Who Said Life Was Simple?
Chapter 14
Kohari: I am so sorry for the really long wait. See, the GGFs broke up, and although we've been working things out, we're still not the perfect team we used to be. In fact, I've pretty much been by myself updating "Return of the Cat", and neither of us can find our notes as to what we were gonna do for the next chapter of "What I Learned at Genkai's Temple". Like I said, all I can say is I'm sorry. Anyways, here's the chapter!
"I've been noticing lately," Kurama was the first to speak as they traversed the forest paths, "you've been rather...unstable lately. As though something's been wearing on your nerves. Are you sure you don't want to talk about it?"
"I'm sure," she replied.
"I can understand," he assured her. "You've been pulled out of the life you've known all your life for a reason that's still unclear to you. You've been thrown into a world that's unfamiliar to you, full of people and customs and rules that you don't understand."
Kit said nothing. She had to admit that much of what he was saying was true - it had taken quite a toll on her at first. But she could hardly contradict him. That would mean telling him the real reason behind her behavior.
"Are you an only child, Kit?" Kurama inquired.
"Yes," Kit answered truthfully, not sure where this was going.
"I thought so."
"How did you know?" It was only after asking this that she realized that that information was probably in Reikai's records.
"It's a logical assumption," he responded. "It best explains the way you've been acting."
"What do you mean?"
"As an only child, you're used to being the center of attention," he began to explain. "Am I correct so far?"
"Yeah."
"That being said, you're out of your element here," Kurama clarified. "You're having to share the spotlight with two other girls, one of which didn't make a good impression on you when you first met."
"I guess that's all true," Kit agreed.
"Of course," Kurama continued, "you didn't exactly make a good impression yourself, but you mended that, I've seen. My point is, I had thought you above these silly shenanigans. I had thought that you wouldn't care for childish pranks like the ones you've been pulling lately."
"I'm really sorry," Kit tried to apologize, but Kurama stopped dead in his tracks, making her halt, too.
"I told you, it's understandable," he forgave her. "I'm not saying I approve, or that it's acceptable. I'm just saying that I see what's motivating you to cause mischief. You're a sensible girl, Kit. Playful and a bit naive, yes, but I can tell that you have sense. Please exercise it a bit more in the future."
"Okay," Kit promised. They started walking again, turning into a path that would take them home.
"Perhaps all of you have gotten the rebelliousness out of your systems by now," Kurama hoped. "You'll need to behave responsibly from now on."
"Why is that?" Kit asked. "I mean, I know, in general, people need to behave responsibly, but is there a particular reason...?"
"Genkai plans to increase your training," Kurama warned her. "She's been very lenient with you, you know."
"Yeah," Kit sighed.
"Whatever happens," Kurama advised her as they reached the temple, "be prepared. Stick to your training, and stay alert. You guard a very important and very powerful item, Kit. If anything were to happen to you..." he trailed off there, leaving her to fill in the blanks. He then bid her good-night and left her to find her own way to her room.
Kit sighed again. She didn't really know what to think or do.
Kohari: Yes, yes, I know. Super-short. But I plan to get another chapter up within the next week or so. Right now, I'm about to go to the pool with some friends, so I'll go ahead and post this. Please don't be mad at me, anyone.
Note: Not proofread.