarely had visitors coming to their place. But now, it seems like everything has changed. Toriko became more friendly and he has found time to be with his friends.

That accident sure had its merits. Toriko's growing up. Mr. Tochiba thought. 

.....

"Thanks for the food." The three of them said as they headed home.

"Bye Toriko. See you tomorrow." Kiro waved at him.

"Sure."

Toriko waved goodbye to Kiro, Sakura, and Rei. It had been the most enjoyable dinner that he had in his entire life. Probably because this was the first time I had my friends come over for dinner. he said to himself.

Suddenly, his device began to vibrate in his pocket. His parents looked at him seriously. Toriko was never given a phone or any device ever since he was a kid. Mr. and Mrs. Tochiba never bought those for him since he didn't take a liking to it. He had been contented at reading books and studying all his life.

But why does he have a cellphone vibrating in his pocket? Did he buy it without permission? Mr. Tochiba asked himself, getting more worried by the minute.

Tochiba sighed. There's no use hiding it now. He said to himself as he pulled out his device.

To his parents amazement, he took out a small summoning circle from his pocket.

"Hello, this is the White and Golden Guardian, speaking." Toriko said.

"Yo, Toriko, Blue and Gray Guardian here, speaking." He replied. "You have training tomorrow just come anytime. I could train you before and after work hours, but not during. So, just come in the morning or in the evening."

"Yes, sir."

"By the way, do your parents know it already? Sorry, we needed to give the footage to the reporters since it's an official mission. I think the wandering aggressors has been pretty active lately. And you are their target, so, you need to to train in order to fight Rank-A wandering aggressors. For the Council, it's still pretty hard to face one head-on and it would be a lot harder for you when the opportunity comes." He advised.

"Yes, sir."

"Okay, just come free falling here anytime. I'm hanging out now."

Click.

Toriko put the device into his pocket and looked at his parents. "Mom, dad, can I go on my training tomorrow?" He asked.

"You really are a wandering guardian now,  son." Mr. Tochiba said, trying to take in everything that he saw. "Well, I guess we can't help it. We've overheard your conversation and I think that's for the best. But one thing you must remember, be careful. It's dangerous fighting those aggressors." He said as he remembered everything that Kiro's parents had told him. "A lot of guardians has already been killed or had their armors stolen. People have not heard of it since it was kept off-record. But you've probably heard of what happened to Kiro's parents, right?"

Toriko nodded, he began to recall everything that Kiro told him just this afternoon. "Yes dad, i'll be careful."

"You can go to your training." Mrs. Tochiba agreed. "I'd guess you'll be leaving home tomorrow at the same time with your dad. I should prepare an early breakfast tomorrow."

His mom smiled at him. They had finally accepted that he already is a wandering guardian. It had taken them weeks but they finally accepted it. Toriko sighed in relief. Thanks for your help, Kiro. Although I know that you just came here for dinner. He said to himself.

"You should probably get some rest now, early training for you tomorrow, right?" His dad said, beckoning him to go to his room.

"Yes dad, goodnight mom, dad!" Toriko responded.

Toriko quickly went upstairs towards his room. Everytime he enters his room, he always gets reminded of the summoning circle that appeared on the floor. He looked around his room and turned off the lights.

What a day! He thought as he fell asleep.