Disclaimer: I do not own RK.

Dome of Heaven

"Talking"
¨Talking¨
*Thinking*


Chapter 2: The bath to clean the body



Tragedienne of heavens
Watching the eyes of the night
Sailing the virgin oceans
A planetride for the Mother and Child

Nightwish - Stargazers
from album Oceanborn



Misao woke up with the sun, again. It had been her habit for a long time and it seemed that not even hard day of work would change it. She rose into a sitting position.

She had had a strange dream. In the dream she had flown in the sky among the clouds and the people walking on the ground had seemed so distant. She had landed near a lake and in the reflection she had looked older. She had grown into a woman. The strangest thing was that their new visitors had also been there, looking at her from the water...

Maybe it was thanks to that dream that she was in a good mood even though she hadn't had a proper time to sleep and she had little bit sore muscles. Misao jumped up like a spring and dressed quickly. She was awake anyways so why not give a hand to others. She looked at her braid. It was half undone already. She would have to rebred it soon.

She stepped out of her room to the corridor and closed her door behind her. She would need a bath soon. She had sweated more than enough already yesterday and more was to come today. Aoiya was still in the waking up state so it was rather quiet. She didn't pay any attention to the voices that she heard at the back of her head. Just noise.

She walked downstairs and brushed her hair away from her face. She would have to cut it soon, it was getting too long. She was at the end of the stairs when she encountered Omasu. She smiled at Misao. "Don't worry about today. Aoshi-san went to the town earlier and got more people here. We won't be as busy as yesterday."

Misao nodded and sighed in relief. "What can I do? I am up so I may as well help you guys and do my share."

Omasu laughed. "Go to the kitchen. I am sure they will come up with something." Misao nodded and run off, leaving Omasu to shook her head. "Where does she get that energy from?" And she continued walking.

Misao reached the kitchen soon. Unlike rest of the inn, it was rather loud there so once again she didn't pay any attention to the voices that she heard at the back of her head. Just noise.

Five new women working in the kitchen, Misao had never seen them. Okon was giving instructions to one of them and Misao walked there. She heard only few words before other strange words broke trough.

¨That's your best plan, my love?¨

It was Kei's voice! Misao looked around but didn't see him anywhere. She frowned. Was she really hearing things now?

"Misao."

She turned around startled to face Aoshi. He looked gorgeous, as always. His blue eyes turned her heart upside down, as always. He was wearing his ninja-uniform with slight changes.

"Yes?" she answered with a smile. Somehow seeing him always made her smile.
"In the second floor a woman wants water. I believe it was you that showed them their room. A married couple, arrived yesterday." After seeing Misao nod, he continued his errands.

Misao watched him move away. She missed something she had never had, him. She shook her head and then she heard it again.

¨Are you sure?¨

The same bodiless voice that still belonged to someone. Kei. And yesterday it had been Senritsu. What was with that couple? And now she had to go to them, voluntarily. Throwing her braid to her back, Misao walked to get a pitcher for the water. She knew her way around the kitchen, so it didn't take long before she was walking upstairs to meet the strange couple again.

Misao was sure that it was their voices she kept hearing, but why? Did others hear them? She didn't really want to ask anyone, because it was just too weird. She walked the stairs slowly, staring at the floor. Aoiya was all the time getting noisier, so why did she hear their voices so clearly even thought they were far away.

She raised her eyes from the floor. *Well, I am _not_ going to ask it from them. That's for sure.* She walked nervously to their door and taking a deep breath she knocked. She heard steps from inside and then the door opened. Senritsu stood there before her. She smiled gently. "What?"

"Umm, I brought your water." Misao smiled back. She wanted go away from her as soon as possible, before something weird would happen again.

"Oh, thank you very much! I was so thirsty." She said looking delighted. She smiled and took the pitcher and cups from Misao. For a brief moment their hands touched and Misao had a flash from her dream again. She was flying through the air again and joy filled her heart. Then the next moment she was again just standing in their doorway, feeling really strange. Senritsu looked at Misao eyes wide.

"What-?" Then she shook her head and smiled again. "Thank you, Misao." Then she hurried inside and closed the door. Misao shook her head also and tried to calm her breathing. *What was that just now? I saw my dream? She... saw it also?* Misao hurried away before anything else weird would happen again.


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


¨She was flying! I tell you! I saw it. And the way she looked at me, I am sure she saw it also.¨ Senritsu drank some of her water. Then she looked at her husband again. ¨There are no doubts! It must be her!¨

Kei shook his head and spoke mouth closed. ¨And what proofs do we have?¨ He looked at his wife and again he understood how fortunate he was that she had chosen him and taken him to her home. Senritsu was beautiful, smart and gentle yet wild woman. Gentle yet wild was a perfect way to describe her kinds. He was ready to believe her in this matter, but he had to make sure that she wouldn't make a mistake.

Senritsu looked at him with a bored look on her face. ¨She heard me yesterday, isn't that proof enough?¨ Her husband shook his head and that annoyed Senritsu. She knew she was right about this. ¨All right then! I'll dig something up.¨

Then her husband smiled to her and she was lost in his smile. There were reasons why she had married Kei and his smile was one of them. If she wouldn't have been sitting already, she would be now. Her knees felt weak. ¨That's unfair!¨


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


¨All right then! I'll dig something up.¨
¨That's unfair!¨

*So it is Senritsu this time.* Misao was sitting in her room. It was hard to breath and to get air. She had felt weak in the hallway and not wanting to pass out there she had went to her room. She hadn't fainted, but she felt close to it. So many things swirled around in her head. The dream repeated itself again and again. And sometimes she also heard the couple talk. They messed her head up and she could do nothing to stop them from doing so.

Suddenly the pressure got easier and she could breathe again. What was that? She rose to her feet, feeling all right again. She could only hope that the couple would leave soon. All she could do was to avoid them until they were gone.

Misao returned to the kitchen. Next time they needed something she would ask someone else to take care of them and their food.


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


Even though they had extra-extra help today, it was still a busy day and Misao run around like crazy. She wanted to do something so that she wouldn't have time to think about the craziness of all that had happened. She felt others looking at her worriedly and she smiled to them. That way she tried to convince them that she was all right and everything was fine.

Her tactic of being busy succeeded. She didn't hear any disturbing voices during the day. She sighed in relief, they really made her question her sanity.

It was already late in the evening when Okon ordered her to take a bath. Misao agreed without a fight. She knew that she was beyond dirty already. On the other hand she feared that the voices would come back. So she countered them with Aoshi. When she thought about him, her head was so full that there was no room for some stupid voices.

She was already blushing when she reached the bathhouse. Her cheeks were burning, her thoughts had taken an unexpected turn. They were still on Aoshi, on what she would do if he...
Misao shook her head and didn't notice Senritsu who was standing not far from her looking at Misao.

The hot air blew on Misao as she opened the door to the bathroom and stepped inside. It was a small space where one left their clothes and towel. Misao did so. She stripped off her dirty clothes and opened her hair. Black strands reached easily her bottom, but they weren't in that good shape. Holding them tied all the time did that. Now also when Misao combed it, she felt as if half of her hair would have fallen of. Many times Misao had wanted to just cut them all of. That would solve her problems, but she didn't really want to do so. She had had a braid as long as she could remember and cutting it felt wrong, like cutting a part of herself.

She sighed, gathering all of her hair at her neck and leaving it there. It cascaded freely down her back. Misao stepped forward and knelt on the floor. There was a bucket full of cold water on the floor. Misao took it and threw it over her head. She shivered as the cold water caressed her skin. After shaking her head she moved into the hot water.

*Aaahh...* It felt great. To relax in the warmth and allow it to sooth her muscles and skin. Her hair flowed all over her in the water. Misao closed her eyes. *This is heaven.*

¨I don't think so, Misao. Heaven is far away from here.¨

Misao froze. Senritsu? She looked around and saw her. Without her noticing she had entered the bathhouse after her. Some ninja she was when she had been unable to notice her. She just stood there, unmoving, only ten foots away from Misao.
¨You can hear me. I know you can.¨ Her mouth didn't open or move and still Misao heard her.

"What are you?" Misao rose to stand in the water forgetting that she had only her hair covering her body. She looked at Senritsu who just stood still. She was wearing the same green clothes Misao had seen on her earlier. She looked like a human, but if she could speak without opening her mouth that meant that she wasn't. Or she was some sort of super-human with unnatural skills.

Senritsu smiled gently. "I am a little different from humans, but so are you. You can hear me and humans can't. You are the same as me." This time she spoke normally using her mouth.

"Ridiculous! I am human!" Misao shook in anger and fear. *Was she some kind of freak?*

"Freak? Do I look like a freak?" Senritsu looked at her angrily her green eyes blazing. She tapped the floor angrily with her foot. "We are different from humans, but not freaks. We are superior to humans, for Sky's sake." She gritted her teeth.

Misao looked at her and then shook her head. "No, I am not.. I mean I am a human being! I don't know what you are, but-"

"Would it help?" Senritsu interrupted.

"Huh?" What was she talking about? Misao was lost.

Senritsu smiled at her. "Seeing what I am? What separates us from humans?" She cocked her head. "Maybe it would, but I cannot tell you or show you here." She shook her head in regret. "Misao, please relax. I am not going to harm you in any way."

"Who are you?" Misao shook with fear and cold. The water was warm and her skin had gotten used to such warmth. Now bare to the colder air, she shivered.

Senritsu smiled. "My name is, as I told before, Senritsu. I have no last name. Kei is my husband. He once had a last name but no longer it is necessary. Sit down."

And Misao sat. The water was warm but it didn't feel like heaven now.

Senritsu continued. "Long time ago we lived, I mean the people like me, among humans. We helped them in every way we could. We knew nothing of fighting or weapons, but more about cures and farming. We were happy doing what we were meant to do. We enjoyed helping everyone we saw. Then there was a war among two very powerful man. We did not pick any side, we just helped everyone we saw. The leaders made then an alliance. Against us. We, who had done nothing, became the ones to suffer. Most of us were mercilessly slaughtered and the ones who amazingly survived found a new home elsewhere. But that event will forever stay in our hearts." Senritsu raised her hand to her heart.

Misao stayed silent. The pain in her voice when she had told this story was in the air as well as on her face.

Senritsu sighed and looked at Misao. "I believe that you are one of us. There are only few things that separate us from humans and that's what I also am. Just a little different, special. Please, turn around. If you do not bear the another mark as well, I'll leave you alone. Both me and Kei will leave and never return here."

Misao gulped. "And if there is a mark? Then what?" She was scared, but she didn't know the reason.

Senritsu smiled. "If you indeed do bear the other mark, please come with us when we leave. We'll take you to a place we live in now. We won't force you to stay, we'll just confirm my suspicions. Then you can decide, will you stay there or return here. Is this a deal?"

Misao was scared of what she might find. If she found this another mysterious mark, what happened to her? Where would they go? Would she turn out to be something awful...?

But beyond fear, Misao was curious. She wanted know if she was like this woman before her. She wanted to know if she was important, special. And she wanted to find out if there was truth behind this woman's story.

These two emotions fought until curiosity won. Misao nodded.

Senritsu smiled. "Turn around."

With her heart pounding wildly in her chest, Misao turned and wiped her hair to her front. Then she stood up. She heard Senritsu gasp. Was there a mark she could see? Or was there not? Misao didn't know what was the answer she wanted to hear.

She felt Senritsu touch her back and shivered. Omasu had once told her that she had two big scars on her back, but no one knew where they were from. Only her parents knew and they were both dead.

Misao felt Senritsu move her hand along her back, along her scars.
¨Who could have done this? This is awful. But now I am sure that she is one of us. These scars... under them, I can feel it. The remains...¨

Misao closed her eyes tightly as Senritsu's voice echoed in her head. So it was yes then. "When will we leave?" Since she had promised, she would follow them. Misao was not a person to ponder long, she acted. Out of love, out of hate. Out of curiousity and out of honour.

Senritsu didn't seem surprised. Misao turned to face her and they stared each other seriously. "Tomorrow. In the morning." Senritsu finally said. Misao nodded and sank into the water. Senritsu bowed deeply and left leaving Misao to think about this current mess she had gotten herself into. She really couldn't tell others about this.

Misao sighed. Her day was ruined. Her week was ruined and maybe her whole life was ruined. But she had made a deal and she would keep her word. So tomorrow she would leave with them to face the unknown.

Misao sank further into the water.


End of chapter 2.
Continued in chapter 3.


I have a feeling that the chapters will be short in this fic... Well, this is my write-only-when-you-have-time-to-spare-and-no-inspiration fic. So I don't really put my all to this, yet at least.
This moves fast, I know. I want to get forward, soon. As you may have guessed, I do not pour all my emotions and energy to this. I still like writing this though.

Tiian