A/N (.) (.) Hello y'all. Well I thought I would take much longer to type
this up then I thought I would, but I'm sure you don't mind that I'm
updating a little bit early do you?..^_- oh yeah it was brought to my
attention that the end of my last chapter lost it's formatting and uploaded
all whacked out. Many apologizes for that; I will work on getting it fixed
as soon as I can. * crosses her fingers* I hope the same does not happen
with this one.
Well I do have some rather bad news..........I'm ill. * sigh*....I had just finished worrying about school when this had to happen to me. -_- Sick or not, I still have to go to school so I'll still be able to work on the story....but the chapters may not come as fast as they did. Though who knows...This may help the slump that I am in, or I might get better and be right back to my old self in no time.
Many thanks to everyone who reviewed, I would give lots of hugs but you know.....being sick and all. Anyway, I hope you don't mind waiting a few more days for the next chapter. Ok enough whining, on to the story! Disclaimer: yadda yadda and so on...I don't own RK. ( there I said it) -_-
Chapter eight
Tanako was so relaxed as she ran a brush though her hair, that she did not notice Kenshin's aura as he approached the bathhouse. So when Kenshin stepped into the tiny room, Tanako was so startled she all but screamed; but she was able to hold it down and only let out a gasp when she saw Kenshin's form materialize though the steam. Kenshin looked up when he heard the gasp and his eyes grew wide when he saw that it was not Yahiko in the bath. He spun around to look in the other direction.
"Tanako-dono!!, forgive me, I had no idea you where in here, that I did not." Kenshin called over his shoulder, fighting with all his might to stop any sign of a blush; also praying that Karou wouldn't discover them. Even though this had been an accident, there was no way he could explain it to Karou in time to save his skin. He cursed to himself softly, the day had yet again thrown another twist his way.
Tanako looked over her shoulder to the nervous red-head standing five feet from her with his back to her. She could tell how very embarrassed the poor man was, now that her shock of being caught off guard had past, she found the situation rather funny. Being just about the only girl in a gang of men, she had gotten used to the fact that she was going to get walked in on every time she bathed...But not one of them had a reaction like Kenshin.
"It's alright Kenshin, no harm was done....and please don't call me Dono." she said
"Had I known you where in here I would never have....have" Kenshin stuttered...every moment he was in the bathhouse, the more he felt as though the steam was smothering him. "I'm very sorry, that I am." He heard Tanako shift around in the water, and he feared that she was climbing out. However, she was only getting comfortable in the water again, turning to put her back to him.
"I know you're sorry Kenshin..." She struggled to hide her laugh as she watched Kenshin stand stone still in the middle of the bathhouse. " Um.....don't you think you better go before Karou comes, she'll be here any moment to bring me my clothes." Tanako warned. Kenshin choked on a gasp, Karou would see him if he didn't get out of there fast. "Thank you Tanako" Kenshin looked at the ground for Yahiko's gi. He had dropped it in surprise when he realized he walked in on Tanako. He spotted it a little ways behind him and he stooped to reach for it; and he could not help himself, he caught a fleeting glance of Tanako's pale back....but as soon as he saw her back his eyes rooted to her and would not leave. He couldn't believe his eyes, Kenshin's blood froze in his veins and he prayed that he was not really seeing what he thought he was seeing.
Tanako had her hair pulled away from her back, giving Kenshin full view of the crisscrossing marks that covered her back. He hoped that they were only marks caused by some sort of straps for her daggers. He even hoped that they were some sort of strange tattoos, but even as he thought of these possibilities, he already knew that his hoping was in vain. Kenshin forgot all about Yahiko's gi and all about getting caught by Karou, and stepped closer to make sure that he might be wrong.
Tanako felt the change in the air, Kenshin had suddenly gone silent, and it seemed his very aura froze around him. She all but jumped from her skin when she felt his hand on her back. Then she knew what had caused the change in Kenshin, she knew what he saw. She bowed her head in shame as she heard the gentle man swear softly to himself.
Scars; in the steam of the bathhouse he was willing to believe that his eyes where mistaken and that they were just harmless marks, caused by the straps of her uniform. However, as he allowed his hand to run slowly across her back, there was no mistaking the raised marks. The crisscrossing pattern gave away what had caused this; a whip. Some were small and pale all but faded over time, yet others where still raised and pink, showing that they where new, perhaps only a year old. Tanako had pale smooth skin at every part of her body, only her back showed the signs of the horrible torture. A light almost completely faded scar snaked all the way up her neck, another slightly younger scar stretched from one shoulder to the next. He spotted a few snaking down only to disappear under the water of the bath. However, the rest of Tanako's back was almost a solid mass of pale and discolored scars. Kenshin felt his own scar start to tingle and burn, the memory of how he had received them flooded back to him. He knew that each and every one of the scars that Tanako carried had some sort of meaning behind it. These scars upon scars will forever haunt her; never letting her rest, as his scar did to him. It will be a constant reminder; though, why should Tanako receive such a thing was beyond him.
"Who's done this to you?" Kenshin asked his voice was soft yet behind his controlled emotion was anger and violence he had held back many times before. Again he felt the stirring of the Battousai within him; struggling to break free. Tanako would have gone cold with fear if she had seen the amber that slowly filled his eyes. Yet before anyone could say anything else on the matter, they were interrupted
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Karou had chosen a lovely sky blue kimono for Tanako, and a bright red and gold striped Obi to go with it. She thought that the light blue would go wonderfully with Tanako's pale skin, and she couldn't wait to show it to her. Gathering up everything she would need, she slowly climbed back to her feet and limped to the back steps of the dojo. Karou looked around first, just to make sure that the brat was nowhere to be seen. Yahiko had made an easy escape from her; Karou cursed her ankle three times over for letting herself let the freeloader get away. Now he could be hiding anywhere, just waiting for her to show herself so he could run by and knock her off her feet or something just as bad.
When she was sure that Yahiko was not near, she slipped into her sandals and continued to limp over to the bathhouse. Karou stopped a moment to admire the sun as it started to set in the distance. The day had started out horribly, but now that Kenshin had talked with her; things seemed to be looking up. She couldn't wait until she could apologize to him. It was not his fault she couldn't cook, and she had no right to call him such names. Sighing softly to herself she raised a hand to knock on the bathhouse door; but Karou felt a strange spirit coming from the tiny building. It was too strong to be Tanako's, yet who else could be in there? Karou suddenly thought that perhaps a member of Tanako's gang had found her, and had her trapped in the bathhouse determined to take her back.
Sprained ankle or not, Karou was not about to let that happen. However, when she prepared herself to charge into room, she suddenly had a strange feeling, the spirit felt familiar to her. But she didn't know anyone who had an aura that strong, no one but...but Kenshin. Karou's heart stopped, why would Kenshin be in there? If it was an accident he would have come right out pouring out apologies to Tanako. Why would the Battousai be showing himself it was an accident? Karou's heart started beating wildly in her chest and she started breathing again. Her mind shifted to wanting to protect Tanako, to wanting to ring her neck. Something was going on in there, and she wanted to know what it was. She knew something strange had been going on but was too polite to say anything. Guest or not she was going to give Tanako a piece of her mind. Kenshin belonged to her!
She threw open the bathhouse door prepared to see the worst; but prepared or not she was shocked to see Kenshin standing next to the bath with his hand on Tanako's bare back. Karou's worst fears where true, how could he do this to her!? Despite the wave of sadness and betrayal that washed over her, nothing was going to stop her temper from rising. Karou balled her hands into fists and prepared to give them both the reprimand they deserved. But before she could shout out one word, Kenshin turned to her and his amber eyes froze the words in her throat.
"Karou, come in here." he demanded softly. Karou was taken back by the change in Kenshin's voice. She didn't even notice that he had dropped the dono, something was wrong. Utterly confused, Karou stepped into the bathhouse; the air was think, not only with steam, but anger, Kenshin's anger. She stepped up to Kenshin and followed his gaze to where his hand was resting on Tanako's back. Karou fought back a gasp as she saw what had caused Kenshin to let Battousai so close to the surface. Tanako's back was all but deformed by hundreds of scars. Tanako only looked over her shoulder at Karou. Her eyes where filled with sadness and shockingly, shame as well.
"They were punishment." Tanako's voice cracked the silence, even though her voice was soft.
"What could you have done to earn you such a punishment?" Kenshin asked, as he let his hand drop from her back. His eyes where shifting back and forth between amber and amethyst, he had to get his emotions under control. He was not sure about what to think at the moment. "We will talk later, I will leave you with Karou and I will prepare dinner....that I will. I need some time to think" He turned his eyes to Karou, who was looking extremely guilty for thinking that Kenshin would betray her. "Karou-dono, take care of her, dinner will be ready soon." he added before he left the Bathhouse and shut the door softly behind him.
Karou helped Tanako out of the bath, for the young girl's strength seemed to have abandoned her. Tanako trembled as she climbed out of the warm water and hardly made a sound when Karou helped her into the kimono. Karou could almost see the memories flashing around in Tanako's mind, and winced every time she jumped at the pain of a memory. The poor girl must have had a tough life with that gang. Karou thought, she felt horrible, even though she was not the one who had brought all the memories back; nor was it Kenshin's fault. Karou was still a little peeved that Kenshin had stood in the bathhouse with Tanako; but that was in the past and there was nothing she could do about it and nothing seemed to have happened.
Tanako was only half aware of the world around her. The memories that she had shoved away and locked up where suddenly flooding back into her mind. Horrible images and sounds, ones she had long forgotten, where returning to her. She was only aware enough to allow Karou to help dry her hair and brush it out. She didn't even notice that she was sitting in Karou's room, kneeling in a beautiful blue kimono, nor was she aware that Karou had been talking with her the whole time. Karou knew that Tanako couldn't hear the words she was saying; but that didn't stop the stubborn girl from chattering about anything to try and get her mind off what she had seen.
The sun had all but set when Tanako and Karou finally had every strand of her hair brushed. Tanako's mid-night black hair fell as smooth and shiny as silk, only a few damp wisps clung to her moonlight pale face.
"Tanako?" Karou spoke softly to the older girl as she kneeled next to her. "Tanako, Kenshin has finished with dinner. Would you like to come eat?" At first Karou thought that she was not going to get an answer, Tanako only stared off in her own little world. But after a few moments of waiting, the suddenly frail looking young woman turned to Karou and looked at her with clear eyes.
"I'm sorry Karou, I just don't feel rather hungry right now. If you don't mind, I'm going to sit here and think for awhile?" Tanako turned back to the light of the lantern and gazed at it. The yellow-orange light cast an eerie glow upon her face, and shadows dances upon her skin.
"Alright Tanako, I'll save your dinner from Yahiko and bring it to you when you are ready." Karou only got a silent nod from Tanako as she continued to stare at the light. Karou got to her feet and silently left the room. When she returned to the kitchen she caught a questioning look from Kenshin. He couldn't hide the worry in his eyes and Karou felt the same. She shook her head and sat at the table. Kenshin hid his disappointment by turning away to retrieve dinner. If he had known that Tanako would be tormented by the memories of her scars, he would have never brought it up. But he couldn't help himself, his gentle Rurouni side, and his fierce Battousai side, were both angered at the sight of such mutilation.
As much as he hated bring it up again; he had to know who had done such a horrific thing to her and why. She had said it was punishment, pah! Punishment or not, Kenshin was not about to let such a thing go. He knew he shouldn't be prying or getting involved, but the person was not going to get away with the deeds they had done. Kenshin relaxed only slightly as he settled next to Karou, he placed a hand on hers to reassure her that everything was going to be just fine. Karou looked over at Kenshin and gave him a small smile, enough to assure him that she was alright.
Yahiko bounded in, and sat at his usual spot. He had just climbed out of the bath and was so worried that he would miss dinner that he hardly spent any time drying off, his damp clothes stuck to him and gave him a almost comical look. He was prepared to inhale his dinner when he caught the mood hanging in the air. He looked over at the two love birds and noticed that they both had the same expression of extreme worry. He had never seen Kenshin looking so grim, and Karou looked almost ill.
"Hey, where Tanako?" he asked in a timid voice when he noticed the young fighter was missing from the table.
"Tanako was not feeling well, so she decided to not have dinner at the moment." Kenshin answered, turning a kind eye to the boy. "Karou-dono will save her dinner for her to eat when she feels more up to it."
"That's right Yahiko!" Karou added, snapping out of her stupor. "So don't grab everything you can reach and start stuffing it in your mouth, you freeloader!" She took Tanako's bowl away so the young boy wouldn't snatch it away to feed his endless appetite.
"Hey!!" Yahiko snapped back but he didn't add to his argument. He knew when to pick his battles....sometimes.
********************************************************** A/N I know!!!! Such a bad place to end it! * is ready for the threats* I kinda just stopped the chapter huh?...just ended it without warning. ^_^ I know, I know...I'm mean and evil. ........@_@ and really not feeling too good at the moment.....* sits up as best she can* ok I know I just cut it off but I couldn't type any more and I didn't want y'all to have to wait longer then you are already.....sorry...* bows her head*...* holds up her hand to stop what she knows will be said*...and you don't have to worry about getting me to update soon....I'm working on it......very slowly working on it. Leave a review and let the threats begin.........
Well I do have some rather bad news..........I'm ill. * sigh*....I had just finished worrying about school when this had to happen to me. -_- Sick or not, I still have to go to school so I'll still be able to work on the story....but the chapters may not come as fast as they did. Though who knows...This may help the slump that I am in, or I might get better and be right back to my old self in no time.
Many thanks to everyone who reviewed, I would give lots of hugs but you know.....being sick and all. Anyway, I hope you don't mind waiting a few more days for the next chapter. Ok enough whining, on to the story! Disclaimer: yadda yadda and so on...I don't own RK. ( there I said it) -_-
Chapter eight
Tanako was so relaxed as she ran a brush though her hair, that she did not notice Kenshin's aura as he approached the bathhouse. So when Kenshin stepped into the tiny room, Tanako was so startled she all but screamed; but she was able to hold it down and only let out a gasp when she saw Kenshin's form materialize though the steam. Kenshin looked up when he heard the gasp and his eyes grew wide when he saw that it was not Yahiko in the bath. He spun around to look in the other direction.
"Tanako-dono!!, forgive me, I had no idea you where in here, that I did not." Kenshin called over his shoulder, fighting with all his might to stop any sign of a blush; also praying that Karou wouldn't discover them. Even though this had been an accident, there was no way he could explain it to Karou in time to save his skin. He cursed to himself softly, the day had yet again thrown another twist his way.
Tanako looked over her shoulder to the nervous red-head standing five feet from her with his back to her. She could tell how very embarrassed the poor man was, now that her shock of being caught off guard had past, she found the situation rather funny. Being just about the only girl in a gang of men, she had gotten used to the fact that she was going to get walked in on every time she bathed...But not one of them had a reaction like Kenshin.
"It's alright Kenshin, no harm was done....and please don't call me Dono." she said
"Had I known you where in here I would never have....have" Kenshin stuttered...every moment he was in the bathhouse, the more he felt as though the steam was smothering him. "I'm very sorry, that I am." He heard Tanako shift around in the water, and he feared that she was climbing out. However, she was only getting comfortable in the water again, turning to put her back to him.
"I know you're sorry Kenshin..." She struggled to hide her laugh as she watched Kenshin stand stone still in the middle of the bathhouse. " Um.....don't you think you better go before Karou comes, she'll be here any moment to bring me my clothes." Tanako warned. Kenshin choked on a gasp, Karou would see him if he didn't get out of there fast. "Thank you Tanako" Kenshin looked at the ground for Yahiko's gi. He had dropped it in surprise when he realized he walked in on Tanako. He spotted it a little ways behind him and he stooped to reach for it; and he could not help himself, he caught a fleeting glance of Tanako's pale back....but as soon as he saw her back his eyes rooted to her and would not leave. He couldn't believe his eyes, Kenshin's blood froze in his veins and he prayed that he was not really seeing what he thought he was seeing.
Tanako had her hair pulled away from her back, giving Kenshin full view of the crisscrossing marks that covered her back. He hoped that they were only marks caused by some sort of straps for her daggers. He even hoped that they were some sort of strange tattoos, but even as he thought of these possibilities, he already knew that his hoping was in vain. Kenshin forgot all about Yahiko's gi and all about getting caught by Karou, and stepped closer to make sure that he might be wrong.
Tanako felt the change in the air, Kenshin had suddenly gone silent, and it seemed his very aura froze around him. She all but jumped from her skin when she felt his hand on her back. Then she knew what had caused the change in Kenshin, she knew what he saw. She bowed her head in shame as she heard the gentle man swear softly to himself.
Scars; in the steam of the bathhouse he was willing to believe that his eyes where mistaken and that they were just harmless marks, caused by the straps of her uniform. However, as he allowed his hand to run slowly across her back, there was no mistaking the raised marks. The crisscrossing pattern gave away what had caused this; a whip. Some were small and pale all but faded over time, yet others where still raised and pink, showing that they where new, perhaps only a year old. Tanako had pale smooth skin at every part of her body, only her back showed the signs of the horrible torture. A light almost completely faded scar snaked all the way up her neck, another slightly younger scar stretched from one shoulder to the next. He spotted a few snaking down only to disappear under the water of the bath. However, the rest of Tanako's back was almost a solid mass of pale and discolored scars. Kenshin felt his own scar start to tingle and burn, the memory of how he had received them flooded back to him. He knew that each and every one of the scars that Tanako carried had some sort of meaning behind it. These scars upon scars will forever haunt her; never letting her rest, as his scar did to him. It will be a constant reminder; though, why should Tanako receive such a thing was beyond him.
"Who's done this to you?" Kenshin asked his voice was soft yet behind his controlled emotion was anger and violence he had held back many times before. Again he felt the stirring of the Battousai within him; struggling to break free. Tanako would have gone cold with fear if she had seen the amber that slowly filled his eyes. Yet before anyone could say anything else on the matter, they were interrupted
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Karou had chosen a lovely sky blue kimono for Tanako, and a bright red and gold striped Obi to go with it. She thought that the light blue would go wonderfully with Tanako's pale skin, and she couldn't wait to show it to her. Gathering up everything she would need, she slowly climbed back to her feet and limped to the back steps of the dojo. Karou looked around first, just to make sure that the brat was nowhere to be seen. Yahiko had made an easy escape from her; Karou cursed her ankle three times over for letting herself let the freeloader get away. Now he could be hiding anywhere, just waiting for her to show herself so he could run by and knock her off her feet or something just as bad.
When she was sure that Yahiko was not near, she slipped into her sandals and continued to limp over to the bathhouse. Karou stopped a moment to admire the sun as it started to set in the distance. The day had started out horribly, but now that Kenshin had talked with her; things seemed to be looking up. She couldn't wait until she could apologize to him. It was not his fault she couldn't cook, and she had no right to call him such names. Sighing softly to herself she raised a hand to knock on the bathhouse door; but Karou felt a strange spirit coming from the tiny building. It was too strong to be Tanako's, yet who else could be in there? Karou suddenly thought that perhaps a member of Tanako's gang had found her, and had her trapped in the bathhouse determined to take her back.
Sprained ankle or not, Karou was not about to let that happen. However, when she prepared herself to charge into room, she suddenly had a strange feeling, the spirit felt familiar to her. But she didn't know anyone who had an aura that strong, no one but...but Kenshin. Karou's heart stopped, why would Kenshin be in there? If it was an accident he would have come right out pouring out apologies to Tanako. Why would the Battousai be showing himself it was an accident? Karou's heart started beating wildly in her chest and she started breathing again. Her mind shifted to wanting to protect Tanako, to wanting to ring her neck. Something was going on in there, and she wanted to know what it was. She knew something strange had been going on but was too polite to say anything. Guest or not she was going to give Tanako a piece of her mind. Kenshin belonged to her!
She threw open the bathhouse door prepared to see the worst; but prepared or not she was shocked to see Kenshin standing next to the bath with his hand on Tanako's bare back. Karou's worst fears where true, how could he do this to her!? Despite the wave of sadness and betrayal that washed over her, nothing was going to stop her temper from rising. Karou balled her hands into fists and prepared to give them both the reprimand they deserved. But before she could shout out one word, Kenshin turned to her and his amber eyes froze the words in her throat.
"Karou, come in here." he demanded softly. Karou was taken back by the change in Kenshin's voice. She didn't even notice that he had dropped the dono, something was wrong. Utterly confused, Karou stepped into the bathhouse; the air was think, not only with steam, but anger, Kenshin's anger. She stepped up to Kenshin and followed his gaze to where his hand was resting on Tanako's back. Karou fought back a gasp as she saw what had caused Kenshin to let Battousai so close to the surface. Tanako's back was all but deformed by hundreds of scars. Tanako only looked over her shoulder at Karou. Her eyes where filled with sadness and shockingly, shame as well.
"They were punishment." Tanako's voice cracked the silence, even though her voice was soft.
"What could you have done to earn you such a punishment?" Kenshin asked, as he let his hand drop from her back. His eyes where shifting back and forth between amber and amethyst, he had to get his emotions under control. He was not sure about what to think at the moment. "We will talk later, I will leave you with Karou and I will prepare dinner....that I will. I need some time to think" He turned his eyes to Karou, who was looking extremely guilty for thinking that Kenshin would betray her. "Karou-dono, take care of her, dinner will be ready soon." he added before he left the Bathhouse and shut the door softly behind him.
Karou helped Tanako out of the bath, for the young girl's strength seemed to have abandoned her. Tanako trembled as she climbed out of the warm water and hardly made a sound when Karou helped her into the kimono. Karou could almost see the memories flashing around in Tanako's mind, and winced every time she jumped at the pain of a memory. The poor girl must have had a tough life with that gang. Karou thought, she felt horrible, even though she was not the one who had brought all the memories back; nor was it Kenshin's fault. Karou was still a little peeved that Kenshin had stood in the bathhouse with Tanako; but that was in the past and there was nothing she could do about it and nothing seemed to have happened.
Tanako was only half aware of the world around her. The memories that she had shoved away and locked up where suddenly flooding back into her mind. Horrible images and sounds, ones she had long forgotten, where returning to her. She was only aware enough to allow Karou to help dry her hair and brush it out. She didn't even notice that she was sitting in Karou's room, kneeling in a beautiful blue kimono, nor was she aware that Karou had been talking with her the whole time. Karou knew that Tanako couldn't hear the words she was saying; but that didn't stop the stubborn girl from chattering about anything to try and get her mind off what she had seen.
The sun had all but set when Tanako and Karou finally had every strand of her hair brushed. Tanako's mid-night black hair fell as smooth and shiny as silk, only a few damp wisps clung to her moonlight pale face.
"Tanako?" Karou spoke softly to the older girl as she kneeled next to her. "Tanako, Kenshin has finished with dinner. Would you like to come eat?" At first Karou thought that she was not going to get an answer, Tanako only stared off in her own little world. But after a few moments of waiting, the suddenly frail looking young woman turned to Karou and looked at her with clear eyes.
"I'm sorry Karou, I just don't feel rather hungry right now. If you don't mind, I'm going to sit here and think for awhile?" Tanako turned back to the light of the lantern and gazed at it. The yellow-orange light cast an eerie glow upon her face, and shadows dances upon her skin.
"Alright Tanako, I'll save your dinner from Yahiko and bring it to you when you are ready." Karou only got a silent nod from Tanako as she continued to stare at the light. Karou got to her feet and silently left the room. When she returned to the kitchen she caught a questioning look from Kenshin. He couldn't hide the worry in his eyes and Karou felt the same. She shook her head and sat at the table. Kenshin hid his disappointment by turning away to retrieve dinner. If he had known that Tanako would be tormented by the memories of her scars, he would have never brought it up. But he couldn't help himself, his gentle Rurouni side, and his fierce Battousai side, were both angered at the sight of such mutilation.
As much as he hated bring it up again; he had to know who had done such a horrific thing to her and why. She had said it was punishment, pah! Punishment or not, Kenshin was not about to let such a thing go. He knew he shouldn't be prying or getting involved, but the person was not going to get away with the deeds they had done. Kenshin relaxed only slightly as he settled next to Karou, he placed a hand on hers to reassure her that everything was going to be just fine. Karou looked over at Kenshin and gave him a small smile, enough to assure him that she was alright.
Yahiko bounded in, and sat at his usual spot. He had just climbed out of the bath and was so worried that he would miss dinner that he hardly spent any time drying off, his damp clothes stuck to him and gave him a almost comical look. He was prepared to inhale his dinner when he caught the mood hanging in the air. He looked over at the two love birds and noticed that they both had the same expression of extreme worry. He had never seen Kenshin looking so grim, and Karou looked almost ill.
"Hey, where Tanako?" he asked in a timid voice when he noticed the young fighter was missing from the table.
"Tanako was not feeling well, so she decided to not have dinner at the moment." Kenshin answered, turning a kind eye to the boy. "Karou-dono will save her dinner for her to eat when she feels more up to it."
"That's right Yahiko!" Karou added, snapping out of her stupor. "So don't grab everything you can reach and start stuffing it in your mouth, you freeloader!" She took Tanako's bowl away so the young boy wouldn't snatch it away to feed his endless appetite.
"Hey!!" Yahiko snapped back but he didn't add to his argument. He knew when to pick his battles....sometimes.
********************************************************** A/N I know!!!! Such a bad place to end it! * is ready for the threats* I kinda just stopped the chapter huh?...just ended it without warning. ^_^ I know, I know...I'm mean and evil. ........@_@ and really not feeling too good at the moment.....* sits up as best she can* ok I know I just cut it off but I couldn't type any more and I didn't want y'all to have to wait longer then you are already.....sorry...* bows her head*...* holds up her hand to stop what she knows will be said*...and you don't have to worry about getting me to update soon....I'm working on it......very slowly working on it. Leave a review and let the threats begin.........