Chapter 3

Yamato slid off his work coat, tying it around his waist, running a hand through his hair before he stepped into the main train car behind Ikoma. He admired Ikoma's confidence and tried to mimic it as he the door closed, leaving everyone in the new room staring at him.
Kurusu cleared his throat, locking eyes with a girl with deep indigo hair, pulled into a tight ponytail, straight bangs framing her face. The girl looked back into his eyes, with a strong power behind it, causing Kurusu's face to light up like Ikoma had made Yamato's do a few times today already. Though Yamato recognized right away that this meant Kurusu had feelings for this girl, it was difficult for him to fully grasp it due to the similarities between Yamato's face and Kurusu's.

"Kurusu!" The girl spoke, taking a step toward him, her voice much kinder than Yamato had expected it to be. She placed a hand on her voluptuous chest as she lowered her eyes, accidentally making eye contact with Yamato, "Hello!"
Yamato's lip automatically pursed. The Bushi Princess. He had recognized her…
"Ayame…" Ikoma spoke up, distracting her from Yamato's facial expression, "This is me...from the past." He lifted a hand and stepped out of the way to give Yamato the spotlight once again. "And Yamato this is the Bushi Princ-"

"The Bushi Princess. I know who you are." Yamato said coldly.

"A-ah, Yamato, you see...she's now the leader of our people...what's left of them on the train…" Ikoma tried to explain, lifting his hands up defensively, trying to suggest to Yamato to reconsider his demeanor. "She's an amazing Princess."

Yamato watched as Ayame smiled and thanked Ikoma before turning her head to Kurusu, scanning his face for some kind of approval.
Kurusu seemed to fluster again as soon as her eyes settled on him, causing him to clear his throat again before speaking, "I-It's true, m'lady."

She gave an understanding nod, "Ikoma has been an integral part to our success, and we view him as a valued and vital member of our train." She took a pause to smile at Ikoma. "Of our family, really. He and Hozumi has saved our lives…"

Saved their lives? Yamato's eyes fluttered to Ikoma's face, remaining solid and unchanging. Yamato felt his heart start to race again, his face flushing red as he looked at that strong face, his eyes going against his wishes, wandering down his body, finding himself spacing out of the conversation.
"Yamato!" He heard a faint call of his name, wanting to ignore it, he let his eyes continue down their wandering path, down to his shoulder blades. Faint red marks scarred his body. He assumed them to be scars of the kabane signature orange and red glow. "Yamato."
The voice was finally enough to pull him out of the trance he found himself in and he snapped to attention, looking toward the voice.
Ayame, the Bushi was smiling at him, letting out a soft laugh as she got his attention, "You must be tired from the shock…"
He gave a subtle nod of his head, missing to safety of Ikoma's large body to hide behind. "Yes…"

"I'm glad that he's getting accepted…" The deep voice in front of him boomed, and caught him by surprise. "Though, knowing myself…" He took a brief pause, taking a breath. "He's probably not going to want to stick around."
Yamato felt a wrench in his stomach. That is true...His sister...he had to get back to his sister, that's right...The pain moved to his heart as he looked to the tall man in front of him, a sentiment to accomplishments he hasn't yet completed, or maybe wouldn't. This larger, older, tougher him that made his heart nearly stop and then run out of his body. He'd have to leave that? Of course, he thought, shaking his head. This is ridiculous.

Ayame smiled gently, putting both hands on her chest, giving a nod, "Yes. I can understand. He can stay as long as he wants to. Any Ikoma is always welcome."

"Thank you so much, Ayame." Ikoma smiled to her, and gave a grateful nod.

"If you need anything," She smiled again, turning her back to them, putting her hand on a stair railing as if to climb it, "Please don't be afraid to let me know."

Ikoma turned to him, looking at Yamato with an understanding smile, "Let's get you some rest, okay?"

Yamato gave him a nod as he followed Ikoma back to the first train car he had arrived in.

As the stepped into the train car, it looked nearly completely different when he first appeared there. The sun was now pouring through every crack in the train, lighting up the whole car.

Ikoma stepped through, adjusting piles of a hay and using some blankets to lay it over the hay, creating a comfortable looking bed for Yamato. Watching him do this for him, Yamato couldn't help but admire the way his muscles moved under his skin, lifting and rearranging the hay. Feeling self conscious and a little jealous, he looked down at his own exposed arms, comparing them to his future older self, his eyes wrapping around his own form. He let out a little sigh that must have been audible to Ikoma, as he stopped, looking over at Yamato with concerned eyes.
"I-I'm okay." He said, averting his eyes, feeling embarrassed for making those noises out loud.

Somehow, Ikoma must have known that he was indeed embarrassed, as the expression seemed to reflect on Ikoma's face as well, putting a hand behind his head, rubbing his short hair roughly, "A-ah, well, I guess I'm just a bit worried on how you are, after all, you traveled all the way here from the past…"

"All the way here…" Yamato thought on that for a moment before finally having the courage to look at him firmly, "When is here?"

"Well, it's...it's hard to say specifically but…" Ikoma looked down at his own hands, and then back up at Yamato, as if trying to find the courage to speak. "I am nineteen now."

"Nineteen?" Yamato asked, his eyebrows shooting up. "You're saying that somehow I managed to go two years in the future?"

He gave a slight nod and a laugh, "Though, I must say, I am happy to see you...or me...from back then…" He laughed as though Yamato was some kind of photograph that he was just keeping in an album, and reminiscing. Something about this pissed Yamato off. He was a person. And in fact, a completely different person than this Ikoma. His blood as boiling now as he walked towards the bed, and pushed Ikoma with his shoulder, making him fumble backwards a bit.
"Thanks." He said, sitting down on the nicely arranged hay bed, taking off his glasses and placing it next to the bed, and laying down on his back, folding his arms and crossing his legs.
"Uh…" Ikoma spoke softly with his deep voice, awkwardly fidgeting next to the bed before deciding on squatting into a sit next to it, getting comfortable. "I uh...It's just good to remember what everything was like before all this."

"Hm." He gave a noise, hopefully sending the message that this sort of treatment was not making him happy.

"How do I explain this…" Ikoma grumbled a bit, raising a knee to rest his arm on it. "I was so…"

Yamato, even with his eyes closed, arching his eyebrows in aggression. Ikoma must have gotten the idea finally, clearing his throat before correcting himself.

"You are…" He took a shallow breath, "...Kind of fragile and cute…"

Cute. Yamato's face lit up like a burning building, his heart rate skyrocketing. Was he mad? He must have been mad. He realized that he was inferior when it came to this future him...but it doesn't help that he was being beaten down by him now…

"I guess in some ways, I just want to-"

"What are you still doing here?" Yamato's eyes shot open, sending a glare towards Ikoma.
Yamato wasn't sure but he could have sworn that he saw a hint of pink dust Ikoma's cheek. His heart picked up its pace even more.

"L-Like I was saying…" He gave a little laugh, helplessly. "I just want to protect you."

Yamato's ears grew hot as he rolled on his side so his back was facing Ikoma, quick to hide his face as red as Ikoma's glowing eyes. "F-fine by me."

Ikoma must have seen his face before he was able to hide it, as he let out a soft laugh, almost adoringly.

"IKOMA!"
Oh no.

"IKOMAAA!"

"Shhh...he's sleeping…" A gentle voice replied.

"IKOMA."
Oh God, he recognized that voice. It's that girl…

"H-Hozumi, quiet down...Yamato is-"

Yamato sat up abruptly, rubbing his eyes before putting his glasses on. "Don't worry...I'm awake."

Hozumi, with her hands on her hips, standing beside Ikoma gave a satisfied grin. "See, he's up now! Now can I ask you?"

Ikoma put his head in his hand and shook his head slowly, "Okay, what did you want to ask me…"

Hozumi pursed her lips and looked up to the ceiling, putting her hands behind her back, "Nii-san wants to know if I would be allowed to go out with him when we break for the night and go hiking around the river."

Ikoma gave a heavy sigh and nodded slowly, "I trust he'll look after you…"
"Ikoma," She groaned, "I'm fourteen! I can take care of myself!"
Ikoma gave a nod, looking at her as she started to run out of the train car, waving back at him as she left with a giggle.

"Please be careful and tell me before you leave!" He rose that deep voice at her, giving her a caution.

She saluted and smiled, "Yeah, yeah!"

The train car door shut with a loud metal thud, leaving Ikoma and Yamato there alone. Neither one looked at the other, a silence brewing, neither really sure how to start a conversation.

Finally, the silence becoming enough, Yamato spoke up, catching Ikoma's attention, "Y-You really a dad to her, huh?"
Ikoma looked over Yamato's face and gave a smile and a nod, "She lost her parents and was basically raised by her brother…"
"Oh, her brother? Then why are you the father figure?" He tilted his head, pushing up his glasses.

"Ah, well…" Ikoma looked down at his hands, his face twisting a little. Had he struck a nerve? "He wasn't a good influence for a long time…"

Yamato's eyebrow rose, his eyes wandering around Ikoma safely, now that his firm gaze wasn't fixated on him. "What changed that?"

"Er…" Ikoma's face twisted once more. "Well, her brother and I...we sort of had a thing…"

Yamato's eyebrows furrowed into a face he tried not to make. 'A thing…' A stirring started in his stomach, and he tried to soothe it, "Well...you're a good dad…"
He watched as Ikoma's expression changed instantly into a soft smile, "Well, I like to think of myself as more of a brother…"

Yamato snorted, "Then you must be delusional...You're clearly a father."

Ikoma's cheeks dusted rosey once more and scratched his cheek, closing his eyes, "I suppose I try not to notice…"

The two laughed together before both looked down at the green gem in their hands, reminding them both of their sister.
Yamato lifted his eyes up to Ikoma, reading the expression of his face instantly. So he really is him, huh?
"H-Hozumi…" Yamato started, snapping Ikoma out of his trance. "Hozumi reminds me a lot of-"
"Yes." Ikoma smiled sadly, looking at him once more.
They both had a moment of silence, remembering their sister until Ikoma looked over at Yamato, "You...You're going to want to build another machine, aren't you?"

Yamato's face turned blank, looking at into those red pools, easily, for the first time. "I...To be honest…" His voice hushed to a whisper, "Since I got here, I surprisingly haven't really...thought about it too much…"

This surprised Ikoma, looking at him with his head tilted, "Why is that?"

"I suppose…" Yamato's throat suddenly swelled up, making it difficult for him to speak. Or rather...difficult for him to confess the truth. "I suppose…"

"You suppose?" Ikoma turned himself to face Yamato, leaning forward towards him, interest apparent in his eyes.
"I suppose you fascinate me."