Blade of the Immortal :
Chapter Seven: Recovery part 2
Hyakurin cuddled to him not caring if Manji stood there watching or not. Drifting back off into a dream she held him, she held him as close to her body as she could.
Giichi opened the door to the room stopping dead in his tracks seeing Hyakurin laying there holding the Ex Itto-Ryu member. Her held his weapon at ready
Manji had already quietly left and situated himself outside the door. "Heh, kids these days, so uncaring of their elders", he said knowing full well he wasn't that old himself. Magatsu held her back, he knew how much it meant to have something to hold onto when you had nothing. He held her close and marveled at how good she smelled even after all the hard travel they'd seen. It smelled like something out of memory, he couldn't place his finger on it, but it was comforting. And a welcome relief from the scent of blood that seemed to have clogged his breathing for the longest time. Suddenly the smell of blood came back with a harsh intensity, and Magatsu's arm moving independently of his body brandished his blade before his body and Hyakurin's. He knew he couldn't possibly win a fight pinned under her as he was, but for some reason as he looked at her sleeping face with it's halo of pale golden hair he just couldn't bear to wake her.
Giichi didn't know how to react, Hyakurin had became his friend though the time they were together and her sweet voice at times was the only thing to get though to him. Not saying a word he sat down his eyes pensively locked onto the blond woman, his weapon rested easily on his lap. "Your Itto-Ryu?" was the only words that came out of his mouth. His voice stern, he moved his shades slightly as he watched Magatsu hold Hyakurin as she slept ever so silently for a change. She didn't cry out her son's name, she didn't scream from the haunting memories that plagued her life.
The woman dreamt of her life when it was at it's best, she dreamt of her friends, and she dreamt of the man holding her. Both of her children were playing with the young girl who lost her life trying to protect the older blond. They laughed and played as she sat there watching them splash one another with water and run though the sand. She stood there holding her kasa with a smile ever so sweet on her face, Giichi sat on the small wall, Magatsu stood next to her, then with out warning the sky began to change color. "Children time to come home.." with the sight of the bloody children tore apart they ran her way and she hugged them it was almost as if she couldn't notice the wounds.
"Heh, what if I am?" said Magatsu. He didn't care if he got in a fight with this punk. "What's it matter to you?" he asked being still ignorant of the role that Giichi and Hyakurin played for the Tokugawa government. Hyakurin started to squirm and moan softly, then Magatsu bent down and gently kissed her brow to take her from whatever nightmares troubled her. She stilled, but the tears still trickled silent down her face.
Hyakurin could feel the soft hand wipe away her tears and the lips press themselves against her brow. She stilled and hugged Magatsu's waist burying her face into his stomach.
Giichi flinched as the man kissed her, yet he contained the surprised reaction of her holding onto him. He adjusted his glasses and looked at the door. "Sake?" He more or less offered it than requested it. "Is Manji joining us?"
Manji stepped inside the door casually carrying a jar of sake over his shoulder. "Heh, did I hear someone call my name?", he asked looking over at the stranger. "You must be that friend Hyakurin mentioned we'd be meeting sometime. Does this mean you'll be taking this troublesome blonde off our hands? It seems like we've had nothing but trouble since she showed up, crazy one-armed bastards, hacked up parents, dead kids... Haha! It's been a hell of a time." His laughter had a dangerous tinge of hysteria to it, but then again Manji wasn't always close companions with sanity. There were things he had to do sometimes that no entirely sane man could. Tossing the jar over to Giichi, "Cheers", he said.
Giichi caught the sake bottle and looked for cups poring three he offered the other men their glasses. He quaked his brow as Manji rambled on about his blond companion , "Children?" the word caught his ear. Yet underneath his dark shades he sat there watching every move the Ex- Itto-Ryu.
Hyakurin opened her eyes yet she didn't move for a second the laughter from Manji had awaken her, though still tipsy the sound of Giichi's voice rang in her ear's. "I thought you made up your mind not to fall for a samurai?" she asked herself as she looked up at Magatsu, she hugged him tighter as she lay there.
Giichi drank his sake rather quickly as he waited for the reply form one of them, "What of Shira?"
The name it's self sent chills down Hyakurin's spine, the death of him was less than satisfying, yet she knew torture would have been more enjoyable for the insane man that she once traveled with. He was right on one thing though, she was nothing of a killer compared to him, and she did pay. Yet not in the way he would have wanted her to. She could still see the lust that grew in him as she fought back her screams as he inserted his fingers into her wounded thighs, the fell of his hand running up her leg, the thought of his touch made her start to shake slightly. Her breathing began to change it slowly got heavier, and she buried her face into Magatsu's stomach. Her hand slowly reached to hold her blood ridden kimono down, thoughts ran though the woman's head. Mentally she was stronger than she had let her self be leave yet she had been put though more than most women could have lived though.
Giichi watched Hyakurin's hand slowly move and could clearly hear her breathing change. Bowing his head he stared at his cup, not saying a word.
Magatsu could clearly see that Hyakurin was distressed by some demons of the past brought on by a combination of sake and exhaustion. So he simply held her and gently stroked her hair, as he began to speak soft words careless of the presence of the shaded killer sitting across the room.
"Y'know, back home, even back before my sister was killed-- there was this place we used to run to whenever our pops would get drunk, or we got in trouble, well.. that was mostly me. He chuckled to himself. She was always the good one, and she would try so hard to keep up with me, 'cause we would run as fast as we could 'till our feet barely touched the ground and nothing could touch us, like the wind was lifting us higher and higher, y'know? Well, that's how it felt anyway... he said with chagrin And then over the hills, and through a gully there was a cherry tree, right in this little grotto beside a tiny fall of water that ran from the mountain streams. It was so beautiful when the breeze carried the mist from the water to carefully drift over everything, and if the sun would hit it from just the right angle, our little piece of sky would fill with the light of a million tiny rainbow hued motes of light and my little sister would dance around trying to catch one in her tiny hands, almost as if it were some firefly she could catch into a jar and carry around to keep it with her to always. Those times were filled with laughter and cherry-stained lips and tears aplenty too, but so much happiness. And y'know, she never gave up right until she-- 'cause she knew no matter what happened that as long as we still lived, we could go that special place that was only ours and escape this world and all it's troubles, even if it was only for a little while... And if you can just manage to hold on through all that you've been through and just live, I'll take you there, and I'll show you the clearest waters, and the best cherry tree in all of Japan! ... So, will you just try?" He implored her even knowing she could not consciously hear, merely hoping to reassure her with a touch and a voice full of the care he was so reluctant to express. And the tears were long dried as the sun descended to it's cradle for the night and it's last rays lit upon the faces of a couple sleeping still in the shelter of each other's embrace.
Hyakurin lay there watching the sun rise Magatsu's arms wrapped around her small body holding her close to himself. A soft smile crossed over her dusty rose lips as she looked over at him, though she didn't remember what had happened the other night she knew that he had taken care of her. What a sight this must be a Mugai-Ryu member, in fact one of the top member's in the arms of an Itto-Ryu. She thought of what Giichi or anyone else from Mugai-Ryu would say, Giichi probably would have been more surprised than anyone else. She chuckled as she watched the Itto-Ryu sleep, she didn't know how long she had kept him up last night and not wanting to wake him she gently got up from were they were laying.
She slowly made her way to the bath, witch was nice and hot. Thought the water stung her wounds and the dried blood tinted the waters a deep shade of red she lay there washing herself slowly, relaxing as she did so. As she began to dry herself off the door open and Giichi stood there looking over her, he bowed his head as she dressed herself. "You did quite a number on Shira." His words were spoken in a tone that let Hyakurin know he wasn't pleased with something. "He had it coming, he though I'd be the one paying in Spades." She laughed humorlessly at the thought of what Shira had told her, he paid in spades, yet so did Shinriji. "He sold us out, his stunt killed Shinriji, and there was a little girl who travailed with us he killed." She paused as she finished dressing and walked over to him, "That's not what's bothering you is it?" she asked as they left the room. "You need a new Kimono." He stated looking at the blood stains on the one she wore, "I need some Yen." She said as he began to walk out "Are you coming?" he asked bluntly as she fallowed.
They walked as she looked at new kimono's he bought her a few as well as food, not only for herself and him but for Manji, and Magatsu as well. He watched her eat as he sat there quietly, "Why." he finally asked as she looked at him confused. "He's an Itto-Ryu." He stated as she just stopped her chopsticks half ways to her mouth Busted.' she thought as she sat up from eating. "I didn't think you'd…" She ended her sentence quickly, "It's not like I can explain, let alone not say anything about it." She set her chopsticks on her bowl "At the rate things are going I don't know what's going to brake first, my body or my mind, so dose it really matter what I do now dose it?" a sigh escaped her lips as she leaned back some and laughed. "I get it now." The worlds trickled out as she looked at him, as he was slightly confused she has lost her mind sooner that she'd though. "Your jealous."
Before he cold eater agree or deny what she had said she stood up and looked at him with a smile, "Eater way your better off not caring, that's the type of thing that get's you killed when your around me." She told him as she took not only her food but Magatsu's as well.
Slowly she opened the door to the room that she had slept in…
Giichi sat there lifting Manji's bowl he stood and left to find the scarred man that had been traveling with his blond companion.
Maybe it was the words that did it, but in his dreams he walked again in that cherry blossomed hollow. And in it was a Hyakurin more beautiful and perfect than she could ever be in life playing with his little sister as he'd remembered her before she died. And in that dream they both loved him, his sister perfect in her childlike manner, and Hyakurin in the perfect way that never dies or ever really ebbs but merely swells. But that's what dreams were for after all, an expensive moment's respite that cost a whole night of a dreamer's life to experience what cannot be held in waking. That and the anguish of knowing... it need not be said what, we all know what painful knowledge we gain upon waking.
And when he opened his eyes to see Hyakurin enter the room softly sliding the door closed behind her he smiled, and if there was a little sadness hidden behind that smile who could say but he.
"Morning." Hyakurin's voice was soft as she sat next to him, "Sleep well?" she asked offering him a bowl.
"Well enough", he said guardedly. Some things were better left unsaid after all, and some things people just didn't want to know. Taking the bowl he offered her a rare smile in thanks. He leaned into her slightly savoring the simple comfort of contact while kind of hoping that the give in the mattress where they sat together was excuse enough rather than any weakness of his own. He quietly drank the miso, and taking a moment tried to hold in this sensation of warmth, not of just the soup but the woman even now gently leaning her head against his shoulder, reciprocating the unspoken invitation for contact. The slowly rising sun rose behind them granting a golden cast to the two as if it were a moment that had been caught and held on a painter's canvas. And he held his breath afraid to speak as if the softest spoken word could shatter this fragile moment like spun glass.
Hyakurin looked up at Magatsu , "Were are you going after you leave here?" her voice was soft as she asked, knowing Giichi came here only to bring her back to the boss. Yet she wasn't ready to tell him that just yet.
"I don't know where I'm going yet, it feels like I've lost direction lately. I was only with the Itto Ryu to revenge my sister upon the samurai pigs who killed her, and then I only came here to chase after the man who killed the woman I loved. Well, since I don't know what to do, I guess I can stick around with you and Manji until I figure that out, ok?"
Hyakurin smiled yet it was a sad smile "Stick around with you and Manji until I figure that out, ok?" that's what he just said but she knew the reason Giichi had showed up, truthfully she didn't believe that he did it of his own free will. She wasn't allowed to travel this far away from home' or else her leash would be yanked, Hard. "What was her name?" Though the subject would be a hard one for him it was easier for her to think of, at least they had something in common. He lost the woman he loved, and she lost her husband and child, though her husbands blood was on her hands.
"...O-Ren..." He said reluctantly. It wasn't something he really felt comfortable talking about. Because even though they'd already laid her to rest and killed the man responsible, there were still feelings that he just couldn't put behind him. "Why... would you bring that up?" he asked.
Hyakurin chuckled as she laid backwards onto the floor, "Your lover, my child, that girl. All Innocents killed, yet my husband, I took his life just like mine will be taken." She propped herself up onto her elbows "I guess you didn't catch on, I'm not allowed to leave Edo, Unless I have a death wish." she said as she looked towards the door, then to the man sitting before her, "I have to go back." she told him blankly, knowing her body couldn't take another beating. She smiled once again, "Maybe I'll join your O-Ren soon." she misted under her breath.
"C'mon, what do you mean you can't leave Edo? C'mon those bad guys who caught you are all dead. Besides I can protect you from whatever comes. Manji too." he added reluctantly. He didn't know about Hyakurin's criminal past and that she had been banned by the shogunate from leaving the district upon pain of death, without special permission. "So, don't talk about dying..."
Shocked at his reaction she smiled, laying there she looked at him he couldn't be too much younger than she was, hell he could even be slightly older. Though she doubted it, but he would protect her from the whole shogunate, and then some. She had to admit that he was good with a sword but, she ended that thought right there. There was no need to put her mind though that thought once again.
"Would you like to walk around? The towns small but it's nice, we can even get you a new Kimono if you'd like." She said wanting to get out of the room, though she shouldn't be moving around to much, yet the lack of doing anything made her fell helpless.
Meanwhile
Manji looked up as Giichi entered with 2 bowls of food. "One of those for me?", Manji asked. "Thanks", he grunted as the bowl was passed to him. "What's going on with he other 2?" he asked.
Giichi handed Manji the bowl, "Have you traveled with them since last we met?"
"More like babysitting you mean." Manji said. "Itto-Ryu or government assassin, I don't know how you guys expect these weak children to survive on their own." Sipping his Miso he said, "So what now? Did the big man have anything to say?"
Giichi chuckled he knew Hyakurin to be a hand full at times, looking up at Manji's he asked what his boss had told him. Truth be told he never told his boss that Shira was dead yet he came out here of his own will. "I won't know till I report to him. He doesn't know I'm here."
"Hahaha", laughed Manji, "Isn't it a little deadly for condemned criminals to leave the region without letting the only person standing between them and a death sentence know? Besides how'd you get your tegata, eh? Maybe yours had a little bit of Itto-Ryu blood on it, but hopefully less than mine did."
Giichi chuckled, as he finished off his soup, "I had my ways of getting though." he said as she looked at the other man. "whatever happened to your little girl? Lost her already?"
"Heh, I see. Well, the girl got it into her fool head to take on Anotsu Kagehisa all on her lonesome, without this old bag of 100 killer to drag her down, y'see? And so here I am chasing her through whatever god-forsaken backlands of Japan to show her the error of her ways before the Itto-Ryu do.
Giichi nodded, he had t admit that he was on the same mission as of this moment, looking out for a child whom only seems to find trouble. "Were to next?"
"Well, I've been asking around and it seems that she actually passed through around here just a couple days back. So, I figure we just follow the main roads and ask around. After all a little girl like her can't really handle the back mountain paths.
Authors Note
Okay this is the Seventh chapter. I DO NOT OWN Blade of the Immortal, Hiroaki Samura and Dark Horse comics own it I'm just barrowing it. This is also based after the 12th book Fall Frost. Please leave a review and let me know what you think, and Please also note that I am not the only writer of this story, a friend (Joel) also helps write it. He writes for Manji and Magatsu, and I write for Hyakurin and Giichi. Anyone else we've both used. Thanks for reading
Chapter Seven: Recovery part 2
Hyakurin cuddled to him not caring if Manji stood there watching or not. Drifting back off into a dream she held him, she held him as close to her body as she could.
Giichi opened the door to the room stopping dead in his tracks seeing Hyakurin laying there holding the Ex Itto-Ryu member. Her held his weapon at ready
Manji had already quietly left and situated himself outside the door. "Heh, kids these days, so uncaring of their elders", he said knowing full well he wasn't that old himself. Magatsu held her back, he knew how much it meant to have something to hold onto when you had nothing. He held her close and marveled at how good she smelled even after all the hard travel they'd seen. It smelled like something out of memory, he couldn't place his finger on it, but it was comforting. And a welcome relief from the scent of blood that seemed to have clogged his breathing for the longest time. Suddenly the smell of blood came back with a harsh intensity, and Magatsu's arm moving independently of his body brandished his blade before his body and Hyakurin's. He knew he couldn't possibly win a fight pinned under her as he was, but for some reason as he looked at her sleeping face with it's halo of pale golden hair he just couldn't bear to wake her.
Giichi didn't know how to react, Hyakurin had became his friend though the time they were together and her sweet voice at times was the only thing to get though to him. Not saying a word he sat down his eyes pensively locked onto the blond woman, his weapon rested easily on his lap. "Your Itto-Ryu?" was the only words that came out of his mouth. His voice stern, he moved his shades slightly as he watched Magatsu hold Hyakurin as she slept ever so silently for a change. She didn't cry out her son's name, she didn't scream from the haunting memories that plagued her life.
The woman dreamt of her life when it was at it's best, she dreamt of her friends, and she dreamt of the man holding her. Both of her children were playing with the young girl who lost her life trying to protect the older blond. They laughed and played as she sat there watching them splash one another with water and run though the sand. She stood there holding her kasa with a smile ever so sweet on her face, Giichi sat on the small wall, Magatsu stood next to her, then with out warning the sky began to change color. "Children time to come home.." with the sight of the bloody children tore apart they ran her way and she hugged them it was almost as if she couldn't notice the wounds.
"Heh, what if I am?" said Magatsu. He didn't care if he got in a fight with this punk. "What's it matter to you?" he asked being still ignorant of the role that Giichi and Hyakurin played for the Tokugawa government. Hyakurin started to squirm and moan softly, then Magatsu bent down and gently kissed her brow to take her from whatever nightmares troubled her. She stilled, but the tears still trickled silent down her face.
Hyakurin could feel the soft hand wipe away her tears and the lips press themselves against her brow. She stilled and hugged Magatsu's waist burying her face into his stomach.
Giichi flinched as the man kissed her, yet he contained the surprised reaction of her holding onto him. He adjusted his glasses and looked at the door. "Sake?" He more or less offered it than requested it. "Is Manji joining us?"
Manji stepped inside the door casually carrying a jar of sake over his shoulder. "Heh, did I hear someone call my name?", he asked looking over at the stranger. "You must be that friend Hyakurin mentioned we'd be meeting sometime. Does this mean you'll be taking this troublesome blonde off our hands? It seems like we've had nothing but trouble since she showed up, crazy one-armed bastards, hacked up parents, dead kids... Haha! It's been a hell of a time." His laughter had a dangerous tinge of hysteria to it, but then again Manji wasn't always close companions with sanity. There were things he had to do sometimes that no entirely sane man could. Tossing the jar over to Giichi, "Cheers", he said.
Giichi caught the sake bottle and looked for cups poring three he offered the other men their glasses. He quaked his brow as Manji rambled on about his blond companion , "Children?" the word caught his ear. Yet underneath his dark shades he sat there watching every move the Ex- Itto-Ryu.
Hyakurin opened her eyes yet she didn't move for a second the laughter from Manji had awaken her, though still tipsy the sound of Giichi's voice rang in her ear's. "I thought you made up your mind not to fall for a samurai?" she asked herself as she looked up at Magatsu, she hugged him tighter as she lay there.
Giichi drank his sake rather quickly as he waited for the reply form one of them, "What of Shira?"
The name it's self sent chills down Hyakurin's spine, the death of him was less than satisfying, yet she knew torture would have been more enjoyable for the insane man that she once traveled with. He was right on one thing though, she was nothing of a killer compared to him, and she did pay. Yet not in the way he would have wanted her to. She could still see the lust that grew in him as she fought back her screams as he inserted his fingers into her wounded thighs, the fell of his hand running up her leg, the thought of his touch made her start to shake slightly. Her breathing began to change it slowly got heavier, and she buried her face into Magatsu's stomach. Her hand slowly reached to hold her blood ridden kimono down, thoughts ran though the woman's head. Mentally she was stronger than she had let her self be leave yet she had been put though more than most women could have lived though.
Giichi watched Hyakurin's hand slowly move and could clearly hear her breathing change. Bowing his head he stared at his cup, not saying a word.
Magatsu could clearly see that Hyakurin was distressed by some demons of the past brought on by a combination of sake and exhaustion. So he simply held her and gently stroked her hair, as he began to speak soft words careless of the presence of the shaded killer sitting across the room.
"Y'know, back home, even back before my sister was killed-- there was this place we used to run to whenever our pops would get drunk, or we got in trouble, well.. that was mostly me. He chuckled to himself. She was always the good one, and she would try so hard to keep up with me, 'cause we would run as fast as we could 'till our feet barely touched the ground and nothing could touch us, like the wind was lifting us higher and higher, y'know? Well, that's how it felt anyway... he said with chagrin And then over the hills, and through a gully there was a cherry tree, right in this little grotto beside a tiny fall of water that ran from the mountain streams. It was so beautiful when the breeze carried the mist from the water to carefully drift over everything, and if the sun would hit it from just the right angle, our little piece of sky would fill with the light of a million tiny rainbow hued motes of light and my little sister would dance around trying to catch one in her tiny hands, almost as if it were some firefly she could catch into a jar and carry around to keep it with her to always. Those times were filled with laughter and cherry-stained lips and tears aplenty too, but so much happiness. And y'know, she never gave up right until she-- 'cause she knew no matter what happened that as long as we still lived, we could go that special place that was only ours and escape this world and all it's troubles, even if it was only for a little while... And if you can just manage to hold on through all that you've been through and just live, I'll take you there, and I'll show you the clearest waters, and the best cherry tree in all of Japan! ... So, will you just try?" He implored her even knowing she could not consciously hear, merely hoping to reassure her with a touch and a voice full of the care he was so reluctant to express. And the tears were long dried as the sun descended to it's cradle for the night and it's last rays lit upon the faces of a couple sleeping still in the shelter of each other's embrace.
Hyakurin lay there watching the sun rise Magatsu's arms wrapped around her small body holding her close to himself. A soft smile crossed over her dusty rose lips as she looked over at him, though she didn't remember what had happened the other night she knew that he had taken care of her. What a sight this must be a Mugai-Ryu member, in fact one of the top member's in the arms of an Itto-Ryu. She thought of what Giichi or anyone else from Mugai-Ryu would say, Giichi probably would have been more surprised than anyone else. She chuckled as she watched the Itto-Ryu sleep, she didn't know how long she had kept him up last night and not wanting to wake him she gently got up from were they were laying.
She slowly made her way to the bath, witch was nice and hot. Thought the water stung her wounds and the dried blood tinted the waters a deep shade of red she lay there washing herself slowly, relaxing as she did so. As she began to dry herself off the door open and Giichi stood there looking over her, he bowed his head as she dressed herself. "You did quite a number on Shira." His words were spoken in a tone that let Hyakurin know he wasn't pleased with something. "He had it coming, he though I'd be the one paying in Spades." She laughed humorlessly at the thought of what Shira had told her, he paid in spades, yet so did Shinriji. "He sold us out, his stunt killed Shinriji, and there was a little girl who travailed with us he killed." She paused as she finished dressing and walked over to him, "That's not what's bothering you is it?" she asked as they left the room. "You need a new Kimono." He stated looking at the blood stains on the one she wore, "I need some Yen." She said as he began to walk out "Are you coming?" he asked bluntly as she fallowed.
They walked as she looked at new kimono's he bought her a few as well as food, not only for herself and him but for Manji, and Magatsu as well. He watched her eat as he sat there quietly, "Why." he finally asked as she looked at him confused. "He's an Itto-Ryu." He stated as she just stopped her chopsticks half ways to her mouth Busted.' she thought as she sat up from eating. "I didn't think you'd…" She ended her sentence quickly, "It's not like I can explain, let alone not say anything about it." She set her chopsticks on her bowl "At the rate things are going I don't know what's going to brake first, my body or my mind, so dose it really matter what I do now dose it?" a sigh escaped her lips as she leaned back some and laughed. "I get it now." The worlds trickled out as she looked at him, as he was slightly confused she has lost her mind sooner that she'd though. "Your jealous."
Before he cold eater agree or deny what she had said she stood up and looked at him with a smile, "Eater way your better off not caring, that's the type of thing that get's you killed when your around me." She told him as she took not only her food but Magatsu's as well.
Slowly she opened the door to the room that she had slept in…
Giichi sat there lifting Manji's bowl he stood and left to find the scarred man that had been traveling with his blond companion.
Maybe it was the words that did it, but in his dreams he walked again in that cherry blossomed hollow. And in it was a Hyakurin more beautiful and perfect than she could ever be in life playing with his little sister as he'd remembered her before she died. And in that dream they both loved him, his sister perfect in her childlike manner, and Hyakurin in the perfect way that never dies or ever really ebbs but merely swells. But that's what dreams were for after all, an expensive moment's respite that cost a whole night of a dreamer's life to experience what cannot be held in waking. That and the anguish of knowing... it need not be said what, we all know what painful knowledge we gain upon waking.
And when he opened his eyes to see Hyakurin enter the room softly sliding the door closed behind her he smiled, and if there was a little sadness hidden behind that smile who could say but he.
"Morning." Hyakurin's voice was soft as she sat next to him, "Sleep well?" she asked offering him a bowl.
"Well enough", he said guardedly. Some things were better left unsaid after all, and some things people just didn't want to know. Taking the bowl he offered her a rare smile in thanks. He leaned into her slightly savoring the simple comfort of contact while kind of hoping that the give in the mattress where they sat together was excuse enough rather than any weakness of his own. He quietly drank the miso, and taking a moment tried to hold in this sensation of warmth, not of just the soup but the woman even now gently leaning her head against his shoulder, reciprocating the unspoken invitation for contact. The slowly rising sun rose behind them granting a golden cast to the two as if it were a moment that had been caught and held on a painter's canvas. And he held his breath afraid to speak as if the softest spoken word could shatter this fragile moment like spun glass.
Hyakurin looked up at Magatsu , "Were are you going after you leave here?" her voice was soft as she asked, knowing Giichi came here only to bring her back to the boss. Yet she wasn't ready to tell him that just yet.
"I don't know where I'm going yet, it feels like I've lost direction lately. I was only with the Itto Ryu to revenge my sister upon the samurai pigs who killed her, and then I only came here to chase after the man who killed the woman I loved. Well, since I don't know what to do, I guess I can stick around with you and Manji until I figure that out, ok?"
Hyakurin smiled yet it was a sad smile "Stick around with you and Manji until I figure that out, ok?" that's what he just said but she knew the reason Giichi had showed up, truthfully she didn't believe that he did it of his own free will. She wasn't allowed to travel this far away from home' or else her leash would be yanked, Hard. "What was her name?" Though the subject would be a hard one for him it was easier for her to think of, at least they had something in common. He lost the woman he loved, and she lost her husband and child, though her husbands blood was on her hands.
"...O-Ren..." He said reluctantly. It wasn't something he really felt comfortable talking about. Because even though they'd already laid her to rest and killed the man responsible, there were still feelings that he just couldn't put behind him. "Why... would you bring that up?" he asked.
Hyakurin chuckled as she laid backwards onto the floor, "Your lover, my child, that girl. All Innocents killed, yet my husband, I took his life just like mine will be taken." She propped herself up onto her elbows "I guess you didn't catch on, I'm not allowed to leave Edo, Unless I have a death wish." she said as she looked towards the door, then to the man sitting before her, "I have to go back." she told him blankly, knowing her body couldn't take another beating. She smiled once again, "Maybe I'll join your O-Ren soon." she misted under her breath.
"C'mon, what do you mean you can't leave Edo? C'mon those bad guys who caught you are all dead. Besides I can protect you from whatever comes. Manji too." he added reluctantly. He didn't know about Hyakurin's criminal past and that she had been banned by the shogunate from leaving the district upon pain of death, without special permission. "So, don't talk about dying..."
Shocked at his reaction she smiled, laying there she looked at him he couldn't be too much younger than she was, hell he could even be slightly older. Though she doubted it, but he would protect her from the whole shogunate, and then some. She had to admit that he was good with a sword but, she ended that thought right there. There was no need to put her mind though that thought once again.
"Would you like to walk around? The towns small but it's nice, we can even get you a new Kimono if you'd like." She said wanting to get out of the room, though she shouldn't be moving around to much, yet the lack of doing anything made her fell helpless.
Meanwhile
Manji looked up as Giichi entered with 2 bowls of food. "One of those for me?", Manji asked. "Thanks", he grunted as the bowl was passed to him. "What's going on with he other 2?" he asked.
Giichi handed Manji the bowl, "Have you traveled with them since last we met?"
"More like babysitting you mean." Manji said. "Itto-Ryu or government assassin, I don't know how you guys expect these weak children to survive on their own." Sipping his Miso he said, "So what now? Did the big man have anything to say?"
Giichi chuckled he knew Hyakurin to be a hand full at times, looking up at Manji's he asked what his boss had told him. Truth be told he never told his boss that Shira was dead yet he came out here of his own will. "I won't know till I report to him. He doesn't know I'm here."
"Hahaha", laughed Manji, "Isn't it a little deadly for condemned criminals to leave the region without letting the only person standing between them and a death sentence know? Besides how'd you get your tegata, eh? Maybe yours had a little bit of Itto-Ryu blood on it, but hopefully less than mine did."
Giichi chuckled, as he finished off his soup, "I had my ways of getting though." he said as she looked at the other man. "whatever happened to your little girl? Lost her already?"
"Heh, I see. Well, the girl got it into her fool head to take on Anotsu Kagehisa all on her lonesome, without this old bag of 100 killer to drag her down, y'see? And so here I am chasing her through whatever god-forsaken backlands of Japan to show her the error of her ways before the Itto-Ryu do.
Giichi nodded, he had t admit that he was on the same mission as of this moment, looking out for a child whom only seems to find trouble. "Were to next?"
"Well, I've been asking around and it seems that she actually passed through around here just a couple days back. So, I figure we just follow the main roads and ask around. After all a little girl like her can't really handle the back mountain paths.
Authors Note
Okay this is the Seventh chapter. I DO NOT OWN Blade of the Immortal, Hiroaki Samura and Dark Horse comics own it I'm just barrowing it. This is also based after the 12th book Fall Frost. Please leave a review and let me know what you think, and Please also note that I am not the only writer of this story, a friend (Joel) also helps write it. He writes for Manji and Magatsu, and I write for Hyakurin and Giichi. Anyone else we've both used. Thanks for reading