Author's Note: From the last chapter, we found out that Misao can't swim.
And who's going to fix that problem? Soujiro of course. So I guess you
know what's going to be in this chapter. And since I know you want to read
it, read it.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------
"Aoshi! Aoshi! Where are you Aoshi?"
A small chibi Misao ran through Kyoto. The much younger Misao looked this way and that, trying to spot her Aoshi.
Having woken up this morning, the next Okashira of the Oniwabanshu couldn't find Aoshi at the Aoiya. No, not just Aoshi. Hanya, Shikijou, Beshimi, and Hyottoko. They all had disappeared.
"If this is about Hanya's mask I'm sorry!" Misao cried, tears starting to well up in her young and innocent green eyes. "I won't do it again!
Alas, she couldn't find Aoshi or any other member of the Oniwabanshu. They were gone. They hadn't even told her they were leaving! She would've went with them!
"Aoshi!" Misao called again, running across a bridge over a lake. "Hanya! Anyone!"
Still, none of them called back.
Unfortunately, during her haste, the chibi Misao didn't notice how weakened the bridge looked. Having had many soldiers cross over it, and even having been damaged in battles of the revolution, it didn't look like it could last.
Which is why one of the boards suddenly broke under Misao's feet.
The chibi ninja girl cried out in surprise before falling. The air rushed past her before landing into the lake with a loud splash.
Misao's green eyes were suddenly wide with fear. She didn't know how to swim! She never got a chance to learn!
The chibi thrashed, trying to get back to the surface. She wasn't doing very good, however. Even if she was able to swim up a little, she would end up sinking farther down. Her lungs started to burn as the air she had taken before falling into the lake became foul.
Her hand suddenly brushed something. Despite being underwater, Misao was still able to see the wooden support beam of the bridge. She immediately made a grab for it.
Her small hands grabbed it and Misao was able to use it to climb up to the surface. Once her head made it to the surface, she quickly gulped down breaths of fresh air. She clutched onto the support beam, her eyes sealed shut as she whimpered, hoping that someone would find and help her.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------
"Someone did eventually find me," said Misao, her legs drawn up and hugged to her chest as she sat, looking at the lake. "He got me out."
"Does anyone else know you can't swim?" Soujiro asked, who was sitting beside Misao.
"Aoshi and Okina. They didn't volunteer to help me though. I guess they just wanted to wait and let me decide if I was ready." She shrugged. "Well, they did volunteer once or twice but I always made an excuse. Guess I wasn't ready."
"Sounds like by the time you are ready you'll be an old woman," said Soujiro.
A small smile appeared on Misao's face at the comment before disappearing. "I'm just afraid of the water. It's just that the thought of drowning scares me. Trying so hard to make it to the surface, only to feel like the harder you try the deeper you go and not getting the air that you need."
"I know how that felt like," replied Soujiro. "Yumi had taught me how to swim after a little training session with Shishio, which involved training in water. At first I was afraid, until I learned how to swim. I actually enjoyed swimming after that."
"At least you had the guts to learn." Misao sighed. "It's funny. I use water to drink and clean myself. But I never knew it could be something that I would be afraid of."
"Time to make you unafraid of it then."
Misao quickly turned to Soujiro, eyes wide while he only smiled at her. "You...you don't mean..."
Soujiro nodded. "You got to learn to swim sometime Misao."
"But I can't! I'm not ready!'
"And when will you be ready?" Soujiro questioned.
"I don't know..."
"Do you want to be afraid of the water Misao?"
"No..."
"Do you want to always be afraid of drowning?"
"No..."
"Do you not want to worry about it anymore?"
"Yes..."
Soujiro went silent for a moment. He only stared at Misao, who only stared back.
"Do you trust me Misao?"
Misao blinked. "Of course I do."
"Do you want me to teach you how to swim?"
Misao paused. Finally she replied, "Yes."
"Want to learn now?"
"Now?"
"Well you're already wet," replied Soujiro, chuckling.
Misao looked down at herself. She was no longer dripping wet thanks to sitting in the sun, but she was still wet. Her wet clothes and hair clung to her body. Smiling, she looked back at Soujiro.
"I want to learn how to swim," she said. Then added, "Now."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------
"You know what's sad about this?" asked Devil Misao, looking down from a tree branch. "They have all these moments alone with each other and they still haven't said that they love each other yet."
"Which is why the odds of me winning the bet are very good," replied Devil Soujiro.
"I still have a chance," argued Angel Soujiro. "Maybe they'll say that they love each other now!"
"And then I would win the bet," replied Devil Soujiro, grinning.
"What?"
"You betted that they would get together at the festival. You didn't say before or after the festival. So technically I would win."
"...Oops."
"Well even if you lose your money, they'll be together," put in Angel Misao.
"Yeah but then I'd be broke..."
"That's your fault not mine."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------
Misao held onto Soujiro's arm. And by holding on, she was really holding on. And as in really holding on, it was Soujiro's arm starting to lose circulation. Just because Soujiro was stronger then her, didn't mean that she was weak.
"You don't have to hold onto my arm that tight Misao," said Soujiro, smiling despite the sudden block of circulation in his arm. "If you keep kicking your feet like you are now you'll be okay."
Misao still looked nervous, biting her lower lip as she looked at the water. Slowly, she loosened her grip on Soujiro's arm. When she started to sink, she immediately clutched onto it again. Soujiro chuckled, amused, and Misao was too nervous to make a comment for that.
"Don't worry Misao. If you need help, I'll be right here."
The ninja girl didn't say anything. She only turned her frightened gaze to Soujiro, who smiled to reassure her that she was safe. She gave a very small smile back, but didn't let go of him.
Soujiro watched as Misao looked back at the surrounding water. The ninja girl kept her grip tight on his arm.
The way Misao was acting surprised Soujiro a little. Most of the time Misao would act like her usual tomboy self. But seeing her like this, afraid of water, she could actually be just a fragile girl under the exterior of her abusiveness and hot temperedness. And Soujiro would make sure he was there for her.
Ironic. When he was young, he had wanted someone to care for him. But he never knew how good it felt to actually care for someone else, besides himself. He felt like he was the only one that could protect Misao from any harm that could come to her. And he liked this feeling.
Misao continued to kick, keeping herself up with the support of Soujiro's arm. So far she seemed to be getting the first step of swimming down. But...
"You're doing good Misao," said Soujiro. "Now let's see if you can keep yourself up without the use of my arm."
Misao stared at Soujiro with an alarmed look.
"Don't worry. I'll be here if you need me. You do trust me right?"
Misao nodded. "Yes. I trust you."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------
Somewhere near the lake, a certain someone walked near it. Of course, most of you would recognize him.
Being practically the opposite of Soujiro, the man didn't smile, rarely anyway. Instead, he only stared forward with his ice blue eyes, that were almost as emotionless as Soujiro's. With the long sheath he carried, people have thought that he carried a long sword, which would be hard to use in fights.
Unfortunately for them, the ones that made that mistake paid with their lives. Instead of one long sword, there were two short ones. Kodachis. Light and small, these were mostly used for defensive purposes. But Shinomori Aoshi was able to make the two kodachis used for defensive and offensive purposes.
Why the former Okashira of the Oniwabanshu was traveling through Kyoto now was a mystery. Probably just needed to get out for some air. Then again, why would you need to bring weapons with you?
Unless you were going to do a quick check to make sure a certain former Tenken wasn't doing anything.
Despite what everyone thought of Soujiro, Aoshi still didn't trust him. How could he expect a killer like Soujiro to become good just like that? Soujiro had been the one that convinced him to join Shishio after all. It would take more then just one year for Aoshi to trust Soujiro. Then again, he may never trust the former Tenken.
Trust was something Aoshi was always careful about. An enemy could take advantage of trust and turn it against you. Aoshi had seen it happen many times during the revolution, and trusted no one except the Oniwabanshu. Probably why he was still alive now.
Soujiro was someone that would get his trust when, basically, hell froze over. Though he had never made even a gesture that he would harm anyone, Aoshi didn't trust him. He could never leave his guard down, especially for someone like Soujiro.
Aoshi suddenly saw something out of the corner of his eye. Turning, he looked at the lake. His eyes suddenly widened.
He saw Soujiro swimming in the lake, but that wasn't what alarmed him. It was the other person that was in the lake. Misao.
But Misao couldn't swim! The Tenken was trying to drown her!
Aoshi's hands grasped the hilts of his kodachi. He knew it. He was going to make sure Soujiro would experience a cold and painful deat-.
Before he finished that thought, he froze when he heard Misao. Instead of hearing a cry of help or distress, the Okashira was laughing. Obviously, Aoshi was surprised at that. Did the Tenken torture her until she met insanity? The Tenken was definitely going to pay...
That was until Aoshi quickly noticed something else. Misao wasn't drowning. She was doing the opposite. She was swimming.
But she couldn't swim. Unless...
Misao laughing and suddenly hugging Soujiro proved the theory that Aoshi had started to form in his mind.
The Tenken wasn't drowning her. On the contrary, he was teaching her how to swim.
It took Aoshi a moment to realize that he was just standing there, his hands having left the hilts of his kodachis and hanging at his sides. His eyes were still slightly widened from the realization that Soujiro was teaching Misao how to swim, which he was doing quite successfully it seems.
Maybe he was wrong about Soujiro...
That came as a surprise to Aoshi. Being wrong was something he wasn't used to. Admitting it was hard. But admitting that he was wrong about Soujiro, that was close to impossible.
Aoshi shook his head. No, he didn't fully trust Soujiro. Maybe his trust for Soujiro rose slightly, he was nowhere near to fully trusting the former Tenken.
Turning around, he made his way back to the Aoiya.
He wasn't going to let his guard down. Soujiro may seem to have done something good, but it didn't mean that he would do something that's the opposite of that later on. And if he did, he would pay.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------
Misao couldn't believe it. She's able to swim now. She can actually swim!
Sitting against a tree, she had a smile on her face that never seemed to disappear. It wasn't every day that you concur one of your fears after all. She could swim! She loved swimming now!
And the person who was responsible for it was sitting beside her.
Soujiro sat next to her, looking down at her and smiling when he saw the smile on her face. How happy Misao looked made him feel like...like...butterflies were flying around in his stomach. Another feeling he was starting to like.
Misao suddenly held up a hand, hiding a yawn. She rubbed her eyes tiredly.
After fending off Kaoru, Okon, Omesu, running away from them, almost drowning once, and then learning how to swim was taking its toll on the ninja girl. She was strong, but anyone that went through the events that she went through today could make anyone tired. Her eyelids started to grow heavy as she yawned again.
"Tired?" Soujiro asked as he saw Misao yawn again.
"Yeah kind of," she replied.
"Want to go back to the Aoiya?"
"No!" she immediately replied, causing Soujiro to blink. "I mean...no thanks."
There was still the threat of three certain insane women at the Aoiya. They could still be there, waiting for Misao to make the mistake of coming back. And then they would make their move.
"I'll just take a quick nap here," she explained, her eyelids starting to droop. "You can go back to the Aoiya. I don't think I'll be asleep long."
Soujiro mulled over the thought...for a second. He wasn't going to stay. And before he could tell Misao, the ninja girl had already fallen asleep. Also, almost immediately, Misao's head suddenly fell and landed on Soujiro's shoulder before resting against it.
Soujiro felt that heat on his face that he felt several times before. The butterflies in his stomach returned to. But, for some reason, he felt like he was exactly where he should be.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------
"Whew," Angel Soujiro sighed. "That was close."
"Lucky little shoulder angel," said Devil Soujiro. "You won't be so lucky next time."
"Yeah yeah yeah. Say that when they kiss at the festival."
"That won't happen."
"Aw, this is such a nice scene though," said Angel Misao, looking down from the tree branch at the former Tenken and the sleeping ninja girl that was using his shoulder as a pillow. "Can't wait to see what it'll be like at the festival."
"Yap yap yap," put in Devil Misao. "Too much talking. Instead of just "predicting" what will happen, how about we just wait until the festival to see what happens?"
"Yeah, and I'll win the bet," said Devil Soujiro.
"...Shoulder angels and shoulder devils may be different. But men, they're all idiots."
For once, Angel Misao agreed with her counterpart.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------
Author's Note: You know what's so great about this day today? This is my first day of summer vacation! As in, no school, no interruption of sleep, more time with my video games! Oh yeah...fics too. Anyway, with school gone, I'll have more time to work on my fics! So woohoo!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------
"Aoshi! Aoshi! Where are you Aoshi?"
A small chibi Misao ran through Kyoto. The much younger Misao looked this way and that, trying to spot her Aoshi.
Having woken up this morning, the next Okashira of the Oniwabanshu couldn't find Aoshi at the Aoiya. No, not just Aoshi. Hanya, Shikijou, Beshimi, and Hyottoko. They all had disappeared.
"If this is about Hanya's mask I'm sorry!" Misao cried, tears starting to well up in her young and innocent green eyes. "I won't do it again!
Alas, she couldn't find Aoshi or any other member of the Oniwabanshu. They were gone. They hadn't even told her they were leaving! She would've went with them!
"Aoshi!" Misao called again, running across a bridge over a lake. "Hanya! Anyone!"
Still, none of them called back.
Unfortunately, during her haste, the chibi Misao didn't notice how weakened the bridge looked. Having had many soldiers cross over it, and even having been damaged in battles of the revolution, it didn't look like it could last.
Which is why one of the boards suddenly broke under Misao's feet.
The chibi ninja girl cried out in surprise before falling. The air rushed past her before landing into the lake with a loud splash.
Misao's green eyes were suddenly wide with fear. She didn't know how to swim! She never got a chance to learn!
The chibi thrashed, trying to get back to the surface. She wasn't doing very good, however. Even if she was able to swim up a little, she would end up sinking farther down. Her lungs started to burn as the air she had taken before falling into the lake became foul.
Her hand suddenly brushed something. Despite being underwater, Misao was still able to see the wooden support beam of the bridge. She immediately made a grab for it.
Her small hands grabbed it and Misao was able to use it to climb up to the surface. Once her head made it to the surface, she quickly gulped down breaths of fresh air. She clutched onto the support beam, her eyes sealed shut as she whimpered, hoping that someone would find and help her.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------
"Someone did eventually find me," said Misao, her legs drawn up and hugged to her chest as she sat, looking at the lake. "He got me out."
"Does anyone else know you can't swim?" Soujiro asked, who was sitting beside Misao.
"Aoshi and Okina. They didn't volunteer to help me though. I guess they just wanted to wait and let me decide if I was ready." She shrugged. "Well, they did volunteer once or twice but I always made an excuse. Guess I wasn't ready."
"Sounds like by the time you are ready you'll be an old woman," said Soujiro.
A small smile appeared on Misao's face at the comment before disappearing. "I'm just afraid of the water. It's just that the thought of drowning scares me. Trying so hard to make it to the surface, only to feel like the harder you try the deeper you go and not getting the air that you need."
"I know how that felt like," replied Soujiro. "Yumi had taught me how to swim after a little training session with Shishio, which involved training in water. At first I was afraid, until I learned how to swim. I actually enjoyed swimming after that."
"At least you had the guts to learn." Misao sighed. "It's funny. I use water to drink and clean myself. But I never knew it could be something that I would be afraid of."
"Time to make you unafraid of it then."
Misao quickly turned to Soujiro, eyes wide while he only smiled at her. "You...you don't mean..."
Soujiro nodded. "You got to learn to swim sometime Misao."
"But I can't! I'm not ready!'
"And when will you be ready?" Soujiro questioned.
"I don't know..."
"Do you want to be afraid of the water Misao?"
"No..."
"Do you want to always be afraid of drowning?"
"No..."
"Do you not want to worry about it anymore?"
"Yes..."
Soujiro went silent for a moment. He only stared at Misao, who only stared back.
"Do you trust me Misao?"
Misao blinked. "Of course I do."
"Do you want me to teach you how to swim?"
Misao paused. Finally she replied, "Yes."
"Want to learn now?"
"Now?"
"Well you're already wet," replied Soujiro, chuckling.
Misao looked down at herself. She was no longer dripping wet thanks to sitting in the sun, but she was still wet. Her wet clothes and hair clung to her body. Smiling, she looked back at Soujiro.
"I want to learn how to swim," she said. Then added, "Now."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------
"You know what's sad about this?" asked Devil Misao, looking down from a tree branch. "They have all these moments alone with each other and they still haven't said that they love each other yet."
"Which is why the odds of me winning the bet are very good," replied Devil Soujiro.
"I still have a chance," argued Angel Soujiro. "Maybe they'll say that they love each other now!"
"And then I would win the bet," replied Devil Soujiro, grinning.
"What?"
"You betted that they would get together at the festival. You didn't say before or after the festival. So technically I would win."
"...Oops."
"Well even if you lose your money, they'll be together," put in Angel Misao.
"Yeah but then I'd be broke..."
"That's your fault not mine."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------
Misao held onto Soujiro's arm. And by holding on, she was really holding on. And as in really holding on, it was Soujiro's arm starting to lose circulation. Just because Soujiro was stronger then her, didn't mean that she was weak.
"You don't have to hold onto my arm that tight Misao," said Soujiro, smiling despite the sudden block of circulation in his arm. "If you keep kicking your feet like you are now you'll be okay."
Misao still looked nervous, biting her lower lip as she looked at the water. Slowly, she loosened her grip on Soujiro's arm. When she started to sink, she immediately clutched onto it again. Soujiro chuckled, amused, and Misao was too nervous to make a comment for that.
"Don't worry Misao. If you need help, I'll be right here."
The ninja girl didn't say anything. She only turned her frightened gaze to Soujiro, who smiled to reassure her that she was safe. She gave a very small smile back, but didn't let go of him.
Soujiro watched as Misao looked back at the surrounding water. The ninja girl kept her grip tight on his arm.
The way Misao was acting surprised Soujiro a little. Most of the time Misao would act like her usual tomboy self. But seeing her like this, afraid of water, she could actually be just a fragile girl under the exterior of her abusiveness and hot temperedness. And Soujiro would make sure he was there for her.
Ironic. When he was young, he had wanted someone to care for him. But he never knew how good it felt to actually care for someone else, besides himself. He felt like he was the only one that could protect Misao from any harm that could come to her. And he liked this feeling.
Misao continued to kick, keeping herself up with the support of Soujiro's arm. So far she seemed to be getting the first step of swimming down. But...
"You're doing good Misao," said Soujiro. "Now let's see if you can keep yourself up without the use of my arm."
Misao stared at Soujiro with an alarmed look.
"Don't worry. I'll be here if you need me. You do trust me right?"
Misao nodded. "Yes. I trust you."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------
Somewhere near the lake, a certain someone walked near it. Of course, most of you would recognize him.
Being practically the opposite of Soujiro, the man didn't smile, rarely anyway. Instead, he only stared forward with his ice blue eyes, that were almost as emotionless as Soujiro's. With the long sheath he carried, people have thought that he carried a long sword, which would be hard to use in fights.
Unfortunately for them, the ones that made that mistake paid with their lives. Instead of one long sword, there were two short ones. Kodachis. Light and small, these were mostly used for defensive purposes. But Shinomori Aoshi was able to make the two kodachis used for defensive and offensive purposes.
Why the former Okashira of the Oniwabanshu was traveling through Kyoto now was a mystery. Probably just needed to get out for some air. Then again, why would you need to bring weapons with you?
Unless you were going to do a quick check to make sure a certain former Tenken wasn't doing anything.
Despite what everyone thought of Soujiro, Aoshi still didn't trust him. How could he expect a killer like Soujiro to become good just like that? Soujiro had been the one that convinced him to join Shishio after all. It would take more then just one year for Aoshi to trust Soujiro. Then again, he may never trust the former Tenken.
Trust was something Aoshi was always careful about. An enemy could take advantage of trust and turn it against you. Aoshi had seen it happen many times during the revolution, and trusted no one except the Oniwabanshu. Probably why he was still alive now.
Soujiro was someone that would get his trust when, basically, hell froze over. Though he had never made even a gesture that he would harm anyone, Aoshi didn't trust him. He could never leave his guard down, especially for someone like Soujiro.
Aoshi suddenly saw something out of the corner of his eye. Turning, he looked at the lake. His eyes suddenly widened.
He saw Soujiro swimming in the lake, but that wasn't what alarmed him. It was the other person that was in the lake. Misao.
But Misao couldn't swim! The Tenken was trying to drown her!
Aoshi's hands grasped the hilts of his kodachi. He knew it. He was going to make sure Soujiro would experience a cold and painful deat-.
Before he finished that thought, he froze when he heard Misao. Instead of hearing a cry of help or distress, the Okashira was laughing. Obviously, Aoshi was surprised at that. Did the Tenken torture her until she met insanity? The Tenken was definitely going to pay...
That was until Aoshi quickly noticed something else. Misao wasn't drowning. She was doing the opposite. She was swimming.
But she couldn't swim. Unless...
Misao laughing and suddenly hugging Soujiro proved the theory that Aoshi had started to form in his mind.
The Tenken wasn't drowning her. On the contrary, he was teaching her how to swim.
It took Aoshi a moment to realize that he was just standing there, his hands having left the hilts of his kodachis and hanging at his sides. His eyes were still slightly widened from the realization that Soujiro was teaching Misao how to swim, which he was doing quite successfully it seems.
Maybe he was wrong about Soujiro...
That came as a surprise to Aoshi. Being wrong was something he wasn't used to. Admitting it was hard. But admitting that he was wrong about Soujiro, that was close to impossible.
Aoshi shook his head. No, he didn't fully trust Soujiro. Maybe his trust for Soujiro rose slightly, he was nowhere near to fully trusting the former Tenken.
Turning around, he made his way back to the Aoiya.
He wasn't going to let his guard down. Soujiro may seem to have done something good, but it didn't mean that he would do something that's the opposite of that later on. And if he did, he would pay.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------
Misao couldn't believe it. She's able to swim now. She can actually swim!
Sitting against a tree, she had a smile on her face that never seemed to disappear. It wasn't every day that you concur one of your fears after all. She could swim! She loved swimming now!
And the person who was responsible for it was sitting beside her.
Soujiro sat next to her, looking down at her and smiling when he saw the smile on her face. How happy Misao looked made him feel like...like...butterflies were flying around in his stomach. Another feeling he was starting to like.
Misao suddenly held up a hand, hiding a yawn. She rubbed her eyes tiredly.
After fending off Kaoru, Okon, Omesu, running away from them, almost drowning once, and then learning how to swim was taking its toll on the ninja girl. She was strong, but anyone that went through the events that she went through today could make anyone tired. Her eyelids started to grow heavy as she yawned again.
"Tired?" Soujiro asked as he saw Misao yawn again.
"Yeah kind of," she replied.
"Want to go back to the Aoiya?"
"No!" she immediately replied, causing Soujiro to blink. "I mean...no thanks."
There was still the threat of three certain insane women at the Aoiya. They could still be there, waiting for Misao to make the mistake of coming back. And then they would make their move.
"I'll just take a quick nap here," she explained, her eyelids starting to droop. "You can go back to the Aoiya. I don't think I'll be asleep long."
Soujiro mulled over the thought...for a second. He wasn't going to stay. And before he could tell Misao, the ninja girl had already fallen asleep. Also, almost immediately, Misao's head suddenly fell and landed on Soujiro's shoulder before resting against it.
Soujiro felt that heat on his face that he felt several times before. The butterflies in his stomach returned to. But, for some reason, he felt like he was exactly where he should be.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------
"Whew," Angel Soujiro sighed. "That was close."
"Lucky little shoulder angel," said Devil Soujiro. "You won't be so lucky next time."
"Yeah yeah yeah. Say that when they kiss at the festival."
"That won't happen."
"Aw, this is such a nice scene though," said Angel Misao, looking down from the tree branch at the former Tenken and the sleeping ninja girl that was using his shoulder as a pillow. "Can't wait to see what it'll be like at the festival."
"Yap yap yap," put in Devil Misao. "Too much talking. Instead of just "predicting" what will happen, how about we just wait until the festival to see what happens?"
"Yeah, and I'll win the bet," said Devil Soujiro.
"...Shoulder angels and shoulder devils may be different. But men, they're all idiots."
For once, Angel Misao agreed with her counterpart.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------
Author's Note: You know what's so great about this day today? This is my first day of summer vacation! As in, no school, no interruption of sleep, more time with my video games! Oh yeah...fics too. Anyway, with school gone, I'll have more time to work on my fics! So woohoo!