Disclaimer: I do not own Samurai 7 or any characters affiliated therewith. Neither do I own Ran, who I am using with the permission of Motokonobaka.
Aya, Akio and Kai were following the small group of four as best they could. Already, they had lost sight of them twice, and now they had fallen far behind. Aya was frustrated with herself.
"I am carrying a little, eighty-pound boy on my back, I have a pendant that I know nothing about, it's almost nighttime, and I am following four people who I have only seen on TV in a city I know nothing about!" she thought furiously. Akio looked at his sister with concern growing on his face. He opened his mouth to speak, and accidentally walked right into a person in front of him. Akio fell to the ground, rubbing his head. He looked up and immediately started to apologize.
"I'm so sorry! I wasn't watching where I was going!" he cried, standing up with his head bowed. The person he had run into turned so Aya could see them. She could see the person was tall and slender and looked to be about sixteen-years-old. The individual wore a black happi coat, faded black engineer jeans, combat boots and the white basket hat travelers wear. A white, fighter's hachimaki (headband) peeked out from underneath the basket-hat, as well as a white ribbon that kept their long black hair in a high ponytail at the back of their head. Aya warily eyed the person's katana and boken at their waist, and when the person spoke, Aya could have sworn they were a young man.
"Heh, happens all the time, kid," they said. Akio's cheeks felt afire at his stupidity. Aya flinched as she heard the person's low, drawling voice. Suddenly, an idea came to her.
"Um, sir, could you be so kind as to tell us where the mechanic Masamune is?" she asked tentatively, not wanting to seem like an outsider. The person stared at her for a second, then burst out laughing. Aya couldn't see what was so funny, and she almost said so, but the stranger beat her to it.
"Girl, I'm not a guy," they said, stifling their laughter. Aya's patience was wearing thin, as she thought they needed to find Masamune and/or shelter before the night truly came. But she hazarded a second look at the stranger's face. A pair of black eyes shone with a calm light in her beautiful, softly rounded face.
"Hey, who's the pretty girl?" came a small, sleepy voice. Aya, Akio and the girl all looked at Kai on Aya's back, who had awoken when Akio cried out. A small smile turned the corners of the girl's mouth up, and her eyes reflected an almost wistful look. But in a second, it was gone.
"The name's Rangiku, Kotetsu. Ran for short. I know where Masamune is, and I'll help you find him. All right?" she asked. Aya nodded gratefully and bowed, as did Akio. Kai merely yawned and closed his eyes again. Aya briefly glanced at her brother, and saw him stealing a glance at Ran. She knew that look in his eye, and she rolled her eyes at it.
"Thank you, Ran."
"Hmm. No problem. And if you're tired, I can carry the kid," Ran said, briefly glancing at Aya, who looked exhausted. Aya shook her head.
"I couldn't ask you to. He's rather heavy," she replied, shifting Kai's weight on her shoulders. Ran shrugged and turned into a wide, deserted walkway that was made out of the same material as the houses on the left side. Aya and Akio perked up immediately as they recognized it: the way to Masamune's.
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A/N: Ok, on top of a heck of a lot of homework, I accidentally injured myself. So chapters will most likely come slower than they already are. My sincere apologies to all my readers, but I am working at it, never fear.