Chapter 3- Introductions
A short time later, the two new friends were seated on the porch of a small, dainty house, enjoying a good meal of soup and rice.
Soujiro slurped it all down eagerly. "Mm! You make a good soup Satomi-san."
"Thank you, it's a family recipe." She told him.
Satomi took a minute to gulp some food down before she spoke. "Soujiro-san, pardon me if this seems rude, but where did you come from?"
He wiped his mouth and smiled. "Oh I've just been wandering around for the past few years. I'd like to think that I never did have a place to come from."
"Why, may I ask?"
Soujiro sighed and looked up at the bright white moon. "Well, like my family name, it just doesn't suit me anymore."
"Oh."
"What about you? Have you lived here all your life?"
Satomi nodded. "Hai, for all the 20 years I've been alive." Her expression was sad. "But it was a nice place to live up until the rebels came and took it over."
"Hai, I've heard about that all." He told her. "Many people died here trying to save your village, but in the end, it was all in vain."
"Hn."
"But that's why those left here must be strong and survive." He added. "After all, the strong live while the weak perish."
That was kind of a crude statement, but fitting somehow. Satomi smiled.
Soujiro helped himself to a few more helpings and then decided it was time to return to his camp. "I'll walk you back." Satomi suggested, getting up to follow him.
"Are you sure?" he asked. "It is getting late and I don't think it would be a good idea for you to."
"It's alright. I'll be fine." She led the way back onto the wooded trail.
On the way, they talked a little more about what life in Shiroki had been like. Satomi did most of the chatting while Soujiro listened, that pleasant smile continuing to shin in the moonlight.
But as they left the trail and made their way deeper into the woods, Soujiro paused.
Satomi noticed his expression darken. "What's wrong?"
His hand reached for the wooden sword at his belt. "They've spotted us."
"What? Who?"
He cut in front of her and stood there in a stance. "Please stay behind me, Satomi-san."
Out of the darkness, forming a circle around the two came the rebels.
A short time later, the two new friends were seated on the porch of a small, dainty house, enjoying a good meal of soup and rice.
Soujiro slurped it all down eagerly. "Mm! You make a good soup Satomi-san."
"Thank you, it's a family recipe." She told him.
Satomi took a minute to gulp some food down before she spoke. "Soujiro-san, pardon me if this seems rude, but where did you come from?"
He wiped his mouth and smiled. "Oh I've just been wandering around for the past few years. I'd like to think that I never did have a place to come from."
"Why, may I ask?"
Soujiro sighed and looked up at the bright white moon. "Well, like my family name, it just doesn't suit me anymore."
"Oh."
"What about you? Have you lived here all your life?"
Satomi nodded. "Hai, for all the 20 years I've been alive." Her expression was sad. "But it was a nice place to live up until the rebels came and took it over."
"Hai, I've heard about that all." He told her. "Many people died here trying to save your village, but in the end, it was all in vain."
"Hn."
"But that's why those left here must be strong and survive." He added. "After all, the strong live while the weak perish."
That was kind of a crude statement, but fitting somehow. Satomi smiled.
Soujiro helped himself to a few more helpings and then decided it was time to return to his camp. "I'll walk you back." Satomi suggested, getting up to follow him.
"Are you sure?" he asked. "It is getting late and I don't think it would be a good idea for you to."
"It's alright. I'll be fine." She led the way back onto the wooded trail.
On the way, they talked a little more about what life in Shiroki had been like. Satomi did most of the chatting while Soujiro listened, that pleasant smile continuing to shin in the moonlight.
But as they left the trail and made their way deeper into the woods, Soujiro paused.
Satomi noticed his expression darken. "What's wrong?"
His hand reached for the wooden sword at his belt. "They've spotted us."
"What? Who?"
He cut in front of her and stood there in a stance. "Please stay behind me, Satomi-san."
Out of the darkness, forming a circle around the two came the rebels.