Thanks for the reviews on this strange piece.
Chapter 4: Remember the Rule
Rain was awakened the next morning by grunting and the sound of movement coming from the kitchen. As she sat up, the ache she felt around her eye reminded her of what had happened the night before and why she was on the sofa and not in her bedroom. That man, that horrible man...tried to take advantage of me, she thought. "I have to try to shake this fearful feeling," she whispered to herself. Holding her head, she carefully stood up and headed to the kitchen to see what was going on. Once there it was quite a scene to see the tough Domon Kasshu, attempting to cook.
Suddenly he pulled his hand away from a pot as if he had burned himself. "Now I know why Rain hates cooking," he mumbled scooting over to the sink, which was right next to the stove, so he could place his hand under the cold water.
Walking over to him, Rain asked sounding worried, "Domon, are you okay?"
Surprised, his head spun to her as he left his hand under the cold water. "I didn't mean to wake you," he said as he examined her eye.
"You mean with all the cursing under your breath that you were doing in here?" she asked as she tried to examine his hand.
"I'm okay," he said pulling his hand from under the water and turning the sink off. Looking at her face again, he said, "It looks like your eyelid is letting you see a little more today because now I can atleast see it unlike last night."
"Cooking?" she asked wanting to forget everything about the night before as her eyes moved to the pot that Domon had burned himself on. She saw the very common Japanese breakfast - steamed rice in it. "You did better than me. I would have burned that and my hand."
"Not true," Domon said surprising her. Before she had awakened he had made a promise to himself to try to be nothing but nice to her this day. "So how do you feel?"
"Fine," she said quickly. "How is your hand?"
"It's fine," Domon said watching her closely. "It's obvious that you are trying to change the subject, Rain. I may not have pushed it last night, but today I want to talk about who that man was."
"To think that I thought you were going to be very nice to me today since you're in here cooking," she said forcing a smile.
Domon could tell that she was going to be as stubborn about giving him any information about what had happened as he was about...everything. "Rain, go sit down, and I'll bring breakfast to you."
"Yes sir, Mr. Kasshu," she said jokingly in hopes of ridding his mind of wanting to press her with questions about the man from the night before.
During breakfast they ate in silence. Though Rain wasn't that hungry, she continued to eat so she wouldn't have to talk.
The sight of Rain's face with the bruise was enough to make Domon become livid as he watched her eat, but somehow he controlled himself and remained quiet. When their plates were empty and before Domon could demand answers to any questions, Rain insisted that she needed to take a shower. Remembering how shook up she was the night before, he let her go without saying a word.
Fifteen minutes later, Rain finished taking her shower and as she exited the bathroom there wasn't a sound to be heard through out the cabin like house. Good she thought, Domon is out practicing like always at this time.
After blow-drying her hair while trying not to look at her eye in the mirror because of the bad memory it brought, Rain headed to the den. To her surprise, her partner was sitting on the sofa as if he bad been waiting for her.
Seeing the surprised look on her face, Domon said, "You don't look happy to see me."
"I'm just surprised. I thought you were out training," she said standing by the door of her bedroom.
"We have won every fight we have been in so far. I don't think missing a little practice will hurt," Domon said totally out of his normal behavior.
"We have won every fight?" Rain asked glad that he admitted that they had won as a team.
"You are my partner," he said as if he had been knowing that she was important to the team.
"Uh...thank you," Rain said shocked.
"Don't look so amazed that I could say that," Domon said not moving as he continued to just stare at her.
"I'm just amazed that you, who never wants to take a break from training, is...taking a break."
Domon took in what she said before answering. "Sometimes other things can be more important."
"Other things?" she asked staring back at him.
"Even though you might think I'm a bastard at times, I can't help but be concerned for you," he said raising an eyebrow at her.
Surprised that he admitted his concern, but already knowing of it from the times he had protected her, Rain said, "I know and I thank you."
"Come sit down," Domon said nodding his head towards the chair across from him.
Letting out a breath, she walked over to the chair and sat down as the man with the dark eyes held her in his gaze.
"Who was that man from last night?" Domon asked as if he wanted to find him and finish the job he started on him the night before. He had beaten the man till he was almost unconscious.
"I don't know who he was," Rain said honestly but she didn't say that she knew why the man was there.
"Okay, you don't know his name," Domon said, "But, since we are in the middle of nowhere, he didn't just come across this house. I've been thinking about it, and I think he specifically came here to see you."
Rain didn't say anything as she felt herself becoming very embarrassed at the thought of explaining what had happened to Domon. The night before she had told him something very personal, but now after a night's rest she almost regretted telling him of her innocence.
Since Rain didn't answer, Domon played dumb and asked, "What was the meeting you had with Karato about?"
"What was yours about?" Rain asked thinking he'd never answer.
Preparing to answer because he wanted her to, Domon calmly said, "Because of the rule, Karato thought he'd offer me a night with a beautiful woman."
"Oh really," Rain said not liking where this conversation was going. The thought of Domon with someone else made her blood boil even though she wasn't sure why.
"I'm pretty sure you were offered a night with a man," Domon said still remaining calm. "In fact, isn't that why the man was here last night? Weren't you two supposed to spend the night together?"
Looking Domon dead straight in the eyes, Rain said, "Why would I have said that Karato was a horrible man if I accepted his offer?" Getting upset to the point of almost having tears escape her eyes, she said, "I told him I didn't want that man to come here! I told him and yet that man showed up ready to...to use me! You have no idea what that feels like," Rain said placing her face in both of her hands. After a few seconds, the slamming of the door made her lift her face to see that Domon had left.
In the Corelander, Domon was beyond upset after seeing Rain all but break down. He had wanted nothing more than to take her into his arms and tell her that everything would be all right, but more so, he wanted to tell Karato what he thought.
Once to Neo-Japan's government building, Domon charged in making many of the government officials turn to see what was going on. Domon ignored them all, and not bothering to have himself announced before going into Karato's office, the fighter stormed into the gloomy, dark room.
When Karato saw the very outraged Domon storming towards him, the government official couldn't move from where he was sitting behind his desk. Fear of what Domon was going to do to him made Karato freeze.
"Karato!" Domon exclaimed in a loud voice as he slammed his fist on the commission's desk. "Give me one reason why I shouldn't beat the hell out of you!"
Terrified for his life, Karato barely whispered, "Because I am a government official?"
"You don't have any idea why I'm upset! Do you!" Domon exclaimed as he pushed off of the desk.
Remembering that Domon had been upset about the offer the day before, Karato wondered if the fighter just wanted to vent some more anger out over it.
"Rain could have been raped last night!" Domon yelled slamming his fist on the desk again.
"What? What are you talking about?" Karato asked with a very innocent expression on his face.
Leaning over the desk, Domon grabbed Karato by the collar of his shirt and said, "You said yourself that Rain turned down your offer, yet you still had a man come out last night. If I wouldn't have been there, she would have been taken advantage of and your breath right now would be your last."
"I didn't send a man there last night," Karato said holding up his hands and staring Domon directly into his eyes. "I swear I didn't arrange a night for a man and Rain to be together because she didn't want it."
Staring at the Neo-Japan government official for a few seconds, Domon then released his shaken form from his grip.
Karato let out a relieved breath as he began to straighten his uniform.
Still very livid, Domon yelled, "Then who sent the man last night!"
"I did," a voice said from behind Domon.
Knowing the voice, Domon spun around and said, "Ulube!"
Folding his arms, Ulube laughed not looking at all scared of Domon. "I was hoping that Rain would change her mind and give into the man. That way any desire she might possibly have for you would be erased."
Shocked, Domon said, "Do you mean to tell me you put Rain's life in danger just to stop something from occurring between her and I?"
Still remaining very calm and with a grin on his face, Ulube said, "I doubt her life was in danger, and I will do what I have to to make sure that Neo-Japan wins the Gundam fight."
"We have won every fight so far," Domon said not understanding why the Neo-Japan government was pushing such an absurd rule.
"As friends you and Rain have won together," Ulube said unfolding his arms and sticking his hands into his pockets. "I won't push the issue of the rule again if you vow now not to fall in love with your partner."
"I should rip your head off for what could have happened to Rain last night," Domon said, but before acting on how he felt he reminded himself that Ulube was a very high-ranking official.
"I had every right to do what I did because of what I and other officials have seen developing between you and your partner," Ulube said in a strong voice. "You're getting upset now because of the thought of another man being with Rain. Am I not right? "
Domon thought before answering and then said calmly, "I'm upset because of the thought of a man taking advantage of Rain, not of her being with someone else."
"So, you are not falling in love with Rain?" Ulube asked with a smile.
"No, I am not," Domon said not about to admit that he had let his mind play with the idea more than a few times.
"Good, because if the two of you were to fall for each other, she wouldn't let you fight your best and your mind would be other places possibly causing Neo-Japan to lose the Gundam fight and control over all of the colonies."
Shaking his head as if he still thought that the rule made no sense, Domon made an attempt to leave.
"Mr. Kasshu. Before you leave you should know this," Ulube said in a stern voice.
Domon didn't turn to look at Ulube, but did stop to listen.
Glad to have Domon's attention, Ulube said, "Years ago we had a winning team, that is until the team fell in love with each other. The Neo-Japan team was so close to winning the Gundam fight before love took them over. They lost the Gundam fight and didn't seem to care since they still had each other. That is why the rule has been established and we will enforce a severe punishment on those who do not obey it."
Still not turning his head to look at Ulube, Domon said in a steady voice, "I assure you that Rain and I are only friends and we will not step over that line. Neo-Japan will be proud when we win the Gundam fight."
In the corelander on the way back to the cabin like house, Domon told himself that he and Rain were just friends.He never did pick up any signs from her that she was interested in anything more than friendship, and he knew he hadn't lead her to believe that he was interested in anything more either. The people who thought that they saw something happening between them had in fact only witnessed a friendship between the Neo-Japan team like their old childhood friendship. "Maybe we should ease up on that friendship," Domon said to himself. "Rain probably thinks I'm a jerk most of the time anyway, so why not act as so more often."
Entering the house in the woods, Domon found Rain in her room looking at her eye in the mirror. "You're back," Rain said trying to act like her eye didn't bother her as she turned to see Domon already leaving her room. "Domon...Domon," she called walking out of her room. "What's wrong?"
"Don't worry about it," he said trying to act as if he really didn't care what she thought anymore.
Rain watched as he took off his cloak and picked up his sword in both hands and looked at it. "I guess you're not going to tell me why you look so mad," she said becoming aggravated.
"Damn it, Rain! Just leave me alone!" Domon exclaimed staring at the sword as if concentrating on it."
"Well," Rain said becoming outraged, "I guess all men are complete jerks." She then turned on her heels and headed towards the kitchen.
Turning his head so his eyes could follow her out, Domon didn't like what she may have meant. Putting the sword down, he walked into the kitchen to where Rain was sitting with her face in her hands at the table.
I am a jerk, Domon thought remembering how shook up she was only the night before and now here he was telling her to leave him alone. Pulling a chair out, he sat down at the table with her.
"Leave me alone," Rain said into her hands.
"I guess I deserve that," Domon said as Rain remained still. "I'm...sorry. I just don't want you to think all men act like that jerk did last night."
Lifting her face out of her hands and knowing that Domon didn't want to be compared to that man, she said, "I know that, Domon. Other than your usual, 'whatevers' or 'leave me alones' you have shown respect towards me."
Now completely forgetting that in the corelander he had told himself of how he wanted to ease up on being so nice to her, he said, "You have been good to me too, Rain."
"I'm glad you realize that," she said seriously as she unconsciously touched the area around her eye.
"Are you okay?" Domon asked hoping her face didn't still hurt.
"Yes, I'm okay," Rain said pulling her hand away not wanting to sound weak by saying that it had been pounding most of the day. "What did Karato and Ulube have to say?"
"What?" Domon asked surprised.
"I know you were at the government building talking to them."
"How?" Domon asked in disbelief.
Still very serious, Rain said, "I do know you like a book so I knew where you went."
With a smile, Domon nodded his head confirming that she had been right about his where abouts.
"I hope you didn't start a fight with Ulube," Rain said knowing that would cause some serious problems.
"There was no fight and I now know that it was Ulube's idea for what we had each been offered."
"Are you serious?" Rain asked shocked.
"Yes," Domon said sounding very aggravated. "I assured him that we are only friends and will remain that."
"We agreed to follow that rule when we became partners," Rain said as if she had never thought of having anything more with Domon.
Making himself laugh lightly, Domon said, "Ulube and some of the other government idiots think that they see something...developing between us."
At first what ran through Rain's mind were the nice talks they had recently had and the tender way Domon had taken care of her the night before, but she began to laugh as she said, "Can you imagine us as more than friends?"
"Yeah, really," Domon said laughing as if it was the craziest thing he had ever heard.
"It's ridiculous!" Rain said laughing harder.
Makes you wonder if Karato and Ulube are giving the Neo-Japan team ideas, though Domon and Rain were already starting to feel things for each other.
