Ch 1
Rikimaru laid his head back against the tree, staring up at the stars. It was the first time he'd been able to relax in a long time. The wind blew through his silvery hair, and at the moment he was content. A familiar ki came towards him, and he stiffened.
"Rikimaru," Ayame's voice sounded behind him, "What are you doing up?"
"I couldn't sleep." He said, expressionless. Ayame sat down beside him and rested her head on his shoulder. "Your hair is wet." He stated the obvious.
"Thank you, captain obvious. I just took a bath. The first bath I've taken since you took Tenrai down." She closed her eyes. "How long are you planning on staying up?" She yawned.
"Until I feel like sleeping. To tell you the truth, I haven't been able to sleep much since I stepped through the portal. I'm thinking it's some side effect, some reaction my body had to being transported." He shifted his weight to better accommodate the girl's tiny body.
"Mmhm..." the girl mumbled. Rikimaru felt her breathing regulate, and realized that she was asleep. He smiled, putting his hands behind his head, and leaned back up against the tree. He knew at that moment that nothing could have been better.
II.
Sekiya came running down the hill. "Rikimaru! Ayame!" He shouted. He was sweaty, and his face was bright red. Rikimaru swiftly came running towards him.
"What is it, Sekiya?"
"Trouble! Lord Godha!" The older man stopped to take a breath. "Come quick!"
Rikimaru looked up to see Ayame walking towards them with a puzzled look. "Ayame, we must hurry!" He ran off. Ayame turned to Sekiya.
"What's wrong?"
"Hurryyyyy!!!! Go! I'll..." he stopped to catch his breath again, "...stay here." Ayame ran off after Rikimaru.
They kneeled beside their lord. "Yes, my Lord." They said simultaneously. Lord Godha took a deep breath and closed his eyes.
"There is trouble down in the southern sector. Okiyama City has been infiltrated by an enemy band of ninjas. I fear it looks ugly. I need you two to go and see what is amiss. Kill the bastards!"
"Yes, my Lord." They said again.
"Is that all, my Lord?" Ayame piped up.
"Yes. Now go." The ninja's rose and ran out.
Ayame stopped.
"What are you doing?" Rikimaru yelled.
"I feel an unfamiliar ki." She stared in the direction of the forest, and then ran towards it. Rikimaru followed her. "I.. I guess it was nothing." They both looked around uneasily before taking off again.
Rikimaru laid his head back against the tree, staring up at the stars. It was the first time he'd been able to relax in a long time. The wind blew through his silvery hair, and at the moment he was content. A familiar ki came towards him, and he stiffened.
"Rikimaru," Ayame's voice sounded behind him, "What are you doing up?"
"I couldn't sleep." He said, expressionless. Ayame sat down beside him and rested her head on his shoulder. "Your hair is wet." He stated the obvious.
"Thank you, captain obvious. I just took a bath. The first bath I've taken since you took Tenrai down." She closed her eyes. "How long are you planning on staying up?" She yawned.
"Until I feel like sleeping. To tell you the truth, I haven't been able to sleep much since I stepped through the portal. I'm thinking it's some side effect, some reaction my body had to being transported." He shifted his weight to better accommodate the girl's tiny body.
"Mmhm..." the girl mumbled. Rikimaru felt her breathing regulate, and realized that she was asleep. He smiled, putting his hands behind his head, and leaned back up against the tree. He knew at that moment that nothing could have been better.
II.
Sekiya came running down the hill. "Rikimaru! Ayame!" He shouted. He was sweaty, and his face was bright red. Rikimaru swiftly came running towards him.
"What is it, Sekiya?"
"Trouble! Lord Godha!" The older man stopped to take a breath. "Come quick!"
Rikimaru looked up to see Ayame walking towards them with a puzzled look. "Ayame, we must hurry!" He ran off. Ayame turned to Sekiya.
"What's wrong?"
"Hurryyyyy!!!! Go! I'll..." he stopped to catch his breath again, "...stay here." Ayame ran off after Rikimaru.
They kneeled beside their lord. "Yes, my Lord." They said simultaneously. Lord Godha took a deep breath and closed his eyes.
"There is trouble down in the southern sector. Okiyama City has been infiltrated by an enemy band of ninjas. I fear it looks ugly. I need you two to go and see what is amiss. Kill the bastards!"
"Yes, my Lord." They said again.
"Is that all, my Lord?" Ayame piped up.
"Yes. Now go." The ninja's rose and ran out.
Ayame stopped.
"What are you doing?" Rikimaru yelled.
"I feel an unfamiliar ki." She stared in the direction of the forest, and then ran towards it. Rikimaru followed her. "I.. I guess it was nothing." They both looked around uneasily before taking off again.