Cor: "Alright! Let's do this!"
One thing I wanted to mention to you guys is that some of my writing style
is twisted in some ways on purpose. For instance, on the first chapter
where Cor and Mishio were fighting. It was meant to be a short, harsh,
snapping argument. That's why the dialogue format was sort of confusing.
I love changing things up in the story, such as mood and characteristics.
That's my style.
Chapter Four: The Fourth Feather
"We're here." Cor looked up from the ground at the man in front of her as he led her into a small inn on the corner of the street. Taking her arm gently, ignoring the stares of the crowd on the ground floor, he led her up the stairs to a previously paid room, sliding the rice paper door open.
It had been laid out just as he asked. Two cushions, facing the center where a pot of green tea sat along with two cups, "Please, sit." He motioned with his hand. Eyes still locked warily on him, she sat, folding her legs beneath her frame.
Saitou took his katana from his side and placed it softly on the floor beside his own seat, noting the slightly nervous shuffle of the girl across from him as he sat down swiftly, "You know how to pour the tea." He said quietly, stating rather than asking.
In response, she took the pot in her hands, expertly and artfully pouring the steaming liquid into the two cups. He nodded his approval, sipping it slowly. "If you wanted simple company, one of the geishas would have sufficed." She said after a moment, unable to stand the heavy silence. He glanced over the rim at her, "I've never been one to be called a simple man, so simple company just would not do."
"You are not quite complex, nor simple, either." She replied. "Confusing, isn't it?" Saitou smirked. "Not truly. At least, to me, you seem like a perfectly rude gentleman." He laughed at the girl's words, "Now that is definitely an oxymoron." "You seem to enjoy stating the obvious, as well."
His eyes seemed to glow with something halfway between a smile and a smirk, "Ah, the lady of the night speaks with the tongue of a dull blade..." She simply picked up her cup, sipping quietly.
"Of course, with your line of work, I doubt that you are such a lady." His tone turned cold. Placing her cup down quickly, she stood, "Is that enough company for the night?" She asked stiffly. He stared at her, "Leave."
Cor did so quickly and without hesitation, hands folded tightly in front of her.
Saitou picked up a small golden water lily hair ornament, beautifully crafted. "I suppose I will have to return this next time we meet." He said quietly to himself, running a calloused finger over the smooth, cold, petals.
---- The next morning ----
Mishio returned silently, glancing down at her roommate who was currently sound asleep in her cot, and frowned. Seems like all had not gone so well with the returning man... sighing, she sat down beside the younger girl, stroking her hair softly with almost mother-like care, "Poor little wall flower..." she murmured, then spoke loudly, "Cor, wake up!"
"Mmph? Not now... too early..." She groaned, rolling over and squeezing her eyes shut against the sun filtering through the shuttered window, pulling her sheets up above her head. "EARLY? EARLY?? You have GOT to be kidding me! Common, its well past noon!" Mishio snapped crossly, taking the covers and jerking them off, "WAKE... UP!" She growled. Cor snarled, kicking at her. "OH NO YOU DIDN'T!" The older proceeded to tackle the younger, pulling her out of bed by her ankles, Cor screaming and clinging onto the edge of the bed. With a final tug, both girls landed on the floor.
After a momentary silence, Cor started giggling. Mishio stared at her, but soon couldn't help herself. Within minutes both were in an uproarious fit of laughter, quite literally rolling on the floor, tears streaking down their cheeks.
It took a while, but eventually they calmed down, the older girl smiling softly at her roommate and friend, "I'm sorry I was so harsh last night... I suppose... I'm so used to this life, while you've been here for three months at the most. I guess I just..." she shook her head, "I'm sorry."
Cor smiled, wrapping her arms around Mishio and gave her a tight hug, "Nothing to be sorry for. And if there was, you know it would instantly be forgiven." Standing, they both went to their separate wardrobes, taking clothes out for the afternoon meal, chatting about the events of the night.
"So, you only spent half an hour with him? Drinking tea?" Mishio stared at her in disbelief across the table. She laughed softly, "I suppose that's all he wanted... I suspect he's not quite right in the head." "Well of course he's not, dear. After all, he went after you." Cor gasped, glaring at her slightly. Her friend laughed, "I was simply joking! And don't give me that look! What, does it really matter?"
"No, of course not!" she said quickly, taking a slow sip of the soup. But her thoughts were nagging her, "What if he comes back? Why did I get so defensive when he said that? After all... it is true..." Although Mishio kept up a chat, Cor simply listen and smiled, nodding a few times, too confused to speak of other things at the moment.
----
"Saitou." Kenshin said coldly, his only greeting as he entered the inn to meet the other. The other nodded, motioning to a table where the two sat down, "What news do you have?" "Kurash Mikimoto was, as you said, one of the Shinsengumi for a time of twelve years. However, one day he went against their strict code of rules, and was betrayed by one of the members." "Oh really?" He tried to appear nonchalant.
"Yes, really. And that member, Saitou, was you." Kenshin glared at him, "I can't believe you would try to drag me into something so personal... this is between you and him, no mater what excuse you might make. All I can tell you is to watch your back. I will be here to help, but only because of humanity's sake. Not because I want to help you extract your revenge. Pitiful, for a past member on the Shinsengumi, you are. Good day." Abruptly, the red head stood and left.
Saitou glared after him, then stood himself, 'Indeed Kenshin, I will not forget your promise to help... nor your insult to my being. Perhaps I am not the only who should watch their back."
Yeah yeah, I know, not my best chapter, once again. But it's kinda hard to be all mystical and poetic when you're trying to get down the basic plot and dialogue. Oh well, tell me what you guys think!
Chapter Four: The Fourth Feather
"We're here." Cor looked up from the ground at the man in front of her as he led her into a small inn on the corner of the street. Taking her arm gently, ignoring the stares of the crowd on the ground floor, he led her up the stairs to a previously paid room, sliding the rice paper door open.
It had been laid out just as he asked. Two cushions, facing the center where a pot of green tea sat along with two cups, "Please, sit." He motioned with his hand. Eyes still locked warily on him, she sat, folding her legs beneath her frame.
Saitou took his katana from his side and placed it softly on the floor beside his own seat, noting the slightly nervous shuffle of the girl across from him as he sat down swiftly, "You know how to pour the tea." He said quietly, stating rather than asking.
In response, she took the pot in her hands, expertly and artfully pouring the steaming liquid into the two cups. He nodded his approval, sipping it slowly. "If you wanted simple company, one of the geishas would have sufficed." She said after a moment, unable to stand the heavy silence. He glanced over the rim at her, "I've never been one to be called a simple man, so simple company just would not do."
"You are not quite complex, nor simple, either." She replied. "Confusing, isn't it?" Saitou smirked. "Not truly. At least, to me, you seem like a perfectly rude gentleman." He laughed at the girl's words, "Now that is definitely an oxymoron." "You seem to enjoy stating the obvious, as well."
His eyes seemed to glow with something halfway between a smile and a smirk, "Ah, the lady of the night speaks with the tongue of a dull blade..." She simply picked up her cup, sipping quietly.
"Of course, with your line of work, I doubt that you are such a lady." His tone turned cold. Placing her cup down quickly, she stood, "Is that enough company for the night?" She asked stiffly. He stared at her, "Leave."
Cor did so quickly and without hesitation, hands folded tightly in front of her.
Saitou picked up a small golden water lily hair ornament, beautifully crafted. "I suppose I will have to return this next time we meet." He said quietly to himself, running a calloused finger over the smooth, cold, petals.
---- The next morning ----
Mishio returned silently, glancing down at her roommate who was currently sound asleep in her cot, and frowned. Seems like all had not gone so well with the returning man... sighing, she sat down beside the younger girl, stroking her hair softly with almost mother-like care, "Poor little wall flower..." she murmured, then spoke loudly, "Cor, wake up!"
"Mmph? Not now... too early..." She groaned, rolling over and squeezing her eyes shut against the sun filtering through the shuttered window, pulling her sheets up above her head. "EARLY? EARLY?? You have GOT to be kidding me! Common, its well past noon!" Mishio snapped crossly, taking the covers and jerking them off, "WAKE... UP!" She growled. Cor snarled, kicking at her. "OH NO YOU DIDN'T!" The older proceeded to tackle the younger, pulling her out of bed by her ankles, Cor screaming and clinging onto the edge of the bed. With a final tug, both girls landed on the floor.
After a momentary silence, Cor started giggling. Mishio stared at her, but soon couldn't help herself. Within minutes both were in an uproarious fit of laughter, quite literally rolling on the floor, tears streaking down their cheeks.
It took a while, but eventually they calmed down, the older girl smiling softly at her roommate and friend, "I'm sorry I was so harsh last night... I suppose... I'm so used to this life, while you've been here for three months at the most. I guess I just..." she shook her head, "I'm sorry."
Cor smiled, wrapping her arms around Mishio and gave her a tight hug, "Nothing to be sorry for. And if there was, you know it would instantly be forgiven." Standing, they both went to their separate wardrobes, taking clothes out for the afternoon meal, chatting about the events of the night.
"So, you only spent half an hour with him? Drinking tea?" Mishio stared at her in disbelief across the table. She laughed softly, "I suppose that's all he wanted... I suspect he's not quite right in the head." "Well of course he's not, dear. After all, he went after you." Cor gasped, glaring at her slightly. Her friend laughed, "I was simply joking! And don't give me that look! What, does it really matter?"
"No, of course not!" she said quickly, taking a slow sip of the soup. But her thoughts were nagging her, "What if he comes back? Why did I get so defensive when he said that? After all... it is true..." Although Mishio kept up a chat, Cor simply listen and smiled, nodding a few times, too confused to speak of other things at the moment.
----
"Saitou." Kenshin said coldly, his only greeting as he entered the inn to meet the other. The other nodded, motioning to a table where the two sat down, "What news do you have?" "Kurash Mikimoto was, as you said, one of the Shinsengumi for a time of twelve years. However, one day he went against their strict code of rules, and was betrayed by one of the members." "Oh really?" He tried to appear nonchalant.
"Yes, really. And that member, Saitou, was you." Kenshin glared at him, "I can't believe you would try to drag me into something so personal... this is between you and him, no mater what excuse you might make. All I can tell you is to watch your back. I will be here to help, but only because of humanity's sake. Not because I want to help you extract your revenge. Pitiful, for a past member on the Shinsengumi, you are. Good day." Abruptly, the red head stood and left.
Saitou glared after him, then stood himself, 'Indeed Kenshin, I will not forget your promise to help... nor your insult to my being. Perhaps I am not the only who should watch their back."
Yeah yeah, I know, not my best chapter, once again. But it's kinda hard to be all mystical and poetic when you're trying to get down the basic plot and dialogue. Oh well, tell me what you guys think!