Disclaimer: Kohana, Momo, Piaoliang Feng, Shen Yuan, Naraku, An Hua, Ayame and Ruri are my characters. The personalities and looks of the new seishi are mine.
Red Wings of Fate
Chapter 25: Sisterly Advice
"Speech"
'Thoughts'
Sigh So, how long's it been? Half a year since I did anything? I'm not really sure what happened. School problems, computer problems, life problems, I guess it was a mix of things. The end of high school is just coming too fast. If anyone's still reading I guess I'm still writing. Though I suppose even if no one is, I'll still write.
The group of seishi and their priestesses stared helplessly at Ayame. None of them wanted to think of what would happen to her if they disobeyed Naraku. Kohana desperately tried to hold back her tears. It was the first time she's seen her sister in months and it seemed like it could be the last.
Piaoliang broke the silence when she stepped forward. "What do you want Naraku?"
"I want your powers." She glared at Piaoliang and Shen. "You're standing between me and what I want. So…" She snapped her fingers and in a flash of black fire, a blood red crystal appeared in her hand. "If you want this woman to live, you had better surrender."
Piaoliang and Shen glanced at Kohana before looking at each other. Piaoliang looked up at Ayame again. "What choice do we have?"
"Are you saying we should?"
"I'm not sure what I'm saying…" She shook her head sadly.
"Don't you dare do what she says!" Ayame barked at the two young mages. "She'll just stab you in the back!"
"Shut up!" Naraku hissed and slashed her nails across Ayame's face. She winced as she felt blood run down her cheek. "I'm surprised you have the energy to talk yet…" She added under her breath, making her voice sound more like the hiss of a deadly viper.
"Leave her alone!" Kohana tried to run at Naraku only to be stopped by Nuriko. "Let go of me Nuriko! I won't let her hurt my sister!" She elbowed him sharply in the ribs, but his grip was just too tight.
"Kohana, you can't fight her. You know she's too strong. She could kill you in the blink of an eye if she wanted to. We can't just run at her."
Hime's eyes narrowed as she elevated herself to her sister's level. "Put her down Sister. Your issue is with me, not her. We never did get a chance to finish our fight."
Naraku lifted her chin in an arrogant matter. "You won when we were alive but you can't win now. Your betrothed isn't with you and I've honed my powers over the centuries we've been out of the mortal coil. I'm going to be stronger than you this time."
"You're still alone." Hime spat back. "Hatred will only get you so far. Love will always win in the end. I'm just telling you. Sister to sister."
"Mindless drivel." Naraku hissed. She turned to Ayame. "Do you really care what happens to your sister considering everything she's done to you?"
"What are you talking about?" Ayame stared down at Kohana. On the ground, Kohana stood, motionless, afraid to even breathe.
"She ruined your life, didn't she?" Naraku laughed. "If she hadn't been born, your parents would still be alive. You'd have the life you wanted."
"Enough of your lies, Naraku!" Shen yelled up at her. "Let her go."
Naraku glared at Shen but largely ignored him. "Think about it, Ayame. She killed your parents, making you leave your childhood behind and turn into a mother. She made you miserable." Ayame closed her eyes, trying not to listen. "She destroyed your life one little piece at a time." Naraku grabbed Ayame's hair and yanked her head up, forcing her to stare at her baby sister. "Look at her. Look at the face that destroyed your happiness. Everything was fine before her. Little sisters are such a bother aren't they?"
"Ayame…" Kohana hardly felt Hotohori's arms around her body. Naraku's words hit her harder than they did Ayame. For her whole life, she had felt guilty about living when her parents hadn't. "I'm sorry…"
A dark, foreboding silence hung in the palace courtyard. Ayame's head slumped forward. Naraku chuckled.
"It's so easy to win once you find a weakness." She raised her arm over her head and launched a volley of black fireballs at the seishi on the ground. Panic swept across the ground as the seishi tried to get out of the way. Naraku's triumphant cackle echoed across the courtyard as the dust cleared.
No one was mortally wounded but some were hurt badly. Suboshi's shoulder was badly burned from protecting Momo. Miboshi had passed out, more likely from hitting her head on the ground than the actually attack. Soi slowly pushed himself up on the wall he was blown into. Chichiri fell awkwardly and grimaced in pain when she felt her wrist snap. Tasuki gasped in pain at her burned leg. Mitsukake cradled his head in his hands as he tried to clear his vision.
The others rushed to check on their teammates as Naraku brought herself and Ayame to the ground. She approached Hime, Piao and Shen. "Now surrender or they will all die." She held out the crystal again. "Next time, I'll go after the priestesses. Then, Nakago and her child. Then I'll just pick and choose until I get to you three."
"Don't you ever shut up?" Ayame groaned from behind her.
Naraku looked at the wounded woman. "Still awake? You should have been trapped in your own tragic illusions by now."
"I'm not that stupid." Ayame took a deep breath, trying to clear her head. I could never believe what you said. I have the life I want. Kohana took nothing from me."
Both Naraku and Kohana looked on in disbelief as Ayame seemed to just fall out of the thorny vines around her. "Don't you hate her for what she did?"
Ayame shook her head. "I did once. I thought everything was her fault…but that was when I was young. I grew up and there's no point in sacrificing what you have for what you had. Kohana is my sister, my only sister. Nothing can change that." She began to slowly walk towards Naraku. "I pity you Naraku. It didn't have to be like this with your sister. You could have been friends."
"No…" By now Naraku was speechless with rage.
"Yes!" Ayame yelled with all the force she could manage. "You could have moved past what happened. You could have been happy for your sister. Then you wouldn't have suffered for centuries waiting to have your petty vengeance!"
"Petty? You're calling me petty? I've torn people limb from limb for less that that!" She screamed and lunged at Ayame. But just as her claws were about to reach Ayame's body, she stopped cold.
Behind Naraku, Ayame could see Piao pointing at Naraku's back, her hand glowing faintly white. "I wouldn't do that if I were you." Piao muttered as Naraku turned on her.
Naraku touched her back and drew back a hand covered in black blood. "It's been a long time since someone has actually hurt me, you know that? It's funny…" She sounded almost amused at the thought of pain. "It's been a long time since I've felt anything. And even though you broke my mirror, I still had the power to create a new earthly body. Pain is an interesting sensation. I'd thank you if I wasn't so angry." She bent her head down and licked the blood off her fingers. She looked almost disappointed. "It's cold…I'll bet yours is warm." She gave Piao a predatory grin.
"Let Ayame go Naraku…or you'll be more than injured." Piao swallowed hard. She tried not to show her fear but she was pretty sure Naraku could see it anyway. Her mind was racing as she and Naraku stared each other down. 'How did this all happen to me? Wasn't it just a few months ago that I was just a maid in the Konan palace secretly in love with my best friend? Now what? He and I are what stand between a demon woman and the rest of the world? But then…it's not just me. A few months ago we were all normal people. Now out two countries are at a better peace than they ever have been. Nakago walks down the hallway with Hotohori and no one worries…maybe we're finally at peace. But then maybe I shouldn't hold my breath…'
Naraku's eyes narrowed as she approached Piaoliang, forgetting about Ayame's fallen form behind her. "Do you think I'm afraid of a little whelp like you?"
"No…I don't."
Now the dark sorceress stood near inches from the young girl. No one else moved. "I'd say if anything, you're afraid of me. After all, you hardly stand a chance against me. You don't know anything about what it means to be a mage. Maybe if you run now and stay out of my way, I'll be generous and let you live."
"I am afraid of you…but that doesn't mean I won't fight you. And you're a fool to think I wouldn't fight for my world just because of fear." Before Naraku could respond to her, Piao flung another white ball of energy forward, hitting Naraku square in the chest.
She stumbled backwards more out of surprise than actually getting hurt but she was mad. "You certainly have more guts than Hime…I'll get you for this." She hissed at Piao.
Naraku screeched again and went for Piao's throat. Her nails merged into one long blade as she closed in on her target. Fear pinned her feet to the ground and her arms to her sides. Time slowed as the white-haired demon mistress smiled at the thought of killing her sister's distant relation.
She was so distracted by the thought of Piaoliang's warm blood on her hands that she never saw the blot of lightning followed by a flash of light and steel right in front of her. But she certainly felt cold steel slice through her skin and electricity jolt through her body.
This time, the pain was blinding. She fell backwards gasping for breath she hadn't needed for hundreds of years. Her body convulsed once before she regained her vision. In front of her, Soi and Shen stood calmly. Hotohori stood off the one side. His sword still crackled with electricity, obviously powered by Soi. She stared incredulously at the weapon.
"How did…how could your weapon do this to me? Even if it is a holy sword…it's just not possible…" She rasped. The pain was far more profound than what she felt when Piao attacked her. A dark liquid flowed freely from the wound in her side. The blade that had once been part of her hand lay shattered on the courtyard stones, tiny islands in the growing lake of dark blood.
Shen raised his chin. "Normally they couldn't do that damage to you…but a properly cast spell can cut through even your defenses."
Naraku hissed in pain and frustration. "So you've learned how to do a little damage…Just don't think this means you'll win. I'll be back and your little magic tricks won't do anything to me."
In a flash, Naraku flew backwards and with an ear-piercing scream, let a huge wave of energy, knocking everyone backwards. Piao felt herself crash into someone else as she flew backwards. Her first thought was that Naraku had lost it and killed her. But no…she wasn't dead. Being dead wasn't supposed to hurt and she most definitely felt a pain in her shoulder. She could hear soft breathing above her.
"Piao? Can you hear me?" She could feel someone gently shaking her.
"Mmm…huh?" She shifted painfully and found herself looking into a pair of hazel eyes. "Shen? What happened?"
He smiled. "I'd say you got her a little pissed off…"
Piao smiled and started to say something when she heard Kohana.
"Ayame!" Her voice was shrill and panicked. She was the first one up after the blast and she scrambled across the courtyard to the fallen form of her older sister. "Ayame!" She stumbled to the ground next to Ayame. The older woman lay unconscious and bleeding on the stone-covered ground. "Oh Suzaku no…Ayame please say something!" Kohana began sobbing next to her sister.
Momo struggled to her feet and went to Mitsukake. "Hey…get up…Mitsukake…Ayame needs help now…" She touched her own shoulder and winced. She had skidded pretty far across the stones and cut up her side pretty badly.
Mitsukake groaned and rolled over. "Where…is she?"
"Over there…" Momo weakly pointed.
He shook the stars from his eyes and got to his feet. Even from where he was, he could see blood streaked across Ayame's white blouse and face. Alarmed when he remembered Ayame's pregnancy, he ran as fast as he could to her side.
Luckily, Ayame was still breathing though he was still worried about the child.
"You can help her right?" Kohana looked pleadingly at him. "She's not going to die, is she?"
Mitsukake shook his head. "No. She'll be fine." 'I hope…' He held his left hand out over her body. A warm light surrounded her and the gashes and bruises slowly started to fade. The number of her injuries made his worry grow but he said nothing about it. Kohana was upset enough. No need to make her worry more. 'I wonder how long Naraku had her…she couldn't have gotten all these from just now…'
The injuries healed well and her shallow breathing deepened but she didn't open her eyes. Kohana looked up at Mitsukake. "She'll be okay, right?"
He nodded, satisfied with her condition. "She needs rest, but she'll be okay."
"And her baby?"
"Seems fine. Almost as if nothing happened." Mitsukake steadied Kohana as she swayed slightly from a sudden dizzy spell. "I think we should all go inside. Seems I have a lot of work to do tonight." He sighed to himself as palace medics began to come outside to help the injured seishi inside.
Later in the evening after everyone was bandaged up and settled down, Kohana settled into her own room, silently writing down the events of the day for her own memory. After a long length of silence, she heard a knock at her door.
"Come in."
Piao opened the door and stepped in. "Hey…how are you feeling?"
"I'm okay. A little bruised but nothing to worry about." Kohana slipped her pen in her diary and set it to the side. "You?"
"I'm okay. Shaken but nothing's broken." She sat on Kohana's bed. "Umm, if you don't mind me asking…why aren't you with Ayame?"
"She's still asleep right?" Piao nodded. "There's no reason I should sit around and wait for her to wake up. She won't get up any faster if I hang around her, right?"
"I suppose not." Piao was quite for a moment. "So she raised you?"
Kohana nodded. "For about 2 years, it was just her and me. We had her friends but we more or less did a lot alone. Then Ayame met her husband and everything was okay…now I don't know what I'm doing…" She looked down at the floor.
"What do you mean?"
"I love it here…I've met the best friends I've ever had, the man I love more than anything is here…but I don't know if I could leave my family. I want to stay but I don't know if I can…"
Piao frowned. It hadn't been since Kohana's trip back to her world that she'd even thought about Kohana leaving. It was always in the back of her mind, but she refused to acknowledge sometimes that Kohana was from a different world, that maybe after Naraku was destroyed, she may leave for good. "I wish I could help you…but I know that all I'll do is try to make you stay…"
Kohana smiled a little. "I guess I'll just have to figure it out on my own…"
"Kohana?" Piao asked after another moment.
"Yeah?"
"You won't go back to your world with Ayame, will you?"
Kohana looked at her friend, confused. "What are you talking about?"
"Well…some of us are worried that you'll go with her and won't come back…"
She shook her head vehemently. "I can't go back now. I won't abandon my promise to be the priestess. To the end, no matter what that means." She put her hand on Piao's shoulder. "This place is like my 2nd home. I can't go anywhere until everything's okay here, got it?"
Piao looked at Kohana. "Yeah, I got it."
Hotohori walked by himself down the halls of the Konan palace. He needed time alone to think, to worry. How could Naraku travel through both worlds? If she'd always had this power, why didn't she use it before? How did know where to find Kohana's sister? How is Kohana going to react to her sister's being here?
He walked and worried so much he didn't realize he'd walked all the way to the room Ayame was sleeping in. Mitsukake had said the best thing for her was sleep so everyone had left her alone for most of the day. Hotohori couldn't help but wonder what kind of person Ayame was. He pushed open the door to check on her.
To his surprise, she was sitting up in bed, looking somewhat confused. She turned to the door when it squeaked as Hotohori pushed it open. She raised an eyebrow as he just stood there looking stunned. "Well, are you just going to stand there or are you coming in?"
Hotohori flushed a bit and walked in. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize you were awake." He was surprised at just how much the two sisters looked alike. Sitting in bed the way she was, she looked like an older, pregnant Kohana.
"I just got up…" She looked around at the red room. "I'm in Konan, I assume?"
"Yes. The eastern wing of the royal palace to be exact." He bowed to her. "I am Hotohori, one of Kohana's seishi."
"Hotohori, huh? Nice to meet you." She smiled but also seemed to be giving him a rather thorough once-over. "So you're the one Kohana's in love with."
He did his best to avoid shifting under her critical gaze. Although he'd been through plenty of nerve-wracking situations, nothing seemed to compare to the scrutiny of his love's sister's eyes. "Yes, ma'am. How are you feeling?"
She shrugged and stopped looking at him so carefully. "Okay, I suppose. I'm kinda fuzzy on what happened though. I remember sitting at home, reading the book…it got really cold and I thought maybe I left a window open…but there she was…Naraku…then I don't really remember much…"
"You were badly wounded. Naraku attempted to use you to make us surrender. But she won't win."
Ayame glanced out the window. "Well, as if my life wasn't weird enough as it was…this is all I needed…"
"Would you like me to go get Kohana? She's been worried about you."
"Hang on a minute."
"Yes?"
"What's the matter with you?"
"Excuse me?" He raised an eyebrow.
"You seem on edge. What's wrong?"
He didn't say anything for a moment. "Well ah…it's nothing…"
"Hotohori…" She gave him a dirty look.
He sighed. "Some of us are worried about your arrival here…"
Ayame sat back in the bed and looked up at him. "Worried about what?"
"We all agreed that we would find a safe way to send you home but ah…we're worried Kohana may go back with you…" He looked away from her.
She shook her head. "Please don't tell me you think she'd leave now…"
"We don't know what to think. We all know that she's sharply divided between our world and yours. We're worried that she may decide to go home with you."
"By 'we' you mean 'you', don't you?"
He quickly turned to face her. "Of course I'm worried. I love her more than anything. I don't ever want to see her leave. But I can't make her stay. Ultimately it's her decision." He sighed and turned away again, his face somewhat flushed though obscured by his long, thick hair. He'd never felt so awkward in his life. It was difficult for him to talk about Kohana in front of Ayame, even though he was the emperor, trained to be calm and collected no matter what. But his years of training seemed to slip from his mind once such strong emotions like love came into play. "Your being here may make her decide to go home." His voice was low, full of emotion. In fact, just the way he sighed seemed to say more about his feeling that his words did.
Ayame sighed and stood up. Slowly, she walked over to his side. "Hotohori, listen to me, okay?" He stared at her. "I understand why you're worried. I suppose in your position, I'd be thinking the same thing. But don't ever think she'd turn her back on your world before she's fulfilled a promise. Kohana isn't that type of person. And don't doubt her love for you either. Even if she hated everyone and everything else in this world, she'd stay and fight for you. I know that. And I think you do too, you just needed to be reminded. I couldn't tell you what she'll do at the end of all this, but she won't leave now."
Hotohori fell silent, thinking about her words. He knew she was right. Kohana wouldn't leave now. And he could worry about her final decision later, when they weren't worrying about whether or not there'd be a 'later'. "Thank you Ayame. I did need to be reminded. But it won't happen again." He smiled. "Would you like to see Kohana now?"
She nodded. "It's been a while since we've had the chance to talk."
Ayame quietly waited for Kohana to arrive. She started to wonder how long it would take for Hotohori to find her. But it didn't seem like long before she came in.
"Ayame? How are you?"
Ayame smiled at her sister, dressed in clothes that made her look like she belonged in Konan. "I'm alright. Kinda wish we had people like Mitsukake on our side." She looked down at her arm where there were only faint remnants of scratches.
Kohana laughed lightly and hugged Ayame tightly. "Did you just get up?"
"I've been up for a little while. I was talking to Hotohori."
"Oh? What about?" Kohana looked at her sister curiously.
"Nothing really."
"Come on, you can tell me." Kohana stepped in front of her sister when she started to walk towards the window.
Ayame chuckled. "Jealous I was talking to your boyfriend?"
Kohana blushed furiously and turned away. "N…no…I just uh…Hotohori's not my…that is to say he's…" She stumbled over every word she tried to say until she just gave up.
Ayame laughed even harder. "Would you look at that? You are so red right now."
Kohana frowned and wrinkled her nose. "Leave me alone! If you're not gonna tell me what you were talking about, fine. I won't ask."
Ayame sobered up and sat back on the bed. "We were talking about you."
"Me?" She looked at her sister, wide-eyed with new found curiosity.
"Well, about you and him…" She patted the bed next to her and Kohana sank down on it. "About you and what you want to do after Naraku's gone…"
A soft sigh escaped her lips. "About whether or not I'd go home with you, right?"
"You've had this conversation with him?"
"No…with Piao. She was telling me some people are worried I'd leave now and wouldn't come back. I told her I wouldn't got back on my promise to them."
"And what did you say about after Naraku?"
Kohana folded her hands in her lap and stared at the floor. "I don't know what to do. It's easy for Momo…she doesn't feel there's a reason for her to go back so she can stay…how can I choose between all the people I love?"
"Oh Kohana…" Ayame wrapped her arms around her sister. "Listen to me, okay?" Kohana nodded. "I know you love our home. I've never thought otherwise. Eventually though, everyone has to grow up. You're not going to want to hang around with Tasuki and me the rest of your life, right? Eventually, you're going to have your own life and family. Who do you want that life to be with? Hotohori, the man you love, or someone else you settle for because he reminds you of Hotohori? Tasuki and I have followed your journey through the book. I know how much you love him. I know how much he loves you. Do you want to spend the rest of your life wondering what it could have been like with him? Or have that life I know you want deep down?"
Kohana rested her head on her sister's shoulder. "I want to stay…I want to be with him and everyone else. It just feels so right…when we're all at dinner and it's nothing but pure chaos…but we're all happy" She laughed as she started to cry. "I want to see Nakago and Soi's child grow up…I want to see if peace can last between Konan and Kutou…"
"Then stay." Ayame momentarily tightened her grip. "I want you to be happy. I don't want to see you mope around our world when this is the place you truly want to be." She brushed Kohana's hair back a little and yawned. "Why don't you go find Hotohori? I'm sure he'll want to hear it from you. I could use another nap too."
Kohana nodded and smiled. "Thank you so much Ayame. You've made everything seem so simple."
"I'm your big sister. It's my job." She helped Kohana up to her feet.
"Thanks again…I feel a lot better now."
Ayame nodded and slipped back into the luxurious bed.
Kohana ran down the halls, hoping to find Hotohori as soon as possible. She silently cursed the size of the palace and the fact that Hotohori's room was far from Ayame's.
Out of breath, she finally stopped in front of his door to rest a moment. She took a deep breath, trying to clear her head. After she resumed her normal breathing and raised her hand to knock on the door. But before her knuckles hit the painted wood, the door slid open. She stumbled backwards with a gasp and tripped over the rug behind her. She yelped and Hotohori's hand shot out to keep her from falling.
"Kohana? Is something wrong? I heard running outside my door…" He pulled her back to her feet.
"N…no, nothing's wrong. Everything's fine I think. I wanted to talk to you about something…can I come in?" She looked up at him sheepishly.
"Of course. You're always welcome here to talk." He closed the door after she walked in. "Did you speak with your sister?"
Kohana pushed a piece of hair behind her ear. "Yeah. It was really good to talk to her. I missed her…" She wandered to his dressing table.
"But you didn't come here to talk about that did you?" He watched her shift nervously in front of the mirror.
"No I suppose I didn't…" She traced the intricate patterns on the table with her finger and looked at Hotohori in the mirror. "I wanted to ask you something…" He waited patiently for her to continue. "If I umm…decided to stay in Konan, would there be a place for me?"
"Of course there would be." He walked up behind her and wrapped her arms around her shoulders, pulling her back to his chest. "Why do you ask?"
She didn't say anything for a moment, just rested one hand on his arm and leaned back into him. She enjoyed just standing around with him in silence. Normally she hated silence, but it was okay with him. She then turned her head to look at him. "I'd like to stay here with you…"
Hotohori looked down at her. "Do you really mean that?"
She nodded. "I don't want to leave you…"
"Kohana…" Hotohori tightened his grip on her and buried his face in her neck. "You can stay here forever."
She turned in his arms and held on to him tightly. Neither of them dared to speak. It all just seemed too perfect. The sun had long since set and moonlight poured into his dimly lit room. Kohana looked up and stared deeply into his golden eyes. He watched moonlight reflect off her hair and face, making her look like other-worldly creature some people in his country believed her to be.
Stories about who and what Kohana and Momo were often came to the palace through the servants. People believed they were more than even priestesses if they could bring even some peace between Konan and Kutou. Some even whispered that they were goddesses in their own rights.
Kohana could see he was getting lost in his own thoughts. She reached up and ran her fingers through his silken hair. "What are you thinking about? You've got such a far off look in your eyes."
He smiled and shook his head. "It's nothing. I'm just so happy you decided to stay here. I don't know what I would have done if you'd decided to leave."
"I didn't know what to do for a long time. You knew I didn't after you overheard my conversation with Momo in Kutou. But Ayame put things in perspective for me. There's no way I could have voluntarily left."
"What did you sister say that made you decide to stay here?"
"I'll tell you later." She nestled into his arms, letting herself get lost in him. "It'll keep."
He pulled her close again and rested his cheek on her head. "Yes, I suppose it will."
The next morning, Momo went to Ayame's room early in the morning. There had been a question burning in her mind since Ayame's appearance but there just wasn't time to ask her last night.
"Ayame, it's me, Momo. Can I come in?"
"Sure Momo." She stepped into the room. "Good morning."
"Morning." Momo nervously pushed a piece of hair out of her face and looked over at Ayame. "Can I ask you something?"
"What's on your mind?"
"Ummm…how long have Kohana and I been away from home?"
"It's been a couple of weeks." Ayame had a feeling she knew where Momo was going with her questions.
"Couple of weeks huh? Do…do my parents even know…you know, that I've been gone that long? If you don't know that's fine, but I was kinda curious…"
Ayame sighed. "I think…they came back a few days ago but I don't think they know you're gone. It doesn't seem like they've been looking for you…"
Momo laughed bitterly. "Of course not…I could be dead and rotting in the middle of nowhere and they'd never know I was gone until the police asked them to identify the body. Even then they might not even remember what I look like." Her eyes glistened with tears she wasn't willing to let fall. "If it weren't for the notes they left sometimes I wouldn't believe they even exist…"
"I'm sorry Momo…I wish there was something I could do or say…"
"Don't worry about it. It's not like it's your fault my parents are irresponsible people who never should have had kids." She ran her hand through her hair, grabbing a fist full at the end. "You know, when you go back, if you see them, ask them where I am. See if they ever figure it out. They never cared about me…"
Ayame sighed and put a hand on Momo's shoulder. "Just remember how much you're loved here. These people would do anything for you. You found your place here."
"Yeah. I guess I did." She let her hair go and managed a smile. "I'm finally where I feel like I belong." Momo headed for the door. "You know something Ayame?"
"What?"
"For being under 30, you sound a lot like some wise old woman on a mountain top." She grinned.
Ayame laughed. "I'll try to take that as a compliment, but I'm not sure I can."
Momo laughed again and opened Ayame's door. "Breakfast will be served soon. If you want to eat you can ask one of the soldiers to take you to the dinning room."
"What? You can't tell me where it is?"
"No. I still get lost around here. I always walk with Suboshi." She smiled and left the room.
Shadow Hawk