Yoroiden Samurai Troopers:
in
Child of SaberStryke
A Miss Chang Po Production 3
"Allright, Byauken-san, I need you to try and keep as still as possible, ne?" Kiyone said, positioning herself so that she could get a clear view of Byauken.
Byauken shook his head and sat on his haunches, a determined looking expression on his face.
"He looks good like that." Seiji said.
Kiyone nodded. "Sort of proud, majestic… like a warrior." She mused.
'You've no idea…' Seiji thought to himself as he watched Kiyone set up her tools. "You know, I'm surprised."
"Surprised at what?" Kiyone asked, sharpening a pencil.
"At how compliant Byauken is being." Seiji replied. "He isn't exactly tame you know. Aren't you afraid of him at all?"
"No, not really." Kiyone answered. "Sanada-kun said he wouldn't hurt me, so what reason should I have to fear him?" She took out a sketchbook and turned to a blank page. "Are you afraid of him?"
"Not at all." Seiji answered. "I've been around him for years. I just find it weird at how he's acting around you. It's sorta like how he acts around Ryo, it's like he knows you enough to trust you completely."
Kiyone contemplated all of this as she began her preliminary sketch. "Maybe he senses no animosity from me… or something... I don't really know." She admitted. "Though, to be honest, I think I feel the same way towards him. Funny, isn't it?"
Seiji nodded absently, watching her intently. There was something about her. His senses were telling him that much. Any girl who could get in a car with Touma and not somehow piss him off before the ride was over was certainly something else. And Byauken was acting like a regular house cat around her? There was certainly more to this girl than meets the eye, and Seiji was determined to find out what it was.
For a short period of time, the only thing that could be heard was Kiyone's pencil gliding over the paper.
Seiji looked at her book and could seet he beginnings of Byauken's face. It was almost as if the tiger was actually sitting on the paper staring back up at him.
"You truly are a talented artist, Jade-san." Seiji said, leaning closer to get a better look at the drawing. "You really captured Byauken's expression perfectly."
"Arigato, Date-kun." Kiyone answered.
Glancing up from the paper to look at her, Seiji could see a faint blush starting to creep up her face. Grinning, he replied, "You can call me Seiji if you want."
Regaining her composure, Kiyone returned with, "Then you can call me Kiyone. San is way tooformal for someone like me."
"Oh, why is that?" Seiji asked.
Kiyone shrugged. "I suppose it's just because of the way I am." She answered. "In case you haven't noticed, Nasuti and I are complete opposites. She's sorta quiet and composed; I'm loud and rowdy. She likes to plan everything while I sorta take everything as it comes. In a way I sort of go like the wind goes."
"You sound a lot like Ryo." Seiji replied.
"Hmm," Kiyone replied. "Tell, me, are Nasuti and Sanada-kun a couple?"
"To be quite honest, we think they are, but they haven't quite come out and announced it." Seiji replied. "Though it's kind of obvious, don't you think?"
Kiyone nodded absently. "It must be nice." She said softly.
"Nani?" Seiji asked.
Just then, the back door opened, causing to Kiyone to jump, scattering all of her art tools all over the patio. Touma walked out and looked up them quizzically.
"What are you two doing?" he asked.
"I might ask you the same thing." Seiji answered. "You nearly scared Kiyone out of her wits."
"No, it's okay, really." Kiyone replied, on her knees, trying to pick up everything she had dropped. "I guess I spaced out a bit and got a little startled. Happens all the time."
"Let me help you with that." Touma began, stooping down to help her.
"No, let me." Seiji interrupted, kneeling down at her side, earning a glare from Touma.
"No, it's okay, guys, I've got it." Kiyone answered, though she was completely unaware of the staring war going on between the two warriors above her.
Using the mental link that all of the troopers shared, Touma spoke to Seiji, anger evident in his mental tone.
("Just what did you think you were doing?") Touma asked.
("I was just talking to her.") Seiji answered. ("What's your problem?")
("My problem is you having to glomp onto every girl you see like she's a piece of meat.") Touma replied. ("Do you only have one thing on your mind?")
Seiji rose to his feet. ("I was just talking to her!") He said angrily.
By this point, the other troopers had heard the 'conversation' going on
outside between the warrior of courtesy and the warrior of intellect. Ryo, being the leader, came to investigate. (AN:Confidentially, they pulled straws and Ryo got the short one. ^_~)
"Hoi, what are you guys doing out here?" he asked as he stepped outside onto the porch.
Kiyone, who had gathered her things on her own, set them back in their proper place and looked up. "Oh, Seiji and Hashiba-kun were helping me clean up my stuff." she answered. "I guess I got a little bit clumsy when Hashiba-kun startled me."
"You don't have to call me Hashiba-kun," Touma replied, scratching the back of his head bashfully. "It makes me sound more important than I actually am."
"Well, you are important," Kiyone said. "If it hadn't been for you, I don't know how I would have made it here to meet all you guys. That makes you my hero." With that, she absently gave him a kiss. Touma's face when completely blank.
"What was that for?" Seiji asked, frowning at Touma.
"Like I said," Kiyone answered, her gaze still on Touma, "I go like the wind goes. But I really can't thank you enough, Touma-san."
"Uhm… it was no problem.. really…" Touma managed to say after the initial shock wore off. Seiji frowned at him even more.
"Ahem." Everyone turned their attention towards Shin, who was standing at the door in an apron. "Dinner's ready, minna, so I suggest you guys come in before it gets cold."
Shuu's voice could be heard from inside. "Woo hoo! Food, here I come!"
A large sweat drop was visible on Shin's forehead. "You guys really might want to hurry." he sighed.
"Don't worry, Shin," Ryo replied, "Nasuti will hold him off as long as she can."
Shin nodded with a chuckle. Glancing at Seiji and Touma, he could almost see the storm clouds of war forming over their heads. Putting a cheerful smile on his face, he turned to Seiji and said, "Seiji, you've got kitchen duty today, ne?" he asked. "Do you think you could help me set the table?" He almost laughed out loud when he saw the look on the warrior of courtesy's face.
"I could help if you want, Mouri-kun."Kiyone offered.
"Shin. You're the guest here, we don't plan on putting you to work anytime soon." Shin replied with a smile. "Besides, Nasuti would have my head if we did."
Kiyone was about to object, but Seiji interrupted. "No, it's all right, Kiyone, I've got it." After casting a final dirty look at Touma, he walked into the house.
("That was close.") Shin thought.
("You're telling me.") Ryo sighed mentally. ("10 bucks they're going to duke it out before this is resolved…") He couldn't help but chuckle when the warrior of trust cast him a disapproving glare. "Well, how about we head in, Shin?" he asked.
"Good idea," Shin replied. "It's getting kind of cold out here." He turned to Kiyone and Touma. "Are you guys coming?"
"I think I'm gonna chill out here for a while." Touma answered. 'I really need to clear my head and figure out what's going on…'
"Kiyone?"
"Oh, I'll be in in a few." she answered. "I'm just going to finish up this sketch."
Ryo and Shin looked at each other, shrugged, and then walked back into the house. Once they were inside, Touma ran a hand through his hair and sighed.
'What's gotten into me?' he asked himself. Remembering that he wasn't alone, he looked down at his company.
Kiyone, seated on the steps with her sketchbook in her lap, was completely immersed in her work. It seemed that she was oblivious to the fact that Touma was behind her and that Byauken now had his head rested at her feet.
Sighing in resignation, Touma sat down next to her, glancing at her work. "You drew Byauken like you know him." he said.
"Nani?" Kiyone asked, surprised that he was still there.
"I said you drew Byauken like you know him." Touma repeated. "You know, how you would draw a parent or sibling? Like you know all their features from memory, even though you're looking at them right in front of you."
Kiyone shrugged. "I don't have any parents or siblings," she said nonchalantly, "so I wouldn't know anything about that."
Touma winced. 'Good one, Hashiba,' he said, mentally slapping himself. 'What a way to start a conversation.' "Gomen," he said.
Kiyone turned and smiled at him. "It's not your fault." she said. "It's been such a long time… I don't even let it bother me anymore."
Touma could tell she was lying, be he decided not to dwell on it. He noticed that Kiyone was starting to shiver. Forever the gentleman, he took off the jacket he was wearing and draped it over her shoulders. She briefly flashed him a smile of gratitude and went back to her sketch. "I see what you mean." he said absently. "After awhile you just accept it."
Kiyone looked up at him. "Your parents are dead?"
Touma blinked. "Oh, no…" he said, abashed, "Sorry, my parents are divorced. Haven't talked to either of them in years."
"Sorry to hear that."
"Not your fault. Like you said, I don't let it bother me anymore."
There was silence for a few moments. Only Kiyone's pencil could be heard as she began shading in the light and dark tones of Byauken's coat.
"Were you ever adopted by anyone?" Touma asked, breaking the silence.
Kiyone stopped and looked up. 'He really wants to know about me, doesn't he?' she thought to herself. Luckily, it was dark so Touma could not see the blush starting to creep up her face. "No," she answered. "I didn't want to be either."
"Why not?"
Kiyone just shrugged. 'Not now,' she thought. 'Not yet.'
Noting her silence, Touma let out a shaky laugh. "Sorry about that," he said. "I'm being nosy."
"No, it's all right." Kiyone answered. "I travel around a lot, so I'm just not used to someone wanting to know so much about me."
"Well, what's it like? Traveling all over like that?"
"It's fun, actually." Kiyone answered. Closing her eyes, she then replied, "I go wherever the wind takes me." Opening them again, she looked up at the sky. "Though it gets lonely sometimes. You guys are lucky."
"We are?"
Leaning back and pillowing her head in her arms, Kiyone answered, "Yeah, you and Nasuti and the guys… you all have each other. You guys are like one big family."
"You and Nasuti are like family aren'tyou?" Touma asked softly. "I'm sure she wouldn't mind you staying here. You could make this place your home."
Kiyone chuckled. "And be one of the guys?" she asked. "You'd like that, wouldn't you?"
'You've no idea…' Touma thought tohimself. He mentally slapped himself again. 'What am I doing? I can't keep thinking like this…'
"Touma? Touma?" Touma blinked and looked up to see Kiyone inches away from him, a concerned look on her face.
"Na-nani?" he asked, glad that she couldn't see how red his face was.
"Deja vu." she said. "Are you all right? You spaced out there for a second…"
"S-sorry…" he replied. 'Something about you does that to me…' he thought. 'Is it your eyes….?' "Did you want to ask me something?"
Kiyone shook her head and smiled. "No, it's just that it was getting kind of cold. I was going to go back inside, are you coming?"
"Nah, you go ahead."
"Okay, I'll see you later then."
"I hope so." 'Aaaaughhh! I said that out loud!!'
A light chuckle could be heard from Kiyone as she walked into the house.
A few moments later, Touma let out an exasperated sigh and slumped down on the step. "What's with me?" he asked aloud. "I barely know her! What is it about her that makes me this way?" He looked over at Byauken, who was still seated at the bottom of the steps. "Can you tell me, huh?"
The white tiger gave him only a cryptic look and a big yawn full of sharp tiger teeth.
Touma frowned in frustration. "Yeah, thanks. You're a lot of help." he said. "But you're under the same spell, aren't you? Or do you know more about her than you're letting on?"
Byauken only sat up, snorted, and walked into the house, leaving Touma to ponder his dilemma.
End of Chapter 3
Author's Notes:
Miss Chang Po: Waahhh! My first day of Summer Vacation!! I am bored out of my mind!
Wufei: Then stop whining and find something constructive (or in my case, destructive) to do.
Miss Chang Po: ::pouts:: What do you think I'm doing? ::sighs in frustration:: For those of you who are waiting for Boys Meet Girls, ::gets down on the floor and bows her head:: I'm really really really sorry! Don't you know when you get a lot of ideas for fics but then they all sorta get jumbled together? I am completely stumped on Boys Meet Girls.
Wufei: What a shocking development.
Miss Chang Po: ::takes a large mallet out of her pocket:: (how did it fit there? Ask Akane Tendou) Silence! ::takes a swing at him::
Wufei: ::blinks and ducks just in the knick of time::
Miss Chang Po: Anyway, ::leans on the mallet like a cane:: if any of you out there have any suggestions for what you would like to see? Please, please, please send them my way. My email address is MsEclipz84@aol.com. I really really appreciate this. Thanks for reading and being so patient. Ja for now!