I'm kinda sad. I'm not getting any reviews T~T if I ask, will you review :'D? If I beg, will you definitely review :D? I know I chose one of the least favorite characters but there are Kazama Chikage fans out there too :D Please review? I'm begging D: and I don't beg . . . usually :D
Hanashobu
Chapter 4: The girl with bad habits.
I didn't mean to upset the half Oni girl. I was pondering aloud and hadn't realized that it might have been a painful topic for her. I'd forgotten how frail children were, especially young girls.
The wound on my chest throbbed and I absently held my hand over it. She was a strange girl. It was amazing how differently she acted just from growing up away from the customs of regular society. She was unafraid of things that normal girls, human or Oni, would have found terrifying.
The tea she had served was good, with an unusual taste and scent. I assumed it was an original blend with ingredients acquired on the mountain. It was slightly spicy, pleasantly warm with every sip. I wished I'd asked for seconds, and something to eat. My stomach was growling uneasily.
I looked down at my bandaged chest, seeing a small stain of red on the pristine white cotton cloth. My gaze wandered to the white haori she'd left on the tatami. She was a messy person, leaving her stuff about. She'd even forgotten to take her father's precious sword with her, though she still had my Douji-giri.
A small tin with a paper covering was abandoned just within my reach. There was an orange and an iris flower painted on it in water color.
I sighed as I reached for it, feeling the stitches tugging slightly. I didn't want to rip them; being sewn up once was enough for me.
With the canister finally retrieved I opened it, curiously peering at the creamy substance. It smelt familiar and I concluded that it was the same wound remedy that the Kazama used. I guessed most Oni would be familiar with it, since the iris had a particularly strong soothing effect on us. That was why I hadn't felt anything earlier.
Soft footsteps trod up the hall and I wondered if she was already coming back to take my cup. I still had a mouthful left and gulped it down.
She turned the corner, her long raven black hair swaying. I let out a relieved breath. It was the older sister.
"I brought you some food," she greeted cheerily. She was infinitely more polite than her younger sister and I wondered why she didn't teach her manners to her imouto. That would have been appropriate with their mother gone.
"Thank you," I replied. She tried to act friendly but I found her overbearing. She wasn't as difficult to deal with as the younger one but slightly more irritating.
She had a bowl piled high with white rice and a bowl of miso soup with red meat and lots of vegetables. I would have preferred something a little blander but I wasn't in a position to complain. My stomach was growling loudly enough to be heard.
"Eat up and recover your strength," she smiled to me, setting the table tray next to me.
I nodded and picked up the bamboo chopsticks.
"Oiya? She didn't leave the tea pot?"
I shrugged just a bit, being extra aware of my wound. "She left with it and her tea cup a few minutes ago,"
The corners of her lips tugged up slightly. "She drank tea with you?"
"I couldn't get rid of her for the longest time," I joked, taking a scoop of rice.
She giggled behind her hand, eyes narrowed. I felt a shiver run down my entire body. I felt like she was calculating me. I furrowed my brows slightly, hoping she'd leave when she saw that she wasn't welcome. She reminded me of my mother, only less strict and more mysterious.
I thought she might have noticed that I distinctly didn't like her; it wouldn't have been hard since I wasn't hiding it, but she continued to sit and watch me eat. Nervously, I plucked a piece of meat from the miso soup.
"Ayame-chan seems to have taken interest in you," she commented.
I swallowed, it tasted good but it was going down in lumps. I wasn't usually the type of man to be intimidated by such a woman. I didn't know how to respond to her.
"She told me she doesn't speak to many people, perhaps that is why she's so interested?"
"Maybe," she agreed, "but we are also taking care of another man at the moment and she has yet to show any interest in him,"
"Maybe he isn't as charming as I?" I challenged. I didn't think much of the other man. The war was on their doorstep, it probably wasn't uncommon for them to pick up stray soldiers.
She laughed behind the sleeve of her white miko's robe and I felt a prickle of unease. I hated how women did that, it made them seem so damn enigmatic. If she had a fan hidden in her sleeve it wouldn't have surprised me.
"Maybe. I suspect she's just curious. We haven't seen another Oni in quite a while. You're also the first we haven't had to either run from or be blatantly skeptical of."
"Why aren't you?" I questioned. "Though I am in a pathetic condition, I could still pose a threat to you and your sister. The moment I'm well enough to stand, I might run off and reveal your position to other Oni, or even turn on you," I hated to sound like a bad guy, but I wouldn't stand to be underestimated.
She cackled, amused. I scowled at her. I was being perfectly realistic.
"I can't speak for my own strength, since I'm scarcely stronger than you in your current condition, but I have plenty of spells that would prevent you from ever leaving or finding your way back should you try." She paused, a solemnly cold glint in her usual warm brown eyes. "My little sister's strength is not to be taken lightly. She's more fearsome than you assume and can't yet control that monstrous strength. She's truly like a furious mountain god and is more suited to the warrior's path than that of a shrine guardian." She relaxed and grinned jealously. "I wish I'd been born strong and true as she has been."
I scoffed. "You sound as though you're advertising her for marriage."
She hid her lips behind a sleeve, eyes slyly smiling. "Maybe,"
I literally felt like I was sweating. She was playing matchmaker? Her sister was only fifteen . . . then again; Chizuru had been around that age when I first started to pursue her. Still, Ayame was a naïve child who didn't even know what it was like to live anywhere but here.
"Sorry, but I'm looking for a pureblooded Oni to take as my wife," I didn't care what response I got for that.
"Too bad, I guess." The snaky look disappeared and she returned to looking somewhat normal.
I felt puzzled and I wanted to hit myself for it. Tentatively, I ventured forth. "For what reason did you try to marry your sister off? Isn't she your important shrine guardian?"
She huffed at me, coming close to fully glaring at me but she didn't seem quite capable enough to be angry. "Isn't it easy to tell that she hates it here on this mountain?" a forlorn expression filled her eyes. "I want to protect her but she's self destructive. Life in solitude doesn't suit her, she needs to be someplace where she can interact with other people and direct her curiosity."
"Then why not let her leave the mountain?" that sounded like the best solution to me.
She chuckled humorlessly. "Where would she go? To my father's clan, the Agano? They'd just use her as a weapon. To the Kurosawa Oni? They'd imprison her and use her as a weapon."
I sat up a little straighter, food forgotten. "She's only half, why would they use her as a weapon?" half Oni didn't have the same regenerative abilities and strength as the purebloods.
She turned slightly from me. "I don't know. I've seen her strength, and so have the Kurosawa." She took a shaky breath. "I can't describe to you the scene that follows her when they meet and fight. I'd surely be dead if not for her."
I frowned, thinking hard. She seemed to notice that I was being distracted by her and her stories and stood up. "Eat before your food gets cold, do you want some more tea?"
"No thanks, I'll manage with the miso soup."
The day passed in relative silence, save for the sounds of nature. It reminded me of home, the way the woods protected the property.
I heard either Miyaki pass on more than one occasion but couldn't tell them apart based on their foot falls yet. I thought Ayame might have been the lighter of the two; she was a half shaku shorter than her sister. Then again, my younger sister was about the same height and sounded like an elephant when she walked.
It was hard not to think about home. I'd been fully prepared to die so I hadn't thought about what I would do afterwards. I had disobeyed my family and very nearly the way of the Oni. I didn't disserve to go back, especially after having been beaten.
Night came quickly and I lost sense of time. How long had I been unconscious? Surely no more than a day?
The darkness made me realize just how tired I was and I pushed the armrest away. The older sister, Hinata, hadn't been back for the dishes. Maybe she'd forgotten, or maybe she wasn't as neat as I'd given her credit for. That would explain her sister.
I was almost asleep when I detected the scent of smoke and quickly propped myself up with the armrest again. Was there a fire? I took a deep breath through my nose and scowled. It was tobacco smoke. Who was smoking? The other patient?
I lay down to sleep again but the smell was unrelenting. They were probably just outside on the decking. I sneered to myself. I sat up, breathing deeply but quietly. I didn't dare try to stand and instead crawled to the shoji, dragging my feet. Just the few feet between my futon and the door tired my body.
Carefully, I slid the door open, peeking outside.
I couldn't believe my eyes.
There she sat on the deck in nothing more than a pale green yukata, wet, green gleaming, black hair sprawled out around her like a midnight flower. Aside from it being ridiculously long I spotted a delicate kiseru, a smoking pipe, held daintily in her small hand.
"You!" I exclaimed.
She jumped, nearly tipping over the pot of ash next to her. She glared over at me, looking no guiltier than a cat. "Shh!" she hissed back.
"What are you doing? Are you stupid?" I accused. Of course she was stupid, smoking and sitting outside with wet hair. I hoped she caught a cold. I didn't think Oni could catch colds, even half Oni. "Does your sister know you smoke?"
She looked a bit regretful and nibbled on the mouth piece.
"She doesn't?" she nodded and took a half-hearted drawl, looking away, a blush rising to her face. The little blockhead, she knew what she was doing was inappropriate. She skillfully blew out, making a perfectly round circle of ghostly white smoke. I couldn't even do that. "I didn't start smoking until I was eighteen, and I'm a man! Women aren't supposed to smoke!"
"You have no right to scold me, old man!" she retaliated, tapping the spent tobacco into the ash pot. A light from a room further up came on and she hurried to hide the pot under the deck, slipping her kiseru into the belt of her yukata.
"You're caught now, you dolt,"
She smiled snottily, "No I'm not, Nee-san's nose is horrible,"
"I'll tell her that her stupid little sister was smoking," I threatened.
"No you won't, I'll pull your stitches next time I check on them, which will be tomorrow morning," she returned, triumphing.
I paled, I didn't doubt she would. Before I could rebuke I heard the door from up the corridor open.
"Ayame-chan?" she called, sticking her head out.
"Y-yes?" she replied. The little dunce sounded fake, I wondered if she'd get herself caught.
"Did you just get back from the bath?"
"Yes," for once she spoke politely, that should have alerted her sister.
Hinata walked out onto the deck, closing the door behind her. "Your hair is still wet, where's your towel?" she asked. She spotted me and gasped. "Kazama-san, what are you doing out of bed?"
"I heard your sister," I couldn't say smelled without getting a queer look and I wasn't in the mood to be on the younger one's bad side. I felt like such a coward but Ayame was watching me carefully out of the corner of her vibrant amber eyes.
"It sounded like you two were arguing, were you?"
"He was lecturing me on indecency," she provided, "yet he's the one staring, how indecent? What a pervert,"
I grinded me teeth, two could play at the game. "Ho? What's there to see? Besides, I was just roused from my sleep by the smell of smoke." Her cocky expression disappeared and her mouth dropped. "I went to investigate and I found you,"
Hinata leaned down and sniffed the top of Ayame's head and I could see her trembling. I could say her fear was unnecessary but the older sister had a sinister aura about her. She knew what I was implying.
"You do smell of smoke."
"T-the lantern! The oil must have been bad since it was smoking a lot," she stuttered.
She was a horrible liar. She was caught and it wasn't really my fault. I hadn't directly said she was smoking.
"Oh? Really? I see, I see!" and with that she turned and walked back to her room, a smile gracing her lips. It was my turn for my mouth to drop open in disbelief.
"That woman is really gullible,"
She breathed a breath of shaky relief. "Thank the gods; she would have skinned me alive!"
I rested my head on my forearm. The tension had ruined my strength.
She seemed to notice that I wasn't going back to my room and worked out in her bean sized brain that I wasn't staying by choice. "Could it be," she grinned, "that you can't get back to your bed?"
"Oh, shut up," I snapped.
She produced her kiseru again and placed it to her lips, tasting the smoky mouth piece. She was clearly addicted and I scoffed at her. I couldn't remember the last time I'd used my kiseru. I couldn't even remember where mine was.
She leaned back and opened her door with one hand, poking the kiseru in. She stood up and rescued a hair tie from her sleeve, tying her hair up in a winding motion that impressed me. In a few seconds she had her hair in a messy bun, unimpressive by itself but slightly more considering her hair almost touched the floor while down. How could she keep her head up with so much hair?
She skipped over to me, shoving the door open with a crash. I was surprised her sister didn't get up again. "Shall I drag you back by your feet?" she inquired. "You deserve it for almost selling me out,"
"Please be gentle," I answered, voice dripping with bitterness. I hoped she didn't intend to cause further injury.
I was still wearing the Western pants and nothing else and longed to be in a kimono again. I hated the Western clothing and had only gone in it because everyone else was switching over for war attire.
She leaned down and actually grabbed an ankle, dragging me effortless to the futon. I nearly fainted from embarrassment and pain which was, I suppose, what she wanted. I was surprised the wound hadn't reopened but she had done it smoothly enough.
Momentarily dazed, I lid there, looking at the ceiling. She hovered over me and pinched my cheek and I snapped at her fingers, trying to bite them.
"Beast," she muttered and rolled me onto the futon with her foot. I had to admit she was stronger than she looked and I wondered if her sister's praise for her wasn't exaggerated.
She sat on her knees, supporting my head as she slipped the pillow under. She pulled the cover over and noticed the small dot of blood. She visibly stiffened. "Did I do that just now?"
"You did," I lied.
"I'm sorry, I didn't realize I was being too rough," she gently touched the spot and frowned, then glared, a deep blush dying her cheeks. "Liar,"
I chuckled, "Don't pout, I was just teasing you,"
Her expression blanked as she tried to come up with a counter, still leaning over me with her finger lightly touching the wound. I couldn't help but look down; noting the collar of her yukata was suggestively loose.
Her expression dulled further as she discerned where I was looking and darkly applied pressure with her lingering finger.
"Looking somewhere?" she casually remarked.
I grit my teeth against the building pain, determined not to give in to her display of physical dominance. I'd show her who was boss when my wound healed. "I was just thinking you had bigger breasts than I'd originally thought," which wasn't what I'd meant to say.
She growled something unintelligible and straightened, pulling her collar tight and hunching her shoulders. I thought it was a compliment but still tried to hide underneath the thick blanket. I was worried she was going to cause me more bodily harm.
I wasn't quick enough and she flicked my chest, just next to the wound.
It felt like the wind had been knocked out of me. She shook her hand out as though she'd hurt herself and I wheezed.
"Oni style: finger flick from hell," she named it and stood, stomping out. She slammed the door behind her and clomped off to her room, closing the shoji door with a crash there too. I felt the walls shake.
"Ayame-chan?" Hinata called fearfully from her room.
I managed a pained laugh. She was funny, though dangerously strong. I guessed there were half Oni like her and women who had bad habits too.
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