Chapter 3: Rumors

The following morning, Asaki woke up earlier than usual and prepared a special breakfast for them all. She felt oddly filled with joy; perhaps it was from the fact that a huge weight was lifted from her soul or perhaps it was that her students hadn't run to the police swordsman to reveal her true identity.

They began training as usual, Asaki taking it easier on the three today. It was her way of rewarding them for keeping her secret; though it did not compare to what they had done for her, she felt it was the least that she could do.

After they had all eaten lunch together, Asaki looked in her kitchen to see what she would prepare for dinner. She didn't have much of anything and decided to head into town for some food. She went into her room and changed into her red phoenix kimono, tying her yellow obi belt around it to fasten it and keep it shut. She took a hold of her small bag with money in it and headed into town. She got some rice, fish, and eggplant, fastening them in cloths and holding them in her arms. She was about ready to head home when a voice called out to her.

"Asaki! Hey Miss Asaki over here!"

Asaki looked over her shoulder, walking over to the woman, "Hello Miss Cithara. How are you today?"

"I'm doing well thank you for asking Asaki. And how are you?"

"I am doing just fine, thank you. What brings you into town today?"

"I was just picking up a new kimono." She pulled out the lavish and extravagant gown from its wrapping, holding it up to herself to show how it would look on her. It was a lavender kimono with delicately sewn cherry blossoms on them. She showed Asaki the obi belt that went along with it.

Asaki smiled, "It's a very lovely gown Cithara, a wise purchase for a woman such as yourself."

Cithara nodded, tucking the gown in its wrapping once more, "So what brings you here Asaki?"

"Oh I had to pick up some food for dinner tonight." She held up the cloths that she held, to show her that she indeed had food.

"Listen Asaki, I have to take this letter to Katane. Will you come with me?"

Asaki nodded, "Sure, I'll come with you Cithara." She really didn't want to go but she wasn't one to be rude, besides she had nothing better to do other than prepare dinner later.

The two walked together toward Katane's restaurant. Asaki blinked and looked around seeing others look at her. It was true that she felt out of place beside Cithara. You see, Cithara was the wife of one of the wealthiest, if not the wealthiest, man in town. Asaki was just a simple, hard working woman amongst her riches. It was like putting a stone with a diamond, there were no similarities except they were both hard and dug from the ground, or in this situation that they were both females wearing kimonos. As they walked into the restaurant, Asaki and Cithara sat down, each on one side of the table. Katane made her way over to them and sat at their table, talking with Cithara as she showed her the gown. Asaki felt much out of place, but smiled and nodded occasionally when they looked at her or asked her opinion. Asaki then looked away as the two started up talking once again. Asaki sighed, trying to find something interesting to as she waited. She heard a woman speaking to a man at the table behind them. She overhead what they said as they spoke.

She head the woman midsentance, "Yes and he was said to have been dead over two hundred years ago."

"Do you really think that a man like that could really exist now? I mean how could he have lived that long?"

"I'm not sure, but you know some people that have unfinished business will sometimes remain behind until they can do that which they couldn't do in their years that they lived."

"So what kind of man was he anyway?"

"I can't really say; I didn't know him personally. After all, he was suppose to be dead over two hundred years ago. It was said that he wielded two blades in battles. He was supposed to be a master samurai and someone that everyone looked up to."

"Where did they find him?"

"In Kyoto."

"Damn. That's too close for my liking. I think that we should take precautions against this sort of thing."

The woman smiled, "Of course that would be the best thing to do but tell me how it is you would convince someone to take precautions against what they believe to be a ghost?"

"I suppose you're right. Maybe I should move."

The woman chuckled, "You can do as you wish. I think it'd be interesting to see what he looked like and if he had changed over the years. Well if you'll excuse me, I have to get back to the library now."

The woman stood, leaving money for the food and drinks she had ordered and made her way to the door.

Asaki blinked. The man had sounded familiar, too familiar. She thought it could have been Crimson. She thought that perhaps something had happened to the two of them all those years ago and they had been returned to this time period. She had to find out more.

Katane smiled, "Asaki what do you think?"

Asaki watched the woman as she was about to leave.

"Asaki, I said what do you think? Asaki?"

Asaki blinked, looking at the women, "Excuse me, I must go. I just remembered that I needed to pick up a few more things. Forgive me. I'll talk with you all later." She stood up and tried to catch up with the woman she heard in the next table.

Cithara looked at Katane, "Boy she sure was in a hurry."

Katane nodded, "That's how Asaki always is. She's always in a rush to do things as though she didn't have enough time in the day to do everything she wanted to."

"I think what she needs is a man. Then she could just cook meals and clean the house. She wouldn't have to worry about running into town for little things."

Katane and Cithara continued their conversation as Asaki rushed out of the restaurant and hurriedly tried to catch the woman. She saw her walk into the library and walked inside, trying to catch her breath. Her eyes darted around the room as she looked for the woman. She saw only a few people reading books.

A man from behind the counter saw her, "Can I help you miss?"

She looked to the man and nodded, bowing slightly, "Yes. I'm looking for a woman, she just entered here. She had wavy brown hair and a pink kimono. I'm sorry that I don't know her name."

The man smiled, "It's alright, don't worry about it. You must be talking about Miss Kotore. She owns the library. Can I help you find something?"

Asaki shook her head, "No, I just wanted to talk to her. Do you know where I can find her?"

"Yes. If you go through that opening there and down the hall, she should be in her office. It's the third to the left."

"Third to the left, got it. Thank you." She bowed and went in that direction. She walked down the hallway and knocked on the closed door, "E-excuse me…"

"Come in."

Asaki nodded, sliding the door open and walked inside, shutting it behind her, "Excuse me, but are you Miss Kotore?"

"Yes I am Miss Kotore, how may I help you today?"

"Hello. I am Asaki and well I overheard you talking in the restaurant…I'm sorry for eavesdropping but I overheard you tell that man about a samurai with duel blades."

"Ah, so you're another person interested in him are you?"

"Well…yes." She nodded quietly, somewhat ashamed of having listened to her private conversation and then coming unannounced to ask her about it.

The woman pulled out a book and opened it a quarter of the way to a page with an incomplete drawing of a katana and its sheath underneath it. "Those were the type of blades that he was said to use in battle. It's incomplete because there have been many rumors about the designs on his blades and their sheathes."

"What other information do you have about him?"

"He was supposedly a master samurai that lived by the samurai code. He was supposed to have died over two hundred years ago in a war but there have been rumors going around that he has returned to Kyoto."

"Why would he return to Kyoto of all places?"

"The rumors about that have also been varied. Some say that he wasn't a noble samurai at all but that he was really a bloodthirsty killer and he couldn't get enough then and came back to get more. Others have said that he wanted to continue protecting people. There was even one person speculating the possibility of returning to someone he loved. Funny isn't it?"

Asaki grew a bit angry as she said it was funny, "Do you honestly think that a samurai can't fall in love? Well they can and often times they do. Don't go around assuming people can't fall in love just because of their job title!"

Kotore blinked, looking at Asaki, "Are you…alright?"

Asaki blinked and blushed slightly, just now realizing how she blew up at the comment, "Yes I am fine, I am sorry."

Kotore nodded, "It's alright. Anyway, if he did fall in love, there is no proof of it. I don't believe he was much of a loving person. Many people describe him as being a cold, unloving man; he was stern and knowing only to the way of the samurai."

Asaki thought about the comment a moment and then laughed, thinking to herself "He'd laugh; hearing himself being described as cold and stern, knowing only the way of the samurai. These people really don't know a lot about who he really is. If they only knew how gentle and warm he was back then…maybe that would change how they see him now. If he is still alive I'd like to just...be able to hold him in my arms once more and tell him how I really feel…"

Kotore blinked, "Miss Asaki? What are you laughing about?"

Asaki shook her head gently and smiled, "Oh nothing, just thinking about a joke that's all. So do you think that any of the rumors could be true Miss Kotore?"

"I don't know. That's why I'm going to Kyoto to find out."

"You're really going to go all the way to Kyoto to see if the rumors are true?"

"I just can't help it Asaki. Do you ever get that way? Having a question sitting inside you that you just have to have answered or you'll stay up countless nights thinking and dreaming about it?"

Asaki nodded, "More than you know, more than you know…"

Kotore smiled, and then looked seeing Asaki's tied cloths, "What do you have there?"

"Oh it's just some fish, rice and eggplant. I'm going to cook them tonight for my students."

"It's getting quite late Asaki; maybe you should head home and cook them."

Asaki frowned, "I would like to know more about this man. May I take a few of these books?"

Kotore nodded, seeing a glimmer of light in Asaki's eager eyes, "How can I resist? Go ahead. Here these might help you too. They're already marked so it should be easy for you." She handed Asaki a few more books and tied them together with a thin piece of rope. Asaki took the books and the food she had already been carrying and headed for the door. She stopped in the doorway and turned back to look at Kotore for a moment.

"Kotore, when are you going to Kyoto?"

"In three days, why do you ask?"

"No reason. I was just thinking that I might be able to make you a lunch and see you off that's all." Asaki gave a sweet and innocent smile to Kotore before walking out of the library and going back home, preparing dinner for her students. Kotore thought nothing of it but it should have been obvious to her that Asaki had no intentions of making her a lunch or seeing her off. Asaki only asked the day she was leaving, not the time or how she would be getting to Kyoto. One thing was certain in Asaki's mind, she was going to Kyoto