Chapter 6
Upstream
Soujirou is self-doubting. Misao is stubborn. So even if they do harbor the spark of love, that doesn't mean that they will willingly fan the flame.
"BAKA SOU-KUN!!!" "GOMEN?!?" "YOU SOAKED ME AGAIN! YOU'RE DOING IT ON PURPOSE, AREN'T YOU?!" "ARA?!" "STOP TALKING LIKE THAT, YOU WUSSY!!!"
Okina was in his room, enjoying a hot cup of tea when the dawn chorus started up. "Ah, young love..." he mumbled, wishing that they could be a little quieter
Downstairs:
Again Soujirou unabashedly apologized to the raging firebrand. Again Misao was drenched from head to toe, ranting at her rurouni's absent- mindedness and mannerisms.
"Geez, Sou. Can you at least watch where you're going next time? I mean, once is an accident, twice is bad luck, but three times' definitely not a charm." Misao berated as she accepted a towel from the Tenken. "Ah, so sorry, Misao-donno, but somehow you just seem to slip through. Perhaps it's your ninja training or you natural cat-like grace that keeps me from sensing you." Soujirou replied, falling back to his 'butter-em-up-and-you- can-slip-through-anything" plan.
Misao took Soujirou's praise in stride, catching the little ploy. "Oh..." she began, starting to play a little game. "...that might be true, Sou-kun, but lil' ol' me can't possibly match your skill." she said innocently, but we all know that innocent girls are the hottest ones in the bunch. And Soujirou was definitely feeling the heat. "Err..." he stuttered, feeling his face growing hot. 'What is it about this girl that gets me worked up so?' Soujirou thought, wondering why his emotions seemed to pop up the most whenever this girl was around.
All of Soujirou's self analysis aside, Misao could definitely see her plan working. "Besides, with all your moves and speed, there's no way I could never imagine me beating you in anything." she said, quirking her eyebrow teasingly. 'Oh, I wouldn't say you couldn't beat me at *everything*.' that small voice in Soujirou's head said. However, the all- analyzing Soujirou had seen through Misao's little ploy, and decided to make it backfire on her.
"Oh, I wouldn't say you couldn't beat me at *everything*." he began, stressing the 'everything'.
This caught Misao off-guard, and the little voice in Soujirou's head began to cheer.
"Huh?" Misao said, confused. 'What are you up to, my little Baka Sou- kun?' Misao's own little voice asked. "You could beat me at a lot of stuff, if you knew how..." Soujirou said, raising his own eyebrow mischievously. The little voice in Soujirou's head was having a party. Misao could feel a blush developing as the heat suddenly turned on her. "W-what do you mean, Sou-kun?" she stammered, her voice anxious, but underlying a hint of wanting also.
"What I'm trying to say is..." Soujirou said, nearing Misao. "...that with the proper *training*..." Soujirou continued, his face nearing the young ninja's own.
"...You..." Misao felt her back against the wall.
"...can..." she felt his warm breath, and her mind scrambled as to why he smelled so nice, as to why this felt so right.
"...learn..." Misao closed her eyes unconsciously, her lips pursing as her body was taking over for an inevitable kiss, and the s.s.v. was counting down the seconds to contact.
"How to be a Tenken too!" Soujirou said, straightening up, his smile wide and chibi-like. The small voice in Soujirou's head fainted, wondering why he was stuck with this idiot.
"Wha?" Misao said, her eyes opening quickly in confusion. 'So close...' Misao's own little voice said, sharing s.s.v.'s (Soujirou's small voice.) disappointment at the rurouni's mixed signal.
"You know. 'Shukuchi'." Soujirou said, his goofy smile still on his oh-so-perfect lips, (to Misao's subconscious.) oblivious once again to the chance he missed.
"Shukuchi?" Misao repeated, the mood passing and her curiosity piqued. "Yeah. You showed potential when you were chasing me the second time I soaked you, remember." Soujirou smiled. "Oh, right. Don't remind me." Misao sighed. "Okon and Omasu are still teasing me for that." she added, leveling her eyes at the slightly taller Tenken. Sensing another bomb, Soujirou decided to change the subject. "Yeah. You could probably ace it, no sweat, Misao-donno." he said, hoping that this would divert the young woman's attention.
"Well, I don't know..." Misao said, remembering her past lessons in sword fighting. "... I've never been much of a katana-person." she continued, remembering all the lumps Hanyaa ended up with whenever he tried to teach Misao anything other than kenpo.
"Alright, if you say so Misao. I would understand that you would be a little afraid of trying something new after kunai and ninjitsu for such a long time." Soujirou said shrugging, and he dismissed the thought. To him, whatever was rejected was rejected, and what was in the past in the was in the past. He never expected anyone to react so strongly to his friendly criticism. However, as he turned to do leave the porch, he heard the bomb explode.
"Scared?!? I'll show you who's scared, Tenken-boy! Come on!" Misao detonated, grabbing the rurouni by his wrist and wrenching him off, Soujirou "ARA?!?"-ing all the way...
The Riverside:
Soujirou was again swirly-eyed as they abruptly stopped. "Here we are!" Misao said happily. "Huh?" Soujirou said dizzily. As his eyes cleared up, he saw that they were at some sort of little wood, a babbling little river in front of them. It sort of reminded him of the place where he killed Senkaku, but much more cheerful and airy.
"This place is nice." he thought out loud turning to face Misao, listening to the birds twittering and the river water running steadily. "Yeah. This is my special spot." Misao said calmly. "I found it when I learned that Hanyaa and the others were dead..." thinking about the sad history that led her to this peaceful glen.
"Oh. I'm sorry to hear that, Misao-donno." Soujirou said, feeling as if he opened a wound. "Don't be." Misao said, raising her head to the sky. "The guys dying was a hard blow to take, but I know they did what they thought was right. Besides..." she added thoughtfully, turning her smiling face to Soujirou. "Without them, I might never have found this place, right?"
Again, Misao had confused and amazed the Tenken. 'Ah. Always optimistic, aren't we, my Misao-donno?' 'Hey! Don't start that again with me, mister.' 'ARA!!!' 'Even in your own mind you're a wuss.' 'Sorry, but I can't help it.' Soujirou thought sadly in his inner monologue. Again he submissively agreed to everything the tiny voice said.
'Baka Sou-kun is zoning out again.' Misao thought amusedly, turning her attention from the contemplating Tenken and into the river. Tiny fishes were swimming upstream, fighting the current with their small bodies.
"I wonder why they do that..." she heard a voice from behind her. Soujirou came out of reverie and sat down with Misao, watching the little fish. "What do you mean?" Misao said, turning towards her friend, smiling lightly at Soujirou's expression of curiosity. "Swim upstream." Soujirou replied, facing his friend innocently, his eyes telling Misao that he truly wanted to know.
Misao looked at Soujirou again with wonder. 'How can this man be the Tenken that killed mercilessly?' she asked herself. He looked so innocent there, his eyes wide and alight, swirling his finger in the water, trying to see if the fish would follow his hand. "I guess they want to see what's at the other end of the river." Misao said.
As they sat there, on the bank of the river, letting Misao's words hang in the air, they felt at peace with the world. Both of them loved the feeling, like children again, the world wide and bright, the future always shining over the horizon...
Author's note: Sorry if I have slowed down a bit in updates. My personal karma seems to be biting me in the arse more often these days. This chapter isn't really that much story-wise, but it's sweet. Not waffy, not sugar-coated, but just, you know... sweet. And about Misao learning to do the Shukuchi, I have no idea where I'm going with that. Don't worry, the next few chapters will have more action and romance in them, but right now, let's take a relaxing break from the turbulence of our lives and watch the fish swim upstream... -FPotM
Soujirou is self-doubting. Misao is stubborn. So even if they do harbor the spark of love, that doesn't mean that they will willingly fan the flame.
"BAKA SOU-KUN!!!" "GOMEN?!?" "YOU SOAKED ME AGAIN! YOU'RE DOING IT ON PURPOSE, AREN'T YOU?!" "ARA?!" "STOP TALKING LIKE THAT, YOU WUSSY!!!"
Okina was in his room, enjoying a hot cup of tea when the dawn chorus started up. "Ah, young love..." he mumbled, wishing that they could be a little quieter
Downstairs:
Again Soujirou unabashedly apologized to the raging firebrand. Again Misao was drenched from head to toe, ranting at her rurouni's absent- mindedness and mannerisms.
"Geez, Sou. Can you at least watch where you're going next time? I mean, once is an accident, twice is bad luck, but three times' definitely not a charm." Misao berated as she accepted a towel from the Tenken. "Ah, so sorry, Misao-donno, but somehow you just seem to slip through. Perhaps it's your ninja training or you natural cat-like grace that keeps me from sensing you." Soujirou replied, falling back to his 'butter-em-up-and-you- can-slip-through-anything" plan.
Misao took Soujirou's praise in stride, catching the little ploy. "Oh..." she began, starting to play a little game. "...that might be true, Sou-kun, but lil' ol' me can't possibly match your skill." she said innocently, but we all know that innocent girls are the hottest ones in the bunch. And Soujirou was definitely feeling the heat. "Err..." he stuttered, feeling his face growing hot. 'What is it about this girl that gets me worked up so?' Soujirou thought, wondering why his emotions seemed to pop up the most whenever this girl was around.
All of Soujirou's self analysis aside, Misao could definitely see her plan working. "Besides, with all your moves and speed, there's no way I could never imagine me beating you in anything." she said, quirking her eyebrow teasingly. 'Oh, I wouldn't say you couldn't beat me at *everything*.' that small voice in Soujirou's head said. However, the all- analyzing Soujirou had seen through Misao's little ploy, and decided to make it backfire on her.
"Oh, I wouldn't say you couldn't beat me at *everything*." he began, stressing the 'everything'.
This caught Misao off-guard, and the little voice in Soujirou's head began to cheer.
"Huh?" Misao said, confused. 'What are you up to, my little Baka Sou- kun?' Misao's own little voice asked. "You could beat me at a lot of stuff, if you knew how..." Soujirou said, raising his own eyebrow mischievously. The little voice in Soujirou's head was having a party. Misao could feel a blush developing as the heat suddenly turned on her. "W-what do you mean, Sou-kun?" she stammered, her voice anxious, but underlying a hint of wanting also.
"What I'm trying to say is..." Soujirou said, nearing Misao. "...that with the proper *training*..." Soujirou continued, his face nearing the young ninja's own.
"...You..." Misao felt her back against the wall.
"...can..." she felt his warm breath, and her mind scrambled as to why he smelled so nice, as to why this felt so right.
"...learn..." Misao closed her eyes unconsciously, her lips pursing as her body was taking over for an inevitable kiss, and the s.s.v. was counting down the seconds to contact.
"How to be a Tenken too!" Soujirou said, straightening up, his smile wide and chibi-like. The small voice in Soujirou's head fainted, wondering why he was stuck with this idiot.
"Wha?" Misao said, her eyes opening quickly in confusion. 'So close...' Misao's own little voice said, sharing s.s.v.'s (Soujirou's small voice.) disappointment at the rurouni's mixed signal.
"You know. 'Shukuchi'." Soujirou said, his goofy smile still on his oh-so-perfect lips, (to Misao's subconscious.) oblivious once again to the chance he missed.
"Shukuchi?" Misao repeated, the mood passing and her curiosity piqued. "Yeah. You showed potential when you were chasing me the second time I soaked you, remember." Soujirou smiled. "Oh, right. Don't remind me." Misao sighed. "Okon and Omasu are still teasing me for that." she added, leveling her eyes at the slightly taller Tenken. Sensing another bomb, Soujirou decided to change the subject. "Yeah. You could probably ace it, no sweat, Misao-donno." he said, hoping that this would divert the young woman's attention.
"Well, I don't know..." Misao said, remembering her past lessons in sword fighting. "... I've never been much of a katana-person." she continued, remembering all the lumps Hanyaa ended up with whenever he tried to teach Misao anything other than kenpo.
"Alright, if you say so Misao. I would understand that you would be a little afraid of trying something new after kunai and ninjitsu for such a long time." Soujirou said shrugging, and he dismissed the thought. To him, whatever was rejected was rejected, and what was in the past in the was in the past. He never expected anyone to react so strongly to his friendly criticism. However, as he turned to do leave the porch, he heard the bomb explode.
"Scared?!? I'll show you who's scared, Tenken-boy! Come on!" Misao detonated, grabbing the rurouni by his wrist and wrenching him off, Soujirou "ARA?!?"-ing all the way...
The Riverside:
Soujirou was again swirly-eyed as they abruptly stopped. "Here we are!" Misao said happily. "Huh?" Soujirou said dizzily. As his eyes cleared up, he saw that they were at some sort of little wood, a babbling little river in front of them. It sort of reminded him of the place where he killed Senkaku, but much more cheerful and airy.
"This place is nice." he thought out loud turning to face Misao, listening to the birds twittering and the river water running steadily. "Yeah. This is my special spot." Misao said calmly. "I found it when I learned that Hanyaa and the others were dead..." thinking about the sad history that led her to this peaceful glen.
"Oh. I'm sorry to hear that, Misao-donno." Soujirou said, feeling as if he opened a wound. "Don't be." Misao said, raising her head to the sky. "The guys dying was a hard blow to take, but I know they did what they thought was right. Besides..." she added thoughtfully, turning her smiling face to Soujirou. "Without them, I might never have found this place, right?"
Again, Misao had confused and amazed the Tenken. 'Ah. Always optimistic, aren't we, my Misao-donno?' 'Hey! Don't start that again with me, mister.' 'ARA!!!' 'Even in your own mind you're a wuss.' 'Sorry, but I can't help it.' Soujirou thought sadly in his inner monologue. Again he submissively agreed to everything the tiny voice said.
'Baka Sou-kun is zoning out again.' Misao thought amusedly, turning her attention from the contemplating Tenken and into the river. Tiny fishes were swimming upstream, fighting the current with their small bodies.
"I wonder why they do that..." she heard a voice from behind her. Soujirou came out of reverie and sat down with Misao, watching the little fish. "What do you mean?" Misao said, turning towards her friend, smiling lightly at Soujirou's expression of curiosity. "Swim upstream." Soujirou replied, facing his friend innocently, his eyes telling Misao that he truly wanted to know.
Misao looked at Soujirou again with wonder. 'How can this man be the Tenken that killed mercilessly?' she asked herself. He looked so innocent there, his eyes wide and alight, swirling his finger in the water, trying to see if the fish would follow his hand. "I guess they want to see what's at the other end of the river." Misao said.
As they sat there, on the bank of the river, letting Misao's words hang in the air, they felt at peace with the world. Both of them loved the feeling, like children again, the world wide and bright, the future always shining over the horizon...
Author's note: Sorry if I have slowed down a bit in updates. My personal karma seems to be biting me in the arse more often these days. This chapter isn't really that much story-wise, but it's sweet. Not waffy, not sugar-coated, but just, you know... sweet. And about Misao learning to do the Shukuchi, I have no idea where I'm going with that. Don't worry, the next few chapters will have more action and romance in them, but right now, let's take a relaxing break from the turbulence of our lives and watch the fish swim upstream... -FPotM
