/Euca: Ne, Kazu-chan! How was your trip to Tokyo na? (Smirked)

/Kazu: (Pouts) Don't ask about it. I almost got drown… (Dummy faced) …stuck in an island with no help… I'm hungry at that time you know! I wish to eat up my sweet pudding! (Raising her both hands with a firing spirit)

/Euca: Aha! (Nodded) And I like your way of "not" panicking, being the first to scream! (Laugh loudly)

/Kazu: Mou… I need some help here. (Turn to audience) Here comes the fifth chapter, Scoundrel's No-Hope Life! Aaaahhhh! I don't wanna think about it anymore! (Covering her ears, lights fade)

ͽ#* * * *#ͼ

Chapter Five

Scoundrel's No-Hope Life

"Is this really the path I should take? Was this my punishment for cutting my Auntie's lilac and burning my cousin's dress?"

"Run after her! Don't let her scape!" yelled an old, white-bearded man. His troop followed in a flashed motion with burning torches and sharp, metal weapons on their hands, hunting down in the middle of the night, searching any possible route that the lawless thief could take. They must capture that lady at all cost, rightful punishment should be bestowed upon her by the order of their chief, abiding the laws of the emperor. They couldn't afford of losing that crook again.

Kazumi sneered, panting heavily. "Catch me then!" she childishly mocked, thankful that she had joined that seemingly stupid team, that most-hated-guild of her, now, they couldn't catch her up. Running as fast as she could, sliding through each corners of the street, where she knew every hiding place that she, herself had made. She glimpsed back at her pursuer with each couple of seconds, smoothly slithering down the dark alleys till she finally reached up one of her hiding spot. Intersecting course appeared on her front, wicked smile flashed on the corners of her lips, disappearing on one of it without a single trace. She had finally lost those stubborn soldiers that just kept on trailing her. Sighing deeply, she leaned her back upon the hard, bricked wall with lot of exhaustion. That made up her day, huh? As it always does.

From her former decent life to being the most wanted thief? Fate surely plays an awkward and tricky role on her life! She sneered, still thankful that she had purchased a nice meal for that evening, easing up the hunger she felt on her empty belly even with just for a piece of bread along with some fruits she had filched. Jeez… Living like this is not the kind of life she had dreamt of having, but is there any way out?

Wandering in a strange, outmoded town that goes by the name of Kashiburi, empire of Seiri so as the people had named it, knowing no one but herself. She was glad that she had made out this far though. People believed that she had lost her mind, talking about places that had never been existed on that world before, leading to profound discrimination. Whenever she roamed on the obscure corners and junctions of the tied up town, completely clueless about the world she was in, thinking that she might just be lost or something, she had always kept on asking the nearest route to Tokyo yet the people who heard it had only made fun of her. Realizing that she was now indeed in a diverse domain, she had finally given up, to be able to live life was the only thing that had left on her mind. She asked for work but they constantly refused her, murmuring to themselves with a tint of criticism on their eyes. This intolerable state leads her to be tempted of doing dirty tricks by her own will, and even the act of stealing for the sake of food or else, she'll die in hunger.

She was lucky enough that she had a chance to escape those ruthless pirates that had seized her the day that she came to that world, alone on that remote island. They made her as one of their captives, locked up and chained on dark hulls along with the other prisoners or much fitting, poor slaves, forcing them to do menial works in exchange for food, as for those who resist had been thrown out to the sea. Horrible as it was, they can't do anything at all but to abide their laws. By the reason of stocks shortage and vessel maintenance and renovations, the galley was strained to land on the nearby town of Kashiburi, where she had an opportunity to flee one evening when everyone was slumbering silently in the midst of the night, taking back all her things that had been took away from her, as well as the things that she could get use of… food, jewels, clothes and others.

Though the supply didn't last long and she was forced to steal food in order to live, meandering like a miserable peasant with those grimy children that begged for food on one of the busy streets of the town. This tousled thoroughfare serves as their refuge on this endless war that they were facing, winding without single clues who really are foes and allies. Imperial guards were everywhere, holding the fort and arresting those who were seemed to be infiltrators and assassins that posed vital threat to the emperor as well as the empire itself. Further details were not really presented over her, just rumors brought about by the people in the environs. Her life surely can now be compared to that of the cockroaches and rats she hated on her world, like that of a scoundrel's no-hope life.

Kazumi shook her head, letting out a sigh of regret. Why does her life opened up like this? What is this strange world that she had run into? Looking up at the star-filled sky, her heart cried out of distress, wishing that she could take back the time, bringing yesterday's faults into desirable outcome.

"Is this really the path I should take? Was this my punishment for cutting my Auntie's lilac and burning my cousin's dress?" she whispered with a sense of absurdity, asking the heaven above. "That was an accident, you know!" Kazumi jerkily buried her head on her arms atop her bended knees.

It was getting late and the wind brings a cold chill into her spine. In a moment, something caught her senses, brief sudden movements took place, just a few distances from her spot. She froze instinctively, creeping silently to her side as she glanced cautiously upon the thing that had distracted her, afraid that the soldiers had found out her trail. Upon seeing little, street dwellers instead of appalling soldiers, Kazumi breathes out a whopping sigh of relief, grateful that she was just mistaken. Sitting at the corner were children shivering in cold, they might be siblings noted by the care the other had given to the younger one, who's coiling in pain. They were both thin and sickly-looking, with pale skin and sunken cheeks, wearing torn and shabby clothing that hanged loose on their scrawny shoulders. Their parents might have also left them alone like hers. Her eyes narrowed in annoyance yet she managed to be calm, choking back her anger.

Kazumi went near them and asked, "Is she your sister?" The boy nodded in accordance, staring at her with dejected eyes, patting gently his younger sister's back. "She must be starving. Here, take this." She handed the piece of bread that she had to the little guy, who swiftly reached for it without a single thought. The kid divides it into halves, handing the half of it to his little sister. Kazumi gasped as he gave back the other half to her, she didn't expect that this little guy would do such thing on the first place, considering their situation. She smiled and shook her head. "That's yours now…" Touched by the kid's innocence and generosity she draws out her most precious apple from her pocket, the last one to be exact, and reached for the boy's little hand. Wrinkling its brow, the kid set out a beaming smile on its lips and munches hungrily the grub on his hand.

You need that more than I do, she thought in silence as she continued on her way, finding out a nice place to spend the whole night. War never brought good things, not a single one. Her stomach began to grumble but she just ignored it, one night without eat won't kill her though. Clasping her hands beneath her head, she surveyed every corners and alleys, looking for a suiting site where she could sleep in peace. "Finally, going home!" She smirked hearing what she had just said. Home? Does she have something like that?

ͽ#* * * *#ͼ