Chapter6: Getting back is FUN!

The streets were dark. It was really late into the night, and Wakamatsu, would have been home, sleeping beside his wife, if the Young Chief hadn't asked him to pick up an important package. Said it was "Top Secret," so he couldn't let those bunglers, Tetsu and Minoru, to do it.

Wakamatsu shivered. And he had forgotten to take a jacket.

He had just reached the clearing that would soon enough take him to the mountain trail. At first, he tried to argue, because of the pick-up point, since it gave him the creeps, but the Young Chief stressed that he couldn't trust anyone else with it, and that the Sandaime had orders for him, that night, so he couldn't pick it up himself, Wakamatsu grudgingly relented. He never thought to mention why he should pick up "the package" at the shrine, in the middle of the woods, thinking it might really be important, if it had to be in a place that people would likely never go to...especially this shrine.

After all the Kurotsuki shrine was rumored to be...haunted.

And really...the wind blowing so strong...the dark, starless, moonless sky...it wasn't helping matters.

"Young man," a voice called. "Young man."

So occupied was he by these thoughts, that it was only after noticing a flash of white, as he walked by, did he turn his head sharply to the left, realizing he was the "young man" being called.

As he did, he clutched his chest, gasping. Before him, stood an extremely pale old woman, wearing a spotlessly white kimono.

"Young man." She said, again.

Unbidden, he remembered the story of the old woman in the woods...who would ask for help to cross the stream...
With trembling knees, Wakamatsu walked back, until he was standing in front of her.

"Young man...could you walk me back to my house? It's late, and my eyes aren't as good as they used to be."

Urk. Wakamatsu felt his heart stop for a moment, but he willed himself to calm down. Walk her home. Not 'Cross the stream. He thought, somewhat relieved. It's just a dumb story. It ain't real.

And because Wakamatsu was a soft-hearted, kind man (despite being Yakuza), he agreed.

So they walked through the woods. And, of course, it got darker. He couldn't get the story out of his mind. How did that story go again? And as he snuck a glance at the old woman, he realized he had left her behind a ways back..he remembered something else.

...the old woman in the story...wasn't really an old woman.

He saw her white kimono bent over something, but when the woman raised her face...(which he couldn't make out, since it was so dark) He noticed that the woman's hair was no longer white...but black. He rubbed his eyes, and he saw that the old woman had already made his way towards him, looking the same as before.

Which brought his suspicions and apprehensions all back. Oh, Kami.

...they would walk through a forest...

Okay. THIS WAS A FOREST. His heart begun to palpitate. This was not good. Still, no stream. Which was good.

He could see that it was getting less dence, and it seems like they were almost at a clearing. To lessen the silence (and his growing discomfort and panic), he tried to chat the woman up.

"So...Obaa-san, where exactly do you live?" He asked, politely.

"Oh. We're almost there, sonny." She replied mysteriously, amusement lacing her voice.

Wait. If he remembered correctly, that was exactly what the characters in the story had said! Wakamatsu now felt extremely compelled to just close his eyes, turn and run, because, if this was exactly like the story, the moment they exit the forest...there would be a stream.

...only, the stream wasn't really a stream. It was...a river.

And just as they walked out into the clearing...there it was. A river.

...and there would be a boat.

He gasped sharply, searching for the next missing piece of the story.

And there it was.

...floating calmly on the banks...A boat.

And the last part of the story was when he would look back at the old woman...but she would no longer be an old woman...but...

Despite himself, he slowly turned, and as he caught sight of the strands of hair that danced freely in the wind (which were as black as night, and was no longer white) He let out a long, loud, blood-curdling scream.

CLICK

He heard, as he saw a flash of light, which was followed by insane laughter. He watched in horror, as he watched the woman crumple on the grass, and cackle maniacally, even rolling to the side, from too much amusement...

Oh, Kami! She'll start transforming now! She'll start transforming now!! His brain screamed, over and over, while he tried to will his legs, his feet to move.

Then his brain began to register that this voice seemed oddly familiar.

"DAHAHAHAHAHA!!HAHAHAHAHA!!Wakamatsu, you IDIOT!! HAHAHAHAHA!!"

And it was then, that with an unsure squeak, was he able to say, "...Ojou?"

Which, of course, made the younger woman laugh even harder. She was now pounding the poor ground (which had done nothing to offend her) mercilessly, with her fists.

Regaining his courage, bit by bit, he walked over to the boat, and noticed that it wasn't floating. It was propped up, because the stream was too shallow. It was just placed near an elevated part of the banks, so as to give it the illusion of actually floating.

He walked back to the laughing woman, and saw the mask that had been discarded. He slapped a hand against his face.

"Ojou...that was too much!" He whined. "You almost gave me a heart attack!"

Her laughing fit coming to an end, she stood up, and faced him, a grim look on her face.

"How do you think I feel, seeing that brat, knowing that all of you kept this from me?" She asked, offhandedly. "I know you were only told to do it, but it doesn't change what I went through, because of it. Think of it as...payback."

Now, while Wakamatsu was no genius, he knew that the Ojou did not set this up alone. And that by "all of you" it meant trouble for, in the very least, Shin and The Young Chief (since it was a bit hard to imagine her trying to do anything to the Lawyer, or her grandfather).

So he asked; "What goods did you have on Aniki?"

At this, The Ooedo's Ojou gave him an evil, satisfied smirk. "His (smirk) collection of Shojo Manga. And I told him that I would hold on to it...indefinitely."

"O-kay." Her henchman replied, mollified that he wasn't the only one, and secretly thinking that that was just too much information. Shojo Manga? The Young Chief? He suppressed the shiver that wanted to run down his spine.

And as they made their way back amiably, he silently wondered if he should warn Shin of their Ojou's...plans. He was still weighing it in his head, when Kumiko called out pleasantly, before he left for his own house;

"Oh yeah. That whole screaming like a girl thing? I got the whooooole thing on video. Get my drift?"

Nah. He'll be fine. Wakamatsu decided promptly, shivering at the predatory smile on the Kuroda Heir's face.

"Ou." He managed, as he beat a hasty retreat.

One thing for sure...while he was gonna watch how the whole thing turned out, he was going to watch the fireworks from a very safe distance.

He inwardly wished Shin the best of luck as he closed the gate.

...

a/n: by the way, since the previous chapter was edited, konARTISTE's review reply ended up there. gomen. BUT, I DO APPRECIATE WHAT YOU SAID!! if I didn't, i wouldn't even try to make changes. just wanted to let you know.

Sorry for the long update. I'm actually already in the process of writing chapter 8, but i have been having...pc problems. (I COMPLETELY DENY GETTING SIDETRACED BY ALL THOSE NICE, LABYRINTH FICS!!) gah. i blame firewall, and the pc i use...but to those who reviewed, many thanks! and i hope you guys find it as funny as i did!

Wakamatsu just seemed like a superstitious sort. hehehe.

by the way, anyone interested in a good, fun read, please check out blackjack7. Anything she writes is hella funny!

anyway, to continue...

To Crazy Sardines: There will be a short ShinKumi moment in the next chapter, and more of the plot will be revealed in chapter 8. I'm glad you're enjoying it, and thanks for the continuous support!

To blueprincess16: although chapter 7 is already finished, it's not where she gets back at him. she's going to think THAT part out very, very carefully, yes she is. Because there is simply no easy way of getting back at Shin. Mwehehehehe!! Glad i'm able to keep you interested! Thanks for the review, and please stay tuned!

To silentemotions3: Yeah. I know what you mean. And i'm gonna mess with her a bit more, next chapter OHOHOHOHO!! thanks for the feed back, and i hope i hear from you again, next chapter!

To naniek: Shin showing more skin is ALWAYS a fun idea! Thanks! I'll see what I can do...and i hope you're enjoying the story, and thanks for the review!

To Noona: Don't worry...we're almost there. Kumiko will find out eventually just how much of a hand Shin has in how things work in her life, and i hope you enjoy the process it of getting there. Again, thanks for the support, and hope to see you next chapter!

To LustandVengeance: Mwehehehehe!! Things are gonna get mighty fun, from here! I'm glad you're enjoying yourself so far, and i hope i really do hear lots more from you in the future.

anyway, i hope you guys enjoy this, enough to review, and see you next chapter!