"Today we are going south. That is all there is to it," Sanada stated plainly, rolling up her map and walking out of the study. Louis Abdul groaned, everyday it had been, "No, not today, we're going next week," or "We'll leave in four days, be ready!" He was sick of hearing Sanada's voice. Dr. Clark took his hand off of his forehead long enough to place a comforting hand on the captain's shoulder before following the determined strategist out to the main courtyard.
It had already been decided that the force would split in half so as not to leave the citadel unprotected. While Kiisan and the two strategists were away it had been decided that Hyoko and Lucien would be in charge. The revolutionaries heading southeast towards the mountains were sent off with little fanfare to keep the division of the forces quiet.
Hittoko stood on the outermost wall of the citadel and waved until the others faded into the distance. Hyoko shuffled over to stand beside her younger sister. "Do you already miss them, Hittoko?"
The younger girl's hand dropped slowly to her side and she looked down at her sandal-clad feet.
"No need to be sad! That was not farewell forever! Plan says they come back after liberating north of that lake to regroup, right?" Hyoko smiled, trying her hardest to reassure Hittoko, who sighed and then smiled in return.
"Yes...all come back safe. Okay Hyoko."
Murasaki Fuji no Shita ni Kuni
"The Country Under the Purple Wisteria"
Chapter 32- Under the Apple Trees
Sasshalai dragged Yuber along the path behind the rest of the rebels. The black-clad man appeared somewhat reluctant to make this trip and he was constantly looking back over his shoulder towards the citadel.
"This is the state of Kuwan," the little boy informed him as they passed through a checkpoint where the guards simply waved at the revolutionaries and let them through. "We're going to take a path up into the mountains in the southern part of this state to get where we want to go. They grow a lot of apples here, did you know that?"
The blond man shook his head, "No, I didn't know that. Who told you?"
Sasshalai smiled and tugged on Yuber's gloved hand, urging him to walk a little faster. "No one told me. I found out from Mr. Caio...and Miss Sanada is the one who has the whole plan all together like a jigsaw puzzle."
"You're terrible, you little mind-reader! That's gonna get you in big trouble sometime if you don't watch out!" Yuber scolded teasingly.
"I can read your mind too! Don't think 'cause you're not human that I can't!" the boy grinned, "I can make lots of trouble for you too!"
The armored man scooped the chestnut-haired boy up into his arms, "Okay, okay! I'll be good! I promise. Let's just get away from farming and back to spilling blood and spreading chaos!"
Carlos looked over his shoulder to see Sasshalai laughing so hard that his eyes were watering. The black-haired priest thought back to his own childhood for a moment before deciding it would be better not to get too nostalgic. He tapped Falina lightly on the shoulder asking, "What was Kiisan like when he was a little kid?"
She paused for a few minutes, looking thoughtful, before responding, "He was cheerful, talkative, and full of energy. He liked to climb trees...he was always doing something exciting."
"That sounds sort of like what I expected. He had a lot of friends even then I bet."
Falina's green eyes sparkled and she called to Kiisan, "Remember all the things you did back in the village? Tell Carlos about when you and Yuujin found a frog in the fields! I'll never forget the look on your mother's face from that time..." Her happy voice gradually quieted and slowed. Carlos gave her a curious look and Kiisan did not reply.
"Is something wrong?" the black-haired priest inquired.
She looked back up at Carlos with a more forced smile on her face than before. "Yuujin died this past spring in Eiken Valley near Medina. So did most of our other friends. ...and you know about what happened to our home..."
Carlos nodded and chose to pull the spotlight away from Falina's worries at the risk of his own pleasant mood. It was just what he needed to do. "I'm one of seven children. I'm from Failon, on the western coast. You've never seen the western ocean, have you? My father used to go out everyday in his fishing boat until he got too old. Now my older brothers take care of the fishing and Father stays at home all day with my mother."
The comment about his own childhood worked like a charm. Falina was looking at him intently, obviously curious and hoping to hear more. "So, are you a good swimmer? Do you like the ocean? What kind of fish do your family catch?" she asked.
Hai-Yong, hoping to become part of the conversation chimed in with more questions, "What do the rest of your siblings do? Why didn't you become a fisherman?"
Carlos laughed and began again, "Okay, one question at a time. I do love the ocean; sometimes I miss it now that I spend so much time so far inland. I'm an okay swimmer, definitely not the best in my family, but it's fun. We catch all kinds of fish, but mostly..."
********
The road they were following through Kuwan was not part of the system of roads they had traveled earlier through the "Wheat Field" States, but a simple country road. It was full of holes and Kiisan was afraid that his horse might trip. When he mentioned this to Sanada she merely grumbled about how the government was too cheap to build up the Tol Highroad all the way to the mountains, but left miles on each side of the range without any good paths.
The warm sun shone over the rough road, the dry grass, and the rebels as they continued on their way. Sonoa and Mai Mai scouted ahead of the main group and on the second day following the dusty trail the pale-haired woman returned with a smooth green fruit in her hand. "We're getting close to a lot o' trees full of this fruit. 'T's an apple, right?"
Mio peered at the fruit in her hand carefully, "Yes, that's an apple. ...Haven't you ever seen one Sonoa? Don't they grow where you're from?"
She handed him the fruit and looked at him in exasperation. "On the plains there aren't apple trees. I have seen them in Serif be'ore. I just wasn't ever sure." The Shensa woman stalked off towards Mai Mai, who sat by the side of the road gingerly poking another apple with her paw.
As the revolutionaries reached the apple orchard Louis Abdul forced Sanada into allowing them a break in the shade. "We've been going straight through since morning, woman! You wouldn't even let us stop to eat lunch!" he complained as he sat down in the grass.
"I hope you don't talk to your wife like that," she replied.
"My wife isn't like you! I would never even cross my mind to speak to her like this. You're some ragged disgrace. Why don't you get married and clean up your act?" the captain scoffed at her.
Sanada's face turned red with frustration and she leapt on top of Louis Abdul pounding on his chest with a tightly clenched fist. Rizu and Junsuke laughed in amusement at the two rebel leaders.
"They really must be good friends to go at it like that," Rizu chuckled.
"Or very impassioned enemies," Junsuke added.
After a few minutes Dr. Clark and Mio managed to pull the fuming strategist and exhausted soldier apart. "Were you trying to kill me?!" Louis Abdul asked, "Save it for the Imperials, Warrior Woman!"
He scrambled up into a tree to get away from the still angry woman and mumbled to himself about how she should have become a warrior and not a strategist.
*********
Kusa and Kurin scuttled around the apple trees excitedly while Caio and Han Li looked on. Both scavengers were attempting to fit as many apples as possible into their already bulky packs. Neither of the two had allowed themselves to be convinced to leave anything they owned behind at the citadel and continued to carry much more equipment necessary. Fukai, the gray kitten, chased behind Kurin cheerfully, enjoying the chance to play.
Caio leaned back leisurely against the sturdy tree and closed his eyes, "I think I'm going to get some shut eye. If we run into any trouble and I'm tired I'll be a terrible shot."
Han Li glanced at the fugitive out of the corner of his eye, "If you really had to you could shot well under any circumstances."
The shorthaired man opened an eye to look back at the True Wind Rune's bearer. "Yeah, who told you that?"
"The kid," Han Li replied succinctly.
Caio relaxed and closed his eye again, "So tell me again about that kid..."
The black-haired man brushed some dust off his shoulder and sighed, "This is the third time. Are you sure you don't have a memory problem?"
"No, I'm just a little inattentive. It'll be the last time...I promise."
"Alright," he replied, "He's from Klikk, he's a True Rune bearer like me...he was born with the ability to read people's minds. It's that simple. He's just a nosy little kid. Probably wondered what under the sun that gun of yours was. Heck, so did I."
Caio pulled his white scarf more tightly around his shoulders, "Yeah, I'd have been surprised if you knew what it was. I stole it right from under the Guild's nose. They didn't expect an inside job. Didn't even know it was me until I didn't come back on time. Seems like they have yet to learn that the only ones skilled enough to steal from them are the ones they trained."
"You're a really cocky person, aren't you?" Han Li commented.
The gunner waved a hand in the air nonchalantly, "Me? Nah, I'm not cocky, just a bit proud."
Han Li sunk down a bit and leaned his head back against the tree, "I don't know about that, but I do know that you're a moron."
"Hey..." Caio muttered with a note of laughter in his voice, "...You're not too nice, are you?"
There was no response. He opened his eyes and looked at Han Li who was wrapped in his cloak leaning back against the apple tree. The dark-skinned man was already asleep.
"...That was fast. You sure must've been tired..."
He yawned and moved into a more comfortable position, "Guess I'll take the hint..."