Rikimaru ran across the dirt path picking up dirt in his flip-flops, but he decided to ignore it because he was far too angry to think about it right now. He ran past the Ronin village, past the Bamboo Forest and entered a old shrine. he looked at his 18 year old partner "Ayame we were meant to be doing this mission together"
"yeah I know but you were too slow and look I have already got the scroll that Lord Ghoda asked us to get",
"Ayame do you know how many archers you missed"
"its just a couple of archers and anyway why are you making such a fuss I'm sure you must have finished them off,"
"its not just about the archers it also about you being irresponsible, one day you are going to get yourself killed and I am not going to be there to save you",
" I don't need you to save me in fact I don't need you at all",
"Ayame I'm telling you this because I care for you",
"WHY! I don't want you to care for me I just want you to stay away from me".
Ayame ran out of the shrine with rage in her eyes, Rikimaru ran after her trying to catch up but Ayame was faster than him, she had always been faster than him. Rikimaru kept running after Ayame until they reached the castle, Ayame stopped at the castle doors and Rikimaru ran up to her,
"Ayame, I'm sorry, I really didn't mean it",
"save it Riki, I have better things to do than to listen to you all day".
Rikimaru didn't say another word, he didn't want to make Ayame even angrier. Both of them entered the castle and into Ghoda's office, Ghoda was waiting for them, Ayame handed Ghoda the scroll, Ghoda opened it,
"I hope your mission was a success you two",
"well we wouldn't of brought you the scroll if it wasn't",
Ghoda looked at Ayame and shook his head at her attitude, Ghoda's eyes widened and he looked at Ayame and Rikimaru with anger, Rikimaru couldn't help but ask,
"is everything ok my Lord",
"NO! Everything is not ok",
he threw the scroll with as much might his old body could bring out, the scroll hit Ayame foot making a cut with the edge of the scroll making her foot bleed,
"AAAGGHHH"
Ayame crouched down and soothed her foot, she looked up at Ghoda,
"what was that for, look you made a cut on my foot",
"YOU GOT THE WRONG SCROLL!"
"BUT WE..."
Ayame looked at Rikimaru,
"come on defend me a little",
Rikimaru looked at the floor, he had nothing to say but then again if he didn't he'd have to listen to Ayame taunts all day, he decided to say nothing. Ayame got angrier than before,
"you coward",
Ayame pulled Rikimaru's mask down and slapped him, she headed for the door and stopped to make a final reply to Ghoda,
"Listen my Lord, this is your fault because before we left for the mission you told us that we couldn't open the scroll so how were we suppose to know whether it was the right scroll or not",
Ayame then walked out, Ghoda looked at Rikimaru's cheek, Rikimaru walked out a little embarrassed that he didn't do anything after Ayame slapped him
Rikimaru went down stairs and into the healers room, he saw that Ayame was getting her foot nursed. Rikimaru went upto the main healer,
"Yoki please can I get some soothing cream"
Yoki went to the shelves and grabbed a tube of soothing cream,
"why do you too keep fighting, why can't you too just get along".
Rikimaru sat down on a tatami mat and let Yoki rub the cream onto his cheek as she scolded them. Lord Ghoda came into the healers room,
"I'm sorry Ayame, I wasn't intendeding to hurt you I just got a lot of stress"
"its okay my lord, is there anything I could do for you"
"yes there is, I have recently found information about a another scroll hidden in a old and abandoned house in the west side of Japan, you and Rikimaru are going to get that scroll at sunrise so get as much rest as you can, I can't tell when you are going to be back so be careful"
"yes my lord"
Ayame and Rikimaru said in unison. Ayame got up and went to get some rest in her room. She lied down on her futon and slowly drifted off too sleep whereas Rikimaru just starred at the ceiling, he felt guilty after what he said to Ayame,
"I should have controlled myself".
Rikimaru stayed awake until it was time for the mission, he grabbed his equipment and went to Ghoda's office, he sat down opposite lord Ghoda and waited for Ayame. the door to Ghodas office slid opened a few minutes later, Ayame entered with her arms crossed and sat down next to Rikimaru.
"Good luck to both of you, I hope your mission will be a success".
Ayame and Rikimaru nodded and jogged to the castle doors, Ayame went into a slow sprint as they left the castle, Rikimaru followed, keeping up to Ayame's pace. Ayame and Rikimaru ran for miles, they stopped at a hot spring, both of them were panting trying to catch their looked up, the sky was full of stars and the moon shone upon them showing them its beauty. Rikimaru crouched down to relax his aching knees and Ayame washed her hands in the hot spring, she looked at Rikimaru and said,
"Maru, turn around I want to go to the hot spring, unless you want to watch me",
Ayame said coldly. Rikimaru's face went red with embarrassment at Ayames last few words, he turned around to give her some privacy, Ayame slipped off her gi and let the friendly water hug her. Ayame got out of the hot spring after 30 minutes, she wore her gi and walked upto Rikimaru,
"well are you just going to sit there or are you going to get off your lazy ass so we can continue on the mission but if you want I could do this mission on my own,"
"no Ayame, as far as I know Ghoda said that this mission is very dangerous so its best if we both go"
Rikimaru said in a quiet, soothing voice so Ayame wouldn't get angry and throw a few more taunts at him.