It was time to wake up. At least that's what the horses were telling her. Despite the lack of any human presence, Soleil found comfort in the stables. That's were all the horses stayed. Sure it smelled funny, but she thought horses were adorable. Especially ponies. Ponies were the cutest, but one would seldom find any ponies in a stable full of war horses.

She spent the night in the stables once. It wasn't entirely because she wanted to, though; her tent had been mysteriously destroyed, and she wasn't sure who was responsible. That didn't mean she didn't have her suspects. The day before the tent got destroyed, she made poor Ophelia cry, so that may have had something to do with it. What made Ophelia cry was her taking a step over the line. Not just a line. The line. She'd recklessly pranced over many lines, but never the line.

But it wasn't like Ophelia to torch her tent to ashes. No way. Ophelia was just too sweet for that. That seemed more like something Nina would do. Nina was far more spiteful, always thirsty for revenge, even if it were just a drop. Ophelia, though? She was gentle and forgiving. However, recently, Soleil hadn't done anything to upset or pester Nina (mostly because she couldn't find her anywhere), so she was a very unlikely suspect. Who was, though? Soleil knew who the prime suspect would be.

Odin.

Odin was Ophelia's father after all. She was his baby. He gushed and gushed over her constantly, going through soliloquies that described how Ophelia was foretold by some prophecy...

"Behold! In walks Ophelia Dusk, spawn of the Legendary Odin Dark! Heralded by the stars! Delivered to the earth by creatures of neither night nor day: twilight!"

As a father, Odin was defensive of Ophelia. One time, Ophelia got a nick on her arm during a battle, and Soleil, aiming to grace her with chivalrous deeds, rushed toward her. Somehow, no matter how fast she ran, she could not outrun Odin, who made it to Ophelia sooner. He cursed he who inflicted that slight cut on his daughter before casting the most heinous spell Soleil had ever seen. Soleil remembered stumbling back in fear at the sight of such awesome power.

So.

What would Odin do to a girl who may have harassed his daughter a little too much? Burning her tent seemed like an excellent possibility. Soleil simply had to investigate in order to deliver her apologies and make peace. If she could make peace, she might not end up vaporized like the other guy.

Slowly, Soleil brought herself up, groaning in the meantime. Her skull pounded, and her entire body chilled and ached. Her eyes slid open, but the light hurt them, so she closed them again quickly. She gave herself time to adjust and wake up, but no amount of time ever seemed to be enough. When she realized she was not going to feel better anytime soon, she forced herself onto her feet. The hay beneath her made her stumble slightly, but she caught herself on a nearby post.

Again, she opened her eyes, and what she found was not something she expected to find. A pure white steed looked her in the eye. It seemed apathetic, bored almost, even in the face of a stranger. Soleil knew she was a stranger to the horse because she'd never seen it before. Never. As a matter of fact, she was quite sure nobody in the army rode a white horse.

Concerned, her brows dropped, and she turned her head. Down the aisle, several horses more peeked out of their stalls, each directing their eyes at her. None of them looked familiar either. Come to think of it, the overall structure of the entire building seemed alien to her...

Uh-oh.

After grabbing both bags from the pile of hay she once rested upon, Soleil stumbled out of the stable, heart pounding furiously. Her ankle was still not past throwing fits, so she could not get far before she began to slow, anxiously taking in her surroundings. On the bright side, she did not seem to be in a very threatening place, for the stable belonged to a quaint little farm. The farm house, made from shoddy, decaying wood, was not too far from the stable, and it was not much larger than it either. Behind her, rows of crops stretched for a decent amount of distance.

Unfortunately, someone toiled in those rows, hacking away at the ground with a hoe. He noticed her. After straightening his back, he whisked away some sweat from his brow and called out to her with a wave. Whatever it was he said, he was too far away for her to understand it. She was not willing to draw closer to hear better, but he seemed more than willing to take the job instead.

He seemed charming enough. On his way to her, he bounced his way through his crops, careful not to trample any of them. His feet, light as a feather, seemed skilled in the practice, for he flawlessly ventured across the rows... except for one minor fluke, but he laughed it off quickly and refused to let it discourage him. Soleil remained perfectly still, refusing to budge, even when he got uncomfortably close.

"Hey, stranger," said the boy. She'd guess they were of similar age, but his lanky body towered over her. "Glad to see you up, but..." Without permission, he set his hand on her forehead and hesitated. "Hm... You still got yer fever, though. Feelin' alright?"

Frowning, she gently nudged his hand off of her face and gathered a bit of distance.

"Um... I feel... fine?"

"That ain't good enough. You gotta be feelin' in tip-top shape to be travelin'. 'Fya get goin' while you feel bad, you're in for a bad time." Sensing her uneasiness, he got a little distance from her as well. He bowed lowly. "N-Name's Junichi, by the way. Found ya lyin' out in the middle of the road a few days ago. You musta collapsed in the mud while it was rainin', 'cuz when I found ya, it looked like you was bein' swallowed up by the ground. Took ya here 'cuz you didn't look like you was in too gooda shape." He leaned in slightly closer. "Don't tell no one, but I put ya in the barn 'cuz pa don't trust me with gals when it's nighttime. Can you believe the geezer?"

"Th-That's nice, I..." Her eyes darted around, looking for signs of a road. A small dirt path looked promising. "Thanks for the help, but I can't really stay. See, I have a-"

"You're goin' to the capital, ain't ya?" Eyes widening, Soleil immediately turned back to the boy, and her mouth slowly sank. The boy caught on to her wonderings. "I only know 'cuz I saw yer map... It had a path drawn on it. S-Sorry to go snoopin' though your things. I was just tryin' to figure out who you was."

Shoulders sinking, Soleil turned back to him, and she attempted to hide the uncertainty in her eyes.

"I'm Midori," she lied effortlessly. It was as if it came naturally to her! "I got a... a very dear friend in the capital. Heard she's dying, so I need to make it there the fastest I can. I want to see her one last time."

"Aw... Aw shucks. That explains why you seemed so reckless. Ain't no one that'd be willin' to trudge through the rain for no reason..." The boy sighed. "Well then, Miss Midori... I wanna help ya out any way I can. Midori was my ma's name, know? Makes me feel all warm n' fuzzy on the inside when I hear her name again. Oh! But don't get me wrong, now. I don't wanna help you just 'cuz you have my ma's name; you seem like you're a nice gal."

"Th-Thanks, Junichi..." It was worth mentioning that she mispronounced his name. "But there isn't much you can do. I just need to get a move on the soonest I can. Thanks a bunch for giving me a place to stay." She did not seem to be open to discussion, for she prepared to go her own way. Junichi, however, called out to her.

"You ain't gonna make it, miss!" he said. "Not timely, at least. It's a few weeks on foot, and that's if ya know the terrain 'round here. Put that on toppa havin' a fever and goin' at least a few days without eatin'..."

The thought of food made her stomach erupt with miserable groans. She was startled by the noise, but that was before she remembered she had not eaten anything besides an overripe apple. Her mouth watered even at the thought of some of the nasty dishes the Wind Tribe gave her. Her hands quaked subtly. Her seemingly stubborn will was toppled easily.

"I don't know what I'm going to do..." She began to whimper, but she stopped herself angrily.

"I... I understand this frienda yours is mighty important to ya, but... It ain't gonna be the end of the world 'fya miss 'er, will it?"

Soleil nodded softly.

"She means a lot to me. Everything, almost... I don't know how I'd live with myself if I didn't make it in time."

Junichi's brows furrowed as he looked toward the sky. It was blue and pretty, especially compared to the ugly rain that terrorized the land days before. Another bead of sweat slid down his temple and cheek, and the tip of his tongue was there to catch it. That was when his eyes went to the farmhouse.

"I see. 'Fore you do anything, though, I need to feed you. And you can't say no, 'cuz you ain't gettin' nowhere without some veggies in your body."

Soleil's empty, trembling stomach momentarily took control and made the decisions for her, which was how she ended up in the farmhouse's humble kitchen. The table barely fit in the room, so sitting at a chair made for a tight squeeze. She watched as Junichi toiled away at the stove, warming up what smelled like soup.

"Pa n' me had this miso soup last night. There was some left, so... I'm sure it'd best go to you. Hope pa wasn't countin' on eating it when he gets back."

Soleil sucked in her stomach to fit between the edge of the table and the wall.

"Where's your dad at?"

"Pa's out workin'. Tryin' to sell them horseshoes again. I keep tellin' him ain't no one nearby needs no horseshoes. They're wantin' rations for when they start headin' for the capital. You heard what Emperor Ryoma's doin'?"

Soleil attempted to squirm closer to her bags, only to discover that she was pretty stuck. Instead, she pulled the bags closer to her.

"He's letting everyone near the castle for protection, right?"

"'Sright. Once we're in the protection of the vanguard, ain't no Nohrian's gonna hurt us." He sighed, watching the leftover soup begin to boil. "'Cept the trip'll be hard if we don't have much money to use. 'Swhy I keep tryin' to tell pa we should sell the crops. Pa don't wanna help 'cuz he's afraid we'll run outta food 'fwe sell a bunch. But I'm the one in charge of the crops, and I know for a fact we got more than enough to feed ourselves! It's the supplies we gotta worry about for when we head to the capital too. Can't buy no supplies with no money."

While twiddling her thumbs and attempting to suppress her hunger (which was worsened by the intoxicating scent of the soup), Soleil glanced out of the window. The cabbages she could see were in prime condition, begging to be picked. It was a wonder how they had not been stolen by wandering thieves.

"Why don't you sell them by yourself?"

"'Sonly one me. Can't get all them crops in time 'for they go to those damned pests. 'Fi had myself a helpin' hand, I'm sure I'd be doin' a lot better..." He paused to grab a bowl from a cabinet, and, as he used it to scoop some food, a bright smile spread across his face. "Say... Wanna be that helpin' hand? We can work ourselves out a deal," he said while delivering the bowl to the table. He waited for a response, but a response was not his for a while. Soleil swallowed the soup all at once, even if it nearly melted her mouth. When she set the bowl back down on the table, empty as it was before, Junichi stared at her, baffled. "Land, stranger... You musta been hungry."

While wiping her mouth with her sleeve, Soleil nodded.

"Sorry... I hadn't had too much food before I got here."

"I oughta get you some more then." Before he even had a chance to sit down next to her, he was already back at the stove, readying a second serving. "Takes 'bout four weeks to get to the capital on foot, five if ya wanna more comfortable pace. Takes 'bout a week on horseback, though. 'Fyou help me out here a week or so, I'll pay you with one of my pretty horses in the stable over yonder. You've met 'em, haven't you?"

After guzzling a drink of water to soothe her scalded mouth, Soleil lifted her head, eyes widening again.

"E-Excuse me?"

"Yeah. I'll give you ol' Ninjin. He's strong, smart, obedient, young... All around, a darn good horse if y'ask me. He'll love ya to bits 'fya give 'im a nice long carrot. Kinda like one of them gods demandin' some sorta food offerin', hm?"

"Hey, I can't take one of your horses... Those're valuable. And expensive. And-"

"A weeka labor's a fair price, 'specially if it's for a friend in need." He set the bowl on the table again, filled once more with soup. This time, however, Soleil was not as quick to eat it.

"No way! A horse is way more valuable than that."

Chuckling rose out of Junichi, who ran a hand through his short black hair. Lots of dirt fell out of his head and onto his shoulders.

"Heh. Yain't never done much farm work, have ya?"

He was right on the money.

Farm work was a foreign occupation for Soleil, the girl who grew up in a town. The most interaction she ever had with farmers was when she ran to the market, where farmers sold their produce. Once, she and her merry band of do-gooders lended a hand to a devastated farmer after he lost his wife, but that was just one tiresome day of work. Soleil remembered hating it so much she never humored the thought of doing farm work ever again.

Junichi's soup, paired with an hour or so of rest, remedied Soleil's feverish complexion and temperature. Several times, Junichi insisted to keep her in bed for the rest of the day, but Soleil protested profusely. She needed to get work done if she wanted to get to the capital soon. The sooner she worked, hopefully, the sooner she could get a move on.

Oh, but Soleil forgot just how miserable it was to toil in the hot sun. It was after midday, and the sun was still merciless as she meandered around the cabbage fields. Rows of crops ran for as long as she could see, and that was just the cabbage patch. Junichi also had carrots, daikons, and radishes to yank out of the ground. In short, they were nowhere close to being done, even with two pairs of hands. Soleil's sore ankle had a small part to play in slowing them as well.

Going off of Junichi's instructions, the two worked on rows that were adjacent to one another. That way, the two could converse to minimize the misery of sore backs and sweaty faces. Junichi's presence also came in handy because Soleil constantly had to ask if a particular head of cabbage was ripe for picking. When both had a basketful, they had to lug it all the way back to the front, where they stored the produce in the barn. The pattern got old fast. Very fast. Luckily, they had each other's company to keep things interesting.

"So tell me 'bout yourself, Midori," Junichi spoke in the middle of yet another cabbage-picking session. Initially, Soleil did not respond to her pseudonym for obvious reasons, but when her head did perk, she silently scolded herself for being so lax. Going off of her observations, the locals of Hoshido were just as prejudice as the military, so being lax was completely out of the question.

"Who, me? Nothing much, really... My parents were Hoshidan, but I was raised in Izumo."

"Explains yer funny accent. Fer a little while, I thought you was Nohrian cuzza how similar you sounded to my buddy when he makes impersonations."

"Heh heh..." Soleil reddened as her heart stung. "Um... No. I guess Izumites and Nohrians sound similar?" She could take a gamble and completely redeem the integrity of her persona, but it was a gamble nonetheless. What were the chances of her losing the gamble, though? If Junichi happened to be a farmer all his life, he was more than likely among the least educated of the entire population... Soleil was one to take a gamble that was slanted toward her favor. "Makes sense since Izumo was a Nohrian colony at one point."

"Wow. That true? I never knew."

She emerged victor in the gamble; he knew nothing about Izumo.

"Yep. That's what all my neighbors taught me."

"Fascinatin'. What's it like there?"

"It's an awful lot like here, really. It's got a real... Hoshidan vibe to it. Pretty cozy. It was nice and all, but I wanted to go out and see the world, so I became a merchant. The friend who's in the capital was my traveling buddy for a long time... That's why she means so much to me. I really want to see her one last time."

She paused when she realized her hands began to quake. It was true that she lied to Junichi, but it was possible that going to the capital was her last shot at seeing Nina again... if Nina even was at the capital at all. She didn't even know where Nina was, for goodness' sake! Was she fighting for a lost cause?

"Ah, so y'all're like sisters, hm?"

"Um..." Soleil's eyes darted elsewhere. "Sure... Something like that."

"Ain't nothin' to worry 'bout. 'Fher time's come, she'll go up n' meet the Goddess in Heaven, and when yer time comes too, you'll get to see her again."

Their conversation died. It became slightly awkward, but only slightly. Soleil was simply not the type of person to feel awkward. The harbinger of awkwardness seldom experienced awkwardness after all.

When an evening breeze swept by, Junichi drank in a sweet breath and sighed heavily. He rose from hunching over, straightened his back, held out his arms, and let the wind caress his body. It easily dried his skin, once sweaty. However, there was one place where he was still quite hot: his torso, so he began unbuttoning his shirt.

"The Goddess's bein' mighty gentle on us today. She must like seein' you n' me workin' together," he said after slipping out of the top entirely. He bunched his top into a ball and tossed it into his basket as though it were another head of cabbage. Curiously, Soleil looked up, taking notice of his flat chest and belly. He certainly was not fat, nor muscular, but he looked exceptionally healthy. Her eyes brightened shortly after studying him.

"Hey! Great idea!" She began unfastening her top as well, much to Junichi's chagrin.

"N-Now hold up! What- why're you- wait!"

Too late; Soleil had already tossed her top into her basket as well, staring at him innocently.

"Something wrong?"

Junichi had turned around to avert his eyes.

"A-Ah... It's just... Ya know..."

"What? It's hot out."

"W-Well..." She could not see it, but his face was beet red. "It's hard ta stop lookin' at a pretty gal with no clothes on. Can't get no work done 'fI'm busy starin', right?"

"That's easy. Just don't stare. Back in Izumo, the baths were public, so I was pretty much surrounded by naked girls everyday. I really wanted to, but I hardly ever stared... mostly because I always got slapped if I did. But if I can handle that, you can handle it too."

After going back to work, it took a while for Junichi to finally ask Soleil to put her shirt back on. When he did, Soleil laughed at his request before compromising with him: if she put her shirt on, he had to put his on as well. He accepted the compromise fairly soon. While watching him hurriedly slide back into his sleeves, Soleil released a chuckle and narrowed her eyes.

"Heh heh. You must think I'm really pretty if you're getting this worked up," she told him while slipping her head through the collar of her tunic.

"You're an awful fit gal. Ain't gonna lie to ya. Does bein' a merchant get yer arms that big?"

"What, these arms?" She pretended to act modest as she rolled a sleeve up and flexed. "Nah. I used to lead a band back in Izumo."

"Pa knows how to play the shamisen. What instrument did you play? Musta been one hellava instrument if it worked out yer arms that much."

Soleil paused her cabbage picking to stare at him, utterly puzzled for the moment. She blinked a few times before everything clicked in her head.

"Oh! No, no. Not that kind of band. It was a band of mercenaries, for a lack of better words. We were all over the place because of how often we got hired... All that work made me pretty good at swinging a sword around." Her hand dove into her clothes. For a moment, Junichi was afraid she'd pull her shirt off again, but all she did was whip out a short katana: her trusty kodachi. Obviously interested, Junichi leaned closer and motioned to hold it. Soleil granted him permission.

As he observed the weapon, eyes wide, the boy cleared his throat.

"My, my. This looks like it's one of them military weapons. Know, I almost got yanked into the army, but pa got me off the hook since he needed me on the farm. Pa wouldn't have no food to eat if I wasn't here to tend to the crops. Boy do I thank my lucky stars; I never wanted to be in the army. Lotsa scary faces in there, and everyone I've met that came outta it ain't the same person they were before. Pa's a good example. When you meet 'im, you'll know exactly what I mean."

Junichi's father reminded her an awful lot of Gunter back home.

He was a hardened, crusty old man that could never wipe the grimace from his face, even in the lighter times. That was the very first thing Soleil noticed when a wagon came rolling up to the farm at sunset. When Junichi lifted his head to observe their visitor, he jumped with joy and snagged his basket. Though his basket was not yet full, he began carrying it to the front of the farm anyway.

"Pa's home! Let's go tell 'im hi!"

"O-Okay!" She grabbed her basket too, hoping they were done with harvesting for the day.

Junichi's father did not greet Soleil happily, for his grotesque, aggravated face turned to her. Soleil's eyes widened as Junichi pat his father on the shoulder.

"Hey, pa! Know that gal I found lyin' out in the dirt? She finally woke up!"

"Hmph. Young lookin'. Got the charmin' eyes of a Sazae-oni..." he spoke gruffly. Soleil thought Junichi's accent was thick, but his father's was an entirely different beast.

"Pa!" Junichi scolded. "Don't call 'er that! She's a nice gal, and her name's Midori like ma."

"Hm? She ain't Midori, though. She ain't stayin' long I hope."

"A-Actually, pa..." Junichi motioned for Soleil to stay where she was as he followed his father into the farmhouse, eventually leaving her alone. After standing for a while, Soleil autonomously decided to deliver what few cabbages were in her basket to the barn.

The next time she saw Junichi, he carried a lantern, for it had become completely dark. He knocked on the wooden frame of the barn's entrance to get her attention. Luckily, she was barely asleep on her pile of hay, so she awoke in time to receive him. Thanks to the bright glow he handled, she did not trip on anything when she went to meet him.

"'Evenin', Midori. Sorry 'bout takin' so long. Had to spend a little time convincin' pa to let you stay 'round. I'm thinkin' he got a pinch sympathetic when I told him 'bout yer friend in the capital. Didn't seem like he had a problem with you helpin' out 'round here either." He held out a plate of dinner for her. After she took it, he lowered his lantern. "Would ya complain if I came inside?"

Soleil promptly shook her head.

"I mean, it's your barn, so you can do whatever you want."

"Fer now I'll just say it's yers and the horse's. Hate to intrude on a pretty gal's privacy."

"Privacy? I don't care. It's not like I'm ashamed of anything."

"I noticed..." He hung the handle of the lantern on a nail protruding from one of the horse's stalls. The horse inhabiting that stall was dark brown, healthy and fascinated. Junichi motioned to it. "This here's Ninjin. Ain't he got the cutest little eyes on 'im? He looks 'round like a curious puppy dog. 'Slike he's tryin' ta make sense of the world. He's a smart little thing, so it ain't gonna be long 'till he does."

At his side, Soleil nervously reached out to touch the bridge of Ninjin's long face. With plenty of trust, the beast pushed into her palm, studying her carefully. She looked back, reminded of the many times Sophie attempted to get her to ride Avel. Soleil didn't trust Avel. She just knew Sophie was setting her up, trying to get her on Avel so he could take her far, far away. It was payback for all the times Soleil bothered the mess out of her.

"He kinda is cute," she agreed.

"When we head to the market, I'll let ya ride him there. You'd besta get used to ridin' him 'fya plan on lettin' him take ya to the capital." He turned to her afterward. "Know, you did a good job today. I'm impressed. Most people I know, gal or guy, don't normally have it in 'em to be farmin' all day. Got some good stamina in ya."

Proudly, Soleil straightened her back and puffed out her chest slightly, nodding in the meantime.

"It's not so bad when you're used to being outside a lot. I've spent a lot of my days practicing with my sword and walking. It came in handy when I was chasing down baddies in town, and it still came in handy while I was alone in the countryside. Thieves are everywhere, I tell you!"

"That might also come in handy when we start to sell too... I've had a few people take a carrot 'er two without permission while I'm in town. Mosta the time it's just dumb little brats, but nothin' can really stop a big guy like pa from takin' what he wants. I'll be relyin' on ya to keep an eye out for anyone who tries to take somethin' that don't belong to 'em."

"Easy." She beat a fist on her chest. "I can take care of them."

"Well, ain't that swell! I'll be able to sleep good 'night." His eyes accidentally fell on the pile of alfalfa where Soleil once slept. Her bags were next to it, compact and tidy. "Oh... Sorry 'bout makin' ya sleep in the barn too. I know it ain't the coziest, and the smell..." He scratched behind his head. "I told pa we shouldn't make a pretty gal like you sleep in a musky ol' barn, but he seemed pretty set on keepin' ya out here."

With a shrug, she shook her head.

"It's not that bad in here. I've had to sleep under trees on the way here, so this is pretty nice in comparison." She chuckled, remembering the time her tent was mysteriously torched. "Besides... I've slept in a few barns before. It's nothing new to me."

"Gods, Midori..." Junichi started. He turned to the side because he started to turn red in the face. To hide his blush completely, he walked around the rest of the barn, acting as though he were checking to make sure all the stalls were securely closed. "You're just the strangest gal I've ever had the pleasure of meetin'. A-And I mean that in a good way! I think strange is good. Ain't nobody wanna hang out with some borin' ol' prude."

"Ugh. I've known a few," she agreed before holding up the plate in her hand. "I'll go ahead and eat this and go to bed. I'm pretty tired after today... Mind if I bring the plate back to your house tomorrow?"

As though it were a cue for him to leave, Junichi commenced his departure at the sound of her words, nodding in the meantime.

"That ain't a problem at all. Hope you enjoy the food. You earned it today." He paused at the doorframe of the barn, hesitant. "By the way, um... Midori... I trust you 'nuff to let ya stay here. Hope my judgment ain't gonna bite me in the tush... 'cuz uh... It'd be pretty darn easy to run off with one of them horses in the middle of the night..." He looked back at her, watching as she began to munch on a cooked carrot with her hands. She stared back at him when she noticed him staring as well.

"I won't do that," she said. "A deal's a deal."

Her words put a soft smile on the boy's face, and he finally turned his back on her.

"Comfortin' to hear a gal that's true to her word. 'Night night, Midori."

After a couple of additional days of hard, strenuous labor, Soleil could finally see the town of which Junichi often spoke. Of course, in order to get there, they had to load up a pair of horses with wagons, both packed down with plenty of produce. While hitching the goods to the beasts, Soleil released a whistle and marveled at their handiwork.

"Sure is a lotta food."

"Town's called Kurosawa. Got probably the biggest tradin' post in the area. Where there's lotsa trade, there's lotsa people. Almost always sell a bunch when I take my stuff over yonder. Some people're buyin' carrots for snacks while they travel, some're buyin' to take home... Hell, I've hearda some people that come all the way from Kiso 'cuz our prices're cheaper."

Soleil was slightly familiar with riding horses, as she had been trained during her time with the army. Combat on horseback, however, was simply not her style, so she neglected to pursue the practice. Instead, she remained on the ground, cutting down foes as a member of the infantry. That did not mean she forgot some core aspects of horseback riding. With some assistance from Junichi, she was on Ninjin's back in no time, and the two were off for Kurosawa before the sun began to rise, carts in tow.

True to Junichi's word, Ninjin was a gentle, steady horse indeed. He did not jerk or go directions he preferred to go, which was strange because he came off to Soleil as having a strong will. Soleil had a strong will too, so perhaps Ninjin could sense that her will was far stronger than his. Regardless, he often obeyed without question. Occasionally, her hand stroked his neck as a reward for his cooperation throughout the trip.

Soleil and Junichi spent their time exchanging stories and bits about themselves, which proved to be quite effective when it came to passing the time. More often than not, Junichi's questions inevitably led back to Soleil describing Nina, who Soleil renamed to Mozu.

"I met her a while ago during my vigilante days. She was a thief! A skilled one. The guys and I almost missed her on the night she broke into this estate we were hired to guard. We only caught her because of how outnumbered she was, and we took the liberty of dragging her somewhere where we could keep her. Threw her in a room somewhere and held her prisoner until she'd talk. But there was something about her that really stuck out to me... Something that fascinated me."

"Yeah? What was that?"

"No clue, but she sure turned out to be pretty interesting. Ever read 'Robin Hood' before?"

"Sorry. Can't read."

"Robin Hood's a character that stole from the rich so he could feed the poor and hungry. Mozu was the same, except I'm pretty sure she's way more cunning than Robin Hood. Not a selfish bone in her body. All she wanted to do was help people who couldn't help themselves." She asked Ninjin to pick up speed when she noticed Junichi was getting too far ahead of her. "I decided to let her in my band once I realized we had similar goals. I didn't have any regrets, because she turned out to be a great help to us. She's a fine girl... I admire her. Even when the band finally broke up, we stayed together and decided to become merchants so we could explore the country."

Junichi chuckled.

"Certainly like 'er lots. Yer puttin' yerself through lotsa trouble to go see 'er again."

"I need to be there the soonest I can. I'm willing to take any means necessary."

"Boy, oh boy. Can't wait 'till I find myself a gal I can feel that way 'bout. Ah, not sisterly, of course. Not like you and Mozu. I mean a gal I can dote on." Right on cue, his cheeks grew rosy. "I always wanted to have myself a wife. Used ta make me the gladdest thing to see ma and pa holdin' hands back in the day... They were just the happiest folks in the world, I'm sure. Pa was almost always smilin' back then..."

"Love'll do that to you," Soleil responded, cheeks tinting red.

"Hey, hey. Wanna know a secret 'bout that?" Junichi leaned near to her as though someone were around to eavesdrop on his cherished knowledge. Playing along with him, Soleil leaned closer too.

"What?" she asked lowly.

"Ma and pa weren't in love!"

Soleil's eyebrows raised, for she was legitimately taken aback.

"Huh?"

Again, Junichi chuckled, returning to his original posture on the horse's back.

"Uh-huh. Ma and pa didn't love each other. That's 'cuz they were more than lovers. They were best friends. By itself, love ain't nothin' more than a fire; burns bright fer a while, but it'll die down eventually. Love's so temporary. Yuck. It don't stick 'round long. 'Swhy ya hear all them sad stories 'bout gals runnin' off with other guys or guys runnin' off with other gals. Their flame just got reduced to coal's all. Par for the course." She noticed his eyes growing soft. "Love ain't nothin' compared to friendship. A friendship can easily tear apart love, but love can't tear apart friendship. Love's just all petty like that. Ain't hardy."

When they arrived at Kurosawa around midday, Soleil and Junichi struggled to plow their way through quite the crowd of people of all shapes and colors. Junichi's horse, a content old mare, didn't throw even the slightest fit in the midst of the commotion, unlike Ninjin, who threw occasional quarrels when children scurried underneath his belly.

Soleil thought they wandered aimlessly at first, but that was before she realized that Junichi appeared to follow a certain path as though the pattern was not new to him. He definitely knew where he was going, but where he was going was beyond her. However, things became clear when they began approaching an area containing multiple lots. In those lots, vendors guarded their small shops, screaming at every passing customer (including them). Soleil assumed they wandered aimlessly again, searching for a spot to stop and set up shop. Again, she was proven wrong, for Junichi stopped before a seemingly random shop and released a long, tired groan.

"Gods, again?" It was the first time she heard him sound angry, and it was quite off-putting. The vendor at the particular shop, an unattractive, pudgy man, jabbed a pinky in his ear, dug around, and wiped his finger on his pants. He probably would have wiped his finger on his shirt if he had been wearing one. And he needed to be wearing one. Not just because the sun was exceptionally hot out on that autumn day.

"Hey kid! Move yer horse's big rump! Can't sell nothin' if no one can see my damn shop!" the man snarled, rising from his rickety stool. What the man dubbed a "shop" was nothing more than a collection of useless wood trinkets. Judging by the abundance he had, it seemed as though he hadn't sold anything recently.

"Yer parked in my lot, pops. Git on outta here." Junichi responded, equally hostile. In the meantime, he yanked a yellowing scroll out of one of his shoulder bags. He handed it to the man so he could see, and, as expected, the man immediately opened the scroll to investigate. A smirk appeared at the very corner of his lip.

"Know what this says, son?"

"Yeah. Says the fifty-seventh lot belongs to me. I paid fer it. Git yer shop offa my lot!"

"This don't say that, son. Says here the fifty-seventh lot's open to the first man who gits there."

"Thasa loada cow manure, sir! Got that paper after buyin' this lot 'till the enda the year. Says it's mine."

"Boy, can you even read?"

Silenced, Junichi reddened, and his brows steadily began to furrow. He caved and whipped his finger toward the girl on the horse behind him.

"Nah, but I know she can," was all Junichi said to him. Taking his words as a command, Soleil urged Ninjin closer to the vendor, where she retrieved the scroll from the man. While unraveling it, she cleared her throat, as if anticipating to read aloud. She did not, for she found her answer at the very bottom paragraph, which was written in indelible ink. She closed the scroll and promptly handed it back to Junichi.

"Yeah. It's a deed to the fifty-seventh lot," she stated calmly, noticing the fifty-seven carved in the pavement next to the man's stand.

"You lie. Can't believe you. Good ol' honest country folk lyin' like this..." The man eased closer to Ninjin, narrowing his eyes as he fixed them on Soleil's round face. "Hm. Speak again fer me, gal."

Soleil anchored a brow.

"Why?"

"'Cuz. Yer accent ain't settin' me straight. Sounds Nohrian to me, and if yer Nohrian... Well, we know what that means. Means yain't nothin' but lyin' scum, so yer word ain't worth a single mark."

"The gal's an Izumite, thank you. Ain't none of yer business to go snoopin' 'round her background anyways. Deed says this lot's mine, so git."

After raising a brow, the burly man crossed his arms and looked up at Junichi, defiance in his expression. Soleil knew things were about to go downhill the moment she saw a familiar glint in his eye, so her teeth immediately began chewing on her bottom lip.

"Know what, son? I ain't gonna. Ain't nothin' you can do ta make me move either, so scram. Git yer silly little 'reader' to go trick someone else inta movin' fer ya." To solidify his point, he sat himself back down in his stool, arms remaining crossed. The bottom of Junichi's eyelid twitched before he exchanged glances with his neighbor. He shrugged, evidently irritated.

The next thing either of them knew, Soleil slammed her fist on the man's table, causing a disturbance in his merchandise. The man's eyes bore into hers. She bore into his, unblinking. It was a fight she did not want to lose. Not here. Not now. She was the one with the stubborn will after all. She won the battle when the man blinked, but he did not stay humiliated for long; when their eyes met again, he smirked and released a hearty chuckle.

"What 'cha lookin' at me fer, girly? Gonna do somethin' ta me since yer husband can't? Big fella like me ain't easily persuaded by little gals."

Her face remained stone cold... until she smiled back. Confidently. The smile eventually evolved into a full-fledged grin, feeding off his slightly puzzled reaction.

"I've sent dozens of men twice your size running home to mommy."

The man attempted to mimic her tactic of smiling, but he was not as effective as her. It was to be expected since she was the one who perfected the art in the first place.

"What'dja use?"

"Something like this." Moving only her arm, she reached into her clothes to unsheathe the kodachi, which, while tight in her grip, also slammed against the table. The entire time, her eyes remained glued to his. He could not stare at her for as long as she could, for he observed her weapon with prejudice.

"Threatenin' me, now, er ya?" asked the man lowly.

"No way. Just challenging you to a little duel. First one to almost land a lethal blow's the winner. Winner gets the lot."

"N-Now, Midori, this sounds awful unnecessary..." Junichi sounded from behind, uneasy. Soleil did not seem to notice him, or she simply ignored him. In the meantime, the man's frown returned to a smile, and a chuckle rumbled in his throat.

"No cryin'. 'Fyer gonna play a man's sport, you gotta take a loss like a man."

"Right back at ya."

As expected, the hefty man landed hefty blows, but he lacked in speed. Soleil's kodachi could hold out for only so long against his weapon, a longer katana, so she was forced to utilize her speed against him. Lucky for Soleil, she happened to be a fine balance of speed and strength, especially when compared to her brutish opponent. She drew confidence from the small crowd of spectators that gathered around them, watching with both excitement and horror. In that crowd, there was Junichi, about as frazzled as he looked.

But Soleil was not frazzled. No, she was quite excited, dancing around like her father as she fluidly evaded the man's swings and thrusts. She could not dance because she had no rhythm, but she certainly had a knack for anticipation. With each dodge, she saw the man grow visibly flustered, which transformed into frustration. Over the cheers of the crowd, he grit his blackening teeth and spit on the ground.

"Come on, gal, git over here n' hit me yerself!" he exclaimed, realizing she'd been toying with him.

"Okay," she responded coolly before barging into the fray. He saw it as an opportunity to attack, but it was really just a trap; with his arms raised, she swiftly smacked the side of his ribcage with the broad side of her sword. She did not strike hard enough to injure him severely, but he did seem rather uncomfortable. He yelped, and when his free hand went to cover the site, she simply struck the other side next.

He left her no time to do anything else, for his frustration finally turned into fuming, steaming rage. He swung his blade protectively, but the kodachi caught it just in time. In a standstill, the two stared one another down, pressing against the other's weapon.

It was a mistake to give Soleil even a moment to think, for she cracked a devious grin before long. It was something the man found foreboding, and for good reason: not too long into their standstill, Soleil simply slid her sword downward. The man would have had the perfect leeway to allow his katana to come crashing down on her, but she simply was not there. She dove between his legs, both spaced wide enough for entry. In doing so, she pointed her sharp kodachi up, broke the cloth of his trousers, and tore a wide hole on her way back up on the other side. The last victim of her destruction was his belt, which her blade easily sliced in two.

The spectators, men, women, and children alike, suddenly roared with laughter, for the man was without his trousers. When she turned back around, Soleil had to release a chuckle too, especially as the man scrambled to collect the ruined material gathered around his feet. He scowled and made a beeline for the nearest hiding place, which, as far as she knew, was not near at all.

With time, Junichi was able to work his steed through all the hustle and bustle, where she met Soleil in the middle of an excited crowd. They threw money at her, most of which she failed to catch, and reached desperately in attempt to touch her. Basking in the attention, the girl beamed at her newest guests, who stared at her strangely.

"I ain't gonna try ta git on yer bad side, Midori. Nice goin'."

"He sure left in a hurry. Too bad he forgot all the stuff he wanted to sell," she shouted to him.

"Nah, that's fine. We'll sell 'em for 'im 'till he gets back."

During the days they sold Junichi's produce, Soleil managed to fetch him some extra money by charging for duels. Many, in attempt to either polish or improve their ego, took on her challenge, but every opponent failed to outsmart or outmatch Soleil's swordsmanship. She humbled herself before her challenger after victory, but, once they disappeared, she turned to the nearest girl and gave her a flirty flex. In the background, it rained money.

It got to the point where Soleil found heaven: she was surrounded by all the young pretty girls, all doting on her like a puppy. When Junichi observed her ecstatic expression, he anchored a brow and cleared his throat loud enough for her to hear. Lucky for him, Soleil did not have to take too much of a hint; after hearing his call, she snapped out of her trance and shook her head around.

"Oh! that's right!" she said while leading her paparazzi to Junichi's humble, but bodacious, stand. "Thinking about buying some groceries today? My friend and I harvested these. I'd love it if you got some. Here. First piece is on us." All she had to do was fish out a few carrots and flash a charming grin to score a huge sale for Junichi.

When the sun began to set and all the traders started to pack up their goods, Junichi and Soleil loafed around their stand, almost barren of the produce they brought that day. While running his pocket knife over a thick block of wood, Junichi whistled sweetly. Soleil sang along to his tunes before she was asked to stop.

"Know, Midori, ya got quite a way with the gals 'round here," Junichi spoke lightly.

"Weren't they cute? The short brunette one was my favorite. It's a shame to see 'em go..." Soleil responded dreamily. Her words drew a laugh out of her neighbor.

"Gods, ya truly are a strange one. Hope you can patronize 'em again tomorrow. Ain't never sold this well in one day before, and I surely wouldn't mind gittin' used to it."

"We'll have to see about that. Sometimes those're just things you can't do on command, though. It's all about luck, patience, time, and opportunism..." She turned her head to him. "So how much longer do you need me?"

Hesitantly, Junichi leaned back, careful not to fall off the log he called his chair. His rough hands delicately rubbed the little stubbles on his chin as his eyes turned up to the golden sky. A hint of sadness hid itself deep in his irises.

"Ain't so sure yet. Probably just another day 'er so. I'll have to hold up my end of the deal after that, don't I?"

"It'd sure be nice."

"Shucks. Don't know why I'm soundin' so selfish. It's the least I can do after all this help you've given me..."

In the glowing light of the lantern, Soleil threw a saddle atop Ninjin, who excitedly brayed in his stable. Holding both of her bags, Junichi watched, a dark emotion gathering in the pit of his eyes. Like a teacher, he spectated to make sure Soleil properly buckled and strapped the saddle onto the steed. He was glad to say she passed the final test.

In the heat of the silence, his hands began to quiver violently.

"Know, Midori... I..." he started, but he failed to finish. Soleil turned around to look him in the eye.

"What's up?" she asked, silently pressuring him to continue. "Sad I'm leaving?"

"Th-That's the thing, see... Don't think there's ever been a better week in my life than the one I just shared with ya. Who woulda thought I'd find myself one of the most exceptional young women just layin' out in the road, huh?"

Soleil chuckled at his question, scratching a patch on her face.

"This whole ordeal does feel a bit surreal... With how peaceful it is around here, it almost feels like I'm in some sort of happy limbo. Am I sure I'm still alive? Maybe I did die out in the rain... Lemme check." She pinched herself shortly afterward, applying as much pressure as she could until she yelped from the pain. A relieved laugh left her as she nodded. "Whew, that's good... You are real, Junichi."

"Ain't that swell? So... I take that to mean ya like it lots here?"

Soleil nodded while gently taking her bags from his hands. While fastening them securely to Ninjin's saddle, she continued:

"It's a good place to be. It's away from all of life's problems. Simple, really. A place where you can just go to... well... live. A place to appreciate the simple things in life." As she spoke, she was not aware that Junichi drew closer behind her back. So close, in fact, they were face to face when she turned back around. Startled slightly, she yiped again, but laughter followed.

"Know, after you go see yer friend in the capital, what do ya say 'bout comin' back here? I can always use a helper... But even better, I think we'd share just the grandest life. M-Midori, I... I think I... I think I really like ya!"

Coloring, Soleil remained still, only blinking.

"Like... a friend, I guess?"

"Naw. Like a best friend. Like how ma liked pa." He paused for only a moment, likely to catch his fleeting breath. "Yer one fine specimen, ya know? Yain't like most gals. Ya don't mind gittin' all nitty and gritty. Kinda like yer 'nother one of them guys, but ya still ain't quite like them guys. Still got a hinta beauty n' grace to ya. Ain't never seen a woman quite like you. Makes ya super special in my book."

She was completely at a loss for words, reddening to the hue of a tomato. That was okay, because Junichi was just as red. They remained still, exchanging the heat of their embarrassment with one another until one worked up the bravery to speak.

"Oh, Junichi..." Soleil started. "Those were some really sweet things to say..."

"They're sweet 'cause they come from the heart. I mean 'em truly."

"I don't question that in the slightest, but..." At that dreaded "b" word, she saw the spark in her suitor's eyes fade. She hesitated about continuing. "See... oh, boy, this is a bit complicated... uh... well..."

"Now, don't be shy. You ain't supposed to be the shy type. 'Fya can't come back, just say so. I'll understand. No need to explain why."

"N-No, I feel like you have the right to know. Even if we've only spent a week together, I feel pretty close to you." She furrowed her brows with determination and looked him in the eyes. "Junichi, I think you're a sincere, kind, and generous person. There's nothing that can make me think badly of you... And being with you was a real treat..."

"Uh-huh... But...?

"But... You see... eh... I'm not exactly... um... into people like you..."

Junichi frowned, utterly bamboozled.

"Whatcha mean by that, Midori? Don't like farmers? My funny accent? My... erm... embarrassin' education...?"

"No, no, no! You're a fine person! It's just... boys. I don't think I'm really into 'em."

"I'm gonna need ya to elaborate."

"You know... The deep voices, the flat chest, the rigid outline, the tallness, the short hair, the sticky sweat, the... uh... That's just not something I'm attracted to when I'm looking for someone... you know... to get romantic with. It's nothing against you personally. Honest!"

She saw Junichi's eyes widen, and the crimson on his face grew even deeper. She didn't even know it could grow deeper. Perhaps it was unhealthy, for he became rigid, almost locked in place.

"O-Oh my..." was all he could utter after a while of thought. "So... 'Fya ain't gonna go kissin' on some fella, that mean ya... ya wanna go kissin' on some gal?" When she nodded, he retreated to his state of stillness. "O-Oh my... Yer one of them folks pa don't take mucha likin' to. Them fellas who dote on other fellas and them gals who dote on other gals..." She panicked when tears started welling in his eyes.

"J-Junichi? I-I'm sorry, was that something I shouldn't have told you?" she inquired worriedly, but Junichi simply shook his head.

"Nah, don't pay me no mind," he replied, audibly distraught. After sniffling, he picked his head back up. "M-Midori? I'm real sorry. Honestly!"

"What for?"

He grabbed her shoulders tightly.

"I used ta be just like pa, bein' all mean to folks like ya. I used to hate 'em with all my guts. Used ta think they was nothin' but backstabbin', thievin', lyin' things... But... But I don't hate y'all no more! Not no more since I've gotten to know ya! Yain't nothin' but 'nother human bein' just tryina make it in this gosh darn world. Gods, I feel awful, hatin' on you folks for no reason..."

"There's no need to apologize... Chin up." She gave him a trademark grin. "Things are just the way they are, aren't they? No sense in getting hung up about it. I'm sorry things didn't exactly work out the way you wanted them to."

After wiping his tears away, and sniffling some more, Junichi smiled back.

"Naw, naw, Midori! Don't be sorry ya don't like me the way I like you. Remember what I said before? I'd take friendship over love any day. I know we'll always be good friends, and I couldn't ask for anything more, 'cause I can count on knowin' there ain't gonna be much that can tear that kinda bond. Ain't nothin' more comfortin'. So long as yer my friend, I ain't gonna be sad. Heck, I'll be happier than a goofy ol' lark!"

A pair of arms, which swiftly took him captive, caught him off guard. Blinking awkwardly, Junichi stared up at the ceiling before finally computing that he was being embraced. Without a word, he gently pat Soleil on the back, laughing somewhat nervously.

"You gonna believe me? That's just the sort of thing I needed to hear. Took a while for it to get through my thick skull," Soleil told him happily, a joyful grin displaying her pearly teeth. While withdrawing from the hug, her hands roughly took him by the shoulders and shook him around thoroughly. "Thank you so much, Junichi. For the horse, the food, the lessons... I don't think I can repay you fully."

"Bah. 'Course you can." Junichi's own hand softly pat his shoulder's captor. "Git on out there n' see yer friend. That's what I want. 'Slong as yer glad, I'll be glad."

Soleil's last moments on Junichi's farm was in the cover of night, mounted atop Ninjin. Armed with a lamp full of fuel, a map damaged by the rain, and plenty of food, she steered herself away, leaving behind long, barren gardens. Junichi stood in the midst of the farm, watching as the trees swallowed her whole. Long after the golden glow of her lantern disappeared, he remained, basking in the moonlight.

Trivia: I thought about naming this chapter "Triple Contractions". I decided not to. That would be silly.