Just a few notes about the things in the future. There are different ways discussions are going to take place, so here is something to keep in mind:
"Text" is speaking
"Text" is thinking to oneself
'Text' is talking between tamer and partner
Alright. On with the story
The Tale of a Tamer and His Dog God
Ch. 2 - A Few New Arrangements
-
"Kenshin?" Kaoru shakes Kenshin slightly, trying to wake him up without being rude. She adjusts her long shirt, which she uses to sleep in before trying again. "Kenshin?" She tries again and is unsuccessful. Getting frustrated, she turns it up a notch. "Kenshin!"
"What in the … Kaoru?" he asks, popping outta his covers and seeing Kaoru floating off to the side, smiling at his reaction and wagging her tail in the air.
Kenshin, we need to talk about the sleeping arrangements."
"What's wrong with them?" he asks, getting out and starting to make his futon.
"I can't sleep in the closet. It's too small and stuff. I feel like I'm trapped," she explains, following Kenshin as he leaves his and enters the common area.
"I'm sorry Kaoru, but we can't afford any other place. Tokyo is an expensive city," he says, going to the fridge and looking for something.
"But didn't your uncle say you get some extra money every month? Plus, when we start getting missions, we'll get more."
"Missions don't usually pay that much and that stipend may not be enough." He finally decides on a bottle of water, and opens it, walking back to find a place to sit.
"There has to be something," Kaoru says, landing beside Kenshin.
"Maybe we can move you into the common room." A knock interrupts them from thinking anymore, followed by a voice.
"Kenshin, are you in there?" Kenshin gets up and walks a few steps before opening the door to reveal a woman with brown hair and apron, a big smile covering half her face.
"Miss Tae, how was your trip?"
"It was fine. Thank you for asking. I just wanted to remind you of the rent, but you always pay on time so I don't know why I'm here," she says, placing her hand to her cheek in a very ladylike manner.
"It's always nice to see you." Tae suddenly sees something move behind Kenshin, and takes a step to the side to see Kaoru further in the room, staring right back at her.
"And who's this behind you? Did you get yourself a girlfriend while I was gone?" Tae says, giving Kenshin a wink and causing Kenshin to blush.
"Actually, this is a friend of the family, Kaoru. She's staying the year in Tokyo to experience the city life. Kaoru, this is Miss Tae, my landlady." Kaoru stands up and walks over to the door, adjusting the shirt as she heads over.
"Hi Miss Tae. It's a pleasure to meet you."
"It's so nice to meet you too Kaoru. So tell me, where are you living?"
"Uh…here?" she answers, looking to Kenshin to make sure the answer was okay.
"You must be joking. There's no room in here for two people to sleep in."
"We'll figure something out," Kenshin says, hoping that she drops the subject soon.
"If you were interested, I have a two bedroom place upstairs that's open. It costs a little more than this one but at least you'll both have your own rooms and it would be cheaper than getting two singles." With that, Kaoru's eyes light up and she pushes her way in front of Kenshin to discuss the prospect more.
"Really? How much more?"
"I'm not exactly sure, but I'll leave you with the information later. I need to get around to other tenants. I'll keep it open if until the end of the week for you two. Have a nice day."
"Bye!" they both say, watching as the woman walks away. Once she rounds the corner, Kenshin closes the door, only to turn around and come face to face with Kaoru.
"So…"
"I'm sorry Kaoru. But the only possible way we could ever afford a bigger place would be to work extra hours at work or asking Uncle Hiko for more, which wouldn't happen."
"Awww." Kaoru sinks down to ground so that she's lying on her stomach, her tail now limped off to the side. Kenshin bends down and pets her on the head as if she was a dog.
"Don't worry. We'll figure something out. But for now, I need to do some things so why don't we get ready?" Before he heads to his room, another knock is heard at the door. Kaoru quickly sits up, tail disappearing as Kenshin opens the door once again.
"Yo Kenshin. How's it going?" the brown haired guy asks. This time, he wears white pants, a wife beater, and an unbuttoned white jacket, a black symbol drawn on the back. Next to him, a guy about his height with long black hair and black eyes, dressed simply in jeans and black t-shirt.
"Tired. But you will never guess what…"
"First, why don't you introduce us to your pretty friend here? Have you been hiding a girl from us?" the brown haired guy says, pushing Kenshin out of the way and letting himself in, his friend right behind him.
"Sorry guys. This is Kaoru, my dog god. Kaoru, this is Sano and his dog god Katsu," Kenshin says, introducing his brown haired and black haired friend.
"Your dog god? So you finally got one? Congrats man. And you sure got yourself a looker," Sano says, eyeing her up and down.
"Nice to meet you two," Kaoru says, trying not to rip their eyes out and pulling her shirt down a little more.
"Nice to meet you too Missy. I gotta say that if you weren't a dog god, I would be all over you," Sano says, giving her a wink. The one called Katsu walks up to her, his black tail shown. He gently takes her hand and kisses the back of it.
"It is a pleasure to meet you my lady."
"My lady?" Kaoru says, a confused look on her expression. 'Kenshin, why are these guys so weird?' Suddenly Kenshin starts looking around for the source of the voice as Katsu and Sano start talking to Kaoru.
'Who's there?' he asks himself.
'It's me. Kaoru. Didn't you know that partners have a psychic bond' she says, Kenshin finding some relief that he wasn't going crazy.
'Not until now. But just ignore them. They're always like this.'
"So what bring you two here so early?" Kenshin asks, saving Kaoru from the guys many stupid questions. "Or maybe it's the other way around?"
"We were wondering if you've had breakfast yet 'cause Katsu and I are starving," Sano says, patting his stomach and Katsu finding a nice seat right next to Kaoru. Kenshin just sighs and starts walking towards his room.
"Your parents left again and left nothing for breakfast, right?"
"You got it," Katsu says, trying to look up Kaoru's shirt, only to have his face slapped at as Kaoru drops down.
"Kenshin, isn't it kinda weird to have a female for a dog god?"
"So everyone's been telling me, but I can't help it. Kaoru did choose me so there must be a reason for it."
"Excuse me Kenshin, but what about breakfast?" Katsu brings up.
"At least let me get changed first, then we'll talk about breakfast," he says, before disappearing into his room. With no Kenshin in sight, attention gets turned back to Kaoru, who eyes the two suspiciously.
"So, Kaoru, how old are you? I mean, I've never heard of a dog god named Kaoru," Katsu says.
"Over a thousand years old. Why?"
"Because I like my females on the more mature side." Kaoru opens her mouth to snap back, only to close it and smirk, bring her finger up to her mouth, kissing it, and pointing at Katsu. Both Katsu and Sano look at it wondering what the dog god is up to.
"Poof." She puts the finger down and grins to herself. Katsu attempts to open his mouth to ask what that was about, only to find out that he can't open his mouth at all. He suddenly jumps up in a panic, feeling around at his mouth only to see that something like stitches are upon his lips. He turns towards Sano who only steps back in surprise.
"What in the world did you do to him?" he screams at Kaoru, trying to pry his partner's mouth open. Kaoru erupts into laughter, rolling on the ground and grabbing her stomach.
"Just making him shut up," she says in between laughs.
"Kaoru, undo whatever you did," Kenshin screams from his room. Kaoru stops her laughter and looks towards the door, pouting.
"But Kenshin…"
"Kaoru," he states before Kaoru can come up a reason for what she did.
"Ug, fine." She snaps her fingers before crossing arms and heading towards Kenshin's room as the door opens. The stitches holding his lips together open, letting Katsu move his mouth again.
"So Kenshin, what's the plan for today? Wanna go cause some mischief or pick up girls?" Sano suggests, leaning back on his lower arms.
"Kaoru and I need to do some errands then I have to go to work. Now, what do you want with your eggs?" he asks, looking into his fridge.
-
"Kenshin, I'm bored. Can't I go out and do something?" Kaoru asks, floating on her back in the kitchen of a bakery. Kenshin works hard, kneading a lump of dough, adding some flour and kneading some more.
"I don't feel comfortable letting you out yet. You still don't know everything around," Kenshin says, adding more flour.
"But what am I supposed to do for another 3 hours?" she whines, looking over his shoulder.
"You can take a nap or watch some television in the break room."
"I already tried that and it didn't work," she says, sneaking towards a mini unfrosted cupcake, only to be swatted by Kenshin.
"Hello? Is anyone back there?" a voice from the front counter says.
"Where's Mr. Ueda?" Kenshin asks out loud, looking around but not seeing his boss anywhere.
"I don't know," Kaoru says.
"Do you think you can take care of that Kaoru? I'm busy right now." Kaoru lands and looks out towards the counter then back at Kenshin.
"Yes Master." She bows and walks to the counter, seeing an older woman ready to order. "Hi. How can I help you?"
"I would like a dozen chocolate creampuffs to go," the woman says.
"Creampuffs? Let me see…" Kaoru looks around the place, trying to find the item of her want. "Come on Kaoru. You've seen the humans do this all the time. Just look for the box then the dessert. Mmmm. Dessert. Wonder if Kenshin will buy some for me?" As she continues to wonder about what she wants, she finds a box and the shelves holding the creampuffs. Doing what she had seen humans do before while she was a roaming spirit, she picks out twelve and puts them in the box, sealing it and placing it on the counter. "Alright. One dozen creampuffs. Now, how much…" She now puts her attention to the machine in front, unsure of how to work it.
'Kenshin, how do I work the machine?'
'The register?'
'I guess.'
'Alright. Press in the amount the order costs. Then tell the customer how much it is and see how much they give you. Then press in the amount they give and press the cash button and give them back the amount the register tells you to.' Kaoru does as Kenshin says and she soon completes the action without problem.
"And here's your change. Thank you for coming by." She waves as she watches the lady leave with package in hand. Once she leaves, she turns towards Kenshin and flies in. "Hey Kenshin. I did it!" she says, giving Kenshin a hug.
"Good job," he says, starting to form the dough into shape.
"Are you talking to yourself again Kenshin?" The two turn towards the voice to see an old man under 5 feet wearing a apron talking to them.
"No Mr. Ueda. A customer came up and Kaoru took care of it."
"Kaoru?"
"Kaoru, this is my boss, Mr. Ueda. Mr. Ueda, this is Kaoru."
"Well what a pretty girl you are," he says, talking to a wall.
"Is he talking to the wall?" Kaoru whispers to Kenshin.
"He has some issues with his sight. Just step up to him, tap him on the shoulder and say hi." Kaoru walks over, taps him on the shoulder causing the man to turn around.
"Hi there. Nice to meet you." He looks up, squinting to look at her.
"You think you can squat down for me honey so I can get a better look at your face?"
"Sure." She squats down, only to see him staring straight at her but his hands square on her chest, giving a good feel.
"My, my what a pretty girl you are," he says, earning a confused look from both her and Kenshin.
"Uh, thank you?" she says, standing back and backing away.
"So you took care of a customer for me? That was very nice."
"It's no problem."
"You have a job?"
"No."
"Then why don't you work here? My daughter left to go back to school so I'm in need of some help. If it makes you fell better, you can work when Kenshin does and of course, you'll be paid."
"A job huh?" Kaoru says, thinking about it for a few seconds.
"I don't think that's a good idea," Kenshin says, stopping his work and turning towards the two.
"I'll take it," she says.
"Great. If you're free, I can train you now and next time I'll give you your uniform. Let me go get my things," Mr. Ueda says, walking out of the kitchen.
"Kaoru, I don't think that's a good idea," Kenshin says, resuming his work.
"Why not? It would keep me busy and close to you so you don't have to worry about me and its extra income for us," Kaoru says, trying to sneak another dessert.
"I don't know."
"Please. I mean, imagine what I would do if I wasn't working during these few hours that you can't keep track of me." Kenshin stops what he's doing and looks down into the dough, only to imagine Kaoru poofing everyone into different types of animals.
"Alright. You can keep it. But only when I work here," he says, returning to work.
"Yay. Thank you so much," she says, giving Kenshin another hug.
-
"So…" Kaoru asks, looking over Kenshin's shoulder as he goes through their financials, looking to see if there was anyway they could afford the new place. He sighs and puts down his pen, leaning backwards until he reaches the floor. Kaoru floats above, starring down and waiting for his answer.
"Even with your job we still wouldn't make enough, but we could maybe get new furniture. Like a nice fold-up tables so that when we go to bed, we can store it and there will be room for a futon for you."
"I see," disappointment in her voice as she places herself on the ground next to the guy. He sits up, putting a hand on her shoulder.
"I'm sorry Kaoru. I wish I could do something."
"It's alright I guess."
"Well, I'm gonna go take a bath now. Do you think you can clean up?" he asks, getting up and watching as Kaoru starts to making fire appear on the tip of her finger.
"Remember our deal?"
"Right. Sorry." She looks up and watches as Kenshin leaves, turning her attention to the left open book.
"There has to be something I can do. And I think I know what."
-
"Kaoru, what are you doing here? And where's my idiot nephew?" Hiko asks as the dog god appears in the temple's tea room which he liked to call it and since it was night, it was time for sake. As he continues drinking, she continues to float in front of him.
"He's taking a bath. I came to talk to you."
"Are you unhappy with him already? It's only been a few days."
"There's the fact that he made me sleep in a closet last night and that's why I'm here. I'm asking for an increase in our stipend."
"But your stipend is what we give all beginners."
"But most beginners have bigger places to live. Kenshin place is about the size of a…well, closet."
"The situation he lives in is teaching him discipline, which he needs."
"But now he has me and needs a bigger place. There's no way we can both live in his place. His landlady has a two bedroom place available for a bit more a month. With the stipend, Kenshin's job, and now my job…" she starts ranting, floating all over the room in her own world.
"You got a job?" That perked his interest.
"Yes. At the bakery Kenshin works at and during his same shift so we won't be separated. But with all those things, we're still kinda short." She stops her flying around and presents herself in front of him again, making sure she had his attention. "Now, I know you are a man of pride and honor so listen to this. If we don't get a bigger place, Kenshin and I are going to start fighting. IF we're fighting all the time because we don't have a little bit of space, as in a wall separating us, we won't be able to complete missions, which means we won't get any eventually, which means that we will become not needed and I will then have to revoke the vow that we made. Now, that doesn't only look bad for me and him, which is even worse than never having a dog god to begin with, but imagine the shame it will bring upon your family, this temple, and mostly you. You're his guardian and unable to train him. That will look poorly upon you and the last thing that you want is to have your honor tainted." Hiko looks at her, then into his cup, before taking another sip of his sake.
"We don't have the funds."
"Of course you do. I've been living around here long enough to know just how much goes in and out of this place. Plus, as soon as we start getting missions, you can take out a cut of our earnings since the earnings are just a bonus to us anyways."
"No one speaks that way to me. You are either very stupid or have a lot of guts."
"So do we have a deal Mr. Hiko?" she asks, watching him pour himself another drinking and taking it at once, contemplating the proposal.
-
"Kenshin! Guess what?" Kaoru screams as she launches herself towards the boy now in his pajamas and hands still full of supplies.
"What did you do? I wasn't gone that long and I've only had you for a few days," he says, moving his way in and placing his stuff down, Kaoru still attached to his neck.
"Why do you automatically think I did something wrong?" she says, before moving away and pretending to pout.
"Because of that little poof thing you can do." He waves his finger in the air and plops himself on to his futon, Kaoru landing to kneel in front of him.
"It wasn't anything wrong. But I solved our sleeping problem."
"And how did you do that?"
"I got the remaining money we need to get the two bedroom." Kenshin looks at her, eyes wide in shock and only thinking about what she did to do it. "Maybe she robbed a bank. Oh I hope she didn't."
"And how did you do that?"
"I talked your Uncle Hiko into giving us an increase." Silence envelops them as Kaoru waits patiently and looks as Kenshin's eyes opened so wide that Kaoru never thought it was humanly possible.
"You what? And he agreed?" Kenshin all but shouted at her.
"You just gotta know how to talk to the man," she says, giggling as she flies around the room. She stops after a few laps and lands back in front. "There's just one catch," she says, holding up a finger in front of Kenshin's face.
"Which would be?"
"He gets a cut out of mission payments."
"I see," he says, looking down at his feet. Kaoru waits again for an answer.
"So?"
"So, I'm glad I have a partner like you. We'll talk to Tae tomorrow about getting the place."
"Yay! This is so great," she says, once again around Kenshin's neck. This time, he hugs her back for a job well done.
"For doing such a good job, you can take my futon and I'll take the closet," he says, getting up from the futon.
"Thank you!"
-
In a berdroom, Kaoru is sleeping soundly on Kenshin's futon. Kenshin sleeps, or at least attempts to sleep in Kaoru's. He shifts around some, trying to clear some imaginary dust out of his face. "Wow. This is really uncomfortable."