The Kurukawa Legacy

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Atreyu stood, knife still in hand, staring at Hermit.

"Do you have a map? I need one." Atreyu asked. Hermit shuffled around in a cabinet and pulled out a roll of paper. He handed it to Atreyu. He unrolled it, revealing a large map of the city, and lands around it. He set it down on the floor and knelt as he inspected it.

"We're at sector C14, on that railway." Hermit mentioned. "Also," he continued, "they're most likely tracking the train, and are riding next to us as we speak. You might want to get off quick." he said, and Atreyu looked at him.

"Okay." he replied and continues inspecting the map, tracing lines with his fingers, until he finally stood up. "The big river near the highway. That's where I want to depart." Atreyu stated firmly.

"Sure thing." Hermit nodded. Atreyu scolded him.

"Why are you so cooperating with me?" he asked.

"You're part of the Kurukawa family, isn't that right?" Hermit asked.

"How would you know? I could just be another criminal, like a robber."

"I can tell a family member apart from others any day."

"Wait... what did you say..." Atreyu asked, stunned.

Suddenly Hermit grabbed the lever and pulled it up in the blink of an eye. The train stopped abruptly and their bodies jerked forward. In front of them was a blockade set up by the government. Behind them more blockades got carried and placed by a dozen men. Cars pulled up all around them. They were trapped.

"They thought ahead of us..." Hermit cursed. He picked up a microphone that was connected to the train by wires and spoke into it.

"All passengers, please slowly exit the train with your hands in the air." he spoke calmly and pressed a button, which Atreyu presumed opens the door. Through the window they could see all the passengers exiting until the rest of the train was empty. Some officers started nearing the train, closing in on them.

"I'm done for..." Atreyu muttered. "...damn it all." he continued as he put up his arms and hesitantly started walking to the train's exit.

"You think I was kidding?" Hermit said. Atreyu paused and turned around, staring at Hermit.

"You can't actually be family... they killed almost everyone. The only ones I know... well, hope, actually, that are still alive are my uncle and aunt, who have been living off the grid."

"Oh..." Hermit said. "so that's where you want to go..." he continued. He took something else out of the cabinet and handed it to Atreyu. It was a can of some kind of spray. "Take this, spray it on the map when the time is right." he said.

"You're being... serious?" Atreyu asked before hesitantly taking the can.

"Atreyu, they'll hunt us all down, until the Kurukawa family's existence is wiped from away from this world." He looked down and put his hand on the lever again. "But listen to me... we can't allow that to happen. I entrust the mission to you and the last remaining members of the Kurukawa family... to continue our legacy. To continue... the Kurukawa legacy!" he shouted that last part and jerked the lever all the way down. The train jumped forward at an alarming speed. Atreyu fell down and hit the floor. The train smashed through the barricade and shuddered as it continued speeding.

Atreyu managed to stand up, he looked back even though there were no windows. "People were standing by those barricades!" Atreyu shouted.

"People that wanted to kill us, Atreyu!" Hermit shouted.

"Wait... you know my name?" Atreyu asked.

"Yes, grandson, I know your name. Follow the map to go to your uncle's farm, and don't let the flame of the Kurukawa family be extinguished. Complete your father's life-long dream for him!"

My father's dream? What dr-"

"Get ready, they're probable on our heels again. The river is up ahead. I'm going to slow down enough so you can jump off unarmed. After that, run, and don't be seen. They'll keep trailing me, thinking that you're in here, and you can get away."

"Can't you come with!" Atreyu shouted, becoming emotional in all this confusion.

Hermit glanced over to Atreyu with a soft, calming smile. Reminding him of Kaitlin.

"I've lived long enough, my boy. Now GO!" he jerked the lever up and the train moved exceptionally slower. Hermit pressed a button and a door on the right side of him clicked, unlocking. Atreyu ran to it and opened it.

"G... goodbye, I guess." he choked back a sob and jumped. He hit the ground rolling and stood up as fast as possible. He saw the train jerk forward again as it increased in speed. In the distance he heard an orchestra of sirens wailing about. He stood up and stumbled towards a tree, hiding behind it as multiple cars sped by, as well as a helicopter from above.

"They want to kill us this badly?" he muttered in disbelief.

He looked to his left - to the South of the city. A river slithered by along the city borders, and formed a "T" at one point, which stretched far into the horizon and which is what Atreyu had to follow. He sat down and breathed deeply, having to take in all of what happened. He stood up and started walking, no expression on his face other than shock. He only noticed that he still had the map and can of spray in his hands when he reached the river. He looked at it and remembered his grandfather saying he must use the spray on the map. He hesitantly shook the can and sprayed it on the map, partially. It revealed a bunch of arrows and notes, that couldn't be seen normally.

So this can... reveals hidden notes? he thought, and started spraying it over the entire map. All kinds of notes and lines and figures revealed themselves in a neon-blue color. He focused on his position, and noticed a line that was drawn from the city border all the way to a certain spot. It must be his uncle's farm.

Over the course of a few hours, Atreyu followed the line on the map, using the landmarks as guidance. He only knew about his uncle's farm in the South because his mother had talked about it before, and how it was somewhere next to the river, though he didn't know exactly where it was. This map pinpointing it's location was a huge relief. He traveled over the yellow-orange fields of grass, keeping a distance away from the highway, as not to be seen, even if it was still almost completely dark, besides the little light from the moon. He couldn't help but wonder... what happened to his grandfather? How's Kaitlin doing? What's his father's dream? He shook his head, trying to force it all out. He was too tired to bother himself with it.

Finally, after another hour or so, Atreyu spotted the final landmark that was presented on the map - a windmill. Next to it was a small patch of thick forest that stretched along the side of the river for a little bit. He looked on the map again, and saw the dot in the middle of a cluster of simply drawn trees on the map.

This must be it.

He walked into the forest, dehydrated and hungry. It didn't take long before he found a clearing within the center of the forest, and a small farmhouse in the center of the clearing. There were two vehicles to the side of the polished, wooden house. A big garden could be seen a few meters away, as well, growing all kinds of vegetables. After that was a well constructed coop that was painted white. Atreyu noticed a little bit of light escape from the horizon, as the sun was starting to slowly rise, and got a sudden fright when he heard a loud crow coming from within the coop. Embarrassingly, he walked onto the house's porch.

So... I'm about to meet my family... after so long. He cringed when he thought of his grandfather and wished that they could have talked longer.

He took a deep breath.

He knocked.

"I'm home."