Arden jumped back, screaming, as she gaped in horror at the young man. He
also jumped back, falling to the ground backwards. The two stared at
eachother, when finally Arden stood up and brushed herself off. The young
man did the same.
"I..I am sorry about your water, sir." she said, looking at the ground. "I
was really, really thirsty, and -". Before she could finish, the young man
was walking towards what seemed to be a rushing stream. Arden mumbled the
rest of her apologies, and followed him.
"Uh..sir? Mister? Where are you going?" she asked in her most innocent
voice. He turned sharply and stared at her.
"I need to refill the bucket," he said quietly. "It seems to of gone down
while I was out." Arden brushed back her hair nervously, and smiled. "I'll
help you refill your bucket." she crooned. He nodded and magicly pulled out
a second from him pocket. "Here you go," he murmured. Arden took the bucket
from his outstretched hand and bent down into the river.
As the bucket began to fill, Arden attempted to engage in a conversation.
"My name is Arden." The young man looked at her curiously. "I'm Ryoga
Hibiki. Have you no last name?"
Arden stared. Ryoga waved his hand in front of her face, unsure. Finally,
Arden blinked and shook her head. "Sorry," she began. "It's just...I've
heard of a Ryoga before. And he looked just like you." Ryoga looked quite
flattered, as he stood, raising the bucket full of water with one hand.
"Well, I am very well-known through Japan..." he said with a smug smile.
Again, Arden stared. Ryoga laughed to himself, amused. He gave Arden a
small push, and she toppled over into the stream. "AHHHHH!" she yelped. She
frantically swam back to shore, heaving herself on land. Ryoga seemed to
have a laughing fit at this
Arden shivered, mumbling. She took off her sweater, which was drenched.
Rygoa suddenly stopped laughing. He stood up and reached for Arden's hand.
"Come on," he said gently. Arden blinked, stared at the hand-in-hand moment,
shrugged, and stood up with him. The two walked back to camp, fingers laced
together.
Back at camp, Ryoga offered her some of his dry clothes, which Arden took
with much gratitude. After she had changed, she walked out of the poorly
made tent, and sat around the fire, next to Ryoga. Arden had never felt
this emotional rush of .... what was it? Gratitude? Adoration? Or....love?
Whatever it was, Arden loved it.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity of staring into the fire, Ryoga
muttered, "Are you hungry?" Arden's stomach rumbled. "Erm..not really." she
said with a fake smile. Ryoga's grin fell a bit, which caused Arden's
insides to lurch.
That night, Arden slept in the tent (due to Ryoga's protests of her
sleeping outside, even though she insisted) while Ryoga lay on a thing,
ragged blanket out near the fire. Arden lay in the cozy sleeping bag,
staring up, smiling to herself. This guy is really awesome, she thought.
Soon after, she dreamt of the two if them, frolicking through the same
flower meadow she had dreamt of before.
also jumped back, falling to the ground backwards. The two stared at
eachother, when finally Arden stood up and brushed herself off. The young
man did the same.
"I..I am sorry about your water, sir." she said, looking at the ground. "I
was really, really thirsty, and -". Before she could finish, the young man
was walking towards what seemed to be a rushing stream. Arden mumbled the
rest of her apologies, and followed him.
"Uh..sir? Mister? Where are you going?" she asked in her most innocent
voice. He turned sharply and stared at her.
"I need to refill the bucket," he said quietly. "It seems to of gone down
while I was out." Arden brushed back her hair nervously, and smiled. "I'll
help you refill your bucket." she crooned. He nodded and magicly pulled out
a second from him pocket. "Here you go," he murmured. Arden took the bucket
from his outstretched hand and bent down into the river.
As the bucket began to fill, Arden attempted to engage in a conversation.
"My name is Arden." The young man looked at her curiously. "I'm Ryoga
Hibiki. Have you no last name?"
Arden stared. Ryoga waved his hand in front of her face, unsure. Finally,
Arden blinked and shook her head. "Sorry," she began. "It's just...I've
heard of a Ryoga before. And he looked just like you." Ryoga looked quite
flattered, as he stood, raising the bucket full of water with one hand.
"Well, I am very well-known through Japan..." he said with a smug smile.
Again, Arden stared. Ryoga laughed to himself, amused. He gave Arden a
small push, and she toppled over into the stream. "AHHHHH!" she yelped. She
frantically swam back to shore, heaving herself on land. Ryoga seemed to
have a laughing fit at this
Arden shivered, mumbling. She took off her sweater, which was drenched.
Rygoa suddenly stopped laughing. He stood up and reached for Arden's hand.
"Come on," he said gently. Arden blinked, stared at the hand-in-hand moment,
shrugged, and stood up with him. The two walked back to camp, fingers laced
together.
Back at camp, Ryoga offered her some of his dry clothes, which Arden took
with much gratitude. After she had changed, she walked out of the poorly
made tent, and sat around the fire, next to Ryoga. Arden had never felt
this emotional rush of .... what was it? Gratitude? Adoration? Or....love?
Whatever it was, Arden loved it.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity of staring into the fire, Ryoga
muttered, "Are you hungry?" Arden's stomach rumbled. "Erm..not really." she
said with a fake smile. Ryoga's grin fell a bit, which caused Arden's
insides to lurch.
That night, Arden slept in the tent (due to Ryoga's protests of her
sleeping outside, even though she insisted) while Ryoga lay on a thing,
ragged blanket out near the fire. Arden lay in the cozy sleeping bag,
staring up, smiling to herself. This guy is really awesome, she thought.
Soon after, she dreamt of the two if them, frolicking through the same
flower meadow she had dreamt of before.