Standing Alone in the Rain
By Ame-Hime
Author's pointless rambling: Hiya!!! Eto... sorry 'bout not updating... ((as if anyone is still reading this sorry excuse for a story... god! I need writing skills!)) but, well, I had some delays... ((like summer school 8 hours a day and a trip to NY and court issues...)) and well, I'm sorry! So there! *runs away to dodge the flames*
Disclaimer: If I did own Souji-sama and the rest of RK and it's characters, I'd be swimming in cash. Unfortunately, I am just a hyperactive sophomore with no talents. There, I admitted it, so go away! *****************
Chapter 5: Kyoto Diaster- Akai the Demon Horse!
Soujiro didn't sleep for the rest of the night. His encounter with Saito unsettled him; and the news that sickly wolf brought with him didn't help that much either. He leaned his head against the wall with a thud. He had killed 5 people, 4 thugs and a cop, in his first year of wandering and allowed anger to over power him twice. Soujiro cursed himself mentally. He'd have to control himself better in the future.
Soujiro turned his head and looked out the window. Judging by moon, it's about 1:30 am. It looks like it's freezing out there, too. I guess this whole inn thing had some good in it. If I fall asleep right now, I should get a couple hours of sleep in.... I guess that's better than nothing. Soujiro shut his eyes in hopes of falling asleep. It worked... eventually. By the time he fell asleep it was 4:00, though it seemed like eternity for him. But who can blame him? Staring at the back of your eyelids for 3 and a half hours would seem like an eternity to anyone.
****
Light slowly crept through the room and silhouetted the forms of three people: two adolescent girls laying comfortably on freshly washed futons and an boy sitting in an uncomfortable position by the window, but still sleeping peacefully. The light slowly grew in intensity, stirring one of the forms from her fitful slumber.
Ayano yawned. She had the same dream that she had been having for five days in a row. It was a disturbing dream, but at the same time, comforting. That's it. I've gone mad. How can I be disturbed, but comforted at the same time?! AND I CAN'T EVEN REMEMBER THE DREAM!!! I'VE LOST IT!!! ...oh well. Maybe a stroll around town will calm me down, thought Ayano to herself. She shifted on her futon so she could see Soujiro. Well, I guess I should let him sleep. He won't even notice I'm gone....... he looks so innocent when he's asleep... wait, he looks innocent all the time. I guess I should go before I lose what ever sanity I have left. Ayano shifted again, this time to look at Aiko. Hmmm... she's fast asleep too. That hag! Stealing sushi off my plate last night! I swear I'm gonna kill her one of these days... Ayano boosted herself up into a sitting posistion and stretched her arms before getting up all the way. I'm gonna go take a hot bath and then take a leisurely stroll around Kyoto! Today is gonna be great!
Ayano popped up and dashed out of the room, taking care not to awaken the two late-risers. Well, Soujiro wasn't normally a late riser, but he had only been asleep for a hour and a half; it was only 5:30 in the morning. Nevertheless, Ayano made minimal noise until she was well out of ear-shot.
Ayano ran out of the main inn building and to the bath house in a heartbeat. Just as she got down to the bathouse, she discovered a problem; no one was there to start the fire to heat the bath. Well, maybe if I make the fire by myself, but make the water just a little too hot, it'll stay warm through out my bath! Yep! That just might work! She rolled up the sleeves of her nemaki and picked up some wood. She dropped it when a spider crawled out from the heap and on to her arm.
"AAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE EEEE!!!"
******
Soujiro woke with a start. He looked around the room. Aiko was there; sleeping just as peacefully as ever, but Ayano was missing. And that was definately her scream. He straightend out his gi and hakama, for he was to busy thinking that last night and totally forgot that the inn had lent him a nemaki, and he dashed out the shoji, fearing that the worst.
His eyes nearly popped out of his head when he saw Ayano. She was screaming and running around in circles next to a pile of wood. He waited a couple minutes until she calmed down.
"Ayano-san?"
"SOU-KUN! IT TRIED TO EAT MEEEEEEE!!!!" Ayano raced over to Soujiro with her temporary braid flailing behind her like a flag. She buried her face into Soujiro's gi and cried. Needless to say, Soujiro nearly had a heart attack. He never felt comfortable with people in his personal space. He felt the urge to withdraw from her, but some how, it didn't seem appropriate. Instead, he put his arms around her in an atempt to comfort her. He wasn't really people-smart, and had trouble understanding his own emotions much less someone else's, but he tried any way. And Yumi had always taught him to be kind to ladies; running away and leaving Ayano crying alone by the bath house didn't seem kind. It must have worked, because she soon stopped crying and wiped her face off with her nemaki sleeve.
"Now what tried to eat you, Ayano-san?" Soujiro asked as politely as he could.
"A.... a spider...." Ayano flushed when she saw Soujiro stifle a giggle. "HEY! I'M AFRAID OF SPIDERS! I'M SURE YOU WOULDN'T LIKE ME LAUGHING AT YOU IF YOU'RE AFRAID OF SOMETHING, YOU JERK!"
"G-gomen nasai, Ayano-san. You're right; I shouldn't laugh at you." He gave her an apologetic smile. She fumed a bit more, then dismissed the issue altogether. She gave Soujiro her most pleading look.
"Sou-kun?"
"Nan desu ka?"
"Can you start the fire and keep it going while I take a bath? Please? If you do, I'll keep the fire going when I'm done so that you can take a bath afterwards! PLEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAASE?"
"Eto..... sure."
"YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY! Arigato!!!!" She dissapeared into the bath house within seconds. Soujiro blinked, but disregarded the issue and set to work on the fire. He had to admit, a bath would be great.
***
A couple minutes passed and Ayano put her hand in the water. Perfect! It's soooo warm! Ayano quickly removed her nemaki and hung it up, next to the blue kimono. She had never worn one that fancy, and she wanted to save it for a special occasion, but she didn't want to wear her usual kimono because she had been wearing it for a week and it was beginning to pick up an odor. Before I leave for my walk, I ask the inn if I can borrow their laundry tub and I'll wash everyone's laudry. Well, I'll make Aiko beg for me too! Ah... revenge is sweet.... After she hung up her clothes, she un- braided her hair and got into the water.
Ah....... the water feels so good... so relaxing.... I could fall asleep in here... she relaxed for a bit and then remembered that the purpose of the bath was to get clean; not relax. She dunked her head under water and kept it under for as long as she dared before emerging and grappling for the shampoo. She put some, probably more than she needed to, in her hair and started scrubbing. I wonder what I'll see here... we didn't do much sightseeing yesterday, so I'm sure there are lots of things to look at. I heard that the Shirobeko and the Aoiya are pretty good restaurants; we should go eat there! ... oh wait, we're broke. I know! I can apply to wash dishes or something! Working is worth food! What other things are there to look at??? There's Gion... Ayano abruptly changed her train of thought. There a whole bunch of stores here though! I could buy jewelry! Or more kimono! I really need more kimono! Oh, there's so much to do! I wonder what Aiko and Sou-kun are gonna do while I'm gone...|*| image of Aiko trying to seduce Soujiro while he's screaming and trying to run away|*| ...naw, that won't happen... I hope.... OH! NOW I DON'T WANT TO LEAVE THOSE TO ALONE! I know! I bring Sou-kun with me! Ok, I think I can rinse my hair out now. She held her breath and again dunked her head under water and scrubbed the suds out of her hair. She came back up and took a deep breath.
"Ahhhhh......"
***
Soujiro glanced up at the window. Was that Ayano? ...maybe I'm just hearing things... he shrugged off the issue and popped another peice of wood into the fire.
***
Ayano promtly grabbed the soap and began scrubbing her body. She didn't want to take to long, for she had just remembered that Soujiro was going to take a bath after her. She scrubbed herself clean and dried off with a towel that the inn had lent them. She wrapped the towel around her and proceed to brush out her hair. When she had successfully removed the tangles from her straight black locks, she pulled her hair up into a bun and tied it with a hair ribbon that matched her obi. Then she proceeded to her kimono.
Kimono are a lot more difficult and more time consuming than brushing one's hair. Ayano grabbed the faint silver underrobe first. She slipped it on and secured it with a waistband. Next, she slipped the kimono on, which was a great deal heavier than the underrobe. She secured that with a smaller waistband. Now came the hard part: the obi. She had never tied and obi herself before, as her father was always there to do it for her, but she'd give it a go anyway. She had to get it on, right? And she'd die before she asked Soujiro for help with her own clothes.
She grabbed the obi and looked at it carefully. It was long and had a guazey texture. Obviously, the fact that it was gauzey wasn't going to help her in any way, but it was long. That could help, right? She proceeded in wrapping it around her waist. Ok, I've wrapped it around my wait. Now all I have to do is make a bow... well, let's just say her bow didn't meet her expectations.
"SHIMATTA! YOU GODFORESAKEN PEICE OF SHIT!!!!" Ayano screamed as she threw the obi to the ground. She had totally forgotten that someone was outside...
***
Soujiro jumped. Ayano's raise in voice and the overpowering flare of her ki was enough to wake the dead. He blinked a couple times at the wall listening intently to the rustling and cursing going on in the bath house.
"A-ayano-san? Doushita?" More curses and rustling. "Ayano-san?"
"N-nani, Sou-kun?"
"Would anything happen to be wrong in there?"
"Yes... no... um.... maybe?"
"Huh?"
"Oh fine!" Ayano walked over and slid the shoji open. Soujiro looked at her and blinked. "Sou-kun... I... I..." she started to mess with her sleeve. "I need help... with my obi..."
"Well, um, I could try to help you."
"Hontou?!
"Sure. Here, let me see it..." Ayano happily ran back in, got the obi, and threw it into Soujiro's arms. He studied it, moving it this way and that, then walked behind Ayano.
"Ayano-san, could you hold your arms up for a minute?"
"Hai" Ayano obliged and Soujiro reached around her waist and pulled the obi tight. He wrapped it around a few more times before folding it into a decent bow.
"There. All done."
Ayano craned her neck so she could see the bow. It wasn't the most elegant bow, but it was a LOT better than hers. She gaped for a couple seconds then she looked back at Soujiro, who was standing there, usual smile attached.
"Where'd you learn to do that?"
"I didn't learn. I just folded it until it looked right."
"Oh. Well I'll admit that you did a damned good job."
"Arigatou."
"Do you want to take a bath now?"
"Well, I'll admit that a bath would be nice."
"Ok! Chotto matte kudasai!" Ayano ran off into the inn. She could run pretty fast in those platformed wooden sandals and that kimono, too. She was back in a couple of minutes carrying a dark green men's kimono. It wasn't anything fancy, though. "Here, Sou-kun!"
"Eto... what is it for?"
"I borrowed it from the inn keepers for you to wear while I wash your clothes. We've begun to develope an odor, you know."
"Yes, that's true. Alright." He took the cotton kimono from her and went into the bath house.
***
After changing the water in the bath, which is a time consuming process, Soujiro removed his clothes and got into the steaming water. It's been a while since I had a hot bath like this. Unlike Ayano, he grabbed the washing utensils and got straight to the point of the bath. He washed his hair and his body, then got out.
He grabbed a fresh towel and dried himself then towel-dried his hair to the point where it wasn't sopping. He was tempted to put his usual clothes back on, but remembered that Ayano was going to wash them. So he grabbed the green kimono and dressed himself. He walked toward the shoji and grabbed his dirty outfit on the way out.
***
"That was fast, Sou-kun." Ayano said as she eagerly snatched his dirty clothes.
"Well, I didn't want to take too long."
"Are you implying that I took to long?!"
"Of course not!" Soujiro stated hesitantly as Ayano eyed him.
"Fine, whatever. I'm going to go wash the clothes now. Afterwards, I wanted to go on a walk around Kyoto. You'll come with me, ne?" Ayano raced back into the inn to grab hers and Aiko's dirty clothes. She didn't even wait for Soujiro's answer. Soujiro blinked. Well, I guess I have no choice but to go...
***
Ayano rushed into the room and started gathering the clothes, being so loud about it that it awoke the slumbering Aiko. Aiko rubbed her eyes groggily and sat up. "Ayano-chan, why are you making so much noise? Can't you see that I'm trying to sleep?"
"You've been asleep long enough. Gimme your clothes or wash them yourself! I'm doing you a favor, you know."
"Ask me if I care."
"Do you?" Ayano asked and Aiko rolled her eyes.
"Retorical question, but no."
"Retorical?"
"Nevermind." Ayano shrugged and gathered all the peices to usual red kimono. She looked at Aiko.
"Are you going to give me your clothes, or not?" Aiko threw her clothes at Ayano's head with such a force that it knocked Ayano over backwards. She got up and intended to leap at Aiko, but something, er.. someone was holding her back. Soujiro had entered the room and he was holding Ayano back by the arms.
"Ayano-san, can't we not try to kill each other for just one day?" She looked at him, ready to rip his head off as well. But when she saw the pleading look in his eyes, she gave up and slumped to the ground, gathering the clothes once again.
"Just one day, Sou-kun. One."
"Is that a threat, Risu?" Aiko looked at her and grinned evilly. Ayano nearly burst through the roof.
"WHAT DID YOU CALL ME?!"
"Oooooooo... everyone look at risu musume!" Aiko laughed and demonic cat ears popped out of her head. Soujiro sweatdropped and backed away from them both of them. If he intervined in this one, he'd surely be decapitated.
"Aku neko musume! Shut your mouth!"
"If you want me to shut it, make me, risu musume."
"With pleasure, aku neko." They both lunged at each other and a large dust cloud accumulated around them. Soujiro started to tip toe towards the door...
"Oi! Sou-kun/Seta-sama! Don't you dare leave and let this psycho go crazy on me!" Aiko and Ayano shouted in usion. Soujiro stopped dead in his tracks and all he could manage was a faint, "oro..." They continued to fight. But Soujiro thought he heard something beside their yells. It grew in intensity, accompanied by another sound. It was the pounding of several feet and the terrified screaming of men, women, and children. Soujiro jumped up and run out the shoji into the main room of the inn and from there out into the street.
As he ran into the street, he was greeted with a wave of terrified people. He decided to see what it was, since he was curious by nature, so he walked in the opposite direction of the people. With a little pushing and shoving, it didn't take him long to find out the cause of the terror; a horse was rampaging through the streets.
It was medium sized filly, and definately not a japanese breed noted Soujiro. It had a small and defined head with dialated nostrils and it's neck was in a slender arch. It's body was a bloody red color, and it's mane and tail were a creamy golden and it bore a white sock on it's rear left leg. It's rippling muscles could be seen beneath it's coat, so Soujiro knew it was a powerful creature. He took a step foward, then stopped at the ever familiar voice that spoke behind him.
"Sou-kun? You're not going to hurt it, are you?" He turned around and saw Ayano on the verge of crying. Of course I'm going to. There's no other way... is there? He gave her a sad smile.
"Ayano-san, there is no other way. I'm sorry." He turned to face the animal, but instead he felt his stomach leap out of him as Ayano ran past him toward the horse who was wildly kicking the air with it's fore legs. "AYANO-SAN!!!"
Soujiro watched, unable to move, as Ayano raced right up under the animal. He closed his eyes. The filly's leg crashed back down with a sickening thud.
Soujiro's world blurred red.
*****
Authors Chitchat: Ooooo! A cliffhanger! The suspence is killing me! Naw, it's not. I know what was, is, and will be for I am the AUTHOR!!!! Fear me for I... I.... QUIET YOU!
Author's pointless rambling: Hiya!!! Eto... sorry 'bout not updating... ((as if anyone is still reading this sorry excuse for a story... god! I need writing skills!)) but, well, I had some delays... ((like summer school 8 hours a day and a trip to NY and court issues...)) and well, I'm sorry! So there! *runs away to dodge the flames*
Disclaimer: If I did own Souji-sama and the rest of RK and it's characters, I'd be swimming in cash. Unfortunately, I am just a hyperactive sophomore with no talents. There, I admitted it, so go away! *****************
Chapter 5: Kyoto Diaster- Akai the Demon Horse!
Soujiro didn't sleep for the rest of the night. His encounter with Saito unsettled him; and the news that sickly wolf brought with him didn't help that much either. He leaned his head against the wall with a thud. He had killed 5 people, 4 thugs and a cop, in his first year of wandering and allowed anger to over power him twice. Soujiro cursed himself mentally. He'd have to control himself better in the future.
Soujiro turned his head and looked out the window. Judging by moon, it's about 1:30 am. It looks like it's freezing out there, too. I guess this whole inn thing had some good in it. If I fall asleep right now, I should get a couple hours of sleep in.... I guess that's better than nothing. Soujiro shut his eyes in hopes of falling asleep. It worked... eventually. By the time he fell asleep it was 4:00, though it seemed like eternity for him. But who can blame him? Staring at the back of your eyelids for 3 and a half hours would seem like an eternity to anyone.
****
Light slowly crept through the room and silhouetted the forms of three people: two adolescent girls laying comfortably on freshly washed futons and an boy sitting in an uncomfortable position by the window, but still sleeping peacefully. The light slowly grew in intensity, stirring one of the forms from her fitful slumber.
Ayano yawned. She had the same dream that she had been having for five days in a row. It was a disturbing dream, but at the same time, comforting. That's it. I've gone mad. How can I be disturbed, but comforted at the same time?! AND I CAN'T EVEN REMEMBER THE DREAM!!! I'VE LOST IT!!! ...oh well. Maybe a stroll around town will calm me down, thought Ayano to herself. She shifted on her futon so she could see Soujiro. Well, I guess I should let him sleep. He won't even notice I'm gone....... he looks so innocent when he's asleep... wait, he looks innocent all the time. I guess I should go before I lose what ever sanity I have left. Ayano shifted again, this time to look at Aiko. Hmmm... she's fast asleep too. That hag! Stealing sushi off my plate last night! I swear I'm gonna kill her one of these days... Ayano boosted herself up into a sitting posistion and stretched her arms before getting up all the way. I'm gonna go take a hot bath and then take a leisurely stroll around Kyoto! Today is gonna be great!
Ayano popped up and dashed out of the room, taking care not to awaken the two late-risers. Well, Soujiro wasn't normally a late riser, but he had only been asleep for a hour and a half; it was only 5:30 in the morning. Nevertheless, Ayano made minimal noise until she was well out of ear-shot.
Ayano ran out of the main inn building and to the bath house in a heartbeat. Just as she got down to the bathouse, she discovered a problem; no one was there to start the fire to heat the bath. Well, maybe if I make the fire by myself, but make the water just a little too hot, it'll stay warm through out my bath! Yep! That just might work! She rolled up the sleeves of her nemaki and picked up some wood. She dropped it when a spider crawled out from the heap and on to her arm.
"AAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE EEEE!!!"
******
Soujiro woke with a start. He looked around the room. Aiko was there; sleeping just as peacefully as ever, but Ayano was missing. And that was definately her scream. He straightend out his gi and hakama, for he was to busy thinking that last night and totally forgot that the inn had lent him a nemaki, and he dashed out the shoji, fearing that the worst.
His eyes nearly popped out of his head when he saw Ayano. She was screaming and running around in circles next to a pile of wood. He waited a couple minutes until she calmed down.
"Ayano-san?"
"SOU-KUN! IT TRIED TO EAT MEEEEEEE!!!!" Ayano raced over to Soujiro with her temporary braid flailing behind her like a flag. She buried her face into Soujiro's gi and cried. Needless to say, Soujiro nearly had a heart attack. He never felt comfortable with people in his personal space. He felt the urge to withdraw from her, but some how, it didn't seem appropriate. Instead, he put his arms around her in an atempt to comfort her. He wasn't really people-smart, and had trouble understanding his own emotions much less someone else's, but he tried any way. And Yumi had always taught him to be kind to ladies; running away and leaving Ayano crying alone by the bath house didn't seem kind. It must have worked, because she soon stopped crying and wiped her face off with her nemaki sleeve.
"Now what tried to eat you, Ayano-san?" Soujiro asked as politely as he could.
"A.... a spider...." Ayano flushed when she saw Soujiro stifle a giggle. "HEY! I'M AFRAID OF SPIDERS! I'M SURE YOU WOULDN'T LIKE ME LAUGHING AT YOU IF YOU'RE AFRAID OF SOMETHING, YOU JERK!"
"G-gomen nasai, Ayano-san. You're right; I shouldn't laugh at you." He gave her an apologetic smile. She fumed a bit more, then dismissed the issue altogether. She gave Soujiro her most pleading look.
"Sou-kun?"
"Nan desu ka?"
"Can you start the fire and keep it going while I take a bath? Please? If you do, I'll keep the fire going when I'm done so that you can take a bath afterwards! PLEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAASE?"
"Eto..... sure."
"YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY! Arigato!!!!" She dissapeared into the bath house within seconds. Soujiro blinked, but disregarded the issue and set to work on the fire. He had to admit, a bath would be great.
***
A couple minutes passed and Ayano put her hand in the water. Perfect! It's soooo warm! Ayano quickly removed her nemaki and hung it up, next to the blue kimono. She had never worn one that fancy, and she wanted to save it for a special occasion, but she didn't want to wear her usual kimono because she had been wearing it for a week and it was beginning to pick up an odor. Before I leave for my walk, I ask the inn if I can borrow their laundry tub and I'll wash everyone's laudry. Well, I'll make Aiko beg for me too! Ah... revenge is sweet.... After she hung up her clothes, she un- braided her hair and got into the water.
Ah....... the water feels so good... so relaxing.... I could fall asleep in here... she relaxed for a bit and then remembered that the purpose of the bath was to get clean; not relax. She dunked her head under water and kept it under for as long as she dared before emerging and grappling for the shampoo. She put some, probably more than she needed to, in her hair and started scrubbing. I wonder what I'll see here... we didn't do much sightseeing yesterday, so I'm sure there are lots of things to look at. I heard that the Shirobeko and the Aoiya are pretty good restaurants; we should go eat there! ... oh wait, we're broke. I know! I can apply to wash dishes or something! Working is worth food! What other things are there to look at??? There's Gion... Ayano abruptly changed her train of thought. There a whole bunch of stores here though! I could buy jewelry! Or more kimono! I really need more kimono! Oh, there's so much to do! I wonder what Aiko and Sou-kun are gonna do while I'm gone...|*| image of Aiko trying to seduce Soujiro while he's screaming and trying to run away|*| ...naw, that won't happen... I hope.... OH! NOW I DON'T WANT TO LEAVE THOSE TO ALONE! I know! I bring Sou-kun with me! Ok, I think I can rinse my hair out now. She held her breath and again dunked her head under water and scrubbed the suds out of her hair. She came back up and took a deep breath.
"Ahhhhh......"
***
Soujiro glanced up at the window. Was that Ayano? ...maybe I'm just hearing things... he shrugged off the issue and popped another peice of wood into the fire.
***
Ayano promtly grabbed the soap and began scrubbing her body. She didn't want to take to long, for she had just remembered that Soujiro was going to take a bath after her. She scrubbed herself clean and dried off with a towel that the inn had lent them. She wrapped the towel around her and proceed to brush out her hair. When she had successfully removed the tangles from her straight black locks, she pulled her hair up into a bun and tied it with a hair ribbon that matched her obi. Then she proceeded to her kimono.
Kimono are a lot more difficult and more time consuming than brushing one's hair. Ayano grabbed the faint silver underrobe first. She slipped it on and secured it with a waistband. Next, she slipped the kimono on, which was a great deal heavier than the underrobe. She secured that with a smaller waistband. Now came the hard part: the obi. She had never tied and obi herself before, as her father was always there to do it for her, but she'd give it a go anyway. She had to get it on, right? And she'd die before she asked Soujiro for help with her own clothes.
She grabbed the obi and looked at it carefully. It was long and had a guazey texture. Obviously, the fact that it was gauzey wasn't going to help her in any way, but it was long. That could help, right? She proceeded in wrapping it around her waist. Ok, I've wrapped it around my wait. Now all I have to do is make a bow... well, let's just say her bow didn't meet her expectations.
"SHIMATTA! YOU GODFORESAKEN PEICE OF SHIT!!!!" Ayano screamed as she threw the obi to the ground. She had totally forgotten that someone was outside...
***
Soujiro jumped. Ayano's raise in voice and the overpowering flare of her ki was enough to wake the dead. He blinked a couple times at the wall listening intently to the rustling and cursing going on in the bath house.
"A-ayano-san? Doushita?" More curses and rustling. "Ayano-san?"
"N-nani, Sou-kun?"
"Would anything happen to be wrong in there?"
"Yes... no... um.... maybe?"
"Huh?"
"Oh fine!" Ayano walked over and slid the shoji open. Soujiro looked at her and blinked. "Sou-kun... I... I..." she started to mess with her sleeve. "I need help... with my obi..."
"Well, um, I could try to help you."
"Hontou?!
"Sure. Here, let me see it..." Ayano happily ran back in, got the obi, and threw it into Soujiro's arms. He studied it, moving it this way and that, then walked behind Ayano.
"Ayano-san, could you hold your arms up for a minute?"
"Hai" Ayano obliged and Soujiro reached around her waist and pulled the obi tight. He wrapped it around a few more times before folding it into a decent bow.
"There. All done."
Ayano craned her neck so she could see the bow. It wasn't the most elegant bow, but it was a LOT better than hers. She gaped for a couple seconds then she looked back at Soujiro, who was standing there, usual smile attached.
"Where'd you learn to do that?"
"I didn't learn. I just folded it until it looked right."
"Oh. Well I'll admit that you did a damned good job."
"Arigatou."
"Do you want to take a bath now?"
"Well, I'll admit that a bath would be nice."
"Ok! Chotto matte kudasai!" Ayano ran off into the inn. She could run pretty fast in those platformed wooden sandals and that kimono, too. She was back in a couple of minutes carrying a dark green men's kimono. It wasn't anything fancy, though. "Here, Sou-kun!"
"Eto... what is it for?"
"I borrowed it from the inn keepers for you to wear while I wash your clothes. We've begun to develope an odor, you know."
"Yes, that's true. Alright." He took the cotton kimono from her and went into the bath house.
***
After changing the water in the bath, which is a time consuming process, Soujiro removed his clothes and got into the steaming water. It's been a while since I had a hot bath like this. Unlike Ayano, he grabbed the washing utensils and got straight to the point of the bath. He washed his hair and his body, then got out.
He grabbed a fresh towel and dried himself then towel-dried his hair to the point where it wasn't sopping. He was tempted to put his usual clothes back on, but remembered that Ayano was going to wash them. So he grabbed the green kimono and dressed himself. He walked toward the shoji and grabbed his dirty outfit on the way out.
***
"That was fast, Sou-kun." Ayano said as she eagerly snatched his dirty clothes.
"Well, I didn't want to take too long."
"Are you implying that I took to long?!"
"Of course not!" Soujiro stated hesitantly as Ayano eyed him.
"Fine, whatever. I'm going to go wash the clothes now. Afterwards, I wanted to go on a walk around Kyoto. You'll come with me, ne?" Ayano raced back into the inn to grab hers and Aiko's dirty clothes. She didn't even wait for Soujiro's answer. Soujiro blinked. Well, I guess I have no choice but to go...
***
Ayano rushed into the room and started gathering the clothes, being so loud about it that it awoke the slumbering Aiko. Aiko rubbed her eyes groggily and sat up. "Ayano-chan, why are you making so much noise? Can't you see that I'm trying to sleep?"
"You've been asleep long enough. Gimme your clothes or wash them yourself! I'm doing you a favor, you know."
"Ask me if I care."
"Do you?" Ayano asked and Aiko rolled her eyes.
"Retorical question, but no."
"Retorical?"
"Nevermind." Ayano shrugged and gathered all the peices to usual red kimono. She looked at Aiko.
"Are you going to give me your clothes, or not?" Aiko threw her clothes at Ayano's head with such a force that it knocked Ayano over backwards. She got up and intended to leap at Aiko, but something, er.. someone was holding her back. Soujiro had entered the room and he was holding Ayano back by the arms.
"Ayano-san, can't we not try to kill each other for just one day?" She looked at him, ready to rip his head off as well. But when she saw the pleading look in his eyes, she gave up and slumped to the ground, gathering the clothes once again.
"Just one day, Sou-kun. One."
"Is that a threat, Risu?" Aiko looked at her and grinned evilly. Ayano nearly burst through the roof.
"WHAT DID YOU CALL ME?!"
"Oooooooo... everyone look at risu musume!" Aiko laughed and demonic cat ears popped out of her head. Soujiro sweatdropped and backed away from them both of them. If he intervined in this one, he'd surely be decapitated.
"Aku neko musume! Shut your mouth!"
"If you want me to shut it, make me, risu musume."
"With pleasure, aku neko." They both lunged at each other and a large dust cloud accumulated around them. Soujiro started to tip toe towards the door...
"Oi! Sou-kun/Seta-sama! Don't you dare leave and let this psycho go crazy on me!" Aiko and Ayano shouted in usion. Soujiro stopped dead in his tracks and all he could manage was a faint, "oro..." They continued to fight. But Soujiro thought he heard something beside their yells. It grew in intensity, accompanied by another sound. It was the pounding of several feet and the terrified screaming of men, women, and children. Soujiro jumped up and run out the shoji into the main room of the inn and from there out into the street.
As he ran into the street, he was greeted with a wave of terrified people. He decided to see what it was, since he was curious by nature, so he walked in the opposite direction of the people. With a little pushing and shoving, it didn't take him long to find out the cause of the terror; a horse was rampaging through the streets.
It was medium sized filly, and definately not a japanese breed noted Soujiro. It had a small and defined head with dialated nostrils and it's neck was in a slender arch. It's body was a bloody red color, and it's mane and tail were a creamy golden and it bore a white sock on it's rear left leg. It's rippling muscles could be seen beneath it's coat, so Soujiro knew it was a powerful creature. He took a step foward, then stopped at the ever familiar voice that spoke behind him.
"Sou-kun? You're not going to hurt it, are you?" He turned around and saw Ayano on the verge of crying. Of course I'm going to. There's no other way... is there? He gave her a sad smile.
"Ayano-san, there is no other way. I'm sorry." He turned to face the animal, but instead he felt his stomach leap out of him as Ayano ran past him toward the horse who was wildly kicking the air with it's fore legs. "AYANO-SAN!!!"
Soujiro watched, unable to move, as Ayano raced right up under the animal. He closed his eyes. The filly's leg crashed back down with a sickening thud.
Soujiro's world blurred red.
*****
Authors Chitchat: Ooooo! A cliffhanger! The suspence is killing me! Naw, it's not. I know what was, is, and will be for I am the AUTHOR!!!! Fear me for I... I.... QUIET YOU!