December Wind

"You know you could have stayed," Horohoro said.

The blue haired girl next to him just shrugged her shoulders, "I know, but I didn't feel right just letting you run back home."

Horo laughed lightly, "You think about others to much."

She only glanced at him; her eyes gleamed with tears she was desperately trying to hold back. "Baka," she replied with a shaky voice.

"I think it's for the best you going back to Tokyo to stay with Yoh and Anna," Horo said as he picked up a stone that was laying by his foot. He brushed the dirt off sliding his thumb over the smooth surface before throwing it across the glass like water. "The city is were you belong. Trust me Hokkaido has nothing for you."

"But winter will be here soon. I'll have no way of seeing you for a very long time."

Horo waved off the comment, "Ah hell, you needed a break from me anyway, plus you'll have so much house work to do for Anna you will never have time to miss me."

Pirika smiled a little knowing her brother was trying to put a little humour in their current situation.

After the end of the Shaman tournament Horo and his sister had returned to their village. The two had started to plant Fuki, but before they could truly finish Yoh had called them back to Tokyo to visit. At the time Horo was a little unsure if they should go back leaving the Fuki plants. His sister assured him that it would only be a few months. Reluctantly he agreed promising to return and finish what he had started. Slowly months turned into years, slipping by so quickly that he never even realized. They had stayed with Yoh for a few years before getting an apartment of their own. Horo had to admit the city had so much more to offer, but the parks could never compare to the real forests he grew up in.

Seven years he had been living in Tokyo and each day seemed one too long. He enjoyed seeing Yoh and the rest all the time but he was no longer himself, the trees and the rivers were calling him. Even in this metal and cement jungle he could still hear the cry of his true home echoing off of the skyscrapers and crowded city streets.

Horo had left Tokyo with his little sister, but he knew that in her heart the city was were she wanted to be, just as the small village they had grown up in was were his heart felt most at peace.

"So I'll drive you into town tomorrow." Horo said breaking the silence.

His sister only nodded, this would be the longest time they had ever spent apart.

"Kororo will be going with you."

"What?"

"I would feel better if I knew she was with you. The Shaman fight is over, I'll be fine without her, she already agreed to it so don't try and talk me out of it," Horo got up and dusted his pants off. "Well should we be going, it'll be dark soon."

The two walked along the dirt path that led to the village. Horo couldn't remember how many times his feat had traveled along this road. He had lived in the same village since he was four along with his father and sister. Slowly the smell of smoke started to seep into the cool air, indicating the village was near. He lived in a modest Kotan (village) that was located next to a river, earning the village the name 'silent water' a name given by his ancestors long ago. The Kotan was hidden amongst the ever cloud-capped peaks that gave the mountains their name; the wind blew lightly nipping at any exposed skin causing their pace to quicken. As they entered the village people waved to them from their small homes that appeared as if they wanted to be modern but couldn't help but look like the traditional huts made out of cogon grasses or bamboo grass. Horo's village was one of the last Ainu settlements that still held onto their old traditions.

"Get a good rest Pirika." Horo said as they entered their small house.

"You can still change your mind you know, it's not to late to come with me," Pikira said with hope in her eyes.

"I made a promise to come back and finish what I had started." Horo hugged his sister tightly, "This is where I belong."

That day had been two months ago, Horo thought to himself as he drove along the gravel road leading into the city. Horo's eyes wandered to the side of the road only to see darkness, this caused him to yawn remembering that is was six in the morning. It was a four hour drive from his village, past the trees and the mountains was the city. Well some still may say it's too small to be a city but compared to his hometown it was a city.

Slowly he could feel his eyes drifting shut, "Man I need to stay awake," Horo said as he reached over and turned on the radio. It cracked and fuzzed, but a good swift smack to the dashboard sprang it into life, not like there was anything interesting to listen to anyway. The news reports were laughable, like a cat getting caught in a tree and half the time the reports were only rumours to start with. But no matter how ridiculously simple things were here Horo couldn't help but feel like he was truly back home.

As Horo pulled into the city it was full of life, people bustling around, going about their daily lives as they always did. When he was younger going to the city was very exciting, seeing two homes right next to each other was strange to him. And having paved roads seemed like a luxury. All of that had changed now, what was once a treat was now a chore. After living in Tokyo, Horo had become sick of cities and large groups of people

After he bought everything on his list he was ready to head back home. He took out his keys to unlocked his truck. (Locking doors was a habit he had quickly picked up after getting his car stereo ripped out.) As he was about to slam the door shut a voice caught his attention.

"Hey wait up spike head!" A voice called out behind him.

Horohoro turned to see a large man running towards him.

"Koan you old bastard, I thought you moved away," Horo said sarcastically, when the man's face came into view.

Koan snorted loudly, "Look who's talking. Mr disappears for seven years."

Horo shrugged his shoulders, "Ya I know. But I'm back, looks like I'll be trudging out the winter with you."

Koan nodded, "Yes it will be a bad one. Well that's what old Yord said. But you know him, he gets a few drinks in him and he thinks he knows the meaning of life."

Horo looked up into the sky and breathed deeply, he couldn't ever remember tasting air this clean in Tokyo, "I don't care if it snows seven feet, I'm just happy to be back home."

Koan smiled back. Horo had known Koan since he was four; he was a large boy even then, with bright blue eyes that contrasted sharply with his jet black hair. Arms that were twice the size of most men's but a heart that was better then gold. Koan had lived with his parents in the city, but spent most of his time at his grandfathers. Even though Koan only spent his weekends at the village he had become something of a prankster. His name use to always come up whenever a fence was pulled open or a line of laundry dropped in the dirt, and more often then not Horo's name would come up as being the partner in crime.

"So where are you off to?" Koan asked.

"Heading back home, You?"

"Is it alright if I come along, I'll be staying with my grandfather this winter, he's getting on in years and has trouble running the farm."

Of course Horo agreed he hadn't seen Koan in so long. Well since he had left for Tokyo for the Shaman fights.

The ride back was much faster now that he had someone to talk and laugh with.

"Hey remember when we set off those fire works outside your sister's room when she was having that sleepover," Koan said between laughter.

"I got in so much shit for that one. I said it was only me who set them off, again I saved your ass."

"Oh please I've saved your ass so many times I can't even count the times."

"That's because you have trouble counting to begin with," Horo joked punching Koan in the arm.

As they pulled into the village something caught Horo's eye that made him completely tune out everything that was going on around him. Koan's voice became a distant murmur the streets and the houses a blur of colours.

He slammed on the brakes, sending Koan flying forward a bit, "Who is that woman?" Horo asked pointing to a group of people standing a few houses down from where they were now parked.

"Who?" Koan hissed rubbing his head. "I don't know her name. All I know is that she came down here with her parents."

"She's beautiful," Horo whispered.