On Tour
It had been two months since they had begun travelling. As his new duties as Minister of Environment he had to travel a lot and report the situation in the kingdom to the King as well as think countermeasures to issues that had arisen and submit them in a proposal to the King who'd take the final decision. To help him in his travel and work he was given the task to chose a group of helper, Kebi and Okame had their own jobs and had chosen to stay in Alubarna. But Erik, Farafra and Sabasa had followed him, and two soldiers from the King Army, completed the group, the two had not participated in the war so the tension that could exist between ex-rebels and soldiers were non-existent. The first soldier, Tobira, was the oldest of their group at 27, and came from the Northern Tribe, he had left the mountains to enter the army to help his country after the difficult time of the war. Wakai, the other one, was the youngest being two years younger than Kohza though he treated him with so much respect that it was a bit awkward for the young Minister sometimes.
They had begun their tour of the country in the Capital and went down from there. Kohza observing the conditions of everywhere they went, what rebuilding had been done if it was necessary, and what was still left to do, he also listened to them and their problems or demands. Visiting bigger town like Tamarisk and Katorea, as well as smaller ones though a lot of them had dried up like Suiren and the inhabitants moved to the bigger ones. Finally making their way down they arrived in Nanohana.
When passing through the town on the tour they had the surprise to see Kappa again, and once again he had asked to join them, though they had told him the war was over and to go home, he had said he wasn't trying to join the rebel army anymore but he wanted to join them, to help too. He had insisted, argued, at every opportunities. Even Erik had said it might be a good experience for the kid after a while. And maybe Kohza was crazy or he was becoming soft, because he had agreed after seeing the boy's determination.
And so Kappa was added to Kohza's entourage.
In Nanohana they took the ferry-boat to traverse to the other side of Sandy Island since the Kingdom was divided in two by the Sandora river except for the land in the far north. Now they were slowly going up the other side of the island, though with the great expanse of desert it was less populated and there weren't as many towns to visit.
Right now they had set up camp for the day, tomorrow they would begin their trek across the desert to the next town.
Really it was just like looking at himself when he was a child, Kohza thought as he watched Kappa struggle to get his breath back, readying his wooden sword once again, a frown on his face. Suddenly he charged forward, jumping in the air to slash horizontally at Kohza who neatly side-stepped the blow and with his own shinai delivered a hit, without too much force though, on the boy's back, sending him sprawling on his stomach on the dusty desert ground.
"Damn it !"
The corners of Kohza's mouth curled up slightly at the frustrated exclamation. The others men laughed out loud in amusement, though not mockingly.
"Why don't you go a bit more easy on him Kohza ?" Said Erik with a sympathetic tone but a smirk on his face.
"I thought he wanted to become strong, if he want me to go easy on him then he shouldn't have asked me to train him, it's just a waste of both our time otherwise."
"I don't need you to go easy on me ! That much is nothing !" Shouted Kappa getting back up.
"Well the kid has guts at least." Commented Tobira as he polished his sword.
"If he only has guts it won't get him far." Said Kohza, raising an eyebrow at the boy facing him who bristled a bit at hearing that before attacking again. Kohza parried and attacked back, Kappa barely parrying successfully with his shinai.
"Who taught you to fight Kohza-san ?" Asked Wakai.
"Chaka-san taught me the basics when I was young."
"Really ?" The younger man asked excitedly.
Kohza nodded but didn't explain more. How strange that he was now the instructor.
After half an hour more, Kohza put a stop to the training since it was beginning to be late. Kappa was looking ragged, and drinking desperately from his water jug.
After drenching his thirst himself, Kohza shook off the sand from his clothes with the expertise of someone having lived in a desert country his whole life, before going to sit around the camp fire with the others to wait until Farafra and Sabasa finished cooking diner.
Leaning back against a rock he put his arms back behind his head, crossed his legs and closed his eyes. The next town was Arunosa, they should reach it before the sun set tomorrow. And then the next town after that would be Ido. In two weeks they would stop by Yuba, Kohza wondered how the old man was doing, probably as good as usual being the stubborn old man he was, and he'd know, he had gotten his stubbornness from him after all.
Kohza smirked a bit at that thought and opened his eyes to look at the darkening sky, a light breeze rising, as his thought turned to another stubborn person, her smile on another night coming to his mind.
Hi, I know it's been a while, but I'm still continuing this don't worry.
Well there isn't much to say on this chapter, Kappa joining Kohza's group is based on the fact he was on the 2YL cover with Kohza, as well as Erik and Farafra, Sabasa actually exist in the manga, he's the rebel with the 87 shirt, but I gave him a name. I added two army soldiers so it wouldn't be just ex-rebels in the group.
Thank you for the reviews and favs, I always love hearing what you guys have to say.
